SCHOOLS NorthEast Autumn Term update
It’s been a busy term here at SCHOOLS NorthEast. From hosting our annual sell-out Summit to inputting on national education consultations, take a look at a snapshot of what we’ve been keeping ourselves busy with this term…
- First workstream launched for the Healthy MindED Commission
- We have 370 schools in Partner Schools scheme
- 200 schools signed up to JiSNE – talks ongoing with one LA/larger HR providers re: block sign-ups
- We’ve had increasing engagement from DfE with SNE
- Media coverage – 37 articles in broadcast, print and online media so far this term
- TES and Huffington Post both asked SNE to provide regular columns – first two on parental engagement and alternative provision had high levels of engagement
Consultations
Alternative provision
- Repeatedly raised as an issue by Advisory Board members
- SNE submitted response to the Education Select Committee inquiry on Alternative Provision. Surveyed schools (low response) and calls to range of heads.
Four areas focused on in response:
- Capacity – Four North East local authorities were amongst the top 20 recording the highest increases in permanent exclusions across England from 2015/16 to 2016/17. In Redcar and Cleveland, permanent exclusions rose by 214% and in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 209%.
- Funding – 2/3rds of heads responding to survey had concerns about cost (£10k/pupil difference).
- Structures – AP is the victim of disconnect between statutory responsibility for the welfare of children (LAs) and responsibility for education standards. Old system of collective responsibility across the LA was imperfect but current ‘zero tolerance’ approach of some MATs changing attitudes of leaders to exclusion.
- Accountability – Need to provide greater accountability on schools for pupils they exclude, particularly pupils ‘off-rolled’ to boost examination outcomes.
- Justine Greening announced plans to transform AP at the Conservative Party Conference in October 2017.
- No plan for review of AP. Instead, intention is to spread existing best practice. Eg. some primary PRUs work with mainstream schools on shared provision; leads to lower rates needing AP at secondary level.
- There will be a review of exclusions.
National Funding Formula
- SNE continues to press the Government to remove the planned Area Cost Adjustment from the NFF. For illustration, it equates to nearly £1m difference in funding between a secondary school in Kensington & Chelsea and a secondary in Middlesbrough
- Concerned that overall funding debate has gone quiet.
Opportunity Areas
- Campaigned for an Opportunity Area (OA) in the North East since their inception over a year ago
- TES and Schools Week editorials highlighted SNE work in this area
- OAs currently sponges for school improvement funding – £72m OA spend; no SSIF funding here to date; careers trials in primary schools only running in OAs; pupil MH and resilience projects running in OAs; KPIs for Inspiring Governance major on OAs
- Justine Greening finally admitted the North East should have OA at TeachFirst conference in November 2017
However…
- OA challenge is having impact elsewhere
- DfE Adviser said Middlesbrough was added to teacher student loan amnesty pilot in light of OA issue and said more initiatives to come
DfE approaches
- Attracting high quality teachers to disadvantaged areas (offered roundtable in the region)
- National Teacher Vacancy Service (with a potential North East pilot area)
Reiterate strategic priorities:
- Evidence-based education
- Recruitment and retention
- Pupil mental health
- External support for education
Mental health
Healthy MindED Commission, only one of its kind, agreed priority workstreams:
- Healthy MindED benchmarks
- State of the region research
- Voice of the pupil research
- Call for evidence
- Area-based review of practice
External
- SNE continues to participate in the North East Literacy Forum which has created the Read North East campaign to engage parents of 0-5s in reading with their children
- National Literacy Trust and Penguin Random House involvement