REGIONAL SCHOOLS COMMISSIONER & West Yorkshire Spring Term Newsletter

Message From Vicky Beer

Welcome to our Spring Term newsletter. I hope you are all well-rested and glad to be back following the half-term break. I’d first like to highlight some notable success stories from our region. Levenshulme High School, part of Education and Leadership Trust; Hillcrest , part of The GORSE Academies Trust and Ormiston Chadwick Academy, part of the Ormiston Academies Trust, all went from Inadequate to Outstanding in their latest Ofsted judgements. These are fantastic achievements and a testament to all the hard work Vicky Beer CBE, RSC that has gone into driving improvement in these schools. These examples highlight how academy status and the capacity of the sponsor OFSTED SUCCESSES programme can help to bring about sustained school improvement. Before Congratulations to those academies with recent improved Ofsted Christmas, Sir Nick Weller published his report into the Northern Powerhouse judgements Schools Strategy and I welcomed his findings about the importance of building Blackpool Aspire Academy strong MATs and sponsors in the North to ensure that underperformance can be effectively and sustainably tackled. I am always keen to encourage new sponsor Bridgewater Park applications to help us continue to drive up standards where it is needed. Broughton Jewish Cassel Fox Primary School Of course, an emphasis on strong school improvement requires robust Christ Church CE Academy accountability. That’s why my team have begun meeting with some of our MATs as Christ Church Church of part of an annual trust review process. This allows us to work with our trusts to Academy tackle underperformance where it occurs, whilst also capturing and sharing best Diamond Wood Community practice from the system. We have met with many of you in the initial phase of this Academy work and we hope to meet with the rest of our trusts in the near future. Similarly, we Dixons Marchbank Primary have also written to those schools that have met the coasting definition and we are England Lane Academy Enterprise South Liverpool now assessing the responses we have received. We will be contacting schools by Academy the end of this term to share the outcomes of our assessment. Hillcrest Academy We have now hosted the first of our New Academies Network Events which John Smeaton Academy provided a great opportunity for those that had recently converted to academy Levenshulme High School status or opened as a free school to learn more about MAT good practice as well as Lord Derby Academy hear detailed sessions on governance, financial health, trust boards and Oasis Academy Lister Park improvement. We hope to run another event this summer term so please email us if Radcliffe Primary School you would like to register your interest or if you would like a copy of the slide pack Revoe Learning Academy from the event. You can also find more helpful information in the National St Matthew's Church of England Primary School Governors’ Associations’ recent publications; ‘Welcome to a Multi Academy Trust’ St Michael's CE Academy and ‘Welcome to Governance’. Swallow Hill Community College I am delighted that Bradford has now been confirmed as an Opportunity Area in our The Freeston Academy region, alongside the previously announced areas of Blackpool and Oldham. The The Willows Primary School extra support this creates will help to break down the barriers to social mobility and West Hill School establish a strong education community from first entry into the system right through Source: Ofsted Management to the workplace. Information report—schools– 31st January 2017 As you may be aware it had been my intention to step down as RSC in order to return to the front line of delivery in growing a fledgling trust. I have since reconsidered my position and I believe that the right priority for me is to continue to GET IN TOUCH improve the system by progressing the development of an effective MAT landscape. Email us at: With the agreement of Sir David Carter and the department, I will therefore be [email protected] continuing as the RSC for Lancashire and West Yorkshire and I look forward to Write to us at: Regional Schools continuing to work with you to deliver the best outcomes possible for the children in Commissioner’s Office, First Floor, our region. Piccadilly Gate, Store Street, Manchester M1 2WD

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USEFUL INFORMATION NEW YEARS HONOURS

Regional Academy Growth Fund: My congratulations to the following We have received a very large number of applications for the Regional Academy Growth Fund, people from our region who have and we are delighted to see such a high level of engagement across the region. The applications received honours for their services to are now being assessed and we will contact applicants by 31st March 2017. education, or children and families. The National Funding Formula (NFF) Consultation: CBE: Mr Nigel Richardson. Lately Director of Stage two of the NFF consultation has been launched and is available for you to view and contribute to here. This stage invites views on the detailed design of the formula. The consultation Children’s Services, Leeds City Council. For period will be open until 5pm on March 22nd 2017. services to children and families. OBE: The Teaching & Leadership Innovation Fund (TLIF) launch: Ms Jane Acklam. Executive Principal and The Secretary of State has announced the first bidding round for the TLIF which is intended to CEO, Moor End Academies Trust. For support high-quality professional development for teachers and school leaders in those areas of services to education. the country with the most need. You can find more information on the fund here, along with details on how to register your interest to be kept up to date. Mrs Angela Cox. Diocesan Director for

Guidance for Multi-Academy Trusts: Education, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds. For services to education. You can find guidance on establishing a new multi-academy trust, or for growing an existing multi- academy trust here. The guide also provides advice on school governance and leadership, MBE: improvement and financial sustainability. Mr Keith Caulkin. Lately Physics Governance Handbook and Competency Framework: Teacher, The Blue Coat School Liverpool.

The Governance Handbook and Competency Framework for Governance have both recently For services to education. been updated and can be accessed here. The handbook provides guidance on the roles and Mrs Helen Dicker. Chair of Governors, duties of governing boards, and advice on the skills, knowledge and behaviours they need to be and lately Tarleton effective. Community Primary. For services to Making a significant change: education. Please remember that trusts proposing to make a significant change to an open academy (which Mrs Catherine Parlett. Chair, Lighthouse in general has an impact on the number, type and/or location of school places) must submit a Trust Leeds. For services to children with proposal at least 3 months in advance of the change being made. Guidance for academy trusts on how to apply to make significant changes as well as the relevant application forms are special educational needs and disabilities. here. Ms Jill Sheldrake. Service Director, The Maths and Physics Chairs Programme: Together Trust, Cheadle. For services to children. To help boost the number of maths and physics teachers the Department for Education is working with The Brilliant Club on an initiative to mobilise the PhD community to engage with schools. BEM: They are currently recruiting postdoctoral maths and physics trainees for 2017/18 to train and Mrs Elizabeth Blackburn. Support teach across the country through the Researchers in Schools programme (RIS). You can find out Worker, The William Henry Smith School, more about how your multi-academy trust can get involved here. West Yorkshire. For services to special The Pearson Teaching Awards: educational needs and disabilities. Known as the “Oscars for Teachers” the awards celebrate the exceptional work of teachers across the country. Teachers change young people’s lives, often in the most challenging circumstances, so don’t miss your chance to get involved. Nominations close on 24th March. BECOME A SPONSOR:

Tackling extremism in schools: We would love to hear from you if you are interested in becoming an academy The Louise Casey review emphasises the importance of teaching British values throughout the curriculum and the Educate Against Hate website helps you to do just that. Designed for sponsor. You can find out more here, teachers, parents and school leaders, it provides a wide range of materials - from teaching or please contact the RSC LWY office resources to whole school implementation plans - to help build pupils' resilience to extremism and to arrange an initial conversation. prepare them for life in a modern, diverse Britain.

Northern Powerhouse and sub-national teacher supply work: GOT SOME GOOD NEWS TO The Northern Powerhouse strategy document commits government to working with the regions SHARE? and the sector on plans to design, fund and test a range of approaches to attracting and retaining We believe that success should be high quality teachers in the North, including in Opportunity Areas. You can read the document celebrated and we are keen to share your here. stories across our region. Spain’s Visiting Teachers Programme: Tweet or email us your achievements, Spain’s Visiting Teachers Programme provides opportunities for schools in England to recruit high initiatives, good practice and photos! quality teachers from Spain to not only teach the language but also immerse pupils in cultural aspects. Please visit the programme’s webpage here for further information and to register. Twitter: @RSC_LWY Email: [email protected]