1. School improvement…lessons learned
Dan Gee,

2. Context July 2010- Assistant Head July 2012- Deputy Head
No plan or roadmap, no desire
July end of Year 2 of Headship 2
5 full Ofsted inspections in under four years

3. Context The brief- “do what you did in Norfolk”
The reality- themes and red herrings

4. The similarities Ramsey Academy, Halstead
The Bromfords School & Sixth Form College
Among those staff returning questionnaires, only a quarter felt that the school was well led.
Evidence of deep-seated problems has been overlooked, such as the clear warnings included in three local authority reviews on the school’s effectiveness. Strategic planning has been ineffective.
Of those who completed questionnaires, nearly half of students and a majority of parents and carers said that lessons are disrupted by bad behaviour; only a quarter of staff felt that behaviour is good and consistently well managed.
The capacity for further improvement is inadequate because leaders have been ineffective
With the exception of a minority of well-taught lessons, students make slow progress as a result of unimaginative learning activities and lesson planning that fails to consider their different needs.

5. The similarities Ramsey Academy, Halstead
The Bromfords School & Sixth Form College
Among those staff returning questionnaires, only a quarter felt that the school was well led.
Evidence of deep-seated problems has been overlooked, such as the clear warnings included in three local authority reviews on the school’s effectiveness. Strategic planning has been ineffective.
Of those who completed questionnaires, nearly half of students and a majority of parents and carers said that lessons are disrupted by bad behaviour; only a quarter of staff felt that behaviour is good and consistently well managed.
The capacity for further improvement is inadequate because leaders have been ineffective
With the exception of a minority of well-taught lessons, students make slow progress as a result of unimaginative learning activities and lesson planning that fails to consider their different needs.

6. The similarities Ramsey Academy, Halstead
The Bromfords School & Sixth Form College
Among those staff returning questionnaires, only a quarter felt that the school was well led.
Evidence of deep-seated problems has been overlooked, such as the clear warnings included in three local authority reviews on the school’s effectiveness. Strategic planning has been ineffective.
Of those who completed questionnaires, nearly half of students and a majority of parents and carers said that lessons are disrupted by bad behaviour; only a quarter of staff felt that behaviour is good and consistently well managed.
The capacity for further improvement is inadequate because leaders have been ineffective
With the exception of a minority of well-taught lessons, students make slow progress as a result of unimaginative learning activities and lesson planning that fails to consider their different needs.
Teachers have low expectations of what students can achieve and how they should behave. The quality of teaching is inadequate.
Leadership and governance have been ineffective in raising the standards of teaching or behaviour.
The poor behaviour of a significant minority of students disrupts the learning of others.
Students have made less progress than they should for the past three years. The poor quality of progress data prevents the school from knowing how well individual students are doing.
Students who have special educational needs underachieve. School leaders responsible for this area do not know how effectively support for these students is working.
Corridors and stair-wells are noisy and often rowdy. Students shout at one another, and pushing and shoving occurs as students move from one lesson to another.

7. Some hope? Ramsey Academy, Halstead
The Bromfords School & Sixth Form College
In contrast to the problems seen in some lessons students were orderly and polite around the school at break and lunchtimes.
Students generally feel safe in the school.
New strategies to tackle poor behaviour have been introduced, but the standard of behaviour around the school and in lessons has not improved.

8. Some hope? Ramsey Academy, Halstead
The Bromfords School & Sixth Form College
In contrast to the problems seen in some lessons students were orderly and polite around the school at break and lunchtimes.
Students generally feel safe in the school.
New strategies to tackle poor behaviour have been introduced, but the standard of behaviour around the school and in lessons has not improved.

9. Some hope? Ramsey Academy, Halstead
The Bromfords School & Sixth Form College
In contrast to the problems seen in some lessons students were orderly and polite around the school at break and lunchtimes.
Students generally feel safe in the school.
New strategies to tackle poor behaviour have been introduced, but the standard of behaviour around the school and in lessons has not improved.

10. Fiction versus reality

11. Fiction versus reality

12. Impact Ramsey Academy, Halstead
The Bromfords School & Sixth Form College
May Special Measures
Joined in September 2012
July Good
January Special Measures
Joined in September 2014
November Requires Improvement
May Good

13. Impact Ramsey Academy, Halstead
The Bromfords School & Sixth Form College
May Special Measures
Joined in September 2012
July Good
July nd most improved GCSE outcomes in Essex
January Special Measures
Joined in September 2014
November Requires Improvement
May Good

14. Impact Ramsey Academy, Halstead
The Bromfords School & Sixth Form College
May Special Measures
Joined in September 2012
July Good
July nd most improved GCSE outcomes in Essex
January Special Measures
Joined in September 2014
November Requires Improvement
May Good

15. School improvement…lessons learned
Key differences?
School size
School status
The national context

16. The ‘change lever’ Change must happen Blitz spirit
Accountability (and support)
It’s more than Ofsted
Redemption
The kids and the community
ACKOWLEDGEMENT AND AGREEMENT

17. Teaching, teaching, teaching
Priority over the other three (four) Ofsted strands
Headteacher leadership
SLT restructure and the embryonic teaching group
No ‘flash in the pan’
In classrooms, talking about teaching
Propaganda- staff briefings to classroom walls
Who are the critical mass?

18. Vision
The Chafford 10

19. Vision The Chafford Ramsey 10
“What we expect of each other; what we use to hold each other to account”
Two training days- what do we value, how do we do it? Focused twilight and staff meeting within two weeks.
Published everywhere
ABSOLUTELY underpins everything that followed
The Ramsey 10 Bromfords 9

20. The Ramsey 10

21. The Ramsey 10 Learning objectives High expectations Success criteria
Independent and collaborative learning
Assessment opportunities
Differentiation and challenge
Questioning
Varied and imaginative learning activities
Effective homework
Celebrating success

22. R Learning Ramsey Points Learning Objectives Equipment
Ask/answer Questions
Record your Homework
Never Give Up
Independent Work
Next Steps
Group Work

23. The Bromfords 9 Learning Objectives Active engagement and enjoyment
Celebrating success
Differentiation and challenge
Success criteria
Effective questioning
Marking for progress
Literacy and numeracy
Independent learning

24. Whole school priorities
Vision into reality
R10/TB9
Propaganda
Lesson planning
Lesson feedback
CPD structure
Lesson judgements
Whole school priorities
PMR
Evaluation

25. Vision into reality

26. Whole school priorities
Vision into reality
R10/TB9
Propaganda
Lesson planning
Lesson feedback
CPD structure
Lesson judgements
Whole school priorities
PMR
Evaluation

27. Staff engagement Developing Excellence in Teaching Coordinators (DETs)
The Core Teaching Group
The Extended Teaching Group
Learning Walk and observation training ‘invitations’
Faculty Leaders and Faculty twinning
Staff as trainers

28. CPD Teaching focus Linked to key targets (and evaluated)
Sharing good practice (R10 related)
The Developing Teacher Programme
Support plans- well resourced and robust
Faculty meetings

29. Evaluation of teaching
Regular, externally validated observation training for SLT
All observations paired (and usually externally validated)
Benchmarking- whole staff observations (and follow-up as required)
Regular work scrutiny (and follow-up)
Learning Walks…formative
Week 4 updates- typicality and support plans
Evaluation days

30. Impact on teaching

31. Impact on teaching

32. Governance
Approaches to governors
Approaches to governance

33. Governance IEB/Governors’ Task Group Committed/effective governors
Local Authority representation
SIP
Other (paid) expertise
Approximately 8 colleagues
Meet monthly

34. Governance
Potential model
FGB
Resources
L&M+T&L
Outcomes+B&S

35. Making it happen Line management and performance management
Clear expectations
Timescales
Pro forma
Suggested questions/activities
Circulated minutes
HT moderation of line management meetings
An external view
Termly P2P meeting with line manager
Termly SEF meeting with SLT member (not line manager)
SLT P2P and reports to FGB

36. Making it happen
Robust evaluation mechanisms

37. Proving it’s happened
Plan on a page/Whole school priorities

39. Proving it’s happened Plan on a page/Whole school priorities
SEF on a page

41. Proving it’s happened Plan on a page/Whole school priorities
SEF on a page
AFI’s on a page

43. Proving it’s happened Plan on a page/Whole school priorities
SEF on a page
AFI’s on a page
Scorecards

45. Proving it’s happened Plan on a page/Whole school priorities
SEF on a page
AFI’s on a page
Scorecards
Progress to plan sessions

47. Proving it’s happened Plan on a page/Whole school priorities
SEF on a page
AFI’s on a page
Scorecards
Progress to plan sessions

48. External strategies
Building the team- Exec Heads, SIPs, key governors, the LA, the DfE
The role of ASHE, BBW, CSI, Triads and informal links with other schools

49. Robust accountability
Agreed vision
Clear expectations
CPD
Robust accountability
Genuine support
Q.A.’d
Evaluation

50. Robust accountability
Agreed vision
Clear expectations
CPD
Robust accountability
Genuine support
Q.A.’d
Evaluation
THE CHANGE LEVER

51. School improvement…lessons learned
Dan Gee,