Introducing the Harrow School Improvement Partnership
Introduction
The Harrow School Improvement Partnership is a dynamic initiative to ensure that schools in Harrow have access to high quality, locally available school improvement provision. The Partnership is led by schools for schools. It is a collaboration between educational professionals committed to excellence. HSIP operates rigorous Quality Assurance to ensure that all support is delivered by high calibre, experienced and credible professionals. Provision offered is sufficiently broad and flexible to respond to, and meet, individual school needs. As well as access to central CPD, schools can engage with a range of bespoke programmes of support. For example support with robust school self evaluation, strategic planning for improvement and ensuring outstanding teaching and learning.
Our ambition
The ambition of the Harrow School Improvement Partnership is that 100% of schools in Harrow are good or above and at least 60% are outstanding by September 2013. HSIP will deliver:
• high quality, locally available school improvement support that is best value and cost effective • rigorous quality assurance and needs analysis
• evidence of impact on improvements
leading to improved outcomes for children and young people, and their families and communities.
Delivering best value
The school improvement provision available seeks to ensure best value and cost effectiveness. The charges for provision have been carefully calculated to ensure that these are kept to a minimum.
HSIP and Harrow Council
Until 31st August 2011, the Achievement and Inclusion Service of Harrow Council was responsible for providing school improvement activities, both statutory and non-statutory, to Harrow schools. The Harrow School Improvement Partnership has been established through collaboration between Primary and Special schools in Harrow in order to ensure that high quality, locally available school improvement provision continues to be delivered.
Harrow Council will commission from the Partnership school improvement support and challenge for all schools but particularly for those causing concern. Harrow Council, through its newly established service ESSO (Education Strategy and School Organisation) is responsible for statutory activities including place planning, admissions and monitoring of school performance.
School Improvement Activities
Advice
Our Senior School Improvement Advisers provide high quality support and challenge to schools. They have a passion for raising standards and improving learning, working effectively with headteachers, governors and school staff. As well as delivering general school improvement advice, our Senior School Improvement Advisers provide Governing Body training, headteacher performance management, inspection support and whole school reviews. Schools are also able to commission reviews on specific areas such as safeguarding, equalities, deployment of support staff or PE and wellbing. Our Leadership and Professional Development Adviser offers high quality advice and support about Leadership and succession planning as well as support and induction training for new NQT Induction Tutors. Our Curriculum Advisers provide high quality support and challenge to school staff in English, Mathematics, SEN, Early Years and PE. School focused training can be made available from all our Advisers. Some packages of support are described within CPD Online. Bespoke support in a range of other areas of expertise can be requested.
Brokered support
Schools can seek bespoke support that addresses their needs and priorities. Our Senior School Improvement Advisers will work with schools to plan a comprehensive package of bespoke support which may include the following.
ASTs (Advanced Skills Teachers) work with Harrow’s school staff to deliver bespoke support, which
helps to raise teaching and learning standards in Harrow schools. With the objective of securing the best possible outcomes for children and young people by promoting excellence, they support teaching and share best practice.
External Consultancy is offered where schools have specific and specialised needs which cannot be
delivered either by professionals within the Partnership or by the Harrow Knowledge Centres. This support is delivered by our Associate Network of External Consultants who have been through our rigorous quality assurance process and who will be commissioned to ensure that these schools’ needs are met.
School to School support is delivered through Harrow’s Knowledge Centres which are centres of
expertise and outstanding practice in their specialist areas. They have a proven track record of securing improved outcomes for young people. Harrow Knowledge Centres offer flexible, up-to-date support from current practitioners through seminars and training opportunities as well as through bespoke support.
NLEs and LLEs the Harrow School Improvement Partnership is able to signpost to NLEs and LLEs on
the National Registers.
Central CPD Training
The CPD programme offered is based on an annual audit and analysis of the needs and priorities of schools within Harrow and the emerging national policies affecting schools. A range of opportunities are on offer, many of which are delivered by our Senior School Improvement Advisers and Curriculum Advisers. Emphasis on and commitment to school to school support is reflected in the many opportunities available for schools to learn from each other. All CPD provision is quality assured and
Seminars, conferences and meetings
We offer a wide range of seminars, conferences and meetings to meet the school improvement needs of our schools. Our Headteacher and Senior Leader seminars focus on national and local
developments and we provide regular meetings for Leaders of English, Mathematics, SEN, PE, RE and Early Years, as well as others where capacity allows. Our Knowledge Centres deliver a full programme of seminars for school staff which, in many cases, leads to more bespoke support.
General activities
Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher Recruitment can be provided through the HSIP which
includes professional advice from our Senior School Improvement Advisers and full administrative support from highly skilled Business Support Officers.
A Partnership Bulletin is published on a regular basis.
Voting rights are available to all Members of the HSIP regarding key decisions affecting the strategic
direction of the Partnership.
Additional Support
Governor support, NQT induction support and Primary Pool provision are three additional
Delivery and Quality Assurance
Use of CPD Online
CPD Online is a website through which staff in schools and other settings can access the range of professional development opportunities offered by the Harrow School Improvement Partnership. CPD Online provides the tool for schools and individual staff to use to search for courses, log in and book online, and access any available pre-course materials and information. Course delegates are able to view their courses, submit a course evaluation and print a certificate of attendance. Although CPD Online predominantly provides access to central courses, it is being developed as a vehicle for school to school support and for access to all our school improvement activities.
Quality Standards for our Educational Professionals
The Harrow School Improvement Partnership operates rigorous Quality Assurance to ensure that all support is delivered by high calibre, experienced and credible professionals. External Consultants are invited to apply to join our Associate Network of External Consultants (ANEC) through a fair and thorough selection process. All our Providers, whether internal or external, are expected to reflect in their work the National Standards for Educational Improvement Professionals published by the Association of Professionals in Education and Children’s Trusts (Aspect), and provide schools with a report of any work undertaken.
Quality Standards when delivering provision
All our providers, whether internal or external, are expected to meet Quality Standards set out below. - Preparation and Planning: Providers will draw on up to date knowledge of their subject/aspect to
inform the support, advice and training they offer. Any pre-reading for participants will be made available. Handouts will be available as appropriate.
- Punctuality: Sessions will start and finish on time (unless negotiated with participants). Breaks during the session will be brief and refreshments/lunch will be provided as agreed.
- Pedagogy: A combination of presentation, discussions and group work will be used. Providers will ensure the methodology used meets the specific needs of the range of participants.
- Participation: Participants will be encouraged to contribute to discussions and group work. As far as possible any special needs or potential barriers to learning will be addressed.
- Procedures for Evaluation: The intended outcomes for provision are identified prior to delivery and
school staff are asked to evaluate all provision, based on the intended outcomes, for learning and impact as detailed in CPD Online’s Wheel of Impact. These evaluations will be available to our Providers, our schools and will be presented to the Harrow School Improvement Partnership in June of each year.
Subscriptions and charges
The following subscriptions and charges apply for the academic year 2011-12
Annual Subscriptions
Full Membership: £5000
Available to primary and special schools in Harrow.
Full Members receive up to 8 days of school improvement support at no additional charge as well as 20% off course and advice
charges and free training, advice and support from Harrow Knowledge Centres.
Associate Membership: £2500
Available to high schools and academies in Harrow and, subject to capacity, schools and academies beyond Harrow
Associate Members receive up to 3 half days of school improvement support at no additional charge as well as 10% off course and advice charges and free training from Harrow
Knowledge Centres
Course Charges
Full day: £160 Half day: £95 Twilight/meeting: £60
Advice Charges
Full day: £600 Half day: £300 Twilight/meeting: £200
Additional charges for schools in Harrow
For weekend advice/training: £100
Additional charges for schools beyond Harrow
An additional charge of 20% will be applied to schools beyond Harrow. Additional charge applied to bespoke support: Negotiable
Further information
How to purchase Membership and Additional Areas of Support
For information about joining the Harrow School Improvement Partnership, please contact Nicole Jacobs:
By mail:
Harrow School Improvement Partnership Harrow Teachers’ Centre
Tudor Road Harrow HA3 5PQ By email: [email protected] By phone: 020 8736 6524
How to join our Associate Network of External Consultants
We invite Expressions of Interest from high calibre individuals who are interested in joining our Associate Network of External Consultants. Please visit CPD Online at
http:/cpd.harrowschools.org.uk for further information.
How to purchase CPD Online
Local authorities and independent organisations interested in purchasing CPD Online are welcome to contact Nicole Jacobs for further information (please see above for details).
