1. The North South Underachievement Practitioners Engagement Project NSUPEP
02/02/2017

2. West Belfast Partnership Board Sharing the Learning Programme
Angela Mervyn:

3. Education Programme Manager
Angie Mervyn
Education Programme Manager
West Belfast Partnership Board

4. “To involve people who live and work in West Belfast in generating
WBPB: Who are we?
“To involve people who live and work in West Belfast in generating
Mission Statement
“To involve people who live and work in West Belfast in generating social, economic, physical and cultural development to ensure West Belfast makes a full contribution to and benefits equally from developments in the city as a whole” .
“West Belfast Partnership Board has a vibrant, flourishing education network which includes nursery, primary and post primary schools as well as community organisations”.

5. Context: West Belfast Facts
70% of areas of highest deprivation in North of Ireland are in West Belfast
The areas of social deprivation ranked numbers 1,2 & 3 are in West Belfast
94,000 = 5.2% of the population
Child Poverty: 41.1% 0-15yr olds – NI average 22.1%
Health: If you live in West Belfast you are likely to die 8 years earlier than a person in a more affluent area
Education: 4 years ago 38% of pupils in West Belfast achieved 5 or more GCSE exams, the average in the North is 61.7%. In 2016 the average in West Belfast was 66.4% - spectacular improvement.
West Belfast has an incredibly robust community infrastructure

6. Integrating the Jig Saw Challenges
‘How  do  we  as  practitioner  researchers  improve the quality of education not only in our schools but also, collectively in our communities?” (Brown 2013)

7. HOW? “Hearts & Minds” Consultation Needs based supports
Making Connections
Networking
Clustering
Communication
West Belfast Partnership and our partners believe in the fundamental need to put education at the heart of regeneration – Number 1 Strategic Priority

8. Addressing Achievement in a Connected Way
West Belfast Area Based ETI Inspection baseline
Key Priorities for Development:
1. Transition Stages
2. Strategic Planning
3. Quality Assurance

9. Addressing Achievement in a Connected Way
WBPB Response:
Written response submitted to ETI by WBPB
Development of response plan of action
Community response: Partnership working with WBPB, local community, local schools and education stakeholders

10. WBPB Strategic Direction
Informed by:
ETI Area Inspection 2009
Current WBPB Sharing the Learning Programme– DE funded
Education focussed initiatives in west Belfast, including WB ALCs, community and school based programmes
Current Education Policy

11. Identified Strategic Priorities 2015-2018
Structural development to influence educational change – robust partnerships / connectedness
West Belfast wide Strategic Education Plan – DE priorities and those of local Education community
Communications

12. Structural Development
NI Action Based Research Group (linked with DCU & others)

15. 2. Development of a West Belfast Wide Education Plan
Incorporating priorities as identified by Department of Education WBPB, local schools and community including:
Early Years Development
Family/parental engagement focused on developing increased aspirations of family/parents for their child/children
Raising Literacy & Numeracy standards
Support for post primary pupils to improve GCSE attainment

16. 3. Communications Development of a Communications Strategy
Development of Education website:
Robust communications with stakeholders and Government Departments to ensure a transparent multi- departmental / agency strategy and approach

17. Frank Maskey Principal Corpus Christi College Chair West Belfast
Area Learning Community

18. OVERARCHING KEY POINTS
10 member schools at Principal level
WBALC has voluntarily gone beyond DE brief of collaboration on teaching of subjects across post primary schools.
Underpinned by the principle of an area based organisation seeking effective self-evaluation allied to the highest possible standards across an area (area-based planning).
OVERARCHING KEY POINTS

19. Effective partnership with WBPB and Primary and Nursery ALNCs resulting in:
Developing area wide targets and strategies
Transition programmes addressing Literacy & Numeracy
Easter school in Maths & English
Introduction of Saturday Schools
Key Stage 3 support, targeting Literacy & Numeracy
Focus on self-evaluation across the area in schools and community– TCN, Focus/Common Log Book

20. CPD Across the WBALC Principals’ Group Vice Principals’ Steering Group
Numeracy Cluster Group
Literacy Cluster Group
SENCO Cluster Group
Pastoral Group
CEIAG Group
Careers Cluster Group
Governors Cluster Group

21. The Process – the Benefits
Real improvement in performance as indicated through results
Real ‘collaborative learning’ as opposed to competition
Real ‘self evaluation’ at school and ALC level
Real ‘sharing’ of practice within and across schools
Real ‘links’ with primary schools and community groups
Real ‘focus’ on the students and improving classroom experience
Real ‘hard work’ but ‘hard work’ that makes a difference to our schools, our children, our staff and our community

22. Mairead Weir Principal St Joseph’s PS Chair West Belfast Primary Area Learning Networking Community (ALNC)
WB Primary ALNC

23. West Belfast Primary ALNC
All West Belfast Primary schools invited
17 Primary Schools are members of WB Primary ALNC
Chair (Steering Group), Vice Chair (Practitioners Group)
Identifying priorities (areas identified included raising standards in Literacy, Numeracy, ICT, Play, role of leadership teams etc.)

24. Working in partnership with Post Primary ALNC, Nursery ALNC and WBPB – focus on improving standards in Literacy and Numeracy.
Importance of communication across the phases e.g. Chair of Primary ALNC on WBPB Education Strategic Steering Group & PP ALC, Vice Chair on Practitioners Group.

25. Addressing Achievement in a Connected Way
3 clear objectives
Dissemination of good practice
Quality Learning Experiences
Effective classroom strategies and approaches
Effective interventions – focus on achievement
All schools and community gain and learn from expertise of each other.- (Practitioners’ Forum)
Self evaluation
Ensuring what we do is effective, measurable and evidence based
Consistency in approach to self evaluation – log book, impact and identifying trends and gaps
Networking
Building trusting relationships with all cross phase
Creating effective links with all to ensure unnecessary repetition and effective workable curriculum which meets the needs of every individual child
All school staff buying in to process

26. CPD Across the Primary ALNC
Principals’ Group
Numeracy Cluster Group
SENCO Cluster Group
Pastoral / Safeguarding Group

27. Frank Maskey

28. Outcomes
Buy in from all stakeholders – leading to increased educational attainment
Robust Structures
Sharing of Information
Staff Continual Professional Development (CPD)
Child centred supports based on NEED
Increased capacity and will to connect
Increased community / school linkages
Holistic education pathway and wrap around services / supports for children and families

29. West Belfast GCSE Results: ALL PUPILS

30. GCSE Results 2015 – 2016 % increase 2011 – 2016 % increase
5 or more Grades A* - C including Maths & English
4.9%
17.4%
7 or more Grades A* - C including Maths & English
2.2%
15%
A Level Results
2015 – 2016 % increase
2011 – 2016 % increase
2 or more Grades A* - E
1.9%
6.1%
3 or more Grades A* - C
4.3%
15.5%

31. 2016 WBPB Easter School
262 students from 11 Post Primary Schools – including 17 students from Shankill and Donegal Rd
 Males: Females: 139
Maths: English: Both: 44
Subject Maths
Percentage
Easter School Participants Achieving grades A*-C in GCSE Mathematics
Achieving higher than predicted grade
Maintaining Grade C
94%
59.4%
34.6%
Subject English
Percentage
Easter School Participants Achieving grades A-C in GCSE English
Achieving higher than predicted grade
Maintaining Grade C
96%
54%
42%

32. Dissemination of Best Practice
Awards:
DCAL: Highly Commended by the DCAL Learning and Innovation Awards, for “innovative work on learning / education by an individual or team” for IPad Initiative in Falls with St Joseph’s PS .
Aisling Award for ‘Outstanding Educational Achievement’ in 2015, which is recognition of the partnership working and positive outcomes for children in the west Belfast area.
Developed Resources:
Sing-a-Long with Harper book and CD with puppet resources
Pre Nursery – Nursery Transition pro forma
Harper the Wonder Dog Nursery – Primary Transition Book and puppet resources
EA Early Years Inclusion Team: Transition resource Nursery – Primary with SEN focus
A Journey with Your Child Through Year 1: St Joseph’s Slate St Resource with GF Extended Schools Cluster – WBPB resourced additional printing to roll out to schools on a West Belfast wide basis
Year 7 – 8 Literacy & Numeracy Transition Bridging Units Resource – with Primary, Post Primary and EA
Summer Transition School Literacy and Numeracy student and teacher resources
Transition pro forma Primary – Post Primary: Preparing for Success
Erasmus+ Polycentric Inspection Research

33. HOW? “Hearts & Minds” Child Centred Approach Willingness
Partnership Approach
Needs based
Will grow organically