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Effectively Improving Poorly Performing Schools
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This Seminar will be held at The Royal Commonwealth Society in London
On Thursday 11th May 2006
Seminar reference PPS/144 |
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CONTEXT
 The NAO finds 1,500 schools performing poorly
Ofsted has given less attention to poor performance than failure
A new, shorter inspection cycle will help
Poor leadership and other weakness should be identified early
Turning a school round takes time and money
Local councils should intervene early and provide support
Lessons can be learned from schools which have turned round
More targeted effort is needed to sustain recovery
What should schools themselves do?
What should be the role of local government?
What should Government, Ofsted and other quangos do?
This seminar with key players examines these questions and seeks answers for the future.
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BACKGROUND
Despite major investment in education and emphasis on improved standards, the NAO has found that 1,500 schools are performing poorly. Their report looks at how to identify poor performance and support schools at risk; how to turn around poorly performing schools; and how to sustain a school after recovery.
Schools with weak leadership generally fail to re-cognise weaknesses and are unable to tackle them when they do. Untackled failing teaching or disruptive pupils can lead to declining pupil attainment. Ofsted has given less attention to poorly performing schools than those performing very badly. It's new, shorter inspection cycle will reduce risks going unnoticed.
The situation is improving. The number of schools in special measures declined by ½ between 1998 and 2005, low-attaining secondaries by ¾ between 1998 and 2004 and low attaining primaries by 20% between 2004 and 2005. But there is no room for complacency.
NAO believes an inspection cycle focused more on vulnerable schools, initiating improvement before decline set in would be more effective. Ofsted is already consulting on such a proportionate regime.
Turning a school round takes time and can be ex-pensive. Where there is delay, pupils' education suffers longer and damage to the school's reputation makes recovery difficult. Some schools take 4 years or more to recover from Special Measures. 40% schools which recovered in the mid-90s have since closed. The most expensive option is closure and replacement.
Some local councils give insufficient support to schools at risk. NAO believes councils should maintain close contact with schools, step in when there is deterioration and give more support. They can increase schools' capacity to deal effectively with problems which emerge. What will be councils' future role?
Lessons can be learned from schools which have been turned round in improving leadership and teaching standards, managing behaviour, collaborating with other schools and Fresh Start. The NAO report gives examples.
More targeted effort is needed to sustain recovered schools. Schools themselves need to conduct regular, honest self-evaluation, to continually assess risks and maintain good relations with parents, the council and other schools.
Government and councils can provide a more sustainable environment by helping recruit good teachers, improve certainty about future funding, help identify and manage responsibilities and build capacity of governing bodies.
Headteachers are crucial to sustaining performance and improvement, but their numbers are declining. This is a crucial issue to be addressed.
The seminar, with key national and local players examines the findings of the NAO report. With case studies it asks what action is needed by each of the stakeholders involved. What more is needed?
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The fee for the day's Seminar is £345.00 plus VAT.
Please note: A special rate for schools would be £295.00 plus VAT.
GENEROUS NEGOTIATED DISCOUNTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR VOLUNTARY AND COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS AND FOR MULTIPLE BOOKINGS.
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