Newsletter 14 - December 2021

Dear Plymouth Heroes,
 
Another term has flown by, with so much achieved. Sincerely, thank you all so much for the vital work you do in the City and for leading with so much optimism in such difficult times. The momentum in the City is palpable and Chrysta and I are excited about what lies ahead in the final two terms of the Academic Year. So much of this term has revolved around “bedding-in” the pilot place-based approach and generating the resources (funding) to support the plan and your needs in schools. The Spring and Summer Terms will be heavily focussed on delivering the priorities set out in the plan.
 
Early in the New Year, once we have the Information Sharing Agreement in place, I will be in contact with schools to collect data that will give us a sense of progress towards our agreed KPIs. This data will be presented at the Strategic Education Group and will be considered “intelligently” recognising the continuing turbulence and uncertainty in the school system. Thank you in advance for your cooperation with this important work. 
 
At the end of this term, we say goodbye to Lee Sargeant and thank him for his excellent work at All Saints. In the same breath we welcome him back as the new Headteacher of Devonport High School for Girls. Congratulations Lee! We also welcome Scott Horne, formally Deputy Headteacher at West Exe Community College, to the Headship at All Saints. Scott, you are very welcome to the City. I know colleagues are looking forward to meeting you and working with you.
 
Please take time to read and celebrate all that has been achieved over the past four months. 
 
Once again thank you for your continued engagement with the Place-Based Pilot. Chrysta and I wish you a very happy Christmas and a productive New Year!
 
With best wishes

Best Wishes

   Tony and Chrysta 
 

December Highlights:

• Curriculum Excellence Bid - West Country Trust. I am delighted that Hannah Woodhouse has approved this bid. Planning work has started to roll out an outstanding programme of CPD across Secondary, Primary and Special Schools focussing on “Curriculum Excellence.” There will be six face to face training events focussing on the principles of curriculum design. These will be further supported by six on-line modules focussing on Curriculum delivery. Intersessional tasks and supporting resources will also be provided. 
   
• Ofsted judgements - Lipson and Tor Bridge High, plus Reach primaries: Stoke Damerel and Drake Primary. These good judgements are testament to the sustained hard work of leaders, teachers and support staff during very challenging circumstances. A cause for celebration and pride in the city!
   
• Baroness Baran visit - championing the work of Plymouth leaders and advocating a national spotlight on our work. The Minister had the opportunity to visit Stoke Damerel Community College and Plymouth UTC; facilitate a round table discussion about the Plymouth place-based pilot with colleagues from the LA, CEOs, and RSCs office; and participate in the launch of the Plymouth Leadership Programme. 
   
• Successful virtual launch of the Plymouth Leadership Programme. 
   
• Recording of the launch event here (password: Plymouth)

• Access the new online Plymouth Leadership Community click here.
   
• Register your interest in accessing the GLT Leadership Secondment Programme here. Please note that for Plymouth colleagues there is funding in place to support one participant per school. Should you require additional places please contact Tony Bloxham. There is £5000 backfill funding available for each leadership participant. We hope to see a significant Plymouth Cohort on this programme, taking advantage of this amazing leadership learning experience. 
   
• Engagement by Plymouth senior leaders across primary and secondary phases in the Whole School SEND virtual events for Heads, SENCOs, Governors, Trustees and Inclusion Leads. Sign-ups for these events surpassed 220+. 

• Are you in? Data from the Whole School SEND consortium shows that Plymouth is in the top 10% of Local Authorities in the country for engagement in subscriptions to this national association for children with Special Educational Needs. If your school/SENCO is not already a member you can find out more and join here: https://nasen.org.uk/why-join
   
• Completion of the Training and Retaining Great Teachers programme led by our EEF colleagues. Lots of excellent feedback has been provided about the quality and impact of this quality CPD programme.
   
• Breakwater Inclusion Bases are up and running and accepting their first cohorts under the leadership of James Buchanan. They are currently operating across two bases at All Saints Academy and Eggbuckland Community College to deliver our curriculum focusing on strengthening literacy and numeracy, the AQA Unit Award Scheme and preparing students for a return to mainstream education. Three staff members are deployed to each base with staff offering a range of experiences and learning opportunities from physical education to horticulture to photography and this has meant there has been movement of staff between bases. 
  
  The Education Psychology Service are providing ongoing professional development for the team, valuable insights and support for the young people and are soon to start a parenting course for Breakwater families. Having more time to observe and work with students has been incredibly valuable and is helping to inform our work with the young peoples’ home schools and support their reintegration back to their home schools. Breakwater are also recruiting TAs to support their work. You can find job descriptions here: https://www.plymouthstrategy.org/79-inclusion
   
• Submission of the Literacy Implementation Plans for review by Jon Eaton and Scott following a period of drafting and refining supported by Regional Implementation Leads. All schools now have secure plans in place to support approaches to disciplinary literacy which will translate into improved outcomes for all pupils but particularly those that are disadvantaged in the coming years. We will be disseminating exemplars of the plans and continuing the conversation around disciplinary literacy in the new year.
   
• Excellent take up of the Trauma Informed Training offer across primary and secondary schools this term, and still time for colleagues to book on to the fully funded 11 Day Trauma Informed Diploma programme starting in January: https://www.plymouthstrategy.org/cpd/diploma-in-trauma-and-mental-health-informed-schools-and-commun
   
• A full schedule of School Improvement Visits and shadowing exercises across MATs were completed in the Autumn Term. Findings from this process will inform a paper for consideration by SEG in the Spring Term.
   
• Recognition of the ongoing work of Joe Lyons at Eggbuckland for his excellent leadership of the Plymouth Science Professional Learning Community. Joe goes about his work leading this much valued network with real focus and determination. (see more information about the upcoming Science PLC scheduled for January below).
   

Forward look to Spring Term: 

1. Curriculum Excellence: improving the quality of education in Plymouth schools delivered via 6 modules led by curriculum experts.
    
2. Plymouth Key Stage 2 to 3 Maths Transition Programme: core programme driven by the recommendations in the EEF Maths at the Transition Programme to close the Maths achievement gap.
    
3. Plymouth Secondary Oracy Programme: a professional development programme for teachers/leaders on the implementation of oracy in secondary settings to develop evidence led practice using the Plymouth Oracy Project model and guidance from the EEF.
    
4. Whole School SEND strategic reviews at MAT and school level to support accurate identification of SEN need; training for Plymouth Leaders in how to conduct SEN reviews in their own schools to build a sustainable peer to peer SEND review process; support the strategic leadership of SEN across schools and within MATS using the WSS MAT Review framework.
    
5. Heads and SENCOs: Save the Dates: In January, February and March the place based strategy will bring a coherent and high quality CPD programme to support effective self evaluation around SEND provision for all Plymouth secondary schools. The programme will launch at PLT on January 11th with all Headteachers, with the first SENCO briefing scheduled for Jan 25th, 2 - 3 pm. More information to follow in early January.

• Analyse successes and drawbacks of online and paid for resources to benefit teaching and learning.
• Analyse the demands and expectations on a department during of an Ofsted Deep Dive.
• Reflect on changes that we can make to improve teaching and learning.
• Network with other Science Subject Leaders and share good practice.