Support for new challenges
New targets – new challenges
We recognise that the Government’s new targets for 2011 to ‘raise the bar and close the gap’ present considerable challenges. The bar is raised with the targets for combined English and mathematics at Key Stage 3 and with the inclusion of both English and mathematics in the 5 A*–C measure.
The gap will be closed when most pupils achieve two levels of progress in English and mathematics in each key stage. This sets expectations for all pupils and will make further inroads into the low attainment of specific under-attaining groups of pupils that may be associated with ethnicity or social class.
Improving attendance by reducing the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent is also a key focus of the National Strategies and we are continuing to support further development of the collaborative work between schools in partnerships to improve behaviour and tackle persistent absence.
The National Strategies has well-developed and targeted programmes to address all of the above that are accessible through the range of resources described in this publication.
Data literacy
The National Strategies is committed to promoting the effective and widespread use of pupil performance data for school improvement and has produced e-learning modules (ePDs) for use in schools available on our website
The ePD ‘Evaluating School Performance’ supports the development of data literacy within schools at all levels – senior leadership teams, middle leaders (subject and year group) and teachers. This ePD provides guidance, advice and examples to those involved in using data to evaluate and improve school performance by asking three questions:
- What does the data mean?
- What are the sources of data and how do they complement each other?
- How can data be used to inform school improvement?
The learning units reflect the evolution of data literacy in schools and support recent developments including RAISEonline.
Building on the success of its primary data literacy workshops the National Strategies, working collaboratively and in close partnership with National College for School Leadership (NCSL), are organising a series of secondary data literacy workshops for middle leaders in the coming autumn and spring terms. Further details on these will be available from NCSL in the autumn term.
Making Good Progress
Making Good Progress (MGP) is a pilot project run by the DCSF in 500 schools that began in September 2007. It is designed to improve the rate of progress that children make year by year, as well as between key stages. Consultation and summary documents can be downloaded from
www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations/conResults.cfm?consultationId=1449
Making Good Progress in Key Stage 3 Resource Pack, published by the DCSF, is designed to support schools and teachers in improving pupils’ progress in English, mathematics and science and is now available to order for all secondary schools. Each secondary school has been allocated one pack and feedback suggests that schools are finding it very useful as they increasingly focus on progression. The resource pack can be ordered from the DCSF publications helpline, tel: 0845 602 2260, by quoting ref: 00152-2008PCK-EN. It can also be ordered online from
www.publications.teachernet.gov.uk
Support for schools
The National Strategies offers a range of support to schools:
- online or hard copy materials and resources
- National Strategies’ consultants in local authorities (LAs)
- support for School Improvement Partners (SIPs)
- programmes of support for National Challenge schools
- development meetings and networks for subject leaders and others organised by LAs and linked to National Strategies’ programmes
- the Standards Fund includes funding for 15 days' supply cover per secondary school for staff to implement the renewed Frameworks
- further funding is available in 2008/09 to help schools implement AfL.
Over the course of this year, we will be seeking further ways to engage with headteachers in order to update you on developments and hear and respond to your views on our work. This will provide an opportunity for us to hear your views and concerns and to update you on National Strategies’ developments.
SIPs will continue to provide challenge and support for schools, working with senior leadership teams to help ensure effective self-evaluation and to identify key priorities for improvement. Your SIP can provide information about the sources of advice and support, including access to programmes available through the National Strategies.
National Strategies’ consultants will continue to provide tailored support for schools – determined by the school’s improvement priorities – with impact monitored and evaluated in a way that complements the school’s self-evaluation procedures. Your LA strategy manager will be able to advise and broker support.
School strategy managers – who in most schools are members of the senior leadership team – will continue to be invited to attend at least termly meetings led by the LA with support materials provided for part of the meeting by the National Strategies. These focus on whole-school leadership and management issues.
The National Strategies’ English, mathematics, science and ICT programmes provide termly
network development meetings for subject leaders. The focuses for this year are listed
on pages 4 and 5. The B&A programme will provide networks for school B&A leaders
and assist schools in the establishment of B&A partnerships. These are key
meetings for subject leaders – ‘the engines of school improvement’.