AGENDA ITEM CARDIFF COUNTY CYNGOR CAERDYDD
CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE 16 th April 2013
ESTYN INSPECTION REPORT – POST INSPECTION ACTION PLAN UPDATE REPORT
Purpose of the Report
1. The purpose of this report is to provide the Committee with an overview of the progress being made by the Council in addressing the issues highlighted, and to review the Post Inspection Action Plan that was put in place following the inspection and subsequent re-inspection of Education Services in Cardiff. In addition the lead officers with responsibility for the implementation of the actions have also provided some additional information and have been invited to comment on their specific areas of responsibility.
2. Councillor Julia Magill (Cabinet Member, Education and Lifelong Learning - including Libraries), Nick Jarman (Corporate Director - People), and Robert Hopkins, (Head of the School Improvement Service - Central South) will make a presentation on the progress reports and will be available to answer any questions Members may have. Officers with lead responsibility for the implementation of specific action plan areas and the improvement of performance have been invited to present an update on their areas, namely:
Mike Davies and Rachel Jones for Partnership / Performance issues;
Nick Jarman and Robert Hopkins on School Performance;
Sian Cadwalladr for Attendance;
Phil Norton for Behaviour and Exclusions; Simon Morris on NEETs (people Not in Education Training or Employment); and
Neil Hardee on SEN (pupils with Special Educational Needs).
Background
3. ESTYN, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales, is responsible for inspecting the quality and standards in education and training in Wales. The inspectorate conducts a core inspection for all providers in each sector of education and training. The purposes of inspection are to:
Provide accountability to the users of services and other stakeholders through its public reporting on providers; Promote improvement in education and training; and Inform the development of national policy by the Welsh Government.
Cardiff’s 2011 ESTYN Inspection Report
4. The Previous Committee received the ESTYN Inspection report in July 2011. The report summarises ESTYN’s overall judgment for the Education Service as Adequate . The report also provides a judgement on the Authority’s capacity to improve. The inspector’s judgement is that it is Adequate , and the prospects for improvement were judged to be Adequate .
5. In response to the recommendations of the ESTYN Inspection Report, Education Services developed and published its statutory Action Plan, which was considered by the previous Committee at its meeting on 12 August 2011. The Post Inspection Action Plan (PIAP) identified four key objectives to help focus the actions to address all the issues covered in the recommendations, namely: i. OBJECTIVE 1 - To improve the strategic leadership of joint working between the authority and the Cardiff Integrated Partnership Board and to improve the effectiveness of partnership planning for outcomes in priority areas.
ii. OBJECTIVE 2 -To improve performance management processes to ensure consistency of approach in meeting delivery of objectives and improve the scrutiny of partnership working.
iii. OBJECTIVE 3 –To continue to raise standards at Key Stage 4, improve attendance, reduce exclusions and reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training.
iv. OBJECTIVE 4 -To improve information, advice and support for all parents of learners requiring the statutory assessment of pupils’ special educational needs.
Cardiff’s 2012 ESTYN Re-inspection
6. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the authority’s ESTYN Action Plan in addressing the issues highlighted in the Inspector’s report, a monitoring visit was undertaken by ESTYN in June 2012 to assess progress against the recommendations. The monitoring visit recognised progress in several areas but found that there is still more that the local authority needs to do to build on this work to ensure the original recommendations are met fully. It detailed in two recommendations that the authority should:
Continue to address the recommendations from the 2011 inspection through the post-inspection action plan; and
Make sure that the arrangements for delivering school improvement services challenge and support all schools effectively, in order to improve standards for learners in all key stages.
7. As a result of the re-inspection, the authority remains in the follow-up category of ESTYN monitoring and a team of inspectors will return in not less than six months to monitor the further progress made. A copy of the ESTYN Inspection report and re-inspection letter to the Chief Executive, resulting from the monitoring visit, have been made available to Members at a previous Committee meetings, and are available upon request.
ESTYN Action Plan Progress Report
8. The Post Inspection Action Plan Progress Report outlines the Key Actions taken by the Authority to achieve the objectives and recommendations stated earlier in this report. It goes on to provide information on the impact of these actions, gives evidence to support the impact, and outlines what remains to be improved further. A copy of the January 2013 Progress Report is attached at Appendix A. Members may wish to note the areas that the Council has identified as requiring further improvement.
Objective Areas for Progress report page improvement numbers
1 - Strategic leadership 9 Pages 8 - 9
2 - Performance 12 Pages 17 - 18 management / partnership
3 - Raise standards at KS4 7 Pages 23 - 24
3 - School Improvement 11 Pages 29 - 30 Service
3 - Improve attendance 10 Pages 35 - 36
3 – Reduce exclusions 9 Page 43
3 - NEETS 8 Pages 50 - 51
4 – Special Educational 5 Page 56 Needs
ESTYN Action Plan Update Report 9. The Post Inspection Action Plan Update Report outlines the key actions taken by the authority to achieve the objectives and recommendations stated earlier in this report. Each section starts with an overall summary of performance for the area, detailed performance information, comparative information and trend data. This information is followed by the key performance targets and outcome measures against which progress is measured, and finally a progress update table. A copy of the January 2013 Action Plan Update Report is attached at Appendix B.
10. The progress update tables detail for each of the actions, their implementation date, responsible officer, progress update and its status under the RAG status (Red, Amber, Green). Analysis of the “red” status actions shows the following:
Area Number of “Red” status actions
Schools attainment 0
Attendance 0
Behaviour 5
NEETs 2
SEN 0
Partnership / performance 2 management
11. Officers have also provided additional information on progress and impact following from the implementation of specific action which include:
A summary of responses to outcomes of the ESTYN monitoring visit at Appendix C;
A briefing for the Implementation Board on human resources support for schools at Appendix D;
A briefing on Cardiff Community Learning Network at Appendix E; and A summary of the impact of actions on Behaviour in Cardiff’s Schools at Appendix F .
Impact on Scrutiny
12. Members will remember that Objective 2 (which is linked to Recommendation 3 “improve the scrutiny of partnership working”) relates to this Scrutiny Committee and the scrutiny of partnership working across the Council. The monitoring visit undertaken in June 2012 commented that “this recommendation has been partially met”. A multi-agency Scrutiny Panel has been established to improve the scrutiny of partnership working via the Cardiff Partnership Board (CPB). This Panel has now held five meetings covering:
Agreed terms of reference and future work programme,
The extent, quality and consistency of service user engagement across Partnership programmes
The use of business intelligence across the Partnership, focussing in particular on the Healthy Living Programme;
Actions taken to identify and reduce geographical inequality across Cardiff; and
A review of its first year’s work programme and planning for 2013/14.
The Panel has ensured that the Partnership is signed up to the National Principles of Engagement for all CPB work streams and sought to improve the CPB’s data sharing arrangements.
Legal Implications
13. The Scrutiny Committee is empowered to enquire, consider, review and recommend but not to make policy decisions. As the recommendations in this report are to consider and review matters there are no direct legal implications. However, legal implications may arise if and when the matters under review are implemented with or without any modifications. Any report with recommendations for decision that goes to Cabinet will set out any legal implications arising from those recommendations. All decisions taken by or on behalf the Council must (a) be within the legal powers of the Council; (b) comply with any procedural requirement imposed by law; (c) be within the powers of the body or person exercising powers of behalf of the Council; (d) be undertaken in accordance with the procedural requirements imposed by the Council e.g. Scrutiny Procedure Rules; (e) be fully and properly informed; (f) be properly motivated; (g) be taken having regard to the Council's fiduciary duty to its taxpayers; and (h) be reasonable and proper in all the circumstances.
Financial Implications
14. The Scrutiny Committee is empowered to enquire, consider, review and recommend but not to make policy decisions. As the recommendations in this report are to consider and review matters there are no direct financial implications at this stage in relation to any of the work programme. However, financial implications may arise if and when the matters under review are implemented with or without any modifications. Any report with recommendations for decision that goes to Cabinet will set out any financial implications arising from those recommendations.
RECOMMENDATION
That the Committee consider the Action Plan and supporting information as attached at Appendices A to F , and provide any comments and or recommendations to the Cabinet and Corporate Director.
Mike Davies Head of Scrutiny, Performance and Improvement 10 th April 2013 Appendix A
POST INSPECTION ACTION PLAN
PROGRESS REPORTS
January 2013
PROGRESS REPORT: Post Inspection Action Plan
Objective 1: To improve the strategic leadership of joint working between the authority and the (CYPP) Cardiff Partnership Board and to improve the effectiveness of partnership planning for outcomes in priority areas. (Recommendations 1 and 2)
Key actions taken 1. The Chief Executive continues to give a high priority to education services, communicating a clear set of values and the contribution of robust performance management to improved performance. With Elected Members, he has made clear links with the contribution that the quality of educational provision makes to achieving this vision. Progress against this recommendation has been discussed regularly in meetings of the improvement board.
2. The chief operating officer is focusing in particular on improving service quality, and the efficiency and effectiveness with which services are provided.
3. The achievement leader for youth support services is closely involved in the partnership planning relating to youth support services including the delivery of services through the Families First grant.
4. The “What Matters” Integrated Partnership Strategy (in June 2011) is providing strengthened leadership and focus on the performance management of partnership working. The approach has been advocated by the Welsh Government in new statutory guidance - Shared Purpose - Shared Delivery’ published in January 2012.
5. The Cardiff Partnership Board (CPB) has streamlined the number of partnership boards and reduce ‘silos’. The Board, which is chaired by the Council’s Chief Executive, oversees the delivery of all partnership activity in the city. It has introduced stronger performance management arrangement and a focus on resolving barriers to progress.
6. Priority programmes and work streams identified by the CPB are based on needs assessment, statutory ‘must do’s’ and community engagement. The CPB holds the programmes’ senior responsible officers to account for progress.
7. Work has continued to strengthen the links between the objectives in the Council’s new corporate plan, the objectives in the education service and the work streams in the Cardiff Partnership Strategy relating in particular to young people. Action plans are in place in the key areas.
8. A Partnership Leadership Group was established in January 2012 to oversee the strategic agenda of the city. The group, chaired by the Leader of the Council, includes Cabinet Members for Children and Young People, Health, Social Care and Wellbeing and Community Safety. The first meeting of the group looked at the challenges facing young people who are NEET. Since the elections in May 2012, the Group has met in September and December with the last meeting considering the impact of substance misuse in Cardiff.
2 9. The six neighbourhood management teams have developed action plans which are consistent with the “What Matters” strategy but focus on the key issues for that particular area. The teams are now a delivery mechanism for the partnership strategy to connect strategic planning with operational delivery. These plans are also being aligned with other locality programmes such as the Communities First Cluster Action Plans, Families First and Flying Start.
10. A Families and Young People’s Partnership Board (FYPPB), within the CPB, continues to meet now under the leadership of the Chief Operating Officer to give clearer strategic direction to planning, to the involvement of key partners and to developing evidence about the improvement of service delivery.
11. Arrangements are in place to share the development and use of shared business intelligence across partners as a result of a single needs assessment for the city and production of quarterly neighbourhood intelligence reports. A specific data group has been established to review and analyse not in education, employment or training (NEET) data. The group is focusing on three aspects – absenteeism in schools, 16-18 cohort destination data and youth unemployment (18-24 claimant count).
12. The partnership is developing joint commissioning arrangements to ensure delivery of the partnership’s priorities. The new £29m Families First programme is clearly aligned to the CPB’s work streams and the commissioning specifications were outcome focused and developed with direct involvement from stakeholders, potential providers and service users including the views of children and young people and parents. The six packages of services have now been commissioned and the final element, team around the family, was commissioned by the end of December. The programmes will be implemented from the 1st April.
13. The Families First Commissioning process included work with young commissioners who evaluated bids alongside professionals and parents. The Young Commissioners, who will become accredited, were supported by the Council’s Youth Service and Barnardos. A Families First workforce development plan has been created to include mandatory training in working towards a rights- based approach when the packages commence.
14. There is now a much clearer definition of youth support services and a framework for its development that identifies provision that is school or community based and the key partners that are essential to delivery of services effectively.
15. There is now a clearer strategic framework for youth support services. This relates planning to the national policy context and to local priorities. The framework makes a distinction between universal and targeted services and is acting as a reference point in decisions about future service provision. that provide increased opportunities for engagement in activities that promote personal development, lead to accreditation, give opportunities for involvement in decision making and in communities.
16. There is now a clearer view of the range of partners that have a significant part to play in the effective delivery of services to improve young people’s
3 outcomes and well-being, supported by a wide-ranging exercise to map provision with partners.
17. A Youth Engagement Group has been set up as one of the Partnerships’ work streams to provide further multi agency response to the needs of the children and young people. This is supported by a NEETs Data Group to provide improved intelligence for decision making. The Youth Engagement plan has been based on an RBA model. All lead providers will be trained in RBA to be able to produce report cards.
18. Work has been done to identify outcome measures and suitable success criteria to underpin evaluation of impact. The use of results based accountability in the evaluation of youth support services is developing.
19. In a number of areas partners work together successfully to deliver services (English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Service (EMTAS), families learning together, language and play, healthy schools, physical education and school sport (PESS), youth offending service, extended opportunities provision 14-19, disability strategy) and focus on the relationship with outcomes.
20. In a number of other areas the NEETS working group, partnership appropriate curriculum centre (PACC) provision with regard to behaviour, the development of the Families First pilots, the restorative approaches pilots, Education Welfare Service ( EWS), the safeguarding and resilience partnership –Prevent, the work of the partnership and inclusion officers) the planned involvement of key partners within the education service, in other Council services and in the third sector has been important to the development of the provision.
21. The council-wide quarterly performance report now includes specific reference to the post inspection action plan (PIAP). This report is presented to the Council’s senior leadership team, Elected Members, the relevant scrutiny committee and is available to the public.
22. Actions from the PIAP feature in the corporate plan 2013 –2017. Performance indicators have been revised and there are more challenging objectives, highlighting a commitment to deliver the agreed shared outcomes.
Impact/ what has improved Evidence
1. Since the previous LAESCYP inspection there has Corporate plan, been an improvement in strategic leadership of education service education services by the Chief Executive Officer, the business plan, CPB Chief Operating Officer and the Corporate Director. The work streams, see appointment of new headteachers in a number of the outcome data for city’s secondary schools in the last two years is also attendance/ exclusion/ supporting the change in culture and expectations that is NEETS in annual needed to raise standards further. report (SER 1.1.1) and under objective 3 of
4 this progress report, schools’ targets for 2012 amended and for 2013/14.
2. There is evidence of impact in the performance of Annual report on some schools and the improvements in respect of performance, schools’ attendance, exclusion and reducing the number of targets for 2012 NEETs. amended and for 2013/14. 3. The Integrated Partnership Strategy (What Matters), What Matters Strategy encompassing the work of the previous local service Partnership model, board, sets out shared outcomes for all stakeholders to WG Statutory work towards more clearly – this innovative approach is guidance: Shared bringing much greater coherence to planning and the Purpose- Shared identification of priorities and has informed heavily the Delivery Welsh Government’s new statutory guidance. There has Updated What Matters been an annual review of the What Matters document Document and neighbourhood management 4. The number of partnership boards and meetings have CPB minutes, been rationalised through the establishment of the CPB. CPB model document The CPB now has oversight of partnership activity in the Updated CPB minutes city and has introduced stronger performance management arrangements. The CPB has met monthly since its inception and all the programme boards and neighbourhood management teams have now provided updated information on progress and potential blockages. This has proven an effective method for giving an overview of partnership arrangements. 5. The CPB has established more effective programme CPB programme management arrangements to ensure progress is management effectively monitored and maintained. Since July 2012 A arrangements, principal outcome delivery officer has been appointed programme highlight who coordinates all highlight reports from all reports programmes and neighbourhoods thus avoiding Programme Board duplication and ensuring consistency of approach copy of highlight throughout. This post is also responsible for delivering reports RBA training to work streams/partners to ensure everyone has a clear understanding of outcome-based performance. 6. The work done to strengthen the line of sight between Education service planning at corporate level, in the education service and business plan in the CPB means that: strategic planning is now more objectives, action coherent; action plans are of good quality; key actions to plans, CPB work be taken involve the education service and other key streams document partners.
7. There is a stronger link between strategic priorities Neighbourhood (What Matters Strategy) and operational delivery management minutes, (neighbourhood action plans / neighbourhood neighbourhood action
5 management meetings) and planning is beginning to plans reflect more effectively a response to the needs of local areas. There is greater linking up between neighbourhood management teams and other service areas to provide quick responses to local need such as the creation of breakfast clubs in the South West based on results from the School Super Survey. The emphasis on locality working and reflecting differing needs across the city has also heavily influenced the commissioning approach taken to develop Families First. 8. Planning in the education service is focused on a See annual report for smaller set of key priorities. There is evidence of greater data (SER 1.1.1), impact in a number of areas - improvement in functional literacy and numeracy literacy since 2009 (7%) especially in targeted schools strategies and (18%) (93.4% by end Y9), improvement in attendance in evaluation, in-year both phases, reductions in permanent and fixed-term attendance and exclusion, increases in school’s budgets and delegation, behaviour data (see improvements in schools’ learning environments. R+I data update packs and data referred to in objective 3 of this progress report), minutes of budget forum, SOP proposals, 21st century schools submissions. 9. There is now a much stronger correlation between the 14-19 Annual network allocation of resources towards the achievement of development plan, planned priorities. (protection of funding for NEETs Metropolitan Learning despite 12.% cut in 14-19 grant, targeting of resources Conference (MLC) for literacy, numeracy, attendance and behaviour, minutes, education appointment of post 16 NEETs co-ordinator). service budget data Youth Engagement Group meeting minutes / Work of Data Group 10. There is an improved understanding and use of Single needs shared business intelligence through the production of a assessment, single needs assessment. Partners have established a neighbourhood ‘virtual’ joint business intelligence function and are intelligence reports contributing to new quarterly neighbourhood intelligence Updated intelligence reports and key partnership priorities such as the NEETs reports - data group and monitoring the impacts and trends neighbourhood/welfare associated with Welfare Reform. reform/NEETs
11. Through the FYPPB there is now more focus on a Agenda and minutes city-wide, pan-agency approach to how all agencies and of the FYPPB services can collaborate more effectively to improve outcomes and well-being across the city. There has been ongoing development of the Board’s information and practice sharing which has proved beneficial for the
6 Families First Commissioning process.
12. New Families First commissioning specifications Families First were developed in response to the needs assessment commissioning and stakeholder engagement and are aligned to specifications delivering the CPB’s workstreams. The new outcome- Family First Newsletter focused approach is more strategic with a strong emphasis on demonstrating impact. 13. There are examples of good joint commissioning PACC data, youth work that are having a positive impact on the outcomes support services data and wellbeing of young people. This includes the work (SER sections 1.1.1. with schools and the PACCs and the neighbourhood and 1.2.3), Young approach to implementing youth support. Commissioner materials
14. In a number of areas joint planning with partners is a RBA reports/ strong feature of service delivery and there is a strong evaluation information emphasis on the relationship with outcomes. In the case - ESOL (SER 1,1.4), of Flying Start the practice is sector leading. Its work is EMTAS (SER 1.1.2), well targeted and approaches to evaluating service families learning delivery shared across the service to inform planning for together, language improvement and performance monitoring in other areas. and play, healthy schools, PESS (SER Families First has also been strategically commissioned 1.2.1), youth offending on the basis of clear outcomes and arrangements service (SER 1.1.2, involving lead providers and collaborative partners 2.2.2), 14-19, work of working together. Fifty-seven partners or services are Leit/ speech and involved in delivering across the six Families First language teams (SER packages. 1.1.2) , literacy action plan - involvement across the service and with business, team around school meetings/ plans, Flying Start, Cardiff Against Bullying (CAB) Families First Service Specification and overview of the services contained within the six service packages 15. The part played by the education service and other Targeting of 60 key partners is beginning to have a positive impact in families through the work in a number of other areas, for example in Families First pilot developing the youth engagement plan, that underpin (TAF assessment the need for improvement in current key objectives. framework, criteria), permanent exclusion data and impact of
7 New posts have been created within the Corporate PACC and revolving Policy, Partnerships & Citizen Focus Team to engage door provision ( see children and young people and embed participation into annual report 1.1.1 policy and development across the Council and the wider and SER 1.2.2, 2.3.1, partnership. The Families First commissioning process RBA report card), involved 30 children and young people being trained as evaluation of young commissioners ( supported by the Youth Service restorative approaches and Barnardos) pilot (see 1.2.1), RBA attendance reports cards for EWS (see SER 1.2.2, 2.3.2), NEETs, CCLN basic skills and ESOL programme development Children and Young People Officers job description Workforce development plan for FF
16. Any progress made, together with challenges being The Council-wide faced by the Council in delivery of the inspection report’s quarterly performance recommendations are now being highlighted directly to report, support for the Council’s senior leadership team (both members and additional funding for officers). This is leading to better understanding of attendance and shared challenges and more concerted action to remove behaviour, support for barriers. key messages about performance with headteachers by chief executive and corporate director
What needs to improve further 1. There is a continuing need to ensure that fewer overall objectives are informed by national and local priorities and that strategic planning encompasses the part to be played by key partners.
2. The further steps taken to develop the neighbourhood approach to service delivery need to be extended and embedded so that the part to be played by the education service, schools and other partners working together is clearer.
3. The CPB and education service need to ensure that the implementation of the Families First programmes now gather pace and have a demonstrable impact on outcomes and well-being using the agreed criteria and measures.
4. The steps taken to ensure that planning is carried out collaboratively by the Council’s services and other partners now needs to be built upon.
8 5. The work to establish the strategic framework for youth support services now needs to be developed further so that it informs more fully decisions about programme development, the commissioning of services and the allocation of resources.
6. Work needs to continue to develop understanding of the framework and direction inherent within it within the education service, with key partners and particularly with schools.
7. The work of the FYPPB now needs to be built upon to so that it becomes an important catalyst for partnership planning with regard to key priorities, harnesses systematically the contributions of all partners and embeds robust mechanisms for evaluating the impact of planning on improvements in service delivery.
8. The FYPPB has identified the need to focus on early intervention and prevention within its remit to strengthen partnership planning in key areas. The Team around the Family approach should help this become embedded across the Partnership.
9. Further work needs to be done to clarify the commissioning relationship between the authority and the consortium, the delineation of roles and responsibilities and the lines of accountability.
9 Objective 2
PROGRESS REPORT: Post Inspection Action Plan
Objective 2: To improve performance management processes to ensure consistency of approach in meeting service delivery objectives and improve the scrutiny of partnership working. (Recommendations 3 and 5)
Key actions taken 1. The improvement board continues to provide regular and systematic monitoring of progress against all objectives and actions in the PIAP.
2. The process continues to identify actions that are on track and those where further work needs to be done. Both the education service and CPB address necessary next steps. The improvement board has also been concerned with scrutinising the impact of the improvement work and has considered relevant data and other information.
3. Performance monitoring is a developing feature of the agendas of the CPB, senior leadership team, team meetings within the education service and of the Families and Young People’s Partnership Board.
4. The CPB is developing and embedding its programme management arrangements to progress partnership activity using a consistent performance reporting framework for all programmes and work streams.
5. Individual performance management follows the Council’s corporate scheme. Individual objectives relate to Council, service and team priorities.
6. Performance monitoring continues to focus deliberately on the central improvement objectives.
7. The improvement agenda and feedback about progress have been shared and discussed with other partners and stakeholders through the FYPPB and with schools.
8. Work is being done to evaluate more systematically key aspects of the education service’s work and that of youth support services. This has involved evaluation both from within the service and externally.
9. Steps have been taken to share the analysis and use of schools’ performance data openly with elected members, schools and the wider public.
10. Work is being done to provide schools with a robust evaluation of performance through system leaders’ annual reports on performance and to evaluate key contributory factors such as leadership through a summary report.
11. The analysis of schools’ performance data, secondary schools’ banding data, local knowledge and the consortium’s criteria relating to outcomes and leadership
10 are used in particular to identify schools causing concern.
12. The annual report on schools’ performance has been developed considerably to support a sharper and accurate analysis of current performance, to contribute to challenge and support and to under-pin the need for higher expectations to transform outcomes for learners.
13. Significant steps have been taken to increase further the degree of accountability in the system to strengthen performance management. Through correspondence and face-to-face meetings more emphasis has been placed on needing to improve performance significantly.
14. The developmental work done in Cardiff to establish a web-based school profile or schools’ portal has been adopted by the consortium. This will strengthen further the capacity for schools and the service to monitor and evaluate progress and outcomes. It will house all data about individual schools in one place and will be a live system regularly updated in year.
15. The monitoring of schools in financial difficulty continues to feature regularly in the agenda of the Budget Forum. Innovative action, such as the establishment of an education improvement partnership in the east of the city, is being taken to respond to the need to boost standards and remove the drain on resources from hitherto unresolved school organisational proposals.
16. Work is continuing to make evaluation of impact more prominent in planning through results based accountability (RBA) in a number of areas and the use of report cards in others.
17. The multi-agency scrutiny panel has now commenced its work. It has held two meetings to date which have looked at engagement and business intelligence. Through its work and research programme it is ensuring there is an appropriate focus on monitoring and challenging the impact of partnership working on outcomes.
18. There is a continuing commitment to Cardiff’s to “Learner Voice”. Young people’s representatives play an important part in work programming discussions. Further steps are being taken through the roll out of the Cardiff “Super Survey” to ensure that the views of all young people are heard and responded to. Children and young people have also participated in the recent £29 million Families First commissioning process.
19. The work programme of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee is published on the Council’s Website and widely distributed to community and voluntary groups. The Committee’s 2012/13 Work Programme is being focused appropriately on the service’s and partnership board’s key areas of work.
20. The scrutiny committee is developing ‘Listening Days’ , one with looked after children, one with pupils at KS4 to improve engagement and develop greater understanding of the challenges that children and young people face and how they can be better supported.
11 21. The committee is undertaking an inquiry into the impact of poverty on educational attainment to aid understanding of the issues, including from a young person’s perspective through the Youth Council.
22. To ensure rigorous scrutiny of the work of the CPB, the multi-agency CPB scrutiny panel has been established. It has been through a suitable induction process and has already met three times during 2012-2013.
23. In a number of the programmes developed through the education service, the youth service and other partners involved in delivering youth support services, young people and parents continue to be involved more systematically in activities that seek their views about the services which should be available and the quality of those services. Evaluation of impact involving the views of service users is integral to the recent award of Families First tenders.
Impact/ what has improved Evidence
1. The management of all partnership activity through the CPB programme CPB is now more consistent and strategic. Through management ‘Highlight’ reports there is a more systematic approach to arrangements, demonstrating progress and to setting out risks. This is programme highlight bringing greater coherence to the development and reports, partnership monitoring of programmes. This has increased awareness scrutiny papers of priorities, deliverables, blockages and risks. All work streams are developing the use of RBA and produce report cards so there is a co-ordinated overview of all activity. Through its recommendations to the CPB and Leadership Group, the partnership scrutiny panel is strengthening the part played by external perspectives in performance management.
2. Performance management continues to develop as a Council’s PDR crucial part of the organisation’s planning and decision framework, job making. Performance management focuses on individuals’ descriptions, performance against personal, service or team objectives performance and and common corporate objectives and their contribution to personal securing progress in these. development objectives
3. The “Golden thread” principle has led to better Service area plan understanding of the relationship between the strategic template/guidance, plans (the newly developed Corporate Plan, Service Area compliance report for Plans through to Personal Performance and Development PPDR from Digigov, Reviews) through the cascading of priorities and individual records objectives. There is a continuing need to strengthen the and monitoring on extent to which the corporate plan influences service plans Digigov, newly and vice-versa. written corporate plan
12 4. There is a strong focus on core improvement objectives Impact on work as set out in the PIAP and more impetus in several of relating to PIAP – these aspects. The greater emphasis on team activity as, see improvement for example, through team around the school meetings board minutes and has supported achievement of individuals’ personal progress reports, professional development objectives. team around school agendas and minutes, minutes of team meetings, in- year attendance and behaviour monitoring (see R+I data update packs and data referred to in objective 3 of this progress report), aides-memoire for the consortium’s system leaders, annual report on the performance of Cardiff’s schools
5. The role of performance monitoring is now more robust, Minutes of forms a more integral part of planning and is playing a improvement board, more significant part in judgements about progress and in education senior identifying areas for improvement more effectively. leadership team, achievement section team meetings, RBA and subject report cards.
6. Peer challenge at the Council’s senior leadership team Quarterly reports, led by the chief executive makes active use of the agendas and quarterly monitoring report and is having a positive impact minutes of SLT on strengthening a culture that emphasises that meetings performance is everyone’s responsibility rather than the responsibility of a few.
7. Quarterly reporting to Cabinet Members and scrutiny Agendas and committees following peer challenge is strengthening the outcomes of basis of decision-making and enables Elected Members to executive meetings, hold officers to account more effectively. Up to date agendas, minutes performance information is now readily available for and responses of elected members allowing a more informed challenge scrutiny committee to leading to greater accountability. This has also involved executive quarterly performance reporting to the children and young people’s scrutiny committee to support a better understanding of the issues and progress made.
13 8. The monitoring of progress on key education service Minutes of objectives is now more regular and systematic. As a result improvement board, good progress is being made in implementing actions in RAG status the key areas and in securing improvement reporting.
9. The link between planning, performance monitoring and Allocation of resource allocation is now stronger. In several areas increased resources resource allocations are clearly linked to priorities and to for attendance, the need for targeted intervention and improvement. The behaviour (see specifications for Families First and for joint commissioning 2012/13 budget were much more clearly informed by partnership and submissions), service priorities and mobilisation of the successful bids NEETs, Families will commence from April 2013. First specifications and joint commissioning process, Families First Newsletter 10. The use of RBA continues to be more prominent. RBA report cards Along with other evidence from evaluation, the education (see RBA folder) service and CPB are taking important steps to identify literacy and more proactively strengths and weaknesses in existing numeracy programmes or in areas where funds have been delegated evaluations and to schools. This is bringing greater consistency to the action plans, implementation of important initiatives and means that monitoring of work of officers are increasingly vigilant about the impact of attendance officers, service delivery on outcomes. partnership inclusion officer notes of visit and action plans, team around the school agendas, minutes and action plans
11. Evaluation of the impact of youth support services is YSS mapping, becoming more central to judgements about the quality documents, criteria, and effectiveness of services for young people. Steps to evaluation of youth gather and use data about impact is developing well, as service data (SER for example through the two projects to capture the citizen 1.1.1), well being stories of NEET young people across the city by the data in 1.2.1, 1.2.2 partnership engagement officer and the CYP development and 1.2.3, NEET officer. citizen project
12. The narrower focus on key areas of work has had a Post inspection positive impact on the rate of improvement in certain action plan, schools’ secondary schools and in relation to improving attendance Y11 action plans, and reducing exclusion. However, the rate of improvement performance data for concerning pupils’ outcomes needs to be more substantial individual secondary across primary and secondary schools as a whole. schools, attendance and exclusion data for 2011-2012
14 13. Analysis of in-year data has improved since the last In year attendance inspection. It is being used more actively in-year when and exclusion data supporting and challenging schools and continues to (see R+I data update demonstrate improvement in relation to a number of key packs and data areas. referred to in objective 3 of this progress report), pupil data for literacy and numeracy.
14. Efforts to increase the accountability of schools’ Letters to individual leaders for pupils’ achievement are making further schools to raise progress. The steps taken are all contributing to changing concerns, minutes the culture of expectation and the need for better and headteacher performance. The annual reports on performance are conferences, continuing to contribute to challenging schools’ minutes of meetings performance and to raising expectations. with Cabinet Member and scrutiny, annual reports on performance and summary reports
15. The analysis of performance data, reports and data Aides-memoire for about individual schools are playing a much stronger part spring and summer in determining overarching strengths and the focuses for terms, analysis of further improvement. Visits to schools by system leaders annual reports and to provide challenge and support are more sharply reviews. concerned with fewer priorities, progress against these and their impact on learners’ outcomes and progress.
16. Statements of action for schools causing concern are Statements of action more clearly focused on outcomes. Several schools have and progress reports made good progress in this context, including some that for schools causing are, or were, in bands 4 and 5. concern. 17. Good use is made of a wide range of relevant Annual reports on comparative achievement and financial data and of data performance, over time to support and challenge schools’ leaders and to attendance and improve outcomes and procedures, particularly in respect exclusion data of pupils’ achievement, attendance, exclusion, the (annual report 1.1.1, provision for pupils with additional learning needs and the SER 1.2.2), management of budget surpluses and deficits. meetings with schools with budget deficits. 18. Collaboration between the education service, Medium-term budget headteachers and governing bodies is enabling budget plans for particular deficits to be managed in ways that protect the educational schools. interests of pupils.
15 19. There is growing evidence about the use of the views of key stakeholders, especially young people and parents, Involvement of in determining service delivery and in ensuring that it children and young meets needs better. people as commissioners in the Families First commissioning process, Appetite for life, Summer Learning Festival (SER 1.2.1, , CAB, 14-19 local area curricula (SER 2.1.2), Traveller Education Service programmes, Youth Service’s provision, iSAY, advocacy model, Llygaid Y Ddinas, (SER 1.2.2), responses on school re-organisation/ (1.2.2), notes of visit following interviews with Y11, disability strategy (SER 2.2.3) 21. There is a stronger relationship between Cardiff’s Minutes of the CYP Youth Council and the CYP Scrutiny Committee. In a scrutiny committee variety of ways “Learner Voice” is making an increasingly involving Cardiff’s important contribution to decision making concerning Youth Council, provision made by the Council and schools. outcomes of Super Survey and response in individual schools, outcomes of Families First Commissioning process, 2012-2013 CYP programme. 22. The CYP scrutiny work programme is planned so that 2011/12 CYP work it links to the priorities of the Council. As a result the work programme, of the committee is making an important contribution to committee’s reports planning and decision making. and minutes, 2012- 2013 CYP programme. 23. Through its research programme and activities such as Minutes of the CYP the listening days with young people, the scrutiny scrutiny committee committee is developing a better understanding of the involving Cardiff’s challenges faced by young people. As a result it is Youth Council, 2012- becoming better placed to fulfil its role in holding the 2013 CYP administration to account. programme, attendance at
16 meetings of Cardiff’s Youth Council , minutes of meetings and discussion 24. There are now more robust arrangements in place to 2012-2013 multi- hold the CPB to account following the establishment of the agency scrutiny multi-agency scrutiny panel. Its initial activity is focused on panel work the key priorities of the CPB. programme, agendas and minutes.
What needs to improve further 1. Through the CPB, work needs to continue to embed the use of the single performance management framework so that improvement is demonstrated effectively, next steps are informed by sound evidence and statutory partners are held to account.
2. Work needs to continue, building further on current arrangements involving the analysis of, and feedback from, performance information so that the Elected Members with leadership responsibilities are increasingly well placed to act as a critical friend and to hold officers across the service to account for progress against priorities in improvement plans.
3. There is a need to continue the work to ensure there is a strong focus on impact through the evidence provided by performance management and self- evaluation, including the consistent use of ‘in-year’ data that is developing as an integral part of this process. Efforts to link evaluation rigorously to decisions about priorities and the actions to achieve targets both within the education service and youth support services commissioned through the CPB need to continue.
6. The steps taken to increase the accountability of schools’ leaders for performance need to be maintained and further embedded in collaboration with the Central South Consortium’s school improvement service.
7. The progress made in the more robust use of data needs now to be built upon. The roll out of the web-based school profile needs to be completed ready for full implementation from September 2013.
8. Open and transparent access to data about performance, including in-year data, needs to continue. The information inherent in the data needs to support the development of school-to-school support in collaboration with the consortium.
10. As resources are increasingly delegated to schools, and the role of the central service changes, time needs to be devoted to ensuring that strategy is understood, arrangements are in place to build the capacity of schools to take on responsibility and to assure quality.
11. Rigorous attention will need to be given to evaluating the impact of the Families First programme on outcomes and sell-being as the programme starts to
17 take effect from April 2013.
12. The important steps taken by the scrutiny committee to under-pin its work with a clear understanding of the challenges faced by children and young need to continue to be developed.
18
PROGRESS REPORT: Post Inspection Action Plan
Objective 3: Raise standards at KS4. (Recommendation 4)
Key actions taken 1. Actions taken to raise standards in secondary schools built on the recommendations following a review carried out by the ISOS Partnership in 2011 and by the recommendations following the Estyn monitoring visit of June 2012. Action to address this recommendation has been the subject of regular reporting and discussion through: the improvement board that has continued to meet; senior management and team meetings in the education service; reports to the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Committee.
2. The work with secondary schools is more focused on a number of key measures that under-pin the authority’s and schools’ improvement challenges at both KS4 and KS3. The notion of a Cardiff Ambition has continued to be a reference point for the work and dialogue with schools. The Ambitions are: • For all pupils to make two levels of progress from the end of KS2 to the end of KS3. • That all pupils will achieve the level 1 threshold by 2015. • That no school will have fewer than 50% of pupils achieving the level 2 threshold including English/ Welsh and mathematics by 2015. • That the overall percentage of pupils achieving this threshold will be 65% by 2015. • That the average attendance rate for secondary schools will be 95% by 2015. • That the gap in achievement between pupils eligible for free school meals and those not eligible will be halved by 2015 on the basis of improvement for both groups.
3. Secondary schools’ target setting reflects greater ambition and is demonstrating a stronger trajectory of improvement towards 2015.
4. The need for greater ambition in the system has been discussed in meetings with secondary headteachers involving the Cabinet Member and the corporate director at the beginning of both the autumn and spring terms.
5. At other monthly meetings during the autumn term, time has been devoted to analysing and sharing with headteachers the reasons for significant improvement in particular schools and for a lack of progress in others.
6. Action has also been taken to strengthen the mechanisms that hold schools to account for standards. These actions include: meetings through the year between headteachers and chairs of governors of schools causing concern with the Cabinet Member and senior officers to discuss the school’s progress; written communication, within the statutory framework of local authority powers, to raise concerns with secondary schools whose performance and banding position in 2012 indicated flat or declining performance; the provision of data about individual schools’ performance to the scrutiny committee as well as information about the
19 progress being made by individual schools causing concern.
7. A programme of professional development, devised by Education London, is currently being developed by the School Standards Unit for heads of English and mathematics. These events will build on those developed locally in 2011-2012.
8. The locally employed secondary English and mathematics co-ordinators have continued to hold network meetings for heads of English and mathematics. These have been concerned with analysis of the outcomes of the 2012 examinations, clarity about strengths and weaknesses and how departments will respond and sharing of effective practice.
9. All schools in band 4 and band 5 have prepared specific action plans designed to improve the outcomes achieved by the current year 11 (Y11) and setting out how the schools intend to make use of the grants provided by the Welsh Government.
10. The employment of the two headteacher system leaders with experience of national school improvement strategies in England, one of whom is a national leader in education, has continued. Their work has been directed at schools causing concern. The main focuses of their work include: capacity building to improve the impact of middle leadership on standards and pupils’ progress; strategies to improve the quality of teaching and assessment; processes that are effective in tracking pupils’ progress; reducing the variation between subjects in terms of their performance; strategies to improve attendance and reduce exclusion.
11. The link with a school in Weston-super-mare with an excellent track record in raising standards has continued. The school is currently working with five schools locally to provide school-to-school support to improve standards and teaching in English, mathematics and science.
12. The development of performance data has continued in conjunction with the Central South Consortium. Schools have been provided with comprehensive data at whole school and individual pupil level.
13. The authority has retained some local school improvement capacity during this transition period involving the establishment of the consortium. Paired visits with the consortium’s system leaders involving the head of achievement and the previous senior achievement leader secondary have continued. The identification of schools where paired visits have occurred has been informed by data about performance and other local knowledge.
14. A school portal has been developed and has now been adopted by the consortium as a whole. The system is about to go live and will increasingly replace existing data systems so that all data and information about individual schools can be retrieved and analysed from one location.
15. Interim notes of visit in the autumn term following the shared visits are specific and evaluative.
20 16. The annual reports (APR) written by the consortium’s system leaders provide a detailed overview of each school’s performance and work is being done in the summary report that follows the APR to evaluate leadership and management. Evaluation of the impact of leadership and management on achieving progress against the school’s improvement priorities will also be a feature of the spring and summer term follow-up visits by system leaders to schools.
17. Visits by system leaders have a prominent focus on the performance of individuals and groups of learners and on improving the targeting and impact of interventions.
18. The expectation that targets will reflect high expectations is built into the programme of dialogue with headteachers and senior leaders. The local authority has made it clear in correspondence with schools that it will intervene to set more challenging targets in cases where this has not happened sufficiently.
19. Regular reporting on progress to senior management and the improvement board supported by in-year data and targets has continued.
20. The service has continued to review schools’ progress against their prior inspection outcomes and other aspects of the school’s work to provide an external perspective about progress, to inform next steps and, through joint lesson observation with schools’ leaders, to build the capacity to improve.
21. Arrangements for the appointment of headteachers continue to be strengthened in partnership with governing bodies and system leaders in the consortium. System leaders are involved in all appointments and senior officers of the local authority are also involved.
Impact/ what has improved Evidence
1. Work is continuing to challenge expectations, to lift PIAP and progress aspiration and to reject excuses for low performance. The updates, annual attitudes expressed by most secondary headteachers reports on denote a collective acceptance of a change in culture and performance, notes the need to improve performance much further. There is of visit, minutes of evidence to suggest that the approach has had a positive meetings with impact on the performance of a number of schools where secondary outcomes prior to 2011-2012 were poor. Around half of headteachers, secondary schools in 2011-2012 made improvement performance data compared with the previous year, some of these to a for Willows, significant extent. However, the pattern of improvement is Cantonian, Glyn not yet consistent enough and several schools whose Derw High Schools performance is flat or has declined need to secure and Michaelston improvement at a much greater rate. Community College. 2. The challenge to schools’ expectations and support to Attendance and develop strategy has had a positive impact on improving exclusion data (see attendance rates and reducing exclusion in the large in-year data and majority of secondary schools. SER 1.2.2).
21 3. The appointment of new headteachers in several Data on new schools is contributing to the change of culture and appointments and expectations and is securing an improved focus on raising related school standards. performance 4. The focus on challenging performance and the change Schools’ targets for in the culture of expectation continues to be reflected in the four key measures analysis of schools’ performance in the system leaders’ at KS4, targets at annual reports on performance, the system leaders’ KS3 summary reports and in briefings about schools prior to inspection. 5. The change in culture is reflected in the response of Notes of visit, headteachers and governing bodies in dialogue when annual reports on discussing the school’s performance. performance, summary reports
6. All secondary schools, including those in band 4 and Schools’ targets band 5, are setting targets that convey higher expectations against four key over the next three years and the desire to lift substantially measures at KS4 the proportion of pupils achieving the level 2 threshold including English or Welsh and mathematics.
7. Y11 action plans of good quality have been produced in Individual schools’ targeted schools. There is growing evidence of a stronger Y11 action plans, focus in schools on the performance of individual pupils. notes of visit 8. Schools are drawing on the lessons learned in 2011- Entry and outcome 2012 and are responding by using the facility to enter data in specific pupils early for examinations in English and mathematics schools and to secure improvement in controlled assessments. In such cases they have a view already of likely outcomes in August. The strategy also allows these schools to give pupils the opportunity to achieve a good GCSE if they have not done so on the first occasion and to improve the quality of their grades where they need to even if they have succeeded in achieving at least a grade C.
9. Through a meeting directly with secondary headteachers Notes of visit, to share their own views about the essential building blocks feedback from that raise standards and to share perceptions of schools performance in Cardiff, the two secondary headteacher system leaders are contributing actively to the need to change the culture of aspiration. They have forged very good working relationships with the eight schools to which they are attached. Their work is highly regarded by headteachers and school-based staff and is having a positive impact on building the capacity to improve aspects of senior and middle leadership and the impact of improvement work in schools.
10. The work with schools that are causing concern is now Reviews of progress
22 much more focused on the relationship between action and in Cantonian, Bishop evidence of impact. This is bringing greater impetus to the of Llandaff, Glyn rate of improvement in particular schools and evidence of a Derw, Corpus Christi better capacity to be self-improving. High Schools, Michaelston Community College. Statements of action for individual schools
11. The emphasis on a clear identification of priorities for Aide-memoires, improvement with evidence of progress and impact on focus of spring and pupils’ achievement is informing much more substantially summer term visits, the termly work of system leaders attached to schools. It is notes of visit, also influencing the setting of more ambitious targets and progress reports, in- the development of strategies and interventions to improve year attendance and the performance of individual pupils. exclusion data (see R+I packs)
12. The direct meetings between schools and the Cabinet Minutes of meetings Member and scrutiny, the open discussion with with Cabinet headteachers collectively about performance and the Member, minutes of provision of individual schools’ performance data together scrutiny committee are bringing greater accountability for performance to the in November, system. December, minutes of, and presentations to, secondary headteachers, summary notes following reflections on performance in 2012. Improvement board minutes and RAG status reporting.
What needs to improve further? 1. The substantial improvements recorded by a number of schools whose performance was poor prior to 2011-2012 needs to be sustained. The rate of improvement registered by other schools needs to increase substantially in order to transform educational outcomes for learners and to meet the targets that form part of the Cardiff Ambition.
2. Schools will need to continue to reflect high expectations in their target setting and, importantly, ensure that the tracking of pupils’ progress and intervention to support individuals to improve at both KS3 and KS4 are robust, effective and evidence based. The local authority will need to intervene in close collaboration with the system leaders of the consortium where targets are too low. 3. Schools need to give priority to improving the outcomes achieved by specific
23 groups of learners vulnerable to under-achievement. At local authority level and in schools these are most notably pupils eligible for free school meals, looked after children, more able and talented pupils and pupils with special educational needs. The gains made by minority ethnic pupils need to be built upon also.
4. The steps being taken by the Central South Consortium to build the capacity of effective schools to make a substantial contribution to improving performance in the system overall needs now to gather pace.
5. The quality and impact of the more focused strategic planning that is emerging will need to be supported and challenged to: ensure that in-school improvement strategies and the use of the various delegated resources have maximum impact on pupils’ outcomes.
6. The steps taken to increase the degree of accountability in the system will need to be maintained alongside strategies that improve the capacity to improve so that improvement occurs at a greater pace and is sustained. Impact will be informed by key measures including: the proportion of schools where fewer than 40% of pupils fail to achieve the level 2 threshold Including English or Welsh and mathematics by 2015; the proportion of pupils overall achieving this threshold; reductions in the number of schools identified in a follow-up category following inspection.
7. The provision and updating of performance data more speedily and with easier access needs now to be implemented and made available to all schools in advance of September 2013.
24 PROGRESS REPORT: Post Inspection Action Plan
Objective 3: Make sure the arrangement for the delivery of school improvement services challenge and support all schools effectively, in order to improve standards for learners in all key stages. (Additional Recommendation)
Key actions taken 1. All schools have been allocated a system leader to fulfil the requirement for challenge and support. All system leaders have carried out visits to their attached schools to discuss performance in the autumn term and have written a report (APR) setting out their robust analysis by phase/ key stage and identifying strengths and areas for improvement.
2. Building on previous practice, the reports contain an evaluation of attendance and exclusion. The evaluation of these features and of achievement data, including comparative data, is presented in all cases to the governing of each school at a meeting of the full governing body. The reports are shared with the local authority prior to being shared with the governing body.
3. Data of good quality have been provided to schools in data packs by the consortium and this has covered data at both whole-school and individual pupil level. This has been complemented by the continuing provision of attendance and exclusion data on a monthly basis by Cardiff’s research and information team. The imminent roll out of the school portal will provide data for every school in one place, allow for regular updating and access by schools, the consortium’s staff and the local authority.
4. Schools’ individual targets are challenged by the system leader. Individual and aggregated targets are shared with the local authority and challenged further where necessary.
5. All system leaders have carried out headteacher performance management and there is some evidence to suggest that this revised process is leading to a much stronger connection between headteachers’ objectives and the key areas of improvement identified for the school.
6.One of the senior system leaders is attached specifically to the local authority to ensure there is good communication and a common understanding of local priorities and issues. There is regular communication often on a daily basis between the head of achievement and the senior system leader, involving other senior local authority officers where relevant.
7. In addition, meetings have been held with the system leaders attached to schools in Cardiff, in the early autumn term and early spring terms, to ensure there is a good understanding of strengths, weaknesses and priorities. The meetings have allowed for discussion about the performance of schools overall through the annual report on performance and the provision of aides-memoire to support the dialogue with schools.
25 8. There has been full discussion and agreement with heads of service in each local authority about the nature of the follow-on visits to schools in the spring and summer terms. These are concerned with the progress each school is making against its improvement priorities, the impact on the standards of individual learners and under-pinned by scrutiny of evidence provided by the school and first-hand contact with learning and teaching by the system leader.
9. During the period that the consortium’s arrangements become established the local authority has maintained some residual capacity to smooth the transition. In addition to the work of the head of achievement that has been concerned especially with secondary schools, a strategic lead role for standards in primary schools has been maintained. Some support has also been provided by the previous senior strategic lead for secondary schools. The two headteacher system leaders – secondary employed in 2011-2012 have continued their work and eight effective primary school headteachers in Cardiff have been appointed to provide school-to-school support for schools causing concern.
10. There has been close collaboration between the local authority’s officers and the senior system leader in implementing the consortium’s provisional categorisation of schools. Criteria relating to outcomes, leadership and the authority’s wider knowledge of schools have been particularly influential in determining the initial provisional category. There has been consensus concerning the accuracy of the categorisation that was helped by experience of a previous system in Cardiff.
11. The work with schools in the C and D categories is framed within a statement of action that identifies who will provide challenge and support to assist the school’s capacity to improve. This builds on a similar system that operated previously in Cardiff. From the spring term 2013 meetings will take place on a half-termly basis to review the progress of schools identified in the C and D categories. The review meetings involve initially the senior system leader, head of achievement and strategic lead for primary schools in Cardiff, the system leader attached to the school and the locally employed headteacher system leader working with the school where relevant.
12. With regard to primary schools in particular there has been dialogue with all headteachers through the primary headteachers’ conference in the early autumn term to share the outcomes of the Estyn monitoring visit in June and to establish a clearer set of targets relating to the Cardiff Ambition for primary schools: • Progress of 2 levels or more across KS2. • 90% of pupils to achieve functional literacy by the end of KS2 by 2015. • The percentage of pupils where the reading age is lower than the chronological age reduced from 40% to 30% by 2015. • An average attendance rate of 95% by 2015. • The gap between FSM and non FSM pupils halved by 2015.
A further meeting in January 2013, discussed the key messages from the annual report on the performance of Cardiff’s schools, the need for higher expectations to transform educational outcomes and for a strong focus on capacity building within the system to effect improvement more consistently.
26 13. Achievement and attendance data for individual schools are now shared openly with primary schools as has been the case for secondary schools.
14. A high quality induction programme has been maintained for newly-appointed headteachers in the primary phase. There has been a strong focus on establishing robust and effective self-evaluation and improvement planning procedures as part of the induction. Peer mentors have been appointed in each case.
15. A programme of focused mathematics interventions has been developed for implementation at the foundation phase and KS2, including provision for specific Y6 catch up work. This activity is a direct response to analysis of outcomes in those primary schools displaying a trend over time of unsatisfactory performance in mathematics, especially at KS2. In addition, 25 primary schools are being targeted for training to implement the “Big Maths” whole-class numeracy programme.
16. The foundation phased training programme has been amended and further developed to respond to identified weaknesses or inconsistencies in planning and assessment under-pinning the outcomes in 2012.
17. Through an agreed approach with the consortium, the eight locally recruited primary headteacher system leaders work mainly with C and D category schools. They support their capacity to improve strategic skills relating to standards, self- evaluation and improvement planning and the impact of leadership on outcomes.
18. The meetings with the Cabinet Member for Education involving headteachers and chairs of governors extends also to primary schools. These meetings have focused in the first instance on schools in inspection follow-up categories but will cover also schools in the D category and, in due course, targeted schools in the C category.
19. The provision of information to the scrutiny committee about the progress of schools causing concern has encompassed primary as well as secondary schools.
20. The scrutiny committee is undertaking research into the impact of poverty on attainment in urban contexts with the intention of making recommendations to inform provision and practice locally. Data and information presented to the scrutiny working group have been shared with schools. Including the analysis of how schools are spending the pupil deprivation grant.
21. The annual report on performance provides a robust and accurate view of the performance of Cardiff’s schools and the youth service. It has been developed significantly to provide an insight into the performance of individual schools as well for schools overall.
27
Impact/ what has improved Evidence
1. Around half of secondary schools improved their Data on individual performance in 2011-2012. A group of schools whose schools’ performance previously had been poor against a number of performance against indicators at KS4 improved significantly. However, this key measures at improvement was not replicated by other schools, some of KS4 which serve areas of much less socio-economic disadvantage in the north of the city. 2. Good progress is being made towards achieving the Annual report on the Cardiff Ambition with regard to attendance in both primary performance of and secondary schools. Attendance rates overall for Cardiff’s schools; in- primary and secondary schools improved significantly in year data for 2011-2012 (by 1.5% and 0.8% respectively). Only one attendance and primary school had an attendance rate below 90%. Fifteen exclusion. secondary schools now have attendance rates over 90%. The improvements have continued during the current academic year. Exclusion has also reduced in both sectors. In 2011-2012, 72 primary schools did not use exclusion as a sanction at all. 3. Virtually all schools that have been identified as needing Annual report on the following-up action after inspection have been removed performance of from this list. They have benefited from regular, external Cardiff’s schools – evaluation of the quality of their evidence about appendix 9 improvement, the extent to which it is robust enough and the next steps that need to be taken to secure more improvement. There has been a good correlation between the content of briefings provided to Estyn before inspection and the outcomes of inspection. 4. The lessons learned from the work with schools in Statements of inspection follow-up activity are increasingly informing the section for individual work with schools that are identified in the consortium’s C schools, and D categories to good effect. headteacher system leaders’ notes of visit 5. Through the dialogue and evaluations of the System leaders’ consortium’s system leaders, and the work of local summary reports, authority officers and headteacher system leaders, briefings before understanding of the part played by leadership in improving inspection, standards and the quality of education is becoming much headteacher system more prominent. leaders’ notes of visit
6. The part played by more robust mechanisms to ensure Minutes of accountability for performance is now more prominent and headteachers’ these are contributing substantially to changing the culture conferences, of expectation. minutes of meetings
28 with Cabinet Member and with scrutiny 7. There is growing evidence that the higher expectations Schools’ aggregated are translating into more demanding targets, although targets to 2015 there is still further work to do to ensure this is more consistently the case in primary schools.
8. The transition arrangements involving residual local Statements of authority staff have helped ensure continuity in the action, headteacher provision of challenge and support in schools causing system leader notes concern of visit, head of achievements’ notes of visits and progress reports 9. There is evidence of encouraging progress in both Progress reports for secondary and primary schools that are the subject of individual schools intervention.
10. The development of a shared acceptance and Outcomes of ISOS understanding of the need for much higher expectation of facilitated what learners should achieve is now more prominent in the development dialogue with headteachers at consortium level and in sessions with planning the service’s further development. Headteachers consortium’s and local authority officers are increasingly displaying a officers, system shared sense of purpose that is determined to ensure the leaders and consortium adds value. headteachers
What needs to improve further? 1. Other than at KS3, where there has been more sustained improvement, the pattern of improvement is inconsistent in secondary schools and needs to gather more pace in order to transform outcomes as desired and to meet the goals of the Cardiff Ambition.
2. Similarly, a much greater impetus towards improvement needs to be secured in primary schools at both the foundation phase and KS2 as performance has been largely flat in recent years.
3. The significant improvement realised in a number of secondary schools where performance was poor against key indicators in 2010-2011 needs to be maintained and built upon further.
4. Comparative data against the performance of similar schools needs to be better in many instances as does the value added from one key stage to the next.
5. The current process under-pinning the system leader’s engagement with the schools to which they are attached will need to be refined further. The annual report on performance and the summary report need to come together in one document, be succinct and sharply evaluative in relation to achievement,
29 attendance, exclusion and all aspects that come within leadership and management.
6. The work of system leaders will need to build on the steps already taken to focus at its heart on the impact of school’s improvement strategy on the standards achieved by individual learners. Targets already set, and pupils’ progress towards achieving them, will need to be the subject of continuing challenge to ensure that higher expectations are fully embedded.
7. The work that has begun to establish a shared ambition for the learners that attend the schools in the consortium, and a sharply focused set of key priorities, needs to be brought to fruition. Plans to promote a shared understanding of these priorities with schools and local authorities’ officers will need to be completed during the spring and summer terms.
8. The operation of the categorisation process will need further refinement and clarification so that it is fully understood by all schools.
9. The work that has already started to draw on effective practice within and beyond the consortium and Wales will need to continue. In particular, further action will need to be taken to develop school-to-school support as a significant strand in the work with less effective schools in order to build a more dynamic capacity to improve in the system as a whole.
10. A more discriminating approach will need to be taken to prioritising intervention in those schools with the greatest need for improvement so that the intervention is clearly linked to a diagnosis of need and is bespoke.
11. The start made by the LiNKS service to develop networking and the brokerage of support needs to be extended so that it is able to respond to the commissioning of support and challenge in schools causing concern when bespoke intervention is being planned.
30 PROGRESS REPORT: Post Inspection Action Plan
Objective 3: To continue to improve attendance. (Recommendation 4)
Key actions taken since June 1. Action to address this recommendation has been the subject of regular reporting and discussion through the implementation board, senior management meetings in the education service, the FYPPB.
2. In addition to the original £370,000 delegated to schools further funding (£170,000) has been allocated to schools to provide the equivalent of an additional eight school attendance officers (SAOs). The allocation of these further resources is through an agreed formula to recognise where improving attendance is more challenging. Six schools received funding for an additional post and 4 schools received funding for 0.5 of a post. Four schools have recruited and others are in the process of recruitment.
3. A further two SAOs are currently being recruited to the central education welfare service’s (EWS) team to provide additional support to schools that did not receive an allocation in the latest delegation. They will also be deployed on a project/triage basis proportionate to the needs of individual schools.
4. An SAO from Czech /Roma community is currently being recruited in order to improve engagement and attendance of Czech Roma and Eastern European pupils who are currently presenting with significant attendance issues.
5. A media campaign was launched in September ‘Give your child a better future. Give attendance 100%’ to raise the profile and importance of attendance at school and its links with attainment. The campaign consisted of a wide range of communications activity including: Capital Radio adverts, press coverage, Billboards, Cardiff Bus adverts (interior and exterior), telephone Boxes, Train Station Adverts, branded telephone boxes, supermarket Ads, Queen Street big screen Facebook Adverts and Twitter Messages. A dedicated website has also been developed: www.cardiff.gov.uk/giveattendance100percent or www.caerdydd.gov.uk/rhowch100ycantibresenoldeb
6. Leaflets for parents about the importance of school attendance have been produced as well as additional leaflets on topics including taking holidays in term time, punctuality and prosecution. Materials are currently being translated into several community languages to ensure the message is understood by all parents.
7. The Chief Executive wrote to all parents in June 2012 reminding them of the importance of attendance and withdrawal of authorisation for holidays in term time and extended holidays. Plans are in place to write to parents again to report on impact.
8. Guidance on attendance codes has been revised and re-circulated. Forty register inspections were undertaken in October/November in schools with the most challenging attendance. Feedback has been given to staff leading on attendance strategy where issues are identified. Headteachers have been reminded about the new codes and guidance has been re-issued at the start of term.
31 9. Extensive work has been done to embed the Five-Step Approach which provides a more systematic and rigorous approach to managing attendance. There are clearer roles for schools and SAOs in respect of school-based approaches and early intervention work with pupils and families.
10. The EWS has participated in link visits and reviews to provide support and challenge to senior managers within schools with responsibility for attendance. All EWOs attend annual team around the school meetings at their individual schools to discuss attendance, areas of concern and actions to address issues.
11. There is closer working between the performance information team and the EWS with improvements made to data collection arrangements and reporting allowing for more accurate up-to-date and robust analysis of current progress. Information is being made available to schools on a monthly basis. The EWS uses information more effectively to target work with specific schools involving actions such as register inspections and use of the audit tool (developed by EWS) and to help schools identify where to target and prioritise action. Guidance on appropriate use of registration codes has been circulated to all schools.
12. Meetings have been held with the head legal adviser. The court user group has been disbanded and magistrates are participating only in mandatory training. In response, the EWS has produced Guidance for Magistrates which the head of the legal advisory team has disseminated and discussed with the chair of the magistrates. Improvements have been made to the way cases and information are presented to magistrates which EWS are implementing.
13. Meetings have been held with the post-16 transition and progress manager to discuss identification of pupils in year 11 (Y11) with the intention of working proactively to ensure transition post-16 is supported effectively. Mechanisms are in place to ensure early identification of pupils at risk via the Fair Access Panel and EWS. Reports have been developed by the research and information team to assist in the identification of those most at risk.
14. There are now monthly meetings focusing on the needs of vulnerable groups including looked after children (LAC) to ensure early intervention and appropriate support. The attendance of both primary and secondary LAC has improved.
15. End of term summary reports for each secondary school have been developed detailing action, interventions, referrals and prosecutions to quantify and qualify the effectiveness of the EWS service to schools.
16. The effective links with the Families First ‘Team around the Family’ pilots continue to be developed and EWOs are significant partners in this.
32 Impact/what has improved Evidence
1.There were significant improvements in overall Statutory returns attendance rates in 2011-2012. Good progress was made Monthly attendance towards the achievement of the Cardiff Ambition of an RBA report card and RAG average attendance rate of 95% by 2015. However, reporting attendance will still need to improve by about 1% per year Improvement Board for the next three years to realise this ambition. Secondary Reports. Evaluation forms attendance rose in 2011 -12 to 91.9% compared to 90.4% in 2010, securing an improvement of 1.5%. The statutory return to the Welsh Government shows as 1.3% (91.7%) as this also included special schools.
Attendance improved in all but three secondary schools. Overall attendance was above 90% in fifteen of the twenty schools and above 93% in eight schools (five in 2010- 2011). However, only one school to date has exceeded an attendance rate of 95%.
There has been a reduction in average days lost per pupil: 2010 -11 = 90.4% = 18.3 days 2011 -12 = 91.9% = 15.4 days
In year-data for the end of December 2012 indicated a further improvement of around 0.5% compared with the same point in 2011 and against the figure for the statutory return. Around two-thirds of secondary schools’ attendance is up on this point last year. 2. Cardiff’s position relative to the other 21 Welsh Annual report on the authorities rose to joint 18th from 21st in the previous year. performance of Cardiff’s Despite the improvement in overall attendance in 2011/12 schools, WG secondary there are still too many schools whose attendance rate statistical bulletin places them in the 3rd or 4th quartiles against similar schools nationally. Six schools are in the 3rd quartile and five in the bottom quartile. Conversely there are six schools in the top quartile and three in the 2nd. 3. Primary School attendance in 2011 - 12 improved by Monthly attendance 0.8%- a result that was close to the target of 93.8%. reports, statutory returns, Attendance improved in 81 schools (82 %), fell in 14 attendance targets, schools (14%) and remained the same in three. Twenty- attendance RBA report five schools (26%) met the national target and the Cardiff card and RAG reporting Ambition of 95% compared with 15 in the previous year. Attendance was below 90% in only one school compared with 11 in the previous year.
There has been a reduction in average days lost per pupil: 2011 -12 = 93.7% = 12 days 2010 -11 = 92.9% = 13.5 days
Primary attendance at the end of November 2012 was
33 92.92% which is 2.51% up on the same time last year.
90.4% of primary schools attendance is up on their previous year’s statutory return.
72% of primary schools’ attendance is up on this point last year (end Nov 2012).
4. Cardiff’s position relative to the other 21 Welsh WG statistical bulletin for authorities with regard to primary school attendance rose to primary school 15th from 17th in the previous year. attendance 5. Data collection and the rigour of reporting on attendance Monthly summary continue to improve. Data are shared openly and actively analysis and R+I pack. with all schools.
6. There is much improved support for vulnerable groups Monthly summary including LAC through monthly MAG group. The analysis and R+I pack attendance rates of these groups, in particular LAC Corporate parent reports attendance have improved.
Attendance up until the end of October attendance was 96.08% for primary LAC pupils against all primary pupils attendance at 93.78%.
For the same period – attendance was 91. 82% for Secondary LAC pupils against all secondary pupils’ attendance 93.92%. 7. The written correspondence with parents and the Articles from SW Echo, implementation of the publicity campaign has given a high and Capital Times. Twitter profile to the new policy in the summer and autumn terms. comments. Letter from Jon House regarding holidays in term time. Guidance on attendance codes document, parental responses, web site hits. 8. There is more systematic analysis of data. The EWS Code level reports, uses this information to focus support through, for example, Attendance ‘Hit Squad’ undertaking register inspections, use of the audit tool or documentation from undertaking initiative such as ‘Attendance Hit Squad’ for Willows and Rumney schools requiring additional support. Improved data High Schools analysis at code level is being used to highlight issues impacting on attendance such as holidays in term time which is then influencing policy and action.
9. The skills and knowledge of SAOs and EWOs have School Attendance been improved through ongoing training, information Manual, half-termly NMA sharing and the development of resources supported by Minutes, EWS
34 more robust and consistent processes and documentation. supervision records, EWS This has developed capacity and the efficiency of the team. training records Weekly meetings between EWOs with SAOs and half- termly cluster/ neighbourhood management meetings to address procedural issues are improving practice and consistency.
10. The link between attendance and attainment is now Annual reports on more strongly embedded and there is greater challenge performance, notes of where improvements are not being secured quickly visit, review reports, enough. More challenging targets are now forming part of attendance audit reports, the dialogue in system leader visits in the autumn and in-year attendance data, spring terms and are translating into higher overall targets. aides-memoire for spring and summer term link visits, schools’ targets
What needs to improve further 1. The Cardiff Ambition aims to achieve an average attendance rate of 95% for both primary and secondary schools by 2015. The improvements recorded in 2011/12 are a good step towards achieving this ambition. However, attendance will need to improve by at least a further 1% per year for the next three years if the ambition is to be fully realised.
2. There is a need to provide ongoing professional development for all staff to improve their skills and confidence in challenging schools where improvements in attendance are not being made or attendance practices require improvement. Further work needs to be done to embed and develop the skills of both new and existing SAOs to strengthen stage 1 and 2 support and intervention for pupils and families.
3. The development of the ‘family learning signature’ on a pilot basis as a means of improving engagement with families in the primary phase has been dependent on the outcome of an education-led Families First bid. This was successful and so this work can now proceed.
6. Advanced Restorative Approaches training for all EWS staff can also now proceed as this is an inherent element in the successful Families First submission. This will support the implementation of a consistent approach to working with families and the delivery of services.
7. There is a need to make further use of the audit tool and register inspections to help identify issues and prioritise action in relation to attendance in schools where sufficient improvement has not been made.
8. All schools, irrespective of where they are located in the city, need to continue to give priority to improving attendance. This is crucial if targets relating to achievement are to be met.
9. It will be important to develop further relationships with school improvement colleagues in the school improvement service in the consortium. Work in collaboration
35 with EWS staff will need to be further strengthened.
10. Work will need to continue to improve the provision of performance data to facilitate improved analysis at both school and authority level in order to prioritise action, including attendance by National Curriculum year group, free school meals and other specific groups. This will need to measure the impact, for example, of the withdrawal of authorisation for holidays in term time. Attendance data will be an important element in the data about schools’ performance located in one place through the education portal (web-based school profile).
36 Objective 3
PROGRESS REPORT: Post Inspection Action Plan
Objective 3: To continue to reduce exclusion. (Recommendation 4)
Key actions taken 1. Action to address this recommendation has been monitored regularly through the improvement board and team meetings in the education service and in meetings of secondary headteachers.
2. Elected members and officers have been briefed on the five-stage approach.
3. A seminar for senior leaders with specific responsibility for behaviour strategy, together with officers from the behaviour support service and education welfare service took place on 24th January 2013. The seminar developed further the thinking under-pinning the five-stage approach, its future direction and also heard from schools about their work in developing provision at stages 3 and 4.
4. Work has continued through the behaviour task group to develop the processes at stages three, four and five as part of a more strategic and coherent approach to behaviour management. This has had full involvement of secondary headteachers, the headteacher of Greenhill special school and the head of the pupil referral unit (PRU) and has been discussed and agreed with the secondary headteachers’ conference. This is also part of the remit of the Youth Engagement Work stream Board.
5. The innovative work to provide alternatives to permanent exclusion is continuing. The Pupil Alternative Curriculum Centres (PACC) are now being re- designated as Partnership Appropriate Curriculum Centres as this reflects more accurately the fact that the process is now being managed increasingly by schools working together in partnership groups. Much of the work is dedicated to meeting the needs of pupils at stage 4 of the five stage approach. Three of the five secondary school partnerships are implementing agreed programmes and planning is at an advanced stage in the remaining two.
6. Access to alternative provision has been extended to pupils educated in both the pupil referral unit (PRU) and the secondary special school (Greenhill) for pupils with emotional, social and behavioural needs to enrich the curriculum and promote equality of opportunity.
7. In the PRU and Greenhill Special School good work is being done to extend the range of options available to pupils and to enhance opportunities for accreditation in collaboration with the 14-19 team. Similarly pupils educated otherwise than at school participate in a range of accredited options. Further extension of the PRU curriculum is planned for 2013-2014 to increase the GCSE offer. There has been early work to develop more places at stage 5 to meet the most complex needs.
8. In collaboration with the 14-19 team, necessary work has been done to put in place a robust procurement framework that will support the commissioning of
37 alternative provision to meet these needs. All parties recognise the need to ensure that the provision is of high quality and leads to appropriate qualifications. The provision involves contributions from partners within the council, including the 14- 19 team and the youth service, the private and third sectors.
9. The service has been successful in securing an additional £600,000 to develop in-school provision at stage 3. This funding has now been delegated using a formula that reflects the scale of need and was the result of consultation with headteachers.
10. A budget pressure submission has been made for the full year effect of the sum above for provision at stage 3. In addition, a further budget pressure submission has been made for £850,000 to develop the range and quality of provision at stage 4. If successful this will again be delegated according to agreed criteria.
11. The behaviour support service and educational psychology service have been significant partners in the Families First tendering process. The successful tender for the youth engagement strand of the Families First programme for 8 to 25 year olds and elements of the successful emotional health and well-being strand will ensure that a number of programmes with a successful track record will continue within the context of the overall strategy as it develops further over the next three years. As a result, a number of successful interventions will continue to make a significant contribution to meeting the needs of vulnerable groups including those at risk of exclusion and are being realigned to meet the relevant Families First criteria. (Fastrack, youth mentoring programme, transition learning mentors, Cardiff Against Bullying, additional transition support for pupils and families for pupils with BESD transferring from KS2 to KS3, Pyramid clubs).
12. The restorative approaches pilot has been implemented in three secondary schools and is being continued in order to embed the approach. The initiative has been extended to the federation’s secondary schools in the west of the city. As a result of the successful Families First tender the programme will now be able to be developed further on a strategic basis in line with the ambition for Cardiff to be a restorative city.
13. Significant work has been done to develop the assessment and referral frameworks associated with the team around the family and to recruit the necessary team leaders and key workers as part of the Families First pilots involving three secondary schools and a number of partner primary schools. This work will inform the further development of the team around the family approach that has now been commissioned as part of the Families First tendering process.
14. The head of the behaviour support service, the team leader and other members of the behaviour support service are increasingly working in ways that help schools to build the capacity to manage behaviour more successfully.
15. Very good work is done by the service to provide support and advice for pupils particularly at school action plus and to develop the use of pastoral support plans both as preventative measure and to assist with reintegration following exclusion.
38 16. The range of data available to support, challenge and evaluate schools’ performance continues to develop. This includes in-year data and data for specific groups. The permanent and fixed-term exclusion data is updated each month and is shared with secondary schools.
17. In collaboration with the consortium, secondary schools have been asked to set internal targets to reduce fixed-term exclusion.
18. The annual report on performance for each school is continuing to comment on behaviour and exclusion.
19. Collaborative work involving officers working with pupils with ALN has been strengthened through team around the school meetings and whole-school reviews.
20. Work is under way to revise the exclusions protocol, to strengthen expectations about how it should operate and to assure consistency in how legislation and local agreements are operated in practice.
21. Consistent and accurate advice has led to fewer permanent exclusions, a reduced tariff of days for fixed-term exclusions in several cases and appropriate challenge to ensure that pupils and schools are protected from risk.
22.Realignment of exclusion responsibilities has streamlined advice and support
23. Revolving-door provision in the primary sector is continuing to make a substantial contribution to meeting the needs of younger pupils with more challenging and complex needs. Plans are also in place to establish primary school nurture provision.
Impact/ what has improved Evidence
1. There is a growing consensus that exclusion is rarely a Discussion in solution in itself to many of the behaviours displayed by secondary pupils and recognition of the need to reduce exclusion. headteachers’ conference, January seminar, permanent exclusions prevented database.
2. There is a growing understanding of the strategic Five stage approach to framework for the development of behaviour management behaviour and a willingness to relate decision making to this management, agenda framework. Work in a number of schools is providing and minutes of evidence of the positive impact for example of in-school behaviour task group, provision on reducing exclusion. agenda and outcomes of behaviour seminar, minutes of secondary heads’ conference, in- year exclusion data
39 3. The greater emphasis on clear strategy and the links Submission to Council especially with youth engagement have been key of developmental and determinants in securing additional funding and in making budget pressure the case for further financial resources. Together these are funding, budget forum making a difference to the rate of exclusion and have the minutes, formulae for potential to add impetus to reducing exclusion further. This delegation. exemplifies the direction of additional resources to support agreed priorities.
4. As a result of discussion and agreement with secondary Outcomes of behaviour headteachers there is a better understanding of the task group, discussion repositioning of responsibility between the authority and in secondary heads’ schools and an increasing willingness on the part of conference, behaviour schools to exercise that responsibility. seminar, work of partnership groups.
5. There is early evidence that the restorative approaches Restorative approaches initiative is making a positive contribution to behaviour evaluation report. management through its emphasis on relationships and personal responsibility for actions.
6. PACC provision at stage four of the five- stage approach Permanent exclusion has made a significant contribution to reducing the need for data by school and permanent exclusion in the secondary sector in 2011-2012. overall for 2011-2012. (see SER 1.2.2, exclusion report pack)
7. The development of PACC provision has had a positive Individual case studies, impact on the attitudes and engagement of a significant overall participation, number of young people and has provided opportunities for attendance, exclusion accreditation that would otherwise not have occurred. data, PACC report cards
8. The work of the behaviour support service has had a Proven results of Start positive influence on developing innovative approaches Right group at Rumney that are having a productive impact on behaviour High School, guidance management. to Willows High on a graduated response to BESD, additional and innovative support in St Albans primary 9. The processes relating to a graduated response to Statistics on referrals meeting BESD are improving. The number of referrals at for statements and SA+ school action plus (around 300) is similar to that in 2010- data. 2011. The number of statutory assessment requests from schools is between 40 and 50 and are now much more soundly based.
40 10. The opportunity for pupils in the PRU and secondary PRU, Carnegie Centre special school to access alternative provision is having an and Greenhill increasingly significant impact on their well being and accreditation data achievement. 11. As a result of the higher profile given to reducing Exclusion from schools exclusion, the development of alternatives to exclusion and in Wales February support for whole-school behaviour management 2012 (SER 1.2.2, procedures the number of permanent exclusions has annual report 1.1.1), remained at zero in the primary and special school sectors annual report on the and has reduced dramatically in the secondary sector. performance of Cardiff’s schools, Since 2005 there has been a 90% reduction in the number performance of permanent exclusions from secondary schools. The information unit’s statistical bulletin for Wales concerning exclusion in exclusion report pack. secondary schools for 2010/11 confirms the significant reduction in permanent exclusion from 39 in 2009/10 to 22. The rate per thousand pupils reduced from 1.9 to 1.1 and narrowed the gap with the Wales average. (0.7)There were three local authorities with a higher rate per thousand pupils (Cardiff had the highest rate in 2009/10).
Unvalidated data for 2011-2012 shows a further reduction in permanent exclusion from 22 to 6.
There were no permanent exclusions in either primary or special schools in 2010-2011. This was also the case in 2011-2012. 12. The number of fixed-term exclusions of five days or Exclusion from schools less rose somewhat in the period up 2008/09 to 2010/11. in Wales February There was one local authority with a higher rate per 2012 (SER 1.2.2, thousand pupils in 2010/11. (Cardiff had the highest rate in annual report 1.1.1) 2009/10). The average number of days lost at 2.1 was the same as the Wales average
The number of fixed-term exclusions of six days or more fell (253 > 238). There were three local authorities with a higher rate per thousand pupils compared with one in 2009/10. The average number of days lost at 10.0 was just under the Wales average (10.2).
The average days lost for fixed-term exclusion in total at 2.6 was just under the Wales average (2.8).
13. Unvalidated data for fixed-term exclusion for 2011/ 12 Annual report on the indicate the following: performance of • A reduction in the average days lost to fixed-term Cardiff’s schools, exclusion in secondary schools (from 2.78 in 2010/11 to performance 2.41 in 2011/12). information unit’s • Around a 30% reduction in the number of fixed-term exclusion report pack. exclusions of 6 days or more (247/162).
41 • A reduction of approximately 7% in the number of fixed- term exclusions of five days or fewer (3007/ 2795).
14. Unvalidated data for fixed-term exclusion for primary Annual report on the schools in 2011/ 12 indicate the following: performance of • A continuing reduction in the average days lost to Cardiff’s schools, exclusion in primary schools (from 2.25 in 2010/11 to performance 1.96 in 2011/12). information unit’s • A further reduction of about a quarter in the number of exclusion report pack. fixed-term exclusions of five days or fewer compared with the previous year (238/ 181). • In 2011-2012 72 primary schools did not use any form of exclusion an increase from the 56 schools in the previous year.
15, The rate of permanent exclusion for pupils with SEN Performance follows a strong downward trend and is lower than the information unit’s Welsh average for pupils at SA/ SA+ and no pupils with a exclusion report pack, statement of SEN have been excluded permanently case studies relating to excluded. challenge to inappropriate exclusion, primary school revolving door data
16. Pupils eligible for free schools, looked after children, Performance pupils with SEN and a few minority ethnic groups are information unit’s disproportionately represented in the figures for fixed-term exclusion report pack exclusion. However, there were reductions in the rate of fixed-term exclusion in respect of most of these groups in 2011-2012. 17. As reported in inspection, behaviour is good in all Annual report on the primary schools and in the vast majority of secondary performance of schools. Cardiff’s schools.
18. In-year data indicate that the number of fixed-term Performance exclusions has reduced further in X……of the twenty one information unit’s secondary schools compared with the same point in 2011- exclusion report pack 2012, the number of days lost has reduced in X….and the average days lost to exclusion has reduced in X…..schools.
19. The more robust focus on reporting exclusion has Annual reports on contributed to giving the need to reduce exclusion a much performance, higher profile. performance information unit’s exclusion report pack
42 What needs to improve further 1. There is a need for schools to continue to strengthen planning for whole-school behaviour management by adopting robust and consistent procedures and provision at stages 1, 2 and 3.
2. Schools’ will need to demonstrate the impact of the additional resources that are being delegated on outcomes, including reductions in the number of fixed- term exclusions.
3. The good progress in implementing strategy at stage 4 through schools working in partnership needs to be built upon. All provision needs to be commissioned through the centrally agreed procurement framework to assure sufficiency and quality.
4. Further work is needed to develop mechanisms for evaluating the quality and impact of schools’ provision for pupils at stages 3 and 4 in collaboration with the consortium’s system leaders.
5. There is a continuing need to develop the analysis and use of data to support evaluation of the impact of provision.
6. The review of specialist provision needs to be completed so that decisions to extend or reconfigure provision at stage 5 in association with the PRU and Greenhill school for pupils with the most complex needs form part of an agreed strategic approach.
7. As resources are delegated closer to the point of need the role of the behaviour support service needs to be reconfigured further towards capacity building so that schools are much better placed themselves to respond to pupils with BESD.
8. The Families First youth engagement and emotional health and well-being strands now need to be implemented from April 1st and the agreed measures used to demonstrate impact.
9. The reconfiguration of the youth service’s provision will need to take account of its role in contributing to meeting the needs of more vulnerable young people. This will be important with regard to decisions concerning the development of targeted provision in particular.
43 PROGRESS REPORT: Post Inspection Action Plan
Objective 3: To continue to reduce the number of young people not in education employment or training (NEETS). (Recommendation 4)
Key actions taken 1. The need to address young people’s disengagement from education, training and employment has been prioritised by the current administration in Cardiff adopting the aspirational strap line, ‘a NEET Free City’
2. The strategic multi-agency Youth Engagement Workstream Board, with responsibility for the education, employment or training (ETE) agenda is now chaired by the Council’s Chief Operating Officer.
3. The Youth Engagement Work stream Board is continuing to meet on a bi- monthly basis. Improvements have been made in planning and monitoring of progress against actions with a NEETs action plan as the single focus of one of Youth Engagement Work stream Board meetings.
4. Improved reporting arrangements have been developed across a wider age range through the involvement of Job Centre Plus together with Careers Wales. Reports on the overall status of young people not engaged in ETE are brought together on a quarterly basis and presented at the Youth Engagement Board.
5. The appointment to the post of learner progression and engagement manager has increased the capacity to develop dialogue and collaborative working between agencies. The post holder has developed a process for the early identification of young people at risk of failing to making a successful progression into ETE at age 16. A single vulnerability assessment tool for young people at risk is being trialled with four secondary schools in the City, Fitzalan, Cantonian, Radyr and Bishop of Llandaff. The results of the early identification process are being discussed with a view to agreeing: which young people will be supported by the schools themselves; which young people need to be allocated support from an identified agency that can provide a ‘Single Responsible Adult’.
6. Building on existing models, (Learning Coach / Youth Mentor) Cardiff Council is developing a system of brokerage or access to a ‘Single Responsible Adult’ as part of a series of Welsh Government sponsored local authority trials which will inform national guidance on the future delivery of youth support in Wales.
7. Following the successful outcomes of the Families First commissioning specifications, a number of NEET focused programmes have been secured until March 2016 these include: the learning coach team for post-16 learners; the pre 16 youth mentor programme and the multi-agency provision @33 in Cardiff city centre. Additionally, projects delivered by Cardiff and Vale College, the Princes Trust and leisure services which have a focus on ETE engagement have been successful in drawing down funding.
8. Within the Families First programme Restorative Approaches training has been secured and will continue to be rolled out with services across the city in schools
44 and with community partners.
9. The newly-commissioned Communities First funding is being targeted towards addressing the need to reduce the number of NEETs. Projects in these communities are able to engage and progress good numbers of young people through pre entry and entry programmes.
10. Cardiff’s Youth Service has prioritised and realigned the delivery of service provision to meet the needs of young people in neighbourhoods where numbers of young people post 16 not engaged in ETE are highest. During the period June to September 2012 the Service targeted provision to support young people identified as at risk of not making a progression into ETE. Individual 1:1 support was provided together with a series of multi-agency provider fairs aimed at widening horizons and encouraging young people to enrol with training or education providers.
11. Arrangements for identifying, reporting and engaging those learners who have difficulty in maintaining FE placements have been put in place with Cardiff and Vale College, St David’s College and Careers Wales.
12. Evaluative reports have been produced on the post-16 learning coach provision and an evaluative log of pre-16 learning coach interventions; the annual 14-19 area self-review and quality improvement plan has been submitted to the Welsh Government annually; the revised framework for alternative provision includes regular monitoring, feedback and evaluation of provision as part of the remit for the neighbourhood alternative panels.
13. Sharing of best practice continues to happen through the 14-19 local partnerships and the learning forum. Particular emphasis is being given to raising the profile of skills development and supporting schools to develop a holistic approach to this with CPD support and on-line tools available. This is now being strongly developed in 11 secondary schools.
14. The behaviour task and finish group has developed the detail to support the implementation of the five stage approach and at stages 3, 4, and 5. Agreement has been reached on principles, partnerships, processes and funding methodologies. An implementation plan has been developed. This revised approach will strengthen the development of alternatives to exclusion that will also make a contribution to mitigating the effect of young people becoming NEET.
15. Mapping of alternative provision has been undertaken. Provision has been commissioned and is now being delivered by training providers and the youth service to support stage 4 of the behaviour strategy in particular. It will be guided by the work of the neighbourhood alternative provision panels which will be making specific recommendations on support and provision for the pupils referred from the schools in their defined partnership group.
16. The 14-19 team is working with secondary schools, Careers Wales and learning coaches to undertake work with Y11 learners identified as not having identified post 16 destinations to secure progression plans. Cardiff Youth Service
45 is using a Welsh Government revenue grant to initiate a keeping In touch programme from July to September with identified learners who have failed to secure a post-16 destination on leaving school.
17.The six neighbourhood management teams have developed action plans which are consistent with the What Matters Strategy but focus on the key issues for that particular area. Each neighbourhood plan has identified a series of actions relating to the reduction of the number of young people who are NEETs.
18. Families First, team around the family (TAF) pilots have been established with key partners in Cardiff East (Action for Children) and Cardiff West (Barnardos). The focus of the partnership is with secondary schools, Rumney High School, Glyn Derw High School, Michaelston College and feeder schools and criteria for referrals include attendance and behaviour. Pilot funding secured until March 2013 with a view to extending the TAF areas through to 2017. A review of the programme is currently being undertaken
19. A strategic alliance between Cardiff and Vale College and St. David’s Catholic College provides a harmonised A level offer between the FE Colleges from September 2013.
20. The support function for transition will be developed alongside the new post- 16 learner progression and engagement manager role, with a clear aim of NEETs reduction immediately following the end of compulsory education.
21. Following the successful EVS Programme, Cardiff and Vale College is re- directing resources to increase the number of places on vocational taster courses and entry/ L1 / L2 provision so that young people are not turned away each September. Up to 300 places will be available by September 2013. As part of this development Cardiff and Vale College is further developing a Passport to Learning initiative.
22. Enhancing provision for vulnerable learners at transition to post-16 continues to develop and improvements for 2012 have been planned, particularly the link with IAG for pupils in alternative provision. A first meeting has been held to look at the needs and progression routes of learners with ALN going forward into post-16 from special schools and special units attached to secondary schools. Cardiff and Vale College has recognised the need to re-design their progression routes for these learners and are central to the discussions gong forward. Cardiff has been successful with a bid to access a UPOSS grant to further support the transition of young people from special schools and units into FE.
23. The further development of the youth offending service’s (YOS) Youth Gateway has ensured that young people post-16 vulnerable to involvement with the criminal justice system and working with Cardiff YOS are successfully engaged in education, employment and training.
24. The Business Engagement Framework underpins the development of an employer engagement strategy with particular reference to support in work experience, extended work experience and work taster opportunities both pre-
46 and post-16. A business engagement plan has been approved and planning will commence with schools and employers from the end of October. The first of three launch events are to be held in March 2013. there will be a strong focus on structured work experience, talent match, skills matching and routes to employability for school leavers. Partners include Job Centre Plus, CBI, and the Chamber of Commerce.
24. Work is currently under way to develop models of good practice for effective work experience and intern opportunities with local authorities, health trusts and other public sector employers including Cardiff Council itself. Discussions have taken place with the procurement service to secure a ‘social commitment’ in Cardiff Council’s commissioned contracts which will lead to work placement opportunities being provided to young people not engaged in ETE.
Impact/ what has improved Evidence
1. As a result of the high priority being given to reducing the Families First number of NEETs, there is now a much stronger alignment commissioning of the work of different partners to address the challenges. process, Communities First funding programme, membership, agenda and minutes of youth engagement board, realignment of service delivery of youth service 2. The role of the learner progression and engagement Early identification manager has increased the dialogue and collaborative profile, Cardiff and working between agencies. The post holder has made Vale College, St considerable inroads into the development of a process for David’s College and the early identification of young people at risk of failing to Careers Wales making a successful progression into ETE at age 16. statistics.
Identification and reporting arrangements concerning those learners who have difficulty in maintaining FE placements are now much stronger and are beginning to have a positive impact on engaging young people.
3. There has been a steady decline in the total percentage Destinations data of young people not progressing into ETE when leaving at 2011/12 year 11. Destination data 2011/12 suggest this currently Careers Wales stands at 6.7% after peaking at 10.6% in 2008.
There has been a significant impact on decreasing the numbers of young people with a destination unknown status within this cohort. After peaking at 4.8% in 2009 it is now at 1.5% in 2012. This is a direct result of improved processes of identification aligned engagement.
47 At transition aged 18 there has again been a steady decrease with 8.4% of a cohort of 1547 disengaging from ETE in 2011 to 4.5 % of an increased cohort of 3000 in 2012 not engaged.
The total percentage of young people with unknown destinations at 18 has remained constant at between 4% and 4.5%.
4. The review of 14-19 provision has resulted in the QIP, the revised upgrading or replacement of courses and the provision of collaborative offer, CPD for training provider staff resulting in increased outcomes of retention of learners and rising levels of completion/ vocational achievement. programmes, 14-19 RBA report card
5. Cardiff’s learning coach programme, developed in Post-16 learning partnership with the youth service and Careers Wales, is coach annual report having a positive impact aims on re-engaging NEET young (Careers Wales); people. In 2011/12 408 young people defined as “hardest Careers Wales data to help” accessed the programme with 377 entrants completing the programme. This compares with 307 NEET Programme review and 217 entrants completing the programme in 2010/11. – Report Card
In 2011/12 a total of 7156 contacts and 2679 contact hours were undertaken with clients. This compares with 6275 interventions and 1988 contact hours in 2010/11 and with 6221 and 1680 in 2009/10 respectively. The outcomes achieved for young people remain positive with many accessing mainstream education, employment or training. 291 (77%) achieved a positive progression into education, employment and training (including further education, training or employment, Youth Gateway, JCP programmes, A20, Vacancy Matching, Volunteering). This is a significant increase on the 42% positive progression in 2010/11
Following intervention 33% (124) registered with Careers Wales as actively seeking education, training or employment remained registered or with a specialist agency such as YG, A20, JCP
23% (86) have been completed into not registered, Cannot be Contacted, Assistance Not Required, Out of Area, Unavailable for Work.
48 6. A newly-delivered summer transition programme in Careers Wales and 2012, led by Cardiff’s Youth Service, aimed to engage with Youth Service young people aged 16-18 who had been identified as programme data, having no planned destination for or beyond September analysis of 2012. 184 young people were identified and engaged in the programmes impact programme over the summer period, of which 76 were following external female and 108 male. research being undertaken by 135 young people progressed or were supported to Cardiff University. maintain placements into education, training or employment. This included; 68 young people progressing into FE; 39 young people entering traineeships at entry and level one; 25 young people returning to school; 10 young people moved into either full time or part time employment.
23 young people registered as unemployed and a small number of young people indicated assistance/support not required.
7. The youth mentoring programme (YMP) works with Youth Service young people 10 -16 years old who are some of the most Programme data. vulnerable young people in Cardiff, including many who are Report Card looked after. During 2011/12 YMP engaged with 136 young people. 88% of the cohort the programme engaged with were reintegrated into education/training
Of those young people engaged with the programme attendance has increased by 11.04% on the previous year.
The number of young people who have completed accreditation in the last year was 42, gaining accreditation through Youth Achievement Awards (Bronze level) and Youth Challenge.
Young people through the programme have additionally gained AQA qualifications. The YMP is working to extend its accreditation base through the addition of the ASDAN Award in Personal and Social Development entry level 2.
8. Teachers’ and pupils’ understanding and awareness of On-line tracker skills and the opportunities that can be presented through records and both the formal and informal curriculum have improved. schools’ entries. There is much better tracking and reporting of progress in skills also involving parents. There are increased opportunities for e-portfolios and accreditation in ESW, Wider Skills and WBQ. Post 16 Welsh Bac entries in schools have risen from 27% to 47% in the past two years.
49 9. There has been a 50% re-engagement with the hardest Pre-16 log of to reach Y9 learners with targeted referral to the post-16 learning coach learning coach team for early interventions before they are interventions at Y9 lost to sight. and KS4(14-19 team)
10. The @33 programme has seen an increase in referrals @33 RBA report to organisations who can address a number of significant cards barriers to learner engagement
11. Entry to the Vocational Studies (EVS) course at Cardiff Programme and Vale College, working with vulnerable young people evaluation report. and taking referrals from post 16 Learning Coaches has delivered high levels of engagement, retention and UK FE National progression. Award for Social Inclusion
12. The Families First pilots have brought significant Targeting of 60 stakeholders around the table who can contribute to families through the addressing identified issues. In the case of each pilot up to Families First pilot 30 families are being targeted for intervention and support. (TAF assessment framework, criteria), Need for impact data pilot minutes, pilot programme plan.
What needs to improve further 1. Further development of a neighbourhood management approach to addressing the NEETs agenda, building on good practice established in Cardiff East and the west is needed. The establishment of development plans focusing on NEETs and collaboration with Community First initiatives is strengthening the potential impact of the approach
2. Further work needs to be undertaken to align and secure resources and training on a more sustainable basis as planned. This is important in order to develop further the employer engagement strategy and to secure successful progression routes and outcomes for ALN learner post 16 . Development of the involvement of significant local employers will need to continue so that the number of work experience, internship and other opportunities increases.
3. The implementation of the Families First programmes will need to get under way from April 1st as planned as they have the potential to make a significant further contribution in this area.
4. Work to develop and share robust data to evaluate the impact of mechanisms for identifying, reporting and engaging those learners who have difficulty in maintaining school or college of work-based learning placements in years 12/13 needs to intensify. Close working between the learner progression and engagement manager post 16 and the extended opportunities manager, Careers
50 Wales, pre-16 learning coaches, senior staff and attendance teams in school will need to be strengthened further to ensure effective transition for all learners.
5. As highlighted above, the development of stage 4 provisions within the behaviour strategy needs to be embedded so that the provision makes a full contribution to reducing disengagement with education, employment and training. Steps taken from September 2012 to develop provision to meet the needs of specific groups such as Gypsy/ Traveller and Czech Roma pupils will need to continue.
6. The roll out of the CPD package to develop and record key skills needs to be completed so that more pupils are able to develop and store evidence portfolios.
7. Further improvements will be needed in the planning, resourcing and delivery of literacy and numeracy at post 16 in collaboration with Cardiff and Vale College. This will need to include community based pre-entry and entry provision with the literacy and numeracy integral to provision delivery.
8. Restorative approaches training will need to be rolled out further as planned. Funding secured through successful Family First commissioning process.
51 PROGRESS REPORT: Post Inspection Action Plan
Objective 4: To improve the information, advice and support for all parents of learners requiring the statutory assessment of pupils’ special educational needs. (Recommendation 6)
Key actions taken 1. Action to address this recommendation has been the subject of progress reporting through the improvement board and in meetings of the planning, resources and services section.
2. Work has been done with SNAP Cymru to prepare a service level agreement between the Council and SNAP to formulate an Information and Support for Parents Strategy and the trialling of school based SNAP volunteer information points in schools. Two points have been established in local venues. A successful bid has been made to the Welsh Government for funding for this project.
3. An internal review and development workshop has been held for staff from the casework team aimed at: improving communication with parents and ensuring they play a full part in the annual review process, responding actively to their views; reducing tribunal appeals; improving the quality of the relationship with parents and schools.
4. SNAP Cymru has been invited to attend weekly case advisory panels in order to facilitate more open and clear communication and ensure that the parental viewpoint is represented in key decision making
5. A review of all standard correspondence points with parents and appropriate pages on the Council website has been undertaken. This has aimed to use ‘plain language’ which is accessible to as wide an audience as possible. The work has been completed in consultation with SNAP Cymru. The currency and accessibility of information on the Council’s website have been improved.
6. There has been a significant increase in dialogue with parents including personal meetings to increase parental satisfaction, reduce anxiety and resolve any concerns raised in relation to proposals for SEN provision
7. Parents have been invited to be part of Educational Psychology Service assessments about their child to share concerns and provide information abut their child’s strengths and needs.
8. Drop-in sessions have been provided by the Educational Psychology Service to improve levels of understanding about services.
9. Parents of children with autism are now involved in the development and delivery of training for professionals and parents.
10. Work has continued to identify children’s additional needs as early as possible through the early years forum and to provide parents with information leaflets to support understanding of the work of the forum.
52 11. An information sharing road show has been held for families of children with autism to describe the secondary provision available to enable them to make informed choices.
12. Early years transition workers run weekly parent groups in different locations across the city which are always well attended and help ensure effective access to school for children with ALN.
13. ‘All About Me ‘cards based on a person centred planning approach have been introduced as an improved method for ensuring new settings are fully informed about a child’s needs on transition based on parental views. Since introduction in March 2012, 10 children have benefitted; it is anticipated this will increase to 60 for pupils transitioning Sept 2012). Initial feedback has been very positive
14. Bespoke multi-professional work has been developed for families and carers of children with complex and challenging needs including those living in poverty to improve access to services.
15. Action has been taken to involve parents fully with the development of the Disability Strategy
16. Work has been done with health (clinical psychology) and third sector partners to enhance information and support.
17. A home-school links project has been established to improve family learning in disadvantaged areas.
18. SNAP have established an SEN Parent’s Forum, which meets termly, to enable the Local Authority to meet regularly and consult with parents on policy and strategic developments.
19. A range of parent information leaflets have been produced to explain the various stages of the SEN Code of Practice, including school support, statutory assessment, how statements are written and how parents can access independent support. The Parents’ Forum commented and helped to shape the drafts of these leaflets.
20. In consultation with SNAP and the Parents’ Forum, all statutory assessment standard letters have been reviewed and updated to provide parent friendly, clear explanations for decisions.
21. A termly ‘Speech and Language Parents’ Forum’ has been established.
22. The ASD Secondary Provision Roadshow has been established as an Annual Event to be hosted by the primary special school.
53 Impact/what has improved Evidence
1. There is now better collaborative working with SNAP and Service level a more effective approach and strategy concerning agreement and data engagement of and information for parents.
2. The Education Service’s casework team has a much Notes from better understanding of issues and concerns highlighted in workshop the Estyn inspection. The team has been proactive and actions are improving the information, advice and support for parents of learners requiring statutory assessment as well as the quality of service delivery.
3. Through the casework team, parents of pupils with SEN “One” system are now supported more effectively during the statementing database process. Parents’ views are taken into account more substantially when decisions are made about the provision to be made.
4. Parents play a full part in the annual review process and “One” system their views are a significant factor in determining next database steps. The greater emphasis on dialogue with parents, and the time taken to discuss needs and provision, has resulted in a steady downward trend in parental resort to the SEN Tribunal for Wales. (42% decrease in the number of tribunals lodged in comparison to the same time last year.)
5. The language used in key standard letters has been Revised standard revised to move away from jargon and includes offers to letters, feedback meet with parents or discuss issues over the phone. More from parents parents are now accessing this facility and feedback is positive.
6. There is now a stronger and more appropriate variety of EP reports, parent routes ( Early Years transition workers, EPs as well as group attendance casework) to ensure that the parental voice is both records, individual listened to and appropriate actions taken casework notes
7. The better engagement with parents through the EPS leaflets, case educational psychology service and the provision of all studies, consultation reports to parents is beginning to have a positive impact on records, paired their child’s progress (paired reading project for 44 parents reading project – gains in reading levels for 39 pupils). summary report
8. Through strategies such as the drop-in sessions good Parent drop-in work is being done to improve levels of understanding evaluation report about services. Attendance of parents at these sessions has increased (25 parents - 4 schools) accessed a parent drop in service piloted by the EPS in 10/11. Expanded in 11/12 to 10 schools - 35 parents and 26 staff and
54 specifically targeted schools with a high proportion of ethnic minority pupils).
9. Inclusion of parents as a stakeholder group in ongoing Notes from parents specialist review work is having a positive impact on the meeting, SER quality of services. Parents of children with autism are section 2.2.4 involved in the development and delivery of training for professionals and parents. Parents’ views gathered following involvement of the autism team indicate strong outcomes.
10. Initial feedback from parents about the ‘All About Me’ Initial evaluation cards has been very positive report about the “All I feel my child will settle better now that the school about me” project have this and I feel less worried about him starting now. Captures my child's personality - lovely to be part of something which is shared with my child's nursery rather than just professionals having their say 11. The “Home - School Links Project” is improving family Home school links learning in disadvantaged areas (literacy and emotional project summaries , health and wellbeing) and relationships between parents Big Lottery and school. (see data in SER 2.2.4) monitoring
12. Bespoke work with families and carers of children with Fast Track records, complex and challenging needs including those living in provision, poverty is improving access to services and is taking much establishment of better account of views to inform decision-making. The Cardiff Parent Fast Track team focuses on resilience to remove the risk of Network exclusion and disengagement for the child and the family with positive outcomes (see SER sections 2.2.4, 2.3.1)
13. The consultation with parents as part of the Strategy for disabled development of the Disability Strategy is resulting in children and young provision that is better configured to meet needs. people 0-25
14. Work with Health (clinical psychology) and Third Sector Early support report partners on an early support project has improved card, “Better Than A information and support for 26 families with young disabled Booklet” materials. children. Evaluations indicate positive outcomes 15. The SEN casework team and specialist team leaders Minutes of SEN meet regularly with parents to inform them of developments Parent’s Forum. in SEN policy and practice, and to seek their views. Evaluations of Speech and Language Parents Forums, and ASD Secondary Provision Roadshow.
55 What needs to improve further 1. Improve the response rate to the Parental Feedback Questionnaire by making this accessible online and through partners such as SNAP.
2. Continue the programme of development days for the casework team to ensure continued enhancement of knowledge and skills and to promote shared learning.
3. Complete the review of the Council’s School Accessibility Strategy and improve the procedures for sharing information about progress in relation to disability access across Cardiff schools, and for planning for secondary transition for pupils with disabilities or medical needs.
4. Review and update the Council’s SEN Policy to reflect changes in SEN provision, funding and support mechanisms.
5. Ensure parents receive letters and support from the SEN Casework Team in Welsh if this is their preferred language.
56
57
58 Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Summary
Primary schools
• In 2012, outcomes fell in the first year in which they have been recorded in the FP. Performance at KS1 was flat over the period immediately before that. • Outcomes in the FP are below the Welsh averages by between 1% and 2% except in Welsh. • Despite a slight improvement in outcomes at key stage 2, the rate of improvement was not as great as that for Wales as a whole and so the gap with the Wales averages widened on some indicators. • Over the last three years the rate of improvement at KS2 has been between 0.5% and 1.5% less than for Wales as a whole. • There are variations in outcomes between schools with similar proportions of pupils eligible for FSM. • Too many schools have performance in the bottom 25% (4th quartile) in both the FP and KS2. • Work is being done through the FP’s training programme to ensure that outcomes reflect expectations that are appropriately high and to strengthen teachers’ assessment. • Schools’ targets are being challenged during the annual review of performance so that the need to set higher expectations is applied more consistently across schools. • In order to become the best performing local authority by 2015 outcomes will need to improve by around 2% a year for the next three years.
Foundation Phase Results Wales 2012 2012 Actual Language, literacy and communication 81.4% 83.4% skills – English (LLCE) Language, literacy and communication 89.6% 85.9% skills – Welsh (LLCW) Mathematical Development (MDT) 84.6% 86.6% Personal and social development, 89.5% 90.8% wellbeing and cultural diversity (PSDWBCD) FPI Boys 73.6% 75.5% FPI Girls 83.8% 85.7% FPI Total 78.7% 80.5% Boys vs. -10.2% -10.2% Girls Source : WAG Statistical Release – SDR 129/2012 & StatsWales
Key Stage 2 Results Cardiff Wales 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2012 2012 Targets Actual English TA 81% 83% 82% 84% 85% 82% 85% Welsh TA 84% 87% 83% 87% 86% 85% 84% Maths TA 82% 84% 82% 83% 84% 85% 87% Science TA 87% 88% 85% 86% 86% 87% 89%
CSI Boys 74% 76% 74% 76% 78% n/a 79% Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update CSI Girls 80% 81% 82% 83% 83% n/a 86% CSI Total 77% 79% 78% 79% 81% 79% 83% Boys vs. -7% -5% -8% -7% -5% n/a -7% Girls Source : WAG Statistical Release – SDR 129/2012 & StatsWales
The variations between schools with similar proportions of FSM described in paragraphs four and six above are confirmed by the tables below. However, the group where 32% or more of pupils are eligible for FSM contains a wider range that the other groups from 32.4% of pupils eligible for FSM to 60%.
Schools are allocated to each FSM range on the basis of a three-year rolling average. However, the scatter graphs in this appendix use the actual FSM figure for the current year. This is why, in some cases, there is an apparent difference between the FSM figure in column 2 and the FSM group to which the school is assigned. The actual FSM figure for the current year is included to facilitate analysis of a school’s position on the scatter graphs. Schools denoted by an asterisk house a local authority specialist resource base for pupils with special educational needs. This is included in the figures.
FSM Range up to 8% Name of % FSM % FPI FPI % KS2 CSI School1 Quartile CSI Quartile Position Position Bryn Deri 3.51% 100 1 93 2 Primary Christ The King 3.13% 93 2 100 1 Primary Creigiau 3.45% 91 2 82 4 Primary Lakeside 5.01% 80 3 90 3 Primary Llandaff CW 4.70% 83 3 95 2 Primary Llanishen Fach 5.57% 81 3 84 4 Primary* Llysfaen 4.44% 97 2 98 2 Primary Radyr Primary 3.82% 93 2 93 2 Rhiwbeina 2.71% 98 1 89 3 Primary Rhydypenau 3.06% 90 3 97 2 Primary St Fagans 9.47% 93 2 80 4 Primary Thornhill 7.01% 95 2 90 3 Primary Ton-Yr-Ywen 7.78% 90 2 86 3 Primary
1 * denotes a school with a local authority’s specialist resource base for pupils special educational needs. Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Ysgol Gymraeg 3.93% 93 2 86 3 Melin Gruffydd Ysgol Gymraeg 5.19% 85 3 93 2 Pwll Coch Ysgol Gymraeg 2.81% 90 2 90 3 Treganna Ysgol Gwaelod 4.49% 92 2 85 4 Y Garth Ysgol Gymraeg 1.13% 93 2 90 3 Pencae Ysgol Gymraeg 4.18% 93 2 94 2 Y Wern Ysgol Gymraeg 0.0% 90 2 N/A N/A Pen-Y-Groes
FSM Range 8 % - 16 % Name of % FSM % FPI FPI % KS2 CSI School Quartile CSI Quartile Position Position Birchgrove 9.60% 83 3 82 4 Primary Bishop Childs 13.07% 90 2 96 1 C/W Primary Coryton Primary 17.11% 68 4 85 3 Danescourt 8.66% 85 2 92 2 Primary Marlborough 10.26% 92 1 89 2 Primary* Pentyrch 9.17% 75 4 75 4 Primary Roath Park 10.98% 85 3 85 3 Primary St Bernadette’s 8.38% 96 1 93 2 Primary St. Joseph's RC 8.38% 90 2 66 4 Primary St. Mary's RC 11.98% 54 4 76 4 Primary St Monica’s 16.84% 93 1 67 4 C/W Primary Ysgol Gymraeg 13.56% 86 2 86 3 Mynydd Bychan Ysgol Gymraeg 13.3% 84 3 N/A N/A Tan Yr Eos Ysgol Gymraeg 9.09% 81 3 90 2 Y Berllan Deg
FSM Range 16% - 24% Name of % FSM % FPI FPI % KS2 CSI School Quartile CSI Quartile Position Position Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update All Saints C/W 21.28% 100 1 92 1 Primary Allensbank 22.75% 84 2 62 4 Primary* Gladstone 21.56% 89 2 59 4 Primary Glyncoed 20.53% 87 2 90 2 Primary Holy Family RC 18.99% 78 3 60 4 Primary Ninian Park 19.51% 74 3 60 4 Primary Radnor Primary 23.47% 65 4 88 2 Rumney 17.46% 82 3 79 3 Primary Severn Primary 21.79% 78 3 81 3 St. Mellons 18.28% 86 2 71 4 Church In Wales Primary St. Peter's 18.95% 83 2 92 1 Primary St Philip Evans 19.23% 91 1 84 3 Primary Tongwynlais 21.10% 90 1 86 2 Primary Ysgol Gymraeg 15.71% 90 1 75 4 Bro Eirwg
FSM Range 24% - 32 % Name of % FSM % FPI FPI % KS2 CSI School Quartile CSI Quartile Position Position Albany Primary 30.95% 77 3 91 1 Coed Glas 23.70% 58 4 80 3 Primary* Fairwater 20.22% 66 4 67 4 Primary*
Hawthorn 22.36% 73 4 81 3 Primary Kitchener 30.61% 59 4 80 3 Primary Lansdowne 28.10% 60 4 82 2 Primary Millbank 28.70% 85 2 86 2 Primary St David's C/W 21.76% 90 1 89 1 Primary St Patrick's RC 28.21% 73 4 81 3 Primary
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update St.Paul's C/W 23.95% 83 2 83 2 Primary Willowbrook 29.49% 66 4 62 4 Primary Ysgol Gymraeg 25.00% 78 3 76 3 Coed Y Gof* Ysgol Gymraeg 35.7% 78 3 N/A N/A Pen Y Pil
FSM Range More than 32% Name of % FPI FPI % KS2 CSI School Quartile CSI Quartile Position Position Adamsdown 43.04% 62 4 68 3 Primary Baden Powell 42.16% 56 4 75 2 Primary Bryn Celyn 50.00% 33 4 54 4 Primary Bryn Hafod 28.98% 69 3 59 4 Primary* Gabalfa 38.03% 68 3 80 2 Primary Glan Yr Afon 60.00% 71 2 63 4 Primary* Grangetown 33.62% 72 2 73 3 Primary Greenway 58.09% 69 3 71 3 Primary Herbert 53.16% 54 4 87 1 Thompson Primary Hywel Dda 56.69% 71 3 61 4 Primary Llanedeyrn 44.86% 76 2 78 2 Primary* Meadowlane 44.19% 67 3 65 4 Primary Moorland 43.70% 70 3 68 3 Primary
Mount Stuart 31.84% 74 2 82 1 Primary Oakfield 47.46% 72 2 66 4 Primary Pencaerau 48.29% 76 2 91 1 Primary Pentrebane 38.60% 59 4 68 3 Primary* Pen-Y-Bryn 40.48% 82 1 76 2 Primary Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Peter Lea 32.44% 84 1 77 2 Primary Springwood 39.29% 67 3 83 1 Primary St Alban's RC 49.45% 72 2 76 2 Primary St Cadoc's RC 41.15% 65 3 88 1 Primary St Cuthbert's 32.89% 44 4 79 2 RC Primary St. Francis RC 42.13% 78 2 81 2 Primary St John Lloyd 42.34% 78 2 73 3 RC Primary St Mary The 49.55% 67 3 91 1 Virgin C/W Primary Stacey Primary 33.97% 81 1 73 3 Tredegarville 37.65% 83 1 71 3 C/W Primary Trelai Primary* 44.41% 73 2 65 4 Trowbridge 46.20% 71 3 76 2 Primary Windsor Clive 49.06% 70 3 63 4 Primary* Ysgol Gymraeg 37.5% 100 1 N/A N/A Glan Ceubal Ysgol Gymraeg 24.78% 72 2 69 3 Glan Morfa Ysgol Gymraeg 36.8% 40 4 N/A N/A Nant Caerau
Number of schools in each benchmarking quartile for the FPI 2011/12:
Quartile 1 15 15% Quartile 2 35 37% Quartile 3 27 28% Quartile 4 18 20%
Number of schools in each benchmarking quartile for the CSI 2011/12:
Quartile 1 12 13% Quartile 2 26 29% Quartile 3 27 30% Quartile 4 25 27%
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Trends over time
As indicated in the table below, performance over the last three years at KS1/FP has fallen in Cardiff by between 2%-3%. At an all-Wales level performance has improved marginally in English. The fall in mathematical development is 2% less than in Cardiff and 1% more in Welsh.
At KS2, there has been an improvement in all measures since 2010. However, the rate of improvement is around 0.5% less than that for Wales in English and Welsh,1% less in science and around 1.5% less in mathematics and the CSI.
KS1/FP KS2 LLC-E LLC- MTD Eng We Ma SC CSI W Cardiff % -2.6% -2.4% -3.4% +2.6% +2.5% +1.7% +1.1% +2.8% improvement 2010 -2012 Wales % +0.4% -3.1% -1.4% +3.3% +3.0% +3.5% +2.1% +4.4% Improvement 2010 -2012
Secondary schools
Summary
• Improvement has continued at KS3. In all cases these outcomes are above the Welsh averages for 2012. • The rate of improvement in 2012 and over the last three years is greater than for Wales in some respects but not in others and so the gap has widened in some indicators and narrowed in others. • Since 2008, performance at KS3 has improved by the greatest margin against the CSI, followed by mathematics and science, then English, then Welsh first language. • There are variations in performance between the core and non-core subjects in too many schools at KS3. • Schools have been generally more successful at reaching targets at KS3 than at KS4. • Although increasing in number, too few pupils are making progress of at least two National Curriculum levels across KS3. • As at KS3, the rate of improvement in 2012 and over the last three years at KS4 is greater than for Wales in some respects but not in others and so the gap has widened in some indicators and narrowed in others. • An unacceptably high proportion of pupils, around half, does not achieve five GCSEs at grade C or above including English/ Welsh or mathematics. • Overall, there are too many schools whose performance is still in the third and fourth quartiles at KS4. • There are still too many schools where fewer than 30% of pupils achieved the level 2 threshold including E/W/M in 2011/12 and nearly half of schools have fewer than 40% of pupils achieving this threshold. • In around half of schools, outcomes in 2012 at KS4 were not as good as the school’s three year rolling average against the level 2+ and level 2 thresholds and the CSI. They were better than the three-year rolling average against the level 1 threshold in three-quarters of schools. Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update • There are variations in outcomes between schools with similar proportions of pupils eligible for FSM against the key indicators at KS4. • In order to become the best performing local authority by 2015 outcomes will need to improve by around 1.5% to 2 % a year for the next three years at KS3. Outcomes will need to improve by about 1.5% per year for the level 1 threshold at KS4 and by approximately 4% per year for the other indicators. Schools’ targets are being challenged during the annual review of performance so that the need to set higher expectations is applied more consistently across schools.
Key Stage 3
Cardiff Wales 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2012 2012 Targets Actual English 71% 73% 73% 76% 81% 77% 79% Welsh 83% 88% 88% 89% 88% 87% 84% Maths 72% 75% 78% 79% 83% 78% 81% Science 74% 78% 79% 80% 85% 79% 84% CSI Boys 59% 59% 62% 65% 70% n/a 67% CSI Girls 66% 69% 69% 75% 78% n/a 78% CSI Total 62% 64% 65% 70% 74% 67% 73% Boys vs. -7% -10% -7% -11% -8% n/a -11% Girls Source : NAW Statistical Release – SDR 129/2012 & StatsWales
Results in the CSI display variations between the performance of schools with similar proportions of pupils entitled to FSM, although these are less prominent than in the primary sector. The results are in the range 56.8% to 92.1% compared with 44.9% to 94% in the previous year. The graph below shows the relationship between the percentage of pupils in individual schools achieving the expected level in the CSI at KS3 and the percentage of pupils entitled to FSM.
The tables below illustrate the following points: • Schools with an asterisk house a local authority’s specialist resource base for pupils with special educational needs who are included in the figures. • There are variations between schools with similar proportions of pupils eligible for FSM on either or both of the key indicators highlighted in the table. • In three of the four FSM benchmarking groups schools appear in three quartiles out of four.
FSM Range up to 10% Name of School %FSM % KS3 KS3 CSI Quartile CSI Position Cardiff High* 5.2% 92 1 Corpus Christi R.C.High 9.2% 89 1 The Bishop Of Llandaff CIW 5.9% 91 1 High* Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf 6.2% 81 4 Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr 6.5% 80 4 Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Radyr Comprehensive 5.7% 86 2
FSM Range 10% - 15% Name of School %FSM % KS3 KS3 CSI Quartile CSI Position Llanishen High 12.6% 86 1 St Teilo's C-In-W High 13.6% 77 3 Whitchurch High* 10.5% 74 4
FSM Range 20% - 30% Name of School %FSM % KS3 KS3 CSI Quartile CSI Position Cantonian High* 27.0% 70 1 Mary Immaculate RC High 27.3% 73 1 St. Illtyd's RC High 24.9% 64 3
FSM Range more than 30% Name of School %FSM % KS3 KS3 CSI Quartile CSI Position Cathays High* 35.9% 64 2 Fitzalan High 37.3% 66 1 Glyn Derw High 36.6% 60 3 Llanedeyrn High 37.7% 63 2 Llanrumney High 36.7% 68 1 Michaelston Community College 39.8% 60 3 Rumney High 34.1% 62 2 Willows High 40.8% 57 4
Number of schools in each benchmarking quartile for the KS3 CSI 2011/12:
Quartile 1 8 (40%) Quartile 2 4 Quartile 3 4 Quartile 4 4 (20%)
Trends over time at KS3
As indicated in the table below, performance over the last three years at has risen steadily in Cardiff by between 0.3% and 8.9%. At an all-Wales level performance has also improved.
The rate of improvement over the last three years is nearly 1% higher in Cardiff in English and 0.1% higher in the CSI than is the case for Wales. The rate of improvement is 0.4% lower in Cardiff in mathematics, 1% lower in science and 7% lower in Welsh.
Eng We Ma SC CSI Cardiff % +7.7% +0.3% +5.2% +5.5% +8.9% improvement 2010 -2012 Wales % +6.8% +7.4% +5.6% +6.5% +8.8% Improvement 2010 -2012 Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Performance in end of KS3 teacher assessment in the non-core subjects was as below and illustrates the percentage assessed at level 5 or above:
Cardiff Wales 2009 2010 2011 2012 2012 Art and Design 76.7 76.6 80.4 85.6 85.5 Design and Technology 70.9 76.9 78.3 84.4 84.6 Geography 69.4 72.3 75.5 79.6 81.0 History 74.1 74.1 77.1 80.1 81.2 ICT 75.8 80.5 81.3 84.3 86.2 Modern Foreign 59.8 60.7 65.9 70.7 74.5 Languages 71.6 79.5 76.2 83.8 83.6 Music 67.0 73.5 75.0 78.9 82.2 Physical Education 55.1 53.9 62.6 66.0 68.2 Welsh Second Language Source : WAG Statistical Release – SDR 130/2012
Performance in all of the non-core subjects was better than in 2011. These outcomes were similar to the Welsh averages in art, design technology and music. They were below the Welsh averages in the other subjects but the gap has narrowed.
Progress made by pupils from KS2 to the end of KS3
The analysis below indicates that, even though progress is being made in reducing the number of pupils not making sufficient progress across KS3, there is still some way to go to realise the Cardiff Ambition that all schools should focus on achieving two levels of progress across KS3.
No. of schools where more than 20% of pupils made progress of less than one level 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 English 13 11 12 9 3 Welsh 0 0 Mathematics 7 8 4 3 0 Science 13 10 6 7 2
10. The number of schools where more than 10% of pupils made progress of less than one National Curriculum level is as below:
2011 2012 English 16 11 Welsh 0 0 Mathematics 12 8 Science 16 11
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update No. of schools where less than half of pupils made progress of two levels or more
2011 2012 English 19 16 Welsh 2 2 Mathematics 14 12 Science 18 15
Key Stage 4 Results at KS4 in 2012 show that: • The percentage of pupils achieving the level 2 threshold including English/ Welsh and mathematics improved by 0.9% (Wales 1%). • The percentage achieving the level 2 threshold improved by 4.3% (Wales 5.3%). • The percentage achieving the level 1 threshold improved by 1.9% (Wales 1.5%). • The percentage gaining the CSI was 47.9% - an increase of nearly 0..6% over 2011 (Wales 0.2%). • Outcomes were above targets for the level 2 threshold ( by 2%), in line against the level 1 threshold but below with regard to the level 2 threshold including English or Welsh and mathematics and the CSI (by about 3%). • Performance was below the Welsh averages against the four key measures by 0.6% for the level 1 threshold, 1% for the level 2 threshold including English or Welsh and mathematics and the CSI and 4.3% for the level 2 threshold.
Key Stage 4 - GCSE or equivalent exams 2008- 2012 - Cardiff
100% 80% 2008 60% 2009 2010 40% 2011 2012 20% 0% Level 2 inc E/W & CSI Level 1 threshold Level 2 threshold Maths
2008 42.6% 84.9% 55.6% 43.5% 2009 43.2% 86.9% 58.6% 44.3% 2010 46.7% 87.8% 61.4% 47.6% 2011 47.0% 89.0% 64.0% 48.0% 2012 47.9% 91.2% 68.3% 49.3%
Graph 8
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Relative performance on key indicators at KS4 The tables below illustrate the following points: • Schools with an asterisk house a specialist resource base for pupils with special educational needs who are included in the figures. • There are variations between schools with similar proportions of pupils eligible for FSM against the key indicators highlighted in the table. • In the benchmarking group with the lowest proportion of pupils eligible for FSM, performance is in all four of the benchmarking quartiles. This is also the case for the group with the highest proportion. • For schools in the groups with between 10% and 15% and 20% and 30% of pupils eligible for FSM performance ranges over three of the four benchmarking quartiles.
FSM Range up to 10% Name of %FSM % Quartile L2 Quartile L1 Quartile CSI Quartile School Level 2012 2012 2012 2012 2 + E/W/M 2012 Cardiff High* 5.2% 84% 1 92% 1 100 1 82% 1 % Corpus Christi 9.2% 57% 4 77% 4 97% 3 57% 4 RC High The Bishop Of 5.9% 71% 2 87% 2 97% 3 69% 2 Llandaff CIW High* Ysgol Gyfun 6.2% 64% 3 76% 4 97% 3 64% 3 Gymraeg Glantaf* Ysgol Gyfun 6.5% 64% 3 74% 4 98% 2 55% 4 Gymraeg Plasmawr Radyr 5.7% 74% 1 80% 3 94% 4 75% 1 Comprehensive
FSM Range 10% - 15% Name of %FSM % Quartile L2 Quartile L1 Quartile CSI Quartile School Level 2012 2012 2012 2012 2 + E/W/M 2012 Llanishen* 12.6% 60% 2 74% 3 98% 2 59% 2 St. Teilo’s* 13.6% 54% 3 71% 4 97% 2 54% 3 Whitchurch* 10.5% 56% 3 72% 3 91% 4 57% 2
FSM Range 20% - 30% Name of %FSM % Quartile L2 Quartile L1 Quartile CSI Quartile School Level 2012 2012 2012 2012 2 + E/W/M 2012 Cantonian High* 27.0% 39% 3 63% 3 87% 4 31% 3 Mary 27.3% 40% 3 81% 1 98% 1 38% 3 Immaculate RC High St. Illtyd’s 24.9% 32% 3 55% 4 94% 2 29% 4 Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Catholic High
FSM Range more than 30% Name of School %FSM % Quartile L2 Quartile L1 Quartile CSI Quartile Level 2012 2012 2012 2012 2 + E/W/M 2012 Cathays High* 35.9% 41% 1 57% 3 89% 2 41% 1 Fitzalan High* 37.3% 34% 2 80% 1 93% 1 33% 1 Glyn Derw High 36.6% 34% 2 62% 2 86% 3 29% 2 Llanedeyrn High* 37.7% 19% 4 41% 4 90% 2 18% 4 Llanrumney High 36.7% 25% 4 33% 4 79% 4 22% 4 Michaelston 39.8% 25% 4 56% 3 88% 2 24% 3 Community College Rumney High 34.1% 28% 3 54% 3 80% 4 28% 2 Willows High 40.8% 28% 3 46% 4 73% 4 24% 3
Number of schools in each benchmarking quartile at KS4 14. There are more schools in the lowest quarter than in the highest against each of the four indicators. The number of schools in the highest two and lowest two quarters is evenly split against the level 1 threshold. There are more schools in the bottom two quarters against the level 2+ and level 2 thresholds and the CSI than in the higher two quarters.
L2+ L2 L1 CSI Quartile 1 3 (15%) 3 (15%) 3 (15%) 4 (20%) Quartile 2 4 2 7 5 Quartile 3 9 7 4 6 Quartile 4 4 (20%) 8 (40%) 6 (30%) 5 (25%)
Key Stage 4 Results Source : Cardiff Wales WAG 2012 2012 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Target Actual Achieved the Level 2 43.5% 44.3% 47.6% 48.4% 49.3% 52% 51.1% threshold including E/W/M Achieved the Level 2 55.6% 58.6% 61.4% 63.9% 68.3% 66.2% 72.6% threshold Achieved the Level 1 84.9% 86.9% 87.8% 89.3% 91.2% 91% 91.8% threshold Percentage achieving the Core 42.6% 43.2% 46.7% 47.3% 47.9% 51.6% 48.9% Subject Indicator Average capped 306 317 N/A 324 wider points score Pupils entered for at least one exam 99% 100% 99% 99% n/a n/a n/a Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update
Statistical Release – SDR 212/2012 & final 2012 SSSPs
At key stage 4, performance has improved by the greatest margin since 2008 against the level 2 threshold followed by the level 1 threshold, the level 2+ and the CSI. In the separate subjects the percentage improvement has been greatest in science and least in English. The percentage improvement in mathematics has to be set in a context where it was starting from the lowest baseline and still remains the weakest of the four core subjects. Outcomes in Welsh first language were lower in 2012 compared with 2008 but have been up and down over this period.
2008 2012 Percentage Improvement Level 2+ 44% 49% 5% Level 2 56% 67% 11% Level 1 85% 91% 6% CSI 43% 47% 4% English 60% 63% 3% Welsh 82% 75% - 7% Mathematics 48% 55% 7% Science 58% 66% 8%
The number of schools where fewer than 30% of pupils achieved the level 2 threshold including E/W/M:
16. There is a slight improvement in the proportion of schools where fewer than 30% or fewer than 40% of pupils achieve the level 2 threshold including English/ Welsh or mathematics. However, there is much more to do to address weaknesses in this area as half of pupils across the city does not reach this threshold currently.
The number of schools where fewer than 30% of pupils achieved the level 2 threshold including E/W/M:
2010 2011 2012 8 (45%) 6 (30%) 5 (25%)
The number of schools where fewer than 40% of pupils achieved the level 2 threshold including E/W/M:
2010 2011 2012 11 (55%) 10 (50%) 9 (45%)
The percentage of pupils achieving the level 2 threshold in each of the core subjects
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 English 60% 62% 62% 63% 63% Welsh 85% 82% 75% Mathematics 48% 49% 52% 53% 55% Science 58% 59% 62% 62% 66% Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Outcomes in the core subjects show that: • The percentage of pupils achieving a grade C or above rose by 4% in science and 2% in mathematics. Performance in English was unchanged but there was a fall of 7% in Welsh first language. • Mathematics remains the weakest subject at this key stage. As indicated in the table below, mathematics results are lower than those in English in all but three schools. Mathematics results were below those of English in all 20 schools in the previous year. • There is a more than a 10% gap between these two subjects in the following schools: Bishop of Llandaff, Corpus Christi, Fitzalan, Llanedeyrn, Llanrumney, Mary Immaculate. There is more than a 20% gap in: Llanedeyrn, Rumney.
School English Mathematics Cantonian High 46.53% 47.22% School Cardiff High School 92.92% 89.15% Cathays High 50.00% 53.13% School Corpus Christi RC 75.78% 60.54% High School Fitzalan High 51.44% 37.98% School Glyn Derw High 47.06% 39.50% School Llanedeyrn High 50.00% 21.43% School Llanishen High 69.96% 71.10% School Llanrumney High 42.98% 28.96% School Mary Immaculate 57.84% 47.06% RC High School Michaelston 36.54% 31.73% Community College Radyr 84.95% 79.57% Comprehensive School Rumney High 51.82% 30.66% School St Illtyd's Catholic 44.90% 41.50% High School St Teilo's C.W High 68.59% 61.78% School The Bishop Of 84.21% 73.68% Llandaff C.W High School Whitchurch High 70.42% 61.97% School Willows High 38.03% 37.32% School Ysgol Gyfun 75.94% 67.91% Gymraeg Glantaf Ysgol Gyfun 74.32% 64.86% Gymraeg Plasmawr Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Gap with the Wales average The rate of improvement from the previous year was similar to that for Wales against the level 2 threshold including English/ Welsh/ mathematics and the capped average wider points score, slightly better for the level 1 threshold and the CSI and not as good for the level 2 threshold.
2009 2010 2011 2012 Level 2 threshold -2.9% -1.8% -1.5% -1.8% including English and mathematics Level 2 threshold -2.0% -2.3% -3.0% -4.3% Level 1 threshold -1.3% -1.9% -1.0% -0.6% CSI -2.8% -1.3% -2.0% -1.0% Average capped wider -7 -6 -7 points score % leaving full-time 0.5% more 0.4% more 0.3% more 0.5% more education with no recognised qualification
The percentage of pupils achieving the level 2 threshold including English or Welsh and mathematics compared with the percentage of achieving the level 2 threshold plus the percentage achieving the level 1 threshold
Level 2 threshold/ Level 2 Gap Level 1 5 A*-C with E/W/M threshold/ threshold/ 5 A*-C 5 A*-G Cardiff 49% 68% 19% 91% Wales 51% 73% 22% 92% England 595 815 22% N/A
The gap between the percentage achieving the level 2 threshold including English/ Welsh and mathematics and the level 2 threshold in Cardiff is narrower than that for Wales and England. However, the percentage achieving the equivalent of these two thresholds is higher at an all- Wales level and much higher in England.
Trends over time at KS4 As indicated in the table below, performance over the last three years at has risen in Cardiff by between 1.2% (CSI) and 6.9% (L2). At an all-Wales level performance has also improved.
The rate of improvement over the last three years is nearly 1.3% higher in Cardiff against the level 1 threshold and 0.3% higher in the CSI than is the case for Wales. The rate of improvement is the same as for Wales against the level 2 threshold including English or Welsh and mathematics. The rate of improvement is 2% lower against the level 2 threshold.
L2+ L2 L1 CSI Cardiff % +1.7% +6.9% +3.4% +1.2% improvement 2010 -2012 Wales % +1.7% +8.9% +2.1% +0.9% Improvement 2010 -2012
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Gap between level 2+ and level 2 thresholds: In eight schools there is between a 10% and 19% gap in outcomes between these two indicators, between a 20% and 29% gap in six schools and 30% or more in three schools.
School Gap between L2+ and L2 Bishop of Llandaff CW High +16% Cantonian High +24% Cardiff High +8% Cathays High +16% Corpus Christi RC High +20% Fitzalan High +46% Ysgol Glantaf +12% Glyn Derw High +28% Llanedeyrn High +22% Llanishen High +14% Llanrumney High +8% Mary Immaculate RC High +41% Michaelston Community +31% College Radyr Comprehensive +6% Rumney High +26% St. Illtyd’s Catholic High +23% St. Teilo’s CW High +17% Whitchurch High +16% Willows High +18% Ysgol Plasmawr +10%
Comparisons with the three-year rolling averages indicate that:
• The number of schools improving the percentage of pupils gaining the level 2 threshold including E/W/M compared with each school’s rolling three-year average is 10. • The number of schools improving the percentage of pupils gaining the level 2 threshold is 11. • The number of schools improving the percentage of pupils gaining the level 1 threshold is 14. • The number of schools improving the percentage of pupils gaining the CSI compared is 9.
School performance in 2012 compared with three year rolling average L2+ L2 L1 CSI Bishop of Llandaff CW High -5% -2% -1% -6% Cantonian High +9% +1% +2% +5% Cardiff High +1% +3% +2% same Cathays High +5% +6% +1% +6% Corpus Christi RC High -3% -3% same -4% Fitzalan High +3% +15% +5% +2% Ysgol Glantaf -2% -1% -1% -2% Glyn Derw High +10% +20% +6% +7% Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Llanedeyrn High -7% same +5% -6% Llanishen High -3% -1% +2% -3% Llanrumney High +4% same +2% +3% Mary Immaculate RC High +5% +15% +5% +5% Michaelston Community +3% +10% +4% +4% College Radyr Comprehensive -1% -1% -2% -1% Rumney High -2% +11% +4% -2% St. Illtyd’s Catholic High -5% +3% +1% -3% St. Teilo’s CW High -1% -1% -1% same Whitchurch High +2% +3% same +2% Willows High +8% +12% +5% +6% Ysgol Plasmawr -1% -4% +1% -5%
A Level
Outcomes at A level show that: • The percentage of pupils entering a volume equivalent to 2 A Levels who achieved the level 3 threshold was 96.9%, an increase of 1% on that achieved in 2011. This was the same as the all-Wales average. • The proportion of subject entries achieving grades A*-E rose by 1.0% to 98.6%. This is 1.0% above the Wales average. • The proportion of subject entries achieving grades A*-C rose by 1.7% to 80.2%. This is 5.2% above the Wales average. • The proportion of subject entries achieving grade A*/A fell by 0.2% to 29.5%. This is 5.9% above the Wales average where the proportion fell by 0.3% compared with 2011. • The average wider points score for pupils aged 17 for Cardiff in 2012 was 844.7, above the all Wales average of 772.9. This represents a further significant increase on the 2011 figure of 808.
A Level Results
RESULTS Wales 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2012 YEAR 13 Entering a volume equivalent to 94% 96% 95% 96% 97% 97% 2 A level who achieved the Level 3 threshold Average wider points score for 623 665 755 808 845 773 pupils aged 17 Source : WAG Statistical Release – SDR 212/2012
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update
Schools’ banding
School FSM percentage below Band Band 10% 2011 2012 Bishop of Llandaff CW High 1 3 Cardiff High 2 2 Corpus Christi RC High 3 4 Radyr Comprehensive 3 3 Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf 2 3 Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr 2 3 School FSM percentage between 10% and 15% Llanishen High 2 3 St. Teilo’s CW High 4 3 Whitchurch High 3 3 School FSM percentage between 20% and 30% Cantonian High 5 4 Mary Immaculate RC High 1 1 St. Illtyd’s Catholic High 3 5
School FSM percentage over 30% Cathays High 3 3 Fitzalan High 2 2 Glyn Derw High 5 3 Llanedeyrn High 3 4 Llanrumney High 5 5 Michaelston Community College 4 4 Rumney High 4 4 Willows High 5 4
Attendance
Below 89.9%: 5 Between 90.0% and 92.9%: 7 Between 93.0% and 94.9%: 7 95.0% and over: 1
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update
Key Stage 2 - Core Subject Indicator 2008-2012
85%
80%
75% core subjectscore
70% 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
% attaining% at Level least 4 in each of the CSI - Cardiff 76.7% 78.8% 77.9% 79.1% 80.7% CSI - Wales 75.5% 77.0% 78.2% 80.0% 82.6%
Key Stage 3 - Core Subject Indicator 2008-2012
80%
75%
70%
65%
60% core subjectscore 55%
50% 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 CSI - Cardiff 62.1% 64.3% 65.3% 69.6% 74.2% % attaining% at Level least 5 in each of the CSI - Wales 59.6% 61.3% 63.7% 68.0% 72.5%
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update
Key Stage 4 - GCSE or equivalent exams - Core Subject Indicator 2008-2012
60%
55%
50%
45%
40%
35% % achieving Core Subject Indicator Subject Core % achieving 30% 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 CSI - Cardiff 42.6% 43.2% 46.7% 47.0% 47.9% CSI - Wales 44.4% 46.0% 48.0% 48.7% 48.9%
Key Stage 4 - GCSE or equivalent exams - Level 1 threshold 2008-2012
100%
95%
90%
85% % achieving Level 1 threshold
80% 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Level 1 threshold - Cardiff 84.9% 86.9% 87.8% 89.0% 91.2% Level 1 threshold - Wales 86.8% 88.2% 89.7% 90.3% 91.8%
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update
Key Stage 4 - GCSE or equivalent exams - Level 2 threshold 2008-2012
80%
75%
70%
65%
60%
55% % achieving Level 2 threshold
50% 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Level 2 threshold - Cardiff 55.6% 58.6% 61.4% 64.0% 68.3% Level 2 threshold - Wales 58.0% 60.7% 63.8% 67.3% 72.6%
Key Stage 4 - GCSE or equivalent exams - Level 2 threshold including English/Welsh & Maths 2008-2012
60%
55%
50%
45%
40% 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
% achieving Level 2 threshold inc E/W & Maths inc E/W& threshold 2 Level % achieving Level 2 inc E/W & Maths - 43.5% 44.3% 47.6% 48.0% 49.3% Cardiff Level 2 inc E/W & Maths - 45.6% 47.2% 49.4% 50.1% 51.1% Wales
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update 2011/20
SCHOOL 12 Number Number of Schoo of fixed- perman l's term KS4 L2 + Attendanc ent KS4 L2 KS4 L1 KS4 CSI KS3 CSI Bandi exclusio EM e exclusio benchmar benchmar benchmar benchmar Attenda ng ns per Inspection benchmar benchmar ns per king king king king nce Positi 1,000 outcome king king 1,000 position position position position on pupils position position pupils 2011 (LA (LA data average average 171.89) 0.35) BISHOP OF Estyn LLANDAFF 2 2 2 2 1 93.2% 3 1 27.00 monitoring 187.5 LA CANTONIAN 3 3 4 3 1 90.0% 4 5 1.95 0 monitoring CARDIFF HIGH 1 1 1 1 1 95.3% 1 2 33.76 CATHAYS 1 2 2 1 2 90.5% 1 3 56.32 CORPUS 107.8 CHRISTI 4 4 2 4 1 93.5% 3 3 7 275.8 FITZALAN 2 1 1 1 1 91.6% 1 2 6 Good/Good GLANTAF 3 4 3 3 4 93.6% 3 2 28.63 Good/Good Significant 277.7 Improvemen GLYN DERW 2 4 4 2 3 88.3% 3 5 8 t 428.9 Estyn LLANEDEYRN 4 4 2 4 2 90.1% 2 3 2.49 3 monitoring LLANISHEN 2 3 1 1 1 93.6% 1 2 86.60 334.0 LLANRUMNEY 4 4 4 4 1 86.5% 4 5 0 MARY 192.0 IMMACULATE 2 2 2 2 1 92.0% 2 1 2 Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update 532.7 Estyn MICHAELSTON 4 3 2 3 3 87.7% 4 4 4 monitoring PLASMAWR 3 4 3 4 4 94.1% 1 2 27.13 RADYR 1 3 4 1 2 94.0% 2 3 68.54 241.2 RUMNEY 3 3 4 2 2 87.0% 4 4 1.52 7 255.4 ST ILLTYD'S 3 4 2 4 3 90.2% 3 3 7 ST TEILO'S 3 3 1 3 3 94.5% 1 4 52.10 115.0 WHITCHURCH 3 3 4 2 4 92.2% 3 3 1.11 0 786.3 WILLOWS 3 3 4 3 4 86.8% 4 5 1.40 1
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update School Performance Targets Objective Education Relevant IPB workstream Business Plan inspection recommendation To raise standards at all key stages and especially at KS2 and KS4. Priority 1, Objective 3 Early childhood objective 1 and youth engagement
Outcome Measures2 Baseline Targets Timescale At KS23, the percentage of pupils achieving: Level 4 +in the CSI 79% 79.6%,81.4%, 2012, 2013 80.9% 2014
Level 5+ in: English 29.9% 28.6%, 30.0%, 2012, 2013 29.1% 2014
Welsh 29.5% 28.3%,26.7%, 2012, 2013 26.3% 2014 mathematics 29.3% 29.7%, 30.7%, 2012, 2013 29.0% 2014 science 29.0% 31.9%, 33.9%, 2012, 2013 32.7% 2014
At KS3, the percentage of pupils achieving: Level 5+ in the CSI 70% 68.6%, 73.3%, 2012, 2013, 75.4% 2014 level 6 + English 38.3% 36.8%, 38.3% 2012, 2013,
2 See action plans for vulnerable pupils, literacy and numeracy for targets in these areas 3 KS2 and KS3 targets at level 5/6 subject to further discussion and challenge Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Outcome Measures2 Baseline Targets Timescale 38.9% 2014 Welsh 47.1% 61.1%, 44.8% 2012, 2013, 43.6% 2014 mathematics 46.8% 44.5%, 48.7%, 2012, 2013, 48.5% 2014 science 43.0% 41.3%, 43.3%, 2012, 2013, 46.5% 2014 At KS4, the percentage of pupils achieving: 48% 52.2% 2012 The level 2 threshold including E/W/M 59.3% 2013 60.2% 2014
The level 2 threshold 64% 66.2% 2012 72% 2013 72.4% 2014
The level 1 threshold 89% 91.3% 2012 94.6% 2013 95.1% 2014
The CSI 47% 51.6% 2012 57.7% 2013 59.0% 2014
The percentage leaving without any qualification 0.9% 0.7% 2012 0.5% 2013 0.3% 2014
A* and A grades at GCSE 22.5% 2.5% improvement annually The number of schools with fewer than 30% of pupils achieving the level 6 2 2012 2 threshold including E/W/M 0 2013 0 2014
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Outcome Measures2 Baseline Targets Timescale The number of schools with fewer than 50% of pupils achieving the level 11 9 2012 2 threshold including E/W/M 6 2013 4 2014 The proportion of schools below the third quartile of their benchmarking group: 25% Reduce to 0% 2015 KS2 CSI 5% KS3 CSI 25% Level 2 threshold including E/W/M 25% Level 2 threshold 30% Level 1 threshold 30% CSI 3 5 2012 The number of schools in: 4 0 2012 Band 4 Band 5 2 (1 primary, 1 0 2013 The number of schools requiring: secondary) 0 2013 significant improvement 1 (primary) special measures
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action Responsibil RAG Action tion Due Progress Update No. ity Status Date At all key stages and the Foundation Phase 1 Reinforce the Cardiff Ambition and share Heads of During Revisited in first primary and secondary heads’ Green the bigger picture concerning the need for achievement monthly meetings in September 2012. Analysis of improvement and how to secure this with conferences performance discussed with secondary heads in schools’ leaders and key partners. November and December meetings of secondary heads. Further challenge to performance provided by Cabinet Member and corporate director in January meeting. Discussion of performance, higher expectations covered in January meeting of primary headteachers.
2 Continue to challenge schools’ targets System From Draft APRs being received and feedback given Amber/ against the highest FFT estimates leaders September where targets do not appear challenging green (SLs) 2012 enough. Letter to schools to indicate LA will intervene where targets are not high enough.
3. With the consortium, ensure that analysis Head of First half Visits completed and most headteacher Amber of, and challenge to, performance is achievement autumn term performance management discussions also undertaken as early as possible in the (SI services) 2012 completed. Evidence of stronger link between autumn term senior SL headteacher’s. Most meetings with governing bodies completed. Spring term visits started- focus on progress and standards. Need to refine organisation of first visit in autumn 2013 and nature of report that stems from this.
4. Strengthen accountability and support Head of From Progress review meetings from November for Green Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action Responsibil RAG Action tion Due Progress Update No. ity Status Date through meetings between headteachers, achievement autumn term six schools completed. Further six scheduled for chairs of governors and Cabinet Member (SI services) spring term. Appropriate balance between to review progress and performance. challenge and identification of constructive next Provide scrutiny with progress reports on steps. Chairs attending with heads. Dialogue schools causing concern within with scrutiny over process and impact now framework of annual report on under way with scrutiny committee. Receiving performance. presentation from one secondary and one primary headteacher plus progress reports on individual schools.
5 With the consortium, ensure annual Head of From APRs provide robust views on performance, Amber reports on performance (APRs), notes of achievement Autumn term attendance and exclusion and areas for visit are succinct, evaluative, cover key (SI services), 2012 improvement. Summary reports will evaluate performance measures, evaluate aspects senior SL performance overall and leadership and of leadership as well as outcomes. management. APRs are too descriptive at times. Need to refine these and process for autumn term.
6 Implement the web-based school profile Head of September School portal now ready to roll out in advance of Amber from September achievement 2012 full implementation in September 2013 PI manager 7 Scrutinise and evaluate the impact of SLs Termly All schools sending SERS and SIPs to Amber schools’ improvement plans on standards consortium for system leaders. SLs to produce summary report – discussion with interim head of service to agree content has taken place.
8 Through system leader visits scrutinise, SLs During Will form focus of scrutiny by SL about school’s Amber/ evaluate and challenge the rigour and autumn and progress in spring and summer terms against green effectiveness of schools’ processes for spring terms priorities and impact on outcomes for pupils. tracking pupils’ progress. 2012/13 Aides-memoire given to Cardiff system leaders. 9 Scrutinise, challenge and evaluate the SLs Summer Being built into system leader contact with Amber/ impact of school’s procedures for the term 2013 schools in spring and summer terms and red Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action Responsibil RAG Action tion Due Progress Update No. ity Status Date monitoring and evaluation first hand of especially schools causing concern. However, standards, learning and teaching. Trade Union stance is problematic, could frustrate carrying out of LA’s statutory responsibility and put schools at risk during inspection. This is still a live issue.
10 Intensify efforts to build capacity in the Head of Throughout Priory School providing packages now under Green system by incentivising school to school achievement academic way. Visits in mid November have taken place support senior SL year 2012/13 with follow up to St. Teilo’s, Corpus Christi, St., Illtyd’s, Cantonian, Glyn Derw and Michaelston. Maths team also providing targeted intervention as part of statements of action in Llanrumney, Rumney, Llanedeyrn. Secondary advisory teacher providing targeted work on literacy across the curriculum. Eight primary headteacher system leaders providing school to school support in 16 schools causing concern as part of intervention. Secondary headteacher system leaders providing challenge and support in: Llanrumney, Rumney, Llanedeyrn, Willows, St. Teilo’s, Federation, St. Illtyd’s, Corpus Christi. Consortium’s planning is also identifying this as a significant strand in its forward thinking about capacity building n the system.
11. Bring categorisation procedures into line Head of From All schools’ categories established provisionally. Green/ with the agreed approach across the achievement September Being kept under review. Approach will need amber consortium , senior SL 2012 further refinement.
12 Implement intervention to secure As above As above Statements of action being developed in respect Green/ improvement in line with consortium’s of all schools causing concern. Also being Amber agreed procedures and to reduce over shared with scrutiny committee to develop their Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action Responsibil RAG Action tion Due Progress Update No. ity Status Date time the number of schools going into understanding of process. Proportion of primary inspection follow-up categories. schools in follow-up activity not increasing overall but still need to see reduction. Too many secondary schools still in follow-up activity.
13. Use the full range of statutory powers to Corporate From IEB in place in one school in special measures- Green/ intervene with schools director September good progress. Federation being explored to Amber 2012 support schools with greatest distance. Initial letters being sent to secondary schools to register concerns as part of process towards a warning letter.
14. Continue to scrutinise briefings about Head of From In most cases there is a good correlation Green/ schools before inspection to ensure achievement September between briefings and inspection outcomes. Amber accuracy (SI services), 2012 senior SL 15. Quality assure routine performance Head of From APRs shared with LA. Arrangements being Red/ reporting and effectiveness of intervention achievement September made for half-termly review of progress of Amber in Cardiff’s schools. (SI services), 2012 schools in categories involving consortium SLs , senior SL senior SL and LA staff.
16. Continue to give a high priority to Head of In response Main focus currently is primary sector. Green recruiting headteachers and senior achievement to vacancies Springwood re-advertising as original shortlist leaders of the highest quality. (SI services), through year not strong enough. Other arrangements senior SL involving soft federation for a temporary period being pursued in particular cases.
17. Make provision for leadership Head of Annual TS Being given attention as part of consortium’s Amber development programmes and contribute Traded prospectus forward planning – intention to create universal to succession planning. Service (TS) programme of highest quality and for elements to be bespoke for schools in categories. Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action Responsibil RAG Action tion Due Progress Update No. ity Status Date
18 In collaboration with the consortium, Head of Annual As above Amber make provision for a training programme achievement governor that will support governors in fulfilling their (SI services), training statutory responsibilities senior Sl programme and bespoke training
19 Implement the ICT strategy Chief officer From Chief officer for ICT meeting with headteachers Amber/ ICT, SL September regarding wireless developments. Complications red strategic 2012 with schools’ asbestos surveys but need for lead for ICT urgent resolution as is damaging council’s credibility to effect much needed change.
Specifically at KS2
20 Give a high profile to the Cardiff Ambition, Head of From Ambition and performance have formed part of its associated targets and improving achievement September meetings with heads at beginning of autumn and performance. (SI services) 2012 spring terms.
21 Provide local capacity initially alongside Chief By July 2012 Eight effective headteachers recruited to provide Green the consortium to secure progress in Education the equivalent of one day per week. Now fully primary/ special schools in categories. Officer involved as outlined above. Growing evidence of impact on [progress of schools to which they are attached.
22 Scrutinise and evaluate evidence about SLs From Monitoring of SEG/ PDG part of system leaders’ Amber/ the impact of the delegation of specific September agenda through the year. Work being done at green resources 2012 consortium level to develop literacy and numeracy strategy in line with implementation of national frameworks and to support intervention Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action Responsibil RAG Action tion Due Progress Update No. ity Status Date in schools causing concern.
23 Continue work to build capacity in the Head of By See above – appointments made, induction Green system through effective primary achievement September meeting completed and schools assigned. headteacher system leaders 2012 24 Ensure there are clear links with action Head of By July 2012 Link between achievement and these plans now Green plans for well-being, attendance, achievement well established and message that it is all about behaviour, NEETS and the part played by (SI services), standards is being communicated and reinforced youth support services. in routine management and business improvement meetings and in performance management. Specifically at KS4
25 Continue to give a high profile to the Head of From See above. Ambition and performance have Green Cardiff Ambition and its associated achievement September formed part of all meetings with heads. targets (SI services) 2012 26 Extend the focus to strategies that sustain Head of June 2012 Planning for programme during current year Amber school improvement over the medium achievement and during discussed heads project group on 18th term senior SL 2012/13 November.
27 Scrutinise schools’ plans to raise Head of From Raising attainment plans received for schools in Green attainment covering Y11, Y10 achievement September bands 4 and 5. All other secondary schools SLs 2012 asked to focus on standards clearly in improvement planning.
28 Scrutinise and evaluate evidence about SLs From Monitoring of SEG/ PDG part of system leaders’ Amber the impact of the delegation of specific September agenda as above. resources on outcomes and well-being. 2012 29 Continue work to build capacity in the Head of From Both continuing their work and number of days Green system through the secondary achievement September increased. Schools causing concern assigned. headteacher system leaders (SI services) 2012 Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Summary Impact Statistics - Attendance
Secondary Attendance
At end of December 2012 = 92.45% Position at end of December 2011 = 92.06%
Up by 0.55% on last year’s statutory return
By Gender
Girls - 92.3% Boys – 92.60%
Attendance improved in 66% of secondary schools compared with this time last year.
WG Benchmark for secondary schools = 93%
At the end of December there were 9 secondary schools with attendance over 93%
8 met this in 2011 -12 5 met this in 2010 -11
Primary Attendance
At end of December 2012 = 92.54% Position at end of December 2011 = 93.85%
However, 0.99% of marks are recorded as missing. This is a number of schools have failed to input their full attendance data and consequently this has impacted on the overall figure.
There were high levels of illness at primary level with an average loss of 3.40%. The highest sickness rate reported was 5.89% of absence due to illness.
By Gender
Girls - 92.573% Boys - 93.50%
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update
Attendance in Secondary & Primary Schools 2008-2012
96% e 94%
92% % Attendanc
90% 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Secondary - Cardiff 90.3% 90.5% 90.4% 90.50% 91.70% Primary - Cardiff 92.8% 92.8% 92.8% 92.20% 93.70% Secondary - Wales 91.0% 91.0% 91.1% 91.40% 92.20% Primary - Wales 93.3% 93.2% 93.1% 93.30% 93.80%
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update
Objective Education Business Relevant inspection CPB workstream Plan recommendation Priority 2 Recommendation 4 Youth engagement- To improve attendance Attendance and behaviour
Outcome Measures Baseline Targets Timescale Percentage of pupils’ attendance in: 2010-2011 a) 93.8% 2011/12 a) primary schools; and b) 92.3% b) secondary schools a) 92.8% b) 90.5% a) 94.1 Note: Targets to be re-assessed with schools in the autumn term with a view to b) 93% 2012/13 establishing a target of 95% by 2014/15 a) 94.4% b) 93.6% 2013/14
The proportion of schools in the first quartile and below the third quartile of their national 2010/11 a) st benchmarking group with regard to overall attendance a) primary – 1 - 28.7% 2011/ 2012 Ist quartile – 23.4% 4th – 22.3% 4th quartile- 27.65% b) b) secondary – Ist – 20% Ist quartile – 15% 4th - 20% th 4 quartile- 25% 2012/ 2013 a) 1st -34% 4th -18%
b) Ist– 25% 4th - 15%
a) st 1 – 37.2% 2013/2014 4th – 15.9%
b) Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Ist– 30% 4th - 10%
The percentage attendance of looked after pupils whilst in care in a) 91.3% a) 100% 2011/12 a) primary b) 86.2% b) 100% b) secondary schools. (reviewed and updated annually)
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action Responsibilit RAG Action tion Due Progress Update No. y Status Date Education Welfare Service: Improving Outcomes through a universal and targeted approach 1 Delegate further funding to schools for Head of PRS By Recruitment commenced. 4 schools have Green additional 8 SAOs September additional SAO’s in post and others going to 2012 advert. 2 Recruit 2 centrally funded SAOs to be Completed HR processes and Trade Union Amber deployed where additional support may Head of PRS By consultation. Recruitment can now commence. be required on a short term/project basis. September 2012 3 Recruit a SAO from Czech /Roma Head of PRS By As above Amber community to improve engagement and September attendance of Czech Roma and Eastern 2012 European pupil population. 4 Review existing SLA for this round of Drafted. Green delegation outlining more clearly defined Principal EWO By roles, responsibilities and expectations September particularly for provision of 2012 services/support from SAO’s for primary schools. 5 Analyse and interrogate data to provide Principal EWO August 2012 EWO support has been re-allocated to ensure Amber differentiated support/ target EWS EWOs parity of workload and appropriate level of resources effectively as part of the support in most challenging schools. Team planning within area teams. currently under capacity due to long term sickness of 2 EWO’s 6 Explore the development of ‘family Principal EWO Autumn Development of this pilot has been dependent Amber learning signature’ on a pilot basis Families First Term on the outcome of Education led Families First Manager bid. Informed at the end of December that this was successful so this work can now proceed.
7 Provide ongoing CPD for all staff to Principal EWO During 2012/ ½ termly meetings to share good practice have Amber improve delivery of support and challenge Enhanced 2013 commenced. EWO’s and SAO’s have attended where improvements aren’t being made EWO Training ‘Prevent’ Training. Induction training delivered Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action Responsibilit RAG Action tion Due Progress Update No. y Status Date and develop skill and knowledge of team. to new SAO’s. 8 Ensure all EWOs undertake advanced Principal EWO During 2012/ Dependent on the outcome of Education led Amber RA practitioner training RA Manager 2013 Families First bid. Informed at the end of (JHC) December that this was successful so this work can now proceed.
Working with Partners to ensure an integrated approach to improve attendance 9 Continue to develop links with the Principal EWO During 2012/ Ongoing. Referrals identified and information Green Families First ‘Team around the Family’ EMTAS 2013 sharing in place for pupils referred. pilots 10 Ensure effective links are developed with Principal EWO From July Met with Post 16 Transition and Progress Green the Post 16 Transition and Progress Post 16 2012 Manager to discuss mechanisms to ensure Manager to ensure that year 11’s with Transition and early identification of pupils at risk; via FAP poor attendance are identified and Progress and EWS. Reports developed by R & I to worked with proactively to ensure Manager assist in the identification of those most at risk transition post 16 is supported effectively. 11 Support the development of a Cardiff Information During 2012/ Preparatory work completed and involved in Green NEET vulnerability profiling tool. Manager 2013 working group progressing this. Reports CW IO Data created by R & I created to support the Manager identification of vulnerable pupils. Principal EWO Behaviour Manager 12 Improve links between the EWS and the Principal EWO Summer/Aut Met with Head Legal Adviser. Court User Green Court users group Enhanced umn Term group has been disbanded with no EWO for Legal replacement forum. Magistrates only participating in mandatory training so EWS have produced Guidance for Magistrates which Head of Legal Advisory team will disseminate and raise EWS issues with Chair Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action Responsibilit RAG Action tion Due Progress Update No. y Status Date of the Magistrates. Discussed improvements to way cases and information is presented to Magistrates which EWS will implement. Meeting arranged with Vale EWS to look at developing a consistent approach in way cases are prepared/presented in court now that both Cardiff and Vale cases are dealt with in Cardiff Magistrates Court. 13 Ensure that improving attendance and the Head of From July Continuing to be included in planning and Amber contribution of key partners is central to Achievement 2012 evaluation in these areas. the development of the Youth Engagement and Neet’s strategies Principal EWO 14 Further develop support to vulnerable Principal During MAG group progressing this work to ensure Green groups, including LAC, BME, EWO, AL 2012/13 early intervention and appropriate support. Gypsy/Traveller pupils and those at high Educational Monthly meetings scheduled. Both primary and risk of not attending school or alternative Psychologist secondary LAC attendance has improved. learning provisions team LAC School Liaison Team 15 Through the CPB and Families and Corporate From Sept To form part of agenda for meetings. Amber Young People’s Partnership Board Director 2012 monitor progress and the impact of programmes on outcomes and well-being 16 Undertake regular truancy initiatives Principal EWO During The operation was a great success and an Green targeting NMAs where attendance is of SW Police 2012/13 excellent example of partnership working. 50 greater concern. personnel from SWP, EWS and BTP were involved in the operation which meant that we had a very strong presence and high profile within the city centre. 216 pupils were stopped and spoken to during the operation and a were given very clear message to parents and pupils about the importance of school Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action Responsibilit RAG Action tion Due Progress Update No. y Status Date attendance and the consequences of absence. Feedback from all involved in the operation and from the public was extremely positive and the media coverage was good.
17 Through headteachers ensure governors Principal EWO During Expectation to report to governors termly Amber are fully aware of the LA's strategy to Enhanced 2012/13 established. To be monitored by system improve attendance, its impact on EWOs leaders. attainment, governors’ statutory duty to Governor set attendance targets, provision of Support Team detailed breakdowns of attendance patterns.
18 Work with the Youth Service to re-align Head of Youth From July Additional support provided to Rumney HS Amber support from Youth Workers to provide Service 2012 from Youth Service to provide mentoring and targeted support for vulnerable students Principal one to one support for pupils with poor and those with poor attendance. EWOs attendance. Need to replicate in other areas. Prioritising the improvement of Attendance and giving this a high profile 19 Implement a Cardiff-wide publicity Head of PRS From Ongoing. Feedback from publicity campaign Green campaign and Principal September has been extremely positive. Schools had a EWO and 2012 new image/’excuse’ to refresh the campaign comms team with a seasonal theme around Christmas shopping. 20 Increase publicity for attendance issues in As above From Arranged for the Echo to accompany Green local media September EWS/police on Truancy Initiative to ensure 2012 good coverage/reporting. It was reported in: • Western Mail • SW Echo (two articles) • Wales Online • Capital FM News • Twitter Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action Responsibilit RAG Action tion Due Progress Update No. y Status Date
21 Raise awareness about the withdrawal of Principal EWO From July Media coverage of new policy in the summer Green support for holidays in term time and EMTAS 2012 term. Headteachers reminded of at the start of extended holidays including liaison with term and guidance on codes re-issued. Plan to community groups/religious leaders write to parents again to report on impact. Ongoing 22 Further develop systems to ensure the Head of During To come out of system leader visits and form Amber sharing of good practice. Achievement 2012/113 EWS. Further briefing session for schools will Principal EWO draw on effective practice locally. Supporting and challenging schools to improve outcomes 23 Take steps to ensure that attendance is Head of From Principal EWO contributed to Induction Green given a high priority in the consortium’s achievement September Training to provide progress report on Joint Education Service. Ensure Principal 2012 attendance improvements. Ongoing – collaboration with system leaders . EWO, senior Attendance will form part of the link visits with SL System Leaders 24 Further strengthen the provision of Performance From July In-year data to be developed further to include Amber performance data to facilitate improved Information 2012 FSM analysis. analysis at both school and LA level in Manager, order to prioritise action. principal EWO 25 Continue to develop data to support more Performance From July In-year data continuing to be provided. Green robust analysis of performance by school Information 2012 Mailings have gone to schools (secondary) and specific group. Manager, 26 Undertake analysis of data at code level Performance From July Guidance on attendance codes revised and re- Green to prioritise action and support to specific Information 2012 circulated. 40 register inspections undertaken schools and ensure correct Manager, in October/November in schools with most implementation of WG attendance code. Principal EWO challenging attendance. Feedback given to Attendance leads where issues identified. 27 Use the analysis to prioritise support and Head of From Sept Factored into decisions about categorisation Green challenge in respect of those schools achievement 2012 and statements of action. where performance is of concern. (E+P) 28 Analyse and interrogate data to provide Principal EWO From August This is a duplicate of point 5 differentiated support/ target EWS EWO Team 2012 Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action Responsibilit RAG Action tion Due Progress Update No. y Status Date resources effectively. 29 Undertake review work using the EWS Commenced and will be undertaken Amber audit tool with schools where insufficient Principal During throughout 2012/13 improvements have been achieved. EWO, 2012/2013 Undertake a minimum of 1 register EWOs inspections per year to help identify issues and prioritise action. Undertake termly in schools with significant attendance difficulties. 30 Analyse schools’ current performance, Performance From Sept Commenced and will be undertaken Amber comparative performance and trends half- Information 2012 throughout 2012/13 termly and report to the service’s senior Manager, leadership team. Principal EWO 31 Challenge the effectiveness of schools’ System From Commenced and ongoing throughout 2012/13 Amber policies and procedures; agree targets, leaders September assess the impact of improvement work 2012 by measuring progress against these.
32 Develop end of term summary reports for Principal EWO From Completed for all schools and distributed at the Amber each secondary school detailing EWOs September end of term. Well received. Will look to develop action/interventions/referrals/prosecutions content. to quantify/qualify EWS service to schools. 33 Develop methods for gathering Principal EWO From August Evaluation exercise undertaken with schools at Amber feedback/evaluation from service users; EWOs 2012 the end of summer term. Need to develop schools and families. methods for gathering feedback from families. 34 Continue to report on attendance as part Head of Annually Will be included in annual report Green of annual report on performance. Achievement
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update
Summary Impact statistics – Behaviour
In 2011/12 the number of permanent exclusions has remained at zero in the primary and special school sectors.
In secondary schools the number fell from 22 in 2010/11 to 6 in 2011/12.
Fixed term exclusions in primary schools :
Days lost: 371.5 (536.5 in 2010/11) Number of exclusions: 191 (238) Average days lost: 1.95 (2.26)
In special schools the position is similar:
Days lost: 210.5 (337 in 2010/11) Number of exclusions: 132 (220) Average days lost: 1.59 (1.53)
In secondary schools the figures are:
Days lost: 7118.5 (9075 in 2010/11) Number of exclusions: 2957 (3257) Average days lost: 2.41 (2.78)
The data indicate that the number of fixed-term exclusions reduced in 15 of the twenty secondary schools compared with 2010-2011, the number of days lost reduced in 15 and the average days lost to exclusion reduced in 16 schools.
Latest data up to Mid February 2012 indicate:
• 2 permanent exclusions so far in 2012/13. • A reduction in fixed term exclusions in 11 high schools. Significant reductions in schools with strong step 3 and 4 provision. (Cantonian 50%,Fitzalan 78%, Mary Immaculate 92%). 3 schools where exclusions increased these were single figure increases and very low initially.
All of the school partnerships are now moving ahead to develop alternative provision at stage 4, although the extent and pace varies from partnership to partnership. Exclusion protocol completed. Behaviour seminar took place 24th January.
Continuing areas of risk: • Budget pressures relating to step 4 (invest to save). • Pressure on number of places available at stage 5. • Need to ensure is on the agenda of system leader visits in spring and summer.
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update
Number of Permanent Exclusions - Primary & Secondary - 2008-2012
60
50
40 Primary 30 Secondary 20
10 Number of exclusions 0 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 Primary 33200 Secondary 55 45 37 26 6
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Behaviour and Exclusions Action Plan 2012-13 Outcome Measures Baseline Targets Timescale The number of permanent exclusions per thousand pupils: 2010-2011 a) 0 2011/12 a) In primary schools b) 0.95 b) in secondary schools a) 0.0 a) 0 2012/13 b)1.06 b) 0.85 a) 0 2013/14 b) 0.76
The number of fixed-term exclusions in secondary schools: 2010-2011 a) 2698 2011/12 a) of five days or fewer b) 203 b) of six days or more a) 2998 a) 2428 2012/13 b) 225 b) 183 a) 2185 2013/14 b) 165 The number of fixed-term exclusions in secondary schools per thousand 2010-2011 a) 131 2011/12 pupils: b) 9.81 a) of five days or fewer a)145.6 a) 118.3 2012/13 b) of six days or more b)10.9 b) 8.83 a) 106.47 2013/14 b)7.9 2010-2011 a) 1.98 2011/12 The average number of days lost to fixed-term exclusions a) 2.2 b) 2.48 a) in primary schools b) 2.75 a) 1.78 2012/13 b) in secondary schools b) 2.23 a) 1.6 2013/14 b) 2.00
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action Responsibil RAG Action tion Due Progress Update No. ity Status Date Local Authority 1 Delegate funds for stage 3 provision to individual Head of PRS September Funds delegated with bid for additional funds Amber schools using the agreed formula. Schools to 2012 next financial year. Need for clarification on include strategies for reducing exclusion/ improving behaviour management within school monitoring by systems leaders. improvement plans. 2 Agree with schools arrangements and a timescale Head of By Caerau/Ely stage 4 provision in place. West and Green for implementing provision at stage 4 that builds achievement, September East started. Central North and welsh cluster on existing PACC provision head of BSS, AL 14-19 2012 planning stage 3 Make a budget pressure submission for further Head of PRS, Submission Completed. Green funding to support development at stage 4 and to Head of BSS, by August, meet the criteria for extent and quality. Develop a AL 14-19 wider curriculum offer for pupils to increase full choice, raise aspirations and reduce implementati disengagement. on April 2013 4 Build on the NBAR Behaviour pilot and PRU Head of BSS July 2012 Vulnerability Assessment Profile due for start, Green systems to identify need and track development of PACC group set up at BYD and some retained pupils at stage 4. centrally. Monitoring systems in place and feedback to schools via EWS in place. 5 Collaborate with Youth Service to provide a model Achievement September YS input confirmed. Step-Up programme plus Green and delivery for schools at stage stage 4. Leader (Youth 2012 investment in IT at community centres planned. Service) SLA between service areas needed to formalise arrangement 6 Review the current provision provided by Special Head of BSS, September Pressure on OOC budget through lack of spaces Red Schools, the PRU and SRBs to meet stage 5 JH, Head of PR 2012 at Greenhill. Possible expansion of role at BYD needs. planned. Primary review also underway 7 Realign central PACC provision from EOTAS Head of BSS, December Partial completed. Central PACC reduced and Amber service to PRU /Greenhill. PRU Head, 2010 PRU adopted approach.. Issues with Greenhill Head of Greenhill adopting this system. 8 Review the role of the Fair Access Panel and OM PR(Chair) September Proposed criteria in place but needs agreement. Amber establish with head teachers and other offices the 2012 criteria for access for pupils to stage 5 provision. Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action Responsibil RAG Action tion Due Progress Update No. ity Status Date
9 Share intended destinations of EOTAS Year 11 Head of BSS February Vulnerability Assessment Process due to start Green pupils with Careers Wales and Head of 2013 Nov 2012 and established Careers links with Youth Service Y11s in place. 10 Over time reduce the central EOTAS roll and Head of BSS July 2013 Central EOTAS ( PACC) roll reduced this Amber strengthen pupil tracking for those that remain academic year.Schools stage 4 provision set up registered as EOTAS. needed to keep numbers lower and to reduce further next year. Individual pupil monitoring systems in place and monitored by FAP..Further reduction planned for next academic year 11 Ensure vulnerable pupils have access to flexible Head of BSS September Carnegie centre and central PACC provision in Green provision that meets their needs, including and Case Work 2012 place and staff responsibilities realigned to EOTAS pupils with ALN or SEN. ensure ALN and SEN pupils are monitored closely. SpLD support agreed for EOTAS and BYD. 12 Provide a seamless transition for pupils returning Head of YOS October EWS YOS link provides information for FAP to Green to education from custody. Head of BSS 2012 address this. YO learning mentor built into Families First C & Y engagement programme 13 Refocus the work of the specialist teachers in the SAL 2012 Some progress which will be strengthened when Amber BSS to facilitate more capacity building, advice Head of BSS academic with the ‘Expectations’ 5 stage model and challenge year implementation. 14 Develop nurture provision in the primary phase. Team Leader September Unable to set up venue over the summer but Red BSS and 2012 now have agreement in theory from HT to set up Principal EP a nurture base. Funding needed. Item raised on Business Improvement Schedule. 15 Continue to develop the provision of data so that R and I Ongoing. In place but some fine tuning needed. Amber schools, the local authority and consortium are December well placed to identify strengths, weaknesses and to target action. 2012 review
16 Use data to provide a robust analysis of Head of BSS, July 2012 As above – also need to ensure that systems Red exclusions by school and specific groups. Use Team Leader leaders challenge schools.Clarity needed on SL the data to inform target setting, support and BST, Head of role Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action Responsibil RAG Action tion Due Progress Update No. ity Status Date challenge and resource prioritisation. Inclusion
17 Support and challenge schools’ performance with System leaders Termly This role now the responsibility of the systems Red regard to exclusion and behaviour management. September leaders Include evaluation of schools’ performance with regard to behaviour in annual reports on 2012 and performance for each school. annually 18 Identify and disseminate good practice to build Head of BSS September Good practice sharing day to be planned for Green capacity and reduce undue variation between 2012 Spring 2013. date now set for 24th January and schools. agenda agreed
Work with partners 19 Work with partners and other Education teams to Head of June 2012 – LAC exclusion protocol in place. Specialist Amber reduce exclusions of identified vulnerable groups Inclusion October teachers focussed on pupils with SEN. Working of pupils Team Leader BST 2013 with TES and planned EMS input into Youth PEP. Engagement plans. 20 Make a full contribution to the work with partners Head of BSS Bi-monthly FF C & Y engagement bid successful- now in Amber in the youth engagement partnership board in and Head of critical mobilisation stage identifying and developing youth support services Youth Service that meet the needs of vulnerable groups PEWO 21 Work in partnership with other agencies to Head of BSS, End of June FF C & Y engagement bid successful- now in Green construct a Families First (FF) submission for PEP and Head 2012 critical mobilisation stage youth engagement. of Youth Service 22 Work with SNAP Cymru, EWS and Admissions to Principle September FAP monitoring cases closely and direction to Green identify and challenge illegal exclusions and the Education 2012 school as necessary. SNAP exclusions officer exclusion of vulnerable pupils. Welfare Officer, Head of BSS, ongoing built into successful EHW FF bid led by OM PR Barnardo’s 23 Continue to develop links with the Families First Principal EWO During 2012/ Need clarity on who has won bid and how this Red ‘Team around the Family’ pilots to ensure that Head of BSS 2013 will operate BSS along with EWS are a significant partner in this. 24 Support the development of a Cardiff NEET Information During 2012/ Work developing with MW Green vulnerability profiling tool. Manager Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action Responsibil RAG Action tion Due Progress Update No. ity Status Date CW IO Data 2013 Manager Principal EWO, head of BSS
25 Re-focus the exclusions officer post to have a Head of BSS, September Largely in place Green more preventative focus. Team Leader 2012 BST
26 Support schools and community wellbeing Head of BSS, October EHW FF programme successful now in Amber programmes via Families First in partnership with PEP, Wellbeing 2012 mobilisation stage Barnardo’s, Action for Children, ContinYou and Head the health service.
27 Work in partnership with the lead agency to Head of BSS, July 2012 complete Green construct the FF bid for emotional health and well- PEP, Wellbeing being Head 28 Support schools to reduce the poverty of Head of BSS, August 2012 Stage 4 plans in place for all partnerships Green opportunity gap by commissioning programmes to Achievement broaden the curriculum for pupils at risk of Leader 14-19, disengagement. Achievement Leader (Youth Service) 29 Build on the current restorative approaches pilots Chief Officer December Initial work has commenced. Need for a more Amber by extending the training to the federation schools Education 2012 strategic approach for the city overall and a in the west of the city and to other partners who Chief Officer work with the schools. Communities decision about this. 30 Develop links through the central south Head of Started May Have had initial meetings with Behaviour and Amber consortium to explore services with can be jointly Inclusion 2012 - EOTAS Services from other consortium provided ongoing members. 31 Contribute to the redraft the Cardiff document JH AH GJ Summer Good progress Green “Expectation of Mainstream Schools in Managing term 2012 Inclusion” 32 Contribute to the development and JH AH GJ Summer Good progress- role shared between team Green Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action Responsibil RAG Action tion Due Progress Update No. ity Status Date implementation a Team Around the School term 2012 leader BST and Head of Service. Strong links (TAS) system to support and challenge effective with PIOs inclusive practice in Cardiff 33 Ensure effective links are developed with the Post Principal EWO From July Vulnerability Assessment Plans drafted and pilot Green 16 Transition and Progress Manager to ensure Post 16 2012 due Autumn 2012. Transition and progress that year 11s with challenging behaviour/poor Transition and attendance are identified and worked with Progress manager now part of FAP. proactively to ensure transition post 16 is Manager supported effectively.
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Summary Impact: Not In Education, Employment or Training
The data for 2011/12 indicates improvements concerning the re-engagement of young people at age 16 and 18 with education, training and employment. (Careers Wales source)
• An increase of 1% in the number of young people aged 16 engaged with ETE in 2012 compared with 2011 figures.
• A 2.1% increase of those young people aged 16 engaged with ETE over a 2 year period, 2010 – 2012.
• At age 18/19 there has been an increase of 1.6% of progressing into EET.
• At 18/19 there is a 3.5% decrease in those young people not engaging with education, training or employment.
• Over the age range 16 to 18 there has been an increase in those young people ‘unknown’ to services of 0.8% to 1.5%. However taken over a two year period there is an overall 1.1% decrease in the unknown population.
An ‘initial data trawl’ (to be confirmed by CW) for the reporting period 2011/12 has seen a further decrease of young people becoming NEET at 16. A fall of 1% in this reporting year continues to build on the direction of travel reported in the previous year equating to a 2.1% reduction over the last 2 years.
The unknown figure appears to have risen by 0.8% on 2011 figures but is still a 1.1% decrease since 2010.
The total percentage of young people engaged in EET at 16 transitions is 91% for 2012 representing a 4.2% increase since 2010.
At age 18/19 in 2012 there has been a sharp increase in the total numbers of young people who remain in education on the previous year (year 13). 89% of this larger cohort at 18/19 transition progressed into further ETE this is a 1.6% increase on 2011 figures.
In 2012 4.9% of the year 13 18/19 transition cohort did not progress into ETE, this represents a 3.5% decrease on 2011. There an increase of 4.9% not responding which is 0.7% increase on 2011.The figures presented in respect of not responding have had removed those who are known to have left the county.
Considerable progress is being made in developing and making operational tools to identify and track young people at risk of becoming NEET and in developing the provision of learner support.
300 employment opportunities secured through Cardiff Council tender for provision of building maintenance services.
Business engagement plan signed and planning to commence at end of October.
Key challenge now is to implement provision element of plan to make contribution to give more impetus to reducing the number of young people who are NEET.
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update
Cardiff Pupil Destinations 2007-2011 - Year 11 Pupils
12%
10%
8%
6%
4% % of Year 11 Pupils
2%
0% 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Not in education, 8.5% 10.6% 8.9% 8.8% 7.7% employment or training No response/left the area 4.5% 3.5% 4.8% 4.5% 2.2% Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update
Objective Education Business Relevant inspection CPB workstream Plan recommendation To reduce the numbers of young people not in education, training or Recommendation employment 4 Youth Engagement
Outcome Measures Baseline Targets Timescale The destinations of young people after year 11; 2010-2011 NEET’s 2011-12 • NEET’s NEET’s 6.5% • Unknown 7.7% Unknown Unknown 0.1% 2012-13 0.7% 2010-11 Further 20% 2011-12 The destinations of young people after year 11; School cohort reduction across • NEET’s base line both indicators • Unknown NEET’s In the six secondary schools with the highest percentage of NEET’s 22% reduction 2012-13 (Glyn Derw, Michealston CC, Rumney, Llanrumney, Willows, Llanederyn) Unknown 81% reduction The destination of young people in Cardiff after Year 13/14 2010-2011 NEET’s 2011-12 7.5% NEET’s 2012-13 8.4% Unknown Unknown 2.5% 3.4%
2010-2011 92% 2011-12 The percentage of young people aged 16/17 in education, training or employment 90.1% 2012-13
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update The percentage of young people aged 18/719 in education, training or 2010-2011 89% 2011-12 employment 86.23% 2012-13 The percentage of young people leaving school at 16 without a 2010-2011 1% 2011-12 recognised qualification 1.32%
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action RAG Action Responsibility tion Due Progress Update No. Status Date Early Identification and Tracking 1 Develop and embed a Cardiff NEET Learning From Sept Vulnerability tool developed and agreed with Green vulnerability profiling tool identifying Progression and 2012 secondary heads. Links established with young people who most need support, a Engagement attendance and behaviour actions. coherent early identification system for Manager (MW) P&MI have run the top level filter of 85% pupils in years 9, 10 and 11 at risk of attendance or less across Years 9-11. 1,444 not accessing progression routes post pupils identified. MW is working with 4 pilot 16. Ensure arrangements are in place to schools – Cantonian, Radyr, Bishop of capture and share information on those Llandaff & Fitzalan, initial trail completed pupils at risk of disengagement December with an initial focus on Year 11. Development of mechanism to roll out with schools across Cardiff 2 Ensure that there are clear, robust and Careers Wales Spring 2013 Agreement that vulnerability tool is shared Green timely arrangements are in place Area Manager with Careers Wales as the means of through year 11 to collate and share and identification in year 11. predicted pupil destinations with Learning Discussions have been held with Careers Careers Wales flagging pupils at risk of Progression and Wales and they will be using the tool to not securing progression. Engagement highlight potential case work. MW is to meet Manager all local managers shortly. Progress in this area slower than anticipated because Careers Wales is still under-going re- structuring, re-forming its teams and awaiting its final brief from Welsh Government. 3 Review and improve the data sharing 14-19 Extended Spring 2013 WG currently reviewing WASPI and the All Red / arrangements between Opportunities Wales Accord – awaiting confirmation from Amber schools/education and Careers Wales Programme WG . Pre 16 data sharing arrangements in and post 16 providers ensuring that Manager place but beholden on WG review. arrangements are developed in line with and WASPI and the All Wales Accord Learning Post 16 sharing arrangements yet to be Progression and developed. Engagement No further progress because we are still Manager awaiting Welsh Government to confirm the Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action RAG Action Responsibility tion Due Progress Update No. Status Date process and provide the initial training sessions.
4 Secure timely arrangements to report Post 16 Sector Autumn Arrangements have been put in place Green young people, post 16 who fail to Providers 2012 between Cardiff and Vale College, St David’s transfer and take up places with College, WBL and schools to provide Schools (year 12), Cardiff and Vale Careers Wales Careers Wales with robust data on young College(C&VC) and St David’s, WBL Area Manager people who have not engaged in provision. providers, 3rd Sector providers. and Learning Further work is being undertaken to identify Green Progression and and track young people who fail to sustain Engagement post 16 provision. CAVC is re-working its Manager Retention Strategy. St. David’s College is providing monthly returns. Further work needs to be accomplished with Work-based trainers and the 3rd Sector. 5 Develop robust and timely Post 16 Sector Oct 2012 Destination data captured by Careers Wales Green arrangements to capture and report Providers at age 18/19. predicted destinations of young people at 18/19 leaving School, Cardiff and Careers Wales Arrangements need to be reviewed between Vale College(C&VC) and St David’s, Area Manager Careers Wales and Post 16 Sector Providers WBL providers, 3rd Sector providers in order to better secure data relating to Red with Careers Wales. Achievement those who fail to make a positive transition at Use analysis to prioritise support and Leader 14-19 18/19 intervention
6 Ensure that there are coherent links in Partnership and relation to data sharing and information Policy Team Dec 2012 Links and coherence built into current Green transfer made with Family First Manager Education consortium tender bid. The bid providers to inform JAFF and TAF has been successfully submitted. interventions. Achievement Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action RAG Action Responsibility tion Due Progress Update No. Status Date Leader Youth Support Services
Brokerage – Personalised Support and Guidance 7 Ensure young people at risk of Achievement Summer/ Links between a broad range of key workers Green disengagement with ETE have access Leader Youth Autumn (learning coaches and mentors) who can to coherent and appropriate intervention Support 2012 and offer intensive targeted support to young and support. Services during people identified as ‘at risk’ or disengaged 2012/13 from ETE pre and post 16 are being made Extended through a number of approaches including. Opportunities Summer Post 16 transition programme; Manager LTE/JCP/Careers Wales Jobs Fair. Programme currently being reviewed by Operational Cardiff University Manger LTE The Learning Coach and Mentoring work is Learning continuing. Progression and Engagement Cardiff & Vale College are introducing Manager Progression Applications for pre-16 learners on vocational programmes to give them a fast track into a progression route in the College. CAVC will track all the vocational groups they deliver to and provide feedback to Carly Hollier and the schools on the destinations these learners are choosing.
8 Improve the coordination of Achievement Winter/ Arrangements being put in place to Green / interventions which offer support to Leader Youth Spring 2013 coordinate interventions delivered by Amber young people delivered by key brokers Support Learning Coaches, Youth Mentors, Youth Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action RAG Action Responsibility tion Due Progress Update No. Status Date across organisations. Services Workers. Collaborative arrangements will enable improvements in targeting, continuity Achievement of support and reporting arrangements. Leader 14-19 A Brokerage and Co-ordination forum Learning involving the LA, schools, FE College and Progression and Careers Wales has met and generated a Engagement range of actions around their work. Manager Further work to be defined in the light of the Families 1st bid.
9 Maintain and develop a single point of Partnership and Jan 2013 Links and coherence built into current Green contact @33 (Charles Street) as an Policy Team Education consortium and Health tender accessible route of support for young Manager bids. people disengaged from ETE. To Both bids were successful and provision include access to support; housing, Achievement reviewed in the light of Families 1st mental health, mentoring, Youth Leader Youth bid Gateway, careers advice, substance Support misuse. Services Ensure interventions for young people provided through engagement support are clearly coordinated with Family First – TAF work and provision. Provision 10 Identify current ‘engagement and Achievement Summer/Aut Undertaken initial audit of organisations Green learning’ provision supporting young Leader Youth umn 2012 providing engagement/progression activities people to reengage with ETE in Cardiff. Support and targeted support in Cardiff. Ongoing Services work to further detail organisation information.
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action RAG Action Responsibility tion Due Progress Update No. Status Date Organisations offering significant input into the ETE agenda have been engaged through visits to detail their contributions.
Provider information menu circulated to schools, FE, WBL providers and youth support services providers
11 Improve the use of data to inform Achievement Spring 2013 Improvements in identification data should Amber planning of post 16 engagements and Leader Youth better inform the planning and allocation of learning provision ensuring target YSS Support resource against need. This will be driven by resources are deployed effectively. Services the implementation of the vulnerability tool described in section1. Achievement Leader 14-19 Whilst this is work in progress a number of examples of service commissioning driven by improved data analysis are being delivered.
12 Ensure young people identified as at Post 16 Spring 2013 Development of roll on roll off courses Green risk and most vulnerable to Providers and delivered by Cardiff and Vale College and disengagement have access to roll on, Engagement provision within WBL. The roll off provision with flexible start dates, Learning College is increasing the volume of places particularly below level 2 which Progression and through its EVS and Entry level provision. responds to their needs Engagement Manager Development of a range of Alternative Head of Provision pre-16 through neighbourhood Behaviour based PACC groups. These are now being Support and planned in all areas at both Stage 3 and PRU Stage 4 13 Utilise council procurement Senior Category April 2013 Agreements regarding employment quotas in Amber arrangements developing employment Manager - place with new contractual arrangements. Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action RAG Action Responsibility tion Due Progress Update No. Status Date opportunities targeting young people not Commissioning Approx 300 employment opportunities engaged in ETE & Procurement / secured through Cardiff Council Tender for CW and JC+ the Provision of Building Maintenance Services – Community Benefits Plan 14 Business Engagement Framework - Achievement Autumn Business Engagement plan has been signed Green development of an employer Leader 14-19 2012 off and planning will commence with schools engagement strategy with particular and employers from end of October. 1st of 3 reference to support in work experience, launch events to be held in March 2013. extended work experience and work Focus on structured Work Experience, Talent taster opportunities both pre and post Match, Skills matching and routes to 16. employability for school leavers. Support from additional partners being gained – Job Centre Plus, CBI, Chamber of Commerce. However resource needs to be found to enable the project to get under way. 15 Secure a Work Experience / Work Operational Spring 2013 Models of good practice identifying good Amber/ Placement opportunity in the council for Manager practice models of delivering effective work Green young people. Increase in the Local experience intern opportunities with local availability of apprenticeships for young Training and authorities, health trusts and other public people 16 – 24 Enterprise & sector employers. Cardiff LA, as an Neighbourhood employer, will be engaged in Action 14 Learning actively promoting and developing better structured work experience opportunities.
Partnership Co- Mike Winnard has produce a draft paper on ordinator - HR WEX for local Heads and met with them at the MLC (14-19 Stakeholder Board)
Progress is being made in offering provision for young people in the care system.
Proposals to develop Channel View as a Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action RAG Action Responsibility tion Due Progress Update No. Status Date training/work placement provision. First cohort planned for April 2013
Progress being made in developing work placement/intern provision with Council’s Contact Centre C2C
Council officers working with Prince’s Trust to develop ‘Get Into’ (short work focused programme) opportunities potentially using Cardiff Council as a work experience provider.
16 Ensure the voice of young people is Children and Spring 2013 Links made with work of Partnership and Amber incorporated into planning and Young People Citizen Focus Team monitoring of provision. Policy and Development Cardiff Youth Council has made this a priority Officer area. Paul Lewis in People’s and citizen Partnership and focus has produced a paper on young Citizen Focus people’s engagement with the NEETs Team agenda.
17 Parents and carers supported to Careers Wales Spring 2013 Careers Wales’s news letter circulation over Red understand options and opportunities 2000 people, providing information on for their children and are able to access Schools/Post 16 current vacancies known to Careers Wales information required. Providers generated by the employment adviser. Currently access to this is by self referral of parents/carers. News letter is also in all organisations in Cardiff. ie Youth Centres / Enterprise centre /hostels etc This is done weekly.
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implementa Action RAG Action Responsibility tion Due Progress Update No. Status Date Using the lists generated via the vulnerability tool we will be able to target the news letter to those identified as being most at risk and / or their families.
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Summary Impact: Improving information for parents of pupils with SEN
Data tracking for 2008-12 shows there has been progress in developing more positive relationships with parents and reducing conflict around SEN provision.
Reducing reliance on statements of SEN In line with Council policy to reduce reliance on statutory assessment and statements of SEN:
• Fewer requests for statutory assessment are being received from schools and parents. 291 requests were received in 2011-12 (a drop of 19% on the previous year). SEN delegation in April 2012 is having a further impact and the number of requests continues to fall in 2012-13.
• A higher proportion of statutory assessment requests have been refused. In 2011-12, 53% of requests were refused, compared with 59% in the previous three years. This trend is continuing in 2012-13, further supported by revised criteria for assessment following delegation.
• A higher proportion of completed statutory assessments have not resulted in a statement of SEN, but in a ‘Note in Lieu’ of a statement. From 2005-2010, the number of notes in lieu ranged from 0 to 2 per annum: a statutory assessment was virtually a guarantee of a statement. The number of Notes in Lieu rose to 7 (3% of the total) in 2010-11, and to 10 (5% of the total) in 2011-12. This trend is continuing in 2012-13.
• From 2005-2010, there was a steady increase in the number of statements issued each year, from 121 in 2005-06 to 192 in 2010-11. Efforts to improve early intervention and to reduce reliance on statements resulted in a fall to 172 statements issued in 2011-12. A further fall is already evident in 2012-13.
Implications of policy changes for relationships with parents In previous periods, the above developments would have been expected to lead to a significant increase in the number of parental appeals to the SEN Tribunal for Wales (SENTW).
Annual tracking of SENTW appeals demonstrates that this is not the case. The number of appeals has fallen steadily since 2005 and this trend is being maintained despite policy changes.
In 2005-06 a total of 40 appeals were registered against Cardiff. In 2011-12, 11 appeals were registered; a drop from 19 the previous year. The target for 2012-13 is 9 and we are currently on course to achieve this target.
Developments contributing to progress: • SEN delegation to facilitate early school response to needs. • Coordination of early intervention through multi agency Early Years Forum and deployment of Special School Outreach. • Risk management processes to predict and manage cases that may represent financial or reputational risks to the council (in liaison with Children’s Services and Health colleagues where appropriate). • Regular meetings/ consultation with SEN Parents Forum. • Training programme and extended roles for SEN Casework Team. • Revision of standard letters to parents, and development of a set of online information for parents (not yet live). Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update • Improved processes for explaining decisions to parents. • Improved support and challenge for schools through Team Around the School meetings, and the revised ‘Expectations’ document.
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implement Action RAG Action Responsibility ation Due Progress Update No. Status Date Continue to improve information for parents available through the Council’s website 1 Agree a site map and establish site pages Aug-12 Office A site map has been agreed with IT Green Manager 2 Ensure all policies, plans and strategies Aug-12 Office Out of date policies have been removed. Green on the website are up to date Manager Revisions are required of the Council’s SEN Policy and Access Strategy to reflect the changes implemented this year. 3 Update and post ‘background information’ Aug-12 Office Information has now been translated and an Green pages Manager action plan agreed with Corporate team to update the Website. 4 Update ‘SEN special schools and SRBs’ Aug-12 SEN The information has been updated and is Green information Provision ready to post. Manager 5 Update information for parents on SEN Aug-12 Principle A comprehensive set of leaflets have been Green processes and post Casework drafted and sent for translation. Officer 7 Consult with Parents SEN Forum and Oct-12 Office Consultation was very positive. Parents’ Amber SNAP to check website is accessible and Manager/ comments and suggestions have been informative. Revise in response to Principal incorporated into drafts. The parent feedback. Casework information is not yet online due to delays in Officer corporate IT. 8 Revise and update Accessibility Strategy Dec-12 Office A first draft of strategy has been completed. Amber and develop online information for Manager Information on accessibility levels is being parents and schools, with input from confirmed and updated with schools. A parent representatives. comprehensive register of pupils with mobility needs is being compiled, but not all schools have responded to this. A focus group, including parent reps. will be convened in February to develop the draft. 9 Raise awareness of improved website via Feb-12 Office Work to publicise the site cannot begin until Amber Capital Times, Parents SEN Forum, Manager/ delays with the site have been resolved. SNAP and standard letters. Principal Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implement Action RAG Action Responsibility ation Due Progress Update No. Status Date Casework Officer Continue to work to strengthen information and awareness raising about provision for children and young people with special educational needs 10 Organise a ‘Secondary Transition ASD Oct-12 Autism Event has taken place. All schools offering Green Roadshow’ to inform parents about Support ASD specific provision were represented and a secondary provision options and establish Team wide range of parents attended. as an annual event. Leader/ Principal Casework Officer 11 Organise a ‘Support for pupils with Oct-12 Speech Event has taken place. Therapy service, Green Specific Language Impairment and service teams and schools offering provision ‘Roadshow to inform parents of range of Language were represented and a wide range of parents provision and new approaches to Team attended. collaborative support. (NB Proposals on Leader/ Consultation with parents re secondary SRB secondary SRB development will need to Principal provision is scheduled for January 30th. be published prior to this event). Casework Voluntary sector also attending (SNAP and Officer AFASIC) Complete the review and rewrite of all statutory assessment paperwork and letters 12 Revise remaining letters and link to new Aug-12 Principal Letters have been revised and training Green information leaflets for parents Casework delivered. Sent for translation. Officer 13 Add all revised standard letters to CIS Aug-12 Office Awaiting translation Amber Manager 14 Establish a Welsh language protocol Aug-12 SEN Completion date amended to February ‘13 Amber Provision Manager Continue the programme of development days for the casework team 15 Agree a training programme of 6 dates Aug-12 Principal Completed Green and book venue. Approach training Casework providers. Officer Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Implement Action RAG Action Responsibility ation Due Progress Update No. Status Date Complete a parental satisfaction survey as part of outcome measurement monitoring 16 Analyse feedback for 2009-12 to Sept-12 Trainee EP Completed Green establish a baseline 17 Revise questionnaire, create a more Sept-12 Senior In progress. Green ‘parent-friendly’ format and establish an Casework online version Officer/ Office Manager 18 Review data and set targets for 2012-15: Oct-12 SEN Targets completed. Will be shared with next Green share with SNAP and Parents Forum Provision Parents Forum. Manager/ Achieveme nt Leader EPS/ Principal Casework Officer 19 Establish a wall display in Casework Oct-12 Casework Completed. Data and progress on targets are Green Office to track responses Assistants discussed by team regularly at BIM 20 Raise awareness and improve parent July-13 Casework Not yet begun Green response rate Officers and Casework Assistants
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Summary Impact: Planning, Partnerships & Performance Management
• The Cardiff Partnership (CPB) continues to meet monthly providing strategic management for partnership activity in Cardiff.
• The CPB consider highlight reports for each of the Partnership Programme boards in Cardiff, which are responsible for coordinating the efforts of different organisations to address shared outcomes. These not only update on progress and issues, but also relate the activities being undertaken to the outcomes being sought. These Highlight reports are available: http://www.cardiffpartnership.co.uk/content.asp?nav=262,289&parent_directory_id=2&id=67 3
• The Families First commissioning process is now complete and tenders issued. Successful bidders notified and programmes to be implemented from April 1st 2013.
• An OJEU notice has also been published for a city-wide Team around the Family Service. Bids are required to be submitted by 12th December with contract award scheduled for 7th January 2013.
• Accountability within system developing further through: meetings between heads and chairs with cabinet member, revisions to annual report on performance, open sharing of data with primary schools as well as secondary, progress reporting to scrutiny.
• The meetings of the Partnership scrutiny panel are under way. The Cardiff Partnership Board is responding to recommendations and considering business intelligence and recommendations to improve engagement with service users in delivering the CPB's work.
• Still a need to make the link more effectively between provision for partnership work and the impact of partnership working and provision on outcomes.
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Action Responsibilit Implementati RAG Action Progress Update No. y on Due Date Status Planning and partnership working 1 Ensure that there is a continuing clear line of Chief From July Achieved- The Council’s Corporate Plan Green sight between the objectives in the corporate executive, 2012 represents Cardiff Council’s identified plan, the work streams of the Cardiff CEO, priorities, and is structured around the 7 Partnership Board (CPB) and the education corporate partnership outcomes. This highlights the service. director Council’s contribution to identified city priorities, and a clear statement on the line of sight is included within the corporate plan.
Key Council staff also lead a number of the workstreams and there is consistency with the priorities set out in the Cabinet’s Vision document “Leading Cardiff – Building Communities” and Corporate Plan. Work undertaken by neighbourhood management teams also ensures that there is a locality approach to addressing the key issues in different parts of the city.
Moving forward, the corporate plan for 2013/14 – 2017/18 is being developed for the new administration and should reflect the relevant priorities of the education service, and as such it is important the relevant officers are engaged in the corporate planning process. 2 Strengthen the involvement of Elected Chief From July Further to the first meeting of the new Cardiff Green Members with leadership responsibilities in executive 2012 Partnership Leadership Group (chaired by the overseeing policy implementation through the Leader of the Council and includes the Cabinet Cardiff Partnership Leadership Group. Members with responsibility for Communities, Housing & Social Justice; Childrens Services & Adult Services) which met on 18th September, clear priorities for partnership working have emerged.
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Action Responsibilit Implementati RAG Action Progress Update No. y on Due Date Status These include reducing the number of NEETs, responding to the impacts of Welfare Reform addressing Substance Misuse and taking forward the city region agenda. The next meeting is scheduled for December the 12th and will explore how partners can better coordinate activity to address substance misuse. 3 Establish action plans to take forward the CEO, By July 2012 Ongoing- report cards are being developed Green work associated with the narrower set of key operational which identifies the outcomes required, objectives of the CPB and education service. manager success measures, actions to “turn curves”, communities lead responsibility and timescales in relation to and people CPB work streams. These include: - Early Childhood - Youth Engagement (encompassing improving attendance and behaviour of young people in school; Reducing the number of NEETs; and reducing anti-social behaviour) - Vulnerable Families (encompassing Families First, Integrated Family Support, Safeguarding Children and Disabled Children & Young People) - Safer & Cohesive Communities: Reducing first time entrants to the youth justice system - Emotional & mental health of children & young people
Reports Cards highlighting progress, issues and key indicators can be found at the Cardiff partnership web-site
http://www.cardiffpartnership.co.uk/content Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Action Responsibilit Implementati RAG Action Progress Update No. y on Due Date Status .asp?nav=262,289&parent_directory_id=2&i d=673
4 Ensure that the action plans identify clear As above As above Ongoing- The last update noted that report Green targets and intended outcomes, cards are being developed which identifies the responsibilities, timescales, monitoring and outcomes required, success measures, actions evaluation arrangements to “turn curves”, lead responsibility and timescales in relation to CPB work streams.
The Cardiff Partnership now has a number of highlight reports for each of the Partnership Programme boards. These not only update on progress and issues, but also relate the activities being undertaken to the outcome being sought. These Highlight reports are available: http://www.cardiffpartnership.co.uk/content .asp?nav=262,289&parent_directory_id=2&i d=673
5 Develop the commissioning specifications Corporate OJEU notice Achieved- Final Invitation to Tender Green and criteria for the Families First programme, Chief officer published 18th documentation was issued on 4th October to ensuring that the focus and allocation of communities May 2012 qualified bidders who were successful as part of the resources are closely aligned to the CPB’s and people, outline submission stage. Final bids have been priority work streams. operational submitted and are currently being evaluated by manager – multi-agency evaluation teams including partnerships partners/professionals, parent representatives and and citizen children & young people. It is anticipated that focus successful bidders will be notified on 7th December.
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Action Responsibilit Implementati RAG Action Progress Update No. y on Due Date Status The 6 Families First Packages (Early Years, Disability Focus, Healthy Lifestyles, Child and Youth Engagement, Sustainable Employment and Emotional, Mental Health & Well-being) all correlate with the CPB’s priority work streams. Bids have been received in relation to all of these packages (12 bids progressed to the final invitation to tender).
An OJEU notice has also been published for a city- wide Team around the Family approach. Bids are required to be submitted by 12th December with contract award scheduled for 7th January 2013. 6 Complete procurement exercise for new Corporate By November On Going- Green Families First Services by end of December Chief officer 2012 Milestones Achieved: 2012. communities - Consultation and engagement with key and people, stakeholders operational - Commissioning Specifications Issued and manager – outline bids evaluated partnerships - Young Commissioners and Parent Network and citizen involved in evaluation of bids focus - Dialogue Meetings held with bidders - Invitation to submit final tenders issued on 4th October - OJEU notice for Team around the Family city- wide model published on 28th September - Final Submission of Families First bids received 14th November - Multi-agency evaluation of bids currently ongoing (16th-30th November)
Next Steps:
Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Action Responsibilit Implementati RAG Action Progress Update No. y on Due Date Status Families First - Contract award – 20th December
TAF - Submission of TAF bids – 10th December - Evaluation of TAF bids – 18th/19th December - Contract award – 7th January 2013 7 Develop further the role of the Families and Corporate From July The Families & Young People Programme Board Green Young People’s Partnership Board in director 2012 met for the 5th time on the 12th October 2012. approving and overseeing the implementation (People) of actions plans The Board continues to receive updates on the £29m Families First Commissioning Process which is currently out to tender. Also discussed have been the Flying Start Programme and Early Intervention work-stream.
There is scope for the Board to play a more active role in reviewing the work of the Youth Engagement/NEET action plan and the operational deliver of the action plans. 8 Build on the steps taken in 2011/12 to take Corporate From summer Green forward the work relating to children and director, chief term 2012 AS ABOVE young people through the childhood strategy education and youth engagement sub groups of the officer FYPPB.
9 Use the newly established definition and Corporate From July Work under way to put in place an action for the Amber framework for youth support services as the director, chief 2012 youth service. Need to develop further the use of Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Action Responsibilit Implementati RAG Action Progress Update No. y on Due Date Status reference point for the development and education the framework to underpin service development. commissioning of universal and targeted officer, services operational manager communities and people, AL youth support services 10 Ensure that the provision of services unlocks CEO, heads Through As above Amber access to learning and personal and social of 2012/13 development for children, young people and achievement their families AL -YSS, 14- 19 11 Ensure that action plans (especially those Head of PRS, By July 2012 All make reference to areas that have a relationship Green regarding attendance, behaviour and NEETS) principal Implement with work and impact in the other exemplify a more unified approach to EWO, head of during strategic planning behaviour 2012/13 support service, AL - YSS, 14-19
12 Continue to work with partners within and Heads of As above Actions plans and evaluations completed. Impact Green / outside the Council in taking forward the achievement has been reported within annual report on Amber literacy and numeracy strategies and those performance. Steps being taken to develop literacy, programmes that make a key contribution to numeracy and well-being strategy in conjunction well-being (keeping healthy, participation, with consortium. community involvement and decision making). 13 Articulate more clearly the neighbourhood CEO, chief September Further work needed to be done Red management approach to service delivery and officer 2012 prioritise with schools and other partners the communities, Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Action Responsibilit Implementati RAG Action Progress Update No. y on Due Date Status areas of work where a neighbourhood AL-YSS approach will make a key contribution in the first instance.
14 Determine the scale and scope of the services CEO July 2012 Part of Council review Red remaining within the local authority.
Performance management 15 Implement through the CPB, the intended Chief From Ongoing- The new integrated performance Green single performance management framework executive September management framework is used to monitor progress 2012 of partnership activity. Each of the programme boards have provided the CPB with updates as apart of a continuous process of performance management. Each Programme Board has also developed their own governance and performance arrangements. 16 Embed assessment of performance in the Corporate From Ongoing- Highlight reports continue to be Green work of the Families and Young People’s director September considered by the Board. The next meeting is Partnership Board. 2012 scheduled for the 7th December.
17 Through the senior leadership team (SLT) of Corporate Throughout Part of schedule of meetings and meetings of Green the education service maintain momentum in director 2012/13 achievement leaders and project teams. the achievement of priorities by continuing to monitor the progress of key actions in improvement plans and to take action in response. 18 Continue to schedule in SLT meetings Corporate Throughout As above Green consideration of data about performance director 2012/13 19 Make more readily available data about youth AL-YSS From Need to update self-evaluation report Amber support services to contribute to judgements September Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Action Responsibilit Implementati RAG Action Progress Update No. y on Due Date Status about their impact on outcomes and well 2012 being 20 Ensure that the local authority is able to fulfil Head of September Good work being done to develop the role of the Amber/ its continuing statutory responsibility for achievement 2012 and consortium in collaboration with ISOS partnership. green school improvement by: agreeing with the (school through Strong focus on ambition and aspiration, adding Central South Consortium: the programme of improvement 2012/13 value and ensuring engagement of key stakeholders work of system leaders services) including schools 21 Continue to implement the Council’s personal Corporate By July 2012 Need to ensure PPDRS are on track Amber performance and development review process director
22 Continue to provide Elected Members with an Head of January 2013 On track. Accountability within system developing Green annual report of the performance of Cardiff’s achievement further through: meetings between heads and chairs schools, and the youth service (school with cabinet member, open access to individual improvement school data in annual report on performance, open services), sharing of data with primary schools as well as performance secondary, progress reporting to scrutiny, information correspondence with individual heads and chairs of manager governors. 23 Provide the Cabinet through the Cabinet Corporate From Quarterly reporting to Elected members with Green Member for Education and Lifelong Learning director September leadership responsibilities and scrutiny committee with data and other information about 2012 following peer challenge is strengthening the basis performance of decision-making and enables Elected Members to hold officers to account more effectively. Up to date performance information is now readily available for elected members allowing a more informed challenge leading to greater accountability. This has also involved quarterly performance reporting to the children and young people’s scrutiny committee to support a better understanding of the issues and progress made. 24 Strengthen the arrangements for the scrutiny Chief officer From July The CYP scrutiny work programme links to the Green Appendix B Post Inspection Action Plan – January 2013 Update Action Responsibilit Implementati RAG Action Progress Update No. y on Due Date Status of performance by establishing and performance 2012 priorities of the Council including the focus on the implementing the work programme of the and scrutiny Education Service, outcomes for learners and the CPB scrutiny panel. PIAP. This ensures that scrutiny is actively engaged in improvements to the services provided.
25 Through the principal scrutiny officer provide As above As above Rigorous scrutiny of the work of the CPB is Green training for the multi-agency scrutiny panel required as part of the development of the role of scrutiny. The CPB scrutiny panel has been established, been through a suitable induction process and has already met 3 times during 2012- 2013. 26 Build on steps already taken to ensure that the As above As above The committee is undertaking an inquiry into the Green work programme of the children and young impact of poverty on educational attainment. To aid people’s scrutiny committee scrutinises the in understanding the impact of poverty on impact of the work of the education service educational attainment from a young persons and of partnership working perspective, the inquiry has asked the Youth Council to undertake research with young people and present it back to the inquiry. ‘Listening Days’ are being developed, one with looked after children, one with KS4 children. This improves engagement and offers the organisation greater understanding of what challenges the children face and how we can better support them.
Appendix C
Responses to outcomes of the Estyn monitoring visit
1. A higher than average proportion of Cardiff schools identified as needing follow up.
Estyn has informed us that with data up to the end of the autumn term Cardiff’s relative position in relation to outcomes of inspection is 12th for primary schools and 19th for secondary. Since June two secondary schools require special measures, six primary schools are good or excellent and two require Estyn monitoring and two local authority monitoring. Statements of action are developed for all schools causing concern and a local headteacher system leader with senior officers provides challenge and support.
2. Is the authority using its full range of powers?
An IEB is in place in one primary school. The school is making good progress. Letters have been sent to eight secondary schools, mainly in the north of the city, to express concerns about the outcomes of the latest banding exercise and last year’s performance and asking headteachers to write to Councillor Magill and the corporate director to assure them of the action each school is taking to secure improvement.
3. A minority of reports provided about schools before inspection do not reflect and areas for improvement accurately enough.
There has been a good correlation between inspection outcomes and the content of reports since June.
4. The quality of support provided by HR is inconsistent and does not always help schools to deal effectively with poorly performing staff.
A number of actions are being taken by HR and these will be discussed at the meeting.
5. Planning for pupils with additional learning needs is not always strategic enough.
Significant work is being done to develop the team around the school system, backed by extensive guidance and a strategy to develop capacity in schools to be able to meet the full range of needs as resources are delegated. However, this work is now the subject of further work and discussion following the publication of the budget proposals and their potential impact on central employed teams.
Appendix C
6. Strategic leadership of joint working between the authority and the CYPP – CPB. All of the work is not yet impacting on outcomes for learners in priority areas.
The new integrated partnership arrangements continue to become embedded which is ensuring strategic leadership of the children and young people agenda as part of the holistic partnership arrangements.
The new (following the local government elections) Cardiff Partnership Leadership Group (involving the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Members with responsibility for Children & Young People, Health, Social Care & Wellbeing and Community Safety) met on 18th September and identified 4 key priorities which they wished to focus on. These included the reduction of young people who are NEET and reducing the impact of substance misuse. The next meeting is on 12th December.
The Families & Young People Programme Board continues to report to the Cardiff Partnership Board (Chaired by the Council’s Chief Executive). This group is responsible for the governance of the Youth Participation workstream - the activities of which include Improving attendance and behaviour of young people in school and reducing the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).
A Youth Engagement group has been established to identify challenges and opportunities to ensure that the partnership approach in Cardiff has a positive impact on outcomes for young people including a strong focus on the NEET agenda. A multi agency action plan has been produced and a number of key activities have been commenced, including understanding the neighbourhoods and schools with the most challenges for learners and those at risk of leaving learning.
The Partnership has overseen the commissioning and procurement of the new £29m Families First Programme which has been aligned to the delivery of the agreed partnership priorities and has incorporated an outcomes based approach within the service specifications. The operational delivery of Families First will be aligned to other Programmes such as Flying Start, Integrated Family Support, Neighbourhood Management and Communities First to ensure there is no duplication of provision and added value is maximised to improve outcomes for children & young people.
As part of the Families First Programme the new city wide Team around the Family Service is currently out to tender with bids required by 12th December. Evaluation of the tenders will be undertaken during late December with the new service to be in place by 1st April 2013.
Towards the end of the financial year impact reports will be submitted by those officers responsible for the relevant priority workstreams and the conclusions drawn from the actions taken, their impact and the evidence to support this will be added to the PIAP progress reports.
Appendix C
7. Improve the effectiveness of partnership planning on outcomes in priority areas – too early to judge.
Effective partnership arrangements are in place as set out in Question 6 and this will lead to a more co-ordinated working across the main programmes of Families First, Communities First, Integrated Family Support and Flying Start.
A Steering Group will oversee the operational delivery of all programmes to ensure alignment, shared learning and that identified needs are addressed collectively.
A working group has been established to identify shared indicators across all partners for monitoring both the number of young people who are NEET and indicators to identify those at risk of becoming NEET. The improved intelligence will be used to inform the delivery and targeting of actions required within the Youth Engagement Strategy. This is part of the overall work being undertaken by partners as a ‘virtual’ business intelligence team to improve the effectiveness of partnership activity.
See comment above concerning the drawing together the conclusions from impact reporting.
8. Improve the scrutiny of partnership working – too early to judge its effectiveness.
The Partnership Scrutiny Panel has met three times. It has considered engagement across the partnership workstreams and reviewed business intelligence and its use across partners. Recommendations of the Panel are being reviewed by the CPB and the Leadership Group.
Further work will need to be done to demonstrate that recommendations that are accepted translate in to action.
9. Raise standards at KS4 (also reference to primary schools).
Improvement at KS2, KS3 and KS4 in 2011/12 but rate of improvement varies between key stages and between schools. Outcomes need to rise further especially at KS2 and KS4 to meet the Cardiff Ambition (which has been extended to the primary sector) and national targets. Systems in place last year are continuing and local challenge capacity has been maintained in this transition phase towards full consortium working. Further work being done to develop reporting so it encompasses leadership.
10. Attendance
Data indicate impact of strategy last year. Signs of continuing improvement this year more obviously in secondary schools, although varies between schools.
Appendix C
11. Exclusion
Significant drop in permanent exclusions last year. Further drop in primary fixed term exclusions. Drop in secondary fixed term exclusions. Strategy as set out in action plan. Some evidence of continuing drop in fixed-term exclusion in just over half of secondary schools. Two permanent thus far in secondary schools this year.
12. Reducing the number of NEETs
Evidence of further drop in number of NEETS as in action plan summary. Strategy as set out in action plan.
13. Performance management – nature of analyses of performance in annual report, identification of the performance of individual schools. Annual report this year include summary of strengths and weaknesses, information on schools’ performance by name and including consortium categories in addition to secondary school banding. Raw data now supplied in open form (not anonymised) for primary as well as secondary schools. Headteachers and chairs of governors of schools causing concern meeting with Councillor Magill and officers over this year to provide information on their progress.
14. Information for parents of learners with SEN.
Evidence of less reliance on statutory assessment and fewer appeals. More evidence needed about impact of website on providing accessible information about additional learning needs and on further progress in working with SNAP Cymru.
Appendix D
Improvement Board Briefing HR Support for Schools – Response to ESTYN Monitoring Visit
Introduction 1. This paper reports on progress in addressing the following issue identified by Estyn:
The quality of support provided by HR is inconsistent and does not always help schools to deal effectively with poorly performing staff.
2. The Improvement Board in December 2012 was informed that HR People Services has recruited to two additional temporary HR Officer positions in the summer of 2012 and allocated schools across key HR service delivery teams, which includes a Welsh speaking HR Officer. Schools have been advised about the contact arrangements for HR so that general enquiries can be dealt with by the Contact Team which will release HR Officer time to focus on casework support, advice and guidance. This will help improve the consistency of advice given which is a continuing concern. HR People Services will be making a request for continued funding of these positions for 2013/14.
3. Schools have been reminded about the availability of an extensive range of employment policies and procedures, guidance and standard documentation contained in the HR Manual for Schools. In addition, we advised Headteachers that in the Spring Term, senior HR Officers would be undertaking a programme of school visits to seek more direct feedback from Headteachers and secure a better understanding on how schools and HR are able to more effectively work together.
Further Progress School Visits 4. A programme of school visits by senior HR Officers commenced in January 2013, starting with the Secondary schools. Headteachers received a letter from HR People Services in December 2012 advising them that these visits would be commencing and also seekjng feedback in advance of these meetings. The purpose of these visits, in the context of the messages delivered to Secondary Headteachers on 15th January 2013 by Councillor Julia Magill and Nick Jarman, is to:
• Receive Headteachers feedback on the two or three things that we need to improve that will make the greatest difference to their ability to manage their people for results. • Provide Headteachers with management information on sickness absence and their school staffing establishment • Discuss arrangements for the exchange of information between the school and HR People Services • Discuss any pertinent casework for the school.
Appendix D
5. Visits to Special and Primary Schools will commence after the Easter holidays. These visits will involve a larger group of Officers but a senior officer will also be present at each visit. These visits are likely to last the duration of the summer term.
6. A record of issues raised at the meetings (summarised in Appendix A) is being kept and this will form a report to Secondary Headteachers on the key issues raised and how we will respond to them. Colleagues across HR People Services are receiving immediate feedback in relation to their specific schools and the report will be shared across the whole service and with key colleagues in the Education Service.
Direct feedback 7. Alongside the school visits, feedback has been sought by email from Headteachers on the two or three things HR People Services needs to improve that will make the greatest difference to their ability to manage their people for results.
8. The responses to this will be analysed for key themes which will be considered alongside the initial feedback received in the meetings.
Communications 9. HR colleagues are being briefed on the content of Councillor Magill and Nick's message to the Secondary Headteachers.
10. We are also putting in place further briefing sessions for colleagues to continue to drive the message for consistency in advice and to ensure there is a shared understanding of the work of schools and our role in supporting the drive for standards.
11. HR Officers have regular policy and employment law briefings.
12. Senior HR Officers attend the Secondary School Bursar/Business Managers' meeting and the Primary Schools’ Administrative forum.
13. Schools have been encouraged to scan and send documentation to [email protected] to ensure safe receipt and allow tracking of documentation within HR People Services.
Service Improvement 14. HR People Services is undertaking a series of service improvement activities and manager and employee ‘Self-Help’ was recognised as being a fundamental building block for the future.
15. ‘Self Help’ will deliver a single access point through which customers and colleagues will be able to easily locate HR information and on-line services.
16. We will be developing an HR People Services page on the Intranet which will be the gateway to HR policies and other HR information and Appendix D
develop employment related guidance and frequently asked questions. We also aim to provide similar access via the Internet and on mobile devices so that the Council’s non-PC users, (which applies to the majority of school based staff) can deal with HR matters at any time that suits them.
17. Some of the features we are exploring include a Google-standard search facility to help people find information quickly and easily, easy to use manager and employee toolkits and opportunities to provide feedback.
18. A project plan is being developed to include colleague and customer consultation, updating of current information and identification of gaps, IT development, training and communications. The timescale for implementation is 90 days from 4 February 2013.
19. This initiative gives us the opportunity to develop something that will have day-to-day benefits for HRPS colleagues, managers, employees and others who have contact with us.
20. It gives the chance for everyone in the service area and our customers to contribute to a facility that will increase convenience for our customers and reduce the time that we spend on unnecessary contact.
Best Practice – other Local Authorities 21. Contact has been established with another Welsh LA which has been cited by a Secondary Headteacher as providing good support to Headteachers. The aim of this is to discuss the service provided and to possibly speak to some of their Headteachers to ascertain any differences in type of service provided.
22. At the next meeting of the ADEW HR group (18th March 2013) the agenda will include an item on HR services to schools. From this we can assess if there are other local authorities from whom we may learn.
Next Steps 23. From the feedback received so far, there would appear to be some issues we are already addressing or can address quite easily. Others will require further consideration and may have resource implications for the service. In summary, these are:
Issues already being addressed: • HR Officers to visit schools on a regular basis – frequency to be determined • Provide monthly establishment and sickness absence reports • HR Officers already allocated to schools –leading on individual casework • Explore possibility of providing sickness statistics for schools benchmarked against average statistics for other schools in sector Appendix D
• Continue providing comprehensive suite of policies and supporting documentation • Continue with the involvement of Headteachers when undertaking reviews of HR policies (already in place for Redundancy and Redeployment Policy and for Sickness Absence/Managing Attendance) • Pilot release of Digigov solutions to schools • Continue with service improvement activities • Continue to encourage schools to scan and email documentation • Continue with regular briefings to HR Officers on education/school issues • Review outcomes of further Headteacher meetings and feedback to email
Issues for further consideration: • Undertake further work with Occupational Health – builds on OH officer attendance at Secondary Heads conference and individual school visits • HR Officers to share experience of casework to learn from each other on positive aspects of case management and identify lessons to be learnt • HR Officers to ensure that the role of Headteachers, governing bodies and HR are clearly understood by all for case management • Assess feasibility of having a suite bank of evaluated job descriptions • Consider whether it is possible to develop specialist resource for capability cases • Explore scope for HR policy training for Headteachers and other school leaders • Establish contact from HR for newly appointed Headteachers from September 2013 onwards • Address specific issue of Exam Invigilators • Continue to seek feedback from Headteachers to assess impact of improvements through targeted direct contact and the Headteacher conferences
24. A further progress report can be made to the Improvement Board.
Anita Batten HR People Services 19th February 2013 Appendix D
Appendix A Summary of Issues raised in Secondary Headteacher Meetings
The following summarises the key issues raised overall by Headteachers during the meetings in Secondary schools.
Casework • Good support with sickness cases – in some cases discussed individual cases • Capability cases being monitored at informal and formal stages, although numbers not significant at present. • Contractual issues – some specific issues raised
Communications • Headteachers and Bursars/Business Managers keen to receive monthly Sickness reports • Would like quarterly sickness statistics in format presentable to governors, individual school benchmarked across all secondary schools. • Keen to receive regular establishment information reports. o Interest in using DigiGOV – some schools wish to be involved in pilot and some agreed to act as a critical friend. • Very interested in HR service improvement work on self help and agree with need for easier access to information – Intranet/CIS seen as a problem/barrier • Want improved communication re CRB and other recruitment checks.
Positive Comments • All Headteachers welcomed visit and understood reasons for this • Good contacts established and support provided for school reorganisation • Lots of positive feedback for individual named HR Officers, including the newly appointed staff • Request senior level support to complement role of HR Officer for schools in certain circumstances – such as special measures • Good to have nominated HR Officer – HR Officers in some cases now ‘know’ their schools • Support for HR issues has been fantastic - delighted on the whole. • Keen for regular meetings at school with the HR Officer • Appreciate having a Welsh speaking HR Officer • Good support with restructuring process • ‘Superb’ HR policies – clear and easy to follow
Negative Comments • Long winded HR procedures – example given of Sickness Absence Policy and Procedure • Occupational Health reports - seem to accept what the employee says as read, do not reflect how schools work (i.e. need for regular breaks) and concerns regarding duration of phased returns. Appendix D
• Variation of advice – not a common theme in the meetings but one or two examples • Transactional work is an issue - delays in actions and pay • Some HR staff insist on speaking to the Head when the Business Manager is authorised to deal with staff issues if they can. • Need to ensure that colleagues across whole of HR understand context of schools e.g. drive for standards, Welsh and local agenda • Issue re communication within HR, especially in job share situations • Although good support from HR - would consider employing own HR • Job evaluation/Single Status – impact on school staff, time taken to evaluate new roles/restructures • CIS - Intranet awful
Specific • Snow - need further clarity on snow policy for schools and issue of pay if not in school • Wish to have more generic job descriptions for secondary schools - link to Single Status • Redeployment policy for schools – commitment of schools balanced against need to employ quality staff • Interested in charging structure -would pay more for better service • Need for specific specialist support for schools - e.g. capability cases • HR need to provide clear, objective advice and help find a solution but ultimately the Headteacher must manage the situation. • Request specific support re development of an Environment Information Regulations Policy -referred to appropriate Officer • Need training for school leaders on HR policies • Number of new Headteachers say they would have welcomed HR contact in first few weeks of taking up post to update on specific pertinent HR issues. Provides opportunity to - at the time he would have welcomed briefing on Single Status as former head dealt with that. Also opportunity to discuss vision, ideas, state of play, casework etc. • HR support for managing sickness cases, in particular contact visits • Number of new Headteachers would like to see a Headteacher induction programme - explain how things are done in Cardiff - not just in HR but broader education services to schools. Key Processes, who to contact, what we need from schools etc • Considers a ‘library/bank’ of evaluated job descriptions for school support staff would be a huge benefit to Headteachers and save a lot of time with restructuring. Also would like bank of model job descriptions for teaching posts. • Exam invigilators used periodically but taken off payroll after three months - school have to treat as new starter and new CRB check needed • Would like to better understand what they need to send in for new starters etc.
Appendix E Cardiff Community Learning Network Estyn Inspection - January 2013
Introduction Definition of Adult Community Learning ‘Delivering Community Learning for Wales’ policy (Welsh Government November 2010) defines adult community learning (ACL) as flexible learning opportunities for adults, delivered in community venues to meet local needs.
• ACL is flexible as it involves the delivery of primarily short and part-time courses available at a range of times and venues; • ACL is largely targeted at adults over the age of 25.
This does not exclude younger adult learners. ACL is an important thread in the Welfare to Work agenda providing a vital opportunity for those not engaged in education, employment or training to participate in learning.
Adult learners are usually over the age of 19 and include lifelong learners, family groups and older learners.
Legal basis for the inspection of adult community learning partnerships In the post 16 sector, the Learning and Skills Act (2000) requires the Chief Inspector to report on: • the quality of the education and training provided; • the standards achieved by those receiving education and training; and • whether the financial resources made available to those providing education and training are managed efficiently and used to provide value for money.
Focus of ACL Inspections Inspections of adult community learning focus on how well partnerships deliver learning to the priority groups identified in ‘Delivering Community Learning for Wales’: • anyone aged 16 and above accessing an ACL basic skills and/or ESOL programme, including contextualised basic skills and citizenship courses; • those who are not currently in education, training or employment and are in receipt of state benefits or support (excluding state retirement pension); • or those aged 50 plus who are not in full-time employment.
Inspections consider how well partnerships maintain a broad range of learning opportunities within ACL, in order to attract individuals who were unable, or unwilling, to engage with a more traditional curriculum within compulsory education.
Inspections also consider how well partnerships work with other providers to support learning for adults who fall outside of these priority groups.
Main focus of Inspections of Adult Community Learning Partnerships The main focus of inspections of adult community learning partnerships will be on the:- • quality and impact of the partnerships own processes and systems for improving • standards for learners. Inspections will also be concerned with how partnerships • engage with all providers of adult community learning in their area • make sure that individual providers contribute to common national, and local strategic and operational aims and objectives. • the performance of the partnership in helping learners secure these achievements.
Appendix E
Cardiff Community Learning Network
History The Cardiff Community Learning Network (CCLN) was established in June 2005 as a sub group of the Cardiff Consortium for Education and Training (CCET) and was formally recognised as the Adult Community Learning Partnership for Cardiff in August 2009. Its purpose is to bring together the providers of community learning from across the city to share good practice and plan collaboratively in order to improve the learning opportunities and ensure the quality of provision for learners in Cardiff.
CCLN Structure The CCLN Management Group consists of representatives from Cardiff Council, Cardiff and Vale College, Cardiff University, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan Welsh for Adults Centre, Cardiff Metropolitan University, University of Glamorgan, Communities First, Workers Education Association, Cardiff 3rd Sector Council, Job Centre Plus, Careers Wales, Menter Caerdydd, and Vision 21.
Cardiff Community Learning Network Vision: The CCLN partnership will strive to provide Cardiff with a city-wide, inclusive, collaborative strategic body that will harness the strengths of all its partners to deliver excellent learning opportunities and reflect the learner voice across the City and Capital region. (CCLN Strategic Plan 2011 – 14)
Main Aims for the CCLN Management Group 1. Meet Welsh Government’s (WG) policy priorities for Adult Community Learning in Cardiff 2. Support the single vision for the future of city as identified in ‘What Matters: The 10 Year Strategy for Cardiff’ 3. Meet the Welsh Government’s Quality and Effectiveness Framework 4. Work with partners to meet the Welsh Government’s Welsh Medium Education Strategy April 2010 5. Work with partners to provide coherent learning provision at suitable times and in suitable places across Cardiff 6. Improve access to relevant learning for those who need it most, particularly WG’s identified priority groups for ACL 7. Support the work and performance of all partners to ensure quality improvement 8. A multi‐strand communication strategy that will improve networking and information gathering for partners and learners 9. Increase the diversity and equality of participants by accessing “hard‐to‐reach” groups.
Appendix E CCLN Estyn Inspection Judgements – January 2013
K Quality Indicators Aspects Inspection Q Judgement 1 1.1 Standards 1.1.1 results and trends in performance compared with national averages, similar providers and prior attainment Unsatisfactory 1.1.2 standards of groups of learners 1.1.3 achievement and progress in learning 1.1.4 skills 1.1.5 Welsh language 1.2 Wellbeing 1.2.1 attitudes to keeping healthy and safe 1.2.2 participation and enjoyment in learning 1.2.3 community involvement and decision- making Adequate 1.2.4 social and life skills
2 2.1 Learning 2.1.1 meeting the needs of learners, Experiences employers and community 2.1.2 provision for skills 2.1.3 Welsh language provision and the Unsatisfactory Welsh dimension 2.1.4 education for sustainable development and global citizenship 2.2 Teaching 2.2.1 range and quality of teaching approaches Adequate 2.2.2 assessment of and for learning 2.3 Care, support 2.3.1 provision for health and wellbeing Adequate and guidance 2.3.2 specialist services, information and guidance 2.3.3 safeguarding arrangements 2.3.4 additional learning needs 2.4 Learning 2.4.1 ethos, equality and diversity Adequate environment 2.4.2 physical environment 3 3.1 Leadership 3.1.1 strategic direction and the impact of leadership 3.1.2 governors or other supervisory boards Unsatisfactory 3.1.3 meeting national and local priorities 3.2 Improving 3.2.1 self-assessment, including listening to quality learners and others Unsatisfactory 3.2.2 planning and securing improvement 3.2.3 involvement in networks of professional practice 3.3 Partnership 3.3.1 strategic partnerships Unsatisfactory working 3.3.2 joint planning, resourcing and quality assurance 3.4 Resource 3.4.1 management of staff and resources Unsatisfactory management 3.4.2 value for money
Overarching Judgement for the Cardiff Community Learning Network – Unsatisfactory
Prospects for Improvement - Adequate
Appendix F
Summary Impact statistics – Behaviour
In 2011/12 the number of permanent exclusions has remained at zero in the primary and special school sectors.
In secondary schools the number fell from 22 in 2010/11 to 6 in 2011/12.
Fixed term exclusions in primary schools :
Days lost: 371.5 (536.5 in 2010/11) Number of exclusions: 191 (238) Average days lost: 1.95 (2.26)
In special schools the position is similar:
Days lost: 210.5 (337 in 2010/11) Number of exclusions: 132 (220) Average days lost: 1.59 (1.53)
In secondary schools the figures are:
Days lost: 7118.5 (9075 in 2010/11) Number of exclusions: 2957 (3257) Average days lost: 2.41 (2.78)
The data indicate that the number of fixed-term exclusions reduced in 15 of the twenty secondary schools compared with 2010-2011, the number of days lost reduced in 15 and the average days lost to exclusion reduced in 16 schools.
Latest data up to Mid February 2012 indicate:
• 2 permanent exclusions so far in 2012/13. • A reduction in fixed term exclusions in 11 high schools. Significant reductions in schools with strong step 3 and 4 provision. (Cantonian 50%,Fitzalan 78%, Mary Immaculate 92%). 3 schools where exclusions increased these were single figure increases and very low initially.
All of the school partnerships are now moving ahead to develop alternative provision at stage 4, although the extent and pace varies from partnership to partnership. Exclusion protocol completed. Behaviour seminar took place 24th January.
Continuing areas of risk: • Budget pressures relating to step 4 (invest to save). • Pressure on number of places available at stage 5. • Need to ensure is on the agenda of system leader visits in spring and summer.