1. The new SIAMS 2018
Pauline Dodds
May 2018

2. What’s in the new schedule?‘
The vision for SIAMS
What’s in the new schedule?
What is the role of governors?

3. Vision for SIAMS
‘It is a matter of affirming what is of worth in the past and the present, rejecting courageously things that we judge unwise, and working to transform those that are valuable but need improvement’
Biblical - about what was, what is and what is to come

4. The purposes of SIAMS?
This might be a suitable discussion question with certain school groups.
The list is not exhaustive. Alternatively it could be reworked as a diamond 9 activity

5. The Inspection question
How effective is the school’s distinctive Christian vision, established and promoted by leadership at all levels, in enabling pupils and adults to flourish?
reminder of the inspection question – not called the key question any more

6. This question is explored through the following seven strands:
Vision and Leadership
Wisdom, Knowledge and Skills
Character Development: Hope, Aspiration and Courageous Advocacy
Community and Living Well Together
Dignity and Respect
The impact of collective worship
The effectiveness of religious education

7. What is where in the new schedule ?
Strand 1: Vision and Leadership
The school’s vision and values
Partnerships (MATs, local church and diocese)
Developing staff and leaders
Monitoring and evaluation (Governors/Academy Directors)
Progress since the previous denominational inspection
Much of this is what was previously found in leadership and management section.
Partnerships are more significant with the growth of MATs and federations
Reference the Foundation for Educational Leadership (or local schemes) in developing staff and leaders; also CPD related to church school including diocesan arrangements
Church school self evaluation is the responsibility of the Governors, They must make sure it happens. The school does it.
Progress since the last inspection depends on what the issues were last time. In most cases this will have been five years. A lot can happen in education in 5 years!
Take a little while to look at what the inspector must explore, and the grade descriptors on p 3 and 4

8. Strand 2: Wisdom, knowledge and skills
Standards, supporting the most vulnerable
Spiritual development
Strand 3: Character development - Hope, Aspiration and Courageous Advocacy
Take a while to look at what the inspector must explore and the grade descriptors. Discuss on tables
Developing aspiration, resilience, perseverance
Curriculum, ‘big questions’, global awareness
Charitable activities, social action , challenging injustice

9. Strand 4: Community and Living Well Together
Relationships, forgiveness and reconciliation
Behaviour, exclusion, attendance policies
Mental health
Strand 5: Dignity and Respect
As about, read then discuss
‘Valuing all God’s Children’
Difference and diversity
Relationships and Sex Education

10. Strand 6: The impact of collective worship
Purpose
Spirituality
Prayer, stillness,
reflection
The ‘Trinity’
Planning and evaluation
Pupil involvement
Church partnerships
How well leaders ensure that collective worship is inclusive, invitational and inspiring and is central to the life of the school
This section is largely unchanged.
It will spark debate because this is the aspect of church school life many are most attached to or have their strongest opinions about. I have included an image of Roots and Fruits because it is the biggest seller BUT . It is there as a place holder and you should substitute whatever is the local diocesan approach

11. Strand 7: The effectiveness of religious education
Religiously literate pupils
Christianity as a living world faith
Knowledge and understanding of major world religions
Curriculum planning
Leadership and management of RE
Assessment
Sharing good practice, CPD
C of E Statement of Entitlement
‘Understanding Christianity’
This is a considerable jump.
RE is here being treated as an academic subject; This helps clarify aims and purpose. It is non confessional. This is stated. Its wider contribution to the school ethos should be picked up elsewhere.
Understanding Christainity means that all schools can achieve this.
The idea of religious literacy is new here but it’s a debate anyone involved in RE should be aware of.
The statement of entitlement is key here.. The statement of entitlement may change

12. One holistic judgement
St Theresa's Church of England VC primary school is a good school overall. Collective worship is excellent.
St Theresa’s Church of England VA primary school as a church school requires improvement overall. Collective worship is good but religious education requires improvement.
The numerical four sections approach is one of the reasons we have considerable grade inflation. We end up with half outstanding schools.
The inspector will still use a best fit approach.
We have to give a grade for CW and for RE in a VA but these will be stand alone judgements. However at the same time RE and CW will contribute to the overall judgement.
We have attempted to describe what we would expect to find in a ‘good’ church school, what should be the norm. Then a school that goes the extra mile becomes an exceptional church school, one where you could confidently send other schools to look for good practice. One that you would be confident to put in place to support a struggling church school.
Rather than try and define what RI looks like we have borrowed the Ofsted approach of simply saying it is not yet good.
The fourth category is ineffective as a church school. We anticipate very few of these but it remains a possibility.

13. SIAMS and the role of governors, members and directors
How effective is the school’s distinctive Christian vision, established and promoted by leadership at all levels, in enabling pupils and adults to flourish?
reminder of the inspection question – not called the key question any more

14. Vision Provision Impact At the heart of SIAMS
What is your vision as a distinctive church school?
What do you do because of that vision?
How do you know it is working?
Three questions are at the heart of this SIAMS This has been the working title of the inspection process: Vision, Provision, Impact
What is your vision as a distinctive church school?
What do you do because of that vision ?
How do you know its working?
We have moved much of what is currently in the LM section into the vision and leadership question. RE and CW are obvious, the other 4 strands are the Christian character section, with RE and CW they answer the Provision and Impact questions

15. What SIAMS is looking for in a school’s vision
Commitment to an excellent education
Desire for every individual to be the best person they were created to be (aspiration)
A concern for the collective good of all in the school community and beyond (hope)
Pupils must learn how to live well together in society
The importance of all in the school treating each other with respect and dignity.
Much of this is what was previously found in leadership and management section.
Partnerships are more significant with the growth of MATs and federations
Reference the foundation for educational leadership (or local schemes) in developing staff and leaders also CPD related to church school including diocesan arrangements
Church school self evaluation is the responsibility of the Governors, They must make sure it happens. The school does it.
Progress since the last inspection depends on what the issues were last time. In most cases this will have been five years. A lot can happen in education in 5 years!

16. Does your school have a clear Christian vision and values?
Suggested reflection task at this point
Does your school have a clear Christian vision and values?

17. Governors: Supporting and articulating the vision
Exploring a part of the vision at the start of a governor meeting
Conversations with SLT about how the school lives its vision
Discussing with subject leaders how aspects of the curriculum reflect the school’s vision
Joining collective worship that explores the vision with children at the start of term
Check policies have the school vision on them?
Checking the website – is the vision clear?

18. The new schedule and governance
The following must be explored (by inspectors)
‘How well do governors ensure that a robust and continuous self-evaluation process is in place that involves the school community in evaluating their effectiveness as a Church school?’
(Strand 1: Vision and Leadership)

19. Governors: What do the grade descriptors say about a good school?

20. Questions and next steps