Chair of Governor Briefing

Chair of Governor Briefing Autumn 2015

Agenda Opening Prayer

Director of Schools i. Diocesan School Performanceii The new Education & Adoption Act iii Ofsted changesiv Admissionsv Developing Future Leadersvi. Academies updatevi. Reform of the GCSE and A Level

Diocesan Primary Standards Adviser

Monitoring Diocesan Academic Standards guidance & supportDiocesan School Performance 54 Maintained Diocesan Schools Since September 2012, there have been 41 inspections of Diocesan school

The Diocese now has 84% (up from 67% in 2012) of schools judged to be good or better compared to the national picture of 78% of schools being judged this way

Ofsted Judgement2012July 2015Outstanding16 Schools (30%)15 Schools (28%)Good20 Schools (37%)30 Schools (56%)Requires Improvement17 Schools (31%)8 Schools (14%)Serious Weakness0 Schools0 SchoolsSpecial Measures1 Schools (2%)0 SchoolsNo Designation*0 Schools1 School (2%)Section 48 Religious Inspection Section 48 Judgement2012June 2015Outstanding17 Schools (31%)17 Schools (31%)Good28 Schools (52%)35 Schools (65%)Requires Improvement6 Schools (12%)2 Schools (4%)Inadequate3 Schools (5%)0 Schools (0%)Since September 2012, 40 schools have been inspected by the Diocese

The Diocese now has 96% (up from 84% in 2012) of schools judged to be good or better compared to the national picture of 78% of schools being judged this way

Diocesan Performance Data Collection & AnalysisExtensive data collection and analysis of school performance Interrogation of data and informed discussion with lead practitioners (Head teacher Board) to assess school and academy performanceAgreement with Head and Chair on action needed to support where necessary rapid improvement in performance The New Education & Adoption ActThe Bill has been very quickly introduced to allow direct and early government intervention into schools judged to Require Improvement or deemed to be coasting. The Diocese supports the argument that children and young people attending Diocesan schools should receive the best Catholic education possible and where this is not the case schools should seek to rapidly improve the education they provide to the children and young people they serve. The Diocese is not however convinced by the second part of the solution the Act introduces, a presumption that where evidence of rapid improvement cannot be shown, the default position must be the imposition of an Academy sponsor to take over the running of the schoolThe New Education & Adoption ActBefore any such changes are considered for Diocesan schools, the Act requires the Secretary of State to discuss their concerns with the Diocese. The Diocese has scrutinised the Act and is introducing steps to ensure we can have an informed and robust conversation with Departmental officials in relation to any Diocesan schools about which they may have concerns. All Diocesan schools aspire to be the best they can and staff and governors work tirelessly and with complete professionalism to provide good and outstanding Catholic education for their school community. However, by deepening the cross- school working between Diocesan schools, we will be in a strong position to ensure we do not have schools identified as coasting, and our small number of schools currently judged by Ofsted to Require Improvement can be secure within their own self-evaluation that upon re-inspection they would be judged to be at least GoodRevised Ofsted Framework https://www.gov.uk/guidance/changes-to-education-inspection-from-september-2015New inspection documentsThe new common inspection framework and handbooks for Ofsted inspectors come into effect from September 2015 for the inspection of schools, further education and skills and early years provision:The common inspection framework: education, skills and early years from September 2015 School inspection handbook from September 2015 School inspection handbook for inspections under Section 8 of the Education Act 2005 from September 2015Further education and skills inspection handbook from September 2015 Early years inspection handbook from September 2015 Non-association independent school inspection handbook from September 2015 Inspecting safeguarding in early years, education and skills from September 2015

Revised Ofsted Framework New Common Inspection FrameworkWhat it means: A new common inspection framework will be implemented across all settings including early years, FE settings and academies. In practice this means that all settings will receive graded judgements against the same areas. These will be: Effectiveness of leadership and management Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outcomes for children and learners.

Revised Ofsted Framework Short Inspections for Good ProvidersWhat it means: Ofsted will introduce shorter but more frequent inspections to ensure good standards are being maintained under Section 8 of the education Act. Good schools visited around every three years. If remain good short letter to confirm this. If it is felt judgement may have changed, full section 5 inspection, normally with 48 hours

Revised Ofsted Framework Changes to the inspection workforce What does this mean? From September Ofsted will contract directly with inspectors and will no longer outsource inspections in our area to CfBT. This should ensure greater consistency in inspections and quality assurance of reportsRevised Ofsted Framework Focussed inspections of CMATs What does this mean? Ofsted will consider the simultaneous inspection of all schools within a CMAT some under Section 5 and some under Section 8. They will focus upon the work of the CMAT Board and the impact the CMAT has on all schools within a TrustRevised Ofsted Framework Changes specific to governance. What does this mean? The new framework introduces specific changes in relation to how inspectors will review and judge governance. These are detailed within the paper from the NGA in your packs.Ofsted 2015 /16The new framework indicates the potential for 18 short S8 inspections to take place in Diocesan schools during the 2015/16 academic year see schedule in pack. New Schools Admissions Code (December 2014) Key Changes Ability to give preference to Pupil Premium eligible / forces children Any proposals to change the Diocesan model admissions policy must be discussed with the Director of schools before any changes are consulted upon New timetable for consultation on Admissions PolicyAdmission of children outside age groupExtension of priority for Looked After ChildrenSome changes immediate and will require change to existing policies Diocese to issue urgent guidance and advice. Admissions Update Change to the wording of other Christian denominationsThe use of Parish boundaries in any admissions policy must be accompanied by Parish boundary mapsNew consultation period and timeframe 6 weeks between 1st October and 31st January.Quality and accuracy of appeal statement of case. Developing Future Leaders Without Catholic Head teachers and Catholic Deputy Head teachers we cannot have Catholic schoolsGrowing concern over the number of applications being received for these reserved posts. Currently 1.6 per advertised vacancy.New duty to placed on Foundation governors to identify and develop future leadersCompliance will be part of S48 inspection of schoolNew Diocesan task force in place to help in identification and to provide on-going mentoring and support to potential future leaders.Academies UpdateFrom a position in March 2014 of having no academies in the Diocese, we now have 17 open Catholic academies within three Catholic Multi Academy Trusts. The St Cuthberts Academy Trust in Hull includes St Richards Catholic Academy, St Vincents Catholic Academy, St Mary Queen of Martyrs Catholic Academy and Endsleigh Holy Child Catholic Academy.The St Oswalds Academy Trust in Redcar & Cleveland includes St Peters Catholic Academy, St Marys Catholic Academy, St Margaret Clitherow Catholic Academy and St Gabriels Catholic Academy.The Nicholas Postgate Academy Trust also in Redcar & Cleveland includes St Bedes Catholic Academy, St Paulinus Catholic Academy, St Josephs Catholic Academy and from 1st September 2015 Scared Heart Redcar and St Benedicts Redcar joined this Trust as newly converted academies

Academies Update A new 4th Catholic Multi Academy Trust Our Lady of Light Academy Trust was also formed on 1st September 2015 in Stockton with St Patricks Catholic College, St Patricks RC Primary, Christ the King RC Primary and St Therese of Lisieux RC Primary converting to Academy status. There are also well developed plans for a 5th Catholic Academy Trust The St Hildas Catholic Academy Trust Middlesbrough. This Trust will include Trinity Catholic College, St Alphonsus, Corpus Christi, Sacred Heart, St Edwards St Josephs St Claires, St Thomas More, St Gerards, St Bernadettes and St Augustines and they hope to convert to academy status on 1st October 2015.This would see 28 of our 54 diocesan schools (52%) converted to Academies. Our remaining schools have been asked by the Bishop to develop and agree who their potential academy family would include, if they were to ever consider a change to become a Catholic academy, but at present there are no firm plans for the remaining 26 schools to move from their current voluntary aided school statusRevised RE GCSE & A level Revised GCSE and A level not yet approved by OFQUALOnce approved and following discussion with schools, the Bishop will issue a communication to schools regarding his preferred awarding body syllabus Diocesan Standards -Reviews, Actions and Monitoring Emma Higgins Why?The children in our schools deserve the best opportunities. Research shows that children who achieve well in Primary Schools and go on to achieve well in Secondary Schools, enjoy better future employment, better health and actually live longer.That is why we all do what we do!

The role of the local Diocesan Headteacher Board and Primary Standards Adviser is to support Governors and Headteachers. We need to work together to make sure our schools are GOOD and OUTSTANDING and our children and young people receive the best Catholic education possible. In these challenging and changing times in education it is essential that when needed we have already acted to deliver rapid improvement in our schools so a robust conversation can take place with Ofsted or the RSC (for Academies)

Working together.

How?Boards role is to regularly look at school data, information from LAs, information from Diocesan Officers visits to schools, information from cluster meetings about school improvement, parent view, website analysis. Heads now routinely provide data to support this process.What?

From this information, early identification of potentially vulnerable schools emerges.The Head teacher Board works with the Head to look at the current systems being used to tackle issue : offer support if needed : eg Standards Adviser can broker support through Teaching Schools, National Leaders of Education, Local Leaders of Education, Consultants, Local Authorities etc. HT Board will monitor impact on an ongoing basis.

What if.?If current systems are not impacting swiftly to deliver the rapid improvement needed, then the Diocese and Head teacher Board will work with the Head and Chair to support the development of an action plan for improvement. A school review may be commissioned to support the development of the plan.HT Board will again monitor impact on an ongoing basis.

Who? The Headteacher Board is made up from Diocesan officers and outstanding practitioners. NLEs, Teaching School Heads, and Head teachers with a proven track record of school improvement The Board will be drawn from across the 7 Local Authority areas covered by the Diocese e

Working togetherWith the removal of levels, a complete overhaul of the inspection regime by Ofsted and major curriculum and assessment reform, Catholic schools must continue to work collaboratively with the strong support and direction of the Diocese if we are to realise the opportunities these changes may bring for the children in our schools.