We currently deliver school improvement with the Local Authority that is high-impact and sustainable. This can be evidenced by our success over the last 18 months. 5 schools supported by PTSA have been inspected and 10 have improved their Inspection outcomes to Good or Outstanding.

The process of identifying, conducting due diligence visits, crafting action plans, delivering support and evidencing impact is constantly evolving and improving. We carefully balance the need for swift and sustainable support with rigorous quality assurance.

NATIONAL LEADERS OF EDUCATION (NLE)

Are Outstanding Principals / Headteachers who, together with staff in their schools (designated National Support Schools or Teaching Schools), use their skills and experience to support schools, often in challenging circumstances.

SPECIALIST LEADERS OF EDUCATION (SLE)

Are outstanding middle leaders who have the skills to support individuals or teams in similar positions in other schools.

OTHER EXPERIENCED PRACTITIONERS (OEP)

Are trained in outreach guidance in a number of areas, including Business Management and non-teaching role support.

The PTSA has led a Schools Partnership Programme (SPP) peer review model with the Education Development Trust in Plymouth. 40% of the city’s schools are involved in cross-phase, cross-MAT peer review. We are always interested in engaging more schools both within Plymouth and regionally, as we know that greater diversity strengthens the quality of review.

The programme, develops a culture of partnership working through school self-evaluation, peer review and school-to-school support. It also fosters research and innovation in line with best practice research and the latest Government White Paper and its commitment to ‘supported autonomy’ (June 2016).

The EDT approach – SPP is a peer review model that builds capacity and capability across clusters so they can gradually take more responsibility for their own development and maturity, and lead their own improvement. Over time local areas will own the SPP model, and continue to develop it so it has impact locally. SPP provides frameworks and tools, training and professional support, and is designed to incorporate and build on, not side line, schools’ existing best practice.

All schools are affiliated to Education Development Trust, giving them direct access to our portfolio of global activities, including our research. For example, in February of this year, SPP schools were invited to a ‘Global Dialogue event’, which bought together leading educationalists from Canada, New Zealand and Australia, to debate the challenges and opportunities brought about by cluster based school improvement. A follow up event will be held in November of this year.

Our impact – SPP schools are reporting that being part of the programme has helped to drive change in their schools by enabling them to raise the profile of school improvement. They are embedding peer review into their planning cycles and including it in performance management systems.

Schools feel that although they worked well together as a cluster already, SPP and peer review has helped them make their conversations more focused and turn them into action.