Estyn Experience November 2017 Heolgerrig Community School Mr. Glen Mahoney (Chair of Governors) Mrs. Anna Morris (Headteacher)

Overview Day 1: - Arrived Monday midday -Team meeting -Tour of the school (Head) - All inspectors out in classes - Meeting with parents -Meeting with governors -Meeting with LSAs (optional)

Overview Day 2/3: - Team Meeting - Lesson Observations (full) -Learning Observations - Listening to Learners - Meetings with 3 teachers

Overview Day 4: - Team Meeting - Report Writing - Feedback – with Chair of Governors and Challenge Advisor

OTHER – Our experience: -6 full lesson observations (Each at least 45 mins) - 6 Learning observations (in class but less than 45 mins) - Listening to learners – with books (2,4,6) - 3 Meetings with pupil groups (Pupil Voice group, Pupils with responsibilities, Welsh) -Tour of school by pupils (Lay) - Lay visitor outside with parents at end of the day - High visibility around the school – lunch, play, end of day

What they asked for in advance Phone call on Friday 1 week to upload the following: SER – updated in line with the new inspection framework SDP Safeguarding Self Evaluation (Estyn’s template) Data spreadsheet (PLASC/efsm/pupil-teacher ratios etc) Prospectus Timetables (including assembly, PSE, extra-curricular) Information on staff – (names, responsibilities, qualifications) Internal map of the school A list of staff DBS checks with check numbers and issue dates Initial Contact Form

What else in advance? Nominee training Letters to parents on how to complete questionnaires Information to staff and governors on how to complete the questionnaires

A week before inspection – conversation with the Lead The Lead Inspector checked some data and asked for the following to be ready for the team: - 2 top, 2 middle and 2 bottom books from the previous year -Reading Ages -Teacher Assessments -Class lists identifying (efsm, aln, mat etc) -Curriculum Planning – long/medium/short

Monday Morning Pre-enquiry questions appeared on VIR at 9am prior to their arrival

Listening to Learners 3 pupils selected by the inspectors Asked a range of questions about their work and learning e.g. explain how you worked this out. Do you have a choice in your learning? Listened to pupils read – English and Welsh Carried out a Welsh listening to learners

Thematic Enquiry This was shared at the team meeting on Monday DCF – carried out additional observations and had children to share work they had done

Additional things they asked to see Evidence Headteacher had attended CP meetings Behaviour and bullying records PDG spending plans Governor minutes Budget reports

What we felt the key differences were: Greater emphasis on the pupils and learning – in particular the progress of the learners. Greater emphasis on the role of the governing body. Greater time spent out and about – seeing, speaking, experiencing.

The experiences of the governing body - heolgerrig community school Chair and vice-chair only were invited (could be two other) They met with the lead inspector and the lead for IA5 - leadership. Meeting straight after the parent meeting. Meeting are expected to be around 45 minutes but ours was around 1hr 45 mins.

The experiences of the governing body - heolgerrig community school Progress of school since the last inspection (Governor Meeting Minutes – HT Reports) Roles of the Governing Body – (a) Strategic Planning, (b) Critical Friend, (c) Accountability. (a) Role of GB in setting a strategic perspective – discussed planning, monitoring and evaluation via SER and SDP, how governors influence decisions made in school. GB and SER – see examples of evidence for each Area and Aspect (See CIF 2017) GB and SDP – Assist in setting targets based on SER, Cost of Resources Budget, Responsibilities – staff recruitment, Success Criteria/ Milestones – monitor progress of targets – evidence, challenge, and learning walks.

The experiences of the governing body - heolgerrig community school (b) Critical Friend – Challenge and Support – In what ways do governors challenge the school and how governors see the challenge through. (GB meeting minutes - challenges recorded by Clerk - Chair and HT review minutes- focus on action) Examples and Discussion: Standards in writing / impact of new strategies / evidence. Quartile positions of the school – quartile boundaries, targets Health and safety – school boundaries and fencing Interventions – how do we know pupils are improving – “catch-up” months Attendance- progress Qtr 4 to Qtr 2 – zero tolerance – FPN , etc. National Tests – year-on –year performance – possible causes Distributed leadership – SLT write self-evaluation of own areas of responsibility Part-time working requests More evidence for Well-Being (2.1) – PASS surveys. Behaviour – learning walks Work-life balance

Standards – are they being maintained and how do you know? 6. Governors were asked: Strengths of the school. (See SER and evidence to support it.) Extensive discussion? Budgets – alignment with targets (See SDP) and how effectively is EIG and PDG used in bringing about improvements in pupil outcomes? Standards – are they being maintained and how do you know? Sub committees -frequency of meetings and the effectiveness of the standards committee? Contribution of the members of the governing body and the skills they have to support and challenge the school? How much do the clerk and headteacher control the meetings? Finally - The chair only was invited to the feedback meeting. This was not an opportunity to question the outcomes but just to listen to the views of the inspectors. At this point the information was confidential to the school community and this was emphasised.

Our Report – Governor elements: Our way forward as a governing body – Self evaluation.

Diolch Thank You