October 2014

I hope you all had a lovely half term and well deserved break. It's been a very busy and productive month of October for all of us with much to report and celebrate.

Equality and diversity in our schools

I was delighted to join John Lynch (Chair of the BME Needs Assessment Group ) and Sarah Berliner Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS) Team Leader to speak at this month’s Governance, Strategy and Partnership Meeting to highlight the need to promote equality and tackle racism in our schools. The event was attended by 80 governors. A stimulating debate was had and governors went away with new information to share and challenge their governing bodies with including the changing demographics in the city, the unacceptable gaps in achievement for some of our BME groups, and the need to improve our approaches to recruitment so we have a more representative school workforce. I am looking forward to further debate with school leaders on this topic and to start to see positive impact as our strategy is implemented.

Inclusion in our primary schools

I had the opportunity to open this term’s primary phase meeting with a focus on inclusion. I was able to congratulate our primary heads for another year of successful primary results but at the same time provide some challenges to them around our high numbers of fixed term exclusions. Headteachers worked together in clusters to look at collaborative solutions and heard first-hand from Haydn Stride (Headteacher, Longhill) about the approach Longhill has taken to inclusion.

A collaborative approach to recruitment

Earlier in the month I joined Hilary and three of our experienced Headteachers, Ged Cotton, Anne Cox and Trevor Cristin to interview for new School Partnership Advisers. I'm pleased that we were able to appoint Lisa Evans, currently a Headteacher in Kent, she will be joining the team in April 2015, and Hugh Baldry who will be carrying on with us for at least the next two terms. These posts will fill capacity in the team to deliver our statutory school improvement role and to support and challenge schools.

Aiming high for our children in care

I’m delighted to tell you that on the 10 October, 11 Children in Care went on a trip to Cambridge University organised by the Virtual School. On the day young people aged between 14 and 18 got the opportunity to learn about student life at Cambridge; how to apply for university and what courses and opportunities were available to them. A great day was had by all and all reported it was a motivating and useful day wherever they decided to go to university. One young person commented: “Today has made me think about working harder, because I want the best GCSE’s and A-Levels to get into the best uni”.

The sun shone all day and the students all were fortunate enough to round off the day with a chauffeur driven punt down the river.

Secondary school standards

Our work in this area has continued at a pace this month. We have now received the national GCSE data that we have been waiting for. It has been a complex year with big drops nationally linked to the new exam reforms. We are obviously all disappointed that we have some poor data for Brighton and Hove compared with national averages. However, visits have taken place to all secondary schools across the city to discuss the complexities of each school’s results and to support them in planning intervention going forward . We have also met with Janet Felkin the chair of the Secondary Schools’ Partnership (SSP) to discuss our strategy and what SSP will be doing collaboratively to support improvement. A productive evening session with our secondary chairs of governors has also given us the opportunity to look at their response to the results and the role of governors in school improvement going forward.

The children's services roadshows

We have been busy this month delivering our children's services roadshows across the City. We had the opportunity to have a dialogue with our staff across the whole of children's services. We shared our successes and priorities as well as delivering a challenging message about the council budget going forward. With £100 million savings to be made across the council over 4 years we challenged staff to join us in thinking about what we would need to Stop, Start, Change. I encourage you all to continue thinking about this and share your ideas #BHbudget Stop, Start, Change.

Adoption reform

Two of my Wednesdays this month have been spent sitting on the Brighton and Hove Adoption Panel as the education representative. It was a pleasure to join my committed colleagues from across the council and our independent members to carry out our responsibility to oversee the Local Authority adoption function and approve and match a number of adopters. I am always impressed with the excellent work the council team do to prepare the adopters and the changes the adopters have made on their journey to becoming parents.

Ofsted visits our city’s schools

Our vision is for all children and young people to be able to attend a school judged to be good or outstanding so I was delighted to hear that so far this term, Mile Oak has travelled that 'journey to good' and that Brackenbury Primary maintained its good judgement. Congratulations to staff, pupils and parents at the schools, this is a positive achievement with the challenges the new framework brings.

Collaborative work with the Diocese

It was a pleasure to have my first meeting with Dr Ann Holt, OBE and Lay Canon of Bristol Cathedral, who is the newly appointed Director of Education for the Diocese of Chichester. It was opportunity to discuss their education strategy and work across the region and how we can work together. It was also good to hear such complimentary feedback from the Diocese regarding our strong partnership of Brighton and Hove schools and the work we are doing collaboratively to raise standards.

Working together as a Learning Partnership

Successful meetings have taken place this month with the Aldridge Foundation our academy sponsors for PACA and BACA, and also with City College regarding Whitehawk City Academy. We were able to discuss and develop our work with the three schools and hear about their positive contribution to education in the city.

Headteachers who chair the cluster partnerships are now meeting once a term to share updates and best practice across the city and to develop a self improving school led system with the support and facilitation of Hilary Ferries and Rose Wisdom. We look forward to seeing the impact this has on school improvement.

Developments in our music service

I am delighted that SoundCity has been awarded a Diploma of Merit by the National Music Council - recognition of the excellent work that takes place every day with our children and young people across our SoundCity partnership.

The music service also launched ‘Encore’ which offers people who have been part of Brighton Youth Orchestra’s past to stay involved and help shape its future. I’m looking forward to being part of the first annual encore event featuring current and ex orchestra members starting in Spring 2015.

City sports and physical activity awards

I was so proud that Goldstone Primary School was honoured at the 2014 City Sports and Physical Activity Awards, they won the award for Sports School of the Year. Congratulations to Chris and his team and the children and families at Goldstone.

Tweeting on Twitter!

Some of you will already know I am now signed up on twitter @JoMLyons and I’m followed by a number of you! I am finding the experience a positive opportunity to communicate more effectively with the partnership also great opportunity to join debates about learning. I look forward to catching up on your positive news particularly that which relates to innovative practice and students achievements.

 

 

Best wishes,

Jo