Tudor Grange Academy Teaching School
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Memorandum of Understanding Between Tudor Grange Academy, Solihull Teaching School and Alliance Partners
Vision and Values TGAS TS: Partnership, Vision & Values The TGTS Alliance is committed to a partnership which:
1. Is outward facing, with honesty, trust and a shared moral purpose to get the best possible outcomes for all of our children and young people. 2. Recognises, aspires to, celebrates and achieves excellence for all of its members. 3. Is self-improving, with its focus on improving outcomes for all stakeholders, and achieves excellent value. 4. Is committed to the most effective, relevant CPD and leadership development that has the greatest impact on classroom practice and progress of students. 5. Creates a national model of excellence which is innovative and influences the national educational landscape. 6. Rigorously focuses on QA standards and progress.
Structure TGAS TS: The Tudor Grange Academy Trust Teaching School Alliance work will be directed by two key boards, with clear separation of powers, and transparency, as defined in their Terms of Reference (see Appendix): • Executive Board (Executive Principal, TGAT; Principal Lead TGAS, Director of Finance, Director of Teaching School, Director of SCITT, Teaching School Manager, + 3 headteachers from strategic partners) • Non-Executive Board (Local Governing Body, as Chaired by Ron Edwards)
Additionally, the Director of Teaching School will have overall responsibility for strategic Action planning, target setting, monitoring and evaluating impact. There are separate Terms of Reference for each Board. The Executive Board meets at least once a term. These two boards will be responsible for overseeing the strategic work of TGATS and its Alliance, as divided into the ‘Big 6’ (as established by the NCTL), and summarised as follows:
Area of the ‘Big Six’ • • • • • •
ITT CPD/ Leadership development Succession Planning/ Talent Management School to School Support SLEs R&D
Collective Name • • • •
ITT team Development Team Support Team Research Team
Who is accountable for it? • • • • • • • •
Director of SCITT Director of Teaching School (Secondary) +Director of Primary Alliance Director of Teaching School Director of Teaching School (Secondary) +Director of Primary Alliance Director of Teaching School Director of SCITT
What are the main activities? • • • • • • • • •
Initial Teacher Training NQT tracking Succession planning Licensing Bespoke support CPD suite Deployment of SLEs, LLEs, NLEs, and TGA Trust Leader Master’s programme Overview of the impact of research funding
Structure and Roles and Responsibilities Key Performance Indicators The Tudor Grange Teaching School Alliance will work to achieve key performance indicators as set by the National College.
KPI
Intent Improvement in attainment at KS2, 4 and 5 for pupils attending schools in alliances greater than the national average.
Pupil attainment and closing the gap
The reduction in the achievement gap for pupils in receipt of free school meals and / or in care in teaching school alliances is greater than the national average.
Overall effectiveness of schools
Schools in alliances show a greater than national average improvement in Ofsted judgements, resulting in fewer poorly performing schools and more good and outstanding schools.
Quality of teaching
As a result of effective ITT and CPD, schools in alliances show an improvement in Ofsted judgements for teaching and learning that is greater than the national average.
Quality of leadership
As a result of effective leadership development, schools in alliances show an improvement in Ofsted judgements for leadership and management that is greater than the national average.
The Lead Teaching School of the Tudor Grange Teaching School Alliance is Tudor Grange Academy, Solihull. This School, via the Executive Principal, is responsible for the strategic outcomes of the Alliance partnership, setting appropriate targets and formulating the Alliance Action Plan. In future, other Teaching Schools may be designated in the vicinity, and the Tudor Grange Teaching School Alliance will endeavour to work collaboratively to share responsibilities and delivery.
Strategic Partners, whether schools (which, if members, are likely to be gold or silver members), universities or other organizations, will have the competence, capacity and commitment for delivery in particular areas of the Teaching School role. They will have signed up to the Memorandum of Understanding in both intent and action. Expected contributions are as follows: •
Hosting ITE trainees for school placements
•
Sending colleagues to attend ITP and OTP programmes to help improve practice within the school/ academy
•
Recommending and offering the time of excellent practitioners to deliver INSET/sessions/courses (costs as appropriate)
•
Using the TGA NQT and RQT development days to help improve quality of teaching in less experienced staff
•
Hosting exchanges for middle leaders/senior leaders
•
Participating in research and development activities
•
Invite eligible colleagues to apply to become SLEs (as appropriate)
•
Supporting the vision of the TS by promoting relevant activities where appropriate?
Associate Partners, whether schools (which, if members, are likely to be bronze members), universities or other organisations, will have expressed an active interest in the work of the Teaching School Alliance and will stand to benefit from it but may not have the capacity to contribute significantly to its delivery. They will have signed up to the Memorandum of Understanding. Institutions that access support from the Tudor Grange Academy Trust Teaching School Alliance will need to pay for that support and agree to its impact being evaluated. Teaching School Networks: The Tudor Grange Teaching School Alliance will take the opportunity to work with other Teaching School Alliances where appropriate. This will be done where there will be benefits due to economies of scale or where working together will improve the quality of outcomes for young people. It is also acceptable for partners to work collaboratively with more than one alliance, either as a strategic or an associate partner. All Partners Agree to: •
The Alliance quality assurance processes, as defined in the appendaged document “Roles and Responsibilities in TGAS TS”.
•
Actively follow the roles and remit of the groups that they are working with (See Appendix).
•
Share online data, school SEF information to enable the Alliance to prioritise targets.
•
Gain formal support to become partners from their governing bodies.
•
Share information about the Teaching School Alliance role and how it relates to them.
Disputes: Any disagreement between partners of the Tudor Grange Academy Trust Teaching School Alliance should be reported to the Chair of the Non- Executive Board, who will arbitrate. Where the Chair is involved in the disagreement, another member of the Governing body may be selected to arbitrate. Arbitration will be held as promptly as possible at a time and place agreeable to all parties involved. Written records will be kept of the dispute and the arbitration process and will be available to parties involved.
Executive Board members 2014-15
Claire Maclean, Executive Principal, TGAT Darren Turner, Principal Lead TGAS Chris Key, Director of Finance Emma Collins, Director of Teaching School Steve Dixon, Director of SCITT Tania Jordan, Teaching School Manager Headteachers from strategic partners – Vivien Stone-Fewings, Samantha Roach, Rose Rees
Non-Executive Board members 2014-15
Local Governing Body, as chaired by Ron Edwards
Executive Board Responsibilities The Executive Board will advise and support the processes involved in driving towards the KPIs. It will consist of 9 members chaired by the Executive Principal of Tudor Grange Academy Trust. The Executive Board will advise / decide upon all Alliance activities: selection, scope, scale, allocation of funds and time lines.
Non-Executive Board Responsibilities
Holding to account the Executive Board Arbitration of disputes
Provision for review or change: This Memorandum of Understanding will be reviewed annually by the Executive Board, and ratified by the Non-Executive Board. The level of involvement of schools with the Teaching School Alliance will be agreed annually based on a review conducted by the Executive Board regarding each school’s participation and effectiveness of involvement. Any school is able to change their partnership agreement upon request to the Executive Board, which could involve partnership levels being revised, frozen or dissolved if circumstances at their school change. If there is a change of Headteacher and/or school circumstance within an Alliance Partner School the Alliance reserves the right to revise, freeze or dissolve the partnership with the school.
The QA Processes for each of the different elements of the TS are transparent and embedded within the various documentation including the process charts. Further information related to these is available upon specific request. The QA processes: •
Measure the progress towards the KPIs identified in the Action Plan
•
Enable individuals to be held to account (through the structure of the Executive and Non-Executive Boards)
•
Ensure regularity and compliance
Below is a brief summary of who is accountable, and how QA takes place.
Area of the Big Six
Who is accountable for it?
ITT team
Teaching and Learning Support Team Development team
Research Team
ITT
CPD/ Leadership development
School to School Support
R&D
Succession Planning/ Talent Management
SLEs
Emma Collins
Emma Collins
(Director of Teaching School)
(Director of Teaching School)
Steve Dixon
(Director of SCITT)
Secondary Sue Molloy (Director of Primary Alliance)
Primary How is this Quality Assured?
QA processes for SCITT include review of recruitment and selection as well as for delivery
Action planning for each bid identifies KPIs though Impact Evaluation. Evaluations from DRB
Steve Dixon
(Director of SCITT)
Secondary Sue Molloy Primary
Action planning for every type of support identifies KPIs and goals through Impact Evaluation.
Action planning for each bid identifies KPIs through Impact Evaluation.
These processes are supported by the peer review of the TSA, and the monitoring of the annual collaborative fund.
Partner
Level of partnership
Tudor Grange Academy Worcester
Strategic
Tudor Grange Academy Redditch
Strategic
Tudor Grange Academy, St. James
Strategic
Tudor Grange Academy, Haselor
Strategic
North Leamington School
Associate
Alcester Academy
Associate
Henley-in-Arden High School
Associate
The High Arcal School, Dudley
Strategic
Caludon Castle School, Coventry
Associate
University of Cumbria
Associate
HTI/ DRB Ignite
Associate
Kineton High School
Associate
Tudor Grange Academy Solihull Dingle Lane Solihull B91 3PD Tel: 0121 705 5100 Fax: 0121 703 8226 office@solihull.tgacademy.org.uk