Hsis School Improvement Update Issue 9
Spring Term 2018 Welcome Back Dear Colleagues, Welcome to our Spring Term 2018 School Improvement Update.
Grahame Smith
Firstly, I'd like to take this opportunity, on behalf of all of us in the Hsis team, to wish you all a very Happy New Year - and I hope that 2018 proves to be a successful year for all of you. I hope that you will find this term’s update useful, informative and interesting. Inside, you will find articles on the brand new Havering Academy of Leadership, on health and well-being in schools, on Havering’s changing demographics, on the dangers of sexting and also a review of the excellent Hsis Science Conference - as well as the regular subject and aspect features. We also have a really interesting article on social media, penned by this term’s guest columnist, Georgina Delmonte, Headteacher of Hilldene Primary School. Finally, please forgive me this small indulgence… Below is a snapshot of Havering’s overall Key Stage 2 performance, showing where our pupils are at the end of primary education in Havering. It makes for beautiful reading – showing Havering performance as significantly above average (the green circles) in every single threshold measure for 2017.
Safer Internet Day will be celebrated with the slogan “Create, Connect and Share Respect: A better internet starts with you”. On Safer Internet Day hundreds of schools and organisations across the UK will unite together to inspire a national conversation about using technology responsibly, respectfully, critically and creatively. Safer Internet Day achieves a huge impact because of the collective activities of people right across the UK. In 2016 we had lots of children committing to take part and ‘share a heart’. Last year we had even more Havering schools joining in with the ‘give a smile’ campaign, focusing on the use of the digital image.
How can you help make the biggest impact on the day? 1. Organise activities in your school 2. Get involved in the social media campaign 3. Help children and young people organise their own activities on the day
So, well done them. Well done you. Once again, Happy New Year to all teachers, pupils and governors in Havering and keep up the excellent work!
Grahame Smith School Improvement Manager e: grahame.smith@havering.gov.uk t: 01708 433942
Follow us on Twitter:
@HaveringEduServ
Schools are now able to register as a Safer Internet Day supporter to share what they are doing on the day. Share what you are doing for #SID2018 and join the list of supporters from across the UK. Register now https://www.saferinternet.org. uk/safer-internet-day/2018. The education pack with lesson plans, assemblies and other resources.
Maths – The importance of multiplication tables On 14th September 2017 The Department for Education published the government's response to the 'Primary assessment in England' consultation. One of the key points was confirmation of the introduction of an online multiplication tables check to be taken by pupils at the end of Year 4 Kairen Raper starting in the 2019 to 2020 academic year. Age related end of year expectations from the National curriculum state the following:Year 2 programme of study • Recall and use multiplication and division facts for the 2, 5 and 10 multiplication tables including recognising odd and even numbers Year 3 programme of study • recall and use multiplication and division facts for the 3, 4 and 8 multiplication tables Year 4 programme of study • recall multiplication and division facts for multiplication tables up to 12 × 12 Pupils will be tested on all multiplication tables up to 12 x 12. Learning to recite multiplication tables is a memory exercise and not a mathematical task. Nevertheless the use and application of multiplication tables is a huge asset for pupils in their mathematical development and their ability to reason mathematically.
There are a variety of approaches to learning multiplication tables and not all pupils will respond to the same strategies. Try and use as many approaches as you can think of. Begin to explore multiplication with concrete manipulatives which leads easily into considering related division facts. Encourage pupils to look for patterns, perhaps colour in multiples patterns on a number square or clock face. Use finger tricks such as for the 9 times table. Ensure pupils understand that multiplication is repeated addition and that multiplication is commutative. Their knowledge of arrays and number families will help to demonstrate commutivity. Pupils enjoy games: find as many ways to approach the memorising and applying of tables as you can such as fizzbuzz, tables dominoes, follow-me cards and many more. Counting sequences and chanting are useful approaches; however, if children rely on working through a number sequence and not instant recall they will have an inefficient method which could eventually slow progress in application. The most important skill for pupils is to be able to apply their knowledge of multiplication tables to support their understanding of multiplication and division facts and enhance their mathematical progress. For pupils to apply their knowledge of tables they have to be given opportunities to do so. Kairen Raper Inspector Standards and Effectiveness - Maths e. Kairen.Raper@havering.gov.uk t. 01708 433815
HLTA – Higher Level Teaching Assistant training Havering has now seen two cohorts of Higher Level Teaching Assistants successfully undertake the assessment preparation and assessment facilitated by Hsis, with Babcock our Regional Providers of Assessment. Our newest HLTAs were from 9 primary and secondary schools across the borough. Congratulations to all 17 successful candidates and good luck in your HLTA role.
the following dates.
We are offering the course again during this academic year. The Assessment Preparation will take place, at CEME, on
It is great to see our new HLTAs at our termly Primary HLTA Network Meetings.
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Day 1: Tuesday 8th May 2018 Day 2: Wednesday 9th May 2018 Day 3: Tuesday 5th June 2018 All details are on the Portal and you can express your interest there.
English – The case for shared reading When I first started working with primary schools, I was introduced to guided reading as a discrete session on the timetable. I knew about it from working for the KS3 National Strategies, but, in that context it was a teaching approach to be used alongside other reading Peter Ellison teaching. I found out that many primary schools used what was known as the ‘carousel’ in which groups of pupils got on with work related to reading while the teacher worked with an identified small group. As I observed a number of guided reading sessions I began to see both the strengths and the weaknesses in this approach. There was no doubt that the small group received some very good, targeted teaching and in many lessons, the pupils showed admirable maturity in managing their small group activities. On the other hand, many teachers simply didn’t have the time to pre-read all the books and were often teaching them unseen. This meant that questioning was haphazard and sometimes confusing for pupils. In some cases, the non-guided groups were engaged in ‘busy’ work, designed to keep them occupied but contributing little to their learning. So, I’m delighted that so many schools are devoting more of their reading time to shared reading. This is where the teacher reads a challenging text (above the reading level of most
of the class) to the whole class and then goes on to enable pupils to comprehend it by setting them tasks. This approach is much more like the usual method for teaching reading at KS3 and has a number of advantages. 1. It enables all children to experience challenging and important books 2. It introduces all children to sophisticated vocabulary 3. It enables a class to share a learning experience, adding to cultural knowledge 4. It encourages the teacher to know the book well and convey her or his enjoyment of it. There is no reason, of course, why a teacher shouldn’t use a guided approach during some lessons on a shared text. It seems to me that the guided ‘carousel’ does have some value at KS1 where teachers want to introduce pupils to a wide range of texts at the right level. It also enables teachers to monitor pupils’ reading and comprehension at the stage when they are moving beyond simple decoding. Nevertheless, I think the case for shared reading as the main approach to reading at KS2 (especially Y5 and 6) is clear. Peter Ellison Inspector Standards and Effectiveness - English e. Peter.Ellison@havering.gov.uk t. 01708 433822
Secondary School Improvement Plan – End of Year 1 Review
Ian Gurman
You may recall that a Secondary School Improvement Board was established in January 2017 - with the participation of all of Havering’s secondary schools and academies, the (former) Regional Schools Commissioner, Tim Coulson, and the LA – and that had led to the development of an Improvement Plan?
Although the Plan’s ultimate focus is on improving outcomes for 2018, we have had the chance to review the progress so far and the conclusion is… Promising signs of improvement, but still a long way to go! Some facts & figures: The need for the Improvement Board was driven by poor performance in 2016, when Havering’s average Progress 8 score was -0.14 and officially “below average”. We ranked 114th of 152 LAs nationally and were 15th of 15 regions in the RSC’s Eastern Region; the only area in the region with a negative Progress 8 score! And we ranked towards the bottom of all London boroughs as well as amongst our “statistical neighbours”! So, how did we do in 2017? Well, with changes in GCSE grades in English and in maths from A*- G to 9 – 1, and the introduction of a new school performance measure of percentage passes at 5+ rather than 4+ (the old C+) not all the measures are comparable… but Progress 8 is, and so are the rankings.
Havering’s average Progress 8 score in 2017 rose from -0.14 to -0.04, raising its national ranking from 114th to 72nd. We closed ground on the eastern counties of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Thurrock, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and Southend and moved up from 15th to 12th in the RSC ranking (although the other East London boroughs moved further ahead). Conclusion: We are not where we want to be; the target for 2018 is a Progress 8 score of +0.23 and, despite some improvement in 2017, there is still a lot of work to be done to diminish the difference in achievement between our disadvantaged students and that of other students nationally. However, it is a promising start, the second year of the Improvement Plan is now in full swing and there is a sense of cautious optimism amongst your secondary colleagues. Farewells: For those of you who have not already heard, John McEachern, Headteacher at Sanders School, and Dan Steel, Acting Headteacher at St Edward’s Secondary College, both left the LA in the autumn term. We would like to thank them for their service to Havering’s children and to wish them well for the next steps in their careers. Ian Gurman Senior Inspector, Secondary e. Ian.Gurman@havering.gov.uk t. 01708 433813
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The Havering Academy of Leadership – Now Open for Business!
The Havering Academy of Leadership has now been launched! The Board has been appointed and representatives took up their responsibilities on 1st November 2017. We have a brand new website and can
now be contacted by phone or email. Telephone: 01708 433813 Website: www.haveringacademyofleadership.co.uk Email: leadershipacademy@havering.gov.uk
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1. S ounds good, but what actually is the Havering Academy of Leadership? The Havering Academy of Leadership is a collaborative enterprise between Havering Local Authority, the 2 Havering Teaching Schools and Heads and Principals across all sectors within Havering. The aim of the Academy is to support, nurture and develop leaders and governors at all levels within schools, academies and colleges. 2. Why has the Academy been established?
5. What does the Academy offer? Our aim is to ensure that all tiers of leadership can access high quality induction, training, support and development via clear career pathways (from career entry level, up to whole system leadership). The Academy signposts Leadership Programmes from a range of local, regional and national providers: courses and accreditations; on-site leadership support; leadership mentors. There is also an ‘Effective Practice Register’ and a ‘dating’ service for networking opportunities on a range of themes. The Academy also posts articles and publications and highlights new research. Importantly, the Academy also acts as an advocate in the interests of Havering educational leaders.
We know that the key to effective provision and excellent outcomes lies first and foremost with leadership and management. We also know that we live in a very diverse educational landscape, with maintained schools, 6. If it’s an ‘academy’, does that mean maintained academies, free schools, local MATS, national MATS schools cannot be a part of it? and so on. The Havering Academy of Leadership is an ambitious and innovative attempt to draw all these different No. The Havering Academy of Leadership is there to provisions together in the interests of ensuring excellent serve all educational establishments, irrespective of local leadership for all our children and young people. governance arrangements. It’s an ‘Academy’ in the original sense of the word! 3. I s the Academy itself a provider of training and leadership programmes? The Academy is not a provider as such. Instead, it pulls together a wide range of leadership development programmes from Havering Education Services, the Primary Teaching School, the Secondary Teaching School and regional and national providers. The Academy may, from time to time, commission providers or organise conferences, but principally it will be show-casing, promoting and signposting opportunities. 4. Is the Academy all hype and no trousers?! Well, it could be. If we all stand on the side-lines with our arms folded and just watch, then it could be less effective! So let’s be positive and optimistic - if we let this opportunity and collective goodwill fizzle out, it will be all our faults…!
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7. S o, is the Academy an actual building or is it a ‘virtual’ entity? Currently, we don’t have a shiny Headquarters in the centre of Paris! As this is being co-ordinated by the Local Authority, the administrative base is at Mercury House, Romford. The Academy does, however, operate from 3 main training centres and is supported by satellite centres that on occasions will host various events:
10. What are the main functions of the Academy? The Academy has published 10 main functions: 1. Oversight, monitoring and reporting on the Havering Leadership Strategy and its priorities. 2. Co-ordinating a coherent programme for leadership development for leaders at all levels and providing, commissioning or signposting opportunities as appropriate. 3. Monitoring and evaluating the range and quality of leadership programmes available to Havering leaders. 4. Collating a range of relevant data regarding training, attendance, accreditation, leadership and inspection outcomes. 5. Tracking, encouraging and fast-tracking local leadership talent to support succession planning.
8. Who actually runs the Academy? The Havering Academy of Leadership is governed by an 18-strong Board, democratically nominated from the primary, secondary, tertiary and special school sectors, plus governors. The 3 local providers are also represented on the Board, which is currently chaired by a senior Local Authority officer. The Director of the Academy, for the setup and implementation phase, is currently the senior LA Officer who chairs the Board.
6. Promoting the work and availability of NLEs, NLGs, LLEs, SLEs, local inspectors and consultants and lead practitioners. 7. Maintaining and promoting a Register of Effective Practice across the borough, in various areas. 8. Maintaining an online presence, sharing events, updates, publications. 9. Sharing the latest leadership developments and research and encouraging action research projects within the borough.
9. What are the main priorities of the Academy?
10. Advocacy for leadership within Havering.
The Academy has published 6 main priorities:
11. How is the Academy funded?
1. To ensure that the leadership and management within Havering schools and academies is at least good, with a strong aspiration for outstanding. 2. To ensure that all tiers of leadership can access high quality induction, training, support and development via clear career pathways (from career entry, up to whole system leadership). 3. To promote innovative and flexible leadership structures within and across schools, in order to ensure improved pupil outcomes and cost-effective provision. 4. To strengthen and align the work of all the strategic partners in relation to improving leadership (the LA, the Teaching Schools, all schools and academies, regional and national bodies). 5. To make more effective use of the expertise and good practice already in the system, so that we learn from the best leaders: local, regional, national, international.
The Academy is looking at how it can ensure longer term sustainability. Funding is currently sourced from the Local Authority and the Schools Funding Forum. 12. How can I get involved with the Academy? You can get involved in a number of ways: 1. Go on to our website and explore the opportunities. Make use of the courses, mentors, system leaders and networking opportunities… www.haveringacademyofleadership.co.uk 2. Speak to your representative on the Havering Academy of Leadership Board to give feedback, ideas or to offer assistance… 3. Contact us on 01708 433813, or by e-mail: leadershipacademy@havering.gov.uk 4.
Follow and contribute to the Havering Academy of Leadership on Twitter @HaveringAofL
6. To develop the sustainable climate, conditions, opportunities and incentives, to recruit and retain top quality leaders and potential leaders of the future, and support succession planning.
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The Health and Wellbeing in Schools Service
Involvement in the Healthy Schools London Programme will provide schools with a robust system for gathering evidence to demonstrate how they promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of their pupils in line with Ofsted criteria.
The whole-school approach encourages consultation with all members of the school community, including pupils, and enables them to confidently Tracey Wraight Claire Alp explain how to keep themselves healthy and make informed choices in relation to food, fitness, and their emotional and mental wellbeing. Benefits of buying into the Health and Wellbeing in Schools Service for your school include: • Individualised support through the auditing process to gather the necessary evidence in order to complete your application • Submission of your completed application to the local Healthy Schools team for approval • Individualised support where required: such as guidance in developing resources for pupils and parents, support to plan and deliver staff training or support in facilitating parent workshops or health-related events • Support in evidencing Ofsted judgements in the Common Inspection Framework linked to “Personal development,
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behaviour and welfare”, “Quality of teaching, learning and assessment”, as well as aspects of “Safeguarding” • Access to termly network meetings to support the delivery of the Healthy Schools agenda in your school by raising awareness of latest policies, guidance and resources • Access to relevant training events to support the delivery of the Healthy Schools agenda in your school Enhanced Training Package for 2017/2018: Following consultation with schools, we have developed some exciting new training opportunities, which support schools in the promotion of the emotional health and wellbeing of pupils. Future training events include: • Relationships Education Policy Development (Primary) Tuesday 27th February 2018 (9.30-12.30pm) (Town Hall-TR7/8) • Relationships and Sex Education Policy Development (Secondary) Tues 27th February 2018 (1.30-4.30pm) (Town Hall-TR7/8)
The Health and Wellbeing in Schools Service incorporates the Healthy Schools London Programme
This offer uses the HSL auditing process to support schools in:
The Healthy Schools London Programme is a three-tiered award scheme enabling local schools to evidence and celebrate their efforts in promoting the health and wellbeing of their whole school community by achieving their Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards.
• reviewing the current provision for the health and wellbeing of pupils in their school; • analysing the needs of their pupils and identifying health priorities;
• developing and implementing action plans to meet the Buying into the Health and Wellbeing in Schools Service also health-related outcomes that are relevant to their pupils; provides local schools with support in achieving the Healthy • monitoring and evaluating the success of the initiatives Schools Awards. introduced; and • evidencing the impact of these initiatives. There are already a total of 66 Havering Schools, who have registered and are engaged in the Healthy Schools London Programme. Many schools have already gained recognition for their efforts in promoting the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of the pupils in their care and gained their Bronze, Silver or Gold Award: Schools with a current HSL Bronze Award: 18 (Bronze Awards are valid for 2 years Schools are then required to renew their Bronze Award).
Schools with HSL Silver Award: 13 Crownfield Infant School Awarded on 06/03/2017
Frances Bardsley Academy for Girls Awarded on 11/04/2016
Gidea Park Primary School Awarded on 14/01/2016
Harold Wood Primary School Awarded on 20/05/2016
Crownfield Infant School Engayne Primary School Renewal Awarded on 03/03/2017 Renewal Awarded on 27/06/2017
Langtons Infant School Awarded on 05/04/2017
Frances Bardsley Academy Langtons Infant School for Girls Awarded on 19/05/2016 Renewal Awarded on 15/03/2017
Rainham Village Primary School Awarded on 18/10/2016
Redden Court School Awarded on 14/01/2016
Scargill Infant School Awarded on 22/12/2014
Newtons Primary School Awarded on 17/05/2016
St Edward's C of E VA Primary School Awarded on 11/03/2016
St Ursula's Catholic Infant School Awarded on 11/04/2016
St Ursula's Catholic Junior School Awarded on 09/06/2015
Towers Junior School Awarded on 02/06/2015
Ardleigh Green Infant School Ardleigh Green Junior School Renewal Awarded on 04/04/2017 Awarded on 08/01/2016
Parklands Infant School Awarded on 19/12/2015
Parsonage Farm Primary School Rainham Village Primary School Renewal Awarded on 09/05/2017 Renewal Awarded on 24/01/2017 Redden Court School St Alban’s Catholic Primary Renewal Awarded on 04/04/2017 School Awarded on 25/01/2017 St Edward’s C of E VA St Peter’s Catholic Primary Primary School School Renewal Awarded on 04/05/2017 Awarded on 07/12/2016 Towers Infant School Upminster Infant School Renewal Awarded on 15/03/2017 Renewal Awarded on 30/01/2017 Upminster Junior School Awarded on 08/03/2016
Harrow Lodge Primary School Awarded on 02/03/2017
Upminster Infant School Awarded on 18/02/2016
Schools with Gold Award: 6 Frances Bardsley Academy for Girls Awarded on 09/05/2017
Harold Wood Primary School Awarded on 18/10/2016
Redden Court School Awarded on 19/12/2016
Scargill Infant School Awarded on 09/12/2015
Towers Junior School Awarded on 24/05/2016
Upminster Infant School Awarded on 01/03/2017
Claire Alp Senior Public Health Specialist e. Claire.Alp@havering.gov.uk t. 01708 431365 Tracey Wraight Health and Wellbeing in Schools Advisor e. Tracey.Wraight@havering.gov.uk t. 01708 434488
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Online Safety – Sexting: Youth produced sexual imagery (YPSI) The UKCCIS Sexting guidance came out in September 2016. Statistics on sexting in November 2017 show a sharp increase. As Penny Patterson with other forms of harm, this may well reflect much better identification of sexting, improved reporting, more appropriate support and better outcomes for children. There has been a 131% increase in sexting reporting in the last 2 years. This is where it has come to the attention of the police. Police estimate that only 1 in 8 sexual offences are ever reported. There is an increase in young people engaging in sexting together i.e. where there is no perpetrator. The peak age for this is 13 to 15 years old.
asked to delete the image. Viewing the image may further victimise the child.
The UKCCIS guidance allows schools to make a decision about whether there should be police involvement. Police should always be involved where there is a perpetrator, or where there is coercion or bullying or sextortion (blackmail).
Social media companies are making changes, for example:
It is really important that we never ‘victim blame’ even if we believe a young person has made unwise choices. Many victims describe sharing images because they could no longer tolerate the repeated requests and harassment. The current sexual harassment and abuse scandals show how worn down people can become to the point that they concede, but do not consent.
- Allowing third party reports and requests for image removal
If a case goes to the police, although it is technically a criminal offence, they look at the circumstances and can apply ‘Outcome 21’. This allows police to record NFA (No Further Action) where despite the evidence that a crime has been committed it is not in the public interest to take the case forward. This means better outcomes for our children, nothing would be recorded to affect a future DBS. Chief Constable Simon Bailey, the NPCC national lead for Violence and Public Protection said that poor sexting support sees police too often involved. Schools should be confident in looking at sexting and CSE risks; only 1% of cases taken to the police lead to prosecution. Chief Constable Bailey does not want to be part of a service that criminalises a generation and encourages schools to use their understanding of young people, sex and relationships to identify those that need support, and those where there are criminal concerns. If you have a young person who comes to you to disclose sexting you should not be viewing any images. It is sufficient for you to ask the child about the image and the circumstances, record the child’s description using your in school concerns recording process. The child should be
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- Changing their terms and conditions so that ‘creep shots’ can be reported and removed
- Improved ‘block user’ features, which can lead to a user being given a 24-hour ‘time out’ - Using artificial intelligence to read comments made on a post or photo to detect a possible sexted image Livestream companies are developing identification of risky situations, through artificial intelligence, software looking at comments and text tags attached to photos and video stream. There are also advances in colour matching and identification (scanning for nudity and weapons), increased human moderators, automatic notifications and alerts to broadcasters and viewers. CEOP have launched new ‘Livestreaming’ resources. These can be found on the CEOP site, or at livestreaming.lgfl.net. Resources to support sexting issues can be found at sexting. lgfl.net The LGfL resource portal is being updated all the time, if you spot a good resource that isn’t listed there please do let us know and we will get it added. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/609874/6_2939_SP_NCA_Sexting_In_ Schools_FINAL_Update_Jan17.pdf Penny Patterson Senior Inspector, Quality Assurance e. Penny.Patterson@havering.gov.uk t. 01708 433813
EAL – Multilingual Havering As we are all aware, Havering is becoming increasingly multilingual! The percentage of children learning EAL is still slightly below the Carol Rockey Michelle Wain national average but nevertheless amounts to one in five children, or an average of 6 in every class of 30 pupils.
What else has been happening (on Twitter)? Havering Inclusive Teaching and Learning Through Technology Conference 2017
According to data from the January 2017 school census, Romanian is now one of the mostly widely spoken first languages other than English for pupils in Havering schools and monitoring of admissions data suggests that this will overtake Lithuanian as the most widely-spoken language other than English in the January 2018 census. A number of Havering schools now have communities of Romanianspeaking pupils, many of whom have good levels of English competence and do a great job in helping new pupils to settle in. Some have even been trained up as official Language Ambassadors, ready to greet new arrivals! Havering schools also have a growing number of skilled bilingual staff, some of whom speak a number of languages and are able to liaise effectively with parents as well as children. Some of the newly-arrived parents have only limited proficiency in English, having previously studied other European languages. Interest in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision is therefore at an all time high with record numbers of classes provided by Havering Adult College. These are held at both the Bower Park and Brittons' Centres and cover a wide range of competence in English. The classes lead to recognised qualifications and therefore there is a termly fee.
Hsis Primary Computing Conference 2017
Justine Greening visits Broadford Primary, TES School of the Year
Are you ready for the GDPR? Training event at CEME
In addition to this formal provision, a few schools have been able to set up informal ESOL classes for parents, funded through the Family Learning provision. In order to run these classes, schools need to recruit a viable group of parents of a similar level of language need, hence the projects are easier to establish in certain schools. The EAL team are able to provide more information on request. Michelle Wain and Carol Rockey – English as an Additional Language (EAL) Advisers e. Michelle.Wain@havering.gov.uk t. 01708 431650 e. Carol.Rockey@havering.gov.uk t. 01708 431651
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Primary Science Quality Mark What is PSQM?
Mina Patel
The Primary Science Quality Mark is an award scheme to enable primary schools across the UK to evaluate, strengthen and celebrate their science provision. Schools can achieve the PSQM award, PSQM Gilt award and PSQM Outreach award.
http://www.herts.ac.uk/psqm/about-us What is the Aim of PSQM? • To raise the profile of science in primary schools •T o provide schools with a framework and professional support for developing science leadership, teaching and learning • To celebrate excellence in primary science •T o work with existing and facilitate new networks across the UK and wider to provide local support for primary science •T o assemble and make accessible to the wider science education community a rich database of current practice in primary science. What schools think of PSQM Terri Pettican, Science Subject Leader at Whybridge Junior School (awarded their Silver PSQM Award in September 2017) believes that... “PSQM has allowed me to focus efforts as a subject leader to have a greater impact on the teaching and learning of Science. Impacts were seen through teachers' confidence, progress of children and whole school collaboration. As an SMT member, it allowed the teaching and learning to improve. Tasks carried out, suggested by PSQM process clearly allowed strengths and areas of improvement to be identified”.
The following quote is seen in our short inspection letter, from Ofsted: 'Middle leaders are clear about the part they play in developing teachers’ practice and supporting improvement. For example, they use video recordings of their lessons to work with others on how to improve their teaching. They also help to raise standards by developing the curriculum or planning new units of work. As a result, they make a strong contribution to the school’s continuing improvement. Mina Patel Hsis Associate Science Adviser e. hsis@havering.gov.uk t. 01708 433813
Top 3 tips for teachers: 1) Sign up here for PSQM award before March 2018 to start in April 2018. There is a £750 fee per school which includes CPD/ mentoring for the subject leader. http://www.herts.ac.uk/psqm/register-your-interest Please choose Havering as your area when registering. All training is held at CEME. 2) Has your school thought about becoming an ASE (Association for Science Education) member? It provides access to the primary science journal and ASE conferences. https://www.ase.org.uk/membership/membershipcategory/primary/ 3) Has your school participated in Reach Out CPD? Free CPD for primary school teachers wanting to upskill their knowledge and understanding of key science concepts. 20-minute tutorials and certification is provided by Reach Out. http://www.reachoutcpd.com/
Hsis Primary Science Conference 2017 elements of science for a fantastic day of insights for leaders and teachers of primary science. with CPD input from experts in the field including Dr. Esme Glauert, from the Department of Learning and Leadership, UCL Institute of Education, and excellent guidance and advice from Matthew Newberry, Ofsted's HMI for Science. There was a chance to meet with subject associations and vendors bringing high quality content and services direct to Havering schools.
Matthew Newberry – HMI, Science The 2017 Havering Primary Science Conference held at CEME on October 6th 2017 brought together all the
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A huge thank you also goes to Corbets Tey School for sharing science apps and top tips for working with SEND children with delegates. Look out for the next Hsis Primary Science Conference in the Spring Term 2019. Please let us know if you or your school have any effective science practice to share at a future conference.
How to get the education technology recipe right in your school There is so much edtech equipment to choose from – where do we start? Cloud-based computing, 1:1 Amanda Jackson Dave Smith devices, tablets and the latest apps. There is always another piece of education technology offering opportunities to improve learning outcomes. The recipe was much simpler a few years ago – build a computer suite, install interactive whiteboards in classrooms, add a few laptops and away you go. Not now… Many primary-aged pupils have a mobile phone or tablet of their own and are very ‘tech-savvy’. So how do schools respond to these changes in order to get the balance of ingredients right to provide learning fit for pupils to become successful digital citizens of tomorrow? The following points may help… What technologies should we invest in? School leaders need to ask, “What type of technologyenhanced teaching and learning do I want to observe in all classes in three years’ time?” Headteachers and senior leaders should begin with what is needed for good or outstanding learning? Then develop a vision and seek out the technology required to deliver it. Once the ‘solutions’ are selected, develop a three-year technology strategy linked to your wider school improvement aims. One size fits all? Schools need to make provision for the teaching of computing (National Curriculum 2014). Many screen-based resources are free, but it is important to provide hardware to enable pupils to program and code on a range of devices – not just one type. Programmable robots such as Code-a-Pillar, Blue-Bot and kits such as Lego WeDo are useful here. Few schools can support a 1:1 deployment of pupil devices. Therefore, it is easier to allocate trollies of laptops or tablets to year groups or phases. These can be divided into small groups or pooled to offer 1:1 access for specific lessons. Systems for Mobile Device Management and connecting and mirroring pupil devices to classroom interactive displays are becoming essential too. In these times of reduced budgets, it is important to look first to what can be done to extend the life of existing equipment, by replacing batteries, reimaging machines etc. For example, one local school has recently converted 8 year old laptops into Chromebooks – saving them thousands of pounds. Are we taking advantage of the Cloud? Schools are now able to procure systems for securely enabling teachers and pupils to save and retrieve their work in class, at home and beyond. Many suppliers including Google’s G-Suite and Microsoft’s Office 365 can offer this for schools in a very economical way – these are available as part of LGfL subscriptions.
Is our infrastructure robust enough? Edtech projects are at risk of failure due to poor infrastructure and insufficient technical support. If you are planning to increase the number of connected pupil devices you’ll need to upgrade the WiFi system, while increasing the speed and capacity of your broadband connection. You will also need to ensure that any technical support still provides a reliable and timely response. Are staff ready to use it? When supplying new pupil devices, make sure teachers have hands-on training, so that they know how to use these in advance. Train them on any software or cloudbased systems. Give them time to adjust to this new way of working. Budget allowing, consider appointing an onsite technician or assigning teaching assistants to support the integration of technology into teaching and learning. “The pupils know more than we do.” Have you got them helping out too? Teachers will often say, “The pupils know more about computers than we do.” Use this to your advantage. Consider setting-up a group of pupil digital leaders to help provide support and advice. In one school where this was done, the pupils asked for devices with a keyboard and mouse, when the staff had assumed that they would want tablet devices to swipe and pinch! The Hsis Computing and Online Safety Team are able to offer assistance when developing an education technology strategy within your school. Please contact Amanda Jackson Inspector Standards and Effectiveness, Computing and Online safety e. Amanda.Jackson@havering.gov.uk t. 01708 431662 Dave Smith Computing and Online Safety Adviser e. Dave.Smith@havering.gov.uk t. 01708 433824
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Using Social Media for Continuing Professional Development Love it or loathe it, we have to utilise it! Continuing professional development (CPD) is essential to build leadership capacity in all schools. As teachers lead classes, headteachers lead schools and it is as essential to Georgina Delmonte provide teachers with a world class education as it is for our pupils. So how do we do it? With diminishing budgets there is a pressure on headteachers to be more and more creative in our thinking. How can we ensure all staff have access to high quality CPD with impact? Must we move past the days of teachers attending all day passive courses led by charismatic facilitators and returning to school with tales of the fantastic free lunch? Impact is key and with limited time and money, less has to be more. Love it or loathe it, social media is changing the way we work. It has long been accepted that teachers learn best from each other and the likes of Twitter and Facebook are
now frequently used as a vehicle to support peer to peer learning. A key benefit is obvious… It’s free! Beyond this, it is limitless learning from each other and truly continual. Professionals from around the globe sharing, questioning and challenging. No amount of INSET days could possibly provide the boundless resources social media unlocks. It also empowers staff to access self-elected professional development and provides the freedom to access CPD at anytime, anywhere (provided there is Wi-Fi)! However, whilst the onus is on us to utilise social media as an opportunity for continuous development, it is also important to remember it is not the only source. As human beings, we all still value the personal touch. Social media has a place in school and as with the best learning, effective CPD is constructed from a blend of methods, including social media, in school support, school to school support and... dare I say it… external courses! Georgina Delmonte Headteacher, Hilldene Primary School
Top Tips: 1. Keep it professional. Make an account for CPD only – no one wants their personal life all over social media. A headteacher/ SLT account whom staff follow and share relevant information can work effectively. 2. Start small and build-up who you follow. Try to sort the wheat from the chaff… share/retweet what is of benefit and pertinent to you and your colleagues. Too much can be overwhelming and not necessarily relevant. 3. A cautionary note, social media allows for many opinions and prompts challenging discussions. We must remember, good teaching is good teaching…After all, Aristotle managed it without having 10,000 followers debate his every word!
Dates for your diary Reserve your place on the following courses: Headteacher Forums 24 January 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 1.30pm – 4.00pm 24 April 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 1.30pm – 4.00pm 10 October 2018 (Autumn Term 2018), 1.30pm – 4.00pm
EMA/EAL 21 February 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 16 May 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 07 November 2018 (Autumn Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
Deputy/Assistant Headteacher Forums 01 February 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 1.30pm – 4.00pm 01 May 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 1.30pm – 4.00pm 17 October 2018 (Autumn Term 2018), 1.30pm – 4.00pm
Modern Foreign Languages 16 January 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 15 May 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 09 October 2018 (Autumn Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
Subject/Aspect Leader Network Meetings
RE 30 January 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 26 April 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 26 September 2018 (Autumn Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
English 07 March 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 16 May 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 25 September 2018 (Autumn Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm Maths 06 February 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 03 July 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 26 September 2018 (Autumn Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm Science 07 February 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 13 June 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 26 September 2018 (Autumn Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm Computing and Online Safety 01 March 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 22 May 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 14 November 2018 (Autumn Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
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Assessment 24 January 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 13 June 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm HLTA 27 February 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 1.00pm – 3.00pm 19 June 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 1.00pm – 3.00pm 17 October 2018 (Autumn Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm Music 08 February 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 4.00pm – 6.00pm 24 May 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 4.00pm – 6.00pm 18 October 2018 (Autumn Term 2018), 4.00pm – 6.00pm
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