Setting

HMI

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

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HMI

A report from the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) and the Audit Commission (AC) under section 38 of the Education Act 1997.

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HMI

A further copy of this report can be obtained from the respective local education authority.

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HMI

Inspection reports are available on the Ofsted website (www.ofsted.gov.uk).

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Summary 1

Introduction 1 Main findings 2 Recommendations 3

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Section 1: Corporate leadership of education 4

Summary table of judgements 4 Corporate planning for education and its implementation 4 Decision-making 6 Targeting of resources 6 Strategies to promote continuous improvement, including Best Value 8 Leadership by elected members and advice given to them 8 Leadership by senior officers 8 Strategic partnerships 9 Support for Early Years 10 Support for 14-19 education 11

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Section 2: Strategy for education and its implementation 12

Summary table of judgements 12 The strategy for school improvement and its implementation 12 The LEA’s monitoring, challenge and intervention in schools and the targeting of support 13 Effectiveness of the LEA’s identification of, and intervention in, underperforming schools 14 Asset management planning 15 Providing school places 16

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Section 3: Support to improve education in schools 17

Summary table of judgements 17 Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement 17 Support for the national initiatives at Key Stages 1 and 2 18 Support for information and communication technology (ICT) 19 Support for the national initiative at Key Stage 3 19 Support for raising the achievement of minority ethnic pupils, including Gypsy and Traveller children 20 The supply and quality of teachers 21 Effectiveness and value for money of services to support school management 21 Effectiveness and value for money of services to support school improvement 23

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Section 4: Support for special educational needs (SEN) 25

Summary table of judgements 25 The strategy for SEN 25 Statutory obligations 26 SEN functions to support school improvement 26 Value for money 27

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Section 5: Support for social inclusion 28

Summary table of judgements 28 The strategy for social inclusion 28 Provision for pupils educated other than at school 29 Support for attendance 30 Support for behaviour 30 Support for health, safety, welfare and child protection 31 Provision for looked after children 31 Promoting racial equality 32

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Appendix A 34

Record of Judgement Recording Statements 34

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Appendix B 38

Context of the inspection 38 Context of the LEA 39 The performance of schools 40 Funding data for the LEA 42

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Basic information

Name of LEA: Bradford Local Education Authority

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Basic information

Future House Bolling Road Bradford Address of LEA:

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Basic information

BD4 7EB Reporting Inspector: Barry Jones HMI

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Basic information

Date of Inspection: January 2005 Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Introduction

The metropolitan district of Bradford serves a large ethnically and culturally diverse population. In 2004, it ranked as the 30th most deprived district in the country with deprivation focused in the inner city wards and in part of Keighley. There was a major reorganisation of schools in 1999/2000 from a three- to a two-tier system.

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Introduction

Standards of attainment are well below national averages at Key Stages 2, 3 and at GCSE. They are in line with statistical neighbours 1 at KS1 but usually below at Key Stages 2, 3, and 4. Improvement rates are in line, and sometimes, better than national averages so that the gap is being closed but too slowly. The number of schools in special measures, although declining, is still much higher than average. Exclusion rates are in line with national averages. Attendance rates have improved above the national trend and attendance in primary schools is now in line with national averages.

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Introduction

Following a critical Ofsted inspection in 2000, the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) directed that a private provider, SERCO, be contracted to carry out many of the education functions of the authority. Education Bradford was established in July 2001. The direction also included the setting up of an Education Policy Partnership (EPP) – a broad- based group which is representative of different local interests in education. EPP has a role in making policy recommendations to the executive of the council. The contract is managed by the education director, aided by a small client team. The chief executive, assistant chief executive, education director, managing director of Education Bradford and the chair of the EPP are members of the education co-ordinating group intended to ensure a coherent approach. The council, schools, Education Bradford and the EPP together form the strategic partnership for education in Bradford.

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Introduction

The scale of the school improvement problem was not recognised in 2001 because of a moratorium on school inspections and the poor quality of the data held on the schools at that time. The Ofsted inspection in 2002 found the LEA had improved but was not wholly effective. The enormity of the task was clearly evident by January 2003, with exceptionally high numbers of schools placed into special measures or found to have serious weaknesses. In October 2003, the DfES established a school improvement project board (SIPB). The SIPB has not changed the statutory assignment of responsibilities and is not itself a statutory body. It brings together schools, council officers, Education Bradford managers and DfES advisers to review and revise, in partnership, the ways in which schools causing concern are being supported and challenged, and to recommend what additional DfES- funded support might be provided. The SIPB’s activities and resources form part of the

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Introduction

totality of support and challenge currently targeted on Bradford’s schools causing concern.

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Introduction

1 Bradford LEA’s statistical neighbours are Birmingham, Luton, Blackburn with Darwen, Kirklees, Oldham, City of Derby, Slough, City of Nottingham, Middlesbrough. Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Main findings

Summary: The effectiveness of the Education Partnership has improved since the last inspection and is now satisfactory. However, the support for education in Bradford is complex, multi-faceted and roles and responsibilities are not fully understood. The contract between the council and Education Bradford did not provide adequately for the scale of the problems and support to schools was unsatisfactory for over a year following the previous inspection. Education Bradford rightly asked for, and received, considerable additional support from the DfES. Progress from this low base has not been consistent, but overall, has been satisfactory. There have been significant improvements in support for special educational needs and inclusion, and gains in attendance, reducing exclusions and in closing the attainment gap. However, there remains a very significant challenge ahead. Although reducing in number, too many schools are in special measures and a significant

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Main findings

number of schools have longstanding high budget deficits which impede progress. Support for secondary schools is still too fragmented. Education Bradford has recently completed a strong leadership team and capacity within the strategic education partnership is sufficient to meet immediate needs. Nevertheless, the level of school support required for the future cannot be provided by statutory bodies with the funding available under the present contract. Capacity for further improvement is therefore unsatisfactory.

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Corporate leadership of education

• High priority given to education linked to regeneration • Coherence across strategic plans • The work of the Education Policy Partnership • Longer term financial strategy • Lack of effective and timely action to address schools’ budget surpluses/deficits • Major challenges in the strategic co-ordination of partnerships, including 14-19

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Strategy for education and its implementation

• Improvement rates are in line or better than national trends • Too many schools in special measures and for too long • Standards of attainment are too low

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Support to improve education in schools

• Support for governors • Use of a wide range of expertise • Support for Key Stage 3 • Support for leadership and self-evaluation in secondary schools • Capacity of financial services to support schools • Effectiveness and value for money of services supporting school improvement

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Support for special educational needs

• Improving SEN services that give sound value for money • Completion time for statutory assessments

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Support for social inclusion

• Effective support to improve attendance and behaviour • SACRE and its contribution to community cohesion • Reintegration rates for excluded pupils • Some personal education plans are not effectively monitored and not all looked after children have one • Weak monitoring of the ethnicity of the workforce • Low representation of minority ethnic groups in managerial positions Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Key recommendations

Corporate planning for education and its implementation: • In consultation with all partners, including schools: • develop a long term financial strategy, with timescales that identify the additional funding needed to achieve corporate aims; • align performance indicators in the contract with the broader corporate objectives of the council; and • further clarify the roles and responsibilities for implementing corporate plans for education. • Urgently bring schools’ balances and deficits within the limits set out in the school financial regulations. Strategic partnerships: Provide regular evaluative reports to the council’s leadership, the young people and education improvement committee and the Education Policy Partnership, on the co-ordination and management of major partnership initiatives and their impact on raising educational attainment and performance. Effectiveness and value for money of services to support school management: Ensure that the

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Key recommendations

schools’ finance team has sufficient capacity to carry out its functions effectively.

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Corporate leadership of education

Leadership by senior officers: The council, Education Bradford and the teaching unions should review current procedures in order to ensure effective consultation arrangements to support the school improvement strategy. Support for 14-19 education: Ensure that the recommendations from the DfES review and the external consultants are fully implemented and that progress is rigorously monitored by the strategic partnership.

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Strategy for education and its implementation

The strategy for school improvement and its implementation: Develop an exit strategy for SIPB which ensures a continuing appropriate level of support and challenge for schools causing concern. The LEA’s monitoring, challenge and intervention in schools and the targeting of support: Clarify and strengthen the procedures for alerting schools and governing bodies where there are significant concerns about a school’s progress. Effectiveness of the LEA’s identification of, and intervention in, underperforming schools: • Improve the effectiveness of monitoring, challenge and support for secondary schools. • Clarify procedures for the multi-professional reviews of schools causing concern.

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Support to improve education in schools

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement: Enable all schools to adopt reliable and consistent self-evaluation procedures that will help them to manage their own improvement. Support for raising the achievement of minority ethnic pupils, including Gypsy and Traveller children: Ensure that there is sufficient capacity to raise the attainment of minority ethnic pupils.

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Support for special educational needs

Statutory obligations: Ensure statutory obligations are met and that assessments are completed within the recommended timescales.

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Support for social inclusion

Provision for looked after children: Ensure that all looked after children have personal education plans and their use and effectiveness is monitored and reported on. Promoting racial equality: • Ensure that the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 are met. • Strengthen the representation of minority ethnic groups in management roles including in schools. • Ensure that the returns for racial reports are accurate and analyse the data to inform support and challenge offered to schools. Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Summary table of judgements

The bar represents the grade awarded to the LEA, the triangle represents the LEA’s self-evaluation grade, the vertical line represents the LEA’s previous grade and the diamond represents the average grade of all LEAs inspected in the last year. 1 = Very Good, 2 = Good, 3 = Highly Satisfactory, 4 = Satisfactory, 5 = Unsatisfactory, 6 = Poor, 7 = Very Poor.

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

1. Corporate planning remains highly satisfactory and its implementation continues to be satisfactory. Education is a high priority in corporate plans, the strategic plans of all major partnership groups and in regeneration initiatives. Education also contributes significantly to wider corporate priorities, such as building community cohesion and the involvement of young people in decision-making through the Bradford-Keighley youth parliament.

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

2. The first of six corporate priorities relates to young people and education. Work on this priority is overseen satisfactorily by a specific priority board charged with avoiding duplication and to build links with partners. Monitoring of the implementation of plans is good and there are regular comprehensive reports on progress to elected members. The council and its partners have made extensive use of external evaluation to contribute effectively to improving service planning and review.

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

3. Procedures for implementing plans are overly complex and are rightly being reviewed for the development of integrated children’s services. While Education Bradford has the responsibility for delivering most of the functions in education, others are fulfilled by the education client team, department of community development and lifelong learning, SIPB and EPP. The latter also has some decision- making powers. The EPP is an influential and effective body in involving partners in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

The effectiveness of corporate planning for the education of children and young people

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

The implementation of corporate planning for education

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

The effectiveness of LEA decision-making

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

The extent to which the LEA targets resources on priorities

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

The extent to which the LEA has in place effective strategies to promote continuous improvement, including Best Value

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

The leadership provided by elected members (including quality of advice)

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

The quality of leadership provided by senior officers

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

The effectiveness of partnerships and collaboration between agencies in support of priorities

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

Support for 14 – 19 education Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

January 2005 Page 5 the development of educational policy. There is appropriate opportunity for headteachers to review the impact of strategies and policies through membership of the EPP and via the headteacher forum. The education co-ordinating group successfully ensures that there is coherence at the strategic level.

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

4. In January 2003, the council and Education Bradford identified a lack of capacity within the contract to provide the support required to improve rapidly the large number of schools causing concern. External resources were negotiated specifically to support these schools, managed initially by Education Bradford. Accountability for subsequent additional funding is through a partnership body, the SIPB, which was established in October 2003. This board has increased the complexity of the structure, but the SIPB and EPP share the same chair and work directed through this new body is being co-ordinated with the wider work of school improvement. This has worked well in primary schools. However, it took nearly a year to establish the SIPB in secondary schools. Although there are written protocols, there is a lack of mutual understanding of roles and responsibilities.

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

5. The council met most of its corporate goals in 2004. It successfully increased early years places and exceeded the target for nursery places in disadvantaged areas; it is on target to implement the 14-19 plan and for renewing and upgrading secondary schools. However, the implementation of plans and progress since 2002 has been hindered by the unrealistic targets set for attainment in the original contract. Gaps in key support posts within Education Bradford during 2003/04, and a lack of timely and effective action to resolve wide variations in school financial balances, have also hindered progress. The failure to address speedily and effectively the number of schools with large deficit budgets has resulted in a cumulative £5 million shortfall in those schools. This reduces the capacity of the whole service to increase the pace of improvement. Whilst action to resolve this latter issue is now belatedly in progress, the responsibility for this lack of effective

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

action rests across the partnership of the council, Education Bradford and its schools. Realistic targets have now been negotiated between the council and Education Bradford. However, the corporate goals for education are broader than the performance indicators within the education contract and, for instance, there are no indicators for financial support to schools, which is a weakness.

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

6. The additional support being provided means that capacity within the strategic education partnership is at least sufficient to meet immediate needs, but future capacity is uncertain. The contract required investment above the cost of services in the earlier years to provide the high initial levels of support required. Thereafter a reduction in the expenditure on support is predicated on the expectation that improvement in the schools will be self-sustaining in later years. However, this expectation has not been realised and there is still a large number of schools causing concern, much higher than the average nationally. Similar levels of support to those presently provided will be required for some time to come before self-generated improvement within all schools is secure. The council and Education Bradford acknowledge that the level of school support required for the future cannot be provided with the funding available through the present contract.

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

• In consultation with all partners, including schools:

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

• develop a long term a financial strategy, with timescales that identify the alternative funding needed to achieve corporate aims;

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

• align performance indicators in the contract with the broader corporate objectives of the council; and

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Corporate planning for education and its implementation

• further clarify the roles and responsibilities for implementing corporate plans for education.

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Decision-making

7. Procedures for decision-making have been strengthened and are now highly satisfactory. Most policy proposals for education are developed through strategy groups comprising officers, headteachers and governors, and refined following consultation. The EPP makes recommendations from the resulting proposals, which, if decisions are required by elected members, are then considered by the council’s executive. The independent chair of the EPP continues to play an important and effective role in the decision-making process within the strategic education partnership and ensures that decisions of the EPP are communicated regularly to all partners. To maintain a relevant link between the council and the other members of the partnership, the lead member for Young People and Education, and two other elected members, are members of the EPP.

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Decision-making

8. Although the structures for education in Bradford are complex, these decision-making procedures work well. This is illustrated by the process and timing of the recent decisions made for the reorganisation of special schools. The EPP is now rightly refining its procedures to include longer occasional sessions on specific issues, so that its members can contribute to policy formulation at an earlier stage than the more formal meetings of EPP. Progress has been made in the range and scale of consultation since the previous inspection, especially in relation to budget- setting.

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Targeting of resources

9. This aspect was satisfactory in the previous inspection. However, despite sound progress in most areas of this work, the long-standing failure to address deficit budgets in schools means that overall, it is now unsatisfactory.

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Targeting of resources

10. The 2000 inspection report highlighted this issue, as did the follow-up inspection in 2002 but optimism around proposed arrangements to tackle it has not been realised. Neither the council nor Education Bradford have put sufficient emphasis on monitoring and challenging schools’ financial management, and some schools have failed to carry out their responsibility for budgeting within their means. Neither the council nor Education Bradford has invoked the power to withdraw Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Targeting of resources

January 2005 Page 7 delegation where the case for taking such action because of poor financial management was clear. As a result, school budgets are becoming increasingly polarised, with year-on-year increases in the numbers of schools with excessive balances and deficits. The scale of school deficits is amongst the highest nationally, with a continuing, worsening trend.

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Targeting of resources

11. Some purposeful actions are now being taken. A recent critical Audit Commission report on school balances generated a good action plan. The finance strategy group is being rigorous in holding some schools to account for their budget recovery plans, and officers are increasingly working with schools on budgetary matters. In a seminal report to elected members in late 2004, the council’s finance director clarified the serious nature of the position, and recommended over 30 detailed actions over the short to medium term. However, these developments are recent and it is too soon to judge their effectiveness. Weaknesses in the application of procedures for school budget-setting and financial reporting, and insufficient capacity to monitor and challenge schools financial performance are an impediment to more rapid progress.

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Targeting of resources

12. More positively, though still below the Formula Spending Share, the council has increased spending on education. Spending is still £3.9 million under the Government’s assessment by formula, but this is an improvement compared to the previous inspection when spending was £10 million below. In addition, the SIPB is independently intending to provide £4.4 million to support 35 schools identified as having serious cause for concern. Schools’ income from Standards Fund is considerably higher than the national average. The costs of central services are lower than average, and the resources available to schools, while still below, are now much closer to the average for statistical neighbours.

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Targeting of resources

13. There have been some significant investments in areas of high priority in recent years. Education Bradford has doubled the investment in school improvement since 2001-02, an extra £3 million was allocated to the special needs budget last year, and £661,000 was allocated in 2003-04 to a range of priorities such as community cohesion, parent partnership and early years.

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Targeting of resources

14. The involvement of schools in the development of mechanisms for resourcing schools is good. The statutory schools’ forum is active and effective, and is complemented by the finance strategy group and its various working groups. These bring together officers and school representatives in robust discussions and productive activities on wide-ranging matters relevant to education funding. An improved formula for funding mainstream schools was implemented in April 2004 which is much sharper in targeting resources to identified need. Schools’ high satisfaction with these arrangements is reflected in the survey which rates the rationale behind Bradford’s funding formula in the top quarter nationally.

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Targeting of resources

• Urgently bring schools’ balances and deficits within the limits set out in the school financial regulations. Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Strategies to promote continuous improvement, including Best Value

15. This aspect of the council’s work continues to be highly satisfactory. The various elements within the strategies each play a useful part. There is a coherent, and increasingly effective, mechanism for ensuring improvement. Performance management is satisfactory. Evaluation of major education and corporate plans is highly satisfactory but is still being developed for particular initiatives. Self- evaluation for this inspection was satisfactory.

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Strategies to promote continuous improvement, including Best Value

16. The reporting of performance to improvement committees was described as of ‘extremely high quality’ in the corporate assessment of the council in 2002. Elected members are helpfully, though belatedly, involved in the issue of schools’ finances. Education Bradford provides monthly performance reports, on a range of contract performance indicators, each of which is properly challenged by the council as client, and from which a termly report is subjected to the scrutiny process. Where performance causes concern, as for Key Stage 2 recently, the scrutiny committee considers a range of actions. In this specific case, a successful bid was made for extra funding from the council’s priority support fund.

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Leadership by elected members and advice given to them

17. Leadership provided by elected members has improved since the last inspection and is now highly satisfactory. Under the contractual arrangements for education, members hold a strategic role in education and are advised well by the EPP. There is a clearly defined and satisfactory level of delegation to senior officers. All members have access to briefing and information on educational issues from council officers and Education Bradford. The development of integrated children’s services to meet legislation will, however, highlight the contrast between the more distant role of elected members in education through the EPP and the part played by elected members for some other related functions, such as social services. This will require clarification within the strategic education partnership as this development progresses.

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Leadership by elected members and advice given to them

18. The scrutiny function within the council is carried out well through improvement committees that mirror the corporate priorities of the council and which comprise elected members and other appropriate representation. The young people and education improvement committee receives timely reports. The work of this committee has been sharpened since the previous inspection and it is contributing effectively to the challenge and review of policy.

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Leadership by senior officers

19. Leadership provided by senior officers in the council and Education Bradford is satisfactory. At the time of the previous inspection in September 2002, the new leadership team within Education Bradford had only been in post for a short time. In several respects, this is still the situation now. Gaps arose in the senior staffing of Education Bradford in 2003 and subsequent difficulties in recruitment resulted in some discontinuity in service, most noticeably in the absence of consistent Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Leadership by senior officers

January 2005 Page 9 leadership of secondary school improvement for a year. A major restructuring of the senior team of Education Bradford was implemented from January 2004. This has strengthened capacity but some key appointments have only been made recently.

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Leadership by senior officers

20. The turnover in senior and middle managers has contributed to schools’ frustrations at times. The complex arrangements also mean that, in Bradford, the role entrusted with a single chief education officer in most other authorities is shared between two senior officers and the chair of the EPP and SIPB. They all work hard to clarify roles and responsibilities but there are inevitably issues where there is joint responsibility. This is reflected in the school survey where leadership ratings, while broadly satisfactory, are consistently in the bottom quarter for both primary and secondary schools. However, most schools recognise recent progress and there is renewed optimism now that the senior leadership team of Education Bradford has been strengthened.

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Leadership by senior officers

21. EPP was originally set up because of a breakdown in relationships between the previous LEA administration and its schools. Communications and consultation have improved and now the majority of schools are working well with Education Bradford, particularly in the last year. There is good partnership working to support pupils with behavioural problems and marked improvements in working together for target-setting and tackling racial incidents. A significant minority, particularly those in challenging circumstances, remain unconvinced and Education Bradford needs to make more rapid progress in implementing policies before these schools will be reassured.

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Leadership by senior officers

22. There is considerable disharmony between Education Bradford and the teaching unions and the privatisation of the education service is still a very sensitive issue. The unions have not fully accepted the realities of the situation and Education Bradford does not always involve the unions sufficiently early in consultation over matters that affect their members. The council is committed to the contract and sees no viable alternative. Pupils in Bradford schools were not well served for too many years and now all groups need to work together to continue the current improvement and to ensure that all pupils receive their proper entitlement to a good education.

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Leadership by senior officers

• The council, Education Bradford and the teaching unions should review current procedures in order to ensure effective consultation arrangements to support the school improvement strategy.

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Strategic partnerships

23. The effectiveness of the extensive partnership work in Bradford remains satisfactory. The Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP) works well. The partnership between schools, colleges, work-based providers, the local Learning and Skills Council (LSC), local authority and Education Bradford means that there is a shared vision for the 14-19 strategy. The high priority given by the council Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Strategic partnerships

January 2005 Page 10 to collaboration between agencies to support its priorities is reflected in its senior officer structure, in which an assistant chief executive holds responsibility for education, community and social care and the strategic coordination of initiatives in these functions.

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Strategic partnerships

24. The structure of partnerships in Bradford is overly complex because of the number of initiatives in progress and the impact of the council’s broad partnership working remains variable. The council is a key partner in the Local Strategic Partnership (Bradford Vision) and its seven partnership groups. The learning partnership covers 150 organisations working to achieve six objectives for lifelong and community based learning and skills. The council is piloting a local area agreement which has highlighted the need to rationalise this extensive range of partnerships and ensure maximum effectiveness.

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Strategic partnerships

25. The council is involved in a wide range of major partnership initiatives focussing on education, including Building Schools for the Future, 14-19 confederation development and planning to meet the requirement of the Children Act. This is in addition to the fundamental task of improving educational attainment. The council acknowledges that successful implementation of these tasks is a major test.

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Strategic partnerships

• Provide regular evaluative reports to the council’s executive, the young people and education improvement committee and the Education Policy Partnership, on the co-ordination and management of major partnership initiatives and their impact on raising educational attainment and performance.

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Support for Early Years

26. Support for early years is highly satisfactory. The strategy for early years links well to corporate plans and forms part of the Children and Young Person’s Strategy. Provision is of good quality with a range of different kinds of settings. There are clear priorities and mechanisms to raise pupils’ achievement at Foundation Stage level.

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Support for Early Years

27. The council provides consistent support to partnership working to assist the development of provision through the EYCDP. Roles and responsibilities are clear. There has been considerable innovation in neighbourhood nurseries, Sure Start projects and the early excellence centre. Foundation stage profiling and assessment is understood and used well by schools but the transfer and quality of information from other early years settings is variable, as is its receipt. The range of training and support offered is highly valued. A wide range of information, reports and signposting services are available for parents through Bradford’s one-stop-shop, but access to the helpline is limited for many non-English speaking communities. Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Support for Early Years

January 2005 Page 11 28. There are ambitious plans for the development of children’s centres but there is limited clarity within some schools about this development and the implications for them. The council is in the early stages of moving towards creating a Children’s Trust as the main strategic and commissioning body. This trust will require rationalisation of existing planning and strategic arrangements.

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Support for 14-19 education

29. The LEA currently provides satisfactory support for 14-19 education. There is an ambitious well-articulated strategy for 14-19 education and training based upon a clear learner entitlement and the commissioning of provision within and across five geographically based confederations of schools, colleges and work providers. A strength in the development of the strategy has been the use of two external evaluations in 2004 which identified key recommendations. There have been weaknesses in the co-ordination of grants and funding streams such as Excellence in Cities and the Leadership Incentive Grant. A review commissioned by the DfES in June 2004 showed an improving situation but some issues remained and the report made recommendations for improvement. Since September 2004 there has been much improved co-ordination of these funding streams. This is crucial as the strategy for 14-19 is based upon collaborative work already in progress through

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Support for 14-19 education

initiatives such as Excellence in Cities and the Leadership and Incentive Grant.

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Support for 14-19 education

30. There are a good range of vocational courses on offer in Bradford schools. The percentage of pupils taking vocational courses has increased from 16% in 2002 to 43% in 2004 and most schools have collaborative arrangements already. However, whilst attainment at GCSE level rose from 2001 to 2003, it plateaued in 2004 and progress is too slow. Participation rates post-16 in education and training are below national averages and were identified as a weakness in the area-wide inspection in 2002.

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Support for 14-19 education

31. The structures and staff to implement the strategy in 2005 are in place. The capacity for improvement is, therefore, sound. The weaknesses experienced with the reorganisation of Bradford schools in 2001 mean that the council will need, with the local LSC and other partners, to monitor progress of this major initiative very carefully.

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Support for 14-19 education

• Ensure that the recommendations from the DfES review and the external consultants are fully implemented and that progress is rigorously monitored by the strategic partnership. Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Summary table of judgements

The bar represents the grade awarded to the LEA, the triangle represents the LEA’s self-evaluation grade, the vertical line represents the LEA’s previous grade and the diamond represents the average grade of all LEAs inspected in the last year. 1 = Very Good, 2 = Good, 3 = Highly Satisfactory, 4 = Satisfactory, 5 = Unsatisfactory, 6 = Poor, 7 = Very Poor.

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The strategy for school improvement and its implementation

32. The strategy for school improvement is satisfactory. In the previous inspection, the Education Development Plan (EDP) was satisfactory but links with other plans, including EiC were weak. There has been satisfactory progress on this aspect and there is now coherence between plans and initiatives. The recommendation in the previous report has been satisfactorily addressed and success criteria now enable progress to be measured more precisely. Support for primary and special schools has improved significantly since September 2004; support for secondary schools is too fragmented. Support for admissions and provision of school places are highly satisfactory. Effectiveness in relation to asset management planning has improved significantly and is now satisfactory. The procedures for evaluating the impact of EiC initiatives have been improved recently but it is too early to judge their effectiveness.

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The strategy for school improvement and its implementation

33. It became apparent by January 2003 that Education Bradford had inadequate resources to implement its school strategy. This was particularly the case for schools causing concern, but also adversely affected its work in other schools. During the period 2003/04, there were significant weaknesses in the implementation of the primary strategy and an absence of leadership for planned improvements in secondary schools. The school improvement strategy has been put back on track by an additional input of £2.6m to date and as a result of the partnership working between Education Bradford, the council and SIPB. Since October 2003, the SIPB has assumed the lead role, in partnership with Education 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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The strategy for school improvement and its implementation

The LEA's strategy for school improvement

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The strategy for school improvement and its implementation

The progress on implementing the LEA's strategy for school improvement

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The strategy for school improvement and its implementation

The extent to which the LEA has defined monitoring, challenge and intervention

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The strategy for school improvement and its implementation

The effectiveness of the LEA's work in monitoring schools and challenging them to improve, including the use made of performance data The extent to which the LEA's support to schools is focused on areas of greatest need The effectiveness of the LEA's identification of and intervention in under- performing schools

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The strategy for school improvement and its implementation

The effectiveness of the LEA in discharging asset management planning

p.18

The strategy for school improvement and its implementation

The effectiveness of the LEA in relation to the provision of school places

p.18

The strategy for school improvement and its implementation

The effectiveness of the LEA in relation to admissions to schools Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.18

The strategy for school improvement and its implementation

January 2005 Page 13 Bradford, for 35 schools causing concern. A few functions are the responsibility of the education client team. The totality of the support is now providing satisfactory support to schools. There has been considerable improvement in the LEA’s support for primary schools. The Key Stage 3 team is valued by schools and is effective but a cohesive secondary team is not yet in place. The current satisfactory support is dependent on the SIPB input and leadership. This is not a sustainable long-term position and the schools are rightly concerned about the future.

p.19

The strategy for school improvement and its implementation

34. At the time of the previous inspection, implementation of the school improvement strategy was poor. This continued to be the case for about nine months and the resources available were inadequate to meet the needs in the schools. There followed a period of review and rebuilding, and extra resources were sought and provided. There were consequent improvements, but effectiveness was still unsatisfactory and the turbulence meant that there were continuing tensions in relationships with schools. For instance, there was insufficient co-ordination of the national strategies with other work. Since April 2004, implementation has been satisfactory overall and has accelerated since September 2004. This is demonstrated by some very marked improvements in some areas. For instance, school returns for reporting racial incidents have improved from 9% to 95%; 23 schools had been placed in an Ofsted category by January 2003 but only one school

p.19

The strategy for school improvement and its implementation

has been placed into special measures since May 2004.

p.19

The strategy for school improvement and its implementation

35. Targets for attendance and reducing exclusions have been met, and 90% of the recommendations in the previous report have been successfully addressed. The educational outcomes for looked after children have improved. Whilst all of the EDP attainment targets were missed, these were formulated in 2001 when the quality of data was poor and most were unrealistic. Bradford was close to achieving its revised Key Stage 2 targets for 2004. Between 2001 and 2004, there has been a closing of the attainment gap between its performance and national averages at Key Stages 2 and 3 and at GCSE. The 2004 target for five or more higher grades at GCSE was missed by more than 10%.

p.19

The strategy for school improvement and its implementation

• Develop an exit strategy for SIPB which ensures a continuing appropriate level of support and challenge for schools causing concern.

p.19

targeting of support

36. This work has improved and is now satisfactory. At the time of the previous inspection most of Education Bradford’s procedures were at an early stage of implementation. Progress was slowed by the restructuring of the advisory service but there has been more rapid progress since 2004. The recommendation from the previous inspection has been satisfactorily addressed.

p.19

targeting of support

37. The quality of data is good although Education Bradford has been slow to utilise Fischer Family Trust Data. It is now incorporated into the target-setting Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.19

targeting of support

January 2005 Page 14 process but not yet into value-added analyses in primary schools. There is now a closer agreement between LEA and schools’ aggregated targets in 2005 than in previous years. Good quality data enable Education Bradford, the education client team and SIPB to target resources satisfactorily to areas of greatest need. Analysis of data, schools’ inspection reports and other management information are used effectively by Education Bradford to place schools in one of three categories. There are differentiated levels of support between and within these categories, soundly based on analysis and need. The middle category is very wide, and while Education Bradford is clear when a school is becoming a serious cause for concern, there are not robust procedures for informing the school.

p.20

targeting of support

38. Primary school improvement officers as well as secondary school partners and consultants have received good training in the use of data and are well prepared for their visits to schools. The primary team is increasing the precision and rigour of its monitoring of achievement and its challenge to primary schools. Education Bradford has rightly increased the expertise of the team with the appointment of experienced headteachers as education partners. Links with the Key Stage 3 strategy consultants are being strengthened. However, many staff changes have led to discontinuity and lack of clarity about lines of accountability in secondary schools. The secondary support team is too fragmented and Education Bradford is reviewing the effectiveness of current arrangements.

p.20

targeting of support

• Clarify and strengthen the procedures for alerting schools and governing bodies where there are significant concerns about a school’s progress.

p.20

underperforming schools

39. Overall, Education Bradford’s work in this area is unsatisfactory. The number of schools subject to special measures has been consistently well above the national average and remains so. There are ten schools in special measures compared to six at the time of the previous inspection; the number of schools identified as having serious weaknesses has fallen significantly from ten to two but four slipped into special measures, including two in 2004. A significant number of schools have remained too long in special measures and beyond the expected timescale. Education Bradford has not used its powers to maximum effect until recently and cites capacity constraints as the reason.

p.20

underperforming schools

40. There has been progress in reducing the number of schools achieving less than the Government’s floor targets. From 2001 to 2004, the percentage of secondary schools in which less than 20% of pupils achieved five or more A* to C grades fell from 29% to 7%. However, there is still a serious concern in primary schools and nearly one half of primary schools are failing to reach the floor target for mathematics at Key Stage 2. Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.20

underperforming schools

January 2005 Page 15 41. There have been some significant improvements recently and the partnership with SIPB is a major factor. There are examples where intensive support has led to improvements in leadership, teaching and learning in schools causing concern and others where early intervention has helped to prevent schools falling into a serious category of concern. Exit strategies are agreed with schools and enable the schools to plan for continued improvement. However, high levels of support are not always effective and the practice of intensive monitoring visits in secondary schools just prior to HMI monitoring is a poor use of resources.

p.21

underperforming schools

42. Not all headteachers are clear about procedures and lines of accountability. A multi-professional review team is established for each school causing concern to review progress against agreed areas for improvement. However, this practice is new and, currently, not all headteachers have confidence in the process. The practice has not yet been extended to other schools and this is a weakness.

p.21

underperforming schools

• Improve the effectiveness of monitoring, challenge and support for secondary schools.

p.21

underperforming schools

• Clarify procedures for the multi-professional reviews of the progress of schools causing concern.

p.21

Asset management planning

43. Asset management planning was poor at the time of the previous inspection. It has improved considerably and is now satisfactory. The adverse impact of the major school re-organisation programme was well documented in the previous report, and it took time for the service to get back on track to meet the demands of the national asset management agenda. Although later than for most LEAs, Bradford now has in place the technical, structural and data requirements needed to make further progress.

p.21

Asset management planning

44. The required data on condition, suitability and sufficiency of buildings and land have been collected, and meet the DfES specifications, as does the asset management plan. The link between schools’ asset plans and that of the council are strengthened by an annual site visit from a property surveyor attached to a group of schools, the first round of which are nearing completion. Furthermore, a recently installed database will give schools the opportunity for on-line scrutiny of their data, and the ability to bring it up-to-date as they carry out minor works. Significant capital resources have been identified from a range of sources. However, while resources have been identified to meet the overall needs of the asset plan, these have not yet been set out in detail at school level.

p.21

Asset management planning

45. The council is one of the pathfinders for Building Schools for the Future. This project is well planned, on track for building to start in 2006, and based on comprehensive consultation on the level of engagement with stakeholders. This Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.21

Asset management planning

January 2005 Page 16 brings with it considerable investment through a private finance initiative, as does the bid for a further round of projects.

p.22

Providing school places

46. This was judged to be unsatisfactory at the time of the previous inspection. Education Bradford was criticised for the poor quality of its forecasting data. It was decided that this function would be better carried out by the council, with oversight from the EPP. Considerable improvements have been made, and recommendations have been acted on. Performance is now highly satisfactory.

p.22

Providing school places

47. There is a clearly stated commitment to aim for an overall surplus of around 5%, and good progress is being made. Currently there is around 10% surplus in primary schools, and this is reducing steadily, with plans in each planning area for further reductions where applicable. The secondary school surplus is already at 5%. Overcrowding in both sectors has also been reduced over recent years, and now affects only a small number of primary and two secondary schools.

p.22

Providing school places

48. In response to the previous inspection, 26 planning areas were created within the authority. This provides a much more manageable basis upon which to predict need. Pupil-projection methodology has improved and is now within acceptable limits. Each planning area has an annual programmed meeting to which all stakeholders are invited, with further meetings if issues need to be resolved. These meetings are very well served by a comprehensive data pack, upon which stakeholders are encouraged to contribute to fully by suggesting local solutions, rather than having these imposed by the LEA. As a result some innovative solutions, such as co-locations of libraries and community facilities, are helping to achieve the council’s wider priorities as well as reducing surplus places. Plans for a radical re- organisation of special schools, by closing ten and re-opening six new ones co- located with mainstream schools, are also well advanced.

p.22

Providing school places

49. The school organisation plan has been improved in response to the last inspection and is now fit for purpose. Representatives of faith schools are consulted well and they acknowledge the very complex demographics within the district. The school organisation committee is properly constituted, serviced well by officers, undertakes relevant training activities and subjects proposals to robust scrutiny. Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.22

Summary table of judgements

The bar represents the grade awarded to the LEA, the triangle represents the LEA’s self-evaluation grade, the vertical line represents the LEA’s previous grade and the diamond represents the average grade of all LEAs inspected in the last year. 1 = Very Good, 2 = Good, 3 = Highly Satisfactory, 4 = Satisfactory, 5 = Unsatisfactory, 6 = Poor, 7 = Very Poor.

p.23

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement

50. Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement is unsatisfactory. At the time of the previous inspection, support was satisfactory but policies and procedures were new and their overall effect not evident. Progress has been unsatisfactory, particularly in secondary schools. It has not enabled schools to adopt reliable self-evaluation procedures. For a prolonged period of time the secondary team lacked effective leadership. Support for financial services is unsatisfactory and support for new headteachers is inconsistent. There are particular strengths in support for governors and that for gifted and talented pupils is highly satisfactory. The strengthening of the advisory service since September 2004 together with the additional support through SIPB means that capacity is now satisfactory. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

p.23

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement

Support to school leadership and management, including schools' approaches to continuous improvement Support for national initiatives to raise standards in literacy and numeracy at KS 1 and 2

p.23

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement

Support for information and communication technology

p.23

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement

Support for the national initiative to raise standards at KS3

p.23

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement

Support for raising the achievement of minority ethnic pupils, including Gypsy/ Traveller children

p.23

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement

Support to schools for gifted and talented pupils

p.23

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement

The extent to which the LEA is successful in assuring the supply and quality of teachers

p.23

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement

The planning and provision of services to support school management

p.23

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement

The planning and provision of financial services in supporting school management

p.23

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement

The planning and provision of HR services in supporting school management

p.23

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement

The planning and provision of property services in supporting school management

p.23

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement

The planning and provision of information management services in supporting school management

p.23

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement

The effectiveness and value for money of services supporting school management

p.23

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement

The planning and provision of services supporting school improvement, particularly inspection and advisory and/or school effectiveness services The effectiveness and value for money of services supporting school improvement, particularly inspection and advisory and/or school effectiveness services Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.23

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement

January 2005 Page 18 51. Education Bradford has also recently strengthened its induction procedures for new headteachers but induction and monitoring procedures have not been implemented consistently. Some new headteachers, including ones in challenging schools, have not received adequate induction. In school inspections for the period up to July 2003, the percentage of schools where leadership and management was good or very good was well below the national average; the improvements between the last and previous inspections are well below those found nationally and for statistical neighbours. Analyses by Education Bradford show significant improvements in schools last year.

p.24

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement

52. The quality of data supplied to schools is good but support for enabling schools to carry out self-evaluation is not yet effective. In school inspections for the period up to July 2003, this was a weakness in primary schools and a serious weakness in secondary schools. Support is improving rapidly in primary but too slowly in secondary schools. In primary, a working group of headteachers is currently, but belatedly, devising a system for self-evaluation. Since September 2004, school improvement officers and headteachers of primary schools have agreed a statement about the strengths and weaknesses of each school based on a scrutiny of evidence and this has led to improved self-evaluation. However, this is not yet in place in secondary schools and this is a key weakness.

p.24

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement

53. Partnerships of schools have been supported to develop and share good practice. Weaknesses in the primary strategy are being remedied from September 2004. An analysis of schools’ strengths was undertaken in 2003 and this has formed the basis of the collaborative working between groups of primary schools, and has been supported by a consultant headteacher. This work has been used effectively to disseminate good practice effectively. Procedures are less well established in secondary, but the five Bradford confederations have used the Leadership Incentive Grant and the Key Stage 3 website to disseminate good practice.

p.24

Support for school leadership, management and continuous improvement

• Enable all schools to adopt reliable and consistent self-evaluation procedures that will help them to manage their own improvement.

p.24

Support for the national initiatives at Key Stages 1 and 2

54. The support for the national initiatives at Key Stages 1 and 2 is satisfactory. Until summer 2004, the literacy framework was not properly embedded in the work of all primary schools and the primary strategy team did not link well with other teams. However, the restructuring and recent appointments have resulted in significant improvements in the leadership and management of the team. The quality of planning is now good. The team is now valued by the schools and there are sound links with other teams. Progress since September 2004 has been rapid.

p.24

Support for the national initiatives at Key Stages 1 and 2

55. Standards at Key Stage 1 have improved and results are in line with national averages. Pupils’ attainment at Key Stage 2 is well below national averages but improvement rates from 1999 to 2003 in mathematics and science are well above Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.24

Support for the national initiatives at Key Stages 1 and 2

January 2005 Page 19 the national trend. This is encouraging but is from a low base. A very high number of schools did not meet their floor targets in 2004, and mathematics and science results at Key Stage 2 are still below the average for statistical neighbours.

p.25

Support for information and communication technology (ICT)

56. Support for ICT was poor at the time of the previous inspection. Progress has been good and support is now satisfactory. The ratio of computers to pupils has improved and government targets have been met in secondary schools. However, in primary schools the ratio of pupils to computers is still too high. The linking of all schools to broadband is on schedule. The percentage of pupils gaining a qualification in ICT at Key Stage 4 remains well below average although results have risen significantly over the last three years.

p.25

Support for information and communication technology (ICT)

57. There is a clear ICT strategy. An accurate audit of schools’ needs has been completed and, from September 2004, support is deployed effectively to address weaknesses. At Key Stages 1 and 2, the use of ICT within subjects is now monitored more rigorously through better links between ICT consultants and each school’s improvement officer. However, the accuracy of teacher assessments is not satisfactory and transfer of information between Key Stages 2 and 3 is inconsistent. Dissemination of good practice is sound. The ICT Area Forum and other network groups are active and the website is used well.

p.25

Support for information and communication technology (ICT)

58. Partnerships have been established with a range of technical and curriculum support providers, including the local City Technology College and the City Learning Centres (CLCs). The CLC Managers’ group is an active support network and following a review in June 2004, there are satisfactory links with schools.

p.25

Support for the national initiative at Key Stage 3

59. Support for the Key Stage 3 strategy has improved and is now good. The weakness identified in the previous report has been addressed and systems to monitor pupils’ achievement are now rigorous. The strategy is set out clearly in the EDP and close links with the primary strategy team promote continuity and consistency. There are examples of good practice in supporting Year 6 and 7 teachers to work collaboratively. However, in practice, transition between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 remains patchy across schools.

p.25

Support for the national initiative at Key Stage 3

60. Standards are rising and the gap between the LEA and the national average has reduced in all three core subjects between 2001 and 2004. The progress made by pupils between Key Stages 2 and 3 is in line with similar LEAs. However, results remain below the national average in English and well below in maths and science. Attendance in secondary schools is improving, but exclusion rates are rising at Key Stage 3, particularly in Year 9.

p.25

Support for the national initiative at Key Stage 3

61. Increasingly, the Key Stage 3 strategy is presented and seen as a whole- school strategy. There is good linkage with other national initiatives. The specific targeting of support is based on a comprehensive and systematic audit of needs, Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.25

Support for the national initiative at Key Stage 3

January 2005 Page 20 with consultants contributing very effectively to the specific project for schools in the intensive school improvement programme. Schools have confidence in the Key Stage 3 consultant team, recognise the very good leadership of the strategy and the significant impact that consultants are having on improving the quality of teaching, learning and standards. Effective networks and a dedicated website enable all schools to access models of good practice.

p.26

Gypsy and Traveller children

62. Support for minority ethnic pupils was satisfactory in the previous inspection and remains so. Education Bradford has successfully addressed the two recommendations in the previous report. A bilingualism policy was produced and distributed to schools in January 2004. Sound monitoring and evaluation procedures have been established for the work of specialist support services. Currently, there are 408 asylum seekers and 150 children of economic migrant workers and Education Bradford has responded by appointing an asylum liaison officer. However, this increased demand is a pressure on the small central resource and, together with the reduction in the grant, is resulting in a reduced level of support for schools. Capacity is therefore unsatisfactory.

p.26

Gypsy and Traveller children

63. Education Bradford has very good data on the attainment of minority ethnic pupils. Standards are generally below national and local averages and Bradford missed its targets in 2004. Standards at Key Stage 2 achieved by Pakistani and Bangladeshi pupils are well below those of comparable groups nationally, despite some recent improvements. A variable pattern exists at GCSE when compared with statistical neighbours: Black and Indian heritage groups are performing in line but the results for Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage pupils are well below.

p.26

Gypsy and Traveller children

64. Raising the attainment of minority ethnic groups is a high corporate priority and features in the local public service agreement. However, until September 2004 links between the support team and national strategies were unsatisfactory. The literacy framework was not properly embedded into all primary schools and so minority ethnic pupils did not get a thorough grounding in basic literacy skills. The re-organisation of the advisory services together with involvement in a national pilot has resulted in better links with national strategies. Leadership of the team is good and it is well regarded by schools.

p.26

Gypsy and Traveller children

65. The Traveller service is also well regarded and has been commended in HMI monitoring visits. A good range of specialist Traveller support is provided through direct teaching support, specialist education, social work support and training on Traveller lifestyle and culture.

p.26

Gypsy and Traveller children

• Ensure that there is sufficient capacity to raise the attainment of minority ethnic pupils. Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.26

The supply and quality of teachers

66. Support to assure the supply and quality of teachers has improved and is now satisfactory. The recommendations of the previous report have been addressed. A sound range of recruitment strategies is used to attract candidates. Most posts are filled, but in some schools, in particular those in special measures or in areas of high deprivation, headteachers have to cope with very high turnover of staff and vacancies.

p.27

The supply and quality of teachers

67. A project group has been set up and headteachers have been briefed about the implementation of workforce remodelling and changes proposed for 2005. Analysis of training needs is soundly based on issues identified in schools’ improvement plans as well as information provided by national strategy consultants and school improvement officers. Newly-qualified teachers benefit from a good induction programme and rigorous monitoring by the primary school improvement officers and the secondary support team of consultants. The proportion of newly- qualified teachers continuing into a second year in Bradford is in line with the national trend, an improvement since the previous inspection.

p.27

management

68. This area is satisfactory. Service planning and provision are sound. Effectiveness and value for money are highly satisfactory. The service provision booklet has recently been revised, in consultation with schools. Responsibilities of the provider and schools are clear and there is good advice on procurement, applying best value principles and accessing other providers. Service level agreements are of sound quality. In order to reduce schools’ administrative costs, Education Bradford usefully co-ordinates the ordering of services. The website, however, is out-of-date, inaccurate and does not promote on-line ordering.

p.27

management

69. The financial support service was not subject to fieldwork in the last inspection, but was judged to be satisfactory, as it had been in 2000. Currently the service is unsatisfactory due to a lack of capacity.

p.27

management

70. Traded financial services, other than payroll, are not provided by Education Bradford or the council. Schools buy bursarial services from a range of external suppliers, or employ their own staff. This restricts Education Bradford’s knowledge of schools’ financial management capabilities, especially as the system for monitoring school finances has been cumbersome and has provided inaccurate and untimely data. This has recently been replaced and schools report that the new system is much simpler to use.

p.27

management

71. The capacity of the team to cope with the developing and very demanding financial agenda in Bradford is a significant weakness. The strategic core of the service was understaffed during 2004, and this continues to be the case as the workload has increased. There are several major initiatives coming on stream, including Building Schools for the Future, a demanding financial strategy group work Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.27

management

January 2005 Page 22 programme and the urgent need to address school balances and deficits. This will require significant input from the finance team which has good expertise but is stretched to meet current commitments.

p.28

management

72. The human resources service was highly satisfactory in 2002 and it continues to be so, with good prospects for further improvement. Schools rate the consultancy and the payroll aspects highly, many still citing the excellent work done during the previous re-organisation programme. Technical problems associated with variations in contracts have been resolved, allowing the service to become clearly focused on its role in school improvement.

p.28

management

73. There is considerable work in progress such as in contracts, exit polls of teachers, recruitment packs for schools, and linking expert teachers to the continuous professional development programme. These have had little impact to date, but are sound investments for future progress.

p.28

management

74. The property service has improved and is now satisfactory. The main shortcomings in its capacity to deliver, and the links between schools’ and the council’s asset management plans, have been addressed. The service now has a team of surveyors, dedicated to a group of schools, with a focus on ensuring good links between schools and the council. The management of building projects was identified by the service as a weakness. Appropriate staff have been trained in project management, and each project now has an accountable officer to oversee it. However, this is a recent introduction and insufficient performance data have been produced to show the impact on issues such as slippage on project completions. The traded maintenance service continues to be satisfactory, with increasing numbers of subscribing schools (82% currently), and increasing satisfaction ratings.

p.28

management

75. Information management services have made good progress since the previous inspection and performance is now highly satisfactory. The main shortcoming in 2002 related to hardware and software maintenance. Education Bradford has enlisted a range of accredited providers, advertised through their service brochure and subject to performance monitoring. Although not yet good, there has been a significant improvement noted by schools.

p.28

management

76. There is now a good strategy to guide further developments. Education Bradford has a clear understanding of what should be traded, and what is strategically important. It has developed a good protocol for ensuring that only data which have a specified purpose will be collected. Further strategic guidance is provided by the IT and data strategy group. Performance has recently improved due to a sharper focus on strategic rather than operational matters. Most communications with schools are now electronic, and a very helpful and informative weekly newsletter keeps schools well informed about a wide range of relevant issues. Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.28

management

• Ensure that the schools’ finance team has sufficient capacity to carry out its functions effectively.

p.29

improvement

77. The planning and provision of services supporting school improvement were satisfactory in the previous inspection and remain so. Education Bradford has useful benchmarking data showing its costs and provision against local LEAs. The pricing structure is against real service costs rather than delegated amounts. All team plans are driven by the EDP and the primary and secondary effectiveness plans. These are of sound quality. These are produced annually but are usefully reviewed on a monthly basis by a senior manager. Progress against targets within these plans is evaluated rigorously but these data are not collated to form an overview of each service’s cost-effectiveness.

p.29

improvement

78. The previous report was optimistic about the achievement directorate although its establishment was so recent that its overall effectiveness could not be judged. At that early stage, there were few service plans. The significant turnover in staff, at senior and middle manager level, has inevitably led to a stalling in the implementation of some policies and a reduction in effectiveness. Consequently it was necessary to reorganise the service in 2003 because of lack of impact and insufficient progress.

p.29

improvement

79. Education Bradford has been successful in recruiting high quality staff although some of the appointments, such as primary and secondary improvement directors are relatively recent. Good use is made of headteacher and Key Stage 3 consultants, particularly, to extend the range and quality of support available to schools.

p.29

improvement

80. The education welfare service and inclusion services such as SEN and behaviour support make sound contributions to school improvement and target their work effectively on raising attainment. However, the educational psychology service has been understrength which means the assessment of pupils’ needs has been delayed. Support from advisory teams has been too variable. Support from the primary team has improved markedly since September 2004. The secondary team is too fragmented and does not have the confidence of a significant number of schools.

p.29

improvement

81. On balance, services supporting school improvement are improving but not yet consistently effective and value for money is unsatisfactory. There are still high numbers of schools in special measures and primary schools below the Government’s floor targets. The authority missed most of its 2004 EDP targets for pupils’ attainment. High budget deficits in a significant number of schools are a major obstacle to further improvement in some schools. There have been marked Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.29

improvement

January 2005 Page 24 improvements in attendance and reducing exclusions and the gap between LEA and national attainments is closing but not sufficiently at GCSE level. Capacity for further improvement is satisfactory, given current levels of support. Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.30

Summary table of judgements

The bar represents the grade awarded to the LEA, the triangle represents the LEA’s self-evaluation grade, the vertical line represents the LEA’s previous grade and the diamond represents the average grade of all LEAs inspected in the last year. 1 = Very Good, 2 = Good, 3 = Highly Satisfactory, 4 = Satisfactory, 5 = Unsatisfactory, 6 = Poor, 7 = Very Poor.

p.31

The strategy for SEN

82. The strategy for SEN has improved and is now satisfactory. Since 2001 the majority of strategic objectives have been achieved or are appropriately on track. Support for special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs) has improved in breadth and quality. Monitoring arrangements have been put in place to track the lower attaining 20% of pupils. A review of special school and specialist provision has been carried out, with general acceptance of the outcomes. Six new special schools will have been built by 2007 and the range of special mainstream resources and primary behaviour support centres is growing. Support services have been restructured to bring greater consistency to their work, although capacity within the educational psychology service will not be sufficient until September 2005. Reasonable steps have been taken to improve access for disabled pupils. Satisfactory progress is being made with the inclusion policy. The proportion of

p.31

The strategy for SEN

pupils with statements is in line with the national average and a greater percentage than nationally is placed in mainstream schools.

p.31

The strategy for SEN

83. Education Bradford has developed productive relationships with the regional partnership, including work on benchmarking. Work with the voluntary sector includes a well-respected parent partnership and effective support for parents of children with autism in the early years. Multi-agency planning is developing across the district, for example, in relation to children with disabilities. Schools continue, however, to have concerns over the availability of speech and language therapists and mental health workers as well as the effectiveness of work with social services.

p.31

The strategy for SEN

84. The allocation of extra funding for SEN outside the statementing system has proved particularly difficult. New arrangements were introduced in 2002, and supported by schools. However, by late 2003 it was very clear that the sums available to schools were insufficient and the allocation method over-burdensome on their time. This resulted in a crisis of confidence but partnership with schools are now improving. Consequently and rightly, there was swift action to end those 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

p.31

The strategy for SEN

The effectiveness of the LEA's strategy for Special Educational Needs (SEN)

p.31

The strategy for SEN

The effectiveness of the LEA in meeting its statutory obligations in respect of SEN

p.31

The strategy for SEN

The effectiveness of the LEA in exercising its SEN functions to support school improvement The extent to which the LEA exercises its SEN functions in a way which provides value for money Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.31

The strategy for SEN

January 2005 Page 26 arrangements and to move to allocating support through a formula. A review due to report in spring 2005, was set up in 2004 with wide stakeholder involvement, to devise a more acceptable funding system and take forward the development of policy. Following recent appointments in SEN and school improvement work, there is now good leadership from senior officers and a growing capacity to prioritise issues, target resources and implement plans in a sustainable way.

p.32

Statutory obligations

85. Performance in this area has declined and is now unsatisfactory. A key weakness is a serious decline in the provision of new statements within prescribed time limits. Only 35% were prepared on time in 2004 compared to 87% at the time of the previous inspection. There have been too few educational psychologists and medical advice is sometimes late. Although special funding is allocated in these cases, parents and schools do not have the benefit of timely advice on the child’s needs or details of the provision to be made. Where a child with a statement is due to transfer to secondary school, Education Bradford is failing to write to parents to make clear that they have the right to ask for a specialist placement, including one outside the district.

p.32

Statutory obligations

86. There are strengths. The independent parent partnership service is respected by parents and schools. A comprehensive range of well-presented information is available in written form and on the Education Bradford website. However, the link from the council website is not obvious and consequently the council is not meeting its statutory obligations. Transition reviews make appropriate use of other professionals. Criteria for deciding on statutory assessments and resource allocations are clear. Through acknowledgement of issues and new appointments in educational psychology, Education Bradford has committed itself to establishing satisfactory capacity.

p.32

Statutory obligations

• Ensure statutory obligations are met and that statutory assessments are completed within the recommended timescales.

p.32

SEN functions to support school improvement

87. SEN support for school improvement remains satisfactory. SENCOs have been effectively supported through training, network meetings, a regular newsletter, briefing notes on particular disabilities and a well-produced handbook. The quality of individual education plans and target-setting has improved. Early years settings value the work of the area SENCOs. Significant progress has been made since the previous inspection in analysing the progress of the lower attaining 20% of pupils. They make better progress between Key Stages 1 and 2 than the LEA average but well below the national improvement rate of similar groups of pupils. Ofsted inspections of schools in 2003/04 show that three-quarters of schools are making good or very good provision for SEN. Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.32

SEN functions to support school improvement

January 2005 Page 27 88. A review in late 2003 identified a need to bring learning support services together, rather than continuing to base them separately in special schools. This has simplified management arrangements and improved communication between services. Schools’ views of the effectiveness of the support services are now improving from a low base, but with continuing concerns over the effectiveness of educational psychology. Although progress overall has been slow, SEN support for school improvement is now well focused. Capacity for further development is satisfactory.

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Value for money

89. Progress has been made and value for money in SEN is now satisfactory. As recommended in the previous report, a comprehensive system to monitor and evaluate the progress made by pupils with SEN has been established. Pupil databases now provide information on individual needs and progress. There are also clear criteria for deciding on what kind of intervention is appropriate. Criteria for resource allocation attached to statements are transparent and moderated by panels to ensure consistency. Stakeholders generally accept the need to separate the funding of provision for pupils with high incidence SEN from statementing processes. A wide-ranging consultation on options for the system was underway at the time of the inspection.

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Value for money

90. The SEN budget is managed efficiently and benchmarked with that in other authorities. Costs for most elements of work in SEN remain below the averages nationally and in similar authorities, despite some growth. Specialist placements made jointly with social services or health services are carefully planned and monitored. As a result of the reinvigoration of work to secure better value for money, and improved consultation, the capacity for further improvement is sound. Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Summary table of judgements

The bar represents the grade awarded to the LEA, the triangle represents the LEA’s self-evaluation grade, the vertical line represents the LEA’s previous grade and the diamond represents the average grade of all LEAs inspected in the last year. 1 = Very Good, 2 = Good, 3 = Highly Satisfactory, 4 = Satisfactory, 5 = Unsatisfactory, 6 = Poor, 7 = Very Poor.

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The strategy for social inclusion

91. There has been good progress and the strategy for social inclusion is now highly satisfactory. The promotion of social inclusion for pupils in Bradford is clearly linked to work on the Key Stage 3 strategy and support for children with special educational needs. Performance is carefully monitored and has improved strongly across most key areas, although progress in promoting racial equality has been too slow. There are significant gains in improving attendance, behaviour and reducing exclusions, particularly through greater challenge and support for secondary schools. The council and Education Bradford are taking reasonable steps to meet statutory obligations in relation to looked after children, health, safety, welfare and child protection.

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The strategy for social inclusion

92. The council puts a strong emphasis on promoting community cohesion which is linked to the race equality plan. The contribution from education is highly satisfactory. For instance, Education Bradford is working with 12 secondary schools, including five schools participating in a DfES funded community cohesion project.

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The strategy for social inclusion

93. The significant improvements within the support provided by Education Bradford are broadly reflected, though in a more measured and less consistent way, in the development of the strategy for social inclusion across all agencies. There have been some positive outcomes, such as the establishment of children’s centres and family centres and multi-agency planning for children with disabilities. The children and young people’s strategic partnership was set up in 2002 with a wide- ranging membership. There is appropriate consultation with stakeholders, including children and young people and involving, for example a youth parliament. Information has been shared between field workers, for example, through the 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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The strategy for social inclusion

The overall effectiveness of the LEA's strategy for promoting social inclusion

p.34

The strategy for social inclusion

The LEA provision for pupils who are educated other than at school

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The strategy for social inclusion

Support for health, safety, welfare and child protection

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The strategy for social inclusion

The effectiveness of the LEA in promoting racial equality Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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The strategy for social inclusion

January 2005 Page 29 behaviour improvement project. However, information is not shared as effectively at a consistent, general level across agencies. Collaboration between different agencies is consistently rated as unsatisfactory by schools in the school and LEA surveys.

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The strategy for social inclusion

94. The initial strategy for children and young people was produced in late 2003, focusing on the same major areas as Every Child Matters. Subsequent plans have provided more specific indicators for success and milestones for implementation. The district has complex arrangements for commissioning and providing services across education and health. Some limited joint activity with pooled budgets has taken place, for example in relation to the Children’s Fund and reducing teenage pregnancy, although individual agencies still retain responsibility for most funding and activities. There is a recognised need to clarify the structures, focus and operation of children’s services. In late 2004, a decision was taken to establish a small team of officers to lead and co-ordinate more detailed planning, including work on information sharing and assessment. Councillors are well informed about work to secure greater social inclusion. Political decisions have yet to be taken on whether

p.35

The strategy for social inclusion

or not to establish a single children’s trust, but the council does have an appropriate decision-making process in place. When set alongside the clear, existing gains in the effectiveness of education services to support social inclusion, there is sound capacity for improvement.

p.35

Provision for pupils educated other than at school

95. There has been good progress in this work and provision is now satisfactory, having been poor at the time of the previous inspection. The roles and functions of the pupil referral units (PRUs) have been clarified. Placements are differentiated between those pupils where the aim is for rapid reintegration into school and those where reintegration will be phased over a longer period. There is a wide range of provision at Key Stage 4, including a contract with the college of further education. The capacity for alternative provision has been enhanced by remodelling some PRU sites and developing behaviour centres in four mainstream primary schools. Full- time education is arranged for all permanently excluded pupils.

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Provision for pupils educated other than at school

96. The partnership on preventative work and reintegration between Education Bradford and schools works well. Secondary schools will take pupils being reintegrated even where this is above standard admission numbers. The school involved in the planned reintegration is identified before a pupil enters the PRU, and support from the service can be made available to it. As a result, three-quarters of permanently excluded pupils are successfully reintegrated into mainstream education. Activity to track and place children missing from education is secure. Where parents have chosen to educate their child at home, the arrangements are monitored and supported appropriately. Costs are comparable to those in similar authorities and nationally. The capacity is now satisfactory. Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Support for attendance

97. Support for attendance has improved and is now highly satisfactory. Rates of attendance in primary and secondary schools have improved faster than the national trend. Attendance in primary schools now matches the national average, although that in secondary remains below. Unauthorised absence levels continue to be above the national average. Targets set in the EDP have been achieved and recommendations made in the previous inspection report have been addressed. Capacity for further improvement is good.

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Support for attendance

98. All schools receive a core level of support for attendance, and additional time from education social workers is well-targeted where need is greatest. Progress in improving rates of attendance is reported regularly to the education client team and to elected members. Advice and exemplar policies are provided to schools on a wide range of issues, including employment and extended leave. Absence due to extended leave has been reduced. However, attendance data are not yet built routinely into all annual school reviews or analysed by ethnicity.

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Support for attendance

99. Attendance has been significantly improved by the introduction of the ‘The Traffic Light Initiative’, which sets specific attendance targets for identified pupils and their parents with review every four weeks. This initiative provides a clear continuum of support and sanctions which culminates in a fast-track prosecution if improvement is not made. There is close liaison with the police and a regular programme of truancy sweeps.

p.36

Support for behaviour

100. There has been significant progress in this area. Support for behaviour is now highly satisfactory. The majority of actions in the current behaviour support plan have been completed. Schools’ views of the work of the behaviour support services have improved significantly since 2003 but ratings are still below the average for other LEAs. Bradford’s inclusive approach leads to comparatively low numbers of children with behavioural needs being placed in special schools. Following a positive evaluation of two primary learning support centres, two further centres are being established.

p.36

Support for behaviour

101. A behaviour improvement programme (BIP) runs across ten primary and three secondary schools. Approaches used in the BIP, such as learning mentors, are being introduced more widely, following an evaluation showing their positive impact on individual pupils with social, attendance or behavioural problems. Twenty schools with learning support units have noted a positive impact on fixed-term and permanent exclusions and behaviour. BIP targets have been met, and sometimes exceeded in relation to unauthorised absence, attendance and reducing fixed-term and permanent exclusions.

p.36

Support for behaviour

102. Across Bradford, rates of permanent exclusions are now in line with national averages and similar authorities, having peaked in 2002. Total costs for the range of behaviour support and alternative provision are in line with national averages and Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Support for behaviour

January 2005 Page 31 well below costs in similar authorities. Support to schools for behaviour is gaining in strength and effectiveness. Funding for BIP approaches has been guaranteed for the period following its planned end in 2006. Bradford is now well placed to make further improvements in support for behaviour.

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Support for health, safety, welfare and child protection

103. These continue to be highly satisfactory. Education Bradford takes reasonable steps to ensure that it meets statutory requirements on health and safety matters and its implementation of child protection procedures.

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Support for health, safety, welfare and child protection

104. Education Bradford contributes effectively to the work of the Area Child Protection Committee (ACPC) and in its development to be a safeguarding group. Every school has a named, designated child protection co-ordinator. A directory of their contact and training details is maintained and monitored although it is only just being converted into electronic form. There is good liaison between education and social services but the school survey reveals that there has been a misunderstanding of roles by schools. This is acknowledged and social services are changing to area- based referrals to improve communications with schools. There are shared priorities between Education Bradford and social services and these are incorporated into the ACPC business plan. There have been a number of successful multi-agency projects involving pooling of resources but the use of multi-agency teams is only just being

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Support for health, safety, welfare and child protection

developed. Education Bradford and its partners have been innovative in working with secondary schools and colleges to develop the child protection policy, practice and procedures in readiness for collaborative working proposed in the 14-19 strategy.

p.37

Provision for looked after children

105. There have been significant improvements, and support is now highly satisfactory. Good progress has been made in addressing the recommendations; the corporate parenting role is a high priority for the council and it is performed satisfactorily by elected members; analysis of performance is now sound.

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Provision for looked after children

106. Over the last three years there have been improvements in the outcomes for looked after children. Attendance levels have risen, the number of permanent exclusions have fallen and staying-on rates have risen. In most respects, attainment has also improved. The percentage of looked after children gaining at least one GCSE has almost doubled, but the percentage gaining five or more higher grades is still low (3%) and well below the target set. Education Bradford has good quality data and there is regular reporting and robust challenge from the education client team. However, the analysis of the data does not always sufficiently identify the performance of looked after children in out-of-area placements or draw on value- added analyses.

p.37

Provision for looked after children

107. Every school has a trained, designated teacher. There has been additional training for school governors, social workers, carers, Connexions staff, personnel advisers and dedicated nurses for looked after children. All looked after children Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Provision for looked after children

January 2005 Page 32 have an allocated social worker. Although only 86% have personal education plans there is an improving picture. The use of personal education plans is overseen through reports to the management board and individual reviews, although this is not in place fully for out-of-area children. A multi-agency strategy is currently being developed.

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Provision for looked after children

• Ensure that all looked after children have personal education plans and their use and effectiveness is monitored and reported on.

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Promoting racial equality

108. This was unsatisfactory in 2000 and continued to be so in 2002, largely because of the slowness to address some of the key issues raised in the previous inspection report. Overall, progress has continued to be too slow. Although there are some strengths and some innovative work in Bradford, support is currently unsatisfactory.

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Promoting racial equality

109. In the first year following the previous inspection only 9% of schools made returns reporting racist incidents. New procedures have been introduced and, in the last two terms, over 90% of schools have replied. However, trend analyses carried out by Education Bradford are flawed because of the previous low reporting and current responses are not always accurate. Improvements are so recent that the data are not yet used sufficiently to inform training and guidance materials and to provide effective challenge to schools.

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Promoting racial equality

110. The council and Education Bradford have sound strategies for race equality which are coherent with other major plans. There are equality ‘champions’ in each department. However, the monitoring of the minority ethnic composition of the workforce has weaknesses and the council is not meeting its statutory obligations arising from the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. It only has data for about 70% of its education employees and there is no monitoring of applicants for training and promotion or of staff on training. Minority ethnic groups are under-represented in managerial positions. There has been some success in governor recruitment campaigns and 13% of governors are from minority ethnic communities.

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Promoting racial equality

111. There are some strong developments in schools as a result of work by Education Bradford. In particular, the SACRE has been highly commended by HMI for its contribution to community cohesion and the student SACRE has achieved a national reputation for its work. There is sound support by Education Bradford for work in supplementary schools and for the enhanced citizenship curriculum in schools. The numbers of minority ethnic pupils are concentrated in particular schools to a greater extent than at the time of the previous inspection and there is effective work in linking 60 primary schools. This is an initiative which encourages schools working mainly with one ethnic group to link with schools working mainly with another ethnic group. Evaluation shows positive outcomes in promoting Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Promoting racial equality

January 2005 Page 33 greater understanding. Since September 2004 secondary schools have also been involved.

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Promoting racial equality

112. The achievement forum was established in 2002 and provides support for communities and parents and is a forum for consultation. The Governance Review which was commissioned by the strategic learning partnership and reported in April 2004 revealed that there was still a need to communicate and engage with minority ethnic communities more effectively, going beyond formal consultation. The council is successfully addressing this and, for instance, 20% of EPP members are now drawn from minority ethnic heritage groups.

p.39

Promoting racial equality

• Ensure that the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 are met.

p.39

Promoting racial equality

• Strengthen the representation of minority ethnic groups in management roles including in schools.

p.39

Promoting racial equality

• Ensure that the reports of racial incidents are accurate and analysed to inform support and challenge offered to schools. Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Record of Judgement Recording Statements

Name of LEA : Bradford Local Education Authority

p.40

Context of the LEA

1 The socio-economic context of the LEA 6

p.40

Overall judgements

0.1 The progress made by the LEA overall 4

p.40

Overall judgements

0.3 The LEA’s capacity for further improvement and to address the recommendations of the inspection

p.40

Section 1: Corporate strategy and LEA leadership

1.1 The effectiveness of corporate planning for the education of children and young people

p.40

Section 1: Corporate strategy and LEA leadership

1.2 The implementation of corporate planning for education 4

p.40

Section 1: Corporate strategy and LEA leadership

1.3 The effectiveness of LEA decision-making 3

p.40

Section 1: Corporate strategy and LEA leadership

1.4 The extent to which the LEA targets resources on priorities

p.40

Section 1: Corporate strategy and LEA leadership

1.5 The extent to which the LEA has in place effective strategies to promote continuous improvement, including Best Value Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Section 1: Corporate strategy and LEA leadership

January 2005 Page 35 1.6 The leadership provided by elected members (including quality of advice)

p.41

Section 1: Corporate strategy and LEA leadership

1.7 The quality of leadership provided by senior officers 4

p.41

Section 1: Corporate strategy and LEA leadership

1.8 The effectiveness of partnerships and collaboration between agencies in support of priorities

p.41

Section 2: Strategy for education and its implementation

2.1 The LEA's strategy for school improvement 4

p.41

Section 2: Strategy for education and its implementation

2.2 The progress on implementing the LEA's strategy for school improvement

p.41

Section 2: Strategy for education and its implementation

2.4 The extent to which the LEA has defined monitoring, challenge and intervention

p.41

Section 2: Strategy for education and its implementation

2.5 The effectiveness of the LEA's work in monitoring schools and challenging them to improve, including the use made of performance data

p.41

Section 2: Strategy for education and its implementation

2.6 The extent to which the LEA's support to schools is focused on areas of greatest need

p.41

Section 2: Strategy for education and its implementation

2.7 The effectiveness of the LEA's identification of and intervention in underperforming schools

p.41

Section 2: Strategy for education and its implementation

2.8 The effectiveness of the LEA in discharging asset management planning

p.41

Section 2: Strategy for education and its implementation

2.9 The effectiveness of the LEA in relation to the provision of school places

p.41

Section 2: Strategy for education and its implementation

2.10 The effectiveness of the LEA in relation to admissions to schools 3 NF

p.41

schools' efforts to support continuous improvement

3.1 Support to school leadership and management, including support for schools' approaches to continuous improvement Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.41

schools' efforts to support continuous improvement

January 2005 Page 36 3.2 Support for national initiatives to raise standards in literacy and numeracy at KS 1 and 2

p.42

schools' efforts to support continuous improvement

3.3 Support for information and communication technology 4

p.42

schools' efforts to support continuous improvement

3.4 Support for the national initiative to raise standards at KS3

p.42

schools' efforts to support continuous improvement

3.5 Support for raising the achievement of minority ethnic pupils, including Gypsy/ Traveller children

p.42

schools' efforts to support continuous improvement

3.6 Support to schools for gifted and talented pupils 3 NF

p.42

schools' efforts to support continuous improvement

3.8 The extent to which the LEA is successful in assuring the supply and quality of teachers

p.42

schools' efforts to support continuous improvement

3.9 The planning and provision of services to support school management

p.42

schools' efforts to support continuous improvement

3.9a The planning and provision of financial services in supporting school management

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schools' efforts to support continuous improvement

3.9b The planning and provision of HR services in supporting school management

p.42

schools' efforts to support continuous improvement

3.9c The planning and provision of property services in supporting school management

p.42

schools' efforts to support continuous improvement

3.9d The planning and provision of information management services in supporting school management

p.42

schools' efforts to support continuous improvement

3.10 The effectiveness and value for money of services supporting school management

p.42

schools' efforts to support continuous improvement

3.11 The planning and provision of services supporting school improvement, particularly inspection and advisory and/or school effectiveness services

p.42

schools' efforts to support continuous improvement

3.12 The effectiveness and value for money of services supporting school improvement, particularly inspection and advisory and/or school effectiveness services

p.42

Section 4: Support for special educational needs

4.1 The effectiveness of the LEA's strategy for special educational needs Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.42

Section 4: Support for special educational needs

January 2005 Page 37 4.2 The effectiveness of the LEA in meeting its statutory obligations in respect of SEN

p.43

Section 4: Support for special educational needs

4.3 The effectiveness of the LEA in exercising its SEN functions to support school improvement

p.43

Section 4: Support for special educational needs

4.4 The extent to which the LEA exercises its SEN functions in a way which provides value for money

p.43

Section 5: Support for social inclusion

5.1 The overall effectiveness of the LEA's strategy for promoting social inclusion

p.43

Section 5: Support for social inclusion

5.2 The LEA provision for pupils who have no school place 4

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Section 5: Support for social inclusion

5.5 Support for health, safety, welfare and child protection 3

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Section 5: Support for social inclusion

5.6 Provision for looked after children 3

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Section 5: Support for social inclusion

5.7 The effectiveness of the LEA in promoting racial equality 5

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Section 5: Support for social inclusion

*NF' under fieldwork means that no fieldwork was conducted on this function during this inspection.

p.43

JRS numerical judgements are allocated on a 7-point scale:

Grade 1: Very good; Grade 2: Good; Grade 3: Highly satisfactory; Grade 4: Satisfactory; Grade 5: Unsatisfactory; Grade 6: Poor; Grade 7: Very poor

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JRS numerical judgements are allocated on a 7-point scale:

Note: in the case of JRS 1 : socio-economic context of the LEA and JRS 2.3 : performance of schools, grades relate to comparisons against national averages : Grades 1-2: Well above; Grade 3: Above; Grade 4: In line; Grade 5: Below; Grades 6-7: Well below. Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

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Context of the inspection

This inspection of Bradford LEA was carried out by Ofsted in conjunction with the Audit Commission under section 38 of the Education Act 1997.

p.44

Context of the inspection

This report provides a commentary on the inspection findings, including: • the progress the LEA has made since the time of its previous inspection in 2002;

p.44

Context of the inspection

• the overall effectiveness of the LEA and its capacity to improve further;

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Context of the inspection

• the LEA’s performance in major aspects of its work;

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Context of the inspection

• recommendations on areas for improvement.

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Context of the inspection

The summary is followed by more detailed judgements on the LEA’s performance of its individual functions, which sets the recommendations for improvement into context.

p.44

Context of the inspection

All functions of the LEA have been inspected and judgements reached on how effectively they are performed. Not all functions were subject to detailed fieldwork, but in all cases inspectors reached their judgements through an evaluation of a range of material. This included self-evaluation undertaken by the LEA, data (some of which were provided by the LEA), school inspection information, HMI monitoring reports, and audit reports. In addition, the inspection team considered the earlier Ofsted/Audit Commission report on this LEA and a questionnaire seeking the views of all schools on aspects of the work of the LEA. There was a low response (37%) to the school survey. In those areas subject to fieldwork, discussions were held with LEA officers and members, headteachers and governors, staff in other departments of the local authority, diocesan representatives, and other agencies and LEA partners.

p.44

Context of the inspection

The functions that were not subject to detailed fieldwork in this inspection were:

p.44

Context of the inspection

• support for gifted and talented pupils;

p.44

Context of the inspection

• the effectiveness of the LEA in relation to admissions to schools.

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Context of the inspection

Inspection judgements are made against criteria that can be found on the Ofsted website. For each inspected function of the LEA an inspection team agrees a numerical grade. The numerical grades awarded for the judgements made in this inspection are to be found in Appendix A. These numerical grades must be Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.44

Context of the inspection

January 2005 Page 39 considered in the light of the full report. Some of the grades are used in the Comprehensive Performance Assessment profile for the education service.

p.45

Context of the LEA

The metropolitan district of Bradford serves a large ethnically and culturally diverse population of 467,665 which is forecast to increase by about 4% by 2020. Most people live in the city of Bradford but two-thirds of the land area is rural. Twenty two percent of the population are drawn from a minority ethnic community, compared to 9% nationally. The majority are from a Pakistani heritage (14%) and a wide range of other ethnic heritage groups include Indian (2.7%) and Bangladeshi (1.1%).

p.45

Context of the LEA

Bradford is amongst the 10% most deprived districts in the country. The unemployment rate (4.8%) has declined since the previous inspection but is still above the national average. In 2003, 28.9% of primary and 27.3% of secondary pupils were eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average.

p.45

Context of the LEA

In 2003, the percentage of pupils with statements of educational need was in line with national averages for primary schools (2.7%) and for secondary schools (3.8%). The percentage of pupils placed in special schools is in line at primary (1.0%) and below at secondary level (1.3%).

p.45

Context of the LEA

There was a major reorganisation of schools in 1999/2000 from a three- to a two- tier system. The reorganisation did not address post-16 or special school provision. An Ofsted area-wide inspection of all 16-19 education and training provision in the district, undertaken in January 2002, judged there to be no clear rationale for the pattern of post-16 provision at that time. The LEA maintains 207 schools comprising seven nursery schools, 159 primary schools, 28 secondary schools, 11 special schools and four PRUs. Bradford has approximately 89,000 pupils and about a third is of minority ethnic heritage. About one third of pupils have English as a second language. The staying-on rate for 16-year-olds continuing into full-time education and training (63%) was below the national averages (71%) in 2001 and also below (78%) when work-based training and part-time education are included (national average 82%).

p.45

Context of the LEA

Following a critical inspection in 2000, the DfES required that a private provider, SERCO, be contracted to carry out many of the education functions of the authority. Education Bradford was established in July 2001. In October 2003, in agreement with the authority the DfES established a School Improvement Project Board (SIPB). The SIPB’s activities and resources form part of the totality of support and challenge currently targeted on Bradford’s schools causing concern. There are 26 primary and 9 secondary schools involved in this initiative, the highest number for any authority. The SIPB has an independent chair and project manager and two external consultants who have lead responsibilities for primary and secondary initiatives that are promoted by the SIPB. Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.45

Context of the LEA

January 2005 Page 40 The council’s senior officer structure comprises the chief executive, three assistant chief executives and 14 directors. One of the assistant chief executives has responsibility for education, community and social care. There are six council corporate plan priority boards, reflecting the six priorities of the council’s corporate plan. The scrutiny function is carried out by the Young People and Education Improvement Committee. As a result of outsourcing arrangements, an education client team was established from June 2001, led by the education director. The client team has responsibility for the management of the contract agreed with SERCO, for school organisation functions and for school buildings. It also manages a significant number of projects including extended schools and externally-funded capital programmes such as new opportunities fund, physical education and sports.

p.46

Context of the LEA

There is also a department of community development and lifelong learning which has responsibilities for the youth service, early years and childcare service education and skills for work.

p.46

Context of the LEA

Since May 2004, the council had a minority Conservative administration. Elections in recent years have produced close results; no party has had an overall majority since May 2000. There are 38 Conservatives, 29 Labour, 15 Liberal Democrats, four Green Party and four British National Party councillors.

p.46

The performance of schools

Standards of pupils’ attainment are well below national averages at Key Stages 2, 3 and at GCSE level. At Key Stage 1, performance is in line for reading and writing but below the national average for mathematics. Compared to statistical neighbours, pupils’ attainment is in line or better at Key Stage 1, consistently below at GCSE level and below for mathematics and science at key stages 2 and 3. For Key Stages 1 to 2 and 2 to 3 improvement rates are above the national trend in primary schools and well above for mathematics and science at Key Stage 2. In secondary schools, improvement rates are in line with the national trend generally but better for English at Key Stage 3. The gap between the LEA and national averages has been reduced for 2001 to 2004 at Key Stages 2 and 3 and in some respects at GCSE level.

p.46

The performance of schools

The attainment of minority ethnic pupils is below national averages, particularly at Key Stage 2. At GCSE level, compared to statistical neighbours, pupils of Black and Indian heritage are performing in line but the results for Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage pupils are well below. White working-class boys consistently underperform.

p.46

The performance of schools

Attendance levels are in line with the national average at primary level but well below at secondary level. Improvement in both phases is above the national trend. Unauthorised absence rates are above the national average at primary and secondary level. Exclusion rates have reduced and are now in line with national averages.

p.46

The performance of schools

The percentages of schools judged to be good or very good in Ofsted inspections are below the national and statistical neighbour’s averages at primary and secondary level. The percentage of secondary schools requiring much improvement is higher than nationally and a high percentage require special measures. However, the 2004 Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.46

The performance of schools

January 2005 Page 41 results indicate a significant improvement in the percentage of secondary schools meeting government floor targets. Despite some improvement, the percentage of primary schools not meeting floor targets remains high, particularly for mathematics.

p.47

The performance of schools

In 2004, the LEA missed all its targets for pupil attainment and by more than 10% for 5+ A*-C grades at GCSE level. Targets for 2005 have been reviewed, are now more realistic and, with some exceptions, are compatible with schools` aggregated results. Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.47

Funding data for the LEA

Bradford Statistical neighbours average Metropolitan Average England Average Schools budget

p.48

Funding data for the LEA

£ per pupil £ per pupil £ per pupil £ per pupil Individual schools budget 2,897 2,945 2,812 2,900

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Funding data for the LEA

Education for under fives (non-ISB) 30 62 50 85

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Funding data for the LEA

Special educational needs 65 103 118 126

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Funding data for the LEA

Capital expenditure from revenue 3 25 19 24

p.48

Funding data for the LEA

TOTAL SCHOOLS BUDGET 3,299 3,408 3,239 3,354 Schools formula spending share 3,171 3,240 3,066 3,197

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Funding data for the LEA

Source: DfES Comparative Tables 2004-05 Bradford Statistical neighbours average Unitary average England average LEA budget

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Funding data for the LEA

£ per pupil £ per pupil £ per pupil £ per pupil Strategic management 126 101 119 99

p.48

Funding data for the LEA

Capital expenditure from revenue 0 2 1 2

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Funding data for the LEA

Total LEA budget 401 418 379 406 Source: DfES Comparative Tables 2004-05 Note: All figures are net All figures are net. Funding for schools in financial difficulties excludes transitional funding. Average quoted are mean averages; the original DfES Comparative Tables quote median average figures, not the mean average. Inspection Report Bradford Local Education Authority

p.48