1. Buckinghamshire County Council Improving Schools Programme Spring Term Network Meeting Using the Whole Curriculum to Raise Standards Involving Governors in School Improvement Kate Rumboll, Cathy Tracy and Sarah Leonard

2. Buckinghamshire County Council Outline of the morning Exploring how : –Standards can be raised by enhancing English and mathematics skills across the curriculum –Governors can be more effectively involved in school improvement

3. Buckinghamshire County Council What does ‘creative’ mean? Table activity –What does creative currently mean in your school? –What do you hope it means in the future? –How will you ensure a consistent approach to creativity in your school? –How do you currently support curriculum development and what will this support look like in the future?

4. Buckinghamshire County Council What does ‘creative’ mean? Creative learning widely characterised as: –Questioning and challenging –Evaluating what might be –Exploring ideas, keeping options open –Reflecting critically on ideas, actions and outcomes –High levels of enjoyment for both staff and pupils!

5. Buckinghamshire County Council What supports creative learning? Well-organised cross-curricular links that allow scope for independent enquiry Inclusiveness, ensuring that the curriculum is accessible and relevant to all pupils A focus on experiential learning, with knowledge, understanding and skills developed through first-hand practical experience and evaluation Well-integrated use of technology

6. Buckinghamshire County Council What supports creative learning? Effective preparation of pupils for the next stage of their learning A broad and accessible enrichment programme Clear and well-supported links with the local community and cultures, often drawing on local knowledge and experience to enhance pupils’ learning A flexible approach to timetabling to accommodate extended, whole-school or whole-year activities Partnerships that extended pupils’ opportunities for creative learning

7. Buckinghamshire County Council What supports creative learning? All 22 primary schools in the Ofsted survey retained distinctive literacy and daily mathematics sessions for all year groups. In 18 of these, English and mathematics were linked explicitly to other subjects. In all the schools visited the survey found evidence of the positive impact of such cross-curricular approaches on pupils’ attainment and personal development. Only three of the 22 primary schools found any difficulty in integrating the Primary National StrategyFrameworks into their planning for creative learning

8. Buckinghamshire County Council Share your ideas Table activity: –What are your current creative and curriculum development successes? –Are there opportunities for learning outside the classroom? http://www.lotc.org.uk –Examples of exciting events to start a topic or embed learning.

9. Buckinghamshire County Council 2005 – 2006 Literacy and numeracy driving the curriculum to improve standards 2006 – 2007 Developing thinking skills CPD Performance management Learning skills development & PSHCE Links with school residentials 2007 – 2008 Thinking skills Curriculum development groups ICT - laptops Renewed framework Introduction of MFL 2008 - 2009 Three NQTs – subject leadership and accountability Reform curriculum development group ICT changes

10. Buckinghamshire County Council Leading Learning Jennifer Gamble – Ash Hill Primary School

11. Buckinghamshire County Council Coffee

12. Buckinghamshire County Council The Day Job A summary of all the expected, professional tasks The RAP Autumn TermSpring TermSummer Term The School Development Plan Overview and buildings, finance, personnel etc.

13. Buckinghamshire County Council Involving Governors in effective school improvement What do your Governors currently know/do? What would you like them to know/do? What are the barriers?

14. Buckinghamshire County Council Workshop Activity The School Improvement CycleThe Single PlanWhole-school systematic CPDPupil Progress MeetingsTrackingExplicit Focus on Teaching & Learning

15. Buckinghamshire County Council Workshop activity feedback Feedback from groups How could you involve Governors in these processes? Are there any barriers – what could be done to overcome them? Questions for Governors to ask (ISP)

16. Buckinghamshire County Council Developing the Governing body Inspectors will judge: –The effectiveness of the governing body in challenging and supporting the school so that weaknesses are tackled decisively and statutory responsibilities are met.

17. Buckinghamshire County Council Developing the Governing body To be secure a ‘satisfactory’ Ofsted judgement, the Governing body needs to demonstrate the following: –statutory responsibilities –well organised –visible –know the strengths and weaknesses of the school –understand the challenges –engage often with parents and pupils - respond quickly to their views –directly involved in setting appropriate priorities for improvement –holds the school to account for tackling important weaknesses

18. Buckinghamshire County Council Developing the Governing body ‘Stronger Governance Systems’ (SGS) is a package of self assessment materials to help Governing bodies better support schools http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/189 870http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/189 870

19. Buckinghamshire County Council The four elements of SGS Roles, responsibilities and accountabilities: Clarifies the roles and responsibilities of the governing body School improvement planning: The characteristics of a good plan that drives improvement and facilitates close monitoring of impact. Key indicators of how the school is doing: Using data to identify the school’s performance level – questions to ask and what to do about what you find out. School self-evaluation – the role of governors: Guidance on governors’ role in relation to the school self-evaluation

20. Buckinghamshire County Council How the SGS materials work An overview and user guide which explains the scope and potential of the programme; Overarching quality standards to describe the impact and nature of effective practice; Self-assessment materials that use the quality standards to help the governing body clarify what it does well, and where and how it needs to improve; Four elements, each exploring an aspect of improvement with related governor training materials Resources and web links offering a range of other easily accessible resources.

21. Buckinghamshire County Council Structure of each SGS element Four elements, each exploring an aspect of improvement through: –a rationale to explain its nature and importance –quality standards, relevant to the particular element and selected from the overarching standards, to define good practice in this aspect of governance –exemplification showing what good practice looks like in each quality standard –governor training offering examples of materials, templates and powerful processes to help governors achieve the quality standards

22. Buckinghamshire County Council Using the SGS materials Identify areas for development from using RAG rating against quality standards. Identify CPD units that address these areas. Download appropriate documents. Explore recommended links. Gather relevant school documentation. Evaluate by repeating the RAG rating process to gauge progress.

23. Buckinghamshire County Council Next steps for your school governors

24. Buckinghamshire County Council ISP updates April data collection for Year 6 and Year 2 –What is the current attainment picture –What are the predictions for attainment at the end of the year? A provisional reminder that the next ISP network meeting is the morning of 9 th June, 2011 at Chartridge.

25. Buckinghamshire County Council Any questions?

26. Buckinghamshire County Council Lunch