DEVELOPING SECONDARY

STRATEGY

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Staffordshire Context:County Council Mission Statement

To make Staffordshire “A great place to

live, work, visit and invest”

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To promote the five outcomesfor young people

• Staying healthy

• Enjoying and achieving

• Keeping safe

• Contributing to the community

• Social and economic well-being

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The Aim of the School Improvement Division

To be the Champion of all learners by:

• Promoting and supporting lifelong learning

• Securing continuous improvement in standards

• Promoting inclusion in the widest sense

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A. County Performance – Summary Headlines - The Challenge

KS1

• County attainment at L2b+ exceeds national performance by +6% in Reading, +6% in Writing and 3% in Maths.

KS2

• Staffordshire improvement from 2003 to 2004 significantly greater than national improvement in Maths, English and Science at L4+ and L5.

• At L4+ Staffordshire is ranked within top 5O LEA’s in all three core subjects. (Also at L5 in Maths and Science. Ranked 64TH in English.)

• The impact of intensive support e.g. in literacy and numeracy and the Broader Primary Strategy Programme significant.

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KS3

• Standards have increased in Maths, English and ICT.

• Standards have declined in Science (in line with national trend) but still ahead of national average.

• Effective range of KS3 Strategy and in depth consultant support has had a major impact on raising standards.

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KS4

• A more mixed and complex picture.

• Relatively positive picture in relation to 1+ A – G and 5+ A – G performance.

• 5+ A* – C performance a particular challenge at 50.7%. 0.8 decline on last year.

• Unfavourable comparison with national trends rankings and statistical neighbours. 74 out of 149 LEAs

• Extent of challenges particularly revealed by FFT value added analysis. 27 schools in bottom quartile

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Changes in School Improvement Division

• Deputies i.c. phases

• Appointment of District School Improvement Managers

• Working in project teams

• Partnership working with Pupil and Student Services

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Ways of Working

• District based case conferences

• Use of internet to communicate key messages

• Increased use of networking

• Building local capacity

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The Key Aims of the Strategy

To improve the life chances of students and put

the needs of the learner first by:

• Providing the greatest possible flexibility, choice and ease of access to broad, appropriate and challenging learning pathways for each and every learner

• Promoting excellence in teaching, training and learning within and across organisations

• Promoting high attainment in subjects and skills wherever provided

• Promoting inclusion and tackling under-performance

• Supporting school leaders and managers

• Sharing good practice

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Outcomes

• 63% 5 A*- Cs GCSEs by 2008• Improvement in FFT Value Added• Inc. participation 16 plus• Establishment of clear pathways and

progression routes 14-19• All schools become Specialist Schools• Raise standards of teaching and

learning in Ofsted profile• No school below floor targets (25%)

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Barriers

• Low level of funding

• Diversity of schools and districts

“complex pattern of achievement”

• Balance between intervention and entitlement service for all

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Positive factors

• Productive relationship with schools

• Support of headteachers for action

• District networking 14-19 curriculum

• Development of district Inclusion panels

• Strong training background

• Good links with partners

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Directorate strategy

• All schools receive an entitlementprovision

• Some identified groups receive more targeted support e.g. gender, race, subject

• Focused support for schools in a category or in challenging circumstances

Validating schools based approaches to self-evaluation (Ofsted)

GovernorsS4 / SEF

Headteacher mentoring

New Heads

Supporting DeptsCausing concern

Middle Management

NetworkingSST

ASTs

Coaching

Leading Edge

Identify Deptscausing concern

Develop further Use of Data

Keith HedgerEx-County

e.g. from LIG

Vocational CoursesL1 & L2

Tomlinson

Curriculum pathwaysAnd progression

Connexions

Learning Campaign

Workforce Development

Alternative posts

Recruitment & Retention

Specialist SchoolsStrategy

LAC Pakistani

Identify and share good practice in inclusion and SEN

BehaviourManagement

Develop and support e-learning

School Projects

Category

At risk

Teaching and LearningIn KS4

Study Skills

Assessment for Learning

Learning Styles

Study Leave

Secondary Strategy

Curriculum Officers

Visits

Subject Meetings

Attendance

Student Voice

Alternative Curriculum

CommunityBehaviour Support Plans

Boys’

Achievement

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Improvement Plan

• Coherent learning pathways• Self-evaluation• Learning and Teaching • Distributed leadership• Behaviour Management• Inclusion and under-performance

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Learning Pathways

• Strategic capacity building

• New vocational qualifications

• Alternative curriculum

• Skills Centres – Torc

• Careers advice

• CPD

• Links to Aim Higher plan

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Self-Evaluation

• Effective use of data to support learning – CPD

• Roll out of LIG data project County-wide

• County, District and subject analysis to identify areas of need

• Effective completion of SEF to aid school improvement. Training planned

• Support for moderated self-evaluation

• Curriculum support networks, good practice case studies

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Learning and Teaching

• County Strategic Planning Group to identify areas of focus

• Projects around identified areas

• LIG / Western Collaborative

• Strategic deployment of ASTs

• KS3 Strategy

• Curriculum support packages

• E-learning strategy

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Leadership

• CPD programmes, e.g. Leading from the Middle

• Enhanced role of CPD leaders

• Support middle managers through networks, etc

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Behaviour Management

• Strategic approach – P and SS and SID

• Behaviour plan for schools

• Pilot multi-agency approach

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Inclusion and tackling achievement

• KS3 strategy intervention

• Projects to support ethnic groups, boys, SEN

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Achievements so far

• Study leave and management of course work

• Data Project extended to all schools – training arranged

• Job Description for new joint Inclusion post agreed

• Training for Heads on new Ofsted framework

• Initial meeting held of VLE Strategy Group

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What next?

• Involvement of Secondary Headteachers

• Keep DfES informed

• Develop work streams

• Consult with young people