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JURASSIC COAST TEACHING SCHOOLS’ ALLIANCE NEWSLETTER
JURASSIC COASTTEACHING SCHOOLS’ ALLIANCE
February 2017
The pace of development in JCTSA rarely seems to slacken. A huge amount has happened since the last newsletter
and nearly all of it is positive. Having recently lamented the lack of attention given to research in schools, I am delighted to say that there does seem to be a glimmer of hope on the horizon, partly due to our own efforts in this area but also thanks to our latest grant. Shortly before Christmas we were awarded a Workload Challenge Grant of £8k – one of eleven schools from a total of 159 applications. Our work is to focus on exploring the links between the way the medical profession uses data and the way it is used in schools, so it should be both interesting and innovative. Our home-grown contribution to raising the status of research has been the establishment of Research Reading Groups which are now operating in at least five of our alliance schools, and, so far, proving to be both popular and successful.
This work sits neatly alongside the Trios which run across all phases and all subjects in the alliance and, of course, will impact upon discussions in the increasingly well attended subject network meetings set up last year. Research will also be a key strand in the Annual Conference programme on the 26th April (and if you haven’t
booked your place yet, please do so to ensure that we have sufficient numbers to make the event as successful as last year’s).
One of the key outcomes which the DfE and the National College monitor to measure the success, or otherwise, of teaching school alliances is the impact they are having on other schools and this is another area where JCTSA is proving to be particularly strong. Last year we were awarded two grants to support schools in our network and I am delighted to say that both have moved from RI to Good in their recent Ofsted inspections. This year we have acquired two additional grants and we hope to help the schools involved make the same journey to good as quickly as possible.
As I pointed out in the last newsletter – and, indeed, as I continually point out – the real strength of our alliance is the informal, mutual support and trust which links us all together. It is encouraging to note that schools which join us stay with us and this allows us to develop a real sense of a shared purpose. Because of our success, others frequently ask to join and we encourage them to do so providing they agree to take part and join in. South Dartmoor Community College has been a key player since the alliance was set up over five years ago and I
am therefore pleased to announce that the other schools in the South Dartmoor MAT have now joined us too, both the primaries and the Studio School.
We are also establishing stronger links with other teaching school alliances. We already work very closely with Redstart and we are pleased to support our North Dorset Hub as it works towards teaching school status in its own right. We have also been involved in joint activities with a range of other alliances including, most recently, the West Country TSA led by Uffculme school.
Finally, in these dire financial times, it is pleasing to note that the £40k core grant has been confirmed for the next few years at least and this means we will be able to continue subsidising events and activities as we always have done in the past, alongside covering the admin and staffing costs which sit at the heart of the operation. And while we are on the subject of finance, this may be the right time to remind colleagues that we will be issuing invoices for next year’s JCTSA subscription in the near future (with rates unchanged from last year).
Let’s hope 2017 proves to be yet another successful year for the alliance. A belated Happy New Year to you all.
Richard
JURASSIC COASTTEACHING SCHOOLS’ ALLIANCE
JURASSIC COASTTEACHING SCHOOLS’ ALLIANCE
WEDNESDAY 26 APRIL 2017 TAUNTON RACECOURSE, ORCHARD PORTMAN, SOMERSET, TA3 7BL
JURASSIC COAST TEACHING SCHOOLS’ ALLIANCEWWW.JCTSA.ORG.UK [email protected] @JURASSICCOASTTS
The day will also include:BRADLEY SIMMONS, Ofsted, JENNIFER BLUNDEN, CEO at Truro and Penwith Academy Trust and member of the National Teaching Schools Council and numerous BREAKOUT SESSIONS based on innovative teaching and learning in the region
£120 per delegate - non alliance members£80 per delegate - alliance members
BOOK HERE
Possibly the only person to hold the prestigious title
of London Mathematical Society Popular Lecturer
while simultaneously having a sold-out comedy
show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Matt is always keen to mix his
two passions of mathematics and
stand-up.
In 2011, frustrated by the current state of education he began to blog. Since then he has expressed the constraints and irritations of ordinary teachers, detailed the successes and failures of his classroom and synthesised 15 years of teaching experienced through the lens of education research and cognitive psychology.
DAVID DIDAU
MATT PARKER
JURASSIC COASTTEACHING SCHOOLS’ ALLIANCE
JURASSIC COASTTEACHING SCHOOLS’ ALLIANCE
WEDNESDAY 26 APRIL 2017 TAUNTON RACECOURSE, ORCHARD PORTMAN, SOMERSET, TA3 7BL
JURASSIC COAST TEACHING SCHOOLS’ ALLIANCEWWW.JCTSA.ORG.UK [email protected] @JURASSICCOASTTS
The day will also include:BRADLEY SIMMONS, Ofsted, JENNIFER BLUNDEN, CEO at Truro and Penwith Academy Trust and member of the National Teaching Schools Council and numerous BREAKOUT SESSIONS based on innovative teaching and learning in the region
£120 per delegate - non alliance members£80 per delegate - alliance members
BOOK HERE
Possibly the only person to hold the prestigious title
of London Mathematical Society Popular Lecturer
while simultaneously having a sold-out comedy
show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Matt is always keen to mix his
two passions of mathematics and
stand-up.
In 2011, frustrated by the current state of education he began to blog. Since then he has expressed the constraints and irritations of ordinary teachers, detailed the successes and failures of his classroom and synthesised 15 years of teaching experienced through the lens of education research and cognitive psychology.
DAVID DIDAU
MATT PARKER
JURASSIC COASTTEACHING SCHOOLS’ ALLIANCE
JURASSIC COASTTEACHING SCHOOLS’ ALLIANCE
WEDNESDAY 26 APRIL 2017 TAUNTON RACECOURSE, ORCHARD PORTMAN, SOMERSET, TA3 7BL
JURASSIC COAST TEACHING SCHOOLS’ ALLIANCEWWW.JCTSA.ORG.UK [email protected] @JURASSICCOASTTS
The day will also include:BRADLEY SIMMONS, Ofsted, JENNIFER BLUNDEN, CEO at Truro and Penwith Academy Trust and member of the National Teaching Schools Council and numerous BREAKOUT SESSIONS based on innovative teaching and learning in the region
£120 per delegate - non alliance members£80 per delegate - alliance members
BOOK HERE
Possibly the only person to hold the prestigious title
of London Mathematical Society Popular Lecturer
while simultaneously having a sold-out comedy
show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Matt is always keen to mix his
two passions of mathematics and
stand-up.
In 2011, frustrated by the current state of education he began to blog. Since then he has expressed the constraints and irritations of ordinary teachers, detailed the successes and failures of his classroom and synthesised 15 years of teaching experienced through the lens of education research and cognitive psychology.
DAVID DIDAU
MATT PARKER
Workload Challenge Research ProjectAs Richard has mentioned, we have been awarded a NCTL grant as part of the Workload Challenge Project (see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/workload-challenge-school-research-projects/workload-challenge-school-research-projects for details of all the projects). Our interdisciplinary project is investigating whether some of the principles which underpin the medical profession’s approach to using data can be helpfully applied in schools. We are very grateful to Karen Mattick, Professor of Medical Education at The University of Exeter, who has collaborated with us on the project and has managed to secure both time and commitment from a range of clinicians. We have recruited 10 participant teachers from JCTSA schools and are looking forward to starting work together after half term. We anticipate that the project will lead to a reduction in the participant teachers’ workloads by empowering them to do something different in their approach to data. Our ultimate goal is to foster an atmosphere where data motivates change and underpins progress rather than being seen as an additional burden that needs to be ‘managed’.
Laura Webb, Teaching Schools’ Manager
SLEsWe recently recruited an additional 4 SLEs – Laura Garland (The Blandford School), James Knightbridge (The Blandford School), Simon Lewis (Budmouth College) and Miles Smith (Colyton Grammar School). They will be receiving training about the role after half term and their details will then be made available on the website. Thanks to Sara Jacobs from Westcountry Teaching School Alliance for helping with the recruitment process.
Our existing SLEs have been busy providing school to school support and CPD. See below for details of sessions which are coming up in the near future.
SLE CPD Sessions 2016/17All of the listed sessions are free to Alliance members but places do need to be reserved so that our SLEs know whether their session will be viable. Please email Laura Webb ([email protected]) to reserve a place. Please contact the named SLE directly if you would like more information. Please note that this list will be updated regularly as more training events are arranged. An up-to-date version will be available on the website (http://www.jctsa.org.uk/).
Session Date/time Venue Phase Name of SLE SLE contact detailsEnhanced feedback for Pupil Premium students
Thurs 2 March, 4pm
Axe Valley Community College
Secondary/top KS2
Naomi Gribler [email protected]
E-safety: a staff guide to the digital minefield
Thurs 9 March, 3.45pm
Sturminster Newton High School
Primary/Secondary
Lee Phillips [email protected]
Effective and efficient feedback
Tues 14 March, 3.45pm
Holyrood Academy
Secondary Jo James [email protected]
Effective strategies for tracking students
Thurs 27 April, 3.45pm
Shaftesbury School
Secondary Ben Hillier [email protected]
School DirectThank you to all those colleagues who have been busy promoting School Direct and who have given up their time to run interview days. This is a hugely time consuming business (not to mention frustrating when offers don’t convert into acceptances!) but I am very confident that the people we have recruited so far will be excellent. Please continue to promote our programmes via your school websites, Twitter etc. Full details of all the home schools and subjects can be found at http://www.jctsa.org.uk/training/subjects-locations/
We can continue recruiting throughout the spring and summer terms now that the system of individual quota allocations has been reinstated.
Future Teaching ScholarsOur current cohort of 3 scholars spent time in the Maths Department at The Woodroffe School in December 2016. They are Year 1 undergraduates who have embarked on a 6-year teacher training programme alongside their Maths degrees. They will be spending additional days in the Maths Department at Holyrood Academy later this year and we are now involved in recruitment to the programme for 17/18 so the numbers look set to grow during the next two years.
Educational Research Reading GroupsThese have now been established in several of our Alliance schools. They aim to give colleagues some targeted time and space to refl ect, discuss and debate in a supportive environment. I can provide you with readings and suggested discussion points around the chosen theme – so far we have considered assessment and marking and we are now moving on to try and unpick the ‘growth mindset’ agenda. Please email me (lwebb@woodroff e.dorset.sch.uk) if you would like further details.
Subject Network MeetingsThese have been increasingly well-attended and have provided colleagues with valuable opportunities to collaborate, particularly around the planning, resourcing and assessing of the new GCSEs. Thank you to all those schools who have hosted meetings or who have off ered to host in the future. We have now established a STEM Network (which will possibly turn into STEAM in the near future!) and had a really useful fi rst meeting in January at Holyrood where the STEM outreach offi cer from The University of Exeter, Alice Mills, shared lots of ideas and resources. Please see below for details of Network Meetings that are coming up after half term. Please email me (lwebb@woodroff e.dorset.sch.uk) to confi rm your attendance so that I can send out Agendas in advance.
ICT / Computing – Thursday 23 February , 1.30pm – 3.00pm, Blandford School
Psychology Hub – Thursday 23 February, 3.45pm-5.00pm, Holyrood Academy
Geography – Friday 3 March, 2.30pm – 3.30pm, Axe Valley Community College
Science - Wednesday 8 March, 2.30pm - 4.00pm, Holyrood Academy
History – Wednesday 15 March, 2.30pm - 4.00pm, Beaminster School
Art – Thursday 16 March, 2.30pm-4.00pm, Holyrood Academy
Please confi rm attendance to Laura Webb ([email protected])
West Country Teaching School Alliance | 01884 842908 | [email protected] |www.wctsa.org | @wctsaWest Country Teaching School Alliance | 01884 842908 | [email protected] |www.wctsa.org | @wctsaWest Country Teaching School Alliance | 01884 842908 | [email protected] |www.wctsa.org | @wctsa
A programme of professional development sessions for governors of all types of school organisations.This programme has been designed to support the development of effective governance practice. It isaimed at governors who are committed to improving their performance through focusing on their ownprofessional development.
Programme delivery:This training will be delivered by MartinCallaghan, a National Leader ofGovernance. Martin is an experiencedgovernor who has facilitated governortraining for the National College forTeaching and Leadership.
Course aim and content:
Session 1: Improving governor knowledge and skills● understand your roles and responsibilities, and how governors discharge their obligations to
hold the senior leadership to account● what information governors might expect to receive, how to interpret it and what questions to
ask● consider how you can better understand your school and use your knowledge to support its
improvement● training on governor visits and the roles which might be played by link governors, committees
and the full Governing Body
Session 2: Governing Body self-evaluation● gain increased knowledge of the different approaches used by governing bodies to self-assess● provide a framework for reflection and discussion on self- evaluating current practice
Session 3: Preparing for Ofsted & Becoming an NLG● gain increased knowledge of the inspection framework as it relates to governance● share experience from recent inspections● gain knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of becoming a National Leader of Governance
Dates and venue:All sessions will be held at Uffculme School andwill run 5.00pm - 7.00pm.
Session 1 - Monday 6 MarchSession 2 - Thursday 27 AprilSession 3 - Wednesday 24 May
This training is free to attend. Please [email protected] to book your place.
Governor trainingProvided in conjunction with West Country Teaching School Alliance
and Jurassic Coast Teaching School Alliance
JURASSIC COASTTEACHING SCHOOLS’ ALLIANCE
JURASSIC COASTTEACHING SCHOOLS’ ALLIANCE
WEDNESDAY 26 APRIL 2017 TAUNTON RACECOURSE, ORCHARD PORTMAN, SOMERSET, TA3 7BL
JURASSIC COAST TEACHING SCHOOLS’ ALLIANCEWWW.JCTSA.ORG.UK [email protected] @JURASSICCOASTTS
The day will also include:BRADLEY SIMMONS, Ofsted, JENNIFER BLUNDEN, CEO at Truro and Penwith Academy Trust and member of the National Teaching Schools Council and numerous BREAKOUT SESSIONS based on innovative teaching and learning in the region
£120 per delegate - non alliance members£80 per delegate - alliance members
BOOK HERE
Possibly the only person to hold the prestigious title
of London Mathematical Society Popular Lecturer
while simultaneously having a sold-out comedy
show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Matt is always keen to mix his
two passions of mathematics and
stand-up.
In 2011, frustrated by the current state of education he began to blog. Since then he has expressed the constraints and irritations of ordinary teachers, detailed the successes and failures of his classroom and synthesised 15 years of teaching experienced through the lens of education research and cognitive psychology.
DAVID DIDAU
MATT PARKER