1 FCAT Prospectus (30/06/14)

Fylde Coast Academy Trust Partnership to promote excellence in teaching, learning and leadership

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Our Guiding Principles:

• To work locally to ensure maximum support where and when it is needed.

• To provide a catalyst for innovation and problem solving.

The Fylde Coast Academy Trust seeks to work with educational institutions across the Fylde. Its members are at the heart of our local community, contributing to economic, social and environmental improvements.

A strong focus of best practice teaching, learning and leadership in the development of a curriculum that is both demanding and personalised to individual pupil needs.

• To inspire a generation to be the best they can be.

• To foster collaboration and knowledge sharing across our educational communities.

Learners are at the heart of what we do.

Their outcomes and successes drive us to be the best we can be.

Being outward facing, sharing resources, ideas and standards is critical to our culture of continuous improvement.

Transform

Our Key Objectives:

Consistency Outstanding Value

One Voice

Learning Attainment

1. To transform the lives of young people by raising aspirations and achievements at 16.

2. To give learners consistency of standards across different schools to enable confident progression to the next level.

3. To share resources and knowledge to provide outstanding value for money and reduce duplication.

4. To have one voice in a rapidly changing external environment.

5. To provide professional learning communities to support teacher development.

6. To raise attainment in English, Maths and Science.

Central Services for Sponsored Academies: Fylde Coast Academy Trust will provide a number of core and additional services, selected according to need from the following list. Core services include Leadership, Finance and HR Support. That which forms part of the core or the additional services is in the first instance negotiated with individual schools.

School Improvement Team: Our Academy Trust employs designated National, Local and Specialist Leaders of Education and Governance. All have extensive experience in the Fylde Coast of improving outcomes for learners through effective and energetic leadership.

All have extensive experience in the Fylde Coast of improving outcomes for learners through effective and energetic leadership.

Central Services Team: Finance: accountancy, financial advice, financial, systems advice, data management,MIS systems, insurance procurement, financial regulations, procurement, staff training, risk management training and oversight.

Accommodation and Resources: management of estates function and cleaning services, capital bidding advice, project management, health and safety advice, catering advice, ICT planning advice, efficiency savings advice.

Human Resources: HR policies, contracts of employment, HR advice, Industrial Relations advice and support, HR training, support for recruitment and retention of staff.

Marketing and Public Relations: Media relations.

Event management advice. Promotional support.

Governance: Development and training of governors. Clerking services.

Headteachers – National Leaders of Education (“NLE”) who will provide confidential support to governors and the leadership team.

Senior Leaders – who offer specialist curriculum, teaching and learning and pupil behaviour advice. Self evaluation and detailed planning is key to all our support.

Additional Offer: Our sponsored academies will also have access to the benefits of the Fylde Coast Teaching School Alliance, a partnership of high performing local schools committed to facilitating the highest standards of teaching, learning and assessment in each phase of learning.

This provides the academies opportunities in the following areas: • Initial Teaching Training - school direct trainee teachers based in the Teaching School Alliance schools.

• Collaborative CPD - a twilight programme targeting significant issues of the day e.g. curriculum innovations, best practice.

• Programmes to improve Teaching and Learning - The Developing Teaching and Learning Programme to improve their classroom practice.

•

Leadership Development (to include governance) - – A nationally recognised leaders programme, the National Professional Qualification for Senior Leaders (“NPQSL”) and the National Professional Qualification for Middle Leaders (“NPQML“), both providing opportunities to develop tomorrow’s managers.

•

Research and Development Projects - Action research that improves teaching, learning or leadership in the home school as staff develop greater understanding of their own practice.

•

Additional support from Local Leaders of Education (LLEs) and Specialist Leaders of Education (SLEs) – Tailored to the specific demands of the school, specialist support can quickly be put in place to meet the needs of the leadership team.

•

Coaching - Coaching is deployed across all schools in the Fylde Coast Teaching School Alliance both within and across schools, both staff to staff and pupil to pupil.

“Teaching schools will be of the highest quality, examples of the schools in the country. They will draw together outstanding teachers and leaders who are committed to supporting other schools”.

National College.

Governance Arrangement

Each Academy will have its own local Academy Council of up to 11 representatives. A majority of governors will be Trust appointees.

Each Academy Council will be drawn from members of the local community, staff and parents.

Each Academy Council will undertake responsibilities on behalf of the Trust, e.g. to set and monitor the budget, to set and monitor pupil achievement targets, to monitor the quality of the curriculum and pupil progress and monitor policies and procedures, including statutory compliance matters.

“The Teaching School must do and be seen to do the ordinary things in an extra-ordinary way. They must do it consistently to be a great organisation‌.

Being consistently extra-ordinary applies most to the core business processes of teaching and learning�.

Peter Matthews.

Our Teaching School

‘Partnership to promote excellence in teaching, learning and leadership’.

Fylde Coast Teaching School Business and Governance Arrangements

Fylde Coast Teaching School Ltd.

Alliance Partners

Teaching School Steering Group

Initial Teacher Training

CPD

Leadership Development

School to School Support

Fylde Coast Academy Trust Board of Directors

Sponsored Academies

Teaching School Alliance Partners:

The following gives a flavour of our alliance schools and the support they offer.

Blackpool Sixth Form College • Visionary governance and leadership puts learning at the heart of the college.

• State of the art buildings and resources support outstanding outcomes for students.

• Excellent staff training and development ensures consistently high quality teaching.

Breck Primary School • Innovative curriculum design.

• Impressive track record of improvements in pupil attainment.

• Energetic and expert tracking and assessment.

Garstang Community Academy • Outstanding Senior Leadership enabling sustained, long-term improvement.

• Excellent inclusivity generating outstanding behaviour and attendance outcomes.

• Excellent curriculum personalisation.

Hambleton Primary Academy • Outstanding leadership at all levels.

• Outstanding Teaching and Learning in all Key Stages and an innovative curriculum.

• High expectations embedded throughout.

Highfurlong School • SEN strategic partner.

• Inspire, Challenge, Believe.

• Excellent Personalised learning.

Hodgson Academy • Outstanding leadership at all levels.

• Outstanding teaching.

• Effective use of data to raise attainment and progress.

Montgomery High School • Dynamic self-evaluation.

• Expertise and success in high quality Initial Teacher Training.

• Developing leadership capacity at all levels of seniority, with a sharp focus on raising achievement levels.

Norbreck Primary School • Good to Outstanding teaching in three Key Stages.

• Detailed assessment and data analysis which raises attainment and progress for all children.

• Excellent collaboration and support between and from staff which enables them to reach high standards Roseacre Primary School • Governing body makes an outstanding contribution to the school, enriching pupils’ experiences.

• Self-evaluation and data analysis is accurate and effective.

• Quality of teaching ensures outstanding pupil achievement.

St Mary’s Catholic College • Rich Catholic ethos and outstanding care, ensure student contribution to the school and wider community.

• Superbly designed buildings support innovative 21st Century education and use of mobile technology.

• Excellent induction and on-going professional development programmes for staff.

University of Cumbria • Committed to learning partnerships with schools • The HE provider of choice to promote lifelong learning and accredited professional development.

• Inspirational school based teacher training (including School Direct).

Westcliff Primary School • Headteacher is a National Leader of Education, successfully supporting local primary headteachers.

• National Support School leadership team with a successful track record of school-to- school support.

• Excellent leadership of integrated Nursery/Reception ensures outstanding early years provision.

Mereside Primary School • Outstanding practitioners in EYFS, KS1 and KS2 providing expertise in moderation of assessments.

• Leading school for Speech and Language Development.

• Highly effective individualised support for children.

Millfield Science & Performing Arts College • Most improved school in Lancashire.

• Double North West Pupil Premium Award winners.

• Small school with team ethos.

The Fylde Coast Academy Trust Board Members: A Local Solution.

Director: John Boyle JP CAifs DiPFS NLG: John’s initial career was in a Clearing Bank, coming to the Fylde Coast 28 years ago as an Area Manager. John has much experience in Finance, Accounting and Commercial Legal matters and of Corporate Governance.

John has been a governor of Blackpool Sixth Form College for 12 years, latterly acting as Chair. He is a Chartered Associate of the Institute of Financial Services, a Justice of the Peace and a National Leader of Governance (“NLG”).

Director: Felicity Greeves MA PGCE DMS OBE: A National Leader of Education (“NLE”) with 38 years experience in education, 14 in the Fylde Coast, 16 years with a major Awarding Body, 10 years a part-time Ofsted Inspector and the last 5 years working on National Challenge Trusts and on school Governing Bodies. Felicity is Principal of Blackpool Sixth Form College.

Director: Tony Nicholson B.A., NPQH, NLE: A National Leader of Education (“NLE”) and Executive Principal of Hodgson Academy, Tony has worked as a School Improvement Partner, as a National Challenge Adviser and an adviser to Headteachers through the Gaining Ground initiative.

Hodgson Academy has held a specialism for school improvement work through the raising Attainment Transforming Learning route and holds designation as a SSAT Advanced Consultant School.

Company Secretary: Amanda Pickup LLB FCA: A member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales with close to 12 years experience working in education firstly in a foundation school and then as Finance Director of Blackpool Sixth Form College.

Director: Mark Gutteridge: Currently Business Director of Community Futures, a Third Sector infrastructure organisation, and with over 15 years of experience as a Governor covering Early Years, Primary and Secondary Education, Mark is now Chair of the Academy Council for Unity Academy Blackpool.

The Fylde Coast Academy Trust Board Members: A Local Solution.

Director: Wendy Middlemass BA JP: Previously Head of Education for Manchester City Council, having worked as a teacher for 20 years, Wendy is now an educational consultant for local authorities across the North of England.

Wendy will be the Chair of the Academy Council for the new Blackpool Aspire Academy due to open in September 2014.

Chris McConnachie B.Sc.: Chris works in the IT industry, currently with a major international IT services and manufacturing company. A school governor for over 17 years, serving in both primary and secondary sectors, Chris is now chair of governors at Hodgson Academy and vice-chair of the Lancashire Association of School Governing Bodies. In his spare time Chris enjoys working with young people as a cub leader, running a computer club for girls and coaching young chess players.

Unity Academy Blackpool In Unity, we succeed

I am honoured to lead our new, vibrant academy and to work with our enthusiastic students, ambitious staff, supportive parents and committed governors. Being sponsored by the Fylde Coast Academy Trust and working together has already achieved significant improvements.

High quality staff development, enrichment opportunities for our students and further investment into our academy facilities has already been a result. The support of a local sponsor is something that we are confident will bring our young people greater chance of success and new opportunities and experiences.

Our vision is for Unity Academy to become an outstanding provider through the provision of high quality teaching and learning experiences. Quite simply, in Unity, we succeed. We believe that our Academy should develop in its students, an acceptance of their individual and collective responsibilities as members of various local, national and international communities and create a strong sense of the importance of working together for the common good. In our Academy we develop the student to have pride in their Academy and themselves.

At Unity Academy, we have six values which support everything we do and stand for: •We are dedicated to learning and achieving •We lead by example •We respect everyone •We are open, transparent and honest •We are committed to our community •We work together in one direction We endeavour to give all children confidence and a sense of purpose and direction so that their lives can be said to have been enriched by attending Unity Academy. A desire to succeed and be successful is something we are determined to nurture in all our young people and with everyone involved in our Academy, hence underlining “In Unity, we succeed.”

Mr Chris Lickiss Academy Principal

The Essentials of a Successful Partnership

Lumby and Foskett 2005

1. Clear and explicit objectives 2. Common values 3. For the greater good for all 4. Each partner brings a distinctive contribution 5. Each partner has its own identity and culture 6. Great partnerships involve compromises and flexibility 7. Clear lines of communication and decision making 8. Dynamic and evolving over time