The 2008-9 NMSS SIPs The 2008-9 NMSS SIPs Pilot: Pilot:

Some lessons learned…. Some lessons learned….

Workshop Lead: Workshop Lead: Steve Cochrane, Independent Project EvaluatorSteve Cochrane, Independent Project Evaluator

BackgroundBackgroundPilot ran from April 2008 to July 2009 and included, 20 Non Pilot ran from April 2008 to July 2009 and included, 20 Non Maintained Special Schools (NMMS) of which 3 schools Maintained Special Schools (NMMS) of which 3 schools withdrew.withdrew.

Two models were used:Two models were used:Lead Local Authority Model (Hampshire and North Lead Local Authority Model (Hampshire and North Yorkshire)Yorkshire)Trustee Model Trustee Model

Accredited Special School SIPs were used – who continued Accredited Special School SIPs were used – who continued to receive ongoing CPD and briefings from different LAs to receive ongoing CPD and briefings from different LAs outside the projectoutside the project

Final summative report presented to the NMMS SIP Pilot Final summative report presented to the NMMS SIP Pilot Steering Group in September 2009. Steering Group in September 2009.

The Changing Context during The Changing Context during the pilot period...the pilot period...

• Further, ongoing development of the Further, ongoing development of the Special Schools SIP ProgrammeSpecial Schools SIP Programme

• DCSF/National Strategies Progression DCSF/National Strategies Progression Guidance ProjectGuidance Project

• Regional Commissioning Pilots & Regional Commissioning Pilots & ongoing work on National Contractsongoing work on National Contracts

• Commissioning Support ProgrammeCommissioning Support Programme

• ““2121stst Century Schools” White Paper Century Schools” White Paper

2121stst Century Schools: Century Schools: Building a 21Building a 21stst century schools system century schools system

In particular, ‘21In particular, ‘21stst Century Schools’ made some new Century Schools’ made some new commitments:commitments:

• In In every schoolevery school: excellent teaching and the extra help : excellent teaching and the extra help each child needseach child needs

• In In every schoolevery school: a well-led and highly-skilled workforce: a well-led and highly-skilled workforce• Every school working in partnerships: because no Every school working in partnerships: because no

school can do it aloneschool can do it alone• Every school Every school improving: improving: stronger accountability and stronger accountability and

rapid intervention rapid intervention when it is neededwhen it is needed• Every school Every school and school leaders supported: the right and school leaders supported: the right

roles for local and central governmentroles for local and central government

2121stst Century Schools: Defining Century Schools: Defining the Purposes of the Schoolthe Purposes of the SchoolImportant that Important that schools are expected to work for the benefit of schools are expected to work for the benefit of local children, families and communitieslocal children, families and communities, as well as their own , as well as their own pupilspupilsWe intend to legislate to make clear that We intend to legislate to make clear that schools can use schools can use resources to take on these responsibilitiesresources to take on these responsibilitiesWe will make clear that the school has three responsibilities:We will make clear that the school has three responsibilities:- first, to the pupils on its own roll;- first, to the pupils on its own roll;- second, to - second, to other children and young people in the wider areaother children and young people in the wider area; ; andand- third, to the wider community which it serves- third, to the wider community which it servesKey responsibility of governors Key responsibility of governors to hold school leadership to to hold school leadership to account for the effectiveness of how it achieves these three account for the effectiveness of how it achieves these three purposes and how it meets the needs of its own pupils as well purposes and how it meets the needs of its own pupils as well as local children and families and the local communityas local children and families and the local community

Partnerships with other schools and Partnerships with other schools and providers and children’s servicesproviders and children’s services

Key themes:Key themes:- Collaboration will become central to the organisation of the Collaboration will become central to the organisation of the

school systemschool system- Local partnerships of schools will extend opportunityLocal partnerships of schools will extend opportunity- Hard edged partnerships will extend the reach of the best Hard edged partnerships will extend the reach of the best

leadersleaders- Partnerships across the children’s services through the Partnerships across the children’s services through the

Children’s Trust, will tackle the barriers to learningChildren’s Trust, will tackle the barriers to learning- Partnerships will create efficiencyPartnerships will create efficiency- Promoting and eliminating barriers to partnership workingPromoting and eliminating barriers to partnership working

With the NMSS sector?

Every school will drive its own Every school will drive its own

improvementimprovement – – what this meanswhat this means• Over time – schools to identify the resources they will invest in Over time – schools to identify the resources they will invest in

improvement and professional development, what external improvement and professional development, what external support they will need – across all of their responsibilities - and support they will need – across all of their responsibilities - and from whom, based on effective self evaluation and the support of from whom, based on effective self evaluation and the support of their SIPtheir SIP

• School improvement School improvement support will come from a wide range of support will come from a wide range of providers including other schoolsproviders including other schools, quality assured by DCSF, quality assured by DCSF

DCSF will move away from providing or directly funding school DCSF will move away from providing or directly funding school improvement support. Instead of central National Strategies, improvement support. Instead of central National Strategies, we we will devolve funding and responsibility to schools to choose and will devolve funding and responsibility to schools to choose and pay for the school improvement support they need - across 5 pay for the school improvement support they need - across 5 ECM outcomesECM outcomes

Key Lessons Learned from the Pilot:Key Lessons Learned from the Pilot:1.1. SIP experience positive for NMSS SIP experience positive for NMSS – ‘critical – ‘critical

friend’ role and interchange with maintained friend’ role and interchange with maintained sector developments are most valued elementssector developments are most valued elements

2.2. Neither pilot model is ‘the answer’ – both have Neither pilot model is ‘the answer’ – both have inbuilt flawsinbuilt flaws....

3.3. Governance within the sector needs review.Governance within the sector needs review.

4.4. Future development of any programme needs Future development of any programme needs to be planned within a changing context where to be planned within a changing context where LAs (and even maintained sector schools LAs (and even maintained sector schools through consortia) increasingly become through consortia) increasingly become commissioners of specialist services and commissioners of specialist services and provisionprovision

The Findings 1: The Findings 1: SIPs are good for the sector. Why/How?SIPs are good for the sector. Why/How?

““SIPs working with schools within the pilot have undoubtedly SIPs working with schools within the pilot have undoubtedly had a measurable and positive impact upon thinking and had a measurable and positive impact upon thinking and professional practice within those schools – particularly in professional practice within those schools – particularly in relation to the use of data for evaluation and target-setting relation to the use of data for evaluation and target-setting purposes. As a result, nearly all of those who have been purposes. As a result, nearly all of those who have been involved in the pilot are convinced that the process should be involved in the pilot are convinced that the process should be extended to the whole NMSS sector.”extended to the whole NMSS sector.”

The main benefits were seen as those arising from:The main benefits were seen as those arising from:• the ‘critical friend’ rolethe ‘critical friend’ role• the sustained focus upon progress and achievement the sustained focus upon progress and achievement • the ‘cross-fertilisation’ effect evident because SIPs who had the ‘cross-fertilisation’ effect evident because SIPs who had been working within the maintained sector were also now been working within the maintained sector were also now working within the NMSS sector.working within the NMSS sector.

The Findings 2: The Findings 2: The need to plan & prepare carefully..The need to plan & prepare carefully..

• The project has identified several issues The project has identified several issues important to the work of SIPs within the non-important to the work of SIPs within the non-maintained sector that will need to be addressed, maintained sector that will need to be addressed, as part of any plans to extend or embed the pilot as part of any plans to extend or embed the pilot programme. programme.

• These should be addressed via systematic These should be addressed via systematic briefings, training events/resources and ongoing briefings, training events/resources and ongoing (perhaps web-based?) Continuing Professional (perhaps web-based?) Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and will need to be tailored Development (CPD) and will need to be tailored variously for SIPs, headteachers and trustees variously for SIPs, headteachers and trustees within the sector. within the sector.

The Findings 6: Clarity of purpose..The Findings 6: Clarity of purpose..

Robust Quality Assurance (QA) systems are Robust Quality Assurance (QA) systems are increasingly needed within the sector but increasingly needed within the sector but should not be allowed to compromise the should not be allowed to compromise the ‘critical friend’ role of the SIP. Subject to ‘critical friend’ role of the SIP. Subject to regulatory safeguards, the QA function of regulatory safeguards, the QA function of any SIP programme within the sector should any SIP programme within the sector should be supportive of self-evaluation within an be supportive of self-evaluation within an overall commissioners’ QA Framework.overall commissioners’ QA Framework.

The Findings 3: The Findings 3: Review governance in the sectorReview governance in the sector

The diversity of governance and management structures within The diversity of governance and management structures within the NMSS sector reflects the diversity of goals pursued by those the NMSS sector reflects the diversity of goals pursued by those organisations e.g. fundraising, marketing of services. organisations e.g. fundraising, marketing of services.

The challenge presented to some of these existing structures The challenge presented to some of these existing structures (which relate to these organisational goals) – and to some (which relate to these organisational goals) – and to some individuals within them - by the SIPs’ relentless focus upon pupil individuals within them - by the SIPs’ relentless focus upon pupil progress and achievement, has introduced a fresh element for progress and achievement, has introduced a fresh element for the schools’ management and governance processes to take the schools’ management and governance processes to take account of. account of.

This in turn has highlighted a need for some of the schools (or This in turn has highlighted a need for some of the schools (or their parent organisations) to review their governance or their parent organisations) to review their governance or management structures in order to make the most of the SIP management structures in order to make the most of the SIP process. This may be as simple a matter initially as identifying process. This may be as simple a matter initially as identifying a governor/trustee to liaise with the SIP.a governor/trustee to liaise with the SIP.

The Findings 4: The Hub LA The Findings 4: The Hub LA model..model..LA managers in both areas, and headteachers/trustees in LA managers in both areas, and headteachers/trustees in some of the schools, have raised concerns about three some of the schools, have raised concerns about three aspects of the LA-managed model:aspects of the LA-managed model:

a) the conflict between the SIPs role as ‘critical friend’ a) the conflict between the SIPs role as ‘critical friend’ to the school and the LAs role in commissioning and quality to the school and the LAs role in commissioning and quality assuring placements within the sector. assuring placements within the sector.

b) the defined core (i.e. statutory) functions of the LA b) the defined core (i.e. statutory) functions of the LA do not include any responsibility for supporting or securing do not include any responsibility for supporting or securing improvements within the NM sector. The responsibility for improvements within the NM sector. The responsibility for any remedial work that may be needed remains at all times any remedial work that may be needed remains at all times with the trustees. LAs see this work as peripheral..with the trustees. LAs see this work as peripheral..

c) This sense of ‘peripherality’ is exacerbated when c) This sense of ‘peripherality’ is exacerbated when the schools are remote, in geographical terms, from the the schools are remote, in geographical terms, from the managing LA – as they were within the pilot and as they managing LA – as they were within the pilot and as they would be in many cases within a ‘hub LA’ managed model.would be in many cases within a ‘hub LA’ managed model.

The Findings 5: The Trustee model..The Findings 5: The Trustee model..As the LA’s role as the strategic commissioners continues As the LA’s role as the strategic commissioners continues to develop, then robust QA structures and processes are to develop, then robust QA structures and processes are increasingly needed . increasingly needed .

Concerns are evident about the ability of the Trustee-Concerns are evident about the ability of the Trustee-managed model to:managed model to:

a) Reassure commissioners about the a) Reassure commissioners about the independence/impartiality of SIPs work and reportsindependence/impartiality of SIPs work and reports

b) Ensure that headteachers (particularly in some of b) Ensure that headteachers (particularly in some of the smaller, single school organisations) are not the smaller, single school organisations) are not additionally and inappropriately burdened with additionally and inappropriately burdened with finding/selecting/briefing and managing the SIP for their finding/selecting/briefing and managing the SIP for their own schoolown school

c) Provide adequate and appropriate levels and c) Provide adequate and appropriate levels and kinds of support to SIPs working with schools where kinds of support to SIPs working with schools where concerns of one kind or another become evident. concerns of one kind or another become evident.

Next steps:Next steps:

DCSF to consider report findings and DCSF to consider report findings and recommendations within the new recommendations within the new policy/strategic context provided by “21policy/strategic context provided by “21stst Century Schools”.Century Schools”.

DCSF to liaise with NASS over future DCSF to liaise with NASS over future plansplans

What is this new context?What is this new context?

The Future: A reformed and strengthened The Future: A reformed and strengthened accountability system – the role of School accountability system – the role of School Improvement Partners (SIPs)Improvement Partners (SIPs)

• SIPs will be the single agent for challenge and support to schools across all outcomes on behalf of LAs - continues reform started with the New Relationship with Schools

• significant shift in the way SIPs, LAs, Non Departmental Public Bodies and DCSF field forces work with schools - schools will have differentiated SIP time according to performance

• stronger choice for GBs in who their SIP is – role reduced from 5 years to 3 in each school

• will reform SIP training and quality assurance - expect to phase in new approach over time

• Further consultation to come

Increased leverage over

weak performers

Challenge, diagnose and

broker support

Increase time in school but

reduce time attached to

school

Reposition as primary

intermediary between

schools & LAs

Support Heads to understand

the new SI model

Support schools to improve all outcomes for

children

In short: An enhanced role for SIPs…

New SIP role

…underpinned by more checks and quality assurance

Give school governors more say in who their

SIP is

SIP

Review and develop SIP accreditation

process

Hold a national register of SIPs, identifying who is best to work

where

Issue ‘licence to practice’ to

quality-assured SIPs

Require all practicing SIPs to re-accredit

over time

Undertake quality

assurance of existing SIPs