My Postcode is better than your Postcode!!

David Carter

Executive Principal

Cabot Learning Federation

Aims for Session

• 3 GOALS of this Presentation – To describe how educational leaders need to

be the champions of the vulnerable– What being vulnerable means?– How do we lead and influence this agenda?

Starting Points

• There are two key questions we need to be able to answer:

– Can we as educators compensate for a dis-advantaged start in life?

– Can we assume that if we get the support right for one cohort we have solved the problem for ever?

CLF and the 4-19 Journey

• How is our Context Changing?– 900 staff– 5638 students

• 1265 in Primary Academies (22%)

• 3870 in 11-16 (69%)• 503 in post 16 (9%)

– 10 Open Academies– New Primary Academy-

September 2013– 16-19 Academy

Application for Sept 2014 start

• How is our Context Changing?– 900 staff– 5638 students

• 1265 in Primary Academies (22%)

• 3870 in 11-16 (69%)• 503 in post 16 (9%)

– 10 Open Academies– New Primary Academy-

September 2013– 16-19 Academy

Application for Sept 2014 start

• Teaching School• ITT-Primary and Secondary

(27 School Direct for 2013)• 40 SLE providing School to

school support• NPQH/NPQSL and NPQML

• Teaching School• ITT-Primary and Secondary

(27 School Direct for 2013)• 40 SLE providing School to

school support• NPQH/NPQSL and NPQML

What was our vision in 2007-8?

• We wanted to change the educational landscape of East Bristol for ever!

• We wanted to give the John Cabot City Technology College (CTC) experience to more students– ….but not by admitting more students to the CTC

• We wanted to build a learning community of children, parents and carers and professionals

• We wanted to take responsibility for a child’s education in BS15 and BS16 from the age of 4 to 19

• We wanted to change the educational landscape of East Bristol for ever!

• We wanted to give the John Cabot City Technology College (CTC) experience to more students– ….but not by admitting more students to the CTC

• We wanted to build a learning community of children, parents and carers and professionals

• We wanted to take responsibility for a child’s education in BS15 and BS16 from the age of 4 to 19

Has it worked?

• Bristol Brunel Academy– 17% to 53% 5 ACEM

• Bristol Metropolitan Academy– NTI to Good (June 2011)

• King’s Oak Academy– 32% to 52% -2011 to 2012

• Bath Community Academy– Exited Special Measures in

Feb 2013!!• Hans Price Academy

– 23% to 45%-2011 to 2012

• John Cabot Academy– Outstanding in 2007 and

2009– 5 A-C with English and

Maths not less than 73% in the past 3 years

– Summer of 2012, 93 CLF students have gone to University-22 from BBA and BMA

– 17/22 the first in their family to do so

Improving Capacity, Changing Cultures, Building Resilience

Improving the Quality of teaching &

learning

Improving the Quality of teaching &

learning

Improving the quality & Impact of Leadership &

Governance

Improving the quality & Impact of Leadership &

Governance

Improving the quality of

Transition in a 4 to 19 Federation

Improving the quality of

Transition in a 4 to 19 Federation

Improving the Quality and Impact of

Finance and HR Management

Improving the Quality and Impact of

Finance and HR Management

Improving the Quality and

range of Student Support-”team

around the child”

Improving the Quality and

range of Student Support-”team

around the child”

5 Core Strands5 Core

Strands

What Beliefs underpin our Strategy?

• Children get one chance only– Year 7 is too late to start

the intervention

• Year 11 students today will be parents of secondary students in 2030-2040 and we need to transform the home to school relationship

• University Education and higher level employment IS attainable for our students– Communities sometimes

believe education has nothing to offer the most dis-advantaged

• 3rd and 4th generation unemployment

– How do we break the cycle?

How do we do things differently?

Federated Partnership

• Single Employer– Staff Secondment and Exchanges

• Collective Responsibility from the CLF Leadership Team for Every Vulnerable child

• Focus on teaching• Leadership, Succession Planning and Talent

Management• Leading Education for a Community

“Collaboration for Outstanding

Achievement”-CLF Mission

You have to have a bold vision and not be disturbed by the

challenge…..

“Collaboration for Outstanding

Achievement”• Our Promise is to deliver an outstanding

education to every child who attends one of our Academies. – To achieve this, every student will be taught

by a well trained and well supported teacher, in an Academy that is led at every level by an inspirational leader….

“Collaboration for Outstanding

Achievement”• Our Belief is that through collaboration we

can accelerate our vision of every CLF Academy being judged to be at least “good” and on the path to “outstanding” by 2015-16. – Students come first, and we judge ourselves

on how successful we are in supporting our most vulnerable children as well as those who are gifted and talented.

“Collaboration for Outstanding

Achievement”• Our Goal is to share the effective practice

that is developed by staff in one Academy so that students in another can benefit from federation wide strategies. – We embrace the uniqueness of our schools

and the communities they serve.

Where do we Start?

“There are no quick fixes to closing the gap but outstanding teaching is part of the long term solution”

Developing Teaching & Learning in the CLF• Main Focus

– To identify and share the best practice in teaching and learning across the ten schools

– To design and support school “swaps” & exchanges– To move teachers from Satisfactory to Good– To move teachers from Good to Outstanding

• CLF target is 85% of observations show good or better

– To enable, where appropriate, teachers and support staff to visit and work alongside colleagues from the other Academies

What do the best teachers do every day to

close the gap?

• Differentiate the learning experience – Every child is potentially

vulnerable

• Plan for the students who have fallen behind

• Mark the work of vulnerable students better and more frequently

• Focus on progress first

• Believe they are teachers of literacy as well as their subject

• Take responsibility for managing behaviour as 90% of low level disruption is caused because students cannot access the learning

Leadership and Succession Planning

• Leadership Development Programmes – Emerging Leaders– Middle Leaders– Emerging Senior Leaders

• Annual Federation Conferences in July & November

• Make connections for staff visits to schools across the UK and Overseas– Boston USA and Finland– CLF Study Tours when at

least 1 Academy has INSET Day

• Coaching and Mentoring– NQT and PCGE across

CLF– Appointment Directory– Alumni

• Student Parliament Leadership Development Programme

• Senior Leaders on secondment

What do the best leaders do every day to close the

gap?

• Champion the Vulnerable child and talk about them positively

• Work hard with parents and the “hard to reach”

• Lead and Manage the data audit to ensure progression and prevent further falling back

• Work with internal and external expert groups

• Share and learn from best practice

• Work with partners from other schools to develop next practice

• Create opportunities for vulnerable students to spend more time not less time in school

Are Staff Equipped to support the most vulnerable students?

Has some empathy but in general finds them a distraction:

-Training and support to use their strong teaching skills to create more impact

Has a flair and talent for getting the best from vulnerable learners

-Use these teachers to be closing the gap champions and support others

Has little or no success with vulnerable learners

-Support with the expectation of improvement but strong challenge needed to ensure students get best deal

Has limited success with vulnerable learners but wants to improve

-Training, mentoring and support from a champion with clear strategies for planning

Impact Measures

How do we know our strategy is working?

Formal Measures of Success

• Performance Measures– KS2 and GCSE Performance– Levels of Progress– Attendance– Rewards and Sanctions– Student Voice

Other Measures of Success

• Transition from Primary to Secondary School• Staying on rates to post 16• Employment • Number of students from vulnerable groups gaining

access to higher education• Frequency of interaction with parents• Involvement in extra curricular events• Involvement in school trips and visits• Bristol CC “80 before 18” and the CLF Learning Promise

Contacts and Follow Ups

• If you would like to come and see the CLF in action please e mail my PA Sam Brooks at sam_brooks@clf.cabot.ac.uk

• www.cabotlearningfederation.net

• @carter6D on twitter