Briefing by Paul Roberts Senior School Improvement Adviser

May 14 th 2007 © Crown copyright 2007

Messages from the Regional Secondary Strategy Managers’ Meeting

April 24 th – 26 th 2007 © Crown copyright 2007

What are we about?

Raising standards of achievement and rates of progression for children and young people in all phases and settings through personalising learning with a particular focus on the core subjects and early years.

© Crown copyright 2007

How do we do it?

By working nationally, regionally and locally: - To improve and personalise the quality of

teaching and learning

- To increase the effectiveness of the

management and leadership of schools and early years settings

- To increase the effectiveness of the Local

Authorities’ strategic leadership

© Crown copyright 2007

What is the focus and intended outcome of every action we take?

• To raise achievement in the core subjects and improve rates of progression for all pupils 0 – 19 • To tackle underperformance at pupil, school and LA level and thereby close the attainment gap for identified underachieving groups • To develop expertise and capacity in the workforce (at LA and school strategic level: senior LA staff and school leaders; at classroom and setting level: subject leaders, teachers and support staff) © Crown copyright 2007

What’s the context in which we are doing this work?

• The National Strategies’ recent developments and achievements • The system-wide challenge in terms of standards for all pupils & rates of progression • The attainment gaps: boys; poverty; ethnic minority groups • The imperative to demonstrate impact • Progression, ECM, Teaching and learning 2020 © Crown copyright 2007

SNS priorities 07/08

• Improving core subject attainment at KS3 • Improving rates of progression of all pupil groups • Improving 5+ A*-C inc English and maths • Effective wave 1, 2 and 3 interventions to improve attainment of underperforming groups • Improving attendance and behaviour, reducing exclusions • Reducing the number of schools causing concern • Leadership and management of school improvement © Crown copyright 2007

Main Programme Plans 1

0-19 Big Hitter UTI Plans

• • • •

English Maths Behaviour & Attendance Schools causing concern A focus on underachieving groups

• • •

Gifted &Talented Ethnic Minority Achievement Special Educational Needs

© Crown copyright 2007

Sampling the plans

Two secondary extracts: • English: Aims, termly priorities and intended impact (please see your pack) • Schools causing concern: The case for the plan and targeted activity © Crown copyright 2007

Activity to review extracts from the English and SCC plans

• What are the implications of the termly priorities for providing support, including consultancy, to your schools to achieve the intended impact?

• • What are the implications of the Schools Causing Concern (SCC) plan for the coordination of support?

What support might the LA expect from the NS regional team?

© Crown copyright 2007

14-19 Developments Messages from Functional Skills Support Programme

May 8 th - 9 th 2007 © Crown copyright 2007

The Leitch Report (Dec 2006) 14-19 Implementation Plan (Dec 2005)

The vision key documents

14-19 Education and Skills White Paper Feb 2005 © Crown copyright 2007

Main features of 14-19 reform

• Retention of GCSE and A level • Strengthened core - functional skills • Strengthened Key Stage 3 • New Diplomas • Age 16 no longer a fixed point • Flexibility • Personalisation © Crown copyright 2007

Update

• 14-19 Gateway process completed and schools now know if they have been successful • Functional Skills pilot now 3 years for English, Maths and ICT – national roll out 2010 • Pilot will not only be in Gateway schools and schools should now know if they are part of QCA pilot • LA to organise the 2 day training for all pilot centres in June and further training in October and February • Learning and Skills Network (LSN) trainers working alongside LA consultants • Training focused on preparing schools for starting FS in September 2007 © Crown copyright 2007

Functional skills activity

Trials of draft standards and assessment methodology (involving approx 50 centres)

Date Autumn 2006

Three year certificated pilots of functional English, maths and ICT in GCSE and other contexts (involving approx 1000 centres)

September 2007

All three functional skills piloted within first

tranche of diplomas September 2008

Functional English, maths and ICT available nationally including in revised GCSEs © Crown copyright 2007

September 2010

‘Specialised’ diploma framework

Generic Learning

Functional skills, personal learning and thinking skills(PLTS)

Principal Learning

Sector related skills and knowledge, 50% practical skills used in workplace

Additional Specialist Learning

Range of additional options endorsed by employers

Work Experience Teaching and assessment vehicles GCSE maths, English, ICT containing functional skills units

© Crown copyright 2007

GCSEs, A levels, knowledge components from VRQs Skills development components from VRQs/NVQs Project assignment

Diploma Lines Engineering Society, Health and Development IT Creative and Media Construction and the Built Environment Land-based and Environment Manufacturing Hair and Beauty Business Administration and Finance Hospitality and Catering Public Services Sport and Leisure Retail Travel and Tourism

© Crown copyright 2007

First Introduction

September 2008 September 2009 September 2010

Update

• 14-19 Education and Skills White Paper: ‘schools, colleges and training providers in

each area to decide together how they will deliver the full range of 14-19 options’

• Functional Skills is the first part of this reform • Strategy Manager to look at how teachers of English, Maths and ICT work together to deliver Functional Skills • Development of applied learning across the school – delivering English, Maths and ICT within a context © Crown copyright 2007

SNS Support for 2007-8

• LA consultants to support pilot schools to implement Functional Skills • Working with English, Maths and ICT departments to adapt schemes of work • Teaching and learning materials and guidance available in September • SNS working with SSAT to ensure that schools who are starting Diplomas in 2008 get same message on functional skills • 14-19/Functional skills will be part of all SNS meetings © Crown copyright 2007

Future CPD Sessions in Functional Skills - English

• Familiarisation • Context to identify where functional skills fits in – Digital Switchover. What is the English in this task?

• Confirming Understanding – designing a lesson plan © Crown copyright 2007