Childrenfirst Putting Children First in North Tyneside
Dec 2009
rigorous food standards for secondary schools.The guidelines mean schools must make it easier for students to make healthier choices at lunchtime. The changes are already going down well with pupils at Monkseaton High, George Stephenson High and Churchill Community College, and plans are in place to work with the borough’s other schools in the near future.
Inspiring dining North Tyneside Council is in the process of revamping secondary school lunches, ahead of the introduction of closed gate policies at lunchtime for some schools.
Students are being offered simple fresh food, easier ways to pay, more choice, less queuing and better, brighter dining areas.
Brand new food on offer includes ‘Rice N Spice’ – a mix of international dishes using fresh herbs and spices,
‘Deli-Xpress’ – a ‘Subway-style’ sandwich counter where students can choose their own bread and fillings, and ‘Pasta-Xpress’ with daily hot pasta specials. All are offered at under £2 including a drink. Clear displays and improved promotional materials help students understand what they’re buying, its nutritional content, and whether it’s value for money.
Barbara Patterson, North Tyneside Council’s Catering Services Manager, is behind the changes. She says: “Our students told us what they wanted and in response we’ve removed queues, increased choice, improved our communications and brought the dining areas bang up to date. Feedback so far has been extremely positive and we’re looking forward to working with the rest of our secondary schools.” For more information contact North Tyneside Council’s Catering Services on (0191) 643 8340.
Inside this issue
Taking stock
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Supporting disabled children
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2009 exam results YOS inspection
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New Ofsted framework
The improvements have been made in line with the Government’s new and
Keeping you informed | www.northtyneside.gov.uk
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horizons widening
Outstanding Shiremoor
Shiremoor Primary School has been highlighted as one of 20 primary schools performing at an outstanding level in very challenging circumstances. It featured in the Ofsted report ’Twenty outstanding primary schools. Excelling against the odds’, published in October. The named schools from across the country defy the association of disadvantage with low standards. They serve communities where pupils come from poorer urban backgrounds and an above average proportion receive free school meals.
Beating the bullies
Sixth formers at Longbenton Community College are keeping the peace in the playground and giving a helping hand to shy or vulnerable pupils, to reduce bullying and truancy at the school.
The school’s peer mentoring programme matches older students with younger students who may need extra help or attention.
The one-to-one relationships provide guidance and support for the younger child, helping them with challenges such as school work, homework, friendship issues and family problems, helping to build confidence and self-esteem.
And that scheme is now being backed up by new ‘sixth form surfers’; year 12 and 13 peer mentors in distinctive grey hooded tops who patrol the school corridors and outdoor areas at lunchtime to act as a friendly face for students, and a deterrent to potential bullies.
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Year 13 sixth form surfer and peer mentor Rachel Cowans says:“I worked with a girl recently whose attendance was only 40 percent. But through the peer mentoring we helped her overcome her fears of school and she finished the year with 85 percent attendance.And so far this year it’s been 100 percent, so it really works.” Pupils who may struggle to talk about their worries face to face at first are able to write down their concerns and drop them into a ‘bother box’, and a peer mentor will contact them privately. Peer mentor coordinator at the school Kim Symington said: “The pupils who volunteer as either mentors or as sixth form surfers are a credit to themselves as well as the school. Evidence is showing that their work is helping younger pupils overcome barriers and develop the confidence to go it alone, and we’re extremely proud of the way the scheme has developed and grown and the real results we are achieving.”
Shiremoor was the only school from the North East represented in this report.The school, which received an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted grading in January 2008, was particularly praised for the way it helps pupils of all abilities and backgrounds to make significant improvements to their academic and personal development.
Headteacher Helen Clegg was described as having a ‘visionary and unremitting approach to continually improving teaching, learning and the care that pupils receive’ and is praised for introducing innovative schemes such as a bi-annual careers convention to encourage pupils to have ambition and strive to achieve goals. Mrs Clegg commented: “I am delighted that the school has received this recognition following many years of hard work resulting in three consecutive ‘outstanding’ inspection results. It’s a testament to the efforts of the staff and pupils and to the school’s focus on the needs of children and the development of a curriculum that is designed to help them succeed.”
Taking Stock Our key services are performing very well, and the majority are top quartile compared to benchmarks; The majority of educational outcomes are above the national average and many at top quartile;
In April 2010 the first ever Children and Young People’s Plan for North Tyneside will come to an end. The plan was launched in 2006 and set out a vision and set of strategic objectives for a four year period. The plan was structured around the Every Child Matters Outcomes, and we added a Sixth Outcome – Be Spirited.
Over the next few months we need to take stock, review how far we have come, agree how far we have to go and how we will get there. There is absolutely no doubt that since the publication of that first children’s plan there has been rapid change in North Tyneside. Outcomes are improving overall;
More children are happy, healthy and safe and achieving well in school;
We have seen significant improvement in performance at GCSE and are the top performing authority in the region in relation to 5 A*- C including English and maths. There has been significant improvement in educational outcomes for looked after children and children with a learning difficulty or disability;
We have a national reputation in many areas, including our arrangements for securing the participation of children and young people in decision making; and… There has been a visible structural change, tangible cultural change, clarification of accountabilities and better service integration around the needs of children and families.
However, there is no time to bask in the sunlight of our success. There is no doubt that we still have a way to go. The facts remain that our impact has been marginal in some areas: childhood obesity; teenage pregnancy; substance misuse; level 3 attainment and progression to higher education particularly from disadvantaged areas.
To make a significant difference in these areas we will need to tackle longstanding challenges. Challenges which require better join up between Every Child Matters and regeneration strategies and intervening with chaotic families who are reluctant to change. And perhaps most importantly we need new solutions to tackling the relationship between poverty, poor educational outcomes and poor quality lifestyle choices.
Our new plan will cover the period 2010 – 2014. It presents us with an opportunity to develop new solutions to entrenched problems. Problems that have blighted the life chances of children and young people from one generation to the next. We will only achieve this if we break down departmental and agency silos and remember that we are all mutually responsible for giving all our children and young hope because they can see a brighter future.
So we have much to celebrate over the festive period including the difference we have made to children’s lives since 2006. However when we return in the New Year we be consulting on developing a new plan which will set out the next stage in our journey of achieving radical change for children and families. I look forward to hearing your views. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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A room with a view
Whitley Bay High has scooped a national award for a unique Teaching Observation Gallery that’s improving techniques and standards at the school, and across the region.
2009 exam results
Top of the regional table at GCSE Excellent partnership working between schools has put North Tyneside at the top of the table in terms of GCSE results, this year.
It is the best local authority in the region, according to provisional results tables for 2009 released by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), in October.
North Tyneside’s results were also above the overall national average.
The percentage of students in North Tyneside achieving 5 A*-C including maths and English was 53. 4 percent.
The national average was 47.8 percent, and in the North East region, stands at 49.7 percent. Cllr George Westwater, Cabinet member for Children,Young People and Learning, said: "This achievement is down to hard work, commitment, and excellent partnership working; between schools and the local
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authority, and between the schools themselves.
“The results also show that measures to drive up standards across the borough, including extended and focused support beyond the classroom, are working well.
“We will continue to work with schools, maintain our high expectations, and help our young people become the best they can be.”
A-level students in North Tyneside also celebrated first class results for 2009.
The borough saw an overall pass rate of 99.6 percent - an increase of 0.6 percent on last year - with five of its eight high schools, and TyneMet College, all reporting 100 percent of students achieving at least one A-level (A - E). Almost six percent of students achieved three or more A-levels at grade A.
The gallery, which sits between two classrooms, has mirrored walls that allow for unobtrusive observation, and head teacher Adam Chedburn describes it as 'the single most important tool in improving the quality of teaching in the last ten years of the school’s history.'
It allows others to effectively ‘sit in' on lessons without interrupting or impacting on teaching or learning. Teachers or trainees can use the facility in small groups for collaborative observation, or as a starting point for discussions on teaching methods.
In October, it won the ‘National Award for Impact and Innovation’ at the 2009 ‘Leading Edge’ conference award ceremony, run by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust. The Whitley Bay award was for the most innovative project improving teaching and learning across the country, and recognises the unique impact of the gallery.
As well as being used regularly by the school, the gallery has been used extensively by teachers from across the region to improve the quality of teaching and learning in other schools. It’s also being utilised by trainee teachers at Newcastle University who use the gallery to observe second and third year teachers in real classroom settings, teaching real students.
Sustainable school The environmental features of the new Monkseaton High School have been attracting local and national interest.
The new landmark building has also been rated as 'very good' by BREEAM - a scheme that grades environmental and sustainability standards in new buildings.
Its domed roof places an emphasis on allowing natural light into the building, and very few ceilings have been installed between its three floors.
‘Wind catchers’ fitted to the roof reduce the need for artificial cooling or heating systems – by drawing in cool air and sucking out hot air through the roof to improve natural air movements and stabilise temperatures.
The wind-catchers also increase the prevalence and circulation of fresh air, meaning natural oxygen levels are high, creating better conditions for concentration and
learning, and improving performance in both pupils and staff.
Thermal solar panels fitted to the roof are responsible for heating most of the buildings’ hot water, reducing reliance on CO2 producing systems.
The school was officially opened on Friday 6 November.
The school is one of the first in the UK to use a pioneering system of interior lighting which mimics daylight to combat the sedative effects of low levels of winter daylight – linked with Seasonal Affective Disorder. A similar system is used at the ‘Eden Project’, and the technology will typically be activated in late October and continue to boost light levels in short bursts at relevant intervals, until around mid-February.
The oval and aerodynamic shape of the building means it inherently requires less energy to heat or cool it, compared to other ‘traditional’ block-shaped builds, and its orientation was specifically planned to maximise daylight but minimise any over-heating.
‘Brise soleil’ panels fitted to the exterior of the school allow light into the building whilst reducing solar gain and glare effect during certain times of the year.The panels were strategically placed following research which tracked the path of the sun and the effect of its rays on the building at various times of the year and day.
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Aiming High for Disabled Children
New factsheets now available
NEW - A set of handy factsheets have been developed for parents of disabled children.They are packed with information on local services that offer practical help for children and young people with a disability. They have been developed in partnership with the Learning Disabilities Federation, parents, carers and professionals.
The information is aimed at parents, carers and families of children and young people who may need additional support because of special or other additional needs, including both diagnosed and undiagnosed conditions, disability or impairment. They will also be a useful tool for practitioners and others who support children and families. The packs cover the themes of: Health Leisure Daily living and education
They supplement the factsheets already produced by the Families Information Service on financial help for parents bringing up a family. Copies of all factsheets can be obtained by contacting the FIS on 0845 2000 108, email fis@northtyneside.gov.uk, or can be downloaded from the council's website at http://www.northtyneside.gov.uk
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The Aiming High for Disabled Children Short Break Pathfinder Programme is now into its second year and has already achieved a great deal towards bridging the gaps in care and activity provision for disabled children in North Tyneside.
The first year of the pathfinder saw wide consultation and engagement with disabled children and their families through a number of very successful events, and led on to the achievement a number of significant milestones and improvements. Successful progress continues to be made in 2009/10. Just some of the achievements and plans in place so far include: Further Individual Budgets and Direct Payments have been allocated to families. Fifteen young people had camping trips to the Lake District.
The rental of a Calvert Trust chalet at Kielder for families to use. Ten additional places on the existing summer holiday playscheme. Family Based Short Break Care Services are recruiting two additional Contract Carers. Plans for an after school club one night per week for deaf children and a youth club one night per week for deaf young people. Additional overnight short breaks have been purchased via independent providers. Plans continue following the purchase of properties in Annitsford to develop a property to provide the additional two places for very specialist residential overnight short break services for a further 10-12 children with complex and challenging behaviour.
For more information, contact Anne Cassidy on (0191) 643 4151
New Referral and Assessment Management Framework
North Tyneside established a multi-professional group including social care staff, health colleagues and head teachers to review the referral and assessment framework in use in the borough.
Youth Offending Service Inspection focus
Youth Offending Services throughout England and Wales are undergoing the next cycle of inspections by HMI Probation replacing the previous arrangements with Core Case Inspection (CCI), Ofsted and Thematic Programmes. Three main categories are covered: risk of harm, safeguarding and likelihood of re-offending. Inspection findings from the CCI will feed into the council’s annual Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA). What is particularly unique about this cycle of inspections is that the inspection team includes regional assessors i.e. two experienced YOS Officers attached from a local YOS. In North Tyneside’s case, reciprocal arrangements were with South Tyneside.
Although North Tyneside’s last inspection was in 2004 there were familiar elements to it, for example the notification period, preparation of advanced evidence and selecting cases for HMI consideration.
All YOS staff worked extremely hard in preparation for this inspection and although confident about our practice, as with all inspections, our constant companion was ‘can we evidence this?’ Using the inspection criteria during preparation was invaluable and
highlighted areas that we identified as being in need of addressing. In acknowledgement, we informed the Lead Inspector of our own findings and advised on our strategies for improvement. The CCI commenced week beginning the 7th September. There were five inspectors including the lead and the regional assessors.
North Tyneside YOS is housed within the newly developed Youth Village and was seen as warm and welcoming by the inspectors as well as a strong advantage point for children and young people who visit. The YOS offices were able to cater for the inspectors who accessed the IT suite used by young people.
The CCI itself was just that. No statutory/non-statutory partners were to be interviewed, neither was the Chair of the YOS management board or the YOS manager or operations managers. The inspection was of cases with interviews of case managers. The inspection lasted four days and although a stressful time it was also an opportunity for us to talk and boast about the things we do well.
The inspection report had not yet been published as Children First went to print, but we are feeling optimistic! Paul Cook, Head of Safeguarding.
This review was necessary as the roll-out of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) and the increasing development of support services alongside the core statutory services for children at risk of harm, has created more complex organisational systems. The children's workforce in the borough have told us that they needed more clarity about: how to make a clear referral when they are concerned how to better understand what the 'thresholds' are for work undertaken by our children's area teams and that taken on by the core statutory service how we can work better together for the benefit of those who need support, help and advice.
The North Tyneside Referral and Assessment Management Framework is the result of several months work to bring clarity to the above areas and so ensure that there is greater cohesion between services and families are better provided for. The new framework will be presented to the North Tyneside's Children Trust arrangement in December and formally launched early in 2010.
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New inspection framework for schools
Ofsted launched a revised framework for the inspection of maintained schools from September 2009.
Under the revised school inspection arrangements, inspectors will give particular priority to: Proportionality; the frequency of inspection will be proportionate to need. Promoting improvement: inspectors will make specific recommendations based on their diagnosis of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.
Evaluating the achievement and wider well-being of pupils as a whole and of different groups of pupils, and assessing the extent to which schools ensure that all pupils, including those most at risk, succeed. Evaluating learning and teaching: inspectors will spend a high proportion of their on-site inspection time in the classroom. Assessing how well schools promote equality of opportunity and how effectively they tackle discrimination.
Checking schools’ procedures for safeguarding, keeping children and young people from harm.
Fostering the engagement of Headteachers and schools’ staff in the process of inspection so that they understand the judgements made. Gathering, analysing and taking into account the views of parents and pupils.
Assessing how effectively schools work in partnership with other providers in order to promote better outcomes for pupils.
Schools will be given less that two days inspection notice. The changes also see the introduction of no-notice inspection for monitoring visits to schools in Special Measures and those with a Notice to Improve as well as to about 40 percent of satisfactory schools. Also, where there are particular concerns, for example connected to welfare, Ofsted may inspect at no notice. Mark Nugent, Headteacher, Waterville Primary School, said: "Our Ofsted experience was very intense but equally very rewarding. The inspection team had a very clear focus about what they particularly wanted to look at over the course of the two days. Safeguarding was a key area of the inspection, with a large proportion of the first day being spent on this aspect. The inspection team were very positive and at all times ensured that myself and other senior leaders were fully engaged in the process. " For information, advice and support please contact: Barbara Jordan, Chief Adviser, Primary – (0191) 643 8508 Jean Griffiths, Chief Adviser, Secondary – (0191) 643 8507 Children First is your newsletter – a chance for all partners delivering services to children and their families to share information and celebrate achievements.
A beacon of help for struggling schools
Helen Jones, Headteacher at Beacon Hill School,Wallsend, has become one of only around 100 heads throughout the country to be appointed as a National Leader of Education (NLE), by the National College for School Leadership. It also means Beacon Hill School is now dedicated a National Support School (NSS).
Helen’s new role will see her using her experience and expertise to provide leadership and support to struggling schools, as well as nurturing the next generation of national leaders. She said: “I am very pleased for myself and the school that our work has been nationally recognised in this way. “Beacon Hill’s success is focused clearly on the needs of the children and young people we work with and is a great team effort. I am proud to lead that team and hope we will be able share some of our skills and knowledge with other schools.” Toby Salt, Deputy Chief Executive of NCSL, said: “I am so proud that outstanding school leaders, like Helen Jones, are being honoured in this way. “NLEs, supported by their schools, have a more important role to play than ever in ensuring that excellent school leadership and the best possible opportunities are available to as many children as possible.” If you would like to contribute to the next edition, please e-mail: nicola.sleightholme@northtyneside.gov.uk, or tel 643 5081.