current issues policies and practice

National Middle Schools’ Forum: Conference 2011

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Current IssuesCurrent IssuesPolicies and PracticePolicies and Practice

Malcolm Trobe

ASCL Deputy General Secretary (Policy)


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• Overview• Local authorities• “New” Agencies• Curriculum and data• Funding• Pay and conditions• Teacher Standards and Performance Management• Pensions• Questions


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The first year of the coalition


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The current landscapeThe current landscape• “We will not govern by announcement” Michael Gove• Reduce/remove bureaucracy? • Freeze on communications• No central initiatives? • No regulation – permissive legislation?• Accountability and funding streams driving practice• Children and Families part of DfE definitely lower priority


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Little experience of what happens with a change of government

Have been used to top down policy but with lots of warning, information, guidance (DCSF)

Complete change of policy in many areas but lack of information

Implications for School LeadersImplications for School Leaders


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The greatest challenges for school leadersThe greatest challenges for school leaders• Staff morale , the pensions dispute, succession planning

pay freeze• Budgets – are SLTs prepared for what is coming.• Post riots England – government reactions• Social mobility• Accountability / Floor standards• Curriculum• Academy transfer issues


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Confident schools Constrained schools

• Standards safe• Oversubscribed• Well to do catchment• Very good, recent Ofsted

report• Parents supportive• Stable staffing• Unions low profile.

• Close to floor targets.• Free school opening

down the road.• Surplus places• Challenging catchment• Ofsted could come any

time• Staffing /union issues


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Confident schools Constrained schools

• Can choose to ignore government policy

• Curriculum designed according to long term vision of leadership

• Able to relax about accountability measures

• Unlikely to be at risk if inspected

• Teaching can be innovative and creative

• Reactive to government policy

• Curriculum dominated by external demands

• Can never relax about accountability measures.

• Tightly focused on Ofsted framework

• Teaching to the test


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Impact of Academisation/Free SchoolsImpact of Academisation/Free Schools• 50% of secondary schools likely to be academies by March• 320 sponsored academies.• 24 free schools already; 55 for 2012 (+8)• 3 UTCs + 13 + 3 in pipeline • Rumour but no hard information about budgets / transitional

funding


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The role of local authoritiesThe role of local authorities• Meltdown?• Uncertainty about role and very under-developed

discussion.• Major cutbacks in front line provision e.g. Wigan £66m

reduction.• Youth Services• Extended Schools• Strategic planning of places / Admissions• SEND


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ALB review – The new Executive Agencies

• The Teaching Agency responsible for ensuring the supply of high quality teachers and training, and for teacher regulation

• Standards and Testing Agency will oversee statutory tests and assessments for children up to age 14.

• The Education Funding Agency will take over responsibility from the Young People’s Learning Agency for the funding of young people’s education and training - including the increasing number of Academies.

• National College for School Leadership


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GTC(E) and the Teaching Agency• GTC(E) stops operating 31st March 2012• responsibility for teacher regulation passes to

Secretary of State• day to day functions carried out by the

Teaching Agency• TA includes all schools, children’s homes etc.• until next year, referrals, hearings etc. as at

present


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The Teaching Agency intended to be responsible for•holding a database of qualified teachers, available to employers from April 2012•managing a list of prohibited teachers•supply & retention of workforce•quality of workforce•teacher regulation •hearing cases of professional misconduct


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• Part 5 Protection of Freedoms Bill• Amendments to vetting & barring

• ISA & CRB to merge• registration scrapped• regulated activity redefined• CRB process updated and fairer• no longer covers supervised volunteers• will cover 16/17 year old (House of Commons

amendment at 2nd reading)


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Definition of regulated activity• Involves contact with children or vulnerable adult

or• is a specified role

• no distinction made between paid & voluntary work

of a specified nature

or “frequently, intensively and/or overnight”

in a specified place


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• So...• Revert to ‘Safeguarding children & safer recruitment

2007’• Legal duty to refer – ISA referral guidance 2007• ISA vetting & barring scheme guidance 2010• Wait for new guidance

It’s as you were for the time being

and

get ready to review procedures


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• Expert group advising ministers + pressure groups, reviews, advisory group

• Frequent ministerial statements which appear to indicate decisions already taken

• Early 2012 consultation on core content (English, maths, science, PE) for first teaching Sept 2013

• Big bang introduction or phased?• From 2012 decisions and consultation about other subjects

for first teaching 2014• Academies and free schools exempt

Curriculum reviewCurriculum review


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• KS2 compromise: tests remain but some teacher assessment

• Possibility that all NC assessment will change following curriculum review (no more levels?)

• Schools expected to track student progress but at KS3 no recommended process

• Ofsted looking for evidence that teachers and students aware of progress

• KS3 teacher assessment levels should still be reported to parents end of KS3

AssessmentAssessment


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Planning the school/college curriculumPlanning the school/college curriculumPlanning the school/college curriculumPlanning the school/college curriculum

Take account of• Legal requirements• Accountability• Context of school• Funding

Have your story ready for Ofsted and others

The curriculum should provide all students with a rich and broad education to prepare them for their life and employment


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A student’s curriculum and qualifications are for life not just for the period of office of a Secretary of

State


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Data: Current political viewData: Current political viewStrong transparency agenda

As much data about schools in the public domain as can be achieved

Publication of a wide range of indicators

“Gove Compare”

www.education.gov.uk/schools/search• Reads from other datasets• Updating Edubase is schools responsibility


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Data as a driver of school behaviourData as a driver of school behaviour• Publication of results in Performance Tables• Ofsted making judgements

• Media selecting their favourite indicator


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IssuesIssues• Using threshold indicators• Using raw scores for floor targets• Floor standards rising!• Norm referenced systems


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FundingFunding• No significant change for 2012-13• Increase in pupil premium amount (redistribution)• £50m taken from a pupil premium for summer schools• Await outcome of consultation for future years• ASCL pushing strongly for activity referencing and full

modeling of new formula


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Capital Funding: James Review Capital Funding: James Review Priorities• Demographics• Building condition

• Central retention for Free Schools• Central procurement systems

• Local aggregation of devolved formula capital?


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Pay freezePay freeze• For next two years• Cash values of scale/spinal points remain the same in

2011/12 as in 2010/11• All TLR values frozen• Remain frozen for 2012/13• Pay freeze does not affect or prevent progression up the

relevant scale/spine


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Head’s ISRHead’s ISR• Head’s ISR (seven point range) fixed within appropriate

school group range (total pupil unit score): whether one or more schools

• Remuneration to cover the head full role and responsibilities(part 9 STPDC )

• School causing concern, recruitment and retention, temporary appointment as head of more than one school henceforth discretionary items not part of determination of ISR


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Head’s ISRHead’s ISR• Governing body must ensure process is fair and

transparent• Proper record made of reasons for determination of ISR

and discretionary payments


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Taking on more than one schoolTaking on more than one school• Clear distinction between permanent and temporary basis• Permanent basis: ISR calculated on total pupil units of all

schools concerned + discretionary percentage (Max 25%)• Temporary basis: discretion applied to existing point of

heads ISR

• Under new arrangements remuneration for taking on second school unlikely to prove attractive


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Exceptional circumstancesExceptional circumstances• Wholly exceptional to make discretionary payments in

excess of 25%• Where exceptional circumstances warrant a payment in

excess of the limit relevant committee must make business case to full governing body

• Must seek external independent advice from appropriate person

• Must be clear audit trail for advice to governing body• Full accurate record of all decisions• Reason behind the decision


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Bank holidayBank holiday• Teachers available to work 194 days in 2011/12• Teach pupils for 189 days• Directed time will be 1258.5 hours• Change should be incorporated into school calendar• Advice given about part-timers pay/entitlement to a day off

will apply


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Teacher StandardsTeacher Standards• Existing standards still operational• New standards start 1 September 2012• Sets the minimum requirements for teachers’ practice and

conduct• Second stage review considering higher standards,

threshold, excellent teachers and ASTs

• Details available at http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/reviewofstandards


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Performance ManagementPerformance Management• Currently under review• Draft model PM policy being developed• Start date not yet determined (probably September 2012)• Need to watch out for its publication (end of this month is

target)


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Pensions: current and future changesPensions: current and future changesThe government has:• Changed from RPI to CPI as a measure of inflation• Altered discount rate; mechanism for setting cost of scheme

The government intends to:• Introduce higher contributions and tiered contributions to

TPS• Provide benefits broadly as generous as those currently

received by lower and middle earners• Introduce new arrangements in 2015• Accrued benefits protected


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Pensions: current and future changesPensions: current and future changesThe government favours:• A Career Averaged Revalued Earnings (CARE) scheme• Normal retirement age related to state pension age


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Current negotiationsCurrent negotiations• TUC and Treasury continuing overarching negotiations on

public sector pensions• General secretaries of teacher unions meeting with

ministers• “ without prejudice” discussions with DFE of data and

technical matters• Cost envelope released last week


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Whilst the information provided at this event was correct to the best of the knowledge of the presenters and organisers, neither ASCL nor MAPS can accept liability if at a later date this should prove not to be the case. Nor can they be held responsible for any errors or any consequences resulting from its use


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