Arrangements for Supporting School Improvement in Swindon

1. Arrangements for Supporting School Improvement in Swindon Monday 1st December 2014

2. Agenda • Introduction • Swindon – the context • Strategic framework • Vision and Priorities • Strategies • Structures • Self-evaluation • Performance • Activity (LA and in partnership) • Impact • Strengths and priorities for improvement

3. Swindon – the context

4. Population - overall Projected 33% increase over 20 years 2001-2021

5. School Population • Delivered places equivalent to 19 primary forms of entry over 7 years – forecasting accuracy within 1% • 92% first choice primary, 94% secondary, 98% and 99% first 3 • Secondary numbers will rise as primary numbers feed through • Completed consultation in 2014 on approach to secondary place planning to 2026

6. Profile of Educational Provision -1 • 83 Early Years settings • Mainstream Schools

7. Profile of Educational Provision -2 • Special Education • Alternative Education - Education Other Than At School • average 180 pupils • 15 Special Resourced Provisions (SRP) in mainstream schools • Primary Special Schools • 1 x Severe Learning Difficulties and Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (SLD/PMLD) • 1 x Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) • 1 x Autistic Spectrum Complex (ASC) • Secondary Special Schools • 1 x PMLD including a sixth form • 1 x SEMH • 1 x Moderate Learning Difficulties and ASC • May 2014 – 500 pupils in special schools

8. Academies and Maintained schools • Significant structural change in educational provision since September 2010 • 8th highest LA in the country for the number of pupils attending academies (58.5% in Swindon, 32% nationally) • Number of pupils in primary academies is 3 times the national rate (39% Swindon, 12% nationally)

9. Strategic Framework

10. Leadership & Governance • One Swindon vision • Small Unitary since 1997, co-terminal arrangements with other public agencies • Strong history of integration • section 75 since mid 2000s • Health & Wellbeing Board, JSNA • Championing Excellence – Member and Corporate Board Oversight • Lead Member as Advocate – challenge, commitment • Cabinet and Children & Young People Scrutiny arrangements • Children’s Trust Board , LSCB • Corporate Board (Business Reviews and Challenge) • Employment & Skills Board • Emerging Education Strategy Board

11. OneSwindon Corporate Plan • Right skills, right jobs in the right place • Together, find new ways to reduce vulnerabilities and improve health for all • Work with people and families to help them fulfil their potential • We can all benefit from a growing economy and a better town centre. • People in Swindon have the right education and skills to compete successfully for job opportunities in our towns and villages. • Living independently, protected from harm, leading healthy lives and making a positive contribution Education Improvement Strategy Families have access to high quality education throughout the Borough. Children achieve well in safe, exciting places of learning and get the best possible start in life. Vision for Children and Education in Swindon The vision for an economy which is creating an impressive range of new jobs and a much improved vocational education and training system with high levels of attainment in local schools and a responsive vocational offer has helped Swindon to make real progress in tackling youth unemployment and raising aspiration. Swindon’s ambitions for learning, skills and employment amongst young people and adults Equip Young People with the skills and qualifications to successfully enter the labour market and reduce youth unemployment Raise the higher level skills base of the workforce Build effective employer engagement with schools and colleges Economic Strategy Skills and Employment Swindon and Wiltshire LEP • City Deal – Innovative approach to higher level skills development • ESIF . Raising the aspirations of young people, particularly in STEM subjects and activities which will develop workforce skills to degree level. Help people on low wages to increase their skills levels, utilise the potential of older workers and support younger workless people.

13. Chief Executive Gavin Jones Director Children’s Services John Gilbert

14. Resourcing School Improvement Resourcing School Improvement -1 • New AD role to lead Education and Head of SEN (currently supported by interims) • Add greater capacity • Currently out to advert • In position first quarter 2015 • DSG Schools Block of £121.7m in 2014-15 based on mainstream pupil numbers (not including High Needs or Early Years) • £4,243 per pupil, 14th lowest in England • No de-delegated fund for school improvement

15. Resourcing School Improvement 2014-15 Conversions to academy status have removed circa £2m from the LA’s core budget

16. Self-evaluation

17. Performance - Attainment November 2014

18. Performance - Narrowing the Attainment Gap

19. Performance - Key Stage 2

20. Performance - Key Stage 2

21. Performance - Key Stage 2 Summary

22. Performance - Key Stage 4

23. Performance - Key Stage 4

24. Performance - Key Stage 4 Summary

25. Performance - Post 16

26. Performance - Post 16 Summary

27. Raising Participation Age

28. Raising Participation Age

29. Permanent Exclusions - 1 • The level of permanent exclusion from Swindon schools remains relatively low. In 2013/14 the number of pupils permanently excluded from secondary schools was at its lowest for 3 years. • There has been no permanent exclusion of a pupil with a Statement of Special Educational Needs/Education Health and Care Plan or a Child in Care since 2007/8. • The Swindon Fair Access Panel continues to have a significant impact on the secondary permanent exclusion figures following on from its introduction in 2009. • Primary permanent exclusion rose to 6 in 2013/14 and it is noted that a rise in primary exclusion is being experienced across the South West region. • Latest statistical neighbour figures in relation to permanent exclusion per 1000 pupils (2012/13) show Swindon as second lowest at 0.4 out of ten authorities with the England average at 0.7 per 1000 pupils.

30. Permanent Exclusions - 2

31. Fixed Term Exclusions - 1 • Secondary • The number of pupils subject to FTE rose from 516 to 547 in 2013/14. • The days lost to fixed term exclusion has fallen from 1997.5 to 1867.5 between 2012/13 and 2013/14. • Primary • 36 primary schools used fixed term exclusion in 2013/14 in comparison to 32 in 2012/13 • The number of pupils subject to fixed term exclusion was 120 in 2013/14. This figure was 85 in 2012/13 excluding Swindon Academy data. • The days lost to fixed term exclusion stands at 415 in 2013/14. This is an increase from 349 in 2012/13.

32. Fixed Term Exclusions - 2

33. Fixed Term Exclusions – Summary 2013-14

34. Activity – Models of Support Activity - Models of Support Outstanding schools and academies • Outstanding’ schools take responsibility for their continued improvement • Contribute to the dissemination of good practice and school to school support. Good Schools and academies • It is expected that ‘good’ schools take responsibility for their continued improvement through purchased traded service provision from any appropriate source. • Provide school to school support Requiring Improvement • LA maintained Schools in this category will receive a core allocation of School Improvement Adviser support and a negotiated programme of whole school improvement support commissioned from appropriate service providers. • Academies in this category should work with a School Improvement Adviser who can negotiate a programme of whole school improvement support, commissioned from appropriate service providers. Ofsted category of concern • The LA will use its Powers of Intervention with maintained schools in an Ofsted category of concern, or if a school is at risk of going into an Ofsted category as it has done consistently in the past.

35. Activity – Cycle of Monitoring • Robust risk assessment by school improvement and data team • Early visits or conversations with leadership teams (maintained schools and academies) • Agree level and type of support and plan series of visits • Report to DCS, DfE, HMI, Regional School Commissioner and Diocese as appropriate and depending on level of concern

36. July – October Initial data analysis leading to early visits Agree level of support based on risk assessment Update LA Forward Planning and Key messages for dissemination November – February Initial review of previous year’s impact Complete and send out risk assessments for secondary schools Internal summary to DCS and LM April – July Formal progress review in targeted maintained schools “Sign Off” schools with significant sustained progress Update stakeholders Cycle of Activity February – March Formal progress review against agreed actions in targeted maintained schools SW HMI, RSC, Diocese, DCS, LM updated

37. Activity – Universal and Targeted Offer Targeted • Journey to Outstanding (J2O) Group • 13 schools (10 maintained, 3 academies) requiring improvement • Work focussing on effective school improvement planning, performance management and specific studies into improving teaching and learning • Partnership with SW HMI • Targeted CPD for RI schools • Trialled Closing the Gap seminar (16 primary and secondary schools) • Better Maths (150 delegates) • Better Governance and Better English (70 delegates to Bristol – Swindon on Tour!) • Engaged an English Consultant to provide further training building on key messages from HMI conferences. • Swindon Teaching Schools Research and Improvement Groups Universal • Strong partnership working: - Education Place Planning & Admissions to encourage choice and diversity - Fair Access Panel - SEN Commissioning of places and services - Raising Participation Strategy - Skills and Employment Strategy - Higher Education Strategy - The Swindon Teaching Schools - Headteacher Associations - Bristol and Clifton Dioceses

38. Impact - schools Impact • Sustained and proactive intervention in schools causing concern has led to no grade 4 primary school since 2009 • LA judged as effective in all Ofsted reports and HMI monitoring reports • Timely intervention in schools at risk • School to school support has built leadership capacity across Swindon primary schools • Since March 2012 • 13 (approx.16%) schools have improved their inspection grade • Two primaries have moved from good to outstanding • 9 primaries have moved from satisfactory/RI to good • EOTAS and primary special school in special measures 2009-11; both now good • 1 secondary academy in special measures has moved to good

39. Impact – Post 16 Impact – Post 16 • Steady increase in numbers of Y11 students leaving with a September Guarantee (only 16 students with no September Guarantee in 2014) • Increasing numbers of young people in learning at 16, 17 and 18 (October 2014, well above national average in each year) • NEET figures for 16-18 year olds reduced in 2013/14 to 5.4% (DfE Official figures) and is on par with national average of 5.3% • Involvement in governing body of both FE colleges supported improvement, particularly at Swindon College

40. Strengths - schools Strengths • LA risk assessments are accurate • Good knowledge of schools • Timely and robust intervention to prevent schools going into a decline including use of statutory powers and use of radical solutions to bring about improvement • Recognising talent; facilitating school to school support; making effective use of strong leaders who have moved from satisfactory to good or better • Effective use of expertise and good value for money from the limited resources • Strong and effective partnership working within the LA, across the school community and with external agencies • Good relationships with schools • Well developed Traded Services Arm

41. Strengths – Post 16 Strengths – post 16 • Strong Raising Participation Age partnership between LA, schools, post 16 providers and the voluntary sector with agreed strategies in place to improve participation. • Strong partnership working with schools to identify young people at risk of NEET and improve progression to post 16 learning. • LA has facilitated the development of a range of new post 16 provision to meet the needs of vulnerable learners. • 3 local colleges for Swindon learners have inspection ratings of good or outstanding. • Development of UTC (strong business sponsorship) and support for 2 new sixth forms (diversified choice)

42. Priorities for Improvement - 1 Priorities for Improvement • Increase the effectiveness of partnership working in order to accelerate progress and raise attainment across KS4 and by age 19. • Harness the expertise in Swindon secondary schools to build capacity, collective responsibility and accountability for the raising achievement of young people to at least match national outcomes at KS4. • Build more partnerships outside Swindon with good and outstanding secondary schools (with NLEs) to increase effectiveness of school to school support. • Implement the plan for an Education Strategy Board to take a leading role to champion improvement in school standards and the quality of education provided across all phases.

43. Priorities for Improvement - 2 Areas for development – post 16 • Improve progression in post 16 learning at 17 (year 12 to year 13) • Improve participation in education, employment and training of vulnerable groups. • Increase the number of Traineeships and Apprenticeships available to young people by continuing to build employer partnerships. • Ensure all young people are well prepared for the world of work • Improve partnerships between education providers and employers.

44. Any Questions Any Questions?