Moving beyond the floor target case study: Stoke-on-Trent LA

Context

• Focus on a local authority (LA) where a number of Hard to Shift schools have gone above floor target
• How much is attributable to the systematic/effective work of the LA?
• What worked and why?

The LA is Stoke on Trent, which is part of the 'Three Cities' Project. This case study, although it includes school specific data as an illustrative technique, focuses not on the perspective of the individual schools, but on the actions of the LA in supporting and challenging the Hard to Shift schools in the LA. The consequent progress that the identified schools have made can be directly attributed to the systematic work of Stoke on Trent Local Authority.

School specific data: (All schools cited were in Hard to Shift category)

Whitfield Valley Primary School

Key Stage 2 results in 2007: English 78%; mathematics 89%; science 93%
Exceeded Fischer Family Trust (FFT) 'D' predictions in all subjects. Significantly in mathematics, were 14% above FFT D.
LA attributes the success of the school to the Quality First Teaching across Key Stage 2.
An ex-LA mathematics consultant is deputy headteacher and is a charismatic and outstanding practitioner who inspires other staff.

Heron Cross Primary School

This school has an attached Speech and Language Special Unit, and the results affect the outcomes for the school.
Quote from LA When the results from the special unit are not included, the results soar above the floor targets.
Key Stage 2 results in 2007 (including special unit): English 59%; mathematics 66%; science 78%.
Predictions/targets for the current Year 6, based on end of Year 5 data, indicate that results in summer 2008 will be:
English and mathematics 75% +.
Quote from the LA: A brilliant result.

LA attributes the success of the school to the immense strengths in Foundation Stage/Key Stage 1 and in Year 5 and Year 6. The social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) philosophy drives the school, with a strong emphasis on the Every Child Matters philosophy.

Bishop Stamer Primary School

Key Stage2 results in 2007: English 66%; mathematics 66%; science 73%
The school went above the floor target for the first time in many years. Predictions for summer 2008 are similar, so school will remain above the floor target in both mathematics and English.
LA attributes the success of the school to excellent, Quality First Teaching in Year 5 and Year 6, and also cites the change in the attitude of the school. Initially, school was resistant to Intensifying Support Programme (ISP) processes, and tended to 'adapt' them for the school use. However, since the school fully engaged with the LA three years ago…
Quote from the LA: The last three years have seen the school open up to the LA, and once the flood gates were open, they embraced projects willingly and made them their own.

The LA cites the following as evidence of the crucial role that they have successfully played, and continue to play in raising standards in all schools across Stoke on Trent.

• Putting rigorous systems in place, but also being prepared to tweak and amend where required (for example, new tracking of attainment and progress that has been developed)
• Detailed/focused tracking system which ensures accountability at every level and for every teacher
• Internal meetings held half termly, which align support and track barriers to improvement
• Open and honest sharing of developed resources and so on (for example, lesson observation form devised specifically for ISP schools)
• Close team approach
• Consistently high quality sets of forms which have been developed with LA and schools, and are used by all concerned with the schools
• School Improvement Partners are all (but one) from within LA, either headteachers or School Improvement Advisers. Have common agreement/understanding/systems (for example, agreed note of visit (NOV) forms for SIPs)
• All Raising Attainment Plans are quality assured by a senior LA officer
• Strong leadership within the schools has been supported through the primary leadership programme (all Hard to Shift headteachers have been on the programme)
• Quality of dialogue with school leaders. Consultants, SIPs, Schools Improvement Advisors (SIAs) all have the same conversation with the schools, all about ISP topics
• The LA 'protects' ISP heads and takes care not to overload them. For example, training for renewed frameworks, ISP headteachers made up their own cohort. In this way, the LA could tailor it to the needs of the group. For example, Gap task was focused firmly on raising attainment in mathematics and English. Other headteachers (non ISP) were given more freedom to choose the gap task group etc.
• Established non-negotiables and set deadline dates at the outset
• Non-negotiable is that all schools become SEAL schools
• ISP schools have set themselves up into three networks that meet termly and set their own agenda. Leader of the network feeds back to LA, and LA listens and acts where appropriate (for example, there has been a change to the headers on tracking grids).
• All ISP heads have additional continuing professional development half day together to look at impact, plan for next term and meet in larger group
• Headteachers trust the LA so there is a true partnership where the LA is not seen as hierarchical, but supports and challenges where necessary
• Headteachers are honest and open with LA about things that are successful and those that are not, enabling further improvement
• Alignment of support is ensured through regular, frequent, focused meetings
• Quality of consultants is excellent and is Quality Assured by Primary Strategy Manager (PSM) (all consultants spent two days teaching in schools in summer term observed by PSM). Feedback from schools on consultants' support is very good.
• Schools appreciate LA attendance at six weekly progress meetings
• Very focused, detailed deployment of consultants is directly linked to tariff and needs of school as shown by the analysis of the school data. Direct link to internal Red, Amber, Green (RAG) ratings
• Facility to respond to emergencies where required
• Most schools in LA have adopted ISP model
• ISP seen as underpinning school improvement and not an additional 'bolt on.' RAPs are the school improvement plans.

Acknowledgements and thanks

Dot Hulley at Stoke on Trent LA, who gave so freely and generously of her time in the preparation for the meeting and provided such detailed and pertinent information and data.

Headteachers and staff at the three schools cited in the case studies.