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NewsletterA c h i e v i n g E x c e l l e n c e To g e t h e r
www.cscjes.org.uk
September 2014 – Issue 6
CENTRAL SOUTH WALES CHALLENGE
HER CANOL DE CYMRU
All Round Improvement Seen in Schools in Central South Wales: Congratulations to AllPupils across the Central South Wales region are doing better at school and attending more days of school as a result of the hard work of teachers, headteachers, parents and of course pupils.
Provisional GCSE results for schools across Bridgend, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf and the Vale of Glamorgan have improved in 2014 across the region, building on improvement over the last three years.
• In addition teacher assessment outcomes at foundation phase, key stage two and three have improved for all authorities over the last three years.
• The region has improved at the same or a faster rate than the national average.
• Attendance rates have markedly improved in every authority.
• Most significantly there are marked signs of improvement in the performance of children claiming free school meals which is a very significant national priority.
Up to 4.5 percentage points across the region at GCSE L2+ indicatorProvisional GCSE results show the percentage of pupils achieving 5 GCSE passes at grades A*–C including English/Welsh and mathematics has improved by 4.5 percentage points in this key indicator across the region.
Improvement has been seen in every authority at this key indicator, including provisional headlines for authorities:
• Merthyr Tydfil schools have improved by up to 10% points;
• The Vale of Glamorgan by 7% points
• RCT and Cardiff have improved by 4% points
• Bridgend has improved by 2% points
This builds on some very significant improvements at school level.
Continued on p.2
SIGs are here to stay as part of building a self improving system!
We are keen to continue with the development and
investment in School Improvement Groups (SIGs) and to renew and launch a new round of pathfinder partnerships, all of
which are core parts of building the behaviours
and practice of a self improving school system.
We are excited by the activity which has developed so far with SIGs and would like to continue to build on it as the year goes on. Challenge advisers will be allocated to support SIG convenors this year where this is helpful, and in their everyday engagement with schools challenge advisers will be asking schools how they can make the most of their SIG in their self evaluation and improvement planning.
Please do let your SIG convenor know of any thoughts about how the SIG can contribute to the improvement priorities of your school or where you have good practice to share.
For any queries please contact Kim Eley on [email protected] or telephone 01443 827557.
www.cscjes.org.uk2
Support and Challenge FrameworkThe ‘CSC Framework for Challenge and Support’ will be issued to all Challenge Advisers in September. The Framework will provide the structure that supports the implementation of the Central South Wales Challenge. It frames how the Consortium’s school improvement service and schools will work together to improve standards and the quality of education.
The Framework is built on the following principles:
• The first responsibility for school improvement lies with the school
• The work of the school improvement service should be led by the development and implementation of the Central South Wales Challenge
• We need to build the capacity of the system to be self-improving through sector-led school-to-school support
• We must create the conditions around schools that act as a catalyst to change that has a discernible impact on raising standards for all children and young people
• We are driven by a sense of moral purpose - everyone’s success is everyone’s concern
The framework will be available shortly on the CSC website electronically and hard copies will be sent to all schools.
If you have any queries regarding the framework please contact Robert Hopkins on [email protected].
Teacher assessment outcomes have improved at every levelPupil performance have all significantly increased year on year since 2011 across the region in foundation phase, key stage 2 and key stage 3.
Headlines figures are:
• At foundation phase the percentage of children reaching expected levels has increased from 79.3% in 2011, to 84.1% in 2014
• At key stage 2, the number of pupils achieving their expected target has increased from 77.6% in 2011, to 85.8% in 2014. This is a 2.5% point improvement since 2013 against a national average of 1.8%
• At key stage 3 pupils aged between 11 and 14 years olds have seen a significant rise from 62.4% in 2011, to 80.3% in 2014. This is a 4.2% point improvement against a national average of 4%
Improved attendance and RCT inspection adds to the good news!In addition to improved pupil performance, the latest attendance figures for the region confirm that attendance in both phases has risen consistently over the last three years.
Since 2011 there has been an average increase of approximately 1% to 1.5% for primary schools, and 1% to 2.5% for secondary schools.
In addition the recent Rhondda Cynon Taf monitoring inspection showed improvement in one of the largest authorities in the region and acknowledged the work of the consortium in supporting schools to improve.
Improvement Hubs and Specialist SchoolsFollowing on from the article in the last newsletter, we wanted to update you on our CSC teaching and learning strategy; this work is being led by the CSW strategy group. As you will remember, all schools were invited to express interest in becoming an Olevi hub school or a specialist centre subject to meeting a number of criteria based around having very good or excellent standards. We are delighted that fourteen schools have fulfilled the criteria and have been invited to move forward towards their status as an Olevi hub or a specialist centre.
Our next step will be to meet with each school to help them with preparing for accreditation for their chosen pathway. We will also be approaching schools with high standards of teaching and learning where we haven’t got a good spread across the region in order to ensure an equity of provision across the whole Central South area. The news is very encouraging and we look forward to having an area wide network of schools ready to provide excellent development of teaching and learning across the consortium.
Further information regarding this area of work will be shared in due course. If your school would like to become an Improvement Hub or Specialist School please contact Alison Beer on either [email protected] or telephone 01443 827517.
www.cscjes.org.uk
National News
3
Additional Learning NeedsThe consultation period for the Welsh Government White Paper ‘Legislative Proposals for Additional Learning Needs’ has now closed. The White Paper outlines proposals to introduce a new legislative framework for supporting children and young people with additional learning needs. The proposals will replace existing legislation for the assessment and provision of support for learners with special educational needs in schools and learning difficulties and/or disabilities in post-16 education and training.
The approach to reform will will be underpinned by a number of key principles:
• the best interests of learners must be a primary consideration
• learners opinions should always be considered, along with those of their parents
• learners should expect to have their needs identified and met;
• agreeing assessment and provision for learners should be simpler and less adversarial;
• disagreements should be resolved as quickly and easily as possible;
• and all those involved in providing support to learners should work together to provide a seamless service.
The paper outlines the Welsh Governments’ proposals to create:
• a unified legislative framework to support learners aged 0 to 25 with additional learning needs
• an integrated, collaborative process of assessment, planning and monitoring which facilitates early, timely and effective interventions
• a fair and transparent system for providing information and advice, and for resolving concerns and appeals
For further information regarding the White Paper and its impact in your school please contact Siân Ovens on [email protected].
Building a Brighter Future – Early Years and Childcare PlanOn 17 July 2013 the Minister for Education and Skills, the Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty and the Deputy Minister for Tackling Poverty launched ‘Building a Brighter Future: Early Years and Childcare Plan’, it sets out the direction of travel for the next 10 years with actions and time-scales for delivery. The Plan brings coherence across different policies and programmes impacting on and influencing the early years.
The key themes are:
• children’s health and well-being
• supporting families and parents
• high-quality early education and childcare
• effective primary education
• raising standards
For further information regarding how the Consortium can support this plan in your schools please contact Amanda Malkin on [email protected].
Standards of ICT at Key Stage 3We are pleased to announce that four schools from the Central South region have been included in the Estyn report ‘ICT at key stage 3: The impact of ICT on pupils’ learning at key stage 3 in secondary schools’.
The schools are:
• Radyr Comprehensive School, Cardiff
• Mountain Ash Comprehensive School, RCT
• Ysgol Gyfun Cymer Rhondda, RCT
• Pen-y-Dre, Merthyr Tydfil
The report contains case studies that show how the teaching of ICT as a subject and as a skill across the curriculum can be improved through innovative approaches.
‘ICT at key stage 3’ recommends that the Welsh Government implements a statutory framework for ICT from Foundation Phase to post-16 and takes into account developments in technology, subject to the review of the current curriculum review in Wales. The report also highlights steps that schools and local authorities/regional consortia should take to improve teaching, monitoring and assessment.
To read the full report including case studies please refer to the Estyn website her: http://www.estyn.gov.uk/english/news/standards-of-ict-in-secondary-schools-need-improving
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Education Begins at Home: Welsh Government CampaignWelsh Government recently launched the ‘Education Begins at Home’ campaign. The campaign is designed to encourage parents to get involved in their child’s education by showing them how little things can make a big difference.
Things like waking them up early for school; making sure they get a good night’s sleep; making time to read with them; helping with number work; going to parents evenings and asking them about school will all help them do so much better at school.
For further information please refer to the campaign’s facebook book page at: https://www.facebook.com/beginsathome
Qualified for Life UpdateAll secondary schools should have received a communication from the Welsh Government Qualified for Life Team regarding the two new mathematics GCSEs (mathematics and mathematics-numeracy).
A detailed description of the differences between the two new GCSEs can now be found on the Qualifications Wales website here:
http://www.qualificationswales.org/uploads/Draft_content_separation_for_two_new_maths_GCSEs_-_July_2014.pdf
Details of the qualifications timeline can also be found here: http://www.qualificationswales.org/gcses-timeline-for-change/
Details of Welsh Government new GCSE update events can be found on page 11 of this newsletter.
Design Principles for the Welsh Baccalaureate – September 2015On 28 November, 2012 Jeff Cuthbert AM, Deputy Minister for Skills received the final report for the Review of 14 to 19 Qualifications in Wales. The report contained 42 recommendations, 9 of which concerned the Welsh Baccalaureate. In January 2013 the Minister accepted all of the Review’s recommendations. From early 2013 to March 2014 Welsh Government officials have engaged in extensive stakeholder engagement, working with practitioners and other sector experts to develop the revised Welsh Baccalaureate.
Following the engagement period Welsh Government have now released ‘Design Principles for Welsh Baccalaureate’; a document which outlines the structure, aims, learning outcomes, assessment and grading information for the revised Welsh Baccalaureate.
The Welsh Baccalaureate will:
• enable learners to consolidate and formalise learning of skills
• provide a theoretical underpinning and knowledge or techniques related to skills
• encourage reflection, analysis and articulation of the learner’s own proficiency in the skills
• engage learners in exploring, developing, practicing and applying the skills
• increase confidence and effectiveness in the use and application of the
• skills in a range of meaningful and ‘real life’ contexts and purposes
The next steps for the roll-out in 2015 are:
• Trialling of changes will begin in September in ten Welsh Baccalaureate centres
• WJEC will produce the full specifications, which will be published in October
• A programme of support including CPD events for practitioners will be run from October throughout the academic year
• Trialling will be completed in March 2015 and any necessary amendments made to the specifications in May
• The new model will be taught from September 2015
Regional Consortia along with the WJEC will play a key role in supporting centres as they prepare to deliver the revised Welsh Baccalaureate. We will keep you informed about the developments and if you have any queries in the meantime please do not hesitate to contact Robert Hopkins on [email protected].
The full document ‘Design Principles for the Welsh Baccalaureate from Welsh Government can be found here: http://www.qualificationswales.org/uploads/140630-welsh-baccalaureate-design-principles-en.pdf
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Challenge Adviser DeploymentAll schools have been informed of their challenge adviser, if you are uncertain of your allocation please refer to the CSC Portal where details of your challenge adviser have been uploaded.
Colleagues will know from the briefing sessions over the last few weeks that we have carried out a significant reconfiguration of the service to respond to the national model for school improvement and the Central South Wales Challenge. A number of the challenge advisers left the service in August and we have also recruited new challenge advisers from amongst serving headteachers and senior leaders, especially in the primary phase.
As far as possible we have attempted to avoid unnecessary change in the attachment of challenge advisers to individual schools. However, given the developments highlighted above we have not been able to avoid change in every case.
Where there is change but the previous challenge adviser is still in the service we will ensure that there is good liaison between the previous challenge adviser and the new challenge adviser.
If you have any queries regarding system leader deployment please contact Robert Hopkins on [email protected].
SIG Spending Plans DeadlineCould all SIGs please ensure that their spending plan for the Central South Wales Challenge is submitted to Kim Eley ([email protected]) as soon as possible.
Dates for the Challenge• Strategy Group Meeting–10th
September (Cardiff High School)
• Pathfinder Evaluation Group Meeting–11th September (Tŷ Dysgu)
• Convenor Meeting–3rd October (venue tbc)
With a focus upon school-to-school working and a self improving system, where possible the CSW Challenge events and meetings are being held in schools across the Consortium. If you would like to offer your school as a venue for any future CSW Challenge meetings, with catering costs reimbursed, please contact Kim Eley on [email protected].
Consortium News
A Guide for Schools
Early in September we will be issuing all schools with a ‘Schools’ Guide’ regarding the work of the Consortium. Within the guide, for your reference, is a timeline which shows the Challenge Advisers work with schools throughout the year.
Challenge CommunicationsWith the CSW Challenge gaining momentum across the region, we would like to share as much information about the work taking place within SIGs as possible.
We have already uploaded a number of blog posts to the CSW Challenge website (www.cswchallenge.com) regarding schools’ experience of the challenge.
If you would like to submit a blog for the website, share news, photographs, reports or any other type of communication with Consortium schools and beyond, please contact either Siân Johnson ([email protected]) or Kim Eley ([email protected]).
We would also like to encourage SIGs to set up Twitter accounts to share their experiences. If you require any assistance please do not hesitate to contact either Siân Johnson or Kim Eley. When tweeting about the Challenge please use the hashtag #CSWChallenge.
CENTRAL SOUTH WALES CHALLENGE
HER CANOL DE CYMRU
www.cscjes.org.uk6
CSW Challenge Conference12th November 2014, Cardiff City Stadium, 9am to 1pmAll headteachers in the Central South Region are invited to attend a showcase event for the Central South Wales Challenge.The conference will provide headteachers with the opportunity to meet with their School Improvement Group (SIG), as well as other SIGs from within the Challenge.
The morning will feature a series of presentations from SIGs regarding their experiences of a self-improving system and school-to-school working. Examples of best practice from across the region will be shared with delegates, along with keynote speeches from Huw Lewis (Wales Education Minister) and Professor Mel Ainscow (CSW Challenge Lead).
A full agenda for the morning will be confirmed and distributed to headteachers shortly. However if you would like to reserve your place in advance please refer to the CSC DevelopmentDeck here:
http://developmentdeck.cscjes.org.uk/courses/bookings/c_detail.asp?cid=386&origin=estore
If you have any queries or would like to present examples of your Challenge work on the day please contact [email protected] or telephone 01443 827557.
Please note there is no charge to attend this conference, however we
are only able to offer one place per school to either the Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher.
Further information about the Central South Wales Challenge can be found here: www.cswchallenge.com
CENTRAL SOUTH WALES CHALLENGE
HER CANOL DE CYMRU
Coming Soon . . . Central South Pledge - Working With Leading Businesses, Voluntary Sector, Sporting and Cultural Leaders:We are putting together a pledge programme to work with leading businesses, voluntary sector, sporting and cultural leaders in our Central South Wales Challenge programme.
The aim is to get behind the efforts of schools in the region either practically with opportunities for young people from the region to get involved in wider opportunities or presentationally through the media.
If schools would like to know more or have a business or partner they’d like to nominate to be part of the programme please contact Kim Eley on either [email protected] or telephone 01443 827557
Learning From Success: We are considering a 4pm seminar programme open to all headteachers or senior leadership team members to share and explore strategies which led to the improvement in results in the summer–if schools would like to contribute or lead a session to let us know on either 01443 827500 / [email protected]. More details to follow.
Governors:We are considering how we can more effectively work with governors as we develop the role of a self improving school system.
We have a number of governors working with us to develop some events and communications with all governors based in the local authorities. Again more details to follow shortly.
If you have any suggestions or comments regarding this area please contact us on 01443 827500 or e-mail [email protected].
“Examples of best practice from across the region will be shared with delegates, along with keynote speeches from key Consortium, Local Authority and Welsh Government Officers.”
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Our RegionPlease find below a snap shot of the schools in the Central South Region.
National Facts• The local authority with the most schools was Cardiff with 136, and the local authority with the fewest was Blaenau
Gwent and Merthyr Tydfil, both with 29 schools.
• Gwynedd had the most Welsh medium primary schools with 96, and the local authority with the fewest was Blaenau Gwent with 1 school. Gwynedd had the most Welsh medium secondary schools with 13, and there were 4 local authorities with no Welsh medium secondary schools: Merthyr Tydfil, Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire and Newport.
• The number of pupils in each local authority ranged between 8,850 in Merthyr Tydfil, to 54,701 in Cardiff.
• The number of teachers in maintained schools in each local authority ranged between 3,030 in Cardiff, to 505 in Merthyr Tydfil.
• The pupil teacher ratio is highest in primary schools at 20.8 and lowest in special schools at 6.5.
• The number of pupils eligible for free meals has decreased from 83,498 pupils in January 2013 to 81,538 pupils in January 2014.
• Of the total number of pupils aged 5 or over at primary, middle, secondary and special schools in Wales, over 9 in 10 pupils were classed as White British.
• 22.6 per cent of all pupils at maintained schools in Wales have some form of special educational need; 11.9 per cent of the pupils with special educational needs have statements of SEN.
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Welcome to New StaffWe would like to extent a warm welcome to the following staff who have recently, or will be shortly be joining the Consortium:
Kay Murray Business Desk
Gareth Voyle Operations Manager
Lisa Parry Receptionist
Phil Peddle Senior Statistician
Huw Williams Statistician
Kirsty Smith Statistician
Steve Gibbs Translator
Staff News
Staff structures can now be found on the Consortium website (www.cscjes.org.uk) and can also be downloaded as pdfs.
Temporary/Seconded Staff
Tony Blake Challenge Adviser Karen Phillips Foundation Phase Training And Support Officer
Angela Satterley Challenge Adviser Kirsten Wilcock GCSE Literacy SpecialistJoanne Colsey Challenge Adviser Vicky McIntee GCSE Literacy SpecialistJeremy Philips Challenge Adviser Helen Kimber GCSE Maths SpecialistJeremy Thompson Challenge Adviser Deborah Lax GCSE Maths Specialist
Andrea May Challenge Adviser Glenn Gilchrist GCSE Science SpecialistSusan O'Halloran Challenge Adviser Bethan Davies Hwb+ Development OfficerSarah Richards Development Officer Jane Anthony Physical Literacy FacilitatorKathryn Heath Development Officer Dave Goodger Physical Literacy FacilitatorDamon Gibson Development Officer Janet Jones Primary Specialist for NumeracyCatherine Hennessey
Foundation Phase Admin Support Officer Lisa Britton Project Support Officer
Sarah Jones Foundation Phase Training And Support Officer Dr Jude Brigley Schools challenge Cymru
Ceri Llewellyn Foundation Phase Training And Support Officer Julia Horton Secondary Specialist for Literacy
Ruth Wiltshire Foundation Phase Training And Support Officer James Lewis Coll Secondary Specialist for
Numeracy
Maria Ward Foundation Phase Training And Support Officer Dorothy Haines Senior Challenge Adviser
Kate Parry Foundation Phase Training And Support Officer
Bernard Whittingham Senior Challenge Adviser
Joanne Bayliss Foundation Phase Training And Support Officer Sue Walker Senior Challenge Adviser
Paula Cook Foundation Phase Training And Support Officer Debbie Lewis Senior Challenge Adviser
Julie Morgan Foundation Phase Training And Support Officer
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New and Expanded Data, Quality and Intelligence Unit in Central SouthFollowing the recent service reorganisation and recruitment, we are pleased to announce that the Data, Quality and Intelligence Unit now comprises:
• Dr Caryl Stokes - Data, Quality and Intelligence Manager
• Phil Peddle - Senior Statistician
• Ffion Davies - Statistician
• Huw Williams - Statistician
• Kirsty Smith - Statistician
• Julie Jones - Data Support Assistant
Dr Caryl Stokes commented, “We are delighted to welcome Phil, Huw and Kirsty to the team. Phil comes to the Unit from Cardiff Local Authority and was instrumental in the design and implementation of the CSC Portal whilst working on a secondment with the Consortium. As the Senior Statistician, Phil will be responsible for the statistical and intelligence analysis of school performance across the Consortium. Phil will also be managing a team of statisticians; joining Ffion Davies will be Huw Williams from RCT Local Authority and Kirsty Smith from Bridgend Local Authority. The Consortium’s Statisticians will be responsible for the collation, analysis and presentation of pupil, school and Local Authority data.
It is a very exciting time for education in Wales, particularly following the recent successes of the Consortium Local Authorities regarding examination results and attendance figures. Our aim is to provide a first class data, quality and intelligence service, our role is to underpin all aspects of service whilst keeping stakeholders fully informed.”
If you have any queries regarding your school’s data please do not hesitate to contact the team on either 01443 827572 or e-mail [email protected].
“Our aim is to provide a first class data, quality and intelligence service, our role is to underpin all aspects of service whilst keeping stakeholders fully informed.”
CommunicationsCSC communicates with our schools via a number of electronic channels:
CSC Website
www.cscjes.org.uk
CSW Challenge Website
www.cswchallenge.org.uk
DevelopmentDeck
http://developmentdeck.cscjes.org.uk
Portal
https://www.cscportal.org.uk/
www.twitter.com/cscjes
www.facebook.com/cscjes
https://www.linkedin.com/company/central-south-consortium-joint-education-service
Monthly newsletters
Issued monthly and available on the CSC website here:
http://www.cscjes.org.uk/Communications/Newsletters.aspx
E-mail bulletins/notices
Sent via the CSC Communications e-mail account.
If you would like to join our e-mail communications list please submit your details using the form in the link below:
http://www.cscjes.org.uk/Communications.aspx
We are always looking for ways to improve our communications with schools. If you have any suggestions or comments please do not hesitate to contact Siân Johnson on [email protected] or telephone 01443 827548. Thank you.
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Contact UsCentral South Consortium Tŷ Dysgu Cefn Coed Parc Nantgarw Cardiff CF15 7QQ
Tel: 01443 827500
E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: @cscjes Web: www.cscjes.org.uk CSW Challenge: www.cswchallenge.com Support: http://developmentdeck.cscjes.org.uk
Support OpportunitiesWelsh Government New GCSE Update EventsPlease note that Welsh Government will providing a series of training sessions for all schools across Wales regarding the arrangements for the new GCSE specifications.
Please find below the dates for the Central South events.
Further information will be shared when available.
• Maths – introduction 18th November WJEC Cardiff / Treforest
• Maths – preparing to teach 17th March WJEC Cardiff / Treforest
• Welsh – introduction 25th November WJEC Cardiff / Treforest
• Welsh – preparing to teach 13th February WJEC Cardiff / Treforest
• English – introduction 14th November WJEC Cardiff / Treforest
• English – preparing to teach 6th March WJEC Cardiff / Treforest
Dates for the DiaryPlease find below a snap shot of the support that is available from the Consortium for the next few weeks. For full details please refer to the CSC DevelopmentDeck at http://developmentdeck.cscjes.org.uk or contact our Business Desk on either [email protected] or telephone 01443 827523.
• 15 days KS2 Intensive Welsh Course - starting 22nd September
• Code Club for Co-ordinators - Starting 24th September
• Improving Teacher Programme (ITP) - Starting 29th September
• Y Pod Antur - Pecyn 1 - 30th September
• Transferring work and content from any iPad - 30th September
• Dyfal Donc Llythrennedd (Catch up) - Starting 1st October
• Big Maths - Starting 2nd October
• Welsh Second Language in Special Schools - 2nd October
• Cwrs Portffolio Cyfnod Sylfaen/Cymraeg Ail-iaith - 3rd October
• Philosophy for Children Level 1 (Nursery Practitioners) - Starting 6th October
Fixed Penalty Notice BriefingsThe Welsh Government is committed to addressing the national concern for poor school attendance and all local authorities across Wales are expected to use Fixed Penalty Notices to assist them in the drive to improve attendance and prevent unnecessary absence from school, effective from September 2014.
The attendance services across the 5 Local Authorities have planned a series of briefing sessions on Fixed Penalty notices for senior members of staff with responsibility for attendance.
The briefing session will be held in Tŷ Dysgu on 22nd, 23rd, and 24th September between 4.15pm – 5.15pm.
More information will be available on the DevelopmentDeck at the start of term. Please sign up to secure your place.
