NCSL Conference 26 May

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NCSL Conference26 May

• Peter Housden
• Director General for Schools

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Real clarity of purpose

• Personalised learning, enriched curriculum, whole
  child
• Strong institutions committed to excellence and
  equity
• A synchronised system generating its own momentum
  for reform
• The whole enterprise capturing the heads and
  minds of the nation

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PIRLS 2001 Progress in International Reading
Literacy Study
Sweden
Netherlands
England
Canada (O,Q)
USA
Germany
New Zealand
Hong Kong
Singapore
France
Iceland
Norway
Turkey
300
320
340
360
380
400
420
440
460
480
500
520
540
560
580
Source Progress in International Reading
Literacy Study (PIRLS)
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PISA 2001 Mean Score in Student Performance on
the Combined Reading Literacy Scale
Finland
Canada
New Zealand
Australia
Ireland
Korea
United Kingdom
Japan
Sweden
Belgium
Norway
France
United States
Spain
Germany
Portugal
Mexico
300
320
340
360
380
400
420
440
460
480
500
520
540
560
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What problems are we trying to solve?

• High devolved and differentiated school system
  with 25,000 outlets
• Tradition of isolated professionalism weak
  knowledge transfer
• Within-school and between-school variation
• Attainment gaps associated with social
  disadvantage and cultural barriers
• Significant performance bottlenecks at 11 and 16

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Why network?

• Knowledge transfer - cpd
• Extend curriculum opportunity
• General economies of scale
• System-wide change
• Create new momentum for reform

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Between School Variation
2002 percentage of pupils in maintained
mainstream schools achieving 5 A-C GCSEs by
secondary school free school meal bands
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In-School Variation
If progress in English, Maths and Science during
KS3 in every secondary school was the same as for
the best subject in that school, then nationally
we would gain 3-4 at level 5 in each subject.
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Underperformance at KS2-KS4
60
Underperforming Schools are
All Other Schools
those in the lowest quartile
Underachieving
value-added for EITHER
50
Capped Points Score OR 5AC
Below 30 5AC
40
Actual Capped Points Score
30
20
10
0
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Estimated Capped Points Score (from Pupil KS2,
Gender and School FSM)
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The Power of Networking

• Peer learning and challenge
• Flexible and inexpensive
• Builds capacity and confidence

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The Mythology of Networking

• Competition and collaboration cut against each
  other you cant have school autonomy and
  collaboration
• Networking and collaboration will replace league
  tables
• Networking will automatically improve standards

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The Weaknesses of Networking

• Focus on process, not standards
• Imprecise objectives, lack of rigour on outcomes
• A coalition of the willing

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The Challenge for the LEA

• Facilitation and capacity building
• Keeping the focus
• Networking as part of a performance culture
• Leadership through partnership