WELCOME... COLLABORATION WORKS. Issue 01 November Welcome to the first edition of Collaboration Works.

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1 Issue 01 November 2015 COLLABORATION WORKS WELCOME... Welcome to the first edition of Collaboration Works. This is our new look newsletter which will be circulated the first week back after each school holiday than bi-weekly. We will aim to keep you up to date with our news and ask that you keep us up to date with your news and up to date contact names/ addresses too. Bright Futures Educational Trust was formed in 2011 and comprises of secondary schools, primary schools, colleges and a special educational needs school, all based in the North West who share the vision of create a world class education that enables every young person to reach their full potential, and in particular, their full academic potential. The Alliance for Learning was also formed in 2011, a cohort 1 Teaching School that adds further dimension to the work of the Trust. As a forward-thinking, dynamic network, we lead the way in ground-breaking research and development, innovative approaches to school to school support, cutting-edge initial teacher training and meaningful professional development. Teaching Schools are at the heart of a different strategy of school improvement that puts responsibility on the profession and schools. Our Alliance offers a wide range of opportunities for schools to collaborate with other schools and we have a diverse range of partners across the NW. Our SCITT offers high quality training and aims to overcome any recruitment issues, whilst our wide range of professional development opportunities aim to improve the quality of teaching and learning, improve wellbeing and support leadership development. We also have a large number of system leaders who are available for deployment to support with specific aspects of school improvement and our specialist networks e.g. Maths Hub, Science Learning Partnership, English networks etc. 1

2 WELCOME FROM THE HEAD OF TEACHING SCHOOL I am delighted to be in post here at the Alliance for Learning (AGGS) /BFET as Head of Teaching School and BFET Co-Principal and the year has started really well. As you know we are a network of primary and secondary schools, colleges, universities and other organisations. We share best practice and have a common goal of improving outcomes for all children in young people across our area. I am pleased to confirm that we were officially redesignated on the last day of term before the summer holidays. It is extremely exciting to be working to not only support all schools but to raise the profile of teaching schools and secure their central role in the development of a mature school-led system. The mark of a mature system is how well it ensures that all children and young people attend a good school, and the next 12 months will be crucial not just here in our Teaching School Alliance but nationally in embedding the excellent work across the teaching school regions in trying to bring coherence and consistency to our collective work in ITT, leadership succession planning and school to school support. In our Alliance this year it has been particularly heartening to see system leaders and SLEs willing to go the extra mile to play a central role in providing impactful school to school support. This term most of my time has been spent deploying SLEs into challenging schools as a result of several successful financial bids. As you know, our SCITT officially opened in September and this will continue to be a priority going forward as well as developing further collaborative links between School Direct partnerships, SCITTS and other ITT providers to help ensure that we all have high quality teachers coming through the training system for future generations. Information on this is included in the update attached. Please do visit our website for the most up to date information and details of our CPD offer if you are interested to see what is on offer and please do ensure your school team are engaged in our Big 6. I also wanted to let you know that I will continue to be a Headteacher Ambassador for the Youth Sport Trust and Co-Chair of the GM PE Headteacher Alliance. Please note we have a change in Science Learning Partnership staffing- Nicola Kelting is leading this now. I d also like to draw your attention to our new business partners-please do have a look on the back page-all alliance schools have priority access to these. Finally, we had our first Strategic Partnership meeting last Monday and it went really well. Thanks for your support and I ll look forward to working with you all this year. Lisa Fathers Head of Teaching School/ Co-Principal BFET WHO S WHO? At the Alliance for Learning we are proud to employ a team of the most enthusiastic and dedicated individuals. Here are some of the core team that make it happen: Name & Position Lisa Fathers Head of Teaching School/ Co-Principal BFET Kal Hodgson Assistant Director of Teaching School/SCITT Director Claire Critchley Marketing & Communications Manager/SLE & School Engagement Diane Pullen CPD Manager Hilary Langmead-Jones SCITT Manager Simon Mazumder NW1 Maths Hub Lead Helen Hutchinson Maths Hub Administrator Nicola Kelting Science Learning Partnership Lead Address fathers@aggs.trafford.sch.uk hodgson@aggs.trafford.sch.uk critchley@aggs.trafford.sch.uk pullen@aggs.trafford.sch.uk langmead-jones@aggs.trafford.sch.uk mazumder@aggs.trafford.sch.uk hutchinson@aggs.trafford.sch.uk kelting@aggs.trafford.sch.uk Michelle Cooke Science Learning Partnership Admin cooke@aggs.trafford.sch.uk Rebecca Stokwisz Mindfulness Lead mindfulness@aggs.trafford.sch.uk Initial Teacher Training/SCITT SCITT The Greater Manchester Bright Futures SCITT has now been open for one month and we have 35 trainees placed in school across the alliance and receiving high quality support, training and experience to help them develop into outstanding teachers. The SCITT team, Kal Hodgson (SCITT Director), Jo Scotson (Primary lead) Siobhan Dickerson (English lead), Su Curryer (Science lead), Katie Lovelady (School liaison) and Hilary Langmead-Jones (SCITT Manager) have helped the trainees settle in to the programme, We also want to offer a huge thanks to all the mentors in the schools where the trainees are currently placed. If you are keen to be involved and especially if you would like to offer a spring term placement for trainees please get in touch. Trainee school support Part of our trainee development improves their skills in supporting pupils in intervention groups, progress groups or borderline pupils (eg C/D, A/A*). We have earmarked the week of 7th 11th December as a week where you can request trainees to come and work in your school and support you. Please get in touch to find out more. NQTs and RQTs We continue to offer high quality NQT training and this year we are introducing training for RQTs as well. To find out more about our NQT packages, whether to use us as an appropriate body or to access our training please click here. Our new RQT training is a 2 year programme that costs 150 per year per RQT. We offer six session per year based on feedback from RQTs and the training they want. Talk, not Chalk The research reading group was a great success last year and we are continuing with the group again for this year. Look out for the research documents coming out soon, which will focus on flipped learning. For more information on any aspect of our Initial Teacher Training/SCITT please contact Hilary Langmead-Jones at langmead-jones@aggs.trafford.sch.uk 2 3

3 Leadership From Initial Teacher Education to Headship, the Alliance for Learning offers a range of programmes that will provide high quality professional development for all stages of a teaching career. Professional Development The Alliance for Learning prides itself on high quality provision of intensive, facilitated training for small groups of teachers from Altringham Grammar School for Girls and other schools across the North West and beyond. The programmes extend teaching repertoires, maximise performance in the classroom and develop and support school and system leaders. We have some exciting CPD courses running throughout the year-full details of which can be accessed via our website. Here s what is coming up this term. Please click the course titles for further information. Princes Teaching Institute - New Teacher Subject Days Date: Commencing 7 November 2015 Leadership Residency Date: Commencing 8 December 2015 Prejudice based Bullying-Stonewall Date: 28th January 2016 For more information on these courses or any other courses on our website please contact Diane Pullen on or pullen@aggs.trafford.sch.uk All programmes are written and delivered by highly qualified school leaders who bring theory and practice together to ensure the course meets the needs of all delegates and has significant impact on individual school contexts. The theory input uses current pedagogical and leadership models to ensure there is rigorous underpinning of course content. Practical strategies for improvement are then explored so that delegates leave with a real sense of empowerment - both inspired and equipped to improve as a teacher and a school leader, making a difference to the lives of students in their schools. Programmes we offer: National Professional Qualification for Middle Leadership (NPQML) The NPQML is a qualification that provides national recognition of your leadership development and professional achievement as a middle leader. This is an in-depth programme available to all school phases, which enables you to operate more effectively in your current role (aspiring to become a middle leader). It also prepares you for the next stage in your career should you wish to undertake the National Professional Qualification for Senior Leaders (NPQSL). National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL) The NPQSL is a dynamic development programme for ambitious school leaders. It is suitable for high-performing middle leaders and newly appointed senior leaders. Our programme is designed to support you to explore what good practice and what outstanding leadership looks like in some of the key areas of a senior leadership role. Our delivery approach is to role-model outstanding practice and use coaching techniques to support you to unlock your leadership potential. You will be encouraged to reflect on your own areas of strength, observe good and outstanding practice demonstrated by other school leaders, allowing you to evaluate the impact you have as a leader in your own school and identify your key priorities for development. Leadership Residencies This programme is open to senior leaders in schools and aims to provide an opportunity to collaborate with another school, in order to develop essential leadership skills. It provides valuable exposure to another school during a 3-5 day residency during the summer term. For more information on these courses or to reserve your place please contact: Diane Pullen on or pullen@aggs.trafford.sch.uk 4 5

4 School to School Support School to School Support is about building partnerships between organisations: working in collaboration to share and develop approaches that have demonstrated impact for learners. We believe that creative collaboration between schools can deliver sustainable impact for learners and schools. School to School support at the Alliance for Learning is innovative, digital and evolving, with a clear focus on improving student outcomes at the heart of all we do. We have several established networking groups that meet on a regular basis, further details are listed below: Teaching & Learning 3rd November 2015 FGS 3:15pm 15th February 2016 FGS 3:15pm 7th June 2016 FGS 3:15pm For more information please contact Danielle Tedford at: dtedford@flixtongirls.com Specialist Leaders of Education (SLEs) SLEs are outstanding middle or senior leaders with at least two years experience in a leadership role and a first class knowledge in a particular field of interest. Our SLE team is growing, with another round of recruitment just finishing we now have 51 expert practitioners who can endorse and ratify excellent practice, as well as work to catalyse and move forward action research in schools. A warm welcome to our newest recruits: Andrea Malkin Andy Buckle Anne Herron Danielle Tedford Jason Bach Jill Martland Joanna Leigh Katherine Chapple Kathryn Langridge Melissa McMillan Michelle Thompson Monika Maloszyc-Gibbons Oliver Walker Sara Cheston Sarah Butler Sonia Schofield Our new SLE s have a breadth of expertise across the following areas: CPD, T & L, ICT, English, Maths, PE, Curriculum, Geography, History, MFL, RE, ITT/NQT, Science, PSHE, G & T, Assessment, Behaviour and Attendance, Data/Progress. Interested in becoming an SLE? The school to school support work of the Alliance for Learning continues to grow and we are keen to designate more high calibre colleagues to join our group of fantastic SLEs! To find out more visit our website or us at critchley@aggs.trafford.sch.uk to register your interest. Could your school benefit from the support of our SLEs? If your school requires the support of one of our SLEs please contact Lisa Fathers, Head of Teaching School/Co-Principal BFET on or fathers@aggs.trafford.sch.uk 6 7

5 Research & Development MATHS HUB The Alliance for Learning offers access to high quality academic research and action research run by teachers for teachers. There are opportunities for pupils to meet cutting edge researchers allowing us to have a real impact in schools. Event: English Language workshops Date: w/c 16th November & 29th February 2016 Are your students studying the topic of English language change through time? Do you want to inspire and enrich their learning? We will be offering two FREE one week workshops at The John Rylands Library, Deansgate during To book please contact Bernie at bernard. mcgrath@manchester.ac.uk Event: Animation 16 Schools Computer Animation Competition Animation16 is the 9th Annual UK Schools Computer Animation Competition run by the School of Computer Science at The University of Manchester. The competition is open to all UK school students aged 7-19 with the Awards Ceremony being held at the National Media Museum in Bradford on 12 July The competition is open now for teacher registration at The NW1 Maths Hub, coordinated by The NCETM, works in partnership with local schools, colleges, universities, CPD providers, maths experts and employers to drive improvement in maths education. This is facilitated through funded professional development opportunities, national trials, work groups and collaborative projects. During October we had over 150 delegates attending courses offered by NW1 Maths Hub, with our Teaching GCSE Maths (TGM) attracting colleagues from the Post-16 FE phase for the first time in five years! We were also extremely honoured to have been working with internationally recognised leader, professor of maths education, Yeap Ban Har, who ran both our Primary and Secondary Singapore Maths programmes. Our Secondary Maths programme is an exciting new development which marks the start of a new NW1 Maths Hub project which is due to start in January 2016 watch this space for further information! Events taking place this term include: Secondary PD Support Programme, Cheadle Hulme High School Date: 5th November & 3rd December 2015 The NCETM accredited qualification for maths leads and SLE s. This two day course spread over two terms allows colleagues to develop the skills and attain recognition to deliver high quality CPD within their own and the wider mathematical community. Primary PD Support Programme, AGGS Date: 24th November & 19th January 2016 The NCETM accredited qualification for maths leads and SLE s. This two day course spread over two terms allows colleagues to develop the skills and attain recognition to deliver high quality CPD within their own and the wider mathematical community. For more information on these courses or to reserve your place please contact: Helen Hutchinson on or hutchinson@aggs.trafford.sch.uk 8 9

6 SCIENCE LEARNING PARTNERSHIP The North West Science Learning Partnership (SLP) continues to deliver high quality Science specific CPD and support for science teachers and technicians in primary, secondary and post 16 settings. In addition to our timetabled courses we also offer bespoke CPD to meet your schools specific needs. What we offer: Take a look at what courses are on offer this term: Triple science network of excellence - developing the teaching of the big ideas in science 11th November 2015, , Altrincham Grammar School for Girls Developing and Assessing Practical Competencies in New A Level Physics 13th November 2015, , Altrincham Grammar School for Girls Assessment in the new Primary Curriculum - A World Without Levels 18th November 2015, , Altrincham Grammar School for Girls Primary Science Subject Leaders Network (Day 2 of 3) 19th November 2015, , Altrincham Grammar School for Girls Effective participation for linear examination 24th November 2015, , The Blue Coat C of E School Secondary Assessment & Progression - Making a difference through effective feedback 2nd December 2015, , Altrincham Grammar School for Girls Working Scientifically in the new Primary Curriculum 8th December 2015, , The Blue Coat C of E School Developing subject understanding in the new Primary curriculum 11th December 2015, , Altrincham Grammar School for Girls Making CPD affordable In order to make professional development affordable we offer bursaries (known as Impact Awards and provided by the Department for Education) for all of the courses that we run. These bursaries can be used to contribute towards covering the cost of CPD fees, expenses and resources. Anyone involved in science education from a state funded school or academy in England may be eligible for an Impact Award to contribute towards the cost of participating in CPD delivered through the network of Science Learning Centres. Schools, academies and colleges involved in bespoke CPD or outreach CPD for a cluster of schools may also be eligible. For further information about Impact Awards please visit: PRIMARY ALLIANCE FOR LEARNING Primary Alliance for Learning is the Teaching School attached to St Bede CE Primary Academy in Bolton. We have been a Teaching School since July 2014 and have been part of the Alliance for Learning for a number of years. We work closely with Lisa and her team to support their efforts, endeavouring to expand the Alliance s offering in to the north of Manchester, and in to Primary Schools and Early Years settings. Whilst in the early days our focus was very much on Primary SCITT, we now have a wide range of support mechanisms to offer to both our partners and the education community at large. In addition to the Primary Academy, the St Bede Group includes five nurseries and six out of school clubs. It will come as no surprise therefore that much of what we do has an early years focus to it. Below are brief details of a few of the things we are currently leading. If you require any further details on anything please just send an to batchelorj@ stbedeacademy.org, or scotsonj@stbedeacademy.org. DfE Early Years Improvement Project we have received funding from the DfE to lead this project. In essence we are charged with recruiting and deploying Support partners into Primary schools and settings across the North West. There are 2 ways in which schools can benefit from this project: You may have some amazing staff working in your EYFS who are looking to develop along the lines of SLEs. The project fund will pay for such staff to be trained as Support Partners (SPs) and will then pay the school for their release to support the EYFS in other schools/settings in the same way as SLEs do. If you have particular areas of your EYFS for which you require support, the Project funds will pay for an SP to be deployed to work with your team in order to bring about improvements in those areas. More details can be found here: stbedepal.org/dfeproject.html Early Years CPD Programme Programme has been designed to support Early Years leaders in Primary Schools and settings to deal with the changes the Common Inspection Framework has introduced. The programme is modular and you can either choose individual modules to book onto at 35 each, or reserve a place for the programme of 11 modules at a discounted price of 300 per place. We are aiming for sessions with no more than 12 delegates which are highly informative, pragmatic and which enable attendees to leave with lots of strategies and resources to take back to their own schools/settings. If you are interested in reserving any places please do not hesitate to let us know. Full details can be found here: CPD%20Brochure.pdf Primary CPD - We are working with a number of individual schools to identify specific needs which we aim to satisfy with bespoke sessions and follow up support. Approaching support in this way not only produces fantastic results but is highly cost effective. If you have any areas you would like us to look at with you please do not hesitate to get in touch

7 OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS The Alliance for Learning are proud of our partnerships with industry leading organisations. We are pleased to announce that we have recently secured partnerships with the following organisations: Youth Sport The Youth Sport Trust is an independent charity devoted to changing young people s lives through sport. Established in 1995, we are passionate about helping all young people to achieve their full potential in life by delivering high quality physical education and sport opportunities. For more information please contact Rachel Redmond at rachel.redmond@youthsporttrust.org Researchers in Schools Researchers in Schools (RIS) is a teacher training and professional development programme exclusive to researchers who have completed a doctorate. It exists to increase and disseminate subject expertise, promote research and champion university access within schools by training researchers to become highly-effective classroom teachers and future subject leaders in the education sector. At the same time, RIS enables trainees to maintain an academic profile by providing time and financial support for research projects, writing, publication and attendance at conferences. For more information please contact Simon Coyle at simon@thebrilliantclub.org Citywall Citywall was launched by Dave Atkinson in the summer of 2014 to provide a bespoke offer of coaching and training for young people, families and professionals. Citywall undertake freelance casework, project management and training assignments for organisations and professionals working with young people and families. They have expertise in mentoring and coaching young people; effective multi-agency working; tracking, intervention and quality assurance; team leadership and communication; working with parents and hard to reach families; bullying, e-safety and safeguarding young people. Please contact Citywall on xxxxx to claim your 10% discount. For more information please contact Dave Atkinson at datkinson@citywall.org.uk Madfitness UK MAD Fitness UK is leading the way in school based fitness programmes. From aerobics to dance, boxing and many more disciplines we can cater to your school needs. For more information on how to get 10% off the first full day of your first booking please contact Lynn Wilson at lynn@madfitnessuk.com Glove Marketing Glove Marketing was founded by John Brennan, after 18 years experience in the education marketing sector. Our mission is to use that experience to tailor a considered & strategic marketing solution that fits you, your organisation and your stakeholders like a glove. So whether you need a full marketing strategy, a new prospectus or the latest thinking on stakeholder engagement, we are sure we can lend a hand. Please visit OTHER NEWS - SPECIAL MENTIONS Altrincham Grammar School for Girls Congratulations to the Geography department here at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls on successfully achieving the Secondary Geography Quality Mark with Centre of Excellence! Flixton Girls School Congratulations to Flixton Girls School who have secured 2015 Good Schools Guide award Over eight years, the GSG Awards have become increasingly significant as independent recognition of teaching excellence. Chester Zoo Chester Zoo extend an invitation to all our Alliance Schools and Partners to explore and find out how Chester Zoo and their brand new Islands exhibit can support teaching and learning. Anyone wishing to attend should book their place via learning@chesterzoo.org. Cavendish Road Bowdon Altrincham Cheshire WA14 2NL T: W: 12