Establishing a Whole School Data Strategy

Peter Atherton -Data Manager

• What role does data play in your school?

• What personality does your data possess?

• Ownership

• Minimising confusion and maximising quality

Data Culture and Personality

Data Confusion

DATABASICS

Prior

AttainmentCoasting

Schools

Life after

Levels

Catch up

premium

Pupil

Premium

Absence

Targets

PRPFloor

Standards

New GCSE

Specifications

(1-9)

Ebacc

Gaps

Level 3

value-added

Progress 8

Attainment 8

Expected

Progress

Fine-levels

Value-addedPoints

Conversions

Predicted v

Current Grades

Planning

Seating plans

Data

CollectionsHow to use

the MIS

School

Policies

Bespoke

ProceduresEffort

Rewards

Post-16

changesTimescales

Using

Analysis

Systems

Passwords

Curriculum

TrackersRaw v

UMS

• Keep it simple

• Presentation is important

• Ability to both glance and contain depth

• Stop doing things!

Transforming Data at Minsthorpe

Maximising Quality

• Time

• Clear purpose

• Provide heads up, not catch up

• Promote discussions about individual students

• The rise and changing nature of Data Managers

• Diversity within the role

– Large variation between schools, huge array of job titles:

(Data Manager, MIS Manager, Data and Exams Manager, ICT

and Data Manager, Data and Cover Manager, Standards

Manager etc.)

… and a even wider range of duties…

Defining the role of ‘Data Manager’

• Specialist Knowledge of:

– Systems and Software

– National Education Sources and Policy Changes

• Skilled in:

– Identifying Problems

– Engineering and Introducing Solutions

– Thinking Strategically

– Communicating effectively to a wide range of audiences

Features of a Data Manager

• Encourage Networking

• Define Priorities

• Promote Strategic Discussions

• Involve in Planning and Review Cycle

Harnessing the Data Manager

Data Toolkit• Every school has a unique toolkit

• Different MIS

• Different analysis systems

• Different staff

• Different ethos

• Make YOUR setup, work for YOU

Filling in the gaps

• Know your coverage

• Stay flexible

• Experiment

• Invest in your staff (time and resources)

The Data Process at Minsthorpe• Provide the tools for teachers to move students forward

• Build a system ‘designed by teachers for teachers’

• A system that teachers must use in lessons – link to quality of teaching

• Clear and understandable ‘Target Setting Policy’

• Accuracy of predictions

• ‘Getting to know your students’

• Seating Plans

• ‘Intelligent Accountability’

Key Messages

• Give staff one clear message

• Progress compared to National

• Consistency across ALL subjects and key stages

• Teachers are not there to find data – just use it

• Once the message is embedded – introduce the next steps

Planning and Strategy Review and Accountability

Planning and

Strategy• ‘Getting to know your students’

• Context of The Class

• Class Targets based on National

• Seating Plan Creation

• Attainment Profile

• Historical Assessments

• Differentiation of students

Review and

Accountability• National Adjusted Cohort

Comparisons

• Easy Identification of students

• Intelligent Accountability

• Clear areas of success or areas

for development

• Group Data

• User friendly layout

• Ability to customise

• Tracking interventions

Free Tools available at:

https://dataeducator.wordpress.com/tools-for-schools/

Accuracy of

Predictions

• THE MAIN THING

• They are used for:

– Appraisal

– Curriculum Area

Intervention

– Whole College

Intervention

– Mentoring

– Governors

– OFSTED

• No carrot or stick!!

• Professional Predictions

Accuracy of

Predictions• The question I’m asked

most when I speak to other

schools is:

‘How do you get teachers to

accurately predict consistently

across year groups and across

subjects’

• Answer:

‘Keep revisiting the issue’

The Future

• Keep Evolving

Questions?

Peter Atherton: @dataeducator

E-mail: data@minsthorpe.cc

https://dataeducator.wordpress.com/tools-for-schools/