NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA SCHOOL NEWSLETTER February 2018

Norwich Opportunity Area School Newsletter

@NorwichOA

Danielle Carey and Ryan Bedwell-Woods, who led the Youth Board event on 28th January IN THIS ISSUE

Priority 1 update Page 2 An event for school Governors coffee and refreshments, or 6.00 – 8.00pm with a light supper. I hope all governors have heard by Communication Champions now that Norwich is an Opportunity This invitation is extended to all Young carers in schools Page 3 Area, and have had the chance to governors working in Norwich Issue Date read the delivery plan for Norwich. Opportunity Area schools, and while I Priority 2 update Page 4 appreciate not all may be able to We are keen to ensure that governors make this date we hope to have a Research School Page 4 working in Norwich schools both good representation from each know the offer available from the school, so that we may more closely Secondary Heads Page 4 Opportunity Area, and are also able align the work of the Opportunity SSIF Page 5 to shape the direction of our Area to the direction of your school collective plans to support school improvement agenda. Priority 3 update Page 7 improvement across the City over the period of this programme. I would be grateful if you could SEND Training Page 7 confirm your attendance, either by It would also be helpful to understand booking online on Eventbrite or Anna Freud Training Page 7 what the challenges are for governors through our project administrator in Norwich schools, and to work with [email protected], Tom Bennett Page 8 you to find ways to support your 01603 510074. work. Inclusion Charter Page 8 I look forward to meeting you there I invite you therefore to attend a Priority 4 update Page 9

meeting for governors and Careers Education in Primary headteachers at City Academy on th Tim Coulson, Chair March 12 . Youth Board update Page 10 of the Norwich There are two sessions for you to Opportunity Area Opportunities for Schools Page 11 choose from: 3.30 – 5.30pm with Partnership Board

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Priority 1: Improve early speech, language, “Poor language is linked to poor behaviour even listening & communication skills in very young children. 2 in 3 language delayed 3 year olds have behaviour Two key projects have been please contact Jacqueline problems” developed over the past few Bircham- months to support our objectives The Communication to improve early speech and [email protected]. Trust. language skills. Work has also begun on the The first of these, the development of a programme to support families to develop Communication Champions Network pilot, is up and running. speech and communication in the home, and to engage with that supports practitioners to Communication Champions from community offers and take up understand more about children's 9 local schools and 2 nurseries early nursery entitlement. speech, language and started their initial training from communication development; a th Research will be carried out in Tuesday 20 February through to “what works” database, and st March and April to ensure that this May 1 . resources for parents that might project meets the needs of be useful to add to your school We will be evaluating the impact families in Norwich. of this pilot in the Summer term, website’s parents page. and commissioning the next stage The Communication Trust has of training for the pilot and the worked closely with the second cohort for September. Opportunity Area working group on this priority. They have some Several schools have already excellent resources on their signed up for training from website, for example a free online September, if you would also like CPD short course to do so, https://www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/

NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA SCHOOL NEWSLETTER 3

Young Carers in • There are over 1000 young carers within the Norwich area. Schools • There could be as many as 2 young carers in EVERY class • Young Carers achieve on average 9 grades lower at GCSE Who Are Young Carers? Young Carers Forum can help you to identify and put in Young carers are children and place support for this group of vulnerable learners young people who help look after,

or provide emotional support to someone who has an illness, a disability or is affected by mental Norfolk Young Carers’ Forum NYCF are able to offer a wide ill-health or substance misuse. have consistently identified range of free support to schools to There could be as many as 20,000 improving the support for young help them with the identification/ young carers/young adult carers in carers in school as a top priority. support of young carers. Norfolk – the average age being They have designed a “Young This could range from assemblies/ 12, but the biggest increase in the Carer Friendly Tick” Award which staff training, to helping schools past decade is the 5-8 year olds. is a simple set of 5 standards devise their young carers Being a young carer can have a based on what young carers have agreement, to helping improve huge impact on their own said is important: systems for tracking young carers. wellbeing and education. On NYCF are also able to put you in average young carers miss/cut touch with all the local support short 48 days of school a year and that is available for the young 68% experience bullying. carers themselves. What Norfolk Young If you think your school might Carers Forum can do benefit from the support of NYCF, to help e-mail -

Norfolk Young Carers’ Forum is [email protected] designed to give young carers a The good thing is that schools who will be more than happy to voice and help improve the aren’t on their own in this work. meet with you. support available.

1. Have a named member of staff as lead for young carers 2. Have a young carers agreement in place, which is designed in partnership with young carers 3. Cover issues relating to young carers in staff training 4. Display information about young carers and support available to young carers 5. Cover topics relating to young carers in assemblies/PSHE/Tutor time. Raise awareness of young carers in Carers Week/as part of

Young Carers Awareness Day

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Priority 2: Raise attainment through expertise and so targeted, evidence based, CPD and important to funded projects. stronger school leadership  Networking, both formal and informal, and Does your school have a to be a member of the direct contact with Research Lead in place yet? Network to attend (so experts in their fields who you can bring a The Research Leads Network is are working with colleague if you like) a free and informal peer Norwich Research

support network to share ideas School to share best and practice among like-  Research Lead training practice and translate it minded educators who are with Stuart Kime from into the classroom. interested in using research to Evidence Based inform their practice. On a Education (21 March). The next Research Leads

practical level, this is what we We would particularly Network meeting is 7th March: do: recommend this for 4-6pm at NDHS, Norwich. Our guest speaker is Efrat Furst,  Research Leads working Monthly meetings, cognitive neuroscientist and open to anyone on Norwich Evidence- Based Practice Fund educator. You can book a place interested in that on Eventbrite or by emailing Susi projects, as evaluation month’s topic and/or Waters [email protected] speaker. You don’t have is Stuart’s area of

A new member of the board

In January 2018 Jo Philpott, Collaboration between schools Headteacher at City of Norwich is a cornerstone of the , joined the Norwich Inclusion Charter, launching Opportunity Partnership after Easter; and will also Board, replacing Nicole enable teaching and learning McCartney of Ormiston leads in schools to share good Academies Trust. practice and shape the Opportunity Area programme. Jo is chairing meetings of secondary school headteachers The Norwich OA Secondary in the Norwich Opportunity Headteacher group met for the Area, who are working first time on February 8th. collaboratively to ensure that

the OA programme meets the Jo Philpott, Headteacher need of this group of schools, their teachers and students. NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA SCHOOL NEWSLETTER 5

The Strategic School The Norwich Improvement Fund Evidence-Based Practice Fund The response to the Norwich Evidence-Based Practice Fund has been very pleasing and we are

pleased to announce that six projects have been approved to City Academy will be trialling the date: use of Exam Reader Pens from Successful bids for Round 2 of nd February 2018 to identify to what SSIF were announced on 22 extent the pens are able to January, and Notre Dame High support EAL students with SEN or School were given the go ahead to low reading ages in their exams. work with Sixth Forms in the Norwich Opportunity Area and The main portion of the study will Norfolk. take the form of a quantitative experimental methodology They will be working on a project comparing the attainment of a that will utilise existing examples control and test group in Years 7 & of excellence within Norfolk and 8; with a small qualitative focus beyond at KS5 to provide group concentrating on student effective, efficient, targeted perceptions of support provided school to school support for Catton Grove Junior School & by the pen. classroom teaching and VI Form Angel Road Infant School will be senior and middle leadership, each be working with a group of 3 development of SLEs, and a schools from September 2018 to resource sharing portal. trial a ‘story based’ approach to PSHE which is being evaluated by

the University of Worcester, supporting improvements in behaviour, especially during less structured times, and helping pupils resolve disputes by providing a structured response framework.

Hewett Academy will be implementing two projects The third round of funding is now through the fund. open and will close at midday on 20th April. The first of these will focus on raising the attainment of Full details of the application disadvantaged students in key process can be found here. stage 3 mathematics through a programme of direct instruction.

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The purpose is to improve In research by the EEF “There was GR8 As U R outcomes and find a programme strong evidence that the which effectively catches up programme changed teachers’ Catton Grove successfully applied students who have gaps in prior thinking and classroom practice.” to the NEP fund to support the knowledge from primary school. continued development of the

highly effective GR8 As U R A further project will train project across 4 schools in the city. teachers to use the ‘Language in learning across the curriculum’ In addition, we will be using some (LILAC) programme to support of the funds to showcase some EAL learners, to highlight and work we are doing to highlight rectify the disparity between Basic responses to issues around mental

Interpersonal Communicative health in the primary phase. We Skills and cognitive academic see the NEP fund as a valuable language proficiency, and lead to tool to try out evidence based Schools applying to the Norwich better outcomes at KS3 & 4. ideas and innovative practice on a Evidence-Based Practice fund relatively small scale either to must identify a Research Lead to replicate efficacy or to introduce work closely with the Norwich different ways of working. Research School to evaluate the projects funded through the We deliberately applied on behalf Opportunity Area, so that impact of the 4 schools because we findings and lessons learnt can be believe strongly in collaborative shared with other local schools. practice and see the NEP as a means to encourage and promote To apply for funding up to £25,000 this in others. In addition, we contact Susi Waters at the support the growth of research Norwich Research School based practice and welcome the [email protected] involvement of the Research School in supporting the bid. We are convinced that the process St Francis of Assisi Primary will will provide excellent ongoing be developing their existing CPD professional development and model using collaborative video would encourage others to apply technology (IRIS Connect), to to the fund. improve teachers’ thinking and Tim Lawes practice and improve outcomes Headteacher for all pupils, especially the most Catton Grove Primary School vulnerable. This project also involves embedding teacher behaviours and strategies shown to have large effect sizes, mirroring high impact strategies referred to within the EEF Toolkit. NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA SCHOOL NEWSLETTER 7

‘Discussion about the role and Priority 3: Support children at risk responsibilities is always a of exclusion from school worthwhile experience’ ‘The style of the presenter was paramount to the success of the SEND Reviewer training Feedback from delegates- day’ took place on 24th January with ‘Great networking opportunity’ ‘A clear explanation of the SEND the London Leadership ‘The trainer was engaging and review process supported by a Strategy. 21 delegates enthusiastic and delivered the knowledgeable and thoughtful attended from 17 NOA schools. programme passionately and presenter. Useful links and This 1-day programme enables professionally’ suggested resources’ schools to review their ‘An excellent way to connect ‘Thank you so much! You’re provision so that all children with other SENDCOs and share inspirational’ with SEND can achieve well, are good practice’ ‘I could have stayed longer!’ included fully in their school ‘The toolkit given was very communities, and are well useful’ prepared for the transition to ‘I came away with all questions an adulthood in which they lead answered and a list of things to do in a positive way which will happy and fulfilled lives. help guide us forward’

Mental Health Services and Schools/Colleges Link Programme

On Monday 5th February staff from Norwich schools and City College attended the first of two workshops funded by the DfE and led by the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families. The programme aims to empower staff by brokering two experts, the workshops contact, sharing expertise and enable professionals to improve developing a joint vision for CYP local knowledge and mental health and wellbeing in identification of mental health each locality. issues amongst CYP, develop effective local referral routes to Using a bespoke framework specialist services and improve (CASCADE) and facilitated by joint-working.

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The Tom Bennett Co-delivered by successful school Schools also have access to Behaviour programme leaders, the training offers a range resources, support and advice of strategies from classroom through an online platform This CPD programme is FREE to routines to leadership strategies. from peers and Tom himself. schools in the Norwich Opportunity Area to enable them The programme is flexible, based A further two days are offered on a menu approach that fits in to implement the best evidence- to schools, and can be bespoke based behaviour management with a school’s existing approach – to the school – for example strategies. The programme was implementation of the main observing and coaching, designed with Doug Lemov and is themes is highly contextual: strategic planning with school leaders or further CPD. based on Tom Bennett’s review of  High expectation behaviour in schools for the DfE.  Consistency To book the course for your  Knowing and setting the school, register online at school culture, and https://www.tombennetttraini  Building powerful routines ng.co.uk/

that set good classroom The website also enables school habits leaders and teachers to book The programme includes two themselves on to upcoming initial days which could be training days to find out more. targeted at the whole school, departments or selected teachers, and could be split into half days/twilights for groups of schools.

All schools in the Norwich The Norwich schools signing up to the Opportunity Area are Inclusion Charter Charter encouraged to join the Norwich  Supportive structures to Inclusion Charter programme. enable schools to work Since early November, a To do so, schools will need to collaboratively to reduce number of schools and partner nominate an Inclusion exclusion and to connect organisations have been Champion – a member of senior collaborating to refine the with local agencies, staff focused on inclusion, and principles of an agreed providers and the latest an Inclusion Governor – a “Inclusion Charter” for Norwich evidence and national governor committed to schools. leaders on inclusive practice inclusive practice who will sit on The proposal that was agreed by in education exclusion panels. the Partnership Board in  Funded interventions for February is based upon: More detailed information will schools to offer staff, go out to schools in early March  governors, students and An agreed set of principles with a formal invitation to around inclusion for all families participate, and a launch event in late April.

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Priority 4: Give young people the Bridging the gap between employers and education information and support they need to move Has your school booked a place at successfully between school, college, the Bridging the Gap conference university and into work on 15th March? A packed agenda sets out to: To do this they are providing £2m Careers Education in  Strengthen the bridge to test new programmes, or Primary Schools between schools, colleges and expand ones that work, working business across Norfolk and According to the Government with the CEC and interested Suffolk Careers Strategy meeting Opportunity Areas to explore new  Inform about latest employers from a young age approaches to employer Government, Careers & enables children to out about a engagement and early careers Enterprise Company and LEP wide range of jobs and understand activities in primary schools. We strategies and programmes how the subjects they learn at will share the results widely so for careers and enterprise school connect to their future. other schools can benefit and education This is particularly important for build their expertise. children from disadvantaged  Create alliances between backgrounds who may lack a business and education that diversity of role models with promote students’ experiences of different jobs and employability, work readiness careers. A UCAS survey and entrepreneurship suggested that being certain  Showcase best practice taking about entering higher education place in education-employer by age ten or earlier means a child engagement with particular is over twice as likely to end up at focus on programmes a more competitive university Natalie Cramp, Chief Operating developing through the New than someone who decided in Officer for the Careers and Anglia Enterprise Adviser 1 their late teens. Enterprise Company, and Network, the Network of East member of the Norwich Anglian Collaborative Many primary schools in the Outreach (NEACO) and the Norwich OA already introduce Opportunity Area Partnership Board invites Norwich Norwich and Ipswich young children to ideas about the Opportunity Areas work they might do in future. Headteachers to a working lunch meeting on 6th March from  Hear about the exciting The Government wants to learn 11.45-12.45 at Centrum, experiences of young people, more about what works so that Norwich Research Park to teachers and businesses children can develop positive discuss how we can explore involved with innovative local attitudes about work from an these new approaches in employer engagement early age and make sure that Norwich. activities If you haven’t yet registered your primary schools have access to the 1 tools they need to understand UCAS (2016) Through the lens of school to attend, how they can start to build students: how perceptions of higher contact Melvyn Ruff activities with employers into education influence applicant’s [email protected]

their lessons. choices NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA SCHOOL NEWSLETTER 10

Youth Board Update On 28th January Danielle Carey and Ryan Bedwell Woods of the Youth Board hosted an event inviting students from local schools to connect to the Youth Board. They came up with their own views of the impact of poor social mobility in Norwich and worked on some proposals to address it. Young people attended from: Hewett Academy

City Academy

Jane Austen College

Open Academy

Notre Dame High School It was great to see the young Students from Jane Austen

City of Norwich School people attending working College and Sixth collaboratively and Form demonstrating a critical Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form understanding of the complexities It is hoped that many of the

Norfolk Young Carers Forum around social mobility, and really students leading on this project motivated to come up with will sign up to join the Youth meaningful solutions. Board, and act as a link between the Youth Board and local student leadership groups/school councils. These students have gone back to their schools/colleges to gather the opinions of their peers and come up with proposals for funded projects to present to a panel of judges on 9th March.

The Partnership Board have agreed to fund an appropriate project that will tackle any of the four key priorities in the Norwich Opportunity Area. Students from City Academy

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Opportunities

for Norwich Early Intervention/School Age Therapy Groups Schools These are being run at Low Farm on Weds (preschool) and Fridays (Primary) 10am-12 noon. We’ve put together some offers from local These provide small group therapy (Speech and partners in the Norwich OA – these are not Language and Occupational Therapy) focusing on funded as part of the Opportunity Area the development of communication, social delivery plan programme, but do align with interaction, play, sensory and motor skills for our four key priorities to improve social children with difficulties in these areas. mobility in Norwich. The cost of a six week therapy block is £335. Individual therapy sessions can also be provided. More information can be found at www.lowfarmtherapycentre.co.uk.

Norfolk Libraries in the Norwich area are happy to facilitate school visits for groups of all ages and sizes; whether it’s introducing young children to the library for the first time, encouraging them to become lifelong readers, or signposting young people to information they may find useful during their studies and beyond education, into further learning and the workplace. We’re happy to welcome whole classes or any targeted groups your school may have. For more information about what Norfolk Libraries can offer you, please contact us directly on 01603 774781 NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA SCHOOL NEWSLETTER 12

Take Part: Schools Programme Norfolk & Norwich Festival is the flagship arts festival for the East of with a reputation for innovative and inspirational programming and commissioning. Each May we transform and celebrate our city and county through an internationally acclaimed programme of music, theatre, literature, visual arts, circus, dance and outdoor arts. Every year we create a bespoke series of opportunities for students to engage with the Festival programme. From workshops and talks with Festival artists to subsidised event tickets, we cover all key stages, from 0-25 years, across a range of art forms. Our 2018 programme will be available from early March on our website. Where: Various locations across Norfolk and Norwich, or at your school. When: March – June 2018 Find out more: nnfestival.org.uk/schools (full programme available from early March 2018) Register your interest, email: [email protected] or call: 01603 877767

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Norwich Inter School Art Competition

2018 Open to: Year 3 to Year 6 children Theme: Norwich – ‘A fine city’ Norwich Schools – Bring learning to life Size: A4 (any media can be used) through arts and culture Send entry to: Norwich Lower School, Artsmark’s new framework supports teachers to plan, Bishopgate, Norwich, NR1 4AA develop and evaluate arts, culture and creativity across the curriculum. Include: Name, Age, School

Awarded by Arts Council England, Artsmark can help Closing date: Monday 30th April 2018 schools and academies to engage pupils, provide a broad and balanced curriculum, deliver continuing The winning entry from each school will be professional development to its teachers, prepare invited to an Art Day with a professional young people for different career pathways and the artist, held at Norwich Lower School. creative industries.

Artsmark has a common sense application process that is light on paperwork and flexible to each school.

Join the 17 Norwich schools in our growing family of over 200 Artsmark schools across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough and Suffolk. Half price “Arts and culture provide entry into a world of future CPD for opportunity and fulfilment. This is one of the key Norwich reasons why St John the Baptist Multi Academy Trust is one of the first Trusts to form a joint commitment Schools to Artsmark” Tom Pinnington, Deputy Head of Notre Schools in Norfolk, including those in the Norwich Dame High School Opportunity Area, can claim a 50% discount on continuing professional development courses run by the Inspiration Start your Artsmark journey by contacting our Trust. Upcoming twilight courses in March and April Education Manager Abi Marrison at [email protected] or call 01603 878285. include: • Rethinking MFL - easy approaches that work Festival Bridge is one of ten national Bridge • Implications of memory research for teaching organisations funded by Arts Council England and the • Getting beyond teaching through genre in primary Department for Education. We support schools education through the Artsmark and Arts Award programmes, and connect the education and arts & cultural sectors. • Boosting MFL progress and attainment in Find out more at nnfestival.org.uk/festival-bridge. • Effective teaching and learning in science • Powerful knowledge, disciplines and subjects in

secondary schools • Teaching for memory in English • Teaching the Reformation • Direct instruction and grammar: How to deliver Expressive Writing To find out more and book, visit inspirationtrust.org/cpd

NORWICH OPPORTUNITY AREA SCHOOL NEWSLETTER 14

Young people with great business ideas: Apply for support

18 to 30-year-olds could win support to pursue an innovative idea under a new scheme run in partnership by the Prince's Trust and

Innovate UK.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/young-people- with-great-business-ideas-apply-for-support

Norwich University of the Arts:

Teacher and Adviser Days 2018

Calling all arts, media, IT and design teachers and career advisers! We would like to invite you to our annual Teacher and Adviser Days for 2 days of CPD

workshops on Thursday 28 June and Thursday 12 July 2018. The events are free to attend and will offer a range of practical sessions focussed on upskilling and new

technologies – with the aim to support and inspire those who advise students interested in creative degrees and careers.

Visitors will also have the chance to tour our annual Degree Show and look into postgraduate study at NUA, through MA and PGCert courses.

Book your place today by emailing the Recruitment

and Outreach team on [email protected].

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Whatever stage you’re at, make your next step a big one. Gearing up for your GCSEs? Wondering what’s next when you finish you’re a Levels? Itching to experience the world of work while studying at university? Or weighing up your options when you finish your degree? Anglian water offer outreach sessions to children Here at EDF energy, you’ll find a variety of exciting from foundation to further education. The sessions and inspiring opportunities. are linked to the national curriculum whilst also broadening the horizons of young people https://www.edfenergy.com/earlycareers

and highlighting the opportunities available in the world of work, a key part of priority 4 of the delivery plan. For more information about the sessions available.- http://www.anglianwater.co.uk/community/educati on/schools-outreach.aspx All sessions delivered by Anglian Water are available at no charge.

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Course Details Course Details

Wex Camera Club for Under 18s – Wex Camera Club for Under 18s- Motorsport Pet Photography Workshop Photography at Snetterton Circuit. Meeting at: The Garage, 14 Chapel Field N, Meeting at: Outside Tyrrells Restaurant, Norwich. NR2 1NY. Snetterton Circuit, Norwich. NR16 2JU Date and time: Sunday 11th March 2018, Date and time: Thursday 5th April, 10am – 12pm Price: £15 10am-12pm. Price: £15 https://events.wexphotovideo.com/wex-camera- https://events.wexphotovideo.com/wex-camera- club-for-under-18s-pet-photography-norwich- club-for-under-18s-motorsport-photography-at- other-11-march-2018 snetterton-circuit-norwich-other-5-april-2018

Energy Quest is a free, two-part schools programme bringing a spark to STEM learning for students aged 11-14. Start your students on their engineering journey today… Part 1 : A facilitated hands-on Energiser workshop at your school. Part 2: The Bright ideas Challenge, a team competition of innovative future thinking. https://www.learnbydesign.co.uk/client s/tomorrows-engineers/energy-quest/