My Postcode is better than your Postcode!!
David Carter
Executive Principal
Cabot Learning Federation
Aims for Session
• 3 GOALS of this Presentation – To describe how educational leaders need to
be the champions of the vulnerable– What being vulnerable means?– How do we lead and influence this agenda?
Starting Points
• There are two key questions we need to be able to answer:
– Can we as educators compensate for a dis-advantaged start in life?
– Can we assume that if we get the support right for one cohort we have solved the problem for ever?
CLF and the 4-19 Journey
• How is our Context Changing?– 900 staff– 5638 students
• 1265 in Primary Academies (22%)
• 3870 in 11-16 (69%)• 503 in post 16 (9%)
– 10 Open Academies– New Primary Academy-
September 2013– 16-19 Academy
Application for Sept 2014 start
• How is our Context Changing?– 900 staff– 5638 students
• 1265 in Primary Academies (22%)
• 3870 in 11-16 (69%)• 503 in post 16 (9%)
– 10 Open Academies– New Primary Academy-
September 2013– 16-19 Academy
Application for Sept 2014 start
• Teaching School• ITT-Primary and Secondary
(27 School Direct for 2013)• 40 SLE providing School to
school support• NPQH/NPQSL and NPQML
• Teaching School• ITT-Primary and Secondary
(27 School Direct for 2013)• 40 SLE providing School to
school support• NPQH/NPQSL and NPQML
What was our vision in 2007-8?
• We wanted to change the educational landscape of East Bristol for ever!
• We wanted to give the John Cabot City Technology College (CTC) experience to more students– ….but not by admitting more students to the CTC
• We wanted to build a learning community of children, parents and carers and professionals
• We wanted to take responsibility for a child’s education in BS15 and BS16 from the age of 4 to 19
• We wanted to change the educational landscape of East Bristol for ever!
• We wanted to give the John Cabot City Technology College (CTC) experience to more students– ….but not by admitting more students to the CTC
• We wanted to build a learning community of children, parents and carers and professionals
• We wanted to take responsibility for a child’s education in BS15 and BS16 from the age of 4 to 19
Has it worked?
• Bristol Brunel Academy– 17% to 53% 5 ACEM
• Bristol Metropolitan Academy– NTI to Good (June 2011)
• King’s Oak Academy– 32% to 52% -2011 to 2012
• Bath Community Academy– Exited Special Measures in
Feb 2013!!• Hans Price Academy
– 23% to 45%-2011 to 2012
• John Cabot Academy– Outstanding in 2007 and
2009– 5 A-C with English and
Maths not less than 73% in the past 3 years
– Summer of 2012, 93 CLF students have gone to University-22 from BBA and BMA
– 17/22 the first in their family to do so
Improving Capacity, Changing Cultures, Building Resilience
Improving the Quality of teaching &
learning
Improving the Quality of teaching &
learning
Improving the quality & Impact of Leadership &
Governance
Improving the quality & Impact of Leadership &
Governance
Improving the quality of
Transition in a 4 to 19 Federation
Improving the quality of
Transition in a 4 to 19 Federation
Improving the Quality and Impact of
Finance and HR Management
Improving the Quality and Impact of
Finance and HR Management
Improving the Quality and
range of Student Support-”team
around the child”
Improving the Quality and
range of Student Support-”team
around the child”
5 Core Strands5 Core
Strands
What Beliefs underpin our Strategy?
• Children get one chance only– Year 7 is too late to start
the intervention
• Year 11 students today will be parents of secondary students in 2030-2040 and we need to transform the home to school relationship
• University Education and higher level employment IS attainable for our students– Communities sometimes
believe education has nothing to offer the most dis-advantaged
• 3rd and 4th generation unemployment
– How do we break the cycle?
How do we do things differently?
Federated Partnership
• Single Employer– Staff Secondment and Exchanges
• Collective Responsibility from the CLF Leadership Team for Every Vulnerable child
• Focus on teaching• Leadership, Succession Planning and Talent
Management• Leading Education for a Community
“Collaboration for Outstanding
Achievement”-CLF Mission
You have to have a bold vision and not be disturbed by the
challenge…..
“Collaboration for Outstanding
Achievement”• Our Promise is to deliver an outstanding
education to every child who attends one of our Academies. – To achieve this, every student will be taught
by a well trained and well supported teacher, in an Academy that is led at every level by an inspirational leader….
“Collaboration for Outstanding
Achievement”• Our Belief is that through collaboration we
can accelerate our vision of every CLF Academy being judged to be at least “good” and on the path to “outstanding” by 2015-16. – Students come first, and we judge ourselves
on how successful we are in supporting our most vulnerable children as well as those who are gifted and talented.
“Collaboration for Outstanding
Achievement”• Our Goal is to share the effective practice
that is developed by staff in one Academy so that students in another can benefit from federation wide strategies. – We embrace the uniqueness of our schools
and the communities they serve.
Where do we Start?
“There are no quick fixes to closing the gap but outstanding teaching is part of the long term solution”
Developing Teaching & Learning in the CLF• Main Focus
– To identify and share the best practice in teaching and learning across the ten schools
– To design and support school “swaps” & exchanges– To move teachers from Satisfactory to Good– To move teachers from Good to Outstanding
• CLF target is 85% of observations show good or better
– To enable, where appropriate, teachers and support staff to visit and work alongside colleagues from the other Academies
What do the best teachers do every day to
close the gap?
• Differentiate the learning experience – Every child is potentially
vulnerable
• Plan for the students who have fallen behind
• Mark the work of vulnerable students better and more frequently
• Focus on progress first
• Believe they are teachers of literacy as well as their subject
• Take responsibility for managing behaviour as 90% of low level disruption is caused because students cannot access the learning
Leadership and Succession Planning
• Leadership Development Programmes – Emerging Leaders– Middle Leaders– Emerging Senior Leaders
• Annual Federation Conferences in July & November
• Make connections for staff visits to schools across the UK and Overseas– Boston USA and Finland– CLF Study Tours when at
least 1 Academy has INSET Day
• Coaching and Mentoring– NQT and PCGE across
CLF– Appointment Directory– Alumni
• Student Parliament Leadership Development Programme
• Senior Leaders on secondment
What do the best leaders do every day to close the
gap?
• Champion the Vulnerable child and talk about them positively
• Work hard with parents and the “hard to reach”
• Lead and Manage the data audit to ensure progression and prevent further falling back
• Work with internal and external expert groups
• Share and learn from best practice
• Work with partners from other schools to develop next practice
• Create opportunities for vulnerable students to spend more time not less time in school
Are Staff Equipped to support the most vulnerable students?
Has some empathy but in general finds them a distraction:
-Training and support to use their strong teaching skills to create more impact
Has a flair and talent for getting the best from vulnerable learners
-Use these teachers to be closing the gap champions and support others
Has little or no success with vulnerable learners
-Support with the expectation of improvement but strong challenge needed to ensure students get best deal
Has limited success with vulnerable learners but wants to improve
-Training, mentoring and support from a champion with clear strategies for planning
Impact Measures
How do we know our strategy is working?
Formal Measures of Success
• Performance Measures– KS2 and GCSE Performance– Levels of Progress– Attendance– Rewards and Sanctions– Student Voice
Other Measures of Success
• Transition from Primary to Secondary School• Staying on rates to post 16• Employment • Number of students from vulnerable groups gaining
access to higher education• Frequency of interaction with parents• Involvement in extra curricular events• Involvement in school trips and visits• Bristol CC “80 before 18” and the CLF Learning Promise
Contacts and Follow Ups
• If you would like to come and see the CLF in action please e mail my PA Sam Brooks at [email protected]
• www.cabotlearningfederation.net
• @carter6D on twitter