September 2014

Hello everybody and welcome to the first edition of my blog. September has been a busy month for us all and a productive start to the academic year. The wonderful sunshine I know has been a help in keeping us all smiling and optimistic.

School standards 

Just as for the many children and young people in Brighton and Hove, August is such an important month for us all, as the hard work of the pupils, teachers and everyone who has supported our family of schools, eagerly await their respective exam results. Further to the 'big day' itself,  September is a time for me to work with the team collating and analysing our citywide data and liaising with colleagues in other authorities, making comparisons and looking at trends. This work is essential for us to know our schools well, support our categorisation process and do the ongoing work with you to improve standards.

I am delighted with the improved standards compared with national averages at early years, primary and A/AS level. Congratulations to you all for the positive impact you have made on improving outcomes for the children and young people of the city.

Although this year at GCSE there has been some success at individual school level and for young people the exam reforms has made this year particularly challenging with concerning drops in the headline reported measure of 5A*-C grades with English and Maths. We are working closely with individual schools and the Secondary Schools Partnership (SSP) to analyse the data carefully and put in place action to secure improvement going forward. It’s essential we are not complacent, we have much more to do to raise standards and address the areas where we are underperforming



Maisie and Holly with their results at Patcham High

Workshops for councillors

In early September Hilary Ferries (Head of Standards and Achievement) and I have led a serious of workshops with our lead councillors helping them to better understand this year’s results and recognise our strengths and areas for development.

Ofsted and the DfE

Our HMI regional lead Alan Taylor-Bennett joined me and the team to discuss changes to the Ofsted framework and learn about our closing the gap work. Representatives from the DfE have also visited to update us on the numerous changes in the department and in particular the new role of Regional School Commissioners (RSCs), and ask about any planned intervention for schools causing concern.

New headteachers

I was delighted to meet our 13 new headteachers at our induction event, a larger group than in previous years. Rachel Burstow (Headteacher) at Hillside Special School  kindly hosted the event which gave heads the opportunity to network, learn about the council and wider children's services, look at the city priorities and begin to consider the contributions they will make.

New term new school site

Hove Junior School with its new solar panelled extension

 Our new Hove Junior School classrooms opened successfully at the Holland Road site. The press coverage was extremely positive and you only have to listen to the children in the clip to see the positive impact it has already had.

http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/search/?q=Hove+Police+Station

Thank you to Janis Taylor (Headteacher) and her team for their excellent work getting the children in and focus on learning on this new site.

 St Andrews Primary School and celebrating diversity

St Andrews Primary School entrance corridor

I have spent considerable time with Michael Nix (Head of Education Planning and Contracts) and Tony Foulger (our colleague architect from property and design) at St. Andrews Primary School together with Trevor Cristin (Headteacher) and his governors, debating with parents on the issues of school places and explaining the detail of the proposed expansion. It's been a pleasure to work with such a group of supportive and intelligent staff and governors who have worked hard to listen to all the issues facing the city and their community and also respond to parental issues and concerns. We are delighted that at the children’s committee the proposal was given unanimous support to go to the next stage, which is to publish a statutory notice. This is the final consultation stage and we will then take another report to the committee in November when a final decision will be made.

Whilst at the school it was a delight to see the amazing work that had been done at the start of the term to recognise and celebrate diversity. The entrance to the school and central corridor is evidence to this with its sea of colourful stars where all the children have recorded their individual differences to share and for all to see.

Challenge leadership

It was a pleasure to open this year’s school and college leaders’ conference at the Amex. This year’s theme was 'challenge leadership' and an opportunity for us all to look at how we can improve our resilience as leaders using more robust challenge. We were all inspired by the key note speakers and their experiences, particularly Steve Mumby who gave an honest account of his own leadership development and his reflections on courageous leadership. I'm looking forward to seeing us all modelling our learning and 'walking into the wind'.

The Learning Partnership

I joined LA colleagues, school cluster reps, university leads, adult learning partners and governor leads for our first learning partnership meeting of the year. We had a robust discussion regarding this year’s standards, SEN and Disability and our developing 14-19 and employment and skills agenda. It is so positive to see leadership from all phases of education working collaboratively and making a contribution to the development of learning in the city.

The changing primary curriculum

It is good to see the positive materials to support the introduction of the new primary curriculum on the teaching school website http://www.thelifecloud.net/schools/wtsa. Thanks to the creative work of Mandy Miller (Schools Partnership Adviser) and primary colleagues.

Saying goodbye and welcoming new people

Maggie Baker, Partnership Adviser – Access to Education

As many of you know Maggie Baker (Partnership Adviser – Access to Education) is leaving us this month after 28 years of fabulous service to schools. I want to personally thank Maggie for her commitment to schools and children and young people in the city.

At the same time I am delighted to welcome two new members to my Education and Inclusion leadership team Mark Storey (Headteacher of the Virtual School) and Roger Snell (Schools Traded Services Manager). They are looking forward to working with you all.

                                                                



Mark Storey, Headteacher of the

Virtual School

Roger Snell, Schools Traded Services Manager  

 

Success for our Virtual School

We had our first steering group for the Virtual School attended by councillors, foster carers, school and children services professionals. As chair I was delighted that we were able to share with the group the significant improvements we have made in results at key stage 2 and GCSE. The group provided robust challenge to the school to build on this and will be expecting continued improvement and further closing of the gap for this year’s cohort. I was particularly delighted that two young people known to the school this year had done so well they are going to further their studies at university.

 Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) up and running

MASH, Woodingdean Business Park

I enjoyed attending the successful opening of MASH, it was so positive to hear and see first-hand the benefits of having the different agencies on site together and the way in which they were able to work effectively in collaboration to act quickly to address safeguarding concerns. I am keen to take some headteachers to see MASH in action and hear about how this new way of working fits alongside our new Early Help Hub.

Joint work across the council to support schools

Derek Lynch, School Crossing Patrol Officer

Last week I visited Davigdor Infants with my Assistant Director colleague Mark Prior from environment to look at how we can all work in partnership to positively managing the traffic and people flow at the start of the school day in and around the school. I was delighted to meet Derek Lynch (School Crossing Patrol Officer) who was doing an amazing job getting the children and their families safely across the road into school. It was also positive to hear first-hand from Ged Cotton (Headteacher) and Mala Kothari (vice chair of governors) the planned work they are doing with other schools in the area on their travel plan.

Starting out as new teachers in the city

I enjoyed the opportunity to open this year’s NQT event which enabled me to positively reflect back to 1988 when I started my first teaching job! I was so proud to see that this year 130 NQTs had chosen to live and work in Brighton and Hove. I do believe it is still one of the best careers to embark on. It was an opportunity to let them know what’s available to support them and for them to learn a little more about the wider children's partnership they have joined. They were keen and enthusiastic and welcomed our aspiration for all our schools to be good and outstanding.

School meals 

Lunchtime at Balfour Primary (KS2 dining room)

The implementation of Universal Infant Free School Meals from September 2014 has got off to a good start. Collaboration between schools and Eden Foodservice Ltd, led by Susie Haworth (School Meals Team Manager) ensured that all schools were ready to implement the government’s policy from day one and provide a hot meal for all pupils requiring one. There are still a number of challenges ahead, however, take up is high and we are looking forward to seeing positive impact on learning for our children.  

Best wishes,

Jo