Agenda item

Jo Peach, Director of Learning at Portsmouth Teaching School Alliance and Mike Stoneman, Deputy Director of Children and Families - Education introduced the report.

Mike Stoneman explained that the council commission the Portsmouth Teaching School Alliance to deliver targeted school improvement for LA Maintained Schools, but do this under the auspices of the Portsmouth Education Partnership (PEP) and the PEP School Improvement Board.  The School Improvement Board is chaired by a headteacher and school improvement priorities for the city are agreed by the Board.

Jo Peach went on to explain that the Board is now working well with increased membership of Headteachers from both LA maintained schools and academies. The Board has overseen applications to the Strategic School Improvement Fund, two of which have been successful already securing nearly £0.5m of funding for the city focused on agreed priorities.  The PEP encourages all schools to have an external challenge / validation either through peer review or external verification (e.g. Challenge Partners).

There were five priorities for 2017-18, all of which are likely to feature in 2018/19 subject to agreement by the School Improvement Board. They were: 

SEND in mainstream - this is a significant issue and the PEP was successful in securing a SSIF bid of £200,000 to support 18 schools focusing in improving outcomes for pupils on SEN Support in mainstream. Some other schools not already included have shown an interest in joining.   Best practice will be shared across the city and a conference is taking place in November.

Closing the gap for disadvantaged pupils - another successful bid to the SSIF securing £200,000 to support 18 schools in order to improve the outcomes for disadvantaged children.  Best practice will be shared across the city and a conference is taking place in October. 

Improving outcomes for the most able - this in early stages and will be a key focus in 2018/19.

Subject specific support: networks have been established for Maths, English, MFL and Science 

Leadership - a range of leadership courses are running for middle and senior leaders including NPQLs (ML and SL) through Institute of Education for which the Teaching School has set up a local hub (no cost to schools due to DfE subsidy), and leadership programmes run through Ambition School Leadership. 

Ms Peach then summarised the other support the PEP were providing as outlined in the report and added that since the report had been written,  all maintained schools except one have had either an external review or an  Ofsted inspection in 2017-18.   

School Improvement support for LA maintained schools

Mrs Jeffery asked whether it would be possible for the PEP to complete a summary of the evaluations received. Mr Stoneman suggested that this could be done for the next EAB meeting in the autumn to judge the impact on outcomes as the provisional data would then be available.  Case studies for specific schools could be included. Councillor Horton added that it would be useful to include some qualitative statements from schools to see their views on the impact of the support received.

In response to a question from Councillor Horton, Ms Peach said that for the SSIF funded programmes 70% of schools taking part must meet the eligibility criteria.  Ms Peach confirmed that every school in Portsmouth is involved in one or more of the programmes that is run through the PEP.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.