Serving the people of Cumbria Workshop Monitoring for Governors Dale Hill Serving the people of Cumbria

Aims Of The Session To be clear about the role of governors in monitoring and evaluation To consider the rationale and approaches to learning walks To provide some practical resources to support governors in their monitoring role

Starter for 10 (minutes) How do you know about the current quality of provision? How do you know that the improvement plan and actions are having an impact? How do you know about pupil behaviour and attitudes? Discuss and note

What are the barriers? I am not an expert in education I am not sure what to ask/look for I do not have the time I am not supposed to do the Headteacher’s job I am not sure how to write up a visit or activity How do I prove I had any impact?

The Culture

Monitoring What monitoring activities have your governors engaged in since the start of this academic year? Impact of one? Evidence? What is planned for the rest of the year and why? Is there a clear timetable and if so who owns it? Note any actions needed

completed (or even started): Now, think of at least one monitoring activity that governors perhaps ought to have done, but haven’t yet completed (or even started): What should we have done? Why haven’t we done it? The task on what has not been done is done first – then press a key to reveal the other box: why haven’t these things happened. Identifying and understanding what the barriers are is absolutely vital. Encourage governors to be objective, honest and direct, without being personal and judgemental. Now think about the barriers. Why haven’t you done the things that you now think you should have?

Essential Principles Governor visits – a culture not a right Governors who intend to visit school and/or enter classrooms must have clear protocols to guide them Key Question: what are your agreed protocols? Do all governors and staff understand them?

Question As Governors, what are wanting to achieve by undertaking a learning walk?

Why visit? To know and understand the level of enjoyment pupils have for a subject Understand what pupils like best/least in the school Know the standards of achievement in a subject area Know what steps are being taken to improve standards Know how well strategic policies approved by governors are working To report main findings back to the full governing body

What might the Governor do on a learning walk? Visit an assembly/act of worship or a special activity Observe playtimes or lunchtimes Check risk assessments in action Look at work on display (classrooms and corridors) Look at books on desks Look at planning on walls

What might the Governor do on a learning walk? Drop into classrooms Talk with pupils, TAs and parent helpers Visit the staffroom Listen in or engage in dialogues (adult: child, child: child) Look at notice boards and information displays Look at resources and how they are organised and accessed Look at outdoor areas

Observations to make when visiting a classroom Relationship between all staff in the classroom and pupils/pupils with pupils Variety of teaching styles Promotion of Christian values/ positive personal development Availability and role of support staff Behaviour and attitudes of pupils – are they attentive, motivated, listening, questioning, collaborating, cooperating? Enjoyment and enthusiasm of both staff and pupils How pupils are grouped? How different abilities are catered for? Children’s work- care/presentation Displays – promoting learning/high expectations/supporting learning Ethos – the atmosphere and values that are evident (are expectations high, encouragement,etc? praise, equality of opportunity apparent?) Quality and quantity of equipment and resources Health and safety regulations practiced i.e. fire exits kept clear

What might the Governor learn on a learning walk? Standards and achievement Behaviour Expectation and challenge Atmosphere and ethos Relationships Differentiation Quality of questioning and speaking and listening Curriculum Provision in a key stage or subject area Range of activities within and beyond lessons Pupils’ independence and confidence as learners Use of ICT and other resources Promotion of SMSC/British values Range and suitability of teaching strategies Subject leadership Pride in the environment Pupil self assessment Deployment of TAs Any Health & Safety issues Distinctiveness

Reflection Are your current monitoring visits achieving the potential benefits you have anticipated? Have there have been any unexpected benefits? Are there anyways in which the practice can be further improved? Actions to take?

Preparing for a governor visit Governors should Check the agreed school protocol policy for governors’ visits Clarify the purpose of the visit. Discuss an agenda with the Headteacher and or subject coordinator well in advance. Make sure that the date and time chosen is suitable. Do not cancel and be punctual Be clear beforehand exactly what you are looking for. Prepare any specific questions and submit to staff in advance.

And when in school…. Keep sight of the purpose of your visit Be courteous, friendly, interact and listen Focus on cause and effect Thank staff and pupils

What do you ask Subject leaders? What is your vision for the subject? What are your non-negotiables/? What did Ofsted say about the subject last time? (core subjects) Have we maintained any strengths? Have we fully addressed any recommendations? Any new strengths? How do you know? How do you keep a track of standards and progress across the school in this subject? What improvements have you made/planned for this year in the subject? What budget/ resources does the school have for the subject and how are these organised? (including any additional adults) Impact? Are there any additional resource needs? How do you help develop other teachers’ skills in teaching this subject?

Talking about standards What are the broad trends in the school’s achievement in English/Maths? Compared with similar schools? In relation to the national rates of increase? In relation to the national picture in terms of gender/disadvantaged? Where have we improved? Do we know why? Are there differences between the achievement of different year groups, and if so, why? Are there significant differences in reading /writing/maths between? Girls and boys SEND Very able pupils Pupils with English as an additional language and others Between disadvantaged pupils and others The majority and any other minority groups, such as travellers? How is the role of the English/Maths leader developing? Does the school improvement plan provide measurable improvements and are we on track?

What do you ask the children? Tell me about what you are learning today Do you like (select curriculum area being monitored) and why? Tell me what you most like doing in (select curriculum area being monitored) What would make (select curriculum area being monitored) even better? Do you know how you can improve?/what your next target is in (select curriculum area being monitored)

Matching evidence with some key questions Looking at display in classrooms Aspirations Standards Balance between subjects Pride in work and presentation The balance between celebration and supporting learning

After a visit… Governors should Discuss what you have observed with the teacher or subject coordinator Clarify any issue you are unclear about. Consider together whether the purpose of the learning walk has been achieved. Thank the teacher for supporting you in your role as a governor. Be open, honest, positive. Make notes as soon as possible after the observation while it is still fresh in the mind. Submit your report to the head teacher and any staff involved in the learning walk to check for accuracy and clarity, being prepared to amend it if necessary Reflect on how and whether the visit has helped the governing body fulfil its duties Circulate their agreed report at the next appropriate committee/governing body meeting.

Reporting on visits The written record of a learning walk should share generalised observations and outcomes around the agreed focus. No individual member of staff should be identifiable in the written record of the learning walk exercise.

Very few school governing bodies use their websites to engage with stakeholders such as parents about what they are doing (and it is where Ofsted go first) On Wednesday 21 November I was in school twice. Firstly to see the Maths subject leader for half an hour. This always proves to be very worthwhile and I thoroughly enjoy the time spent with her. We spent time looking at progress made with the action plan. We are on track to achieve our targets for Y2 and Y6. The afternoon saw me back in school for the Performance and Standards meeting. I was delighted to be asked to Chair this panel again. Two hours were very well spent ensuring pupils progress in all year groups is well monitored. The attendance figures scrutinised by Governors were all showing very positive trends, showing a positive impact of our revised policy. Friday 30 November was spent meeting all the Senior Leadership Team with a small group of governors reviewing their performance and remuneration. We also were given a very good lunch! 15 October I attended two ‘learning walks’ with two governors from one of our peer challenge schools.. I was particularly impressed with the assessment and marking standards as evidenced in the randomly selected pupil books seen by me. The teacher’s comments were constructive and pointed the pupil towards achievable targets; in all instances the pupils had responded to the written feedback provided. Governors’ visits to the school are described in posts on the school website. This material is provided as a prompt for discussion. We are looking to see how open GBs are, and what they do to promote parental understanding of their role. Here is an example. What do they think about it? (Note that this material is provided from a public website and has no connection with Ofsted’s own evaluation of the school).

Avoiding the pitfalls …. Make sure there is a policy for visits which is shared and agreed by staff and Governors. Start simple and build on experience Make sure the outcomes of visits are shared and minuted.

Looking to the next three months Who is the governor you want to be? What do you care about? Why do you want to lead in your school? If there is only one idea you take from this evening, my request is that you make it this one. Monitoring as a leader and Governor is not about your competences, skills and knowledge It’s first and foremost about being in touch with what you care about and then going for it. If I can support…. dale.hill@cumbria.gov.uk Learning Improvement Service

There is no such thing as try. Actions There is no such thing as try. Do or do not