NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA SCHOOL NEWSLETTER January 2020

Norwich Opportunity Area Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE Happy New Year 2020! What’s changed in the NOA? Page 2 Norwich know that the work to transform Issue Date Congratulations and thank you to all who life chances is more than a three year An ELSA in every year group Page 3 have given their time and energy over the programme, but we share a Hub Schools and Settings Page 4 last couple of years to help improve social determination to use it, and welcome a mobility for children and young people in fourth year of the programme, to Hub Schools and Settings Page 5 Norwich. The value of this place-based accelerate progress towards a more approach has been recognised in the equitable society. All in education know Community CC’s Page 6 extension by the Government of the the power of education in changing Opportunity Area programme into a society and providing opportunities to all, Research School Page 7 fourth year. regardless of background. University of East Anglia Page 8 This has been an unusual Government The NOA Partnership Board has the Page initiative, with a strong emphasis on local privilege of representing you in the work What a difference a day makes 9 leadership and freedom to design local with Government and in bringing Transition Page 10 solutions. Here in Norwich, we have had together the work of the working groups. such active working groups for each of We look forward to the energy from 14th Bridging Project Page 11 the OA priorities that commitment to January conference to drive forward work continuing the work is now clear, across all the priority areas and hope that Norwich 2040 vision Page 12 regardless of the additional funding that you find the information in this we are looking to secure. The big newsletter helpful in your work to Wensum 2040 vision Page 13 achieve the ambitions you have for the priorities are now so well supported that Community Innovation fund Page 14 there is clear commitment to networks young people for whom you are continuing to drive forward each priority responsible. Parent Sessions Page 15 well beyond them being supported by the Department for Education. Norwich Opportunities Fair Page 16

With a new Government in place, now is Enterprise adviser network Page 17 the time to help set the agenda for the children and young people who most EAN Case studies Page 18 need their voices heard, those who have Youth Board Page 19 not had the same opportunities as their more advantaged peers. All who have Tim Coulson, Chair of Norwich Opportunity Dates for your diary Page 20 worked with communities across Area Partnership Board

NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 2

‘What’s Changed in

the NOA?’ Conference

In September the ‘What’s changed in the NOA?’ conference took place at The Nest. This was a chance to take some time at the end of the first two years of the NOA to reflect on what

activity looked like in schools and

colleges, and ensure the programme

is focussed on the right things as we go into the final year.

This had great attendance and we heard from many speakers about the impact they are seeing.

Jo Philpott, Headteacher at City of spoke about the their classes. impact of coming together as a group of secondary headteachers. We were grateful to have John Morse with us to speak on behalf of local employers about careers.

We were also joined by students from Mile Cross Primary with their headteacher Stuart Allen, who spoke about how the school has tackled disadvantage over the years.

Lastly, we had a Questions and To see what has changed in the NOA Answers session with a panel from you can read the full paper here Cecilia Basnett from Bignold Primary the NOA Partnership Board. told us about the usefulness of the

Communication Champion training and how beneficial it has been to network with other schools. The chance to network was also highlighted by Jo Brown, Principal at Charles Darwin Primary, when talking about the Inclusion Charter.

Natalie Freeman from The Hewett praised the Career Facilitator network, explaining that teachers are seeing the impact in NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 3

An ELSA in every year group

At Mile Cross Primary School, we have something had ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support happens. It’s Assistant) support in place for several impacted on the years now, but with an ever-growing way I interact number of children experiencing with children in social, emotional and mental health the school and difficulties, waiting times for support supported me in had become too lengthy. developing really positive relationships.”

With this new skill base in school, we are Whole School ELSA assembly also developing a Young Carers (November 29th, 2019) network, establishing a system for A grant from the Inclusion Fund has another vulnerable group of children Year 6 pupil, Cyrus Horth says enabled us to train three additional requiring dedicated support. about his ELSA time; “It had members of staff as ELSAs (with quite an effect on me because I NOA funding has given us the another four due to be trained by was pushing everyone away at

January). This training has given opportunity to up-skill and develop the start and I questioned it at

members of staff the skills and key staff in order to create a first, but it really helped because

sustainable programme in school. We I could get everything out and re- confidence to support children with a arrange it. It was nice to have wide range of difficulties such as have already seen the impact in terms bereavement, family break up, anger of our provision and our school someone who didn’t just say I culture, but also, more significantly, understand.” and anxiety management. the impact on individual children who

We have refurbished our ELSA room have participated in ELSA sessions. to create a more comfortable and Their difficulties have not inviting space and purchased new disappeared, but these children have resources conducive to delivering been helped to develop coping This project has already made a effective ELSA sessions. strategies; building their resilience, difference in our school and will self-esteem and confidence. These continue to benefit our school, our All our ELSAs are class-based support are skills that our children will be able children and our families, now and in staff. They have dedicated 1:1 time to develop further throughout their the future. for ELSA sessions but can also deal lives. with issues as they arise in the Eileen Maceachern classroom and the wider school; supporting children at the times they SENCO need it most. Evette Styles, one of our Mile Cross Primary School newly trained ELSAs reflected, “the https://www.elsa-support.co.uk/ training has made me really stop and think about how I’m responding when NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 4

Lakenham EY Hub Schools and Settings Primary A NOA EY Hub School or Setting is refine provision in our own School- an educational provision that has schools; auditing our practice and It has been great been selected by the NOA to completing staff training to ensure meeting lots of become a ‘centre of excellence’ that teaching and learning other settings included in the NOA around Speech, Language and interactions and environments are Communication Champions and Communication Needs (SLCN). communication friendly. EY Hub Schools project and having Each school/setting will develop Working alongside our Community the opportunity to share best its own area of expertise and as a Communication Champion, Oliver practice between each setting has result, will lead in sharing Joyce, we’ve been exploring been beneficial to all. knowledge and best practice opportunities to engage families We are excited to think about the around this aspect of SLCN with and have successfully held Café- opportunities arising in the near the rest of the NOA and beyond. style events to share the key future and look forward to sharing strategies that we learnt in our these with others. training. Catton Grove and Mile The network meetings being held From next term, we will be are growing with every session and Cross Primary Schools are offering training for staff in Sign-a- working in partnership as lots of valuable information and long and Word Aware. We’re best practice is being shared. This looking forward to a programme means that awareness of SLCN is The North Norwich of reciprocal visits within our Communication Hub. being raised and a variety of network, and to growing our techniques to tackle this are being network to include a wider range used in multiple settings. of practitioners. As a hub school we offer CPD Our next network meeting is on opportunities surrounding SLCN th Tuesday 11 February 4.00- including Sign Along training and 6.00pm at Mile Cross Primary workshops for Word Aware. School. For anyone who would like to join

the Lakenham Network and Our vision is to create a centre of If you would like to attend, please become a part of raising the excellence for the development of contact: awareness for SLCN, please speech, language and contact us: Cathy Bryan, communication skills. This will CC and nursery teacher at Jessica Bell and Tracey directly benefit our catchment Catton Grove Primary School Hawthorne families by improving outcomes

for children and by creating a base [email protected] Lakenham Primary from which excellent practice Communication Champions and across the primary phase will be or Eileen Maceachern, Hub School disseminated to other schools and CC and SENCO at

settings. Mile Cross Primary School office@lakenham..sch.uk [email protected] We have spent our first term

working together to enhance and NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 5

Peapod Pre School- understanding of descriptive We have been creating the plan vocabulary. Elsa from ‘Frozen’ and timetable for 2020 and we are came to sing with the children, excited that other settings have bats visited, parents stayed for shown an interest in the training yoga and we plan to have circus on offer. In line with our plan they skills in the new year. A new will be completing this with us in parent coffee group gives early 2020. opportunities to share worries and Moving forward we will be experiences with others in the offering Talk Boost and Elklan This first term as an EY Hub Setting same position. training to staff within our has gone so quickly! network. Training dates for these We have only just started on our Hub journey but look forward to are timetabled to start in February We offer a point of contact for 2020. families with young children to ask giving everyone more to talk about. for advice and support around Our communication champions communication. We aim for If you are interested in joining our will be running drop in sessions for parents and carers to become families and regular “stay and aware of developmental norms so network, our next meeting is on th play” sessions with a focus on increasing early identification and February 6 , 4.30pm – 6.00pm. modelling and sharing good intervention. practice. Please contact Peapod Pre-school Hub for more information: Visiting a local mothers’ and We are keen to expand our toddlers’ group produced lots of Fran O’Neill network and reach out to more interest in our recommendations. settings. To help the community know of Manager, Peapod Pre our existence, we arranged a visit We would love to welcome more to our setting from Wymondham School practitioners to our next meeting Alpacas. This fun, unusual event on the 11th February 2020 from brought in a lot of intrigued [email protected] 3.30pm. families and passers-by. We were also joined by the reception If you would like to attend, please classes and parents from local contact: Recreation Road school. Fun facts Lionwood Infant School- about the animals inspired a lot of Sam Thorpe conversations. Deputy Head

Lionwood Infant School

Our first term as an EY hub school [email protected] has been busy, developing a training program that the communication champions have For any more information on NOA been able to deliver to staff in Broadening children’s knowledge EY Hub Schools and Settings through shared memorable school which has had an contact: experiences provides exciting immediate impact in the way all staff interact with our children. things to talk about and expands [email protected] NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 6

A celebration day full of WOW moments! By the Community Communication Champion team

Did you know when you hear owls the blue sky, and held up our silver hooting ‘Twit-twoo’, in fact you stars. After lunch it was time to Our ‘Let’s Talk at Home’ course offers parents 6 weeks of play- are hearing Tawny owls having a meet Tonya from ‘Hoot with Me’ and her owls. She gave us lots of based sessions with an Elklan conversation? It is a male calling interesting facts about owls and Tutor and a member of the (Twit) and the female answering told us about their different hoots! Community Communication (Twoo)! The children were able to feel the Champion team. Each week they weight of the owls as they perched are given a talking tip to think Conversation is what we are all on their hand, they were able to about and practice. The course is about at the Community see the graduating colours on the about supporting and enabling Communication Champions Tawny owl feathers and the pale parents to better support their Team…and it’s not just for owls! eyes of the little owl who hunts in child’s early language We are encouraging parents to the day. They felt owl feathers and development. engage in more quality talk with explored natural materials. the little people in their lives. At We have now completed two our recent celebration family day rounds of the course and in total at the Woodside Community Hub 62 families from the target areas families who had completed the of Mile Cross, Catton Grove, Elklan ‘Let’s Talk at Home’ course University and Wensum have had a day full of experiences benefitted. planned to prompt excitement and conversation. We wanted to The world is a fascinating place Feedback from parents has been make memories to share back at and opening children’s eyes to the very positive. One parent told us home and new words to add to wonderful variety of the animals her child’s “nursery have growing vocabularies. we share our planet with was part commented on how much more of the day’s aim. The event he is saying. They said that he's finished with a visit from Kimmys changed from saying barely Mobile zoo. The children met anything to talking confidently all Stanley the Chincilla, Shere Khan the time!” the python and Fifi the skunk to name just a few. Up close to these We are interested in hearing from creatures they heard descriptions professionals supporting families of the colour and texture as well as that might benefit from coming to these sessions. The next courses a little about each animal from the knowledgeable staff. They could start at the end of February. We were delighted to welcome stroke and touch them, some even Contact the team on - musicians from London Rhymes to braved having a snake around 01603 638097. open our day. They enchanted the their neck. These special adults and children alike with a experiences will, we hope, stay Julie Sullivan musical telling of the children’s with those families for a long time Community book ‘Wow said the owl’. We to come. Communication waved silk scarves, lay down under Champion NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 7

the skills to support individuals or Norwich Research School update teams in similar positions in other schools. They understand what In 2018 Norwich Research School bid the project has found it to be an outstanding leadership of evidence- for and received funding from incredibly rewarding experience, one informed school improvement looks Norwich Opportunity Area to run an which she says has changed her like and are skilled in helping other in-depth coaching programme in 10 teaching style in mathematics leaders to achieve it in their own local primary schools, called the (mathematics being the focus of her Enhanced Research Leads context. research) and made her deeply programme. question the ways that children Any school is welcome to make use of The primary schools were chosen in learn.” our ELEs’ expertise, in much the same consultation with NOA, and the way as SLEs – Norwich Research programme began in Sept 2018. The Enhanced Research Leads project School will broker the work and is now in its second year, with the provide quality assurance. ELEs can Over the course of 2018-19, the ERLs attending the three-day training be used to audit your school’s use of Enhanced Research Leads (ERLs) programme “Maximising the Pupil research evidence; deliver twilights or undertook a self-audit from the Premium”. Helen Plowman, Deputy INSET; coach or mentor leaders or Chartered College of Teaching; Headteacher at West Earlham Junior practitioners; and help you design completed the three-day CPD training School, said: “This is really excellent, and implement school improvement programme “Leading Learning”; and engaging training, with clarity and projects. received termly visits from their insight. I will be discussing

coach/mentors. expectation and bias around this ELEs from Norwich Opportunity Area are: Ed Dooley, Deputy Headteacher at subject in staff meetings.” Vicki Barnett, Bluebell Primary School, said: “I am Neil Campbell, Heart Education Trust incredibly appreciative that I can be a One of the expected outcomes of the Trudy Coleman, part of this movement towards a ERL project was the creation of a new Ed Dooley, Bluebell Primary School Julian Healey, George White Junior more informed approach to designation, Evidence Leaders in Nicola Owen, Bignold Primary School education, and feel that the work of Education (ELEs). This designation has Helen Plowman, West Earlham Junior the Research School will have a huge been trialled in other Research Schools (notably Kyra Research Rachael Spaans, Tuckswood Academy impact on the profession as a whole.” Joanna Ward, Edith Cavell Academy School), with considerable success.

Each of the ERLs created a plan to Now, Norwich Research School has ELEs from the wider Norfolk area are: focus on an area of improvement designated 12 ELEs, seven of whom Sam Franklin, Long Stratton High School within their school - from spelling to are from the ERL project. Dr Niki Tom Stevens, Long Stratton High School metacognition to vocabulary – and Kaiser from Norwich Research School, Bradley Thompson, with their mentor they monitored the said “It was an absolute honour to implementation and impact of the hear about all the different work To commission an ELE to carry out intervention, making necessary that’s going on in schools in Norwich work in your school, please contact changes along the way. and around the wider Norfolk area [email protected] during the interviews. I wish I could Joanna Ward, Head of School at Edith have recorded it for other people to Cavell Academy and Nursery, said: ”It listen to.” delights me that we are now conducting our own research project ELEs are outstanding teachers, who in school. Our class teacher leading are middle and senior leaders with NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 8

Benefits of collaboration: Communication working group. used across the education Collaborative work with colleagues in community. UEA and the NOA the NOA in developing specific The teachers working as ‘mentors’ in The UEA offers Initial Teacher targeted strategies associated with our NOA partnership schools are Education (ITE) in the form of Primary meeting Speech, Language and playing a pivotal role in developing and Secondary Postgraduate Communication Needs (SLCN) with the next generation of teachers able Certificate in Education (PGCE) our early years’ trainee teachers, has to address disadvantage, based on programmes. enabled us to strengthen their the particular needs of individual understanding of the value and pupils and their communities. We Annually, we prepare over 250 Newly purpose of multi-agency working. Qualified Teachers to start in the believe that the support our trainees profession - a high proportion of An example of a specific development receive from their mentors is crucial whom remain in the East Anglian has been a new cross-phase lecture, in ensuring the legacy and region. At the heart our teacher Dimensions of Difference, for both sustainability of progress made in key education programmes is a Primary and Secondary trainees. This NOA priorities. By working together commitment to understanding was introduced to support them in in classrooms and supporting them children as individuals and enabling better understanding the need for the with Masters level assignments them to achieve their full potential. teaching profession to work together linking theory and practice, there is Developing an understanding of collaboratively to address genuine scope to strengthen the ‘disadvantage’ in different forms is a disadvantage. Over the last two professional communities of practice key element of this. Our partnership years, many of them have expressed in our NOA schools. Professional prepares new teachers who are their shock at the Social Mobility dialogue, reflection and collaboration equipped to teach in a range of Index rankings in , and the associated with working with trainees contexts and are able to address number and location of social and early career teachers is a key way emerging national and regional needs mobility ‘coldspots’ in the region. By to build and sustain a network of and identified priorities. investing time in helping them to teachers who are able to understand understand and use regional and local and address disadvantage within the With the inception of the Opportunity data, using the NOA as a lens, they region. Area programme, we have taken a have been given the tools to build More widely, the availability of data number of steps to ensure our staff critical awareness of community associated with the key priorities of and trainee teachers are up to date needs and priorities. and informed. Earlier this year Dr Tim the NOA, is influencing the strategic Coulson was able to speak to staff and approach of the Outreach strategic partners from our Department of UEA. By sharing Management Committees at our needs, priorities and ongoing Partnership Development Day. We challenges, there is scope for more benefitted from an update on the targeted collaborative activities and NOA and considered together ways to The collaborative culture between interventions to raise aspirations, continue to build a culture of UEA and the NOA is proving to be of support inclusion and help the collaboration, in which evidence, value in building an even more children and young people in our research and best practice are shared effective knowledge base for region to make informed choices to improve outcomes for children and evidence informed practice. Most about their futures. young people. recently, through providing Deirdre Medler scholarships for some qualified Developments in our ITE programmes teachers in NOA schools to complete Director of Initial have also been facilitated through the their Masters in Educational Practice Teacher active involvement of various PGCE and Research through a dissertation Education academics in the NOA. Most notably, related to SLCNs, there is scope for this has been through the Early Years research findings to be shared and UEA NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 9

What a Difference a Day Makes

The second cohort of WADADM This cohort is already looking like it Maths and English students streamed will have more success stories, like into the beautiful Julian Study Centre Beth Mai. After struggling with st at the UEA on a sunny day, 21 maths, Beth has worked hard and September to begin their GCSE turned it around, as her mum explains revision classes. A strong team of below - teachers and support staff representing all our NOA schools, My son was not particularly From my point supported students from Sewell Park pleased to give up his Saturday of view her Academy, , Jane morning to do maths! However, confidence after Austen College, City Academy, UTCN when he got home, he told me the first session was that he had really enjoyed it and and Notre Dame High School. amazing and it’s learnt a lot. He appreciated the

just getting better smaller classes and the fact that and better. I'm not the only one to everybody was there to learn and have noticed it either. there were no disruptive pupils. The workbooks are very It's absolutely amazing she is like good. Parent a new child I can't thank the staff enough for all they have done for her.

When Betsy took her maths mock last year she only scored 9. This Last year’s cohort surpassed all year she got 37 - only 9 marks expectations when 60% passed away from a pass. She came out maths, and 73% passed English after of school with so much being on the track to fail their GCSE. excitement knowing that she can do this. And that's down to all the support and encouragement she has got. So thank you, I've finally My son had a great enthusiastic got Betsy back. Parent start to the sessions last week, such a brilliant idea so thank you. Parent

This year

students were supported by These sessions are really helping mentors who If you want to get any students on our daughter, she came out on had a training next year’s programme contact Saturday really positive and happy session with tips about her English. That means a [email protected] on how they lot, thank you. Parent could help their student through the process. NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 10

level of resilience and that this falls Transition over time in secondary school. Key Offer: Let your school shine! A shared resource, and Wellbeing is also a cause of concern In October I took over from Matt with 18% of primary school students cover costs for visits Wells to take on the Transition and 6% of high school students in the project. With the support of the sample having a low or low to Transition Working Group, the medium score on positive emotional  Curriculum bridging projects: Programme Director and Inclusion state. Project Manager, I have been able to To address working group concerns hit the ground running ensuring no The resilience work we undertake about the “dip” in learning across time has been lost getting these plans across the NOA will be part of an transition to high school, we are into development. overall offer of support and training launching possibly the most to school staff, student mentors and ambitious project of all - a curriculum The focus of the work is now to look even to parents. The aim of the bridging project. Key staff from at transition between Year 6 and Year programme is to encourage and primaries and secondaries are invited 7, ensuring that we do not lose any improve students wellbeing through to visit each other’s schools to better impetus in getting the most out of ELSA trained school staff, resilience understand the Year 6 and Year 7 improving inclusion through more building programmes in primaries, curriculum and expectations of pupils effective transition. and supporting parents in their across this key transition point, and discuss their observations. Resources The four areas we have expectations of transition to secondary school, and making will be created by NOA teachers for a decided to focus on are: informed choices. city-wide curriculum bridging project and shared with all NOA and NOA  Communication and data feeder schools ready for Summer sharing: Key Offers: ELSA training; 2020. Peer Mentoring; Resilience Ensuring a smooth and efficient training; Parent events on transfer of student information transition to secondary. Key Offer: Shared visits, shared between schools on allocation of resources, paid cover for all secondary places. Changing and involved staff. testing the type and system of  Sharing Best Practice: information transferred, with a particular focus on how it could better To showcase existing good practice by As well as the above, the NOA has support preventing Y7 exclusions. NOA schools on transition and to offer commissioned an evaluation of opportunities to learn from one transition happening already across Key Offer: CPOMS; Joint another, I am currently visiting all Y6 and Y7, and the benefits of a more transition week; One form for schools to gather examples of their integrated approach. student transfer information. best practice. This will be put into a material resource for all schools in To find out more email: February. Schools can claim funding

 Building Resilience: to cover staff to be released to visit other schools to discuss what they do The anecdotal evidence of the further. Transition Group around students’ low resilience, has been borne out by If you want to take part and haven’t the findings of the SHEU surveys been contacted by me yet, email me Emma van Deventer (2018/19) which indicate that across at [email protected] to NOA Transition manager all ages studied in our NOA schools, arrange a visit. [email protected] between 22%-34% of pupils have low NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 11

 Transition Curriculum Bridging Project – Opportunities to share, observe and learn: Primary Colleagues are invited to attend any of the following days hosted by our NOA secondary schools. This is an opportunity to observe Year 7 lessons, see how the school day runs, have conversations with key secondary colleagues and finish the day with an opportunity to discuss lessons learned, particularly in terms of curriculum continuity from KS2 and KS3.

Thursday 9th January -

Friday 10th January - City Academy

Monday 13th January - Jane Austen College

Tuesday 14th January - The Hewett Academy

Tuesday 21st January -

Wednesday 22nd January -

The following Primary Schools are offering Secondary colleagues the opportunity to observe Year 6s in their learning, discuss the key stage 2 curriculum and also finish the day with a meeting to discuss lessons learned and curriculum continuity: Please note new dates added 22/1/20-

Friday 17th January - Lionwood Junior School

Monday 20th January - Edith Cavell Primary Academy

Wednesday 22nd January - West Earlham Junior School

Monday 27th January - Mile Cross Primary School

Wednesday 29th January - Magdalen Gates Primary School

Thursday 30th January - Tuckswood Academy

Thursday 30th January – George White Junior

Tuesday 4th February - Catton Grove Primary

All colleagues that attended one of the events above will be invited to a Curriculum Bridging Workshop on Wednesday 5th February between 15.00 and 18.00 at the Elms Business Centre. The purpose of this meeting is to agree learning objectives for an NOA Bridging Project that schools can use to support pupils in their learning across the transition to high school. Project resources will be designed as an outcome of this meeting, and teaching colleagues across the NOA with experience of producing high quality teaching and learning resources are warmly encouraged to work with us on this design process. Resources will be available to schools after Easter. Please contact Emma Van Deventer to participate in this project: [email protected]

NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 12

Norwich is a success story. It The vision for Norwich is not seamlessly combines the modern something that any one organisation with the historic and is a vibrant city can achieve alone. The whole city will with a thriving economy and cultural need to work together. It will scene. In truth, there is much to continue to develop as more people celebrate, but as with any city, it has become involved and priorities shift. some challenges. These issues include poor educational It’s time to act and join together to attainment and poor health. The be the city we want to be in 2040. severity of these varies considerably between different wards in the city. Email: [email protected] To build on the successes and address #norwich2040 the challenges, Norwich needs a long- term vision of what we want the city to be like in 2040 and what we need to do to make this happen.

In November 2018, Norwich City Council published the Norwich 2040 City Vision document which sets out the five themes which form the foundation of a shared vision for the city.

For more information: [email protected] www.norwich.gov.uk/vision NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 13

A connected school

Norwich 2040: A vision for schools at  Creating innovative spaces and the heart of the community opportunities for people to come together, understand, share and Wensum Junior School and Nelson Infant School exchange with each other.

We first came across the Norwich from each of the five themes that A dynamic school

2040 vision about a year ago and applied to a school context, and it  Being ambitious for our young were immediately taken with its resulted in a document that set out a people

compelling and ambitious vision for series of action points that would what Norwich should look like in 20 transform our schools and enable us to make a significant contribution to years. the shared city vision. As we looked more closely at the five In summary our intended action themes that underpin this shared city points are as follows: vision – a creative city; a fair city; a A creative school liveable city; a connected city; a Our next step is to raise the profile of  Fostering collaboration between our dynamic city - it occurred to us that schools and cultural organisations to the 2040 vision across our through our partnerships with a range identify and develop more creative community. With support from of locally-based artists, performers, and artistic opportunities for all Norwich City Council we are planning scientists and historians, we were  Promoting innovative development the delivery of a series of briefings for already fostering collaboration and the regeneration of urban spaces staff and families, bringing together between cultural organisations and in our community experts from the local community and individuals to identify and develop  Celebrating our diverse across the city to talk to us about their more creative and artistic neighbourhood work and explore how we can work in opportunities for all - which is one of A liveable school partnership with them to better serve the strands that appeared within A  Protecting and maintaining our green our community. Creative City. and open spaces to improve biodiversity and air quality We will launch the whole project early As we read on, it emerged that we  Developing an alternative approach in 2020 with an initial briefing that were planning to start work on a to energy looks at the city’s immediate number of projects that, once  Reduce the amount of plastic we use priorities of creating a strong voice for implemented, would address strands and achieving high levels of reuse young people and tackling rough from a couple of the other themes. and recycling sleeping. Thereafter, we will take one  Growing and buying local An example of this is our new theme each half term over the “homesteading” curriculum which A fair school coming year. was launched in September 2019 and  Adopting innovative approaches to draws together animal care, bring about individual and If you would like to find out more, or gardening and growing, cookery, community physical and mental would be interested in contributing word crafts and outdoor learning. wellbeing to one of our briefings then please  Ensuring our youngsters are This directly addresses a couple of the contact either of us at: ambitious and able to realise their sub-themes within A Liveable City. full potential through outstanding [email protected] What if we took the five themes – education and training replacing the word city with school -  Offering lifelong learning, training Victoria McConnell and and used the resulting model as a and upskilling opportunities for those Peter Hubery template for reimagining our two who live and work in our community schools as hubs at the heart of their  Maximising the resilience of Wensum Junior School and community? It was a relatively quick individuals and families within Nelson Infant School piece of work to tease out the strands our community NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 14

Students explored the jobs they NOA Community Innovation Fund saw in their local community in one week, and their awareness of

different types of job roles Catton Grove Primary School needed in the future in Catton increased by 50% after taking part Grove, most importantly an in the workshops. In Catton Grove, 45 families took Underground Spy Centre! part in a Treasure Hunt after Students are significantly more school at the end of October to aware of different sorts of jobs in explore what makes the Norwich and Norfolk and more than 60% of students feel neighbourhood tick and help confident about having a job in the families explore and understand future compared to 17% before the local world of work. Families the sessions. have taken part in the first of a series of Mantle of The Expert workshops to work together and make the area a better place to live and work in the future.

Heartsease Primary Academy

60 children at Heartsease Primary have taken part in a series of workshops that encourage them to talk to adults at home about different sorts of jobs and their skills as well as asking questions about what family members wanted to be when they were After the sessions- younger. Norwich City Council 75% of students feel they can go commissioned families to create Sessions included children taking to University if they want to, their own future for Catton Grove part in work-stereotyping games, compared to 37% before the skills audits and mock interviews session, and by identifying future skills, sectors and services that could be needed as well as meeting local organisations and businesses. 87% of students think they can in 2029, changes in employment do any job they want to, areas and what jobs people living compared to 20% before taking and working in the area might do part. in the future. Lewis & Aaron explored technological advances and the types of services that will be

NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 15

Parent Sessions

Throughout the Autumn Term Camouflaged Learning have been working with NOA primary schools to run sessions with parents, children and teachers together exploring the 4 pillars of health, how they relate to working life and Further activities are thinking together about the future planned this term with 13 and their skills. primary schools and will build on the skills developed so far and 25 sessions have been further contextualise learning by delivered to date with up to looking together at local world of 55 parents attending some work and career opportunities. sessions – almost 800 children and parents have taken part so far.

Participant numbers have steadily increased with every session as more parents have heard positive feedback about the project. Final sessions this term will also Student feedback was just as Parents have said the sessions incorporate staff CPD to further positive: cover amazing content, are embed successful engagement • “Thank you for teaching us enjoyable, interactive, approaches within each school. about our strengths, I never informative, provide techniques It’s lovely to feel so engaged, and knew I could do all those parents will try themselves at to see the children and parents things.” home and have inspired some work together. We should do more of this. • “It made me feel brave, it was parents to do more. Teacher a good feeling.”

For more information contact: Schools tell us they have already It was so helpful, so much useful Matt: office@camouflaged- information. I know I need to make begun to use learning from learning.com changes but I wasn’t sure where to sessions in the classroom and with start, but now I do! Thank you Parent parents – many of whom have rarely joined in activities like this before. NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 16

Year 11 Greater Norwich Opportunities Fair

In October 2019, the NOA Careers Facilitator Network delivered the first of a series of collaborative careers events with support from Form the Future and Norfolk County Council. This new event held at Norwich City Football Club gave Year 11s in Norwich accessible information and support about the full range of post 16 options available locally. It was a great event in terms As far as I am concerned of attendance and attendee everybody was very helpful. I am Nearly 1,000 visitors registered, and interaction. It would be great not educated myself so it helped 785 visitors signed in on the if, eventually, events like this me to guide him. My boy is very day. Year 11 students and their replaced the individual events clever and it helped him to know parents heard about opportunities set up by schools as it would which way to go from 39 education and training Parent providers and local employers to be so much easier from a explore their next steps. Visitors provider point of view! accessed workshops covering a range Provider of topics such as T levels, HE progression, “stress less” and how parents can best support their child.

Great having the opportunity to The Careers Facilitator Network are go with my daughter to see a working on their upcoming events for wide range of providers with later in the year; a Year 10/12 Work great information Skills Event in January for 500+ Parent students to develop skills for the workplace and learn how to make a good professional impression as well as a Year 12 Dragon’s Den challenge As a school we would never be in March for students to solve a real able to do something like this Feedback from students, parents, business challenge. ourselves or give our students exhibitors and schools was this much information about overwhelmingly positive. options so for us it was a success School 86% of visitors said the event helped educate students and their parents about their options after GCSEs. We

are hopeful the event will take place again next year and conversations are

already underway to discuss organisation.

NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 17

Update from the Enterprise Adviser Network The new academic year 2019/20 and the educational and has seen some very positive vocational routes they have taken progress being made in achieving to achieve their current role. the Gatsby Benchmarks across The NOA #fromNorwich campaign The new look website will keep Norwich. launched in December 2019 in the you up to date with activities from Forum and online, showcasing the As the Government's 2017 Careers across the region, local and aspirations and career journeys of Strategy states “every school national resources and support hundreds of local businesses should begin using the Gatsby your school or college in achieving professionals and hearing from Benchmarks to improve careers the Gatsby Benchmarks. young people in Norwich. provision now and meet them by the end of 2020”. If you would like to contribute a case study or complete an 'I love In Norwich OA the average my job' profile, please contact number of Benchmarks achieved Ashley Ruthven is now 4.46, against a regional [email protected] average of 3.75 and a national average of 3.

Over the summer the EAN team set to work to update the Enterprise Adviser Network website and ensure that there is relevant and useful information for schools, colleges and Check out the new website and look

volunteers to use. out for posters and video clips across the city -

One exciting new feature is Gatsby https://fromnorwich.org/ benchmark case studies which

highlight examples of best practice For further details about the that have taken place over the last calendar year. This section will Enterprise Adviser Network, please continue to be updated thought contact Madeleine Matthews, the year. Currently, topics covered [email protected] include staff CPD, employer talks, careers fairs and local market information activities.

Along with this, there are a series of 'I love my job' profiles which can be used by careers coordinators, careers leads, subject teachers Children and adults of all ages are and EAs to showcase the career asked to add to the collection by pathways taken by local people sharing their story and tagging

across a wide variety of sectors, #fromNorwich on Instagram. NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 18

Case studies from the NOA Of the day, the Career Lead said: wearing etc. the employers then ‘revealed’ their role and told the “It was a fantastic session which students a bit about what they did helped our staff think outside the each day. There were celebrations box when it comes to curriculum when they guessed correctly and lots delivery. To be able to demonstrate of surprised gasps when they didn’t. the impact of an effective, whole Whole School Staff CPD focusing Employers then spent time talking in school careers programme which on Gatsby & Employer more detail to small groups about has strong employer links by seeing their role, company and industry, Engagement was led by the Trust’s a reduction in our NEET figures is opening up the conversation and Careers Lead, Denise Anderson and great and ensures we are giving our giving students the chance to ask supported by two of the Trust’s students the best tools to succeed questions. Enterprise Advisers – business in life.” volunteers that support a school with The aim of the session was for their careers and employer students challenge their perception engagement strategy. Together they of what someone who does a delivered a whole school workshop to particular job looks like. update staff on changes to careers education, including the new Ofsted For further details, please contact framework, statutory guidance and Madeleine Matthews, the importance of employer [email protected] engagement to enrich and support the curriculum.

The Enterprise Advisers led part of the session, delivering an interactive The school’s Careers Lead said: game around employability skills and “We think it is really important for employer expectations. Denise our students to challenge career presented the schools reduced stereotypes as early as possible; “NEET” (pupils not in education, our careers programme aims to employment of training) figures that Year 7 Employer Led Stereotype help them to broaden their have improved since commitment to Workshop horizons and know what is out the careers programme. Staff were there in the local labour market – Gatsby Benchmarks 3 and 5 this starts by introducing them to also invited to ‘pledge’ their employers and encouraging them involvement in the careers 10 employers from different local not to discount any career path at programme on a pledge board, which companies were invited in to be this early stage.” was full by the end of the day and judged by year 7 students! Students

included great ideas, requests for were asked to guess, from a help with employer engagement in list of 20 job roles, what role they

specific subject areas, along with thought the employer in front of possible volunteers from the them held. For further details, please contact teachers’ network. Madeleine Matthews, Following lots of discussion around [email protected] what the employers looked like, their height, gender, what they were NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 19

The group will be selected by their Norwich Opportunity Area Youth Board school to ensure this opportunity is taken up by individuals who would not traditionally get Additionally, the challenge also involved in projects like this. Not resulted in Hewett Academy’s idea only would this expand the for a project to offer language amount of young people getting skills and employability workshops involved in the OA, but also work to parents in Norwich with English to empower young people to as an additional language make a difference. The student alongside a workshop for their mentors, and the youth boards children focused on resilience, groups will have training to help numeracy and literacy. This develop their skills and confidence programme was so successful that as young leaders. it was commissioned for extra funding by the Partnership Board It was a privilege to get the ball to carry on for another year. Both rolling earlier in December Danielle Carey examples highlight the positive recruiting our Sixth Form mentors Volunteer Youth Board impact that the youth board has at an event at Open Youth Trust. had so far. Coordinator The Youth Board was set up in conjunction with the Opportunity Area and has established itself as a key component of the NOA. As well as providing a source for youth voice and engagement, it has been involved in creating and developing successful youth led initiatives since the programme’s This year, we want to take our origins. ambition to encourage young people to get involved to change The Board has already arguably and improve social mobility Coming into the final year of the achieved a lot, with key highlights further. We are working towards OA, we wanted to really go for the secondary school Dragon Den implementing a sustainable youth something big and get as many challenge early in 2018 which led board in most of the secondary young people involved as possible. to the development of two schools and some of the primary I’m really excited about where projects. The first of these ideas schools in Norwich. we’ve been but even more excited was a school visit to Southend to about what the youth board is now compare what education looks like Supported by two sixth form or offering. in an area with rapidly improving college mentors from NOA schools and colleges and the UEA, groups social mobility. It offered students With support, guidance and of students in schools will be set a chance to be reflective on their encouragement, I’m sure that the the task of fundraising for, education experience, speak to new year will see some more planning and delivering an idea to school leads about what they had strong, youth-led ideas to tackle improve social mobility in learnt and suggest what they social mobility in Norwich. would do to improve their schools. Norwich.

NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA NEWSLETTER 20

Meeting dates for your diary Primary Inclusion Champions 15/01/20 Primary Inclusion Champions 1 (2.30-4.30pm) 16/01/20 Primary Inclusion Champions 2 (2.30-4.30pm) 20/01/20 Primary Inclusion Champions 3 (1.30-3.30pm)

16/03/20 Primary inclusion Champions 2 (2.30-4.30pm)

17/03/20 Primary Inclusion Champions 3 (1.30-3.30pm) 19/03/20 Primary Inclusion Champions 1 (2.30-4.30pm) Keep in touch…

EPIC meetings Becky Taylor, Head of Delivery, (Enhanced Primary Inclusion Champions network) Norwich and Ipswich OAs, DfE

22/01/20 EPICs (9.30-11.30am) Chris Smith, Norwich Team Lead, DfE 23/03/20 EPICs (9.30-11.30am) [email protected]

Secondary Inclusion Champions Jacqueline Bircham, Programme Director 10/02/20 Secondary Inclusion Champions [email protected] Katie White, Programme Manager & Priority 4 lead NOA School Leads [email protected] 28/01/20 School Leads (12-2pm) Claire Sparrow, Programme Coordinator 06/03/20 School Leads (9-4pm) [email protected]

Jan Cockburn, Priority 3, Inclusion Charter Project Headteacher Meetings Manager 29/01/20 Secondary Heads (8-9.30am) [email protected] 29/01/20 Primary Heads Strategic Group (10.30am-12) Emma van Deventer, Priority 3, Transition Project Manager Transition Bridging project [email protected] 05/02/20 Transition curriculum design workshop (3.00-6.00pm) Ashley Cater, Priority 1 Lead [email protected]

Partnership Board meetings- Julian Bamford, Finance Support Officer 12/02/20 Partnership Board meeting (9-11am) [email protected] 05/05/20 Partnership Board meeting (9-11am) Danielle Carey, Youth Board Rep Conferences/ Events- [email protected]

22/01/20 Norwich Work Skills Event, Kings Centre You can also follow us on Twitter: 10/03/20 Inclusion Conference (2.30-5.30pm) @NorwichOA Amended time For venues for any of these meetings www.norwichopportunityarea.co.uk please email [email protected]