End of year note from SCHOOLS NorthEast
So, the year ends as it started – with change, upheaval, turbulence, fresh opportunity … call it what you will.
Where the 2015/16 academic year began with a new Common Inspection Framework, new curricula and assessment and a hefty education agenda promised in the Conservative manifesto, it draws to a conclusion with a new Education Secretary and a Prime Minister whose Chief of Staff has freshly vacated the top role at the New Schools Network.
Rest assured, more change is on its way.
Perhaps then it is time to reflect and celebrate what went on in-between?
From a SCHOOLS NorthEast perspective, it has been a phenomenal year with greater levels of engagement than ever before.
More than 2,150 school leaders have actively been involved in the plethora of activities and events from the flagship Summit, with the indomitable Sir Michael Wilshaw, to the insightful sessions on everything from British values to pupil proofing the school day.
Our responsiveness to changing policy provided the opportunity for 320 school leaders to attend full-day, independent conferences on academisation and the implications of the the education white paper.
The launch of Jobs In Schools|North East has driven down the cost of recruitment and opened up school vacancies to the widest possible group of potential candidates. Some 170 schools across the region are already signed up with more joining each week.
The response from Head Teachers using the site is overwhelmingly positive:
Derryth Hope, Head Teacher at Berwick Middle School in Northumberland: “I have advertised for several teaching positions over the years and, at different times, have had little, and on some occasions, no response even when we’ve used a very expensive national advertiser. This time we used the Schools NorthEast site and received 9 applications for a main scale post. What was really pleasing was the quality of the candidates – it was very difficult to decide who to ‘sift out’ at the shortlisting stage!”
Danny Eason, Head Teacher at Fishburn Primary School in County Durham, advertised a Deputy Head position: “We had a cracking response for the vacancy, nearly double the usual average and at minimal cost. If there is one thing that has become apparent to me in the last few years is that people prefer regional to national solutions.”
We have recently recruited additional resource to continue the growth of Jobs in Schools|North East, with a focus on driving yet more candidate traffic to the site which has already attracted more than 11,000 unique visitors and 80,000 page views since its launch at the end of January.
Our commitment to be an influencing voice on behalf of North East schools saw major external affairs campaigns in areas including the National Funding Formula and Ofqual’s consultation on exam boards. Our work has been quoted repeatedly by MPs in the House of Commons and by the Education Select Committee.
The impact of this work is ongoing but our Ofqual engagement prompted the incoming HM Chief Inspector of Schools to say of SCHOOLS NorthEast: “I was both intrigued and impressed by the SCHOOLS NorthEast model. It is an interesting concept with great potential. The level of engagement and support for schools within the region is clearly very high and it is great to see how SCHOOLS NorthEast is acting as a catalyst for change and a forum for constructive discussion. We hope to continue the conversation.”
Work has begun on the country’s first Schools-led Commission on Mental Health and we have recruited additional resource on the policy front to drive that activity in the future.
Communication remains at our core with the ever popular Weekly Update given a make-over to make it more appealing. The impact has seen it reach greater numbers and with industry-beating open rates that demonstrate engagement with you the readers.
So what of 2016/17?
Like you, we constantly strive to improve and innovate.
We have been working with Trustees and our Advisory Board members behind the scene to develop a new strategy for SCHOOLS NorthEast to ensure we build on our strong foundations and to become even more impactful.
The Education Secretary will speak at a SCHOOLS NorthEast Summit for the first time in its history and alongside her we will have our strongest line-up of speakers including Sir David Carter.
Our programme of events will grow and develop and our policy influencing work will have a clear focus on trying to tackle some of the clear underlying issues which affect schools’ ability to positively shape young lives.
We will seek to work with schools to support the development a stronger culture of evidence-based learning across the region and we will have a clear focus on encouraging networking among professionals at all levels within school – a move beyond our current focus on school leaders and school business managers.
In short, we will pull out all the stops to ensure we are supporting you in every way that we can to be the best that you can be.
Have an amazing summer and we look forward to welcoming you back in the new term.
Mike Parker
Director
SCHOOLS NorthEast