School Improvement Offer

Member schools, in return for an annual subscription fee, have access to a core offer of high-quality school improvement support designed in consultation with Headteachers.

Challenge and Support

THE Partnership offers challenge and support to all schools, regardless of where they are in their improvement journey. For each school this includes:

Leadership Consultancy

Our philosophy and approach are that this is done with and not to Headteachers as part of our commitment to building a collaborative partnership with schools.  Whilst we have a broad outline of a potential school improvement programme to help frame the work, we are committed to the philosophy of a co-constructed approach, underpinned by a coaching model, so that we are working with school leaders to develop the school-led system.

• 1.5 days per year (one half-day visit per term)
• For newly appointed Headteachers and those in their second year this increases to 3 days a year (6 half-day visits)
• The first visit includes a diagnostic review to establish and agree priorities for the year ahead

Executive Coaching for Headteachers

At THE Partnership we believe in the transformational impact of coaching. Given the significant challenges and pressures that Headteachers continue to be under in 2021, we will be providing access to coaching as part of our core offer this year.

• All Headteachers will be offered the opportunity to work with one of our approved Leadership Coaches with an entitlement to three 75-90min coaching sessions conducted online or face to face
• New Headteachers or those in their second year of headship will be entitled to three additional coaching sessions conducted online or face to face

Data Analysis in 2021-22

We understand the importance of robust and accurate data analysis to support you in identifying school improvement priorities. Our offer will include:

• Data headlines for all secondary member schools (by the end of August)
• Given the current national context, there will not be any primary data packages this year

Risk Assessment

As part of our commissioned role, we carry out the risk assessment and monitoring function for the local authority for every school, regardless of whether they are members. This includes:

• A desktop analysis and review of a school’s data
• A comprehensive school risk assessment
• Where a school is receiving support through a Targeted Intervention Group (TIG) or Challenge and Support Group (C&S), a support plan will be agreed

Support, Advice and Guidance

We understand the importance of being able to get in touch to seek advice on a range of issues.  Our team will provide the support, advice and guidance you require or will signpost you to the right agencies or people to help support and guide you if they believe that is in your best interests.

Keeping in Touch/Communication

Our survey of member schools identified that the element that you valued the most during 2020 was THE Partnership keeping in regular touch and providing opportunities for you to keep in touch with each other. We will ensure this continues in 2021-22 through:

• Regular Keep in Touch (KiT) bulletins
• The fortnightly THEP Bulletin with information about training and events
• Regular THE Partnership Headteacher Meetings
• Headteacher virtual coffee mornings

Ofsted Inspection Support

In 2021-22, following the implementation of the most recent Ofsted Inspection Framework and our experience of how it is working in practice, we will continue to provide proactive support to member schools through:

• Ofsted Briefings and support, particularly for those schools anticipating an inspection
• Support for schools notified of inspection including:
• Initial telephone support when the inspection is announced
• Meeting with the Lead Inspector
• Attendance at the feedback meeting

Primary Assessment & Moderation

In order to support schools with statutory assessments in the primary phase, our team will provide advice and guidance throughout the year, including any updates and changes at a national level that schools may need to prepare for.

Our team will keep schools informed regarding statutory monitoring and moderation and provide materials for schools to support in the moderation process.

Brokering School-to-School Support

We believe that a school-led system is the best way to improve outcomes for all young people in Tower Hamlets and so, if the need arises, we can use our knowledge of all member schools to broker school-to-school support, finding the best partnership for you.

Integrated Early Years’ Service Offer

For member schools with early years’ provision, we will provide:

• EYFSP moderation in 25% of schools and childcare settings
• One day’s free consultancy following an inspection, if required
• EYFSCo briefings to provide national policy updates, research information and the opportunity to hear about and share exciting early years’ innovations
• IEYS advice for schools wishing to admit eligible 2 year olds

Knowledge Exchange and Collaborative Research

We are committed to promoting collaboration and joint practice development between schools particularly where they may be working on similar projects or tackling common challenges.  Learning with, and from, each other is a cornerstone of our work as a professional learning community and helps build capacity in the system.  We have almost 100 schools, all with exemplary practice to share. 

Peer Review

We believe that schools thrive when they learn from and with each other in a spirit of trust and collaboration. Peer review is integral to effective collaboration and is complementary to other components of the core service offer.  In 2021-22, our Peer Review Model will focus on a thematic approach to facilitate sharing practice and learning from each other collaboratively.

• All member schools are strongly encouraged to play an active role in a Peer Review process
• We will facilitate groups of schools and leaders who wish to explore a particular theme of school improvement in-depth, similar to the Remote Learning Peer Review groups in spring 2021.

Network Meetings

We can leverage the support of our wider network to share good practice, build expertise and keep up to date with the latest developments in curriculum areas.  Leadership networks provide the space for colleagues to challenge and support each other.  All network meetings provide excellent professional learning and information sharing opportunities and include:

• Primary subject and phase networks
• Secondary subject networks
• Leadership networks

Curriculum Projects and Research

We believe in the value of evidence-based school improvement strategies and will seek out and create opportunities for schools to be involved in a range of projects. Over the last two years, our member schools have had the opportunity to participate in grammar, oracy, mathematics, science, history and geography projects and research undertaken in some of these projects has been published and disseminated.  It is our intention to offer further project opportunities to our member schools in 2021-22.

Think Tanks & Roundtable Discussions

We will provide opportunities to engage in Think Tanks and collaborative Roundtable events and, where possible, include leading educationalists and policy makers.

Professional Learning and Leadership

We are committed to creating an environment where Tower Hamlets is the best place in the country to grow and be challenged as a leader and teacher. To this end, we are committed to designing and offering a high-quality professional learning offer for all our schools. Alongside our bespoke programmes, included in the Professional Learning Offer, we will provide the following opportunities through the core offer as well as having a regular input into Phase meetings, THEP Headteacher meetings and the KiT Bulletin.

Headteachers’ Conference

We are delighted to work together with the Headteacher Committee in supporting the annual Tower Hamlets Headteachers’ Conference.  The programme for 2021 will be decided later in the year but we will work with the Headteachers’ Committee to provide another strong line-up and we will continue to subsidise the cost of attending for Headteachers of member schools. Our aim is to run one residential conference and one online conference per year if current restrictions allow.

Spotlight

Following the success of these events in 2020-21, we will continue to run them next year. The aim of Spotlight events is to bring colleagues together to explore an element of leadership thinking and current research in-depth. These online, 60-90min events help us to feed our leadership learning and share ideas with colleagues in breakout rooms. At a time when so much of our energy gets drawn down and in, Spotlights are designed to help you look up and out.

Governor Development

We work in partnership with Tower Hamlets Governor Services to offer professional learning for Governors focusing on Leadership and School Improvement. This includes:

• Holding the school to account: data, evidence, support and challenge
• How to understand finance
• Understanding Ofsted
• Workshops at the Annual Governors Conference