I N S P E

AUDIT COMMISSION

O F F I C E F O R S T A N D A R D S I N E D U C A T I O N

p.1

CONTENTS Paragraphs

Section 2: The Performance of Schools 31-37

p.2

CONTENTS Paragraphs

Section 5: Services LEA Support for Improvement in Standards, Quality and Management 114-218

p.2

CONTENTS Paragraphs

Appendix 1: Statistical Data: Context of the LEA area Appendix 2: The Performance of Maintained Schools

p.2

INTRODUCTION

1. This inspection was carried out by OFSTED in conjunction with the Audit Commission under Section 38 of the Education Act 1997. The inspection used the Framework for the Inspection of Local Education Authorities, which focuses on the effectiveness of local education authority (LEA) work to support school improvement. In addition to the standard themes the inspection covered LEA support for: pupils with special educational needs in secondary and special schools; assessment, recording and reporting in primary schools; information technology in primary and secondary schools.

p.3

INTRODUCTION

2. The inspection was in two stages. An initial review, carried out in January 1998, established a picture of the LEA’s context, the performance of its schools, its strategy and the management of services. The initial review was based on data, some of which was provided by the LEA, on school inspection and audit reports, on documentation and on discussions with LEA members, staff in the Education Department and in other Council departments and representatives of the LEA’s partners. In addition, a questionnaire seeking views on aspects of the LEA’s work was sent to 105 schools.

p.3

INTRODUCTION

3. The second stage of the inspection, carried out in March 1998, involved studies of the effectiveness of particular aspects of the LEA’s work through visits to 39 schools. The visits tested the views of governors, headteachers and other staff on aspects of the LEA’s strategy. The visits also considered whether the support provided by the LEA contributes to the discharge of the LEA’s statutory duties, is effective in contributing to improvements in the school and provides value for money.

p.3

INTRODUCTION

4. This report draws on material from the initial review, from the school survey and from the school visits, together with evidence relevant to the themes drawn from recent HMI visits to Surrey schools.

p.3

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5. There is much that Surrey LEA does very well; it has many strengths and relatively few weaknesses.

p.4

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

6. Surrey is an affluent area. The mean average household income is the highest for any shire county in England and the rate of unemployment is the lowest in the UK. As in most areas, there are pockets of poverty and some sharp contrasts in the intakes of schools but few wards have high levels of deprivation.

p.4

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

7. Given Surrey’s socio-economic advantages, its schools should perform well and, in general, they do. National Curriculum and General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) results are well above national averages and compare favourably with those in similar authorities. The rate of improvement, starting from a high base, has been in line with national trends and sometimes above them. The proportion of Surrey schools judged to be good or very good in OFSTED inspections is above that found nationally.

p.4

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

8. However, a significant minority of schools is underachieving - some 1 5-20 per cent on the LEA’s estimate. They are mainly, but not exclusively, schools which have results well below the average for the county. Schools which already achieve well in absolute terms are frequently those which are also showing the faster rates of improvement - with the obvious consequence that the gap between the best and the worst performing schools is widening. There is also a small group of schools which achieve results in line with or above national averages but in which pupils do not make the progress they should.

p.4

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

9. Among the LEA’s many strengths is that it knows about the performance of its schools and is not complacent about their standards. Councillors and senior officers are open about their concern for under-performing schools and reflect it in public documents. A key first step in the LEA’s improvement strategy has been to make schools aware of where under-performance is evident.

p.4

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

10. Knowing about the state of schools is one thing; helping them to improve is another. Here again the LEA has strengths:

p.4

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• schools have benefited form the Council’s substantial funding for the early years, primary education and pupils with special education needs;

p.4

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• schools are supportive of the LEA’s priorities, most of which have been pursued over number of years;

p.4

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• relationships with schools are generally good and have been improved in the past two years through better consultation procedures;

p.4

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• liaison with other services and agencies has been strengthened in recent years and is often good. 11. A key factor is that the services the LEA provides are generally of good quality, enabling schools to function efficiently and focus attention on improvement. For example, schools are provided with sophisticated management and performance data to help them analyse their strengths and weaknesses; there has been sustained and effective support for improving reading in primary schools; there is a helpful basis for the assessment of pupils and generally sound support for pupils with special educational needs. Professional development courses and support in schools have helped improvement in a range of areas. The consultants attached to schools are often effective in helping schools devise and implement self-improvement strategies. Support for newly qualified teachers is generally very well regarded and there is

p.4

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

sound advice for dealing with issues relating to teacher competency. A range of services provide good support for senior managers and governing bodies.

p.5

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

12. Within this generally positive picture, the inspection found some weaknesses in the LEA’s work: the lack of a clear definition of the partnership between the LEA and its schools; shortcomings in strategic planning and the structure to implement it; and inconsistencies in the quality of support provided to schools.

p.5

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

13. The LEA has a clear set of objectives which reflect corporate and national priorities; most have been implemented over several years and are broadly supported by schools. The LEA is now in the process of redefining its role in the light of central government policy and a change of local administration. The LEA is well advanced in its thinking. Its draft education development plan sets out how it sees its new role, although the statement needs elaboration and there are some tensions to resolve. There is a strong emphasis on working in partnership with schools and other providers and there was evidence of this being promoted through improved consultation arrangements and working relationships. But it has not gone beyond this to define responsibilities and accountabilities in the partnership precisely. This is reflected in the concern felt by some headteachers and governors that the increased emphasis on diversity

p.5

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

would undermine the partnership among schools. Similarly, the LEA sees a role for itself in intervening in schools where there are concerns, but it has not yet fully defined or negotiated the exact nature of this intervention. It is also reflected in the difficulties the LEA has encountered in gaining the full support of schools for its policy of inclusion for pupils with special educational needs in mainstream schools.

p.5

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

14. There are also some weaknesses in the LEA’s strategic planning. Individual service plans interpret the objectives set by the LEA but there has not been a central plan of action to guide service operation and the allocation of resources. This has led to some inconsistency in how the objectives have been pursued. In its form at the time of the inspection the draft education development plan only went some way towards remedying this. There has also been a lack of centrally defined objective targets against which progress on service plans can be monitored. Several aspects of the department have been subject to external evaluation but there has not been comprehensive reporting on the performance of education services to councillors. 15. Anomalies in the structure of the department reduce the status and coherence of the LEA’s strategy for school improvement. The Curriculum and Management Consultancy is the

p.5

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

main service providing direct support to school improvement, it is managed by a third tier officer who is not part of the department’s strategy group. It is also disconnected from other coverage of quality and performance within the department, including the three Education Partnership Officers, whose role in the co-ordination and promotion of school improvement is not clear.

p.6

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

16. While services provided by the LEA are often very effective, there is some variation in quality. Schools also vary in their ability to take advantage of the provision. Good schools tended to make the most effective use of services. This was because they were able to identify their needs and made sure that the LEA support was tailored to meet them. While there was evidence of effective support in schools identified by the LEA as causing serious concern, there were also schools that needed some external help but had not sought it or been provided with it by the LEA. In a minority of schools, the help provided had not proved effective because it did not match the needs of the school.

p.6

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

17. All schools have an attached consultant. The inspection found they were often effective and sometimes outstandingly so in helping headteachers develop self-evaluation and improvement strategies, co-ordinating appropriate support for the school and monitoring progress on post-inspection action and school development plans. Their practice was often worthy of being shared more widely. However, in a minority of schools the impact of consultants was limited because headteachers lacked confidence in their expertise or because they failed to ask sufficiently rigorous questions about the performance of the school and what was being done to improve it. In a number of schools there had been too many changes of attached consultant to ensure continuity and this sometimes occurred at a crucial stage in the schools’ development. In some cases consultants do not engage enough with governors.

p.6

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

18. There are other areas considered in the inspection in which the LEA can improve its contribution:

p.6

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• the LEA is rightly increasing its help for schools requiring special measures and those experiencing serious difficulties through its Early Identification and Support Programme. While there was evidence in the inspection of the effectiveness of the programme, the criteria for intervention are not yet defined sharply enough and there is a danger of limited resources being spread too thinly. In a few cases, schools with difficulties are not being identified early enough.

p.6

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• the LEA provides sound annual information to schools on their financial position, but does not have adequate systems to identify schools that will be faced with future budget pressures. Relatively few schools have got into serious financial difficulties but earlier warning and support by the LEA would have reduced this • the identification and assessment of pupils with special educational needs are good. Standards and quality of provision in schools were found to be generally satisfactory. The LEA has identified an appropriate set of priorities and there has been some progress made in meeting these but there is still much to do. The resources available to the LEA for special educational needs are not yet sufficiently aligned to priorities.

p.6

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• the rate of permanent exclusions from secondary schools is similar to that found nationally and the proportion of pupils being reintegrated to mainstream schools is relatively low. The LEA maintains a large number of pupil referral units (PRUs) and this results in resources, including staffing expertise, being too widely dispersed and also makes effective on-site management difficult. Some of the PRUs are being used inappropriately for pupils on a long term basis.

p.7

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• LEA support to literacy in primary schools has been generally effective, particularly in relation to developing reading, but it has been less effective in secondary schools. There has been very little work done by the LEA on numeracy, although some support in mathematics has been effective. Support for information technology has often been effective but has suffered through a lack of personnel and has not overcome weaknesses in some schools in policy and strategy.

p.7

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• during their visits to schools, HMI found examples of excellent practice in teaching, management and other aspects of work but these were rarely shared with other schools. Schools were often keen to share good practice but were not aware of any arrangements for doing so, although in a few schools the attached consultant made a contribution in this respect.

p.7

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

19. In summary, then, the LEA has largely been effective in supporting improvement but there is scope for development, particularly in those schools which are underachieving and need more help to progress. The LEA is aware of this need and can work confidently on meeting it in the knowledge that much it already has in place is of real benefit and that its plans for the future are positive.

p.7

A. In order to clarify its future role in relation to schools, the LEA should:

(i) define more precisely its relationship with schools by agreeing mutual responsibilities and accountabilities;

p.7

A. In order to clarify its future role in relation to schools, the LEA should:

(ii) define more sharply, in consultation with schools, how and when it intends to intervene to support schools;

p.7

B. In order to improve strategic planning, the LEA should:

(i) put in place a central plan of action to implement the LEA’s objectives more consistently and to guide the allocation of resources;

p.8

B. In order to improve strategic planning, the LEA should:

(ii) develop more objective and quantitative targets to assess progress on its key priorities;

p.8

B. In order to improve strategic planning, the LEA should:

iii. ensure more coherence in quality assurance, inspection and advice and the development of performance data by bringing them together in the organisational structure and giving them more direct representation in the strategic planning forum; iv. clarify the role of education partnership officers in relation to schools.

p.8

the LEA should:

(I) monitor the quality and effectiveness of their work; (ii) develop, where necessary, their expertise in analysing performance, monitoring progress on action plans and suggesting strategies for improvement; (iii) ensure that they provide headteachers and chairs of governors with evaluative reports after visits to schools.

p.8

D. In order to improve further the quality of support for schools, the LEA should:

(i) establish ways of disseminating examples of existing good practice in teaching and management; (ii) help secondary schools to develop effective strategies for literacy; develop a strategy for supporting numeracy; (iv) help schools to develop effective strategies for promoting information technology; (v) sharpen the criteria for including schools in its Early Identification and Support Programme; (vi) focus support on schools which are underachieving and not making satisfactory progress towards agreed targets. (vii) monitor school budgets more closely to identify potential difficulties as soon as possible.

p.8

should:

(i) develop a better understanding in schools of its policy of inclusion and clarify the responsibilities of the LEA and schools in its implementation; (ii) ensure that the allocation of resources is aligned with the priorities of inclusion, prevention and early intervention; iii. clarify the status of a residential special school

p.9

F In order to improve the support for excluded pupils, the LEA should:

i. review the long term placement of statemented pupils in Pupil Referral Units (PRUs); (ii) develop clear agreements with schools over the reintegration and placement of excluded and dual registered pupils; iii. consolidate the resources and expertise available in PRUs and provide more effective on-site management

p.9

SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTEXT

20. Surrey is an affluent county. The mean average household income is the highest for any shire or unitary authority in England, and the rate of unemployment is the lowest in the UK. The proportions of adults with higher education qualifications and in social classes I and II are well above the national figures. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below the national average. However, there are some sharp contrasts in the socio-economic characteristics of the intakes of schools. Approximately one in five schools are in wards with below the national average proportion of adults with higher education qualifications and almost one in ten schools has above the national average proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals. However, relatively few wards have levels of social deprivation which are high in the national context.

p.10

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PUPIL POPULATION

21. Surrey is a large education authority with 130,283 pupils on role in maintained schools (September 1997). Just under 5 per cent of primary aged pupils and just under 15 per cent of secondary aged pupils are educated in grant maintained (GM) schools. In addition, 20 per cent of secondary schools attend independent schools, well above the national average. Approximately 1.5 per cent of pupils are educated in Surrey maintained special schools and a further 341 pupils are educated in out of county or independent special schools. 3.1 per cent of primary aged pupils and 5.7 per cent of secondary aged pupils have statements of special educational needs compared with 2.6 per cent and 4.1 per cent nationally. (LEA figures for January 1997 are 1.1 per cent of the maintained primary population, 0.86% of maintained secondary population, not including special schools). Pupils of ethnic origin represent 3.9 per

p.10

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PUPIL POPULATION

cent of all pupils compared to 10.6 per cent nationally. In 1996, 77 per cent of sixteen year olds continued in full-time education.

p.10

ORGANISATION OF SCHOOLS

Nursery 5 0 5 Infant 116 3 119 First 5 4 9 Junior 57 9 66 Primary 129 6 135 Secondary (11-16) 19 4 23 Secondary (11-18) 16 14 30 Special 25 0 25 PRU 13 0 13 TOTAL 385 40 425

p.11

ORGANISATION OF SCHOOLS

22. Nearly all schools are co-educational and all are comprehensive although partial selection operates in some grant maintained schools. Fifty-six schools have nursery provision. There are five hearing impaired units, ten special needs support units, catering for a range of special educational needs including physical disability, five visually impaired units, 11 units for language disorder and eight for literacy difficulties catering for 497 pupils within 38 schools.

p.11

ORGANISATION OF SCHOOLS

23. The proportion of classes with more than 30 pupils is below the national average at Key Stage 1 and substantially below it at Key Stage 2. The pupil-teacher ratio in 1996/97 was below the national average in primary schools and slightly above it in secondary schools.

p.11

RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THE LEA

24. The table shows that Surrey LEA’s expenditure on e standard spending assessment (SSA) by a considerable amount in the past three years but the 1998/99 expenditure is below SSA..

p.12

RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THE LEA

SSA for Education Net Expenditure on Education 1995/96 £299.4m £306.5m 1996/97 £307.5m £317.6m 1997/98 £312.lm £320.9m 1998/99 £338.4m £336.Om

p.12

RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THE LEA

25. The table below shows that Surrey’s expenditure per pupil in LEA schools above that of similar authorities (referred to as ‘statistical neighbours’) and other counties with the extra expenditure being focused on pupils between the ages and those over 16. A separate analysis shows that Surrey’s ratio of spending £1.19 per secondary pupil to every £1.00 per primary pupil was the second in the country in 1 996/97, and compared to a national average of £1 35.

p.12

average

pupils under 5 £1854 £1912 £1865 primary pupils 5 & over £1771 £1664 £1653 secondary pupils under 16 £2155 £2169 £2188 secondary pupils 16 & over £3311 £3079 £3139 Source: Local Authority Performance Indicators, Audit Commission 1998

p.12

average

26. In 1997/98, the LEA delegated 90.9 per cent of the potential schools budget, close to the average level of delegation for English counties. In addition, a further set of services representing about one per cent of the budget are devolved to schools by separate allocations

p.12

THE STRUCTURE OF THE LEA AND THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

27. The Education Committee is one of nine committees of the County Council. The director is the lead officer for both the Education and Community Services Committees. He is a member of the Officer Board; this facilitates the development by Members of the strategic direction for the authority and acts as the senior management team for the Council. Forty per cent of the Directors time is dedicated to corporate affairs. There is an appropriate and regular cycle of meetings of the Education Committee. 28. The Education Committee has one sub-committee, the education cases review sub- committee, which determines all appeals made against of education or representations arising from the implementation of the Council’s approved policies. There are currently three member task groups which do not have decision making powers: school effectiveness and improvement; budget monitoring; school places. In addition there is a social services and education children’s

p.12

THE STRUCTURE OF THE LEA AND THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

panel which advises on cross-service issues.

p.13

THE STRUCTURE OF THE LEA AND THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

29. LEA officers are organised into four sectors with a second tier officer responsible for each sector. This structure has been in place since April 1997 and marks a change from the previous structure which was based on a client/provider relationship and management by contract. The current structure is built on the principle of integrated management and seeks to foster closer links with social services and community services. The four sectors are: schools branch; education children’s services branch; quality and performance team; community services branch.

p.13

THE STRUCTURE OF THE LEA AND THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

30. The Director and second tier officers provide strategic direction for the department through a strategy group which meets fortnightly. The group prepares policy advice for members, sets objectives for services and reviews the performance of services. A particular focus is the review of the performance of undertaken by the Curriculum and Management Consultancy (CMC).

p.13

SECTION 2: THE PERFORMANCE OF SCHOOLS

31. The following summary refers to all maintained schools, including grant maintained schools, in Surrey. The data used in this section is illustrative. Further details on the performance of Surrey schools are contained in Appendix 1.

p.14

SECTION 2: THE PERFORMANCE OF SCHOOLS

32. Attainment on entry to infant and primary schools inspected in Surrey is in general

p.14

above national expectations in most schools but there is wide variation between

33. Evidence from OFSTED inspections indicates that pupils enter most infant and primary schools with levels of attainment above national expectations. The LEA has undertaken baseline screening and assessment of five year olds since 1993. This shows wide variation in the attainment of pupils between schools. Boys, pupils English as an additional language and pupils eligible for free school meals on average have lower levels of attainment than girls, monolingual pupils and pupils not for free school meals.

p.14

34. Attainment remains above or well above national averages throughtout compulsory

education and is in line with LEA areas with similar socio-economic characteristics.

p.14

However, a minority of schools have levels of attainment national averages and there is

a wide range of performance which increases the key stages.

p.14

However, a minority of schools have levels of attainment national averages and there is

• In national curriculum tests and teacher assessments the proportion of pupils attaining the national expectation or higher at each key stage is above or well above the national average in English, mathematics and science.

p.14

However, a minority of schools have levels of attainment national averages and there is

• In 1997, Surrey was ranked in the top 10 per cent of LEA areas on the performance of schools in the key stage 2 English and mathematics tests in terms of the proportion of pupils attaining level 4 and above. The proportion of pupils attaining level 5 and above was seven percentage points higher in English and almost six percentage points higher in mathematics than the national average.

p.14

However, a minority of schools have levels of attainment national averages and there is

• The proportion achieving level 4 was below the national average in approximately 16 per cent of schools in English and almost 20 per cent in mathematics. There was substantial variation in a minority of schools between the performance of pupils in English compared with their performance in mathematics.

p.14

However, a minority of schools have levels of attainment national averages and there is

• In 1997, the proportion of pupils achieving five or more passes at grades A*-C was almost 9 percentage points better than the national average for similar LEAs. In 1997, 93.6 per cent of pupils achieved five or more passes at grades A*-G compared to 88.5 per cent nationally. However, the proportion of pupils gaining five or more passes at grades A*-C in 1997 was below the national average in just over a quarter of schools. In 1996, 20 per cent of schools had average GCSE point scores below the national average. A significant number of these schools had above the LEA average proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals.

p.14

However, a minority of schools have levels of attainment national averages and there is

35. Levels of attainment have generally risen at or above the national rate of improvement.

p.15

However, a minority of schools have levels of attainment national averages and there is

• The proportion of pupils attaining level 4 and above in Key Stage 2 tests rose by 16.3 percentage points (from 58.1 to 74.4 per cent) in English and by 20.3 percentage points (from 50.4 to 70.7 per cent) in mathematics between 1995 and 1997. The national rates of increase were 1 5 percentage points in English and 20 percentage points in mathematics.

p.15

However, a minority of schools have levels of attainment national averages and there is

• The proportion of pupils attaining five or more grades A*~C rose from 48.6 per cent in 1994 to 52.1 per cent in 1997, an increase of 3.5 percentage points compared to the national increase of 2.6 and 1.8 percentage points in similar LEA areas. Average GCSE points scores rose in line with the national trend.

p.15

However, a minority of schools have levels of attainment national averages and there is

36. There is wide variation in the rate of improvement between schools in both the

p.15

primary and secondary phases. A significant proportion of schools making slow

progress also have relatively low overall levels of attainment.

p.15

primary and secondary phases. A significant proportion of schools making slow

• Approximately 20 per cent of schools did not show a general improvement between 1994 and 1997 in the proportion of pupils achieving five or more passes at grades A*~C and 20 per cent of schools did not improve their average GCSE point scores.

p.15

primary and secondary phases. A significant proportion of schools making slow

• The LEA’s own value-added data indicates that a significant minority of primary and secondary schools are under-performing and that a high proportion of these are also schools which have relatively low overall levels of attainment.

p.15

primary and secondary phases. A significant proportion of schools making slow

37. The data from OFS TED inspections confirms that attainment is generally at or

p.15

schools but also a minority which are under-performing. Attendance is generally

good. Permanent exclusions are in line with the national average.

p.15

schools but also a minority which are under-performing. Attendance is generally

• The average grade for the quality of teaching was above the national average in both primary and secondary schools.

p.15

schools but also a minority which are under-performing. Attendance is generally

• Management and efficiency were judged to be good or very good in 78 per cent of primary schools and 82 per cent of secondary schools compared to 64 and 67 per cent nationally. • Four secondary schools, three special schools and nine primary schools have been listed in HMCI’s annual reports as being particularly successful. Five primary schools and two special schools have required special measures.

p.15

schools but also a minority which are under-performing. Attendance is generally

• Attendance in 1997 was 92.4 per cent, above the national average and in line with that in similar authorities. The rate of permanent exclusions from secondary schools in 1997 was almost the same as that found nationally but slightly above that of similar authorities.

p.16

ROLE AND PRIORITIES

38. The LEA is still in the process of defining precisely its new role in terms of responsibilities and accountabilities. It is yet to agree the details of its intervention strategy with schools or to establish fully its partnership with schools to implement its policies for special educational needs . However, there is a general acceptance by schools of the principles on which the LEA is seeking to establish its role.

p.17

ROLE AND PRIORITIES

39. The LEA has a clearly defined set of priorities which are generally supported by schools and most of which have been pursued successfully over a considerable period of time. They reflect national priorities, the corporate priorities of the local authority and the needs of schools. Relationships with schools are generally good and procedures for consultation have been strengthened in the past two years. There is now a clear and appropriate set of priorities for supporting pupils with special educational needs and some progress has been made on these but there is still much to do.

p.17

ROLE AND PRIORITIES

40. There are some weaknesses in strategic planning. The service level agreements between the department and the services interpret the objectives set by the LEA but there has not been a central plan of action to guide strategic thinking and the allocation of resources. There has also been a lack of centrally defined objective targets against which progress can be monitored. Several aspects of the department have been subject to external evaluation but there has not been comprehensive reporting on the performance of education services to members. Anomalies in the structure of the department reduce the status and coherence of the LEA’s strategy for school improvement.

p.17

Background

41. A new administration with an overall majority was elected in May 1 997 replacing the previous balanced Council. There have been three directors of education since 1 990 and the current director has been in post since March 1 996. At the time of the inspection, the corporate objectives and service plan for education established under the previous administration were still operational. In practice, officers were working to implement the corporate and education objectives set out in the document Surrey’s Way Ahead which were in the process of being ratified. At the same time, the LEA was also responding rapidly to the new and unfolding role being established for it by central government. The inspection team was aware that the details of the LEA’s strategies and policies were still evolving during the period of the inspection but reported on what was actually in place at the time. However, in visits to schools, the inspection

p.17

Background

team discussed both the priorities established under the previous administration and those of the current administration.

p.17

The role of the LEA

43. The role of the LEA is set out in the draft education development plan. It is seen as working in partnership with parents, teachers, governors, maintained and independent schools, the diocesan authorities, local businesses and other agencies to raise achievement. Schools are seen as self-managing and responsible for their own improvement. The LEA believes it has a responsibility to monitor the performance of all schools and to intervene where necessary. Like many other authorities, Surrey has still to define precisely what it means by partnership in terms of the responsibilities and accountabilities expected on the part of both the LEA and its schools. For example, it is not clear, except in very obvious cases, exactly when and how it intends to intervene in schools. Part of the consultation on the draft education development plan seeks the views of stakeholders on the notion of partnership and how it should be

p.18

The role of the LEA

developed to take a more active role in raising achievement.

p.18

Priorities and objectives

43. The current administration’s thinking on the strategic direction for the Council over the next four years is encapsulated in a document Surrey’s Way Ahead. Each service is required to set an aim and policy objectives which reflect the corporate policy themes. Each service then develops more detailed operational plans.

p.18

Priorities and objectives

44. The aim for education is “to ensure that each pupil reaches his or her full potential, and to secure the highest possible standards of attainment for all, through a broad and balanced school education which prepares pupils for the responsibilities and opportunities of adult life”. The five policy objectives to meet this aim are clearly linked to the corporate policy themes and also take account of those of central government. They are:

p.18

Priorities and objectives

• protecting school budgets as far as possible, giving them the maximum freedom to manage their own resources; • increasing diversity by encouraging schools to develop in the most appropriate way; • leading and supporting the drive for higher standards, in partnership with parents and schools; in particular by agreeing targets for improvement, publicising school achievement and tackling poor performance;

p.18

Priorities and objectives

• working with Church authorities and other providers to maximise effectiveness and seeking extra funding from non-Government sources; • promoting and recognising the professionalism of teachers and maintaining a • high-quality teaching force. 45. The education policy objectives defined in Surrey’s WayAhead will replace those which have been operational under the service plan. The key objectives which have been pursued for several years are:

p.18

Priorities and objectives

• in partnership with schools, to promote and improve the quality of education measured against agreed targets;

p.19

Priorities and objectives

• to provide educational leadership and curriculum development;

p.19

Priorities and objectives

• to provide school places in a way that is cost-effective and consistent with offering the maximum level of parental preference;

p.19

Priorities and objectives

• to provide services and support for children and young adults throughout the continuum of special educational needs;

p.19

Priorities and objectives

• to develop and strengthen collaborative working with schools so that they regard local management in partnership with the LEA as the preferred option;

p.19

Priorities and objectives

• to extend and improve the provision of education for children under five;

p.19

Priorities and objectives

• to provide and promote opportunities for life-long learning and personal development;

p.19

Priorities and objectives

• to equip young adults with the knowledge and skills that meet the needs of work and the wider community.

p.19

Priorities and objectives

46. Priorities for education, both under the previous administration and under the current administration, are clear. The method of deriving the aim and objectives for the education department from the corporate policy themes is also clear. A strength has been that most priorities have been pursued over a considerable period of time and have not been subject to sudden changes of direction by members. The service plan, which has been in operation for some time, describes in general terms the key tasks which will occupy the education committee and department. The service level agreements with the various services within education interpret the objectives in detail. However, there has not been a central plan which sets out the actions the LEA intends taking to implement its objectives and to guide the strategic thinking of the services. Consequently, there has been variation in how vigorously and consistently the

p.19

Priorities and objectives

objectives have been pursued by different services.

p.19

Priorities and objectives

47. The lack of a central plan of action also makes it difficult, if not impossible, to allocate resources in anything other than a general way to meeting the objectives. The education service plan does identify where extra resources are available and where budget cuts are needed. However, it is left to the services to cost the implementation of the objectives. Support for special educational needs and primary education in general have been well funded in recent years. This to some extent reflects priorities but, in the case of special educational needs, has been primarily determined by increased demand. 48. The draft education development plan is a very recent document and has been subject to extensive consultation. It marks a shift in planning from management on the basis of contract to all services reflecting the corporate and departmental objectives. It reiterates the aims and objectives set out in Surrey’s Way Ahead, defines the role of the LEA, reviews the current

p.19

Priorities and objectives

performance of Surrey schools by key stage, proposes targets for improvement, provides a framework for raising achievement, outlines arrangements for monitoring and reviewing the plan and provides a summary action plan which includes basic resource implications. The educational development plan is intended to be more than an improvement plan by providing an overview of the contribution made by a range of services to raising achievement. However, at the time of the inspection it only went part of the way towards addressing the shortcomings identified in strategic planning.

p.20

School improvement strategy

49. The Surrey framework for raising achievement is set out in the draft education development plan although elements of the strategy have been in operation for several years. Its key components are: • the use of comparative performance data to monitor schools and provide them

p.20

School improvement strategy

• with the means to monitor their own performance and set targets

p.20

School improvement strategy

• help for schools to develop self-evaluation and improve performance; structured, preventive support for schools in difficulty;

p.20

School improvement strategy

• the use of national, regional and local frameworks to raise achievement.

p.20

School improvement strategy

50. Surrey has a well-established history of providing schools with good-quality performance data based on screening assessments and national tests. Schools are also provided with a detailed range of management data. The LEA has a clear strategy for supporting schools experiencing difficulties but this has not yet been formally negotiated with schools. The criteria for including schools in its support programme, apart from those identified through inspections as requiring special measures or with serious weakness, are not sharply defined. Part of the negotiations with schools on partnership will require agreement on the use of centrally held resources to support schools experiencing difficulties at the expense of other schools. For example, the intention from September 1 998 is to reduce the number of days of attached consultant time each school is entitled to and to use the time to provide more support to

p.20

School improvement strategy

51. There are some anomalies in the organisational structure of the department which result in a less coherent and weaker implementation of the LEA’s school improvement strategy. This is discussed further in section 4 of the report in a more detailed consideration of the work of the CMC. The effectiveness of LEA strategies is evaluated in section 5 of the report.

p.20

The LEA strategy for special educational needs

52. Support for pupils with special educational needs has been a priority for the LEA for several years. A high and growing level of resources, currently approximately a sixth of total LEA expenditure, is allocated to it. Despite careful monitoring, the budget in 1997-98 was overspent by £lm. Much of this is demand-led with overspends in the budgets for statementing, transport and the Home and Hospital Teaching and Behaviour Management Service (HHTBMS) being the main causes. There is strong pressure from members to bring the budget under control.

p.21

The LEA strategy for special educational needs

53. The LEA’s policy on special educational needs, which dates from 1 994, is comprehensive and broadly supports the principle of inclusion. The intentions of the LEA have recently been made clearer through the circulation of a draft development plan for special educational needs. A fundamental review of all local authority services, together with recommendations from the special educational needs Commission, working parties and consultancies, have resulted in clear and appropriate priorities for development. These include:

p.21

The LEA strategy for special educational needs

• reducing the need for placements which are made out-of-county;

p.21

The LEA strategy for special educational needs

• improving liaison between the Education, and Social Services departments and the Health Authority.

p.21

The LEA strategy for special educational needs

54. Some progress has been made on these priorities but there is still much to do. Despite a recent small decline in the number of statements of special educational needs issued, the proportion of pupils with statements remains higher than the national statistic. Referrals from schools for additional support and specialist provision have not decreased. A relatively high proportion of pupils with statements are placed in special schools. There has been a ten per cent reduction in the numbers of pupils placed out-of-county but the budget for such placements still exceeds £8m. The number of parental appeals on placement is high.

p.21

The LEA strategy for special educational needs

55. Initial steps have been taken to increase the awareness of schools of the policy of including pupils with special educational needs in mainstream schools. Conferences for headteachers of mainstream schools on the LEA’s strategy for special educational needs have been organised and there is increased consultation with heads of special schools. However, evidence from the schools visited indicates there is some way to go before the rationale and policy for inclusion are understood and fully accepted.

p.21

The LEA strategy for special educational needs

56. There has been some reduction in the rate of permanent exclusions but the rate in secondary schools remains close to the national average. A relatively small proportion of excluded pupils, just over a quarter, are reintegrated into mainstream schools. Between 350-400 pupils at any one time are formally dual registered at PRUs and schools. Only about half of these pupils are reintegrated into school within a year. In addition, 11 2 pupils are placed on a longer term basis in four pupil referral units. Referrals to the HHTBMS have increased by at least 20 per cent during the last academic year.

p.21

The LEA strategy for special educational needs

57. As yet, the LEA has not drafted a behaviour support plan but five major services (Educational Psychology Service; Education Welfare Service; Home and Hospital Teaching and Behaviour Management Service; Youth Service; and Curriculum and Management Counsultancy) have co-ordinated their support and have provided a clearer identification of the responsibilities for supporting schools to prevent exclusions.

p.22

The LEA strategy for special educational needs

58. In summary, the proposed developments for special educational needs will only be possible if there is a clearer partnership between the LEA and its schools. Schools, on the one hand, need to have a greater understanding of the LEA’s responsibilities, the realities of funding, the implications of policies and a willingness to accept responsibilities themselves. The LEA, on the other hand, needs to develop the trust of schools through clear leadership and better communication and to make sure the implementation of policies is well planned and appropriately supported.

p.22

Evaluating effectiveness

59. The service plan lacks sharply defined and objective targets against which progress can be monitored. There is a set of performance indicators but it is not clear how these are intended to be used to judge progress. The draft education development plan goes some way to addressing this issue in terms of pupil performance. Services establish their own sets of performance indicators and these vary in terms of challenge.

p.22

Evaluating effectiveness

60. The department has had several aspects of its services externally evaluated and reports are made to members either at committee or through the task groups. Members have also taken a direct interest in the performance of particular schools. Reports on the performance of individual services are made regularly to the strategy group but there has not been comprehensive reporting to committee on the overall performance and value for money of education services. In the past there has been an annual report to committee on the work of the department as a whole but this did not take place in 1 997 although the Fundamental Review, which examined all aspects of the service, was reported to members.

p.22

Evaluating effectiveness

61. The quality and performance team has been given a key role in securing a commitment to continuous improvement across the service. The team, at the time of the inspection, had not been in place long. While considerable progress has been made on establishing several important initiatives and ensuring that services have performance indicators in place, the overall monitoring and evaluating role of the team is less well established. A peculiarity in the structure of the department is that school performance data does not come within the remit of the quality and performance team. The role of Education Partnership Officers, located within the quality and performance team, in relation to schools is not clear. This is discussed further in section 4 of this report.

p.22

The schools’ response to the LEA strategy

62. The LEA makes substantial arrangements for consultation including representative groups from primary, secondary and special schools, unions and governors. These groups are well organised and the system of consultation is clear. Schools are kept informed about national and local developments through a regular and well presented bulletin. There is a clear structure of meetings for headteachers and chairs of governing bodies. In addition, there are regular meetings, known as ‘breakfast briefings’, for primary headteachers. The LEA has held meetings with the headteachers of grant maintained schools in an attempt to ‘rebuild bridges’ but formal consultation is still at an early stage of development.

p.23

The schools’ response to the LEA strategy

63. The survey of schools and discussions with headteachers and governors showed that schools generally had a good grasp of the main priorities of the LEA, particularly those which had been in place for a number of years. A small minority of schools were unclear about the priorities of the LEA. Headteachers and governors felt that there was a good level of consultation and that it had improved considerably in the past two years. Consultation groups were adamant that their role was more than a ‘rubber stamping’ one and were able to cite examples of where their views had been reflected in the LEA’s priorities and implementation strategies. However, some concerns were expressed about the lack of consultation on the budget for 1998/9 compared to previous years. Headteachers from special schools also felt the need to be more involved in planning the implementation of key policies. Several chairs of governors found it difficult to attend LEA meetings because of their timing.

p.23

The schools’ response to the LEA strategy

64. Schools generally accepted and agreed with the priorities the LEA has set in the past and those it intends to pursue in the future. Schools recognised that most of the priorities reflected central government policy and found little in general terms to disagree with. However, there was widespread concern expressed about the implications of increased diversity if this meant using resources to fund pupils to attend independent schools. There was also considerable concern about the ramifications of including pupils with special educational needs in mainstream schooling. Most headteachers accepted the general principle but felt there was a need for more discussion about its interpretation, particularly with regard to pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Fears were expressed in special schools that they would close as a result of pupils transferring to mainstream schools.

p.23

The schools’ response to the LEA strategy

65. Headteachers and governors saw the role of the LEA primarily in terms of working with them in partnership. Their view of partnership was mainly one of consultation and most were unable to delineate the precise responsibilities and accountabilities between schools and the LEA. There was a general acceptance that the LEA should have a role in monitoring schools and should intervene where necessary. No school expressed the view that there was too much monitoring and there were several instances where headteachers believed that the LEA should have intervened earlier in their schools. There were also concerns that the priority given by the new administration to encouraging diversity of provision might undermine the partnership and trust which had been built up between the LEA and schools.

p.23

The schools’ response to the LEA strategy

66. In most of the schools visited the key issues for action identified in the Section 9/10 inspection report rightly continued to set the main priorities for the school. However, aspects of the LEA priorities were reflected in the development plans and strategic thinking of most schools. This was particularly true of the LEA’s approach to school improvement. There was also evidence of schools pursuing policies for the inclusion of special educational needs pupils, although this was less true for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties. This is discussed in more detail in section 5 of this report.

p.24

STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITIES

67. The LEA is taking reasonable steps to meet its statutory duties in relation to: the provision of schools, the funding of schools, school governance, the employment of staff, admissions, attendance and exclusions, health and safety, the curriculum, special educational needs and schools in special measures. The LEA does not always check that action to comply with the law has been taken by governing bodies. The status of a residential special school requires clarification.

p.24

STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITIES

68. The Health and Safety Executive carried out an inspection of a sample of schools in August 1 997 and stated that they were generally impressed by standards of health and safety in the schools visited and the LEA’s procedures and advice on matters to do with health and safety. Recommendations have been acted upon.

p.24

STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITIES

69. The LEA’s curriculum statement is in place and is in the process of being updated to meet recent changes. There is an Agreed Syllabus for religious education and it is intended to review and update it in 2002.

p.24

STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITIES

70. The LEA meets its statutory responsibilities for attendance, special educational needs and pupil welfare. The LEA has issued comprehensive, detailed, expert and thorough guidance for schools on all aspects of special educational needs with clear criteria to guide the identification of pupils with special educational needs. The LEA has taken reasonable steps to ensure that statements are issued in a timely way and that all pupils who are not in school because of sickness or exclusion receive suitable education. The LEA provides a range of information for parents and convenes a parents’ forum. The status of a residential special school which has not been approved by the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) requires clarification as a matter of some urgency.

p.24

STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITIES

71. The evidence from the schools visited also shows that the LEA is generally meeting its statutory responsibilities. Some aspects, such as advice and training on child protection, were considered to be fulfilled very well. The LEA did not always check that action to comply with the law had been taken by governing bodies. This included some health and safety issues, appraisal and acts of collective worship.

p.24

FUNDING

72. The County Council’s procedures for allocating resources include consultation with schools and other stakeholders. Until recently, the LEA has spent above its standard spending assessment (SSA) on education and has attempted to protect school budgets through delegation and reducing central costs. Budget decisions have been primarily finance-driven rather than being determined by strategic planning and objectives. Schools receive accurate and timely budget information. School budgets are monitored but identification of where schools are experiencing financial difficulties is sometimes too slow.

p.25

FUNDING

73. The County Council’s procedures for allocating resources incorporate wide consultation with schools and other stakeholders, together with an assessment of needs. In addition to setting the budget for the forthcoming financial year, the budget process incorporates a projection of the pressures over a three-year period. However, in recent years, the determination of the revenue budget for education has been characterised by the combined external pressures of increased demand and tight constraint on the availability of resources. The authority has also attempted to hold down its central departmental costs and to increase delegation in order to protect schools’ budgets. In common with many LEAs, budget decisions have been primarily finance-driven, rather than determined by the LEA’s strategic plans and objectives.

p.25

FUNDING

74. In setting its budget for 1998/99 the Council was not only trying to bring expenditure into line with income, but was facing an additional pressure in that its SSA settlement was considerably reduced in respect of Social Services and capital charges. Therefore, to avoid excessive spending reductions in other areas, the Council felt unable to increase education expenditure in line with the increase in its education SSA. As a result, the Council’s planned expenditure on education in 1998/99 fell below the level of its education SSA for the first time.

p.25

FUNDING

75. Recent changes to the Local Management of Schools (LMS) scheme have followed appropriate consultation with schools. The LEA ensures that schools have clear, accurate information on how their budgets have been derived.

p.25

FUNDING

76. The main budget monitoring process is clearly defined. A key role is played by a recently established Education Budget Monitoring Task Force, which monitors the budget on a monthly basis. To ensure that the Education Committee obtains an independent financial view, it is attended by the Financial Controller (from the Finance and Corporate Services Department) as well as by education finance officers. In 1996/97 a budget recovery plan was drawn up in response to a projected deficit; in spite of this an outturn deficit of £2.3m was incurred, largely as a result of extra support for pupils with statements, special needs transport and staff redundancies. 77. Education Department expenditure has recently been subject to a high level of scrutiny. The Fundamental Review within education has examined many areas of central costs and has involved review groups that included headteachers and governors. In addition, a comparative

p.25

FUNDING

analysis of central education costs has been carried out by external consultants; this identified the costs of statementing in primary schools and home to school transport as areas of high expenditure. The LEA is taking steps to try to reduce costs in both these areas.

p.26

FUNDING

78. The LEA also monitors school budgets on an annual basis but there is little monitoring of expenditure during the year. A small number of schools have got into significant budget difficulties and have had to draw up budget recovery plans to erase their deficit over a four-year period. The schools most prone to budget problems are those with falling rolls, where the situation can be made worse by financial clawbacks relating to previous over-estimates of pupil numbers. Furthermore, if the school has been funding a deficit budget from its reserves, the LEA will be unlikely to identify the problem until all reserves have been eroded. This has led to a delay in the LEA providing guidance and support while the situation worsens.

p.26

SCHOOL PLACES AND ADMISSIONS

79. The LEA ensures a sufficiency of school places and plans with schools, diocesan authorities and other interested parties. Forecasting achieves a high level of accuracy. The quality of information provided to parents on admissions is good. Overall, a high proportion of parents obtain their first preference of primary and secondary school, although there is substantial variation between different areas of the county. The proportion of surplus places is in line with national averages. The LEA provides suitable education for pupils who have no school place but some pupil referral units are used inappropriately for the long term education of statemented pupils. There is good provision for pupils aged under five.

p.26

SCHOOL PLACES AND ADMISSIONS

80. A recent external audit confirmed that strategic management to ensure sufficiency of school places is effective and statutory responsibilities are met. The only areas for development cited were the need for an integrated review, which would build on the regular reviews already undertaken, and a consideration of how cooperation between schools might be encouraged. The LEA develops and reviews its admissions priority areas with schools and diocesan authorities; a notable feature is the introduction of a secondary database which identifies instances of parents holding several offers of places.

p.26

SCHOOL PLACES AND ADMISSIONS

81. Forecasting achieves a high level of accuracy. There are 11 per cent of surplus places at primary schools and eight per cent in secondary schools; both in line with national averages. Fourteen per cent of secondary schools have a roll which is ten per cent above current capacity and 11 per cent of secondary schools are below 75 per cent of capacity (DfEE, 1997). Approximately 11 per cent of primary schools have less than 90 pupils and half the sixth forms have less than 160 pupils. There has been a recent expansion of primary provision to meet the current and expected expansion in demand. 82. The quality and comprehensiveness of admissions information provided to parents is good: the information mentions all types of schools, explains parents’ rights, provides guidance on making a choice, and explains how parents can find out more. Overall, 94 per cent of parents obtain their first preference of primary and secondary school. However, there is

p.26

SCHOOL PLACES AND ADMISSIONS

geographical variation and in some areas more than ten per cent of parents do not receive their first preference.

p.27

SCHOOL PLACES AND ADMISSIONS

83. The LEA provides suitable education for pupils who are out of school for medical reasons. The LEA maintains thirteen pupil referral units (PRUs). While these provide suitable education for most excluded pupils, some are used inappropriately for the long term education of pupils with statements of special educational needs.

p.27

SCHOOL PLACES AND ADMISSIONS

84. The LEA has given a high priority to the provision for early years pupils. There has been a considerable recent expansion which included establishing 1 5 new nursery classes over a three-year period. Evidence from inspections shows that standards of attainment in the early years are good and assessment results show year on year improvement.

p.27

LIAISON WITH OTHER SERVICES AND AGENCIES

85. The education department effectively promotes co-operation with other local authority departments in the provision of services to schools and pupils and has developed a range of productive partnerships with other agencies.

p.27

LIAISON WITH OTHER SERVICES AND AGENCIES

86. The County Council is keen to promote co-operation between providers of local authority services and the education department effectively plays its part in securing co-operation between services supporting children and young people. The Director spends a substantial part of his time on developing cross-service co-operation and a post of Education Services Development Officer has recently been created to facilitate inter-agency, inter-department and cross-service co-operation. The three EPOs have a remit to ensure that links are maintained with outside agencies and individuals including District Councils and ward members, Health Authorities and voluntary organisations. As a direct result of the Authority’s fundamental review, a decision was taken to bring together the library, adult education and youth services under a Community Services Manager in each of four areas across the authority. This is overseen by

p.27

LIAISON WITH OTHER SERVICES AND AGENCIES

the Director of Education as part of his corporate responsibilities.

p.27

LIAISON WITH OTHER SERVICES AND AGENCIES

87. A number of projects exist which are the result of inter-agency co-operation. ‘Learning Space’, a project aimed at pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties or at risk of exclusion, is a particular example in which the education department is working with social services, the health service and the child and family consultation service. Another example involves joint working between the police and the education welfare service to reduce the incidence of abuses relating to child employment legislation. The early years development plan is the result of effective co-operation between several services and agencies. Work on drugs education has resulted from a working group that has brought together education, police, health service and voluntary agencies. Good liaison also exists between education, the training and enterprise council, the careers service and employers in the development of work-

p.27

LIAISON WITH OTHER SERVICES AND AGENCIES

related education and training. The convening of the Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education and the preparation of an agreed religious education syllabus have been undertaken in liaison with the local Diocese.

p.28

LIAISON WITH OTHER SERVICES AND AGENCIES

88. Working arrangements between the LEA and social services have improved and are now good. A joint education and social services officer group is planning a number of developments particularly involving the education of children with special educational needs and the provision of places for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. ‘Youth link’ is an example of joint working between the youth service, educational psychologists, the educational welfare service and schools. This scheme began in 1 990 with the aim of reducing the incidence of disaffection, disruption and exclusion through providing secondary schools with tried and tested strategies for managing pupil behaviour. Inter-department co-operation has resulted in the development of a new core database system which has been designed to facilitate the accessing of information by schools.

p.28

SECTION 4: THE MANAGEMENT OF LEA SERVICES

89. Services are generally well managed but would benefit from more central direction and better monitoring of performance in order to achieve greater consistency of provision. All services had development plans but these varied in quality and there was an inconsistency in how the department’s objectives were pursued. Services made good use of the management data available to them to identify needs and set priorities. There are sensible plans to restructure some services and to rationalise provision. However, there are some anomalies in the organisational structure which reduce the status and coherence of the LEA ‘S strategy for school improvement. Schools in the survey rated nearly all services very highly. Schools were particularly appreciative of the speed of response, the quality of advice and having a named contact who often knew the circumstances of the school well. The effectiveness of the services

p.28

SECTION 4: THE MANAGEMENT OF LEA SERVICES

is evaluated in section 5 of this report.

p.28

INSPECTION, ADVICE AND CURRICULUM SUPPORT

90. Inspection, advice and curriculum support are located within the CMC. Approximately 55 per cent of the CMC’s income is allocated from centrally retained funds with most of the remainder coming from schools buying back services. Schools purchase all support apart from three days of attached consultant time, some specific curriculum projects, the analysis of performance data, appraisal and some key national initiatives, which are funded from the central budget under the SLA.

p.28

INSPECTION, ADVICE AND CURRICULUM SUPPORT

91. The work of the CMC is well managed. A comprehensive database is maintained of teachers who have attended particular courses provided by the CMC and of how consultants’ time has been used in schools. The current format of the database is a relatively recent development and the CMC is still exploring ways of making full use of the analytical information it is capable of providing. Consultants were not always aware of the general pattern of take-up of courses, although that information is available from the CMC and annual reports are made on the pattern of attendance at courses.

p.28

INSPECTION, ADVICE AND CURRICULUM SUPPORT

92. The CMC is located within the schools’ branch sector of the department which covers a very wide range of services. The CMC is managed by a third tier officer who is not part of the department’s strategy group, although issues relating to school improvement are frequently discussed in this forum. There is no equivalent role to that of chief inspector or head of school quality assurance. Quality and performance is a separate sector within the department with a remit across all services and the head of this sector does not manage the CMC or school performance data. While the CMC is effective in much of its work, there was evidence that these organisational arrangements reduce the status and coherence of the LEA’s strategy for school improvement. For example, in some schools the LEA was not sufficiently proactive in helping them address the weaknesses identified in inspection reports.

p.29

INSPECTION, ADVICE AND CURRICULUM SUPPORT

93. The number of consultants (inspectors and advisers) in the CMC has been reduced from 55 full-time equivalent in 1995 to its current level of 39.3. There are points of reference within the curriculum team for all National Curriculum subjects and religious education apart from design and technology, which is co-ordinated by one person and covered collectively by three consultants. Despite private consultants being bought in, support is thinly stretched in mathematics, humanities, information technology and art. Approximately 40 per cent of curriculum consultants’ time is contracted through the service level agreement between the department and the CMC with the remainder being deployed across central training, inspections and school-based support. The use of centrally allocated resources is determined by national and local priorities in consultation with schools. Schools generally felt that the balance between funds which were centrally retained and those delegated for advice and

p.29

INSPECTION, ADVICE AND CURRICULUM SUPPORT

support was now about right. Primary schools in particular did not seek further delegation.

p.29

INSPECTION, ADVICE AND CURRICULUM SUPPORT

94. All schools have an attached consultant and an entitlement to three days of their time during the year. In addition, secondary schools receive a visit to discuss examination performance, the value added data provided by the LEA and monitoring the curriculum. Attached consultants are given a clear brief as to how the days are to be used but, sensibly, some flexibility is built in to take account of the differing needs of schools. A decision has been taken from September 1998 to reduce the entitlement to a minimum of two days and to use the extra time to focus support on larger schools or schools with greater needs. The decision is sensible given the wide variation in needs. However, many of the schools visited did not wish to see a reduction in the contact they had with the attached consultant.

p.29

INSPECTION, ADVICE AND CURRICULUM SUPPORT

95. Most schools visited valued the support provided by the attached consultant but there was some variation in views. This variation mainly reflected different levels of confidence in the expertise of attached consultants, their rigour in analysing school performance, the quality of reporting procedures and continuity of personnel. They are discussed in more detail in section 5 of this report. The CMC monitors the work of attached consultants but this is mainly related to staff appraisal and the use of time rather than their impact on school improvement. There is also scope for sharing more widely the very good practice which already exists.

p.29

INSPECTION, ADVICE AND CURRICULUM SUPPORT

96. The CMC provides a wide range of central courses and school based support. Provision and take-up are generally better in primary schools than secondary schools. Nevertheless, courses are well supported and there is a high level of buy-back from delegated and devolved funds. An analysis of needs is carried out through meetings with professional development co- ordinators, consultation with the raising achievement group and by bulletins and questionnaires to schools. The CMC also sees its role as to provide courses which anticipate national developments and it is often successful at doing this.

p.30

INSPECTION, ADVICE AND CURRICULUM SUPPORT

97. The CMC evaluates its courses through the completion of questionnaires at the end of sessions. These are not automatically shared with schools and this creates extra work for schools in devising their own evaluation. The CMC is developing approaches to evaluation which attempt to measure the longer term impact on improvement but this is still at an early stage. The quality assurance and evaluation systems for the work of the attached consultants are not well developed. This is important given the variation in effectiveness identified in the visits to schools.

p.30

SURREY YOUTH, MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS

98. The Surrey Youth, Music and Performing Arts service is a high profile service which has received national awards for its work. Most of its work focuses on music and the emphasis is on enriching the curriculum rather than the National Curriculum. The service plan is of good quality and relates its priorities to many of the corporate objectives of the County Council, particularly that of building partnerships with schools and local communities. The service provides good- quality information to schools and parents. Cuts in funding in recent years have been carefully managed to ensure that service quality is maintained and that there is a good rate of take-up by pupils.

p.30

SURREY YOUTH, MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS

99. The service is well managed and makes good use of its resources through the promotion of music in a number of different ways. Over 7,500 pupils receive instrumental tuition each week. A wide range of instruments is taught and this extends to ensembles which often reflect local interests. Specialist work, undertaken in music therapy, caters for pupils with special educational needs.

p.30

SURREY YOUTH, MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS

100. The management plan outlines the key objectives to be achieved, but would benefit from more detailed costings, timescales and success criteria. The service monitors and evaluates its effectiveness through an advisory panel of headteachers and through questionnaires. These show that schools, pupils and parents rate the quality of the service highly. The service has also made good use of the evaluations to improve areas where clients are less satisfied.

p.30

OTHER SERVICES SUPPORTING ACCESS AND ACHIEVEMENT

101. The management of children’s services has recently been strengthened through the appointment of a second tier officer who contributes to the LEA’s policy strategy group. There is now an alignment of similar responsibilities in the education department and the social service department, providing a structure for improved liaison. Special needs administration has been restructured to try to ensure that the statementing and placement process is conducted in a coherent way which facilitates parental understanding. There are sensible proposals to restructure the nine existing services supporting special educational needs to form five major services within a single division of the Education Department.

p.31

OTHER SERVICES SUPPORTING ACCESS AND ACHIEVEMENT

102. The service plan for education psychology is clear, detailed and precise and identifies appropriate priorities. The objectives of the plan are fully compatible with the LEA’s overall policies and priorities, there is a strategy for implementation, responsibilities are defined and resources are aligned to meet the priorities. The budget is closely monitored and there is a rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of the service based on a range of management information. The service is able to demonstrate a substantial increase in productivity over the past few years. The schools’ survey and evidence from visits indicate that schools generally consider the quality of the service to be at least satisfactory and often good. The service was rated more highly in the survey than in most other LEAs in the sample.

p.31

OTHER SERVICES SUPPORTING ACCESS AND ACHIEVEMENT

103. The home and hospital teaching and behaviour management service provides education to children who for medical or other reasons cannot attend school. Budgets are tightly monitored and a recent internal audit found the financial systems to be sound. However, owing to a substantial increase in the number of pupils requiring provision, the budget is currently overspent. The development plan identifies appropriate priorities, most of which have been pursued consistently in the last two years. There are sensible proposals to rationalise the current provision in pupil referral units. Schools generally rated the support for pupils with behavioural problems as satisfactory although some rated it as being very good.

p.31

OTHER SERVICES SUPPORTING ACCESS AND ACHIEVEMENT

104. There are plans to amalgamate the services supporting pupils with hearing and visual impairment while ensuring that teachers’ specialist skills are retained. The services work through service level agreements with schools. Both services are successful in selling services to other educational establishments such as universities and work closely with the health authorities and with parents including supporting preschool children. The unit provision for the hearing and visually impaired has recently been reviewed by the CMC. The reports identify relevant issues for the school, the service and the LEA. Action plans are now in place in each unit to address these issues although overall progress is unclear. The quality of support from these two services was felt to be generally good by schools.

p.31

OTHER SERVICES SUPPORTING ACCESS AND ACHIEVEMENT

The education welfare service (EWS) is well managed. There is a sound development plan and good progress has been made on a number of priorities. Good use is made of a range of management data to evaluate effectiveness and areas for improvement. The service has recently undertaken an audit of staff experience, skills and training needs. Helpful information about the service and its strategies is provided to schools. Schools generally considered the support provided by the EWS to be good.

p.31

OTHER SERVICES SUPPORTING ACCESS AND ACHIEVEMENT

106. The English language support service and traveller support service provide support for about four per cent of Surrey pupils who are of minority ethnic origin. Appropriate use is made of external grants to fund these services. The services have clear referral procedures and the support they provide is set out in service level agreements. Support is mainly focused on individual pupils but both services provide helpful information and guidance to schools and training to raise awareness of the needs of pupils.

p.32

Education Financial Services

107. From April 1998 the funding for non-statutory advice and training on finance has been delegated to schools. Most schools have chosen to buy back the service and also welcome the centrally funded termly meetings and training for administrative staff. Education Financial Services has developed a business plan and a service specification which includes performance criteria and a commitment to carry out regular customer surveys. The meetings of administrative officers provide further opportunities for feedback on service performance. Other financial support is provided by the payroll service and by internal audit, both of which are within the Corporate Services Department. These services do not have service specifications or c’ient feedback arrangements in the same form as Education Financial Services but are viewed very positively by schools.

p.32

Education Personnel Services

108. The Education Personnel Services (EPS) has also had its budget for school support delegated from April 1998. It has developed a business plan and a service specification that includes performance criteria. EPS has called on two firms of consultants to carry out a customer survey and a review of the management structure. In spite of extremely positive views of the service from the majority of schools, a small minority of schools felt that they had received poor advice on isolated occasions. Schools also indicated that they would welcome advice on a wider range of issues such as stress management and absence through sickness.

p.32

Client and Property Services

109. The Client and Property Services section of the Education Department arranges and manages the contracts for grounds maintenance, cleaning and catering on behalf of schools. All four catering contracts, and eight of the seventeen cleaning contracts have been won by in- house teams. Funds for these services are delegated to schools and there is a very high level of buying back. 110. Client and Property Services area managers visit schools to undertake spot checks of performance, normally twice a year. However, the main mechanism for assessing school views is the completion of monthly monitoring forms. Completion of these forms is patchy, and the results are not entirely consistent with the views expressed by schools in the schools’ survey. Schools argue that the forms provide insufficient scope to identify problem areas, except where a breach of contract is concerned. The school survey suggests that schools are broadly content

p.32

Client and Property Services

with grounds maintenance and catering, but less happy with the cleaning contracts, although they recognise the difficulty of recruiting cleaners in most parts of the county because of high wage costs.

p.33

Client and Property Services

111. The management of the landlord responsibilities for the repair and maintenance of school buildings has been subject to external tender. The service level agreement for the service does not incorporate performance criteria or a commitment to seeking customer feedback, but the performance of the contract is reviewed annually, including a sample survey of clients. Schools receive a visit from a surveyor twice yearly in order to determine what work should be included in the planned maintenance programme. Some schools claimed that the results of the surveyor visits were not always reported back promptly and accurately; others felt the system lacked transparency, in that the more vocal schools seemed to get the biggest share of resources. A few schools also reported poor management and co-ordination of contracts. In contrast, other schools were very happy with the service. The school survey suggests a rather high level of dissatisfaction with building maintenance compared with other

p.33

Education Partnership Officers

112. Three education partnership officers (EPOs) were appointed in April 1 997 to act as local representatives for the Director. They are located within the quality and performance sector of the department. Part of their work involves liaison with local agencies and other county council departments and in managing complaints. They also have a co-ordination and liaison role with schools. Despite recent visits by EPOs to explain their role, the majority of schools visited were unclear about their precise function and could not envisage situations in which the school would use them. A small number of primary schools have used their EPO in a trouble-shooting role and have found the support extremely useful. Secondary schools normally went directly to central services for advice and support and could not see the benefit of going through their EPO. There were also schools where the EPO could have played a more direct

p.33

Education Partnership Officers

role in resolving difficulties, for example, over admissions arrangements.

p.33

Education Partnership Officers

113. EPOs have a set of performance objectives, but these were defined when it was envisaged that there would be four EPOs, rather than the current three. Consequently, not all objectives were achieved in the defined timescale. The LEA needs to reassess the role and objectives of EPOs in relation to schools and how this role interacts with other LEA personnel.

p.33

OVERALL IMPROVEMENT IN THE SCHOOLS VISITED

114. Of the 28 schools visited by HMI, 18 were judged to have made good overall progress on those aspects of work inspected and a further seven schools had made satisfactory progress. Three schools had made unsatisfactory or no progress. There was little difference in the pattern between primary and secondary schools but the rate of improvement was less satisfactory in the special schools.

p.34

OVERALL IMPROVEMENT IN THE SCHOOLS VISITED

115. The effectiveness of LEA support was judged to be good or very good in 14 schools and sound in nine schools. The support was slightly more effective in primary schools than in the secondary and special schools. The LEA had made little impact in five schools. Three of these schools were making unsatisfactory progress and the other two were making satisfactory progress.

p.34

OVERALL IMPROVEMENT IN THE SCHOOLS VISITED

116. Support from the LEA was effective in a number of ways. The LEA has been successful in developing an ethos in many of the schools of self-evaluation and improvement. This has been supported by the provision of good-quality performance data. This, coupled with inspection reports, has provided powerful tools for analysing strengths and weaknesses in performance. Effective schools then used this analysis to identify the types of support they required. In some schools, the attached consultants played a key role in helping schools define their needs and in co-ordinating support. In general, the schools already judged as being effective in inspections made the best use of LEA support to raise standards or maintain high standards. However, there was also evidence of effective support to improve standards in some of the schools in the LEA’s early identification and support programme.

p.34

OVERALL IMPROVEMENT IN THE SCHOOLS VISITED

117. In the schools making unsatisfactory progress, the LEA had not been sufficiently proactive in helping them devise and implement strategies to address the key issues identified in inspection reports. In several schools, the analysis of performance and evaluation of progress had been insufficiently rigorous to help the school. Five schools had sought little external help, but it was clear in three of them that they lacked the necessary expertise to improve themselves. These examples illustrate the need, already identified in this report, for the LEA to establish its role more precisely and to give more central direction to its objectives.

p.34

PERFORMANCE DATA AND SETTING TARGETS

118. The performance data supplied by the LEA to schools is sophisticated and of high quality. Schools are often making effective use of the data to evaluate their performance and to identify areas for further improvement. Schools generally value the support provided by the LEA in the interpretation and use of the data and there was evidence of its effectiveness in the schools visited. Schools are currently at different stages of development in the setting of targets to improve standards and in some cases insufficient attention is given to how teaching and learning need to be developed to bring about improvement. 119. For a number of years, the LEA has provided schools with a comprehensive profile of data which allows them to make comparisons with similar schools. Baseline screening and other testing in Y4 and Y7 have been in place for several years. The LEA provides accurate, timely and systematic performance data to primary and secondary schools, including value-

p.34

PERFORMANCE DATA AND SETTING TARGETS

added data using prior attainment and a range of contextual factors. All schools receive comparative management data on a range of indicators and are able to use this to compare performance with other similar Surrey schools.

p.35

PERFORMANCE DATA AND SETTING TARGETS

120. Good quality guidance has been issued on target setting to schools, including the use of trend lines. The LEA is issuing indicative ranges for targets which will be used as the basis for negotiating school targets. Support in interpreting data has been provided in a variety of ways: through ‘breakfast’ meetings; specific in-service sessions; and through discussions with attached consultants.

p.35

PERFORMANCE DATA AND SETTING TARGETS

121. A distinctive feature of the data is that it is aggregated using comprehensive information on individual pupils. The value-added data is analysed according to rather complicated multi- level modelling techniques which produce lines to show value-added within given levels of significance. Whilst it is sensible to provide sophisticated analysis at the LEA level, some schools found the complexity of the data daunting.

p.35

PERFORMANCE DATA AND SETTING TARGETS

122. Nearly all schools visited and those responding to the survey considered that the data provided by the LEA and the support received in interpreting and using it were of high quality. HMI also judged that the majority of the schools visited were making effective use of the data to help them identify relative strengths and weaknesses and that the LEA support for this area of work was good in most schools. Many of the secondary schools were well advanced in setting targets for improvement but most of the primary schools were still at a relatively early stage of development. A few schools lacked sufficient expertise to interpret the data effectively. More schools, particularly primary schools, were uncertain about how to use the data to set targets at the level of the whole school, in subjects or for individual pupils. These schools were generally aware of what a particular cohort of pupils or an individual pupil should achieve, based on past

p.35

PERFORMANCE DATA AND SETTING TARGETS

evidence, but they were not clear about how to set targets which went beyond this.

p.35

PERFORMANCE DATA AND SETTING TARGETS

123. Many of the schools which had developed targets had also identified strategies for attempting to meet them. However, in a significant number of schools and in some specific areas, such as under-performance by boys, insufficient attention had been given to how teaching and learning needed to be developed to bring about the improvement necessary for pupils to met the targets.

p.35

PERFORMANCE DATA AND SETTING TARGETS

124. Three primary schools which were under-performing did not make effective use of the data. In two cases this was due to weak understanding and a lack of sustained support from the LEA consultant, in the other it was due to other more pressing priorities. One of the schools saw each cohort of pupils as totally unique and as a result did not engage in a rigorous analysis of the data.

p.35

PERFORMANCE DATA AND SETTING TARGETS

125. There were several examples of very good practice in the analysis and use of performance data to set targets worthy of wider dissemination amongst schools

p.36

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN LITERACY

126. The LEA has made a substantial and effective investment in work to improve literacy in primary schools, particularly through its support for reading. While some secondary schools benefited from the written guidance provided by the LEA and from meetings of heads of department, none had made recent use of school-based consultancy. Three of the five secondary schools had not been effective in implementing literacy strategies. The lack of specialist external advice on library resources compounded a limited vision within most of the schools of how to extend their use.

p.36

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN LITERACY

127. National Curriculum test and examination results in English in Surrey schools are above national averages, but there are significant variations in overall results among schools; higher- attaining pupils do not do as well in writing at Key Stage 1 as would be expected, and girls’ results are much better than those of boys, particularly at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 3.

p.36

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN LITERACY

128. Over the past ten years, the LEA has made a substantial investment in work to improve literacy, particularly through its pioneering of Reading Recovery. The LEA’s peripatetic literacy support service gives help to individual pupils with difficulties. Advisory support for the teaching of English is provided by two consultants, whose help may be targeted through attached consultants at schools with particular weaknesses or purchased by the schools themselves. Curriculum guidance on a range of topics has been produced to support teaching at all key stages. There are regular meetings for co-ordinators of English in primary schools and heads of English in secondary schools. The LEA programme of training gives emphasis to the use of the National Literacy Project approaches in primary schools and language across the curriculum in secondary schools. The LEA does not provide a school library service.

p.36

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN LITERACY

129. In preparation for the implementation of the National Literacy Strategy, the LEA has produced a literacy plan for operation from April 1998. The plan sets clear targets and details the action designed to achieve them.

p.36

Evidence from visits to primary schools

130. The effectiveness of the LEA’s existing support for literacy was a theme in six of the primary schools visited. The teaching of literacy has improved in all these schools since their inspection. In five schools there has been a corresponding improvement in the standards achieved, with this improvement being very marked in two cases; in the other school no improvement in standards is yet evident.

p.36

Evidence from visits to primary schools

131. Improvements in the teaching of literacy have generally focused on reading. They have been based on a more systematic approach, often drawing on the National Literacy Project Framework for teachers and introducing or refining the use of a regular daily session of reading and writing. In this respect the main weakness in three schools was the classroom management required to make most effective use of the daily session. Improvements have also involved: better assessment, along with closer analysis of National Curriculum results; the acquisition of new materials and the rationalisation of the use of existing resources, including those in the school library; the use of group reading; the involvement of parents in paired reading; and a clearer and more direct approach to the teaching of spelling. In two schools more needed to be done to provide a greater range and challenge in writing, especially for

p.37

Evidence from visits to primary schools

132. The LEA’s contribution in these schools showed the benefits, first, of the availability of a range of soundly-based services, and, second, of schools having the discretion to use these services flexibly. All the schools had made use of the range of LEA services to support literacy which were relevant to their specific development needs. The use of these services was effective in promoting improvement in all the schools and particularly in two of them. In these two schools, which were the schools where the greatest improvements had been made, coherent and well-targeted use of the services was based on thorough planning and management of changes in provision and practice by the headteacher and subject leader.

p.37

Evidence from visits to primary schools

133. In-service training undertaken by subject leaders invariably had a positive impact, although in one school it had not provided enough challenge for a particularly expert co- ordinator. The extent to which consultancy was used was more varied. Where it was commissioned by the school it was generally useful, although in one case it had not done enough to take a successful school forward. In two other cases the schools had needed to seek only limited consultancy help in making improvements from a relatively high base and here the light involvement of advisers was appropriate. In one school, where the language co-ordinator was a Reading Recovery tutor, the impact of the programme on the teaching of literacy generally had been considerable, most obviously in the treatment of phonics; while in another school the benefits were restricted to the pupils who were targeted in the scheme.

p.37

Evidence from visits to secondary schools

134. Support for literacy was a theme in five secondary schools visited. Standards in English in the schools were at or above the national average, but staff in all the schools acknowledged that there was scope, and sometimes considerable scope, for improvement, particularly by boys whose attainment on entry was below average. Improvements in standards were evident in two of the schools since their inspection. While there were some improvements in provision in the other three schools, they were too recent or incomplete to show any effect on standards. 135. All the schools were developing approaches intended to improve literacy. In doing so they had been influenced by the LEA’s drive on literacy, but, more directly, by a concern about the achievement of boys, focused on weaknesses in reading and writing. In two cases the schools’ plans were well grounded and reasonably comprehensive, but in the other cases they

p.37

Evidence from visits to secondary schools

lacked the scope and shape necessary to stimulate and organise contributions across departments, to make full use of library resources and information technology, and to tackle writing as well as reading. There were some positive individual developments, notably on the part of English teachers and library staff to promote independent reading and on the part of learning support departments to provide intensive help to weak readers. However, work across other departments, including the active promotion of higher order skills in reading and writing, was at an early stage.

p.38

Evidence from visits to secondary schools

136. In considering progress on their plans to improve literacy most school managers recognised that there were complex issues to resolve and that progress would be aided by examples of practice elsewhere and other forms of help. Meetings of heads of English departments were often valued as a way of keeping up to date with developments and sharing ideas. In two schools some useful support had been provided by national agencies, but the contribution currently made by LEA services to school developments was generally modest. The LEA’s reading project, which used a combination of courses, consultancy and pump- priming grants, had inspired thinking among a small number of staff, but the project had not been sustained for these schools.

p.38

Evidence from visits to secondary schools

137. None of the English departments had made use of school based consultancy in recent years, sometimes on the grounds of cost, but use had been made of training courses to stimulate and define action. Special educational needs co-ordinators generally made effective use of LEA services in relation to pupils with difficulties with reading and writing, but, where the literacy support service was used, its often effective work with small numbers of individual pupils did not appear to affect practice more generally. The lack of specialist external advice on library resources compounded a limited vision within most of the schools of how to extend their use. Some steps were being taken to make links with primary school initiatives on reading, but in only one case had these steps so far led to practical action.

p.38

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN NUMERACY

138. Little direct work on numeracy has been undertaken by the LEA and the visits to schools therefore focused mainly on mathematics. Here, there was evidence of improvement or maintenance of high standards in most of the schools visited but this was more limited in the secondary schools. There was little direct evidence of LEA impact on standards but some schools had made good use of performance data and primary schools had benefited from longer courses organised through universities.

p.38

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN NUMERACY

139. Standards in mathematics are above or well above national norms at all key stages and GCSE. Test results have risen more quickly in primary schools than in secondary schools where the proportion attaining the highest grades is similar to the national average. Numbers taking mathematics at A level are relatively low and falling; over half the schools have less than ten entries in a year. The LEA’s own value-added analysis indicated that there is room for improvement in mathematics results at GCSE, as well as in a minority of schools in the primary sector.

p.38

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN NUMERACY

140. There has been limited direct LEA support for numeracy but there has been support for mathematics and this provided the focus of the visits. Little preparatory work has yet been done on developing a LEA numeracy strategy. The LEA at the time of the inspection was awaiting further guidance from central government, nevertheless progress to date in this area has been relatively slow. Curriculum guidance for mathematics was produced some time ago and is in need of updating.

p.39

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN NUMERACY

141. Three years ago there were two inspectors and several advisory teachers for mathematics. There is now one consultant to cover all phases within the county. Three primary and one special educational needs consultants can offer some support and private consultants are also bought in. Despite this, support remains thinly stretched, particularly in primary schools. There are regular meetings for heads of mathematics departments in secondary schools but the situation for primary coordinators is more varied and depends on local organisation. A range of courses is offered, with the greatest take-up at primary level. In addition there are some extended courses run by universities and other providers on behalf of the LEA using Grant for Education Support and Training.

p.39

Evidence from visits to primary schools

142. Visits were made to six primary schools. In all the schools, test results had improved or been maintained at a level above the national average. Improvements in standards were judged to have taken place or were likely to occur in five of the schools, and were substantial in four of these schools. LEA support was judged to have been satisfactory in all but one school.

p.39

Evidence from visits to primary schools

143. Valuable ideas from a LEA course on teaching more able pupils were being used effectively in two of the schools. In other schools, co-ordinators and other teachers made good use of their increased knowledge of mathematics and their improved skills in devising schemes of work developed through attendance at an extended course. The course and detailed support from the consultant had helped to build progression and continuity into the scheme of work. The ‘breakfast briefings’ given by the consultant for mathematics to headteachers were valued. Moderation meetings on national curriculum assessments were generally found useful. One school had not recognised the need for external support although it was clearly in need of it.

p.39

Evidence from visits to primary schools

144. Several schools expressed concern at the lack of available primary expertise in mathematics and a number of co-ordinators regretted the lack of opportunities to meet together in local groups with a consultant for mathematics. One school had started to introduce a numeracy hour but no school had developed a comprehensive numeracy policy and strategy.

p.39

Evidence from visits to secondary schools

145. Visits were made to four secondary schools. Three of the schools visited were judged at the time of their OFSTED inspections to be achieving sound or good standards. Since then, higher grade results at GCSE and A level have declined slightly in one school; the other two schools continue to maintain high standards. At the fourth school, standards had been judged to be low in mathematics and there has since been an improvement in test results at Key Stage 3.

p.40

Evidence from visits to secondary schools

146. There has been little direct support from the LEA. However, good use was made of the LEA’s data to analyse relative performance in mathematics in one school. In another, help had been given two years ago in devising a new and improved scheme of work. Meetings of heads of department were welcomed but not aIl schools buy into them. In addition, some area clusters of schools have chosen to meet independently. There was no evidence of LEA support in helping to increase the number of pupils taking A level mathematics or to improve A level standards.

p.40

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

147. Progress has not been sufficient to bring standards up to national expectations. Effective planning for the development of skills and competencies across the curriculum is often weak. The impact of the LEA has been limited, mainly as a result of reduced personnel. There are plans, supported by funding, designed to improve the level of support.

p.40

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

148. An analysis of inspection data showed that standards and progress in information technology (IT) were relatively weak when compared to other subjects and to national standards at all key stages. The ratio of computers to pupils is generally worse than the national average.

p.40

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

149. Support for IT in the curriculum has been part of the CMC since the closure of the Curriculum IT Centre in 1 994. Services which had previously been centrally funded are now purchased by schools. This resulted in a significant drop in demand for IT training and consultancy and a consequent reduction by 1 996 to 1 .7 FTE advisers. The reduced number of IT advisers and the necessity for them to adopt an essentially reactive mode of working, in order to meet financial targets, has limited their capacity to intervene in schools where inspection findings indicated there were weaknesses. In contrast, the demand for technical support has remained buoyant and the majority of the authority’s schools buy into the services of the Media Resources Centre and consider them to be value for money.

p.40

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

150. A Standards Fund bid to implement the first year of the National Grid for Learning Project in Surrey Schools has been successful. A total of £2m has been secured to improve access to the Internet by 1999. Three new posts to support this work have been filled and resources have been made available for training purposes.

p.40

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

151. An ambitious development plan for Information and Communications Technology in Surrey Schools for 1998-2002 has been drawn up. The plan sets very demanding targets for pupil achievement in IT by 2002.

p.41

Evidence from visits to schools

152. Visits were made to four secondary schools and five primary schools specifically in relation to this theme and some evidence was also gathered from other visits.

p.41

Evidence from visits to schools

153. In the primary schools there was much less evidence of improvement in pupils’ standards since the Section 9/10 inspection and the general level of skills and competencies remained less than satisfactory at both key stages. There has been some improvement in the provision of computers. In a minority of the schools visited support from the LEA’s specialist primary adviser had been effective in raising levels of IT competency amongst teachers. However, previously effective LEA-initiated strategies, designed to raise classroom teacher’s confidence with IT, have lost momentum where schools had withdrawn from in-service training following the introduction of charges. The best practice seen was in a school where the LEA’s adviser had worked alongside pupils and teachers on specific aspects of the curriculum. In another school, very good LEA support helped in the development of effective planning and the

p.41

Evidence from visits to schools

identification of a realistic progression of IT skills and competencies. However, few of the primary schools visited had sufficiently developed their IT policy and implementation strategy to identify the extent of external support required. Very few had adopted procedures for evaluating the effectiveness of support.

p.41

Evidence from visits to schools

154. In the secondary schools there was evidence of improvement having taken place over the past two years but progress has not in general been sufficient to bring standards of attainment and provision up to national expectations. The teaching of specific IT skills was often good but these were often insufficiently developed across the curriculum. The best practice was in the schools where the teaching of IT flexibly combined discrete and cross-curricular elements and where there was a systematic approach to checking entitlement and recording achievement. Improvements could be traced in part to LEA support. Support was at its most effective where advisers had worked closely with the IT co-ordinators and their subject counterparts.

p.41

WEAKNESSES OR OTHER DIFFICULTIES

155. The LEA has met its statutory duties in relation to schools requiring special measures and provided appropriate support to headteachers and governing bodies. Most of the schools have only become subject to special measures relatively recently and the full impact of the support is not yet clear but there is some evidence of effectiveness. The LEA has invested considerable resources in the identification and support for schools experiencing difficulties. There was evidence of the strategy working effectively but also cases where difficulties had not been identified early enough or where support had not been effective. The criteria for inclusion on the LEA ‘s list of schools causing concern and requiring support are not sharply defined.

p.41

WEAKNESSES OR OTHER DIFFICULTIES

156. The LEA has set out its strategy for identifying and supporting schools causing concern in its Early Identification and Support Programme (EISP). This is aimed at schools in special measures and serious weaknesses or where the LEA has concerns about low attainment, finance or there is a lack of confidence in a school by the community. The programme puts schools in different categories depending on the nature of the difficulties. Concerns about schools come from a variety of sources including inspection reports, the attached and other consultants, personnel, finance, the education partnership officers, and through an analysis of performance data. The evidence is collated and reviewed by the attached school consultant and the head of the CMC, who is ultimately responsible for placing schools on the list.

p.42

WEAKNESSES OR OTHER DIFFICULTIES

157. The EISP in its current form has been in existence since April 1997 but the LEA has maintained a list of schools causing concern and the associated level of monitoring and support provided for two years. At the time of the inspection there were 53 schools involved in the EISP. The service level agreement with the CMC allocated 464 days of consultancy time in 1997/98 for co-ordinating and supporting school recovery.

p.42

WEAKNESSES OR OTHER DIFFICULTIES

158. In January 1998, five primary schools, one special school and one pupil referral unit (PR U) were subject to special measures. The PRU has since been closed. At the time of the inspection, none of these schools had been subject to special measures for more than a year. One special school was removed from special measures after 15 months.

p.42

WEAKNESSES OR OTHER DIFFICULTIES

159. The LEA has met its statutory duties in relation to schools requiring special measures and given support where needed to governors in drawing up their action plans. These have been of good quality. The LEA’s plans for the recovery of schools in special measures are appropriate, set realistic and quantifiable targets and are costed. The LEA provides contingency time for consultants and other resources to support schools requiring special measures and with serious weaknesses. The level of support is good and has included the secondment of experienced headteachers, support to weak teachers, help in implementing competency procedures, improved curriculum planning and better monitoring procedures. It was too early at the time of the inspection to evaluate fully the impact of the LEA support in most of the schools but there is evidence of it having been effective, for example in the special school removed

p.42

WEAKNESSES OR OTHER DIFFICULTIES

160. There were examples in two of the schools visited of the EISP operating effectively. Concerns were identified across a range of services and the attached consultants then played a key role in agreeing a course of action with the school and co-ordinating the support required. By contrast, the CMC failed to identify concerns in two primary schools, which subsequently required special measures. This indicates that monitoring procedures still have some way to go.

p.42

WEAKNESSES OR OTHER DIFFICULTIES

161. In two schools the LEA had identified difficulties in but had been slow in providing sufficient and effective support, making the job of recovery more difficult. In another school, the support provided was insufficiently focused on the root causes of the difficulties. The weaknesses in the LEA’s strategy for identifying schools and intervening where there are potential financial difficulties have already been referred to. However, these weaknesses need to be set in context; until very recently, the LEA’s role was not a directly interventionist one.

p.43

WEAKNESSES OR OTHER DIFFICULTIES

162. No ceiling has been set on the number of schools on the list. The LEA has yet to decide how many schools to include in its category of low achieving and under-performing schools but the number could be substantial. The criteria for schools being placed in these categories are not clearly defined at present and there is a danger that resources allocated to the EISP will become too thinly stretched to provide sufficient support for those schools most in need of it.

p.43

SPECIAL SCHOOLS

163. The LEA makes a considerable commitment and financial investment in special educational needs. The identification and assessment of pupils with special educational needs, training and guidance are good. Standards and quality of provision are generally satisfactory. The requirements of the Code of Practice have been effectively implemented. Schools vary in their understanding and commitment to inclusion and experienced difficulties implementing it. The large number of PRUs results in expertise and on-site management being thinly stretched. There are examples of good practice in special educational needs support in schools which are worth sharing more widely.

p.43

Evidence from visits to schools

164. Visits were made to four secondary schools, four special schools and a PRU specifically in relation to this theme.

p.43

Evidence from visits to schools

165. Provision for pupils with special educational needs was seen as a priority in the secondary schools and was improving in most schools. Schools had addressed the issues relating to special educational needs identified in inspection reports. The greatest improvement took place when the senior management team and the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) provided effective leadership on special educational needs issues and managed the improvements, drawing in services to provide specialised support as appropriate. In general pupils were well supported by learning support teachers and special needs assistants.

p.43

Evidence from visits to schools

166. The Code of Practice has been effectively introduced. However, this had more impact on the identification and assessment of special educational needs than on developing preventive strategies through more effective intervention. Several secondary schools had difficulty developing a consistent approach to monitoring and implementing individual education plans (IEPs) across the school even though the context was often less diverse and complex than is found nationally.

p.43

Evidence from visits to schools

167. There were good examples in secondary schools of tasks in literacy being carefully matched to the needs of pupils and this helped achieve high standards. However, an examination of pupils’ work across the curriculum also showed that pupils with learning difficulties were frequently expected to complete a large quantity of written work, often with too little variety or modification to enable them to achieve high standards.

p.44

Evidence from visits to schools

168. In the special schools, standards of attainment were satisfactory overall but varied from very good to barely satisfactory and there were variations between subjects in the same schools. Nevertheless, most schools showed improvement even though three schools admitted children with more complex and severe needs than previously. The modification of some subjects of the curriculum for children with severe needs and the effective induction of mainstream teachers into special school practice have not yet been tackled.

p.44

The effectiveness of LEA support

169. Despite some misunderstanding on the part of schools about the respective roles and responsibilities of the LEA and governors, the LEA meets its statutory responsibilities for special educational needs. Reasonable steps are taken to ensure that statements are issued in a timely way. However, the reasons for delays in statementing or placing pupils are not always made sufficiently clear. The LEA has also issued expert and comprehensive guidance on the Code of Practice, and the identification of pupils with special educational needs has improved as a result. Training and support for SENCOs are also generally effective.

p.44

The effectiveness of LEA support

170. An audit, carried out by the CMC, has helped to clarify the use of special educational needs funding delegated to schools. All but two of the schools visited spent their allocation appropriately, though the difference between the funding available at Stage 3 of the Code of Practice and for statements is such as to encourage schools to refer pupils for assessment in order to acquire extra funding.

p.44

The effectiveness of LEA support

171. Schools’ reaction to the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream education is mixed. Here the LEA has much to do to ensure that the commitment some schools demonstrate is shared by all. Not least, it needs to demonstrate its own commitment through more detailed planning and a swifter reaction when modifications to school buildings or support and advice to staff are needed. That said, the support provided by LEA maintained support services is generally satisfactory. In particular, the educational psychology service provided productive support in the vast majority of the schools visited, and the literacy support service, visual and hearing impaired services also provided useful support to specific pupils. 172. Some good models of effective support for disaffected pupils have been developed through the Youth Link and Learning Space projects. These have helped to reduce exclusion,

p.44

The effectiveness of LEA support

and deserve to be more widely known in schools. Part-time placements in PRUs are much less effective in preventing exclusion, because procedures for dual registration and reintegration into mainstream schools are not clear enough. More generally, the number of PRUs outstrips the management expertise available to run them and their success rate for reintegration is low, because clear agreement with mainstream schools over the placement of excluded pupils has not been developed, and the LEA has been reluctant to direct schools to reinstate.

p.45

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF TEACHING

173. The LEA has been effective in supporting improvement in the quality of teaching, particularly in the primary schools visited. Support has been provided directly and indirectly through a range of services. There has been very good support for newly qualified teachers and dealing with issues of teacher competency. Training for appraisal has been sound but the appraisal scheme was not operating effectively in a substantial number of schools. Effective arrangements for sharing good practice are lacking.

p.45

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF TEACHING

174. Data from OFSTED inspections shows that teaching in primary and secondary schools is better than that found in shire authorities and nationally. This was reflected in the schools visited.

p.45

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF TEACHING

175. All the eight secondary schools visited had improved some aspects of their teaching, six of them to a considerable extent. The LEA was judged to have made a very effective contribution in three of these schools and some contribution in four of them. In the other school, the LEA’s contribution was judged to be ineffective but there was still evidence of substantial improvement in the quality of teaching. Evidence was gathered on improvements in the quality of teaching in 14 primary schools. All had improved, nine of them markedly so. The LEA’s contribution to the improvement was substantial in nine schools and satisfactory in the remaining schools.

p.45

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF TEACHING

176. The LEA has contributed to improving the quality of teaching in a number of ways, both directly and indirectly. Secondary schools made good use of the LEA performance data to analyse strengths and weaknesses in teaching in order to identify the support required. Limited and selective use was made in secondary and special schools of LEA courses and school based support to update teachers’ knowledge and improve their skills. The LEA supported several schools very well by helping to develop schemes of work and advising them on different types of examination courses. Three of the schools had involved LEA specialist subject consultants in paired observation of lessons to identify good practice and areas for further improvement. Secondary. schools considered that the quality of advice from curriculum consultants varied but there was little consistency in their views about which subjects were well or less well supported. Meetings of heads of department with contributions from curriculum

p.45

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF TEACHING

consultants were often highly valued but not all schools bought into them. 177. The primary schools made more use than secondary schools of LEA courses and school-based support to improve teaching. Longer courses which focused on improving subject co-ordinators’ specialist knowledge and understanding were particularly effective in raising not only the quality of their own teaching but also that of colleagues. As in secondary schools, several schools had obtained effective help in constructing schemes of work and developing appropriate resources. In many of the schools there were examples of paired observation and reviews of teaching involving consultants working with senior staff. This approach was often effective in sharpening the monitoring skills of the staff involved and providing a focus on those aspects of teaching needing most attention.

p.45

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF TEACHING

178. A number of primary and secondary schools had received good support from the LEA’s personnel service over issues to do with staff competency. In several cases this had resulted in staff changes and better teachers being appointed. There was also evidence of effective support in developing teachers’ skills being provided by other services such as those for special educational needs and behaviour management.

p.46

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF TEACHING

179. There was almost universal praise in primary and secondary schools for the programme of support provided to newly qualified teachers (NQTs). This successfully combines LEA courses with support in schools. Good use is made of a profile of teaching competencies to identify the skills NQTs need to develop in their first year, providing a focus and structure to their programme. The profile is meant to feed into the first year of appraisal but in some schools this link was not clearly established. There was evidence that the programme of support had helped to bring about increased confidence and enhanced teaching skills. It had also raise the competence of teachers mentoring NQTs.

p.46

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF TEACHING

180. Training for appraisal was generally recognised as being thorough and of good quality. However, the extent to which it was being implemented varied considerably between schools. In a substantial number of schools the scheme had ‘run into the sand’. This was mainly because of the time needed to implement it. Some schools also cited a lack of impetus from the LEA but were generally aware that the LEA was awaiting guidance from central government before re-launching the initiative. At the other extreme, a minority had moved to annual appraisal, using a less time-consuming approach. In general, there was very little evidence of how appraisal was being used to improve the quality of teaching.

p.46

SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF TEACHING

181. During the course of the visits, some outstandingly good teaching was witnessed. However, there was virtually no evidence of these examples of excellent practice being shared between schools. Indeed, there was often little evidence of them being shared within schools. Schools sometimes found it difficult to obtain advice from the CMC on where to go to observe good practice in a particular subject or aspect of teaching. A few attached consultants had advised headteachers on where good practice existed in other schools. There was useful work on improving teaching and learning being developed through LEA curriculum projects such as the gender project. These, too, were often worthy of wider dissemination beyond the project schools.

p.46

PRIMARY SCHOOLS

182. There was evidence of improvement or the maintenance of previously identified good practice in all the schools visited. This good practice was worthy of being shared more widely. LEA support was effective in promoting these improvements or maintaining good quality work. Some weaknesses remain in linking curriculum planning more closely with assessment, using assessment data to inform teaching and in marking. There was variation in the attention given to assessment, recording and reporting by attached consultants even where they were identified as key issues in inspection reports. Standardised arrangements for the transfer of information from primary to secondary schools were often not being followed, resulting in too wide a variation and extra work.

p.47

PRIMARY SCHOOLS

183. Data from inspections shows that assessment, recording and reporting on children under five in Surrey schools compare very favourably with that found nationally. The picture is less good in Key Stage 1, but is still markedly better than the national picture. In Key Stage 2 judgements broadly match those found in schools across the country. The main weakness is the poor use of assessment information to plan subsequent work for pupils. Assessment, recording and reporting arrangements nearly always met statutory requirements.

p.47

PRIMARY SCHOOLS

184. The LEA has maintained services aimed at supporting schools in their work on assessment, recording and reporting. Two consultants, both with substantial primary school experience, share responsibility for assessment and one has specific responsibility for the Key Stage 1 audit. Other LEA services provide advice and support for assessment work, particularly the educational psychology service on baseline assessment and analysis of value-added.

p.47

PRIMARY SCHOOLS

185. The LEA has been involved in baseline screening since 1985. The current baseline assessment arrangements for YR pupils were introduced in September 1997, following approval by the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority. They replaced the earlier screening while incorporating many of its features. Guidance provided by the LEA, which was developed with help from teachers and headteachers, sets out clear procedures for assessment and recording and reporting to parents. There are also sections covering assessment activities and implications for teaching and learning. The LEA recently carried out a timely evaluation of the scheme, which showed that most schools approve the scheme but felt some aspects to be time-consuming. Adjustments have been made to take account of these views. Standardised tests for reading and reasoning are used in Y3 and Y7 as part of the Surrey screening procedures.

p.47

PRIMARY SCHOOLS

186. There is an appropriate range of courses, materials, publications and school based support to improve taecher’s assessment skills, mainly in the core subjects. Moderation meetings provide opportunities for teachers to standardise levels within statutory assessments and support schools in establishing portfolios of pupils’ work. The LEA provides guidance on statutory requirements, approaches to recording of assessment information, and on the transfer of data on pupils’ attainment between phases.

p.47

Evidence from visits to schools

187. Assessment, recording and reporting were the focus of visits to six primary schools. There was supplementary evidence from several other schools. All but one of the schools had made significant improvement or were maintaining previously reported good or satisfactory practice.

p.48

Evidence from visits to schools

188. Most of the schools visited had revised their assessment practice or were developing it further, often alongside major reviews of schemes of work and arrangements to meet the needs of higher attaining pupils. However, many schemes of work seen did not yet set out in sufficient detail how units of work will be assessed and how information about pupils’ progress is to be used in planning subsequent lessons. However, this was not the case in all the schools visited. For example, some schools had improved their formative assessment in mathematics to support changes in the teaching of attainment target one and mental calculation. This was also the case in schools anticipating developments in the national literacy strategy.

p.48

Evidence from visits to schools

189. Increasingly good use was being made of assessment data to identify targets for improving the attainment of individual pupils, of groups of pupils, classes and for the whole school. Many schools were developing their recording procedures in order to bring an increasing amount of data on assessment and testing into a comprehensive record of pupils’ achievement and progress. In one or two schools this work was well advanced and had been helped by effective use of information technology and the much improved statistical services provided by the LEA.

p.48

Evidence from visits to schools

190. All the schools visited were revising their programme of testing and coordinating it with the LEA’s YR baseline scheme and Y3 screening procedures. There was growing interest in the trial Key Stage 2 interim tests and many schools see the benefits in using them for each year group in the future.

p.48

Evidence from visits to schools

191. Schools were making better use of their school and individual pupil portfolios of work, often linking this much more closely to their assessment programme and arrangements for reporting to parents. This was working particularly well in those schools where teachers come together regularly to moderate pupils’ work and to plan jointly the curriculum and lessons. Consistency in marking remained a weakness in many of the schools visited.

p.48

The effectiveness of LEA support

192. In all the schools visited there was evidence that the LEA support was effective in promoting good assessment practice and helping to bring about the improvements observed. This was achieved mainly through the provision of sound advice and guidance, consultancy and training courses. The contribution the LEA made to supporting specific improvements in assessment was also rated highly by schools. The positive impact of the local moderation arrangements and meetings of assessment co-ordinator is evident in the work in schools and acknowledged by teachers to be very helpful.

p.49

The effectiveness of LEA support

193. All schools make full and effective use of the LEA’s baseline assessment scheme and, where appropriate, the Y3 screening. Schools have confidence in these arrangements and feel well supported by the guidance offered. LEA guidance on reporting has been well received and is helpful. Many schools are, however, looking to extend these arrangements to take account of their own developments, particularly through better recording of much more detailed information on pupil performance. Some of the schools required more practical help on making curriculum planning and assessment more manageable to improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning.

p.49

The effectiveness of LEA support

194. The LEA standardised format for the transfer of assessment information from primary to secondary schools is often not used and there is variation in the quality and quantity of information transferred. In most cases this was a result of secondary schools devising their own transfer documents. This created extra work for primary schools where pupils transferred to several different secondary schools, each with their own requirements.

p.49

The effectiveness of LEA support

195. Important LEA initiatives are increasingly dependent upon effective assessment practice but the attention given to this area of work by attached consultants is uneven. Key issues for action relating to assessment in Section 9/1 0 inspection reports were not always followed up by consultants. Equally, there were several examples of good practice in assessment, recording and reporting arrangements which was worthy of wider dissemination but there were no obvious arrangements for doing this.

p.49

SUPPORT FOR SENIOR MANAGEMENT

196. The LEA provides good support to management through a range of services. There was evidence of improvement, or the maintenance of high standards, in management in most of the schools visited. The LEA made a significant contribution to this, particularly in primary schools. The high quality of management support services and the use of LEA management and performance data were important factors. Attached consultants also played a key role. While most were effective and some outstandingly so, others made little contribution in schools where help was most needed.

p.49

SUPPORT FOR SENIOR MANAGEMENT

197. Data from Section 9/10 inspection reports shows that in general management and efficiency are strengths in Surrey schools and the proportion of schools where they were judged to be good or very good was substantially higher than that found nationally.

p.50

SUPPORT FOR SENIOR MANAGEMENT

198. The management team in the CMC works with other services within education, particularly personnel and finance, in supporting the development of leadership and management. A major part of the team’s work is the provision of National Professional Qualification for Headship and Headteachers Leadership and Management Programme (HEADLAMP) for which the LEA is an approved provider. There are currently 68 headteachers involved in HEADLAMP. There is also a programme for developing middle management through centre and school based courses. These courses can contribute to an externally accredited higher degree. A range of supporting materials is produced for management and regular conferences are held for headteachers.

p.50

SUPPORT FOR SENIOR MANAGEMENT

199. Support for post-inspection action planning and school development planning has to be purchased and is generally undertaken by the attached consultant but the management team is involved where there are particular difficulties. The management team also plays a part in co- ordinating support from other services, such as youth and adult education and the diocese. There are links with governor training but the management team recognises that these are not yet sufficiently developed. Headteacher appraisal is organised by the consultants for continuing professional development within the CMC.

p.50

Evidence from visits to schools

200. Improvements in management were judged to be substantial in six out of the eight secondary schools visited and sound in the other two. The LEA made a very effective contribution in two schools and was effective in five. In the remaining school, there were substantial improvements but the LEA had not played a significant part. There was evidence of substantial improvement in management in six out of the 1 5 primary schools visited and some improvement in eight. In one school, little progress had been made on addressing weaknesses in management. The contribution of the LEA to the improvement was judged to be very effective in eight schools and effective in four more. In three schools, the LEA had not made any significant impact but some improvement had still taken place in two of them.

p.50

Evidence from visits to schools

201. Headteachers cited a range of provision which helped them improve the management and efficiency of their schools, most of which is evaluated in detail elsewhere in this report. Nearly all headteachers considered that they received very good support from management services such as finance, payroll, personnel and legal. The efficiency of these services had a direct impact on the quality of management in schools. Equally important, they also helped senior managers to avoid becoming too preoccupied with relatively trivial aspects of management and to focus on the important tasks.

p.50

Evidence from visits to schools

202. Headteachers generally valued the management and performance data provided by the LEA. The extent to which they used it as a management tool varied between schools but sometimes it was used very effectively, particularly in secondary schools. The attached consultant was often the key to how successfully the data was used. Headteachers also valued the weekly LEA bulletins and briefing sessions as a way of rapidly keeping up to date with developments.

p.51

Evidence from visits to schools

203. The support provided by the attached consultant to management was valued by most of the schools visited. The inspection team also judged their contribution to be effective in the majority of schools. There were examples of them being highly effective in helping schools make substantial progress on management issues. However, in an important minority of schools the impact of the attached consultant was judged to be weak. In some cases this was because there had been several changes of attached consultant in a short period of time, which resulted in a lack of continuity and knowledge of the school. In others, it was because the headteacher lacked confidence in the attached consultant’s expertise on management issues. In several schools the attached consultant was effective at passing on information but did not provide a sufficiently rigorous evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and the

p.51

Evidence from visits to schools

progress it was making. Most headteachers expected the attached consultant to act as a ‘critical friend’ but several felt that there was too little emphasis on the ‘critical’ part of the relationship. In some schools the attached consultant had not asked sufficiently rigorous questions about what the school was doing to address weaknesses identified from the inspections and performance data.

p.51

Evidence from visits to schools

204. HMI found that the quality of notes left with headteachers after visits by attached consultants varied considerably. At their best they were evaluative, detailed and provided a summary of progress and agreed future actions. However, some were merely a brief description of the meeting or work carried out. The attached consultants sometimes involved the governing body in the feedback to the school but in many schools the chair of governors had little knowledge of the work of the attached consultant.

p.51

Evidence from visits to schools

205. Headteachers and governors were well supported by the LEA in making senior staff appointments. Most new headteachers also felt well supported through HEADLAMP, the LEA’s induction programme and the mentoring arrangements. The provision and quality of headteacher appraisal were considered to be variable as were courses for senior managers. A number of schools felt there were insufficient courses for middle managers although the courses attended were generally considered to be of high quality.

p.51

POST.INSPECTION ACTION PLANNING AND SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING

206. Post-inspection action planning and school development planning were at least sound in the majority of schools visited but varied from being very good to poor. Weaker plans were not sufficiently precise about the actions to be taken to address the key issues and priorities. A more common failing, however, was the lack of objective indicators and associated monitoring arrangements to measure progress on the plans. The majority of schools visited had purchased advice and support from the LEA in preparation for their section 9/10 inspection. Nearly all said that they had found this to be helpful. In most schools the pre-inspection evaluations were accurate and the advice offered was sensible. However, while headteachers could generally point to the support providing reassurance and helping with the preparation of documentation, very few could show evidence of it having improved quality or standards.

p.52

POST.INSPECTION ACTION PLANNING AND SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING

207. The quality of support from the LEA for post-inspection action planning and school development planning in primary schools was judged to be good or very good in eight out of the 15 primary schools visited, satisfactory in six schools and unsatisfactory in one school. The picture was less positive in secondary and special schools and the PRU; it was good or very good in five schools and satisfactory in a further two schools. In six schools, the LEA had made little or no impact. In two of these schools the plans were of good quality and there was no need for external support. However, in four of the schools there were weaknesses in planning and little or no external support had been sought.

p.52

POST.INSPECTION ACTION PLANNING AND SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING

208. The role of the attached consultant in relation to post-inspection action planning and school development planning was not always clear. In some schools help with drawing up the plans and monitoring progress on them was purchased but in other schools this help was provided free. The extent to which support was provided free did not always correspond to the school’s own ability to plan effectively. There were clear weaknesses in planning in some schools which had not been commented on by the attached consultant. At the same time, a minority of schools had unrealistic expectations about the role of the LEA in monitoring progress on the plans. However, some consultants had provided very good support to schools in structuring and drawing up their plans and monitoring progress on them. Nearly all of the schools where there were particularly serious concerns had been given appropriate help in constructing and monitoring plans.

p.52

SUPPORT TO GOVERNORS

209. Support to governors is generally valued by schools and was found to be effective in most of the schools visited. The quality and speed of advice from a range of management services were highly regarded. Governors felt well supported through documentation and other sources of information. Consultation procedures are sound. Training courses were generally well regarded but there was some variation in quality. Training tailored to the needs of in dividual governing bodies or small groups of schools was often highly effective. The monitoring role of the governing body was a weakness in many schools and governors would welcome examples of good practice in this area. 210. Governor support and development are managed by the Head of the Governor Services Unit who is responsible to the Head of Schools Branch. The service is well managed and works in close co-operation with the diocese. The majority of schools have a full

p.52

SUPPORT TO GOVERNORS

complement of governors, although at the end of 1997, there were 308 vacancies, representing about six per cent of the total.

p.53

SUPPORT TO GOVERNORS

211. The Governor Services Unit has set itself an appropriate set of objectives and, through its most recent development plan, is aiming to promote the self-review of governing bodies. This had been identified as a weakness in inspection reports and other sources of evidence. The Unit works in liaison with the recently formed Surrey Governors’ Association to provide a wide range of advice and support.

p.53

SUPPORT TO GOVERNORS

212. Arrangements for consultation with governors are satisfactory and their involvement in LEA planning is growing. A recent example has been their involvement in shaping the LEA’s draft education development plan. However, a recent restructuring of the education committee has resulted in there not being any governor representatives from a previous total of three. There is a sound framework of consultation with representatives of governing bodies and a regular flow of information to them through bulletins, newsletters and other documents.

p.53

SUPPORT TO GOVERNORS

213. The Governor Service Unit provides courses and conferences on an appropriate and well-focused range of issues. The training book is well presented and clearly identifies the target audience for each event. A resource library has been established and self-development resource packs for use by governors have been produced. Advice is provided direct to governors on issues to do with finance, personnel, legal matters and governance.

p.53

Evidence from visits to schools

214. Of the 29 schools visited, 25 indicated that they considered the LEA’s contribution had been helpful to the improvement of management and efficiency of the school through support to the governing body. The picture was less positive in special schools than in mainstream schools. There was evidence in most of these schools that the support through training, advice, meetings, bulletins and other documentation had helped governors become more effective in their work. There were examples too of a range of LEA services being deployed effectively to resolve particular difficulties encountered by governing bodies, including breakdowns in relationships with senior management. The attached consultant often played a key role in co- ordinating support for governing bodies where weaknesses were identified in OFSTED reports.

p.53

Evidence from visits to schools

215. Almost all chairs of governing bodies praised the quality of advice and the speed of response when contact was made with the LEA on financial, personnel and administrative matters. Those governing bodies which had sought advice when appointing headteachers or deputies or where matters of competency were an issue valued the support they received. 216. The majority of governors who attended training courses generally found them to be well organised and informative. Nevertheless, a minority of courses were criticised for being poorly delivered or not meeting the needs of governors and this raised issues about the effectiveness of quality control. Responses to the schools’ survey also indicated a level of dissatisfaction with governor training greater than in other authorities. In contrast, whole governing body training and training specific to the needs of a particular school or small group of schools, was highly valued and found to be effective. Some governors found it difficult to

p.53

Evidence from visits to schools

attend training because of its timing or location. The LEA is aware of these difficulties and is currently recruiting governors to contribute to training within a local area.

p.54

Evidence from visits to schools

217. The increased consultation with governors was welcomed, although the time allowed for responses to often complex documents was sometimes considered too short. Some governors found it difficult to attend meetings because of their timing or location. Whilst governors felt that they were generally kept well informed about the LEA’s priorities and strategies, several expressed the opinion that their governing body would appreciate someone from the LEA attending an occasional meeting to discuss some of the more complex current issues such as target setting and the use of value added performance data.

p.54

Evidence from visits to schools

218. Some attached consultants provided chairs of governors with a copy of their report following a visit to the school and this was found valuable. However, this was by no means standard practice and chairs of governors would generally welcome more contact with the attached consultants. A weakness in many schools was the role of the governing body in monitoring the performance of the school and that of senior managers. Governors recognised this and felt they would benefit from more guidance and examples of good practice in the respective monitoring roles of the senior management team and the governing body.

p.54

(a) Characteristics of the pupil population

Indicator Date Source LEA National 1. Number of pupils in LEA area of 1997 compulsory school age 2. Percentage of pupils entitled to 1997 DEE free school meals i. primary ii. secondary

p.55

(a) Characteristics of the pupil population

3. Percentage of pupils living in households with parents/carers (I) with Higher Educational qualifications (ii) in Social Class 1 and 2

p.55

(a) Characteristics of the pupil population

4. Ethnic Minorities in population aged 5-15. Percentage of ethnicgroup: Asian Bangladesh Black African Black Caribbean Black Other Chinese Indian Other Pakistani White

p.55

(a) Characteristics of the pupil population

5. Percentage of pupils: (i) with a statement of SEN primary secondary (ii) attending special school primary secondary

p.55

(a) Characteristics of the pupil population

6. Participation in education: (i) % pupils under 5 on the roll of a maintained school (ii) % pupils aged 16 remaining in full time education. Sept 97

p.55

(a) Characteristics of the pupil population

Census Census Census Census Census Census Census Census Census Census

p.55

(a) Characteristics of the pupil population

0.7 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.4 0.9 1.0 0.8 95.5

p.55

(a) Characteristics of the pupil population

0.5 0.8 0.6 1.1 0.8 0.4 2.7 1.1 2.1 89.9

p.55

(b) Organisation of schools

Nursery schools 5 % Surplus Year LEA National First and Infant schools 128 Primary 1997 10 10.0 Junior schools 65 Secondary 1997 7 12.0 Primary schools 135 Secondary schools 11-16 23 11-18 30 Special schools 25 Pupil Referral Units 13

p.56

(b) Organisation of schools

Pupil/teacher ratio Class size Rate per 1000 classes

p.56

(b) Organisation of schools

Year LEA National Size of class Year LEA National Primary 1997 22.3 23.4 31 or more KS1 1997 232.0 289.6

p.56

(b) Organisation of schools

Secondary 1997 16.9 16.7 KS2 1997 185.2 379.0

p.56

(b) Organisation of schools

36 or more KS2 1997 13.6 22.9 Source: DfEE

p.56

c) Finance

Indicator Source Year LEA National % expenditure in relation to standard spending assessment CIPFA 1997/98 102.8% -

p.57

c) Finance

Funding per pupil: £ per pupil Primary 0-4 5-6 7-10 CIPFA 1996/ 97 1501.2 1212.8 1252.2 1278.8 1180.0 1149.4 £ per pupil Secondary 11-13 14-15 16+ CIPFA 1996/97 1597.7 1813.7 2542.1 1567.4 1931.4 2440.0 Aggregated schools budget: £ per pupil Primary Secondary Special CIPFA 1996/ 97 1641.3 2021.0 7392.9 1486.0 2052.7 7945.2

p.57

c) Finance

General schools budget: £ per pupil Primary Secondary Special CIPFA 1996/ 97 2225.3 2790.3 12417.6 2021.8 2694.2 12595.0 Potential schools budget: Primary Secondary Special CIPFA 1996/ 97 1839.3 2183.9 8110.8 1664.6 2232.6 8819.1

p.57

Attainment at age 7 (Key Stage I)

% of pupils achieving Level 2 or above Teacher Assessment Tasks/tests Year LEA National Difference LEA National Difference 1995 85.4 81.0 4.3 1996 83.7 79.3 4.4 English 1997 85.9 80.4 5.5 1995 84.0 79.1 4.9 78.5 83.8 5.3 1996 84.1 78.6 5.5 78.0 84.2 6.2 English (reading) 1997 85.9 80.1 5.8 80.1 86.1 6.1 1995 82.0 77.6 4.6 80.4 83.6 3.3 1996 80.9 76.6 4.2 77.7 83.7 4.0 English (writing) 1997 83.4 77.5 5.9 80.4 86.1 5.7 1995 83.5 78.4 5.1 79.2 82.7 3.5 1996 86.4 82.2 4.3 82.1 86.6 4.5 Mathematics 1997 88.9 84.2 4.7 83.7 88.5 4.8 1995 89.2 84.7 4.5 1996 87.7 84.1 3.6 Science 1997 89.8 85.5 4.2 Source: DfEE

p.59

2. Attainment at age 11 (KEY STAGE 2)

% Pupils achieving Level 4 or above Teacher assessment Task/tests Year

p.59

2. Attainment at age 11 (KEY STAGE 2)

LEA National Difference LEA National Difference 1995 62.5 56.8 5.7 58.1 48.5 9.6 1996 67.0 60.1 7.0 68.7 57.1 11.6 English

p.59

2. Attainment at age 11 (KEY STAGE 2)

1997 71.5 63.4 8.1 74.4 63.2 11.1 1995 58.1 54.5 3.6 50.4 44.9 5.5 1996 65.5 59.9 5.6 62.1 53.9 8.2 Mathematics

p.59

2. Attainment at age 11 (KEY STAGE 2)

1997 71.2 64.1 7.1 70.7 62.0 8.7 1995 69.5 64.5 5.0 78.3 70.2 8.1 1996 71.6 65.1 6.4 73.5 620 11.6 Science

p.59

2. Attainment at age 11 (KEY STAGE 2)

1997 76.7 69.5 7.2 78.7 68.8 9.9 Source: DfEE

p.59

Attainment at age 14 (KEY STAGE 3)

% Pupils achieving Level 5 or above Teacher assessment Task/tests Year

p.60

Attainment at age 14 (KEY STAGE 3)

LEA National Difference LEA National Difference 1995 69.9 63.9 6.1 65.2 55.3 10.0 1996 68.7 60.3 8.4 68.7 55.6 12.2 English

p.60

Attainment at age 14 (KEY STAGE 3)

1997 65.2 60.2 5.0 64.9 55.6 8.2 1995 68.9 62.4 7.6 66.1 58.0 8.1 1996 70.8 61.5 9.3 67.9 56.7 11.1 Mathematics

p.60

Attainment at age 14 (KEY STAGE 3)

1997 72.9 64.0 8.9 71.2 60.7 10.5 1995 65.7 60.6 5.1 61.8 56.4 5.4 1996 67.6 59.7 7.9 68.6 56.4 12.2 Science

p.60

Attainment at age 14 (KEY STAGE 3)

1997 70.4 69.2 8.2 72.4 60.8 11.6 Source: DfEE

p.60

Attainment at age 16 GCSE results in maintained schools

Level achieved Year LEA National Difference 1 A*-G 1994 96.7 96.5 96.2 96.5 93.7 93.5 93.9 94.0 3.1 3.0 2.3 2.5 5 A*-C 1994 48.6 50.6 52.0 52.1 40.7 41.2 42.6 43.3 8.0 9.4 9.4 8.9 5 A*-G 1994 93.4 92.9 92.8 93.6 87.0 89.5 88.1 85.5 6.5 5.4 4.8 5.2 Pupils aged 15 at the beginning of the school year and on the roll in January of that year Source: DfEE

p.60

Attainment at age 18 A level results Average point score per pupil

Number entered Year LEA National Difference 2 or more 1994 15.3 15.7 16.0 16.6 15.1 15.9 16.8 17.1 0.1 -0.2 -0.8 -0.5 Less than 2 1994 3.1 3.3 3.0 3.0 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7 0.4 0.6 0.3 0.3 Source: DfEE

p.60

Vocational qualifications of 16 to 18 year olds in maintained schools

Level achieved Year LEA National Difference Pass entries 1994 85.9 83.8 84.8 80.2 2.4 -0.7 Pass entries (Advanced) 1996 74.0 66.2 92.2 67.8 -5.3 -9.2 Pass entries (Intermediate) 1996 69.8 66.1 78.9 77.1 0.7 -2.8 Source: DfEE

p.61

Attendance

Year LEA National Difference Attendance in Primary schools 94.4 94.5 94.7 93.6 93.4 93.9 0.8 1.1 0.8 Attendance in Secondary schools 92.3 92.2 92.4 90.6 90.5 90.9 1.8 1.7 1.6 Source: DfEE

p.61

Exclusions

Permanent exclusions Year LEA National Difference Primary schools 1996 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.0 -0.1 Secondary schools 1996 3.5 3.5 2.9 3.4 -0.6 -0.1

p.61

Tel. 0171 421 6800

This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaption and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

p.62