Best Value and School Management

1
Best Value and School Management

• June 2002

2
Introduction

• Statutory duty on schools
• The Gloucestershire approach to this duty
• The principles of Best Value

3
Statutory duty on Schools

• Schools not subject to same BV regime as the
  local authority
• Schools must provide, with their annual budget
  plan, a statement setting out how the principles
  of BV will be applied over the coming year
• The inspection of BV principles now written into
  the Ofsted inspection framework for schools
  keep evidence

4
The Gloucestershire Approach

• We recognise that many school activities already
  meet the principles of BV
• Intention is to link the BV annual statement with
  the School Improvement Plan

5
Principles of Best Value

• Continuous improvement
• Cultural change process
• Ownership to drive change forward

6
The 4Cs

• Challenge
• Compare
• Consult
• Compete
• 4Cs interrelated, not seen in isolation

7
Challenge

• Have schools challenged the standards of service
  delivery to secure continuous improvement?
• Is the budget clearly linked to the School
  Improvement Plan?
• Does the School Improvement Plan include SMART
  targets (Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic,
  Timed)?
• Substantial challenge to the status quo

8
Compare

• Compare services provided with other similar
  schools
• Use benchmarking data to compare levels of
  achievement
• Use DfES/Ofsted/LEA comparative information to
  inform the planning process
• Use of informal contacts

9
Consult

• What consultation processes are undertaken with
  staff, pupils and parents? (ie on proposed
  changes/major expenditure)
• Do you seek the views of partners, as critical
  friends?
• Are staff and governors consulted during the
  budget-setting/prioritisation process?
• Does the governing body/finance committee
  formally agree the budget?

10
Compete

• Have discussions taken place with the governing
  body/finance committee about the purchase of
  support services from the LEA?
• Is information sought from other providers before
  SLAs signed with the LEA?
• Remember BV is not just the cheapest

11
The bottom line

• BV challenging self evaluation leading to
  continuous improvement
• Keep evidence

12
Schools and Best Value

• BV does not apply statutorily to GBs but they
  are required to
• set targets for improvement
• provide a good-quality public service
• spend money wisely
• achieve a balance between cost and effectiveness.

13
What?

• Demonstrate the principles of BV in
• performance
• planning
• use of funding
• management.
• Without doing more!

14
Compare (Does anyone else do it better?)

• Use of data
• Benchmarking
• Networking

15
Challenge(Why do we do this?)

• Budget planning
• Improvement planning
• Self-evaluation
• Performance management
• Target setting

16
Consult(Do others know what we do
what do they think of us?)

• Surveys
• IIP
• Improvement planning
• Self evaluation
• Budget planning

17
Compete(Are we getting the best deal?)

• Surveys
• Market research
• Financial administration
• Monitoring of service providers
• Evaluating spending and management decisions
• Self evaluation

18
BV Statement

• Philosophy
• Evaluation of last years targets
• Statement of new targets
• Link to SIP

19
All Gloucestershire Primary Inspections (64
Schools)January 2000 - 2001
20
All Gloucestershire Secondary Inspections (8
Schools)January 2000 - 2001
21
Ofsted reports

• Good judgements
• Apply BV principles well
• Poor judgements
• Insufficient attention and application
• Slight judgements evident
• Best value sometimes confused with value for
  money

22
Implementing best value

• In most cases schools are already engaged in
  activities which reflect best value principles
• Build on what is currently underway
• Be explicit about what it is you are doing use
  the words

23
Principles -Challenge

• Why are we doing this?
• What services are provided currently?
• How are these provided?
• Are these the best arrangements?
• Regular review
• Aims
• Alternative arrangements
• Best providers

24
Principles - Compare

• Schools compare with others
• Performance comparisons
• Benchmarking
• Ofsted
• DfES
• Audit commission
• LEA
• Schools compare between parts of the school
• Departments
• Key Stages

25
Principles - Consult

• Improve accountability
• Best interests of school community
• Consult
• Parents
• Local community
• Pupils
• Teachers
• Support staff

26
Principles - Compete

• Open and fair
• Check out the market place
• Identify more than one provider
• Tendering processes
• Quality service at best price
• Improve the service

27
(No Transcript)