Academy Support Package Impact Report Spring Term 2015
www.E-ACT.org.uk
E-ACT Academy Support Package – Impact Report
Education Our service offer this term Intervention and support
Key documentation support
• A System Leader has been assigned to each academy, who conduct regular visits. Primary academies receive 1 visit per half term and secondary academies receive 3-4 visits per term.
• The Education team has provided ongoing, structured support with drafting and revising key school improvement documents. These include Academy Improvement Plans (AIPs) and Post-Ofsted Action Plans (POAPs).
• Increased support was provided to City Heights in advance of their anticipated Ofsted Section 5 inspection and to Nechells in advance of their next Section 8 visit. • Impact Logs and Plans on a Page are now stored on Insight for easy access by System Leaders and Head Office colleagues.
Impact • We continue to use E-ACT’s outstanding leaders to provide support and challenge so that we can raise outcomes for our pupils across the Trust at pace.
Commissioned specialist support • System Leaders and Heads of Transformation are working with academies to identify suitable consultancy support as necessary but with an improved procurement process at each academy.
Impact • Academies continue to receive targeted specialist support that is value for money-assured.
Menu of achievement strategies • Templates for Academy Improvement Plans (AIPs) and Self-Evaluation Frameworks (SEFs) are available on Insight. Examples of best practice have been shared across the Trust. • System Leaders now have access to a Learning Walk proforma to help them to evaluate provision.
Impact • System Leaders and academy senior leaders have access to quality-assured templates and proformas to help them capture key information in a clear and consistent way.
2
• Greenfield, Ilminster, Burnham Park, Blackley, Willenhall, City Heights, NBA, Parkwood, Parker, The Oldham Academy North, Pathways, Denham Green, West Walsall and Crests have received support visits to help refine their AIPs/POAPs. • All key academy documents (AIPs, POAPs, SEFs and SoAs) are stored in secure individual academy areas on Insight.
Impact • Quality-assured school improvement documents ensure great examples in the Trust are available to share.
Data support • The Data Analytics & Information Manager visited Need to Secure/Rebuild academies NBA, The Oldham Academy North, Crests and West Walsall to provide data validation, triangulation and training for senior leaders, middle leaders and Local Governing Bodies. • E-ACT’s Data Consultant and Data Analytics & Information Manager visited City Heights, Denham Green, Parker, Parkwood and Pathways to provide data validation. • The Data Analytics & Information Manager has co-ordinated E-ACT’s approach to life after levels. Primary and secondary meetings were held, resulting in an agreed standardised reporting format to accommodate different assessment methodology.
Impact • We continue to make sure that data in every E-ACT academy is robust, that all of our staff are dataliterate, and that data use throughout the Trust supports decision-making and improving outcomes.
E-ACT Academy Support Package – Impact Report
Access to online education resources • A quote was obtained for School Leader and Governance subscriptions to The Key, which was not cost-effective. The Education team has arranged for online resources to be made available to academies from SSAT and from Whole Education.
Impact • Academy leaders have access to practical, timesaving resources that provide expert help ondemand.
Professional development • The Education team has held core subject leader forums for primary and secondary middle leaders. Four primary and nine secondary forums were held. A Teaching & Learning master class was held in February.
Impact • Our leaders at all levels continue to grow professionally as classroom practitioners and as future E-ACT leaders.
3
E-ACT Academy Support Package – Impact Report
Quality Assurance & Inspection Our service offer this term Pre-Ofsted and inspection-readiness internal reviews • The QA & Inspection team has committed to providing a full pre-Ofsted or inspection-readiness review to academies due a Section 5 inspection or, where appropriate, upon request. These are prioritised according to each academy’s grading within the E-ACT Governance framework or the Ofsted framework. • Reviews have been carried out this term to date at Merritts Brook, City Heights, Parkwood, Denham Green, Willenhall, The Oldham Academy North and Pathways. • Mini inspection summaries have been shared with Local Governing Bodies and are available on Insight.
academies have been quality-assured where appropriate.
Impact • Mansfield Green’s POAP and SSA were judged as fit for purpose in the academy’s recent Section 5 inspection. • Nechells’ POAP and SSA presented favourably at the academy’s recent Section 8 inspection. • Many academies are now using the recommended SEF template, which is aligned to the current Ofsted framework, and 100% of Rebuild academies are.
Data analytics and information Impact • Merritts Brook, judged as Good in its review, received a Good judgement at its very recent inspection. The academy’s Principal, Chair of Governors and inspection team commented favourably about the review report. • Willenhall, which underwent an inspectionreadiness review, has exited Special Measures and is no longer judged as being Inadequate. • City Heights’ review led to a much-needed reallocation of resource to support academy improvement in readiness for its Ofsted inspection. • A Pathways QA visit led to an alteration and adjustment of intensity of support to bring about rapid improvement. The Pathways APBD/DfE visit was also largely successful. • 100% of academies that received an internal review provided positive feedback.
Quality assurance of school improvement documents • The QA & Inspection team has provided feedback on 100% of Post-Ofsted Action Plans (POAP) and Sponsor Statements of Action (SSA) for academies judged to be Inadequate. • Academy Self-Evaluation forms (SEF) have been cross-referenced with published data. • Academy Improvement Plans for Grades 1-3 4
• The QA & Inspection team has led the corporate approach to assessment after levels. This has included: • Attending demonstrations and discussions on primary STAT materials at Blackley and with a senior STAT lead in Sheffield. A secured phase agreement is on the way forward. • Facilitating and co-presenting a session for all secondary Principals and assessment leads on proposals for secondary assessment. A secured phase agreement is on the way forward. • Brokering in-house training for primary and secondary approaches. • Sharing updates with colleagues on Insight. • The Data Analytics & Information Manager has produced detailed summaries of the latest academy data trawls to facilitate conversations between senior colleagues and individual academies about the accuracy of data. • The Data Analytics & Information Manager has worked with Reedswood and Pathways to help them interpret RAISEonline reports and to present their own data in readiness for inspection. • The Data Analytics & Information Manager provided coaching to the SENCO at The Oldham Academy North on how to present and articulate the progress being made by DSEN pupils and follow-up work at City Heights following their internal review. • The QA & Inspection team has provided 7 training sessions on education data to governors and senior
E-ACT Academy Support Package – Impact Report
academy leaders.
Impact • Anecdotal verbal feedback received following the secondary assessment event at Heartlands was positive and colleagues were clear on the strategy going forward. • Feedback received from academy colleagues while undertaking academy reviews waspositive and it is clear that colleagues find them a useful preinspection exercise. • The detailed summaries of data trawls have raised the expectation of the accuracy of data presented to the corporate team.
E-ACT Resident Inspector Training Programme • The first cohort of Principals, Vice Principals and Heads of School has begun training as E-ACT Resident Inspectors and is nearing completion. In the future, each internal review team will include one peer Resident Inspector. A second wave of training for aspiring reviewers and inspectors is due to take place in the summer term.
Impact • The groundbreaking E-ACT Resident Inspector Training Programme has received significant applause from participants and their leadership teams. 100% of delegates on the first Resident Inspector Training Programme course have said they would recommend the course to another colleague.
5
42 support visits from the Finance team
7 internal reviews conducted by the Quality Assurance & Inspection team
ÂŁ170,000
of savings from moving to a single payroll provider will be reinvested into our classrooms.
11 FOI requests processed
8 training sessions delivered to governors on interpreting education data, effective governance and Ofsted preparation
4 internal
audits conducted
13 new
governors appointed
ÂŁ3.5 million
secured from the Capital Improvement Fund to ensure our learners have a safe, healthy and inspiring learning environment
277 Year 6 pupils currently
One
attaining L4 in reading, writing and maths - 22 to go to meet our target
768 Year 11 pupils currently
attaining 5 + A*-C GCSEs, including English and maths - 104 to go to meet our target
7 training sessions on education
data for governors and senior academy leaders held
13 core subject leader forums held
3 finance
process training sessions held
10 new Chairs of Finance inducted
2 new
Principals appointed welcome!
100%
of academies that received an internal review provided positive feedback
E-ACT Academy Support Package – Impact Report
Governance, Communications & Projects Our service offer this term All academies Governor training • Incyte, our governor training partner, has continued to deliver tailored training sessions to Local Governing Bodies. Incyte delivered 8 training sessions this term on interpreting education data, effective governance and Ofsted preparation. This means that so far this academic year, 145 local governors have received training from Incyte – with 80% of respondents stating that they now feel more confident and able to fulfil their role as a direct result of the training provided. • The Governance team along with Finance colleagues delivered an induction to 10 new Chairs of Finance subcommittees. The induction covered the Financial Scheme of Delegation, the requirements of the Academy Financial Handbook, effective procurement and the production of statutory accounts. Evaluations from the sessions show that 83% of attendees better understand their role following the training, and 70% have a better understanding of financial processes within E-ACT.
experienced governors ensures our academies are effectively supported and challenged.
Governor guidance and support • The Governance team continues to share updates and key information with the Spring term Governance newsletter. This term’s edition included training opportunities, new Ofsted protocols and E-ACT’s strategy for the next three years. • A half-termly LGB information pack has been created, aimed at providing governors with a better understanding of the information they will be working with regularly. This term’s pack included detailed sections on education data, communications from the E-ACT Board of Trustees, budget monitoring, audits and compliance.
Impact • Clarity and transparency about the roles, responsibilities and expectations of governors continue to improve so that we can promote and share great practice within the Trust. Greater engagement of governors will result in sustainable networks.
Impact • E-ACT continues to bring consistent and high quality training to all our governors. This means that our governors are fully aware of the responsibilities of their role and are kept up to date with the most recent legislation and can make informed decisions which will improve the
Governance reviews • The team have commissioned and took part in an external review of governance at The Oldham Academy North. Further reviews are also underway at Parker and Mansfield Green/Nechells LGB.
academies they serve.
Impact Governor recruitment • E-ACT has partnered with SGOSS, the leading school governor recruitment charity established by the Department for Education. This term, the team helped to recruit 13 local governors, who have been appointed to the Local Governing Bodies of Blackley, The Parker, Denham Green, The Crest Academies, Willenhall, Burnham Park and Nechells/Mansfield Green.
Impact • Having a full complement of committed, 8
• Governance reviews provide learning opportunities for Local Governing Bodies and strengthen their capacity for self-evaluation.
Improving clerking services • The E-ACT Governance Team are really pleased to welcome Sally Anderson as a new member of the team. Sally is an experienced clerk and currently administers five E-ACT local governing bodies. This appointment forms part of our wider strategy to continuously train, develop and strengthen clerking across E-ACT, recognising the fundamental role that
E-ACT Academy Support Package – Impact Report
clerks play in effective local governance. Sally will be a key point of contact for all E-ACT clerks going forwards and will be leading on our first E-ACT Clerk forum in the summer term.
Impact • Developing consistency and sharing best practice will result in higher-quality clerking across the Trust.
Communications • Insight, E-ACT’s intranet, has undergone extensive development work to improve its functionality: • Each business unit has its own page with resources for all E-ACT staff. An interactive org chart provides photos and contact details for Head Office colleagues. • Head Office colleagues, Principals and governors can access key documents about academies in the Academies section. • An Insight team of Head Office colleagues ensure content remains current and accurate. • A review of hosting provider for the E-ACT website has saved £1,200. • The Communications Manager has brokered a local design agency to create professional branding for the new E-ACT Teaching School at Blackley. • Media relations support has been provided to Crests and The Oldham Academy North.
Impact
academies in using the new provider’s system.
Impact • Project management support from Head Office has provided additional capacity and expertise to ensure data collection from academies and existing payroll providers is managed effectively. Moving to a single payroll provider will save £170,000 over three years.
‘Rebuild’ and ‘Need to Secure’ academies Raising Achievement Boards • Raising Achievement Boards continue to provide an additional level of support and scrutiny for have been established and administered by E-ACT’s Governance team in Crests, DSLV, North Birmingham, Nechells, Mansfield Green, Parker, West Walsall, Willenhall, the Oldham Academy North, Pathways and Burnham Park, in line with the Academy Support Package.
Impact • We continue to have an in-depth knowledge of the performance of the academies, the support allocated to them, and a constant focus on the impact this is having in raising standards. • The enhanced scrutiny, challenge and support provided by the Raising Achievement Board has enabled Willenhall to exit Special Measures.
• Insight is positioned to become a key source of information across the Trust.
Projects • The Project Delivery Manager has managed the transition from 11 different payroll providers across 23 academies and Head Office to a single provider across the Trust. Working closely with the Head Office Finance team, Business Managers and the new payroll provider, this has involved a considerable amount of data collection and checking, a parallel test run for each academy to highlight any discrepancies, and training for 9
E-ACT Academy Support Package – Impact Report
Finance & Resources Our service offer this term Academy finance
Impact
• The academy finance team made 42 support visits to academies.
• We have met E-ACT’s statutory compliance obligations and have created consistency in processes and procedures across the Trust.
• The team redesigned the format for budget monitoring. • Reporting compliance has now increased to 95 percent. • The team processed NNDR and insurance claims. • 9 mid-year reviews were held before Easter break with an additional 13 scheduled. • HCSS and funding letter training was held. • 3 budget setting workshops were held at The Oldham Academy North, Kettering Head Office, and London Head Office. • 3 finance process training sessions were held at Shenley, Pathways, and Kettering Head Office.
Procurement • E-ACT has negotiated a contract with a single payroll provider across the Trust, saving £170,000 over the life of the contract. • Enterprise is now the single car hire provider for E-ACT. • Framework agreements are now in place for catering and multi-function printers across academies. • Renegotiation of E-ACT’s landline and mobile contract resulted in £120,000 of savings across the Trust. • A tender for a single cleaning provider is in progress.
Impact • Academies with identified financial concerns have been supported, achieving clarity on the situation and developing a future balanced spending plan to ensure that expenditure is in line with budget.
Corporate finance
• Renegotiating Mansfield Green’s multi-function printer contract has saved the academy £12,400 over three years. • The procurement policy was updated, and standard forms and templates were created. • Procurement training was held at North Birmingham Academy.
• Favourable rates have been negotiated for treasury deposits.
Impact
• A new financial handbook and operational policies have been created and the Scheme of Financial Delegation has been updated.
• We have secured better value for money for the Trust, enabling more funds to be released back into our classrooms.
• New nominal codes and cost centres have been agreed to more accurately reflect E-ACT’s business needs.
Internal audit
• Group VAT returns have been completed on time. • The team processed 6 insurance claims. • 2 banking, hard close and VAT training sessions were held at Heartlands and Kettering Head Office. • The team has worked with academies and Mouchel to ensure that the payroll change went over smoothly. • Face to face training with Mouchel in the new single payroll system was held at The Oldham Academy North, West Walsall and London Head Office.
• The Internal Audit function has been relaunched with new Terms of Reference. • 4 internal audits of E-ACT academies have been completed. • The Internal Auditor has supported 12 academies to prepare for FNTI-related visits. • A new risk register accurately captures risks to the business and their mitigation.
Impact • Enhanced scrutiny of business interests results
10
E-ACT Academy Support Package – Impact Report
in saving money that can be reinvested into our classrooms.
Capital and estates • A permanent Capital & Estates Manager has been appointed. • All academies have received a completed condition survey. The results of these surveys, together with E-ACT’s strategy to allocate grant over the next 12 months, have secured £3.5 million in funding from the Capital Improvement Fund for our buildings in most need of refurbishment. • £388,000 to help our academies provide Universal Infant Free School Meals has been secured.
Forums and focus groups • The termly Finance Director forum was held at North Birmingham Academy. • Two finance training sessions for governors have been held. • Focus groups for Procurement, ICT, Risk/Health & Safety, Finance and Premises were held twice.
Impact • These forums provide valuable two-way feedback for E-ACT. They ensure that strategies and procedures are both compliant and practical, that resources are directed in the most efficient manner and that best practice is shared as quickly as possible.
Impact • We have secured funding for our academies’ capital needs to ensure our young people have a safe, healthy and inspiring environment in which to learn.
Legal claims, queries and complaints • 6 insurance claims have been managed by E-ACT. • 3 Subject Access Requests have been processed. • 11 requests made under the Freedom of Information Act have been responded to. • 6 complaints have been responded to. • 2 complaints from the Information Commissioner’s Office have been responded to. • Head Office discussions with the EFA reduced a clawback for one academy by £138,000. • Renegotiation of contracts and legal challenges against suppliers has resulted in £63,500 of savings.
Impact • We have worked on behalf of our academies on a number of legal, insurance and Freedom of Information Act enquiries so that academy staff can focus on the core activity of improving outcomes for our learners.
11
E-ACT Academy Support Package – Impact Report
Human Resources Our service offer this term HR service • An HR Forum was held in March 2015 for academy HR leads: • Employment law specialists Veale Wasborough Vizards delivered an employment law update. • Mouchel provided an update on the forthcoming HR administration service. • The HR team explained the HR Business Partner model and what academies can expect as part of the relationship. • Academy HR leads were invited to participate in Policy Development, Employee Engagement, Pay & Reward and Safeguarding focus groups. • HR Business Partners continue to develop close working relationships with academies, ensuring HR work encompasses Academy Improvement Plans, Sponsor Statements of Action, Post-Ofsted Action Plans and RAB action points. • HR People Plans are being developed resulting from meetings and in conjunction with academies. • HR has attended RAB meetings and taken action as identified.
Impact • The HR Forum and focus groups have provided a platform to share best practice and have improved working relationships across the Trust. • Academy HR practitioners are aware of the latest employment legislation, ensuring consistent practice. • HR Business Partners fully understand the business needs of each academy and engage with Principals and HR leads to deliver on casework and to further develop the People Plans. • The HR team are able to intervene as required earlier, increasing efficiency.
Employee relations • The HR team handled a restructure and TUPE process for the transfer of Sherwood E-ACT Academy to an alternative sponsor. • A statement was made to the JNC that all policies consulted upon will apply to all E-ACT staff, regardless of their pre or post-TUPE employment 12
start date. • A consultation has been launched on a new suite of HR policies that will form an employee handbook and an HR procedure manual. • The first E-ACT employee engagement survey was launched. Outcomes are being analysed and shared with academies. Academy HR leads will take part in forums to develop action plans for each academy based on the survey results.
Impact • The transfer of Sherwood took place within the specified timescale. E-ACT was able to reclaim statutory redundancy costs from the EFA, resulting in savings for the Trust. • Operating from a single set of policies will ensure consistent practice across the Trust. • Maintaining good relations with trade unions and having compliant policies in place will reduce the potential for dispute and industrial action. • Intelligence gained from the employee engagement survey results will help the HR team to improve staff engagement, increase retention and better target recruitment efforts.
Employee resourcing • Two new Principals have been appointed. Chris Walton and Simon Cotton will begin at Pathways and DSLV respectively in September 2015. Both Principals will receive a new, comprehensive induction over the next term. • Safer recruitment training was procured and delivered to relevant Head Office staff. • The HR team have engaged Hays Recruitment and Impact Teachers to recruit and talent-seek in shortage areas. • An experienced HR Business Partner has joined the HR team.
Impact • As of September 2015, all E-ACT academies will be led by substantive Principals, creating continuity and laying the groundwork for improvement at pace.
E-ACT Academy Support Package – Impact Report
• A planned, purposeful induction will ensure Principals are informed about E-ACT and feel welcomed to the Trust. • Trained staff ensure Safer Recruitment is compliant. Head Office staff will be able to sit on academy panels if required.
Impact • Sharing HR and salary data across the Trust will result in clarity for benchmarking purposes.
Performance • Principals’ mid-term reviews have commenced. Members of the HR team are consistently present at the reviews.
Impact • Mid-term reviews form an integral part of the performance management process, ensuring the continuous development of Principals.
Pay & reward • The HR team continues to develop the Trust-wide reward strategy encompassing Principals’ pay, teachers’ pay and support staff pay.
Impact • A single reward strategy will improve parity of pay decisions and clarify policy implementation.
Safeguarding • A suite of updated information and points for action have been issued to academies against a compliance framework.
Impact • This will ensure compliance with a statutory framework and will ensure academies have a clear understanding of their safeguarding obligations.
HR MIS • The HR team continues to develop KPI data for academies with RABs. They continue to engage academy HR leads on a commitment to sharing HR data.
13
E-ACT Academy Support Package – Impact Report
E-ACT Governance Framework Academy allocation: Spring 2015 Sustain and Share
Improving
Need to Secure
Rebuild
14
E-ACT Academy Support Package – Impact Report
Heartlands Parkwood Ilminster Avenue Blackley Shenley City Heights Greenfield St Ursula’s Merritts Brook Reedswood Denham Green Chalfont Valley Burnham Park The Oldham Academy North Pathways North Birmingham Academy Parker DSLV Willenhall West Walsall The Crest Academies Nechells Mansfield Green
15
E-ACT 3rd Floor 10 Whitfield Street London W1T 2RE T +44 (0) 20 3176 3882 E info@E-ACT.org.uk W www.E-ACT.org.uk
CEO: David Moran Registered Office: E-ACT 10 Queen Street Place London EC4R 1BE Company No. 652 6376 E-ACT is a charitable company limited by guarantee