Autumn 2017
Hsis School Improvement Update Issue 8
Welcome back to a new school year!
Do you need help recruiting governors? We can help…
Dear Colleagues, Welcome back to yet another new academic year! I hope that you all had a good and well-deserved break and are raring to go for 2017-18. There are lots of interesting articles in this Autumn Term 2017 edition of the Hsis School Improvement Update, including a feature about the new ‘Havering Academy of Leadership’, an article on governance, as well as a range of other updates and news items. The performance of our Havering primary schools and academies is very strong. 2016-17 was a good year from an Ofsted point of view with many schools improving on their previous grade or maintaining a good or outstanding judgement. Also, our 2017 results appear to be very positive. The provisional signs are promising, with Havering schools performing 10% above the national average for Reading / Writing / Maths (% Expected+) at Key Stage 2 and typically a couple of percentage points above national average in most measures at Key Stage 1. We also continue to make progress in EYFS with the percentage achieving a Good Level of Development (GLD) up 1%. Well done to everyone for keeping Havering near the top of the ladder. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for a successful 2017-18.
Few in education would disagree that the expectations on all involved – pupils, staff, governors – have risen considerably in the past few years. Governors are now expected to have a wide range of knowledge, skills and expertise, not to mention principles and personal attributes to ensure strong and effective governing bodies. In Havering we are fortunate to receive a steady flow of applications from highly-skilled individuals and we are happy to point these people towards governing bodies with vacancies. If your governing body would like help filling a vacancy, please do get in touch. Having found individuals willing to give time and commitment, who have the right skills and abilities, it is vital that other governors and school staff ensure that there are appropriate induction arrangements at school level to enable new governors to ‘hit the ground running’. Each governing body is organised and run slightly differently – definitely there is no one right model! However, what is needed is clarity of roles and responsibilities for everyone. To this end, we are currently working on a set of generic job profiles for governors with specific responsibilities.
Keeping governors up-to date and well-trained Governor training is vital to keep all governors up-to-date with local and national developments in education. Our termly training programme, influenced by governor feedback, is under constant review and designed to meet the needs of all governors whether in a maintained school or federation of schools, a stand-alone academy or at all levels of governance within a multi-academy trust. The variety of governance arrangements is just one of the big decisions currently facing governors.
Governing Body self-evaluation – do you do it? Grahame Smith School Improvement Manager e: grahame.smith@havering.gov.uk t: 01708 433942
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Schools are used to self-evaluation, but does your governing body carry out such an exercise? Some governing bodies choose to do this each meeting by considering what impact the governing body has had on the outcomes for pupils as a result of the discussion at that meeting. Other governing bodies choose to have a specific meeting to evaluate their performance – often facilitated by a member of the Havering Governor Services Team. If you would like to arrange such a session, please do get in touch. In the meantime, what could your governing body claim to have achieved over the past year? Maureen Smith Governing Body Support Service Manager e: maureen.smith@havering.gov.uk t: 01708 433665
Coming soon… Havering Academy of Leadership The Havering Academy of Leadership will be launched in November 2017. It will be a Local Authority provision and a genuine collaborative of partners: conceived, born and bred in Havering, to support and develop leadership in Havering’s education community. The Academy is being forged by a partnership between Havering Local Authority, the two Havering Teaching Schools and headteachers, principals and governors across the borough. All schools, academies, free schools and colleges, in all sectors, will be eligible to affiliate to the Academy by virtue of being sited in Havering and serving Havering children and young people.
Havering Academy of Leadership Havering Academy of Leadership
The Academy will operate through 3 Centres: •T he Havering Learning and Development Centre (CEME Conference Centre) •T he Havering Primary Teaching School Alliance (Broadford Primary School)
The Academy will have 10 main functions... i. Oversight, monitoring and reporting on the Havering Leadership Strategy and its priorities… ii. Co-ordinating a coherent programme for leadership development for leaders at all levels and providing, commissioning or signposting opportunities as appropriate… iii. Monitoring and evaluating the range and quality of leadership programmes available to Havering leaders… iv. Collating a range of relevant data regarding training, attendance, accreditation, leadership and Ofsted outcomes… v. Tracking, encouraging and fast-tracking local talent to support succession planning… vi. Promoting the work and availability of NLEs, NLGs, LLEs, SLEs, local inspectors and consultants, lead practitioners, coaches and mentors…
•T he Empower Teaching Alliance (Hall Mead School).
vii. Maintaining and promoting a Register of Effective Practice across the borough in various areas…
Other satellite sites will also occasionally host events, meetings and conferences.
viii. Maintaining an online presence, sharing events, updates, publications…
The Academy will employ a Director and will be governed through a nominated Board of representatives drawn from strategic partners and stakeholders. The Board will be accountable to its members, with nominations occurring on an annual basis.
ix. Sharing the latest leadership developments and research and encouraging action research projects within the borough…
The Academy will have 6 main priorities (drawn from the Havering Leadership Strategy): 1. T o ensure that the leadership and management within Havering schools and academies is at least good, with a strong aspiration for outstanding. 2. T o 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). 3. T o promote innovative and flexible leadership structures within and across schools, in order to ensure improved pupil outcomes and cost-effective provision. 4. T o 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. T o 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. 6. T o 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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x. Advocacy for leadership within Havering… The Academy will co-ordinate the provision of leadership programmes at all levels and ensure a coherent leadership development programme from the range of providers, including the Local Authority and the Teaching Schools, national and regional programmes and commercial partners. In essence, it will ensure that there are no gaps in provision and no unnecessary duplication. It will do this through its Leadership Ladder and CPD Framework, promoting opportunities for all tiers of leadership by ensuring effective induction when new to post, support and challenge when in post, and opportunities, development and preparation for those aspiring to the next tier. Where there are gaps, or new priorities emerge, the Academy will work to fill them by providing new programmes. If it is not possible to offer the provision locally, the Academy will commission or signpost opportunities from elsewhere - for example, NPQH; Ofsted training; NLE and LLE accreditation, etc. The Academy will play a role in monitoring and evaluating the quality and impact of leadership programmes from all providers and will collect a range of data about attendance, accreditation and evaluations. Up-to-date records will also be kept regarding NLEs, NLGs, LLEs, SLEs, local inspectors and consultants, accredited moderators for statutory assessment, etc. Supporting effective succession planning, the Academy will also track effective leaders at
all levels to encourage leadership talent to stay and grow in Havering. One of the additional functions of the Academy will be advocacy - for leaders in Havering in relation to local, regional and national initiatives, developments and pressures. When appropriate, the Academy will make representations to Havering Council, the DfE, the RSC and to Ofsted on behalf of the membership. The Academy may also submit bids for funding. The Academy will host its own website and have a strong
social media presence where it promotes upcoming programmes and events, key leadership updates and developments locally and nationally, as well as advertising opportunities for its member schools for more informal professional development. The website will also host a number of publications, resources and research papers. Grahame Smith School Improvement Manager e: grahame.smith@havering.gov.uk t: 01708 433942
Maths – The Wonder of Mathematics: Engaging, Inspiring and Challenging Pupils Havering Primary Mathematics Conference – Maths is magic… We recently held a Havering Primary Mathematics Conference, at CEME. The Conference was well attended and I’ve had some very positive feedback about the day. We had three sessions and everyone was able to attend all three. Our opening session was with Professor Peter McOwan of Queen Mary University, London, who shared ideas around Mathematical Magic, developing thinking skills and using games and puzzles to support mathematical learning. David Hall provided a lively session on Mathematical Circus Skills and we were fortunate to have Fran Watson from NRICH leading a fun and informative session on rich mathematical tasks, problem solving and engagement.
Mathematical Magic: “I thoroughly enjoyed this session and felt that there were some great ideas that I could take back to class with me. I have however yet to use any of the tricks with the children although I am certain they will thoroughly enjoy them. NRICH: This was another good workshop and cleared up any confusion about using the website. As a school we already used NRICH so we were familiar with the challenges. I was interested to learn about their live challenges. Mathematical Circus Skills: The circus skills workshop was the highlight of my day. I thoroughly enjoyed it and have used many of the activities with my class already. I have even contacted David to see if he would be interested in coming into school to run the same workshop with teachers as a staff meeting.
Delegate feedback Some of those who attended have shared their impressions of the day:
The children have loved his activities and giggled their way through.”
“The children at my school find times tables a challenge (as most do!) and we have tried various ways of getting the children to engage with these. I really liked the Mathematical Circus session as there were lots of ideas to teach times tables in a fun way. I am going to share this with the staff and launch it with the children during our Maths week.
NRICH: “I really enjoyed working on the different NRICH activities; I have since used 'Reach 100' with my class. I have shared the curriculum mapping documents with staff. As a school we are going to display the word 'YET' in each classroom and encourage staff and/or children to point to this when they hear 'I can't do this problem' or similar comments are made. I also liked the way Fran emphasised that in problem- solving and reasoning situations adults need to 'question answers and not answer questions.”
The Mathematical Magic was also fantastic and the maths behind the tricks would absolutely fascinate the children. I am looking forward to introducing this with some of the children as I know they will be keen to investigate how they are done (if I can get it right myself!). I have used the resources on NRICH before but it was really useful to discuss how to break into the problems with the children and how to scaffold their learning by using the ideas of other pupils. I found the day really useful and have taken lots of ideas and strategies back to school.” Michelle Merchant – Clockhouse Primary School
Rita Turner – St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School
Laura Bain – Branfil Primary School The next Maths Subject Leader Network Meeting will be held on Wednesday 18th October 2017 at CEME Conference Centre, Marsh Way, Rainham RM13 8EU, 4.15pm – 5.45pm. Kairen Raper Inspector Standards and Effectiveness – Maths e: kairen.raper@havering.gov.uk t: 01708 433815
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Primary Foreign Languages – Secondary-ready or Primaryaware? This year the Language Trends Survey (carried out since 2002 and including primary since 2012) makes for interesting reading and suggests that since the statutory introduction of languages at Key Stage 2 in 2014, most schools believe they are well on the way to meeting the requirements of the Programme of Study, with most allocating between 30 and 45 minutes to a weekly language lesson, with French in 75% of schools, Spanish in 22%, and a minority of schools offering German, Italian, Mandarin or another language. Primary schools cite the benefits to be an increased confidence amongst learners, increased intercultural understanding, as well as clear benefits to literacy and EAL learners. The majority of schools have chosen a model whereby teachers deliver the subject to their own classes - the most common challenges reported remain a lack of confidence for those who consider themselves ‘non-specialist’, accessing training, and finding time in the curriculum. Whilst we have no statutory guidance or requirements in terms of assessment (and one third of primary schools saying they are yet to implement a consistent approach to monitoring progress), we do know that learners are expected to make ‘substantial progress’ over the key stage, and that schools will need to be able to demonstrate that this is the case. Guidance provided by the MFL Expert Subject Advisory Group last year suggested the linguistic and grammatical elements which could make up the KS2 curriculum in a bid to gain some consistency, suggesting collaboration between primaries and secondaries when devising schemes and deciding the meaning of “secondary-ready”. However, such collaboration is perhaps too complex at this stage and difficult logistically, with 33% of secondary schools reporting that they have made little or no adjustment to their Year 7 schemes and as such see little requirement yet to do so. With the subject still in its comparative infancy at KS2 it is likely to take some time before we begin to see the full impact of prior learning and transferable skills feeding into KS3, and it is perhaps more important that we concentrate our efforts on being “primary-aware” rather than “secondaryready”, ensuring our schools continue to consolidate their implementation of Primary Foreign Languages. Once we have a sustainable approach to the curriculum, creativity within planning and in-school systems to monitor progress, then we are better poised to collaborate around smooth transition. Where a school has a clear vision which is supported from the top and driven by a dedicated and well-informed subject leader, we can focus our efforts on training to empower colleagues to deliver, to make informed decisions around planning, to recognise and reward learner progress and
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to maintain the high levels of learner engagement and enjoyment that are clearly evident across the country. Dan Alliot MFL Associate e: hsis@havering.gov.uk t: 01708 433813
Top Tips for Primary Foreign Languages • If you want to see what is taking place in classrooms around the school, but formal observations don’t feel appropriate yet, carry out a learning walk. Ask colleagues if they could all teach their language lesson at the same time during a specified week, giving you the opportunity to circulate the school to do 5-10 minute drop-ins to gain a picture of all the positive things going on (learner engagement, resources used, hands up, teacher-led modelling, learner talk, pair work etc.). • Keep your evidence and resources in order. If you have a shared Foreign Languages folder on the school system, sub-divided into year groups, key resources or classes, then you’ll find it much easier to distribute information and access evidence. If you issue each teacher with a Foreign Languages file, and each learner has a book or folder, then you’re going to find it much easier to keep a handle on what’s going on, where you can find evidence to demonstrate learner progress, and what challenges might need to be overcome. • When evaluating your subject and the progress of learners, write down your action plan with short-term actions of what you plan to do next, mid-term of what you want to do over the coming term, and longer-term of what you will need to address over the coming year. Be realistic and do not get caught up in trying to change too much in one go.
Summer Term 2017 Primary Foreign Languages Network Meeting – Sharing effective practice The meeting was well attended by some familiar faces and some new into the role of subject leader for Primary Foreign Languages, and it was clear that with the right guidance and support and a measure of tenacity, we are all able to succeed at the role in school, whether linguist, specialist or complete beginner in terms of our own language skills.
We looked at the national situation, via the Language Trends Survey, and re-focused on how schemes of work can facilitate in-built progression if they are tied into assessment criteria. We enjoyed some authentic French pop music and looked at ways in which high-level language can be made accessible to learners in a way that is not only fun but which facilitates learning and progression. The highlight of the meeting was a presentation from Keleigh Hewison, Subject Leader from The Mawney Foundation School. Keleigh explained her journey, from the starting point as a relatively new teacher in KS1, with little linguistic background and in charge of implementing French from scratch across the school, to where she is now.
Keleigh shared the successes and pitfalls of her journey, the approaches to measuring progression and gathering evidence, ways in which she supports her colleagues, and areas that she wants to focus on next. All of those present found this honest and generous presentation an invaluable insight, providing us all with plenty of food for thought, as well as specific ideas around ways in which to improve implementation, monitoring and progression in our own schools. We hope to see you at the next Primary Foreign Languages Subject Leader Network Meeting, which will be held on Thursday 21st September 2017 at CEME Conference Centre, Marsh Way, Rainham RM13 8EU, 4.15pm – 5.45pm.
English - Some Reflections on the 2017 Moderation Following the latest round of KS1 and KS2 moderation, I thought it would be useful to share some thoughts on the implications for teaching reading and writing. Of course, this assumes that we’ll be using the ‘Interim’ Frameworks again in 2018 – which is by no means certain!
relating to exclamation sentences. Such sentences don’t have to have an exclamation mark but they do have to begin with ‘What’ or ‘How’.
Overall, both KS1 and KS2 proved to be an enjoyable experience for the moderating teams and teachers should be congratulated for the professional way in which they undertook assessment and prepared the evidence.
In order to fulfil this, pupils need to be using quite sophisticated vocabulary (often abstract nouns such as ‘punishment’ or ‘happiness’). Think about how you might introduce these kinds of words.
KS1 - Reading Once again, the tests were used appropriately to inform judgements. Where there were any issues, they were generally around WGD. As well as achieving a high mark in the tests, pupils need to show evidence of the following: •m ake inferences on the basis of what is said and done •p redict what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far •m ake links between the book they are reading and other books they have read
Teachers should think about how to evidence these criteria. If you already video pupils, then some questions at the end of the reading would satisfy these. If not, consider giving space in reading logs for pupils to record some comments based on the ‘predict’ and ‘make links’ criteria. The criterion relating to inference can be evidenced through classroom responses to shared reading.
The criterion that proved somewhat problematic at WGD was: • adding suffixes to spell most words correctly in their writing, e.g. –ment, –ness, –ful, –less, –ly*
KS2 - Writing Again, this year we saw some lovely writing full of engaging ideas. Any issues tended to be on the WGD borderline, especially this criterion: • managing shifts between levels of formality through selecting vocabulary precisely and by manipulating grammatical structures This is a complicated criterion because it assumes that able pupils will have enough confidence to ‘break’ the expected formality of their writing. Teachers can, of course, encourage them to do this but that often results in stilted, clumsy writing which does not provide evidence of independence. The only sure way to do this is to give more able pupils much more freedom and more sophisticated models, so that they are unafraid to include humour (for example) in their more formal texts.
If you identify those pupils who are likely to achieve WGD early then you can ensure that these criteria are met.
The next English Subject Leaders’ Network Meeting will be held on Wednesday 18th October 2017 at CEME Conference Centre, Marsh Way, Rainham RM13 8EU, 4.15pm – 5.45pm.
KS1 - Writing
Peter Ellison
We saw some wonderfully engaging and lively writing but once again, some schools were unsure of the EXS criterion
Inspector Standards and Effectiveness - English e: peter.ellison@havering.gov.uk t: 01708 433822
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Science – Health and Safety advice for Primary Schools when carrying out Practical Science
Havering science subject leaders holding their free copies of the Primary CLEAPSS termly newsletter. http://primary.cleapss.org.uk/
Free Science resources and advice CLEAPSS (Consortium of Local Education Authorities for the Provision of Science Services) resources give teachers ideas for exciting and engaging practical activities that fire pupils' imaginations and then, unlike many other sources of ideas, go on to show teachers in detail how to translate the ideas into safe and exciting experiences in the classroom. CLEAPSS advice and documentation is recognised by the Health and Safety Executive and the Department for Education.
Top tips for Science • Ensure that you have a copy of the ASE (Association of Science Education) ‘Be Safe’ booklet in your school for staff to refer to when carrying out practical science. https://secure.ase.org.uk/membersarea/shop/layout4. asp?Search=be+safe+4th+edition&type=product_ name&submit1.x=0&submit1.y=0&submit1=Search • Register to receive copies of the CLEAPSS primary newsletter. Please contact via 01895 251496 for your copy and password for free membership. Make staff aware of the CLEAPSS website - http://www.cleapss. org.uk/. • A date for your diaries: October 6th 2017, Havering Primary Science Conference, 9am – 5pm at CEME. Keynotes from Ofsted’s National Lead for Science and UCL Institute of Education and practical hands-on workshops led by subject associations including the Association for Science Education and Royal Society of Chemistry, Royal Society of Biology and more. Mina Patel Associate Adviser – Science
All primary schools in Havering have free access to advice, publications and support from CLEAPSS via their unique Havering (membership) login which can be found by contacting CLEAPSS directly via the telephone number in the next column.
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e: hsis@havering.gov.uk t: 01708 433813 The next Science Network Meeting will be held on Wednesday 27th September 2017 at CEME Conference Centre, Marsh Way, Rainham RM13 8EU, 4.15pm – 5.45pm.
Secondary Update 2017 GCSE Results (and what they might mean) At the time of writing, we do not yet know the GCSE outcomes for Havering’s secondary schools and academies; however, as you read this, even if you have heard some headline figures from schools, you may still be struggling to interpret the relative success of the year! For many years now, schools have downloaded their results and been able to compare their % A*- C grades with their own past results and the national average results for the previous year, before deciding whether to pop the champagne corks or drown their sorrows! An A*- C was deemed a “good pass” and this applied to all GCSEs. These grades still apply for the majority of GCSE subjects but, crucially, not for English or for mathematics, which this year will be graded 9-1 (with 9 being the highest grade). So, what constitutes a good pass in these core subjects
this year? For the past couple of years, in preparation for 2017, both Grade 4 and 5 have been suggested as the new benchmark but, in the final analysis, we have been presented with a compromise: a grade 4 will be deemed a ‘standard pass’ and this is what students, colleges and employers will recognise as meeting the old ‘C’ standard; a grade 5 will be deemed a ‘strong pass’ and this is what will be reflected in schools’ performance tables (along with Progress 8 scores, of course!) So, in 2016, a school that achieved 70% A*- C in English and maths combined, having achieved 60% in 2015, would have been celebrating both its improvement and the fact that they had exceeded the 2016 national average of 63%. If, on August 24th this year, this same school discovered it had achieved 80% Grade 4+ in English and maths combined, and 60% grade 5+, how well has it done? Who knows? And who knows how soon we will hear any national benchmarks? So, when you hear of the results for a local school, handle them with care!
Celebrating 2016 outcomes On June 22nd, the inaugural Havering Learning Partnership Awards ceremony took place at Havering Sixth Form College to celebrate the achievements of staff and secondary schools and colleges in Havering. The awards were divided into three categories: 1. Progress and Attainment, which were school and college awards related to 2016 student outcomes (and where Redden Court won more awards than ‘La La Land’ did at the Oscars!) 2. Individual Excellence, where each school honoured five members of staff, teachers and non-teachers, who have made a positive difference to student progress in their schools. 3. Enrichment, which recognised the huge contribution of extra-curricular activities in schools, such as the performing arts, international trips and PE. The winners of
these awards were selected by an awards panel from the schools’ own nominations. Over 200 staff from 19 schools and colleges assembled for the gala evening, compèred by Malcolm Drakes, where they were treated to an evening of fine food, great music from the Sixth Form College band and the celebration of all that is great in Havering’s schools and colleges. The night was a resounding success, and plans have already begun for next year’s instalment of this great new addition to Havering’s secondary landscape… with the challenge for primary colleagues to produce something similar! Ian Gurman Senior Inspector, Secondary e: ian.gurman@havering.gov.uk t: 01708 433814
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Online Safety - Embedding Switched on Online Safety at St Edward’s Church of England VA Primary School Over the past few months we have been implementing Switched on Online Safety resources into our school curriculum. I was involved in proof reading and trialling some of the units included within the scheme of work, as well as filming an example lesson. I found the units of work to be well-planned, easy to use and containing interesting and engaging activities for the children. The Switched on Online Safety programme covers a wide range of relevant and important areas within Online Safety. The areas are broken down into six key themes and suggested key stages. The lessons are short and can be easily adapted to fit in before, during, or after a series of lessons. Staff within the school used the contents list of units to choose lessons appropriately for the needs of their classes and mapped to their curriculum plans.
Top tips for Online Safety • Assess the current needs of the children in your school regarding Online Safety and match the lessons accordingly. • Lead Online Safety information sessions for parents to share the learning and activities that will be taking place in school and use the provided suggestions for newsletter items. • Plan for short, but frequent Online Safety lessons within your curriculum.
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We also try to engage our parents with our Online Safety work. During our parent sessions, we share the curriculum content and introduce them to the topics we cover in lessons and also any key vocabulary the children might be exposed to. We believe the Switched on Online Safety programme helps us to deliver explicit Online Safety lessons and provides the children with exciting and relevant activities to ensure they are well equipped to use technology as safely as possible, and to be able to deal with any problems they may face. Emily Howard Lead for Computing and Online Safety St. Edward’s Church of England VA Primary School
Cross-LA EMA Forum – Collaborating to improve outcomes for learners The plan is for the Forum to become an annual event within the Havering EMA team’s calendar. With the next Cross-LA EMA Forum scheduled for Thursday 19th April 2018 at CEME Conference Centre, Marsh Way, Rainham RM13 8EU, 12.00pm – 6.00pm.
EAL Admissions and Induction Now is the time for schools to take stock of their admission and induction processes in preparation for EAL learners that may arrive in the UK over the next few months.
On 3rd May 2017, the Havering EMA Team hosted a Cross-Local Authority EMA forum, co-organised with Barking & Dagenham and attended by over 50 delegates from across Havering, Barking & Dagenham and Redbridge. This is an event that was previously hosted in Redbridge and we were delighted that so many schools from neighbouring LAs were able to make the journey across the border to Havering!
Research (and our experience) shows that early-stage EAL learners generally make rapid progress when placed in mainstream environments where risk-taking and supported talk for learning are core and where robust preadmission and assessment processes allow for provision to be adapted to their needs . In order to prepare for new EAL arrivals, the admissions interview is a key process enabling the two-way sharing of information; it affords opportunities for parents and carers to be fully informed of the school’s practice and expectations whilst sharing vital background information relating to their child’s likes, dislikes, abilities and linguistic competence
The theme of assessment and resources was well received with four highly informative presentations followed by ‘table top’ demonstrations which allowed the opportunity for informal networking and sharing of best practice. Delegate feedback indicated that they ‘loved it’, that it was ‘an enjoyable afternoon’ and a ‘great session, really useful’. During the main presentations Jannis Abley from Redbridge shared a thought-provoking summary of issues related to EAL assessment. This was followed by three presentations demonstrating the use of resources to support EAL learners including: the ‘All In’ resource; inexpensive apps to promote the development of spoken English; and ‘Reading Eggs’ which is reported to be particularly beneficial in promoting reading-skill development of EAL learners. Amongst the table-top demonstrations, which included contributions from schoolbased colleagues, thanks must go to Gemma Hooker and Jackie Tointon from Bower Park Academy who shared resources that they have sourced and developed to support secondary EAL learners across the curriculum. Their table was well-attended by delegates from primary and secondary schools across the three local authorities who reported that they had picked up lots of good ideas (see picture).
in their first language, in addition to medical and other needs. Advice regarding admissions meetings is contained in the Havering ‘EAL Admissions and Assessment Pack’ which has been delivered to all LA-maintained primaries and all academies that subscribe to EMA team services. If you missed the annual EMA Admission & Induction CPD course in June 2017, please do not hesitate to get in touch for support in this area. Michelle Wain and Carol Rockey Ethnic Minority Achievement Advisers Havering Ethnic Minority Achievement Team e: michelle.wain@havering.gov.uk t: 01708 431650 e: carol.rockey@havering.gov.uk t: 01708 431651
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Music Networks – Havering Music School to provide new termly Hsis Primary Music Subject Leader Network Meetings also like to be able to offer low-cost performances in primary schools by small staff groups. Havering Music School leads the Havering Music Education Hub and in that role, we have a responsibility to engage with schools to help support and strengthen the teaching of music across the borough. From next term, we will host a new network for primary Music Subject Leaders in partnership with Havering School Improvement Services. We currently provide paid-for tuition in 47 of the primary phase schools in Havering, but our main priority in talking to schools is not to sell services. For several years we have been holding conversations with schools about their music curriculum, which are structured around an assessment tool (questionnaire) designed to identify strengths and areas for development. The same scheme is in use across the country by organisations similar to Havering Music School. As a result of these conversations, lead teachers for music have been introduced to colleagues in other schools to support each other, and we have also created music projects to bring musicians in different schools together.
Charanga Musical School – covering the National Curriculum for Music from Reception to Year 6 Many of our primaries (29 at the time of writing) now use Charanga Musical School. For some, the online resources enrich their existing curriculum but the programme offers a fully worked-out scheme of work, covering the National Curriculum for Music from Reception to Year 6. Our partnership with Charanga means that Havering schools get a discounted annual rate of £180 for unlimited teacher logins and unlimited use. As schools get confident with the resources, they can also take advantage of unlimited pupil logins, so the learning can carry on at home. There are periodic training sessions in the borough and HMS can provide a basic, free session to help teachers get started with it.
Live Performances One thing schools tell us they want above almost anything else (at least in terms of music) is more live performances by professional musicians. Havering primary schools have attended the London Symphony Orchestra’s schools’ concerts at the Barbican, and also schools’ matinées at the Royal Opera House. Both are low-cost opportunities to hear world class musicians in prestigious venues. There are similar opportunities at other venues, including the Wigmore Hall, South Bank Centre and King’s Place. Locally, we are looking to repeat a performance by an orchestra of our instrumental tutors: last year we played a concert (including Carnival of the Animals and Pirates of the Caribbean) to 150 Year 7 students in their school hall and then to 180 children from nearby feeder primaries. We would
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Primary Live A very memorable annual event is Primary Live in the Queen’s Theatre (in 2017 it will be the morning of Monday 4th December). This is an hour-long concert by Havering Youth Orchestra and tutors, carefully designed to appeal to a KS2 audience. It takes place among the Queen’s pantomime set, which gives it an extra magical sparkle! Invitations are sent to primary and junior schools before the October half-term; it books up very quickly, so a quick response is necessary. NB. Watch out for information about Primary Live in the Autumn Term.
Primary Music Subject Leader Network meetings The first of the new Primary Music Subject Leader Network meetings will be held for the first time on Thursday 19th October 2017 from 4.15pm at Havering Music School in Hornchurch. Music subject leaders from Hsis School Improvement Package 1 and 3 schools will be welcome to come and discuss challenges, support each other and feed back to the Music School about their needs. We want it to be useful to schools and will ensure that meetings include discussion, networking and professional learning. To ensure that we have a good picture of the musical skills and strengths in Havering, we will send out a survey in September 2017. This, and the discussions at network meetings, will ensure that any training and support we coordinate responds to the needs of teachers. Please let your school’s Music subject leader know that this is happening and we look forward to seeing them in October.
What to do now? 1. Ask your music lead to put the Hsis Primary Music Subject Leader Network meetings in their diary now. They are all Thursdays, 4.15pm-5.45pm 19th October 2017 4.15pm-5.45pm at Havering Music School, The Walk, Hornchurch, Essex RM11 3TL 8th February 2018 4.15pm-5.45pm at Havering Music School, The Walk, Hornchurch, Essex RM11 3TL 24th May 2018 4.15pm-5.45pm - venue to be confirmed 2. Ask your music lead to email gary.griffiths@havering.gov.uk so we can send the survey and network invite straight to the best person in your school. 3. Take a look at Charanga Musical School at www.haveringonlinemusic.co.uk and sign up for a free 30-day trial, if you are not already using it. Finally, please contact karen.tweddle@havering.gov.uk if you would like to talk about your Music curriculum sooner rather than later. Karen is happy speak to headteachers or to subject leaders for Music. Gary Griffiths Head of Music School e: gary.griffiths@havering.gov.uk t: 01708 450313
Termly Subject and Aspect Leader Network Meetings – Have you signed-up yet? Hsis Package 1 and 3 schools and academies get access to termly subject and aspect leader network meetings for English, Maths, Science, Early Years, Computing and Online Safety, Foreign Languages, Ethnic Minority Achievement, Assessment, Higher Level Teaching Assistants - and now Music (new for Autumn 2017). Here are some reasons why you should sign-up if you have not already done so… • Keep right up-to-date with the latest local, national and international developments and practice led by a specialist in the field with many years' knowledge and experience from working across schools and settings in the UK and beyond. • Share good practice and learn what works from colleagues in other local schools - facing similar challenges and seeking solutions.
• Explore in-school case-studies, new resources and ideas shared by guest speakers from schools, commercial suppliers and other organisations. • Frequently leave armed with free resources, pro formas and other information to further enhance practice in your school/academy - saving you hours reinventing the wheel. • Be signposted to useful websites and social media content. “The Assessment network meetings are always well run, informative and helpful.” Rainham Village Primary School - Assessment Network. “Thank you once again for an informative yet fun session.” Engayne Primary School - Maths Network.
Computing and Online Safety – International delegations come to learn in Havering Three international delegations from Japan and Scandanavia came to Havering during the first half of 2017 to explore different aspects of Computing and Education Technology – meeting with the Havering School Improvement Services Team, as well as a number of Havering schools
Influencing the Japanese National Curriculum
A further delegation from the Japan Association for the Promotion of Technology (JAPET), including representatives from the Fuji, Hitachi, NEC and Panasonic corporations were keen to investigate the use of technology to support teaching and learning and ways in which the Computing curriculum is being implemented in Havering schools, with an eye to using lessons learnt to influence the future national curriculum for Japanese schools. After meeting with the Hsis Computing and Online Safety team, the delegation visited Crowlands Primary School and were impressed by the School’s approach to teaching Computing and exciting plans for the use of virtual reality to enhance teaching and learning.
Leading the way in Education Technology and Online Safety in the UK and beyond A group of teachers from the University College Lillebaelt, Odense, Denmark came to explore the use of Coding across the curriculum, taking time to visit Elm Park Primary School to consider approaches and examine technology across the curriculum demonstrated by Headteacher Vicki Morris, her staff and pupils. A delegation from Sandvikens kommun, Sweden also came to explore Computing, Education Technology and Online Safety - taking the time to visit Clockhouse Primary to see what the School is doing with Google Chromebooks and G Suite, Virtual Reality and 3D printing. The Swedish delegation were particularly impressed by the approaches to Online Safety seen in Havering and heard how Computing is being implemented at Parklands Infant School, by Computing and Online Safety Leader, Alison Martin.. As a result of the visit there will be a future project involving Havering schools, as well as Danish and Swedish schools to share online safety practice, making use of the new Switched on Online Safety resources. Amanda Jackson - Inspector Standards and Effectiveness - Computing and NQT e: ajackson.311@lgflmail.org t: 01708 431662 Dave Smith - Computing and Online Safety Adviser and Business Development Lead e: dsmith1.311@lgflmail.org t: 01708 433824
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Data Protection – changes in the law It is important for schools to be data protection compliant, and with the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming in to force on 25 th May 2018, schools will need to consider its impact in advance.
approach to compliance will remain valid, however there are some new elements and significant enhancements, so some things will need to be done for the first time and other things may need to be approached differently.
It will have an impact on all organisations, including schools, that process information about people. This will include staff data, student data, as well as personal data relating to governors and school suppliers. The GDPR will replace the current Data Protection Act (DPA) and many of the GDPR’s main concepts and principles are much the same as those in the current DPA. If your school is currently complying with the current law then most of your
The Information Commissioner’s Office document ‘The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 12 steps to take now’ outlines how organisations, including schools, can prepare for the changes. Havering will be providing more information, including a toolkit for schools, in the autumn term and this will be supported by face to face training sessions which are provisionally booked for Monday 27 November, 2017 at CEME.
Dates for your diary Reserve your place on the following courses: Headteacher Forums 28 September 2017 (Autumn Term 2017), 1.30pm – 4.00pm
EMA/EAL
24 January 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 1.30pm – 4.00pm
21 February 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
24 April 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 1.30–4.00pm
16 May 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
Deputy/Assistant Headteacher Forums 12 October 2017 (Autumn Term 2017), 1.30pm – 4.00pm
Modern Foreign Languages
1 February 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 1.30pm – 4.00pm
16 January 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
1 May 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 1.30pm – 4.00pm
15 May 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
Subject/Aspect Leader Network Meetings
RE
English
27 September 2017 (Autumn Term 2017), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
18 October 2017 (Autumn Term 2017), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
30 January 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
7 March 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
26 April 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
3 July 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
Assessment
Maths
14 November 2017 (Autumn Term 2017), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
18 October 2017 (Autumn Term 2017), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
24 January 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
6 February 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
13 June 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
16 May 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
HLTA
Science
17 October 2017 (Autumn Term 2017), 1.00pm – 3.00pm
27 September 2017 (Autumn Term 2017), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
27 February 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 1.00pm – 3.00pm
7 February 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
19 June 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 1.00pm – 3.00pm
13 June 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
Music
6 October 2017, Bringing All of the Elements Together Science Conference Computing and Online Safety 16 November 2017 (Autumn Term 2017), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
1 November 2017 (Autumn Term 2017), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
21 September 2017 (Autumn Term 2017), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
19 October 2017 (Autumn Term 2017), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 8 February 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 24 May 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm
1 March 2018 (Spring Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 22 May 2018 (Summer Term 2018), 4.15pm – 5.45pm 5150
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