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The Bedfordshire Strategy for Schools Workforce Development

Bedfordshire Local Authority seeks to create a highly trained, effective workforce for its schools that reflects the emerging transformation in learning and teaching for young people. To this end the Bedfordshire Strategy for Schools Workforce Development supports Securing the supply of the schools workforce Supporting the ongoing modernisation of the

schools workforce. Supporting the development of the schools

workforce

Schools Workforce development (often known as CPD) is the entitlement of all those charged with the responsibility for the education and welfare of children and young people in Bedfordshire schools1. More than that, it is the single most important means by which teaching and support staff can maintain the high levels of professional expertise necessary to ensure that all children and young people reach their true potential and get the best possible start in their adult lives.

Over the years, training and development have become more diverse and increasingly sophisticated and the volume of training opportunities has grown substantially. Equally, the profile and size of the schools workforce has changed dramatically. It is therefore all the more essential for training and development to be strategically driven through individual and institutional Performance Management and appraisal.

The purpose of this strategy is to define Schools Workforce Development in Bedfordshire in the

1 ‘Schools’ includes pupil referral units, early years settings and other non-school based provision.

light of these changes, to clarify the roles of those responsible for providing it and to bring together all areas of activity into one coherent framework.

The role of the Local Authority (LA)

The LA has a responsibility for securing the supply of the schools workforce. The Recruitment and Retention Officer is responsible for developing a strategy to coordinate the various initiatives of recruitment and retention of the schools workforce in the Local Authority.

To support the modernisation of the schools workforce. The Workforce Agreement Monitoring Group (WAMG) meets to review the strategies in place and to set future priorities. The group includes members of HR and professional associations.

The Local Authority has a statutory responsibility to ensure that both special and mainstream schools of all phases have access to training and development activities that are high in quality, fit for purpose and readily available. It does not have to be a provider of services although, as with many Local Authorities, Bedfordshire does make provision, for example, through the national strategies.

The role of the local authority is changing, however, and in Bedfordshire as elsewhere, the LA is evolving from being a provider of support into an organisation that can: procure and commission services for schools; coordinate activity and facilitate links between practitioners to enable them to access the best practice available locally and nationally.

In pursuing its responsibilities, the LA has two principal aims:

to support schools in raising pupil and student achievement and securing well-being;

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schools is appropriately prepared to promote outstanding learning.

The Local Authority supports schools in the delivery of their school improvement and CPD plans in a number of ways but principally by:

working with schools and particularly Training Schools and with local and national agencies to identify training and development needs for teachers and the wider school workforce;

providing central support through the deployment of LA advisers, consultants, advanced skills teachers (ASTs) and other staff;

collating, communicating and quality assuring Schools Workforce Development through a range of different media to maximise awareness of support available;

supporting schools to evaluate the impact of Schools Workforce Development..

Through an evolving strategy the Authority will build on these functions to develop its role as a procurer and commissioner of services and will take steps to strengthen the coordination and dissemination of best practice.

Procuring services for schools is a two-fold process. First it involves the identification of the various forms of provision, what it offers and how it may be obtained; and secondly it requires a workable and up-to-date system for providing the information to schools. In practice it will mean that schools can save valuable time and staff resources by linking electronically to a Bedfordshire database of providers.

Commissioning of services goes further than procurement. With commissioning, schools will be able to make a request for ‘bespoke’ support and the LA will do the rest including making bookings and payment arrangements. Such a system has obvious attractions not least because it takes pressure off schools. But it has

drawbacks too, most obviously that of cost. To operate a bookings system in addition to one of procurement will require a greater degree of administration and more staff to maintain it. Nevertheless, the authority will set about the process of moving more readily into procurement and commissioning and will explore the viability, benefits and pitfalls with schools.

The Authority will continue its partnership with parents, schools, Training Schools, the community and other agencies to provide opportunities for individual learners to demonstrate their full potential and develop individual aptitudes, abilities and talents. In doing so, it acknowledges that learning is ongoing and takes place both within and beyond schools.

In addition to procuring and commissioning of services the Authority will continue to:

facilitate courses, conferences and professional development activities;

manage and promote initiatives for schools;

provide opportunities for sharing successful practice across the LA and more widely;

support CPD coordinators in schools; monitor the quality of provision of training

and development. support and liaise with Training Schools.

The Role of the Governors

The Governing Body’s role is to support and challenge the school in order to ensure that appropriate provision for development is being made for all of its workforce. It is responsible for agreeing the school’s Workforce Development Strategy with the senior leadership team, taking the budgetary decisions necessary to ensure high quality training and development for all staff and monitoring the impact of resources against the school’s performance. Governors need also to ensure that they have access to training themselves so that they

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Development activities for governors include:

briefings from the headteacher and other staff

inputs from the LA Governor Training Programme

visits to lessons

attendance at team meetings

seminars from advisers and consultants

co-working with governors from other schools

The Role of the Headteacher, Principal and Senior Leaders

The role of senior leaders is to ensure that the school workforce has access to training and development activities that will enable them to support the achievement of the school’s aims and priorities. To do so requires a six -fold process based upon analysing, prioritising, planning, publicising, enacting and reviewing.

Analysing - the process of determining the school’s strengths and areas of improvement through self evaluation and performance management.

Prioritising – the process of deciding the importance and order of development needs based upon the analysis of strengths and weaknesses, the school’s aims and priorities, its capacity and its resources.

Planning – the process of establishing how and when development activities will take place, for whom and by whom and the formulation of a Schools Workforce Plan as part of the school’s overall improvement plan.

Publicising – the process of ensuring that the school’s priorities are known to staff, governors

and pupils and that the basis for determining the Workforce Development priorities are clear to all.

Enacting – the process of making sure that effective Workforce Development takes place.

Reviewing – the process of evaluating the quality and impact of Schools Workforce Development and assessing its value in achieving the school’s aims and priorities.

Senior leaders are also responsible for ensuring that the strategy is:

driven by school and individual improvement needs;

linked at all times to individual and whole school performance management and appraisal cycles;

integrated into the school’s self evaluation process;

seen as an entitlement by all members of its workforce;

supported with the necessary funding through effective budget management and identification of grants made available for specific training and development purposes.

The role of the Area CPD Coordinator

In order to ensure that training and development needs across different schools are identified and met, an area CPD Coordinator will be encouraged to be appointed to coordinate the needs of all local schools. Training Schools will be used where possible to support this work, but other methods will be sought to ensure good support across the Local Authority. Area CPD coordinators will cover groups of schools as identified locally, but no fewer than seven will be required as a minimum to carry out the role.

The role of this person is as follows:

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needs effectively across a group of schools.

Prioritising these needs. Planning for action, particularly plugging

gaps and avoiding duplication of provision.

Identifying good practice. Effective publicity that ensures the right

staff know about the right opportunities. Regularly meeting with the Local

Authority (five times a year) to share practice.

The role of the CPD Coordinator

The CPD Coordinator performs a crucial role and should be involved actively in all aspects of the six-fold process. In particular, he/she should take the lead on the planning, publicising and enacting aspects of the school’s programme. The role is most effectively carried out if the coordinator is a member of the senior leadership team.

As the school’s leader for training and development, the coordinator must be able to empower individual staff to be responsible for their own professional development and enable PM Reviewers to be responsible for their team's learning programmes. To be effective, the coordinator will need to have an overview of the learning of all staff and be able to gauge its impact on standards and school improvement. He or she will also need to ensure that:

Training and development and performance management are integral to the improvement cycle of the school;

the characteristics of high quality professional learning are applied to all development opportunities available to all staff;

the link between effective professional learning and the standards of teaching and learning are promoted effectively;

local, regional and national opportunities are integrated into staff learning plans and that these are consistent with school priorities;

Schools Workforce Development resources are used strategically to bring about school improvement;

all staff contribute to effective school evaluation and school improvement processes.

The LA is committed to supporting those with the responsibility for leading Schools Workforce Development in schools and will ensure that coordinators have a network of county-wide contacts to augment the support they may access locally through pyramids and local networks.

Role of the Performance Management Reviewer Some smaller schools may have a single person who acts as Head, CPD coordinator and Reviewer for all staff, but most institutions will need to appoint a number of Reviewers, to ensure all employees are properly supported.

Performance Management Reviewers are responsible for making sure that staff who fall within their remit experience the training and development opportunities they need to achieve the priorities of the team, group or subject area. Reviewers are uniquely placed to act as a link between classroom teachers, support staff and the senior leadership team. They must be active agents within and beyond the school, ensuring amongst other things that local and national developments are known and considered when Schools Workforce activities are commissioned and planned. They are responsible for ensuring that the best practice is identified and shared within their teams and, where appropriate, across the school as a whole.

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PageReviewers need to have a clear picture of pupil, student, team, subject and school performance and the strengths and weaknesses within their team. They are responsible too for liaising with the school’s CPD coordinator, with colleagues in the local pyramid or learning community of schools and with LA staff who have responsibility within their area of practice.

Role of the class/subject teacher or other adult support

Every member of the children’s workforce has an entitlement to access high quality training and development, which supports the targets they have set to improve their own performance. Through the process of performance management staff are able to negotiate targets with their Reviewers that will assist them to develop professionally and to contribute to the achievement of the school’s overall priorities and aims.

Individual staff need to make sure that they have a clear picture of the learning needs of pupils and how, through participation in professional development activities, they may assist the pupils in meeting their learning needs. They should also maintain a clear picture of how well their team and the school are performing and what the priorities are of each.

Having agreed their training and development activities, individual staff should ensure that they carry out the activities with a positive attitude to their own learning, and undertake to evaluate the impact the activities have had on their own performance.

Role of the Pupil/ student

Many Bedfordshire schools have active student voice groups and students’ views make an important contribution to schools’ self-evaluation processes. As such, they afford a valuable opportunity to monitor the impact of Workforce Development in their schools on teaching and learning. Students also have a responsibility to contribute to a healthy learning environment that will allow adults and fellow students to develop

new approaches to learning through experimentation and risk taking.

The County employs a number of student consultants (typically ‘gap year’ students recently recruited from local schools). These young people provide a service to schools for the development of student voice and schools can make use of the consultants to help train their students.

Defining Continuing Professional Development

CPD has been defined as “any activity that increases the skills, knowledge or understanding of teachers, and their effectiveness in schools.” 2

As a definition it may be extended to all staff in schools and not just teachers. It is particularly useful because it is open ended and, with its reference to knowledge, skills and understanding, it implies that those responsible for learning are also learners themselves. With an amendment to embrace all staff, the statement provides a workable definition for training and development of the Schools Workforce in Bedfordshire.

Making training and development effective

Effective learning across the Schools Workforce is essential for effective pupil and student learning. All learning has to focus on the work of the individual and take account of their capacity to grow and develop in their role. It should be concerned with the whole person as well as the individual as an employee and it should always be focused on improving learning outcomes and the well-being of students and pupils.

The most effective professional development has teaching and learning at its heart and takes account of the needs of the individual, the needs of the school3 and local and national priorities

2 Learning and Teaching: A Strategy for Professional Development - DfES, 2001

3 (Or group of schools)

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Ten Characteristics of effective training and development

Training and Development is most effective when:

1. The experience is viewed as a process and not an event.

A process model for training and development

2. initiatives are owned by the individual and involve collaborative working.

3. it is planned with the involvement of all participants or, at the very least, there is communication about the rationale for the activity, the learning objectives and the expected outcomes.

4. initiatives reflect national initiatives, whole-school development plans, department development plans and Performance Management objectives.

5. The process begins with a needs analysis; an evaluation of where the individual or the school is set against criteria or standards such as the Teachers' Standards Framework or Ofsted Framework for Inspection.

6. Skills and knowledge acquisition is integral to the activity and there is time built in for learning, practice, reflection and implementation.

7. The activity results in action. Outcomes are communicated and effective outcomes become standard practice for all through effective dissemination.

8. Tools for measuring the impact of the initiative are planned into the process from the outset.

9. The initiative is based on current research and involves checking out practices and policies against external exemplars.

10.The activity leads to 'next steps' and a review of the initiative.

The Multifarious Nature of training and development

The Bedfordshire Strategy for the Professional Development of the School Workforce recognises that the learning process is a sophisticated, complex and diverse one and that the provision needs to reflect that diversity. What follows is a consideration of several of the principal models of training and development, a list which is comprehensive but by no means exclusive

Courses and conferences

These may be training courses or conferences organised by privately or publicly funded groups and making use of consultants, advisers and practising teachers or other school staff for delivery. They can be stand-alone events or programmes of study leading to awards. They will often include individual tasks to be set prior to, in between or after the training events. The most effective courses involve experiential learning and innovative models of delivery where best pedagogical practice may be modeled to course participants. Where delivery is taken out of the hands of schools, it is an essential responsibility of the school to ensure that the planning and reviewing is carried out effectively.

Bedfordshire examples include: SWD portfolio courses, National Strategy central training,

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Collaborative co-coaching

Groups of teachers, either from one or a number of linked schools, get together to explore and develop models of teaching and learning that are new to the teachers involved. Between two and four teachers plan, observe and review each other’s lessons. The ‘doing’ is carried out by the teachers themselves, but the process is given additional sharpness and rigour if planning and reviewing are supported from outside.

Bedfordshire examples: Coaching for teachers, Secondary National Strategy coaching materials supported by LA consultants, Redborne/ Samuel Whitbread Training School Co-coaching triads. Stratton Training School NQT Peer Learning Triads.

Specialist Coaching

A specialist teacher is identified to work with a less well experienced teacher on a mutually agreed focus. The two teachers plan, observe and review each other’s lessons. The ‘doing’ is carried out by the teachers themselves, but the process is given additional sharpness and rigour if planning and reviewing are supported from outside.

Bedfordshire examples: Coaching for teachers, Secondary National Strategy coaching materials supported by LA consultants, Advanced Skills Teachers outreach work.

Special interest groups

Groups of teachers with a particular interest meet together on a regular basis to share ideas and report back on how they are impacting on practice. The activity is carried out mainly by teachers, but the work is given considerably more structure and staying power if it is facilitated from outside.

Bedfordshire examples; Professional Study Groups (PSGs), Liaison groups, Modern Foreign Languages Strategic Learning Networks.

Whole school / cluster of schools consultancy

A consultant works with a school or cluster helping to diagnose need, plan, deliver training, work with teachers in the classroom and assist in evaluating the impact of the intervention.

Bedfordshire examples: National Strategy WISE (Working In Schools Extensively) and ISP (Intensive Support Programme) consultancy, CPD Team ‘Denbigh Model’, SIT (School Improvement Team) schools causing concern,

Individual study including award-bearing programmes

Individual teachers pursue professional development through private reading, research and study leading to accreditation. Evaluation is carried out externally in the case of accreditation and the process can be supported through Internet-accessed support and research groups.

Bedfordshire examples: Masters degree (in collaboration with Bedfordshire and Oxford Brookes Universities), Teacher Learning Academy (TLA).

Action Research or Collaborative Enquiry

Individual teachers or groups seek to improve an aspect of practice through collaborative action. The process focuses on a specific issue and has a shared commitment to improvement as its outcome. It is a democratic process, being practitioner-driven and managed; and corroborated and validated by peers. It makes eclectic use of research methodologies and theoretical perspectives and is supported and sustained through a process of reflection in action. At its heart it seeks to achieve an integration of values with practice.

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Reflective Practice including Autobiography / Journal

Time given to practitioners to reflect on their practice objectively and with a view to sharing their experience.

Bedfordshire examples: Primary Learning Networks, Coaching for teachers, Reflective Blogs

Blended Learning

High quality learning resources which are accessed remotely and are blended with other face to face support and coaching. They are often part of an award-bearing course.

Bedfordshire examples: Access to NCSL Programmes,, Gifted and Talented National Strategy materials.

Job Enrichment / Shadowing / Observing/ Mentoring

The redesigning of a job to afford opportunities to develop new skills and knowledge by taking on new responsibilities or tasks or by witnessing experienced practitioners in action. A fundamental prerequisite of job enrichment is the identification of a coach or mentor whose primary duty is to ensure that learning is taking place and that the process is not merely a form of expedient delegation.

Shadowing and observing involves planned opportunities to watch another colleague in action. A clear focus for the observation is required and the activity may be centred on lesson activities or the execution of leadership and management responsibilities.

Bedfordshire examples: Headteacher/ NQT/HLTA Mentoring, Advanced Skills Teacher leads a Professional Study Group; Class teacher takes on role of School Improvement Co-leader; Deputy Head joins Local Authority consultation group.

Professional Review

To augment the Ofsted inspection process, schools commission external audits of subjects, aspects, and teams as part of their school improvement planning and review cycle. Sometimes the commission is from the Bedfordshire School Improvement Teams, particularly where a school has run into difficulties and precision is needed in identifying key issues and planning actions to bring about improvement.

In a model used in some local schools, the consultant works with the school through an agreed process, helping to diagnose CPD needs and to plan work with teachers in the classroom. Reports written to an agreed format enable the school to evaluate the impact of the intervention as well as the progress made by a specific department.

Bedfordshire examples: An audit of teaching and learning commissioned by a special school that will inform a teaching and learning action plan; inter-inspection audits and reports commissioned by schools to evaluate, externally, progress against the key issues identified in the last inspection report.

Identifying needs for the Local Authority

Needs are identified through consultation with various plans devised by the Children’s Service. Themes emerging from these plans either implicitly or explicitly require Schools Workforce Development activity necessary to ensure that implementation is completed effectively.

In addition, the Authority consults widely on Schools Workforce Development needed to

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Meetings with a Schools Workforce Development Board, comprising teachers, Headteachers, Local Authority Officers, representatives of Higher and Further Education institutions, and other key stake-holders, to evaluate the Schools Workforce Development Action Plan and inform future planning.

Regular meetings with a Schools Workforce Development Strategy Group, comprising Local Authority officers and invited representatives to ensure the development, implementation and monitoring of the Schools Workforce Development Action Plan.

Regular meetings with CPD co-ordinators representing different geographical areas and phases.

Regular meetings with Headteachers and other focus groups, particularly representatives of local Training Schools.

Close liaison with Local Authority agencies, particularly regarding schools causing concern.

Collation of reports prepared by School Improvement Partners (SIPs)

Analysis of evaluations made on previously run training and development provision.

Close contact with key messages and aims emerging from the Primary and Secondary National Strategies.

Networking with national agencies such as the TDA, DCSF, QCA, OfSTED.

Researching international developments in Schools Workforce.

As needs are identified, they are layered into tiered categories following the model advocated by the National Strategies:

Tier 1

the universal offer of materials, training, conferences and support in areas such as curricular and pedagogic development and school leadership.

Tier 2

a range of targeted programmes amounting to additional, time-limited, tailored intervention support. These activities are designed to increase rates of progress and development for groups of students or staff and to enable students to meet or exceed national expectations. They take the form of tight, structured intervention programmes of small-group support, carefully targeted and delivered by experts.

Tier 3

acute intensive support, where a programme or project focuses on individual schools, departments, staff or students. Programmes are increasingly individualised and offer support, challenge and solutions to particular sets of difficult issues. As well as using this model to identify need at Local Authority level, schools are encouraged to identify their needs in a similar way.

Maximising and sharing expertise

The primary role of the Local Authority is to broker support for schools. The prime aim is to mobilise the considerable expertise that exists within the workforce as a whole and, where

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The Local Authority funds a support team centrally, and a principal function of the Schools Workforce Development Strategy is to deploy this resource to maximum advantage at minimum cost to schools. This resource includes

A team of Advanced Skills Teachers, who are managed centrally. A consultancy and advisory team, many of

whom are fully trained National Strategy Consultants, and all of whom have a wide range of specific skills, subject expertise, OfSTED and SIP accreditation, national strategy and Performance Management expertise and a range of leadership skills.

Access to staff expertise across Children’s Services support teams such as Behaviour Support Service, Education Welfare Officers (EWO) and Minorities Achievement Support Service (MASS).

An extensive directory of associate consultants with local, national and international reputation.

Pricing and publicity

A wide range of learning opportunities is provided through charged activities. These are published to schools through the Bedfordshire Schools Workforce Development portfolio which is distributed in the Spring Term for enactment in the following academic year. Information can be further accessed through the Bedfordshire Local Authority Website and there is a regular Schools Workforce Development Update Bulletin that goes to all schools.

Access to Professional Study Groups represents particularly good value for money as there is a one-off payment for access to any number of these groups. This is possible because the groups are largely self-supportive, although they are all facilitated by a lead professional.

In addition to charged support, the Authority provides a core programme of training that is funded by local and National initiatives. In some

cases, schools will have received additional funding through the National Strategies to help provide cover for staff to attend. These will change from year to year and will depend on particular grants received and priorities made. Information about funded support will be clearly communicated to schools through a variety of media.

Some support is partially funded if it falls within certain Local Authority key priorities. In these cases any subsidy is made clear in the detailed course description.

Schools causing concern receive bespoke support from National Strategy and other sources which is funded centrally from earmarked funding allocated by the Schools Intervention Strategy Group (SISG). Schools not qualifying for SISG funded support may commission similar consultation and intervention programmes.

All these learning opportunities are published on the schools’ website and in paper portfolios, which are distributed to all schools to ensure that they are fully aware of the provision available to them.

Quality assurance and measuring impact

All support provided or brokered by the Local Authority is quality assured through rigorous Performance Management systems. Schools are expected to develop their own monitoring and evaluation systems for gauging the quality of support and the extent of its impact on pupil attainment and well being, for example, adopting the Kirkpatrick 4 point model of evaluation (reaction, learning, behaviour and results). As the academic cycle comes to an end the authority conducts a central analysis of data to identify impact of the previous year’s support on student outcomes. The analyses are also used to determine needs for the following year. Audits of user satisfaction also provide an additional and useful measure of success.

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PageThe LA is working increasingly with Higher Education Partners to link accreditation to research and other SWD.

A costed plan for the recruitment, modernisation and development of the school workforce has been put in place and its delivery monitored by WAMG and the Schools Workforce Development Board.

Further support and guidance

Ofsted published a very useful report in 2006 on the state of CPD in schools called ‘The logical chain: continuing professional development in effective schools’. A copy can be downloaded here:http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/portal/site/Internet/menuitem.eace3f09a603f6d9c3172a8a08c08a0c/?vgnextoid=86988f564353d010VgnVCM1000003507640aRCRD

Substantial additional information and resources can be found on the following sites:

Teachernet website:http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/professionaldevelopment/Teaching and development Agency:http://www.tda.gov.uk/teachers/continuingprofessionaldevelopment.aspx Standards site (particularly for research on SWD)http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/ Governor Net:http://www.governornet.co.uk London's Learning (a resource to support and develop the leadership of continuing professional development (CPD) in London's schools).

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COMMITMENT TO SCHOOLS

In Bedfordshire Local Authority we have a layered approach to CPD provision.

Layer 1 is the universal offer of materials, events and support in areas such as the core subjects. Examples include: School Improvement and Leadership; Strategy Managers’ Meetings; Coaching and Mentoring; SEALs training; etc.

Layer 2 is a range of targeted programmes. These programmes are additional, time-limited, tailored intervention support programmes. They are designed to increase rates of progress and secure progress and learning for groups of students/staff, putting them back on course to meet or exceed national expectations. They take the form of tight, structured programmes of small-group support, carefully targeted and delivered by experts. Examples include Subject Leader Network Meetings; Making Maths Count; NQT central training; Study Plus; training for Gifted and Talented Lead teachers; Whole School Initiative Network Meetings; etc.

Layer 3 is described as acute - ‘intensive support’, where a programme or project focuses on individual schools, departments, staff and/or students. Programmes are increasingly individualised and offer support, challenge and solutions to particular sets of difficult issues. Examples include ‘Working in Schools Extensively’ (WISE) Projects; Additional support of underperforming departments; Additional support for DfES identified ‘Unsatisfactory Behaviour (UB) Schools; etc.

We are committed to doing everything we can to ensure all the offers that appear in this portfolio are made available to schools. Some schools (‘Causing Concern’) will have access to support through National Strategy funding, but other schools are able to purchase similar support. Those offers that are held centrally will only be cancelled in exceptional circumstances. Many of the offers described in the portfolio are best tailored according to particular need, for example, in-school training for the whole staff, headteacher mentoring or in-class consultancy support. In these cases our Consultancy Service model will apply.

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Consultancy Service description

Our team of consultants and advisers provide advice and support to schools, the LA and to regional and national organisations. The service includes consultancy on leadership and management and curriculum support. Consultancy Services as part of the LA delivers Bedfordshire’s National Strategy training and consultancy, covering the Primary and Secondary Strategies. We also support the Healthy Schools Initiative and Drug and Alcohol Education for Bedfordshire. In addition, we are responsible for a wide range of training for Teaching Assistants.

Service support

Schools can buy consultancy according to their needs. Included with any package is access to a help-line (01234 836169) which operates from 9.00am – 12.00 mid day during term time. If you wish to discuss the most beneficial financial arrangement for your school please contact the helpline number to access this high quality service.

Package Description Cost £1 10 days support @ 378/day = Total £3,7802 5 days support @ 399/day = Total £1,9953 3 days support @ 420/day = Total £1,2604 2 days support @ 441/day = Total £ 8825 1.5 days support @ 462/day = Total £ 6936 1 day support @ 483/day = Total £ 4837 Ad hoc/pay as you

go support @ 511/day

If you decide to make an ad hoc support purchase of less than one day, please note that the hourly rate is £85.00 per hour and the minimum charge is £170.00 (ie two hours).

Please also note that should you purchase ad hoc/pay as you go support a further one hour’s travel time (£85.00) will be added to your invoice.In addition to the visit any preparation, report writing time or further work will be charged for.

Contact details

Jenny HarrisEducation ConsultantSchool Improvement ServicesPriory Business ParkStephenson CourtFraser RoadBedfordMK44 3WH

Helpline: 01234 836169e-mail: jenny.harris@rhouse.co.uk

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PRICES AND BOOKING

Core Programme

In addition to charged support, we provide a core programme that is funded by local and national initiatives. In some cases, schools will have received additional funding through the National Strategies to help provide cover for teachers to attend. These include:

Cross Phase NQT Induction programme Teaching Assistant support programme Returning Teachers

Foundation

For details on this phase, please see the ‘Bedfordshire Early Years Extended Services Training Directory’.

Primary Renewal of literacy and numeracy frameworks Primary MFL Behaviour and attendance Personalising Learning Raising the attainment of gifted and talented children Strengthening transfers and transitions PE Strategy

Secondary (including 14-19) Termly Secondary National Strategy Managers meetings. Termly Subject Leader Network meetings (English, maths, science, ICT) Termly Lead Behaviour Professional Network Meetings. Termly Subject Leader Network Meetings, Upper Schools only (MFL, D and T) Training and support for teaching 14-19 diplomas as they become available. Raising the attainment of gifted and talented students.

Some learning opportunities are partially funded if they fall within certain Local Authority key priorities. Any subsidy in these cases is made clear in the detailed course description.

The price of an event covers venue and refreshment costs, trainers’ fees, materials and administration.

The Learning Experience price includes lunch on all full-day events and on half day events where indicated.

Some events are subsidised by central funding such as National Strategy or other Standards Fund money. In some cases this subsidy extends to contributions to supply cover for teachers attending.

Additional free places are made available to schools making bulk bookings (see below)

Access to Professional Study Groups represents particularly good value for money as there is a one-off payment for access to any number of these groups. This is

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possible because the groups are largely self-supportive, although they are all facilitated by a lead professional. Details on payment are provided below.

Cancellation Policy

The administration team allocate places as soon as a booking is made, and hold a place in reserve for the school making the booking. Unfortunately, this means that once a place has been booked, we cannot offer a full refund unless there is an alternative candidate on a waiting list to take up the place. In the event of teacher absence a school may substitute another member of staff by notifying the booking office as detailed below.

Our cancellation policy is as follows:

Charges waived if more than four weeks’ notice given

50% charge if more than two weeks’ notice is given

100% charge if less than two weeks’ notice is given

£30 charge for non attendance at a fully subsidised learning experience if prior notice has not been received.

Booking Information

Schools can book places by phone, fax or email. There is a subscription form for PSGs provided overleaf for individual schools to use. Please note that this is the same form which was provided in the Services to Schools booklet.

Please use the following contacts to place your booking:

Phone 01234 836191

Fax 01234 831577

Email cpd@rhouse.co.uk

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DIRECTIONS TO THE CONFERENCE AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE, PRIORY BUSINESS PARK

FROM THE A1 SOUTHCome off the A1 at Sandy roundabout and follow the A603 through Moggerhanger and Willington. At the A421 junction take the 4th exit off the roundabout, signposted Priory Business Park. At the 1st roundabout turn right into Fraser Road. Stephenson Court is located on the left hand side and the Conference and Development Centre is the first building on the left.

FROM THE A1 NORTHCome off the A1 at the Black Cat roundabout Tempsford and follow the A428 towards Bedford. Join the A421 towards Milton Keynes. Leave at the exit marked A603, taking the 5th exit at the roundabout, signposted Priory Business Park. At the 1st roundabout turn right into Fraser Road. Stephenson Court is located on the left hand side and the Conference and Development Centre is the first building on the left.

FROM THE M1Come off the M1 at Junction 13 onto the A421, continue on the A421 Bedford bypass and leave at the exit marked A603, taking the 2nd exit at the roundabout, signposted Priory Business Park. At the 1st roundabout turn right into Fraser Road. Stephenson Court is located on the left hand side and the Conference and Development Centre is the first building on the left.

For more information, call 01234 836000

Conference and Development Centre, Stephenson Court, Priory Business Park, Fraser Road, Bedford, MK44 3WH

Conference & Development Centre

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School Improvement Services: Schools Workforce Development

Order Form 2008/09Package Description Cost £

1 Access to all PSGs (upper) @ 500 Total £500

2 Access to all PSGs (middle) @ 300 Total £300

3 Access to all PSGs (Lower/ Special)

@ 100 Total £100

Notes:Please tick one of the numbered boxes above in the column if you wish to make use of these discount opportunities. Please insert the sum of money that you intend to spend, in the cost column, so that your intentions are clear.

Package Description Cost £1 10 days support @ 378/day = Total £3,780

2 5 days support @ 399/day = Total £1,9953 3 days support @ 420/day = Total £1,2604 2 days support @ 441/day = Total £ 8825 1.5 days support @ 462/day = Total £ 6936 1 day support @ 483/day = Total £ 4837 Ad hoc/pay as you go

support @ 511/day

If you decide to make an ad hoc support purchase of less than one day, please note that the hourly rate is £85.00 per hour and the minimum charge is £170.00 (ie two hours).Please also note that should you purchase ad hoc/pay as you go support a further one hour’s travel time (£85.00) will be added to your invoice.In addition to the visit any preparation, report writing time or further work will be charged for.

Notes: Please tick one of the boxes above in the column if you wish to discuss how your support days will be used. You will be contacted by a consultant to agree dates and arrangements.Please insert the sum of money that you intend to spend, in the cost column, so that your intentions are clear.

Please return the completed form by Friday 23 May 2008: Please invoice my school for: £…………………………………… Please arrange a journal transfer for £……………………………

using cost centre ….……………

Name of School..........................................................................................................

Signature of Head Teacher ..................................................... Date: ..........................

Signature of Chair of Governors ............................................... Date: ........................

Please return the completed form to:- Cathie Gibbons , School Improvement Services, Stephenson Court, Fraser Road, Bedford, MK44 3WH.

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ACCREDITATION

As a Local Authority we are actively encouraging links with our Higher Education Partners and are working with them to provide accreditation for an increasing number of our CPD offers. Our two main links are with Bedfordshire University and Oxford Brookes University, and a number of our Learning Opportunities allow participants to receive post graduate accreditation from one or other of these institutions.

While it is never a compulsory part of the training and it is always possible to attend events without taking the accreditation route, we are lucky to be able to provide this option at no extra cost to participants.

Bedfordshire University

Bedfordshire University has already piloted accreditation for one of our courses this year. Teachers enrolled on a Middle Leadership development course were given the opportunity to write up the gap task and make a presentation on the final day. A representative of Bedfordshire University has agreed the projects decided on by each teacher and will attend the final presentations. In this way, some teachers will complete the course with 15 points accreditation towards a masters degree.

We intend to expand this model into a wider range of learning opportunities this year. Teachers enrolling on identified courses will be given further detail about accreditation with Bedfordshire University.

(For further details, please contact your tutor or Juliet.Fern@beds.ac.uk)

Oxford Brookes University

Oxford Brookes University is able to offer Masters’ level accreditation for a number of enhanced training courses offered in the Bedfordshire Portfolio. The Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Educational Practice courses are designed to extend learning and teaching practice, as well as to support teachers in their pursuit of performance management goals and other aspirational opportunities.

Each certificate comprises two or three modules (built around your Bedfordshire course) which are worth 60 Masters’ level credits: the first third of a full Masters’ level award. Teachers signing up for the designated Bedfordshire courses can enrol for this advanced certificate by completing an additional pro forma (available from your course leader). This form entitles you to opt for Masters’ level accreditation of your work at the point at which you are ready to do so. It is not a binding agreement!

(For further details, please contact your tutor or mwinters@brookes.ac.uk)

Bedfordshire TLA Network

The GTC Teacher Learning Academy offers public and professional recognition of teachers’ learning, development and improvement work. It aims to stimulate learning experiences for teachers which are effective for them, their pupils, their schools and for the education service. It seeks to support learning communities within and beyond schools that enrich teaching practice and support innovation.

Bedfordshire is developing a TLA network comprising representatives from each training school, Local Authority ASTs and National Strategy Consultants, whose aim is to promote and expand the use of TLA’s as a means of both CPD and accreditation. It intends to share good practice through verifying experiences, encouraging research projects and developing training materials. The network meets regularly through the year.

For further information contact: Andy Manley, SNS Consultant Email: andrew.manley@rhouse.co.ukJennie Richards, Teacher Research Co-ordinator, Sharnbrook Upper SchoolEmail: jrichards@sharnbrook.beds.sch.uk

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CONTENTS

The framework of this portfolio has been divided into two key areas.

Whole School Provision Standards and Achievement Personal Development and Well-being Teaching and Learning Curriculum Statutory Provision New Initiatives

Career Pathways Wider Workforce Teaching Assistants Newly Qualified Teachers Early Qualified Teachers Middle Leadership Leadership

Each of these areas is underpinned by an aspiration to raise standards across the County. They are cross referenced to National Strategies (Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners, Every Child Matters, Primary National Strategy, Secondary National Strategy for School Improvement) and are informed by the DCSF Core Principles for School Improvement and by the Local Authority Plan for the Support and Promotion of School Improvement.

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Rebecca Armstrong Rebecca has been a member of the Primary Strategy Team since April 2007. She has taught French and German in secondary schools for the past 25 years. She trained and began her career in Cambridgeshire, teaching students from 11-18 at Impington Village College. Over the past 20 years she has been based in Luton and she was Head of Languages at Icknield High School for 14 years.In September 2006 she introduced, ran and resourced a successful programme of foreign languages training for Year 3 teachers in her local network. Over the past year she has been introducing and resourcing a similar programme of training for all Year 3 teachers in Bedfordshire. This programme will be extended to Year 4 teachers in September 2008.

Geoff Bent Geoff Bent has been an educator for 30 years, mainly in the middle school sector, where he was a headteacher in three middle schools. Currently he is working for the Local Authority as a School Improvement Advisor with responsibility for Primary Strategy Manager.

Lat Blaylock Lat Blaylock is an RE Adviser with RE Today, and edits the magazine of the same title. He began his career as a teacher of RE in a large multi-ethnic comprehensive school in Leicester. He joined RE Today in 1994. He writes, leads INSET and acts as a consultant on RE to bodies including the BBC, the Inter- Faith Network, QCA, Christian Aid, the Bible Society and numerous Las and schools. He meets over 2000 teachers a year through his INSET work, and has a reputation for inspiring practical ideas.

Barbara Bunting Barbara is a Secondary Strategy Consultant working with Bedfordshire schools, mainly upper schools. Until very recently she worked as an upper school head of department for many years with particular experience in Key Stage 4 and 5. Her recent experience within school means that she relates any training and support to the classroom.

John Carter John Carter has extensive experience of working with schools and their governing bodies. From the headship of a primary school, he joined Bedfordshire LEA as a County Adviser before becoming Senior Primary Adviser/Inspector and subsequently Senior School Improvement Adviser. His experience in these posts and as an Ofsted inspector, remodelling consultant and external adviser has included training and support for teachers, headteachers and governors on school self-evaluation, leadership at all levels, focused audits and other aspects of school effectiveness. He currently works as an independent education consultant and SIP, specialising in leadership, school improvement and gifted and talented.

Barbara Conridge Barbara has spent the last 13 years supporting schools in the County as a member of the Consultancy team. She manages of Foundation Stage Profile, KS1 Assessment and Year 4 Moderation and audit teams for the County. She also the Bedfordshire Primary Strategy Lead Consultant for Gifted and Talented. Barbara has a particular interest in developing imaginative and creative approaches to teaching and learning, including the integration of ICT within her own subject, English, and in the Foundation Stage. She has delivered courses across the country and has been a Consultant on two European projects. Barbara is also currently the Chair of the Primary Committee of the National Association for the Teaching of English (NATE).

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Chris Crispus Jones

Chris is Lead Numeracy Consultant in Bedfordshire. As well as working locally she has planned and delivered regional training for consultants, national training for new consultants, and written and edited national resources. Some of the key skills she brings to the Primary team are her expertise in course delivery, resource development and ICT, and her creativity.

Anne Cunningham Anne is the most recent member of the Secondary English team. Prior to this she taught English and Drama in a variety of Hertfordshire schools, most recently as Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for teaching and learning and before that as Head of English. She has a particular interest in developing teachers as researchers, the subject of her recent Cambridge M Ed. At Cambridge University exploring this issue last year.

Sandra Evans Sandra Evans is a highly regarded Change and Career consultant with more than 15 years experience of working in the people development arena. An effective facilitator, she enjoys working with both groups and individuals to realise their potential. Having spent over 20 years in senior roles with Barclays Bank both Corporate and Retail, she moved into consultancy in 2001 and has since worked in both the public and private sectors. As an active and forward looking Chair of Governors she is a member of Bedfordshire Governors Support Group and on the Learning Communities Forum. She has also been involved in the training and development of governors within Bedfordshire for the past 2 years.

Chris Gill Chris Gill is acting Head of School Workforce Development for schools in Bedfordshire. His background is in modern foreign languages and he leads on supporting schools in this curriculum area both in Bedfordshire and nationally, advising QCA and DfES. He is an experienced OfSTED Inspector, National Strategy Consultant and Performance Management Consultant, and has developed support for school leaders, including Governors, Newly Qualified and Overseas Trained Teachers and for identifying and providing for gifted and talented students. He supports the LA on the identification and dissemination of good practice in teaching and learning and in school leadership and manages the County Advanced Skills Teacher programme.

Steve Hammond-Evans

Steve currently works for a number of midlands Local authorities as a consultant and as an advisory teacher.Coventry, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Rutland use him for subject reviews, support for heads of subject and NQT’s. Also the development of the Key stage 3 strategy and curriculum support materials tailored to the needs of individual schools. Steve has extensive experience as an Ofsted inspector of Design and Technology and Art and design and has travelled throughout the country inspecting schools of different sizes and types.Steve has also trained teachers with DeMontfort University and Cambridge Overseas in Namibia.Steve is well known for his stories his photographs and his pragmatic approach to students and learning in this unique area of the curriculum.

Jenny Harris Jenny Harris is an education adviser with Bedfordshire County Council. She has worked closely with primary schools supporting ICT and has played a key role in developing training for teaching assistants and for returning teachers. She is also an assessor for the ICT mark and an accredited SLICT facilitator. She has been an NQT supervisor and is involved with monitoring FS Profile, KS1 and Year 4 assessments.

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Karin Horowitz Karin Horowitz is an Organisation Development Consultant, Executive Coach and Supervisor of Coaches with wide experience of working in the private and public sectors. She offers individual coaching sessions, facilitates team development, and designs and delivers leadership development programmes for organisations such as BT, Northamptonshire County Council and Cambridgeshire County Council. She is a Principal Associate of the National School of Government where she works with a variety of central government departments and agencies. Karin is working with a number of Bedfordshire schools and is contributing to Bedfordshire’s succession planning programme for aspiring head teachers and deputy head teachers.

John Huckle John Huckle is a geographical and environmental educator who formerly taught at De Montfort and London South Bank universities. He has written extensively on geographical education and education for sustainable development and has run workshops for teacher educators in several parts of the world, most extensively in China. John has worked with Bedfordshire teachers for many years and is currently employed by the Pilgrim Partnership.

Mui Li Licensed Equality Standard Consultant and former School Development Adviser. Mui, has worked with Tower Hamlets Children’s Service for 8 years, providing consultancy, research, advice and training on diversity and equality – putting policy into practice. Over 70 schools have participated in workshops for staff, pupils and parents

Ian Lindsay Ian is a Secondary Strategy Consultant working with Bedfordshire schools and leading central training. Until recently he had taught in an upper school in Bedford for over 27 years, working as a Head of Department, Head of Year and an Assistant Headteacher. He has a wealth of experience in pastoral care and has undertaken additional research work, gaining an M.A. in Educational Management.

Judith Lovely Judith is the strand leader for Behaviour and Attendance, Secondary National Strategy and has been an educational consultant for the last 4 years. Prior to joining Bedfordshire she worked predominantly in Milton Keynes in a variety of middle and senior management roles within a Secondary school context. Areas of specific responsibility included both curriculum and pastoral leadership, responsibility for GTP and NQT training and the introduction and monitoring of performance management. Other experiences include (a) Drama GCSE national examiner, moderator and team leader (b) ITT Lecturer St Martin's College Lancaster. Judith is also an accredited SLICT facilitator and Protective Behaviours trainer.

Andrew Manley Andy is a Secondary Mathematics consultant. He has taught maths enthusiastically and passionately at KS3, 4 and 5 for over 22 years. A committed family man, he understands the realities of maintaining a work life balance. Consequently he tries to provide training and support, which is both practicable and manageable.

Angela McGill Angela McGill is the Secondary Science Consultant for Bedfordshire having previously been a Head of Science in a Bedfordshire Upper School. She has delivered CPD within her own school and in the LA on Assessment for Learning, Managing Science Departments and Peer Coaching. The Peer Coaching project was run successfully over several years as part of her role as Assistant Director of Training School. This role has also involved the mentoring of trainees and NQT staff. She has also acted as a Coursework Consultant for AQA and is

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continues in her role as a Senior examiner for GCSE Science.

Therese Mostowfi Therese Mostowfi is a successful and experienced primary and middle school Headteacher. She has complemented this with successful training, consultancy and inspection experience, for example, co-leading the OfSTED self-evaluation course for Bedfordshire County Council and working as an NPQH trainer. Therese also works for the CEA as an External Advisor and Threshold Assessor

Sheila Montila Sheila works as an Advanced Skills Teacher and as a freelance mentor, trainer and music consultant, specialising in music for Key Stages 1, 2 and 3. She has a variety of experience as a music teacher, manager and adviser.

Julie Moxon Julie Moxon is Strand Leader for the Secondary English Team and has worked as a consultant for 7 years. Prior to this she was Head of Year in a Bedfordshire middle school. Julie has also held positions of responsibility in upper schools, including that of professional development officer. She was a team leader for a GCSE English Literature Examination Board for many years. For several years she has been on the NAA/QCA review panel for the Year 7 Progress Test. She works with Oxford University Press on their KS3 Fiction group in her own time. Julie qualified as an OfSTED inspector and supports Head Teachers and Heads of Department in pre and post OfSTED work. She regularly delivers county and whole school INSET as well as working with departments and individual teachers. Julie is the county lead consultant for Literacy and Learning as well as working in a number of schools to develop AFL.

Stuart Naylor Stuart Naylor worked for 12 years as a secondary teacher, including 3 years teaching in the USA, along with brief spells as a lab technician and primary advisory teacher before moving into teacher education. In 20 years at Manchester Metropolitan University he worked at all levels of teacher education. He now works independently as a writer, publisher, consultant and INSET provider. Together with his colleague/partner Brenda Keogh he has developed a reputation for innovative ways of enhancing teaching and learning, such as the influential concept cartoon strategy. His current projects include developing active approaches to assessment (supported by GlaxoSmithKline and ASE) and the use of puppets to promote scientific talk in the primary classroom (supported by GlaxoSmithKline).

Jim Oliver Jim came to Bedford in 1982 as Headteacher at Hastingsbury Upper School. After ten years there, he became director of the National Educational Development Centre assessing competencies in headteachers throughout the UK. In 1994 he returned to headship as Head of Vandyke Upper, until 2003 when he became Director of Global Learning Communities. Over the last fifteen years he has been involved in the training of headteachers and inspectors, directing assessment centres, counselling headteachers, addressing Heads and Deputies' groups, supporting regional developments with representatives of headteachers , governments and industry. As Director of Global Learning Communities programmes, he works with teachers and students in the UK and overseas, replicating the global economy in learning through established 24:7 learning links between schools in different time zones. The work focuses on the use of e learning approaches.

Carrie O'Regan Carrie O’Regan has taught food technology in secondary schools for 25 years and is an accredited trainer for the Chartered Institute of

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Environmental Health. She has run many courses for teachers and other adults involved in a variety of food contexts.

David Panther David’s teaching experience has been with the full primary age range, from Year R to Year 6. From 1989 he worked as an advisor with the local mathematics support team, contributing to the development of mathematics education within the LEA. In 1995 he gained accreditation as an Ofsted inspector and contributed to a large number of inspections in primary and middle schools. In 1997 he took up post as Primary Advisor within the LEA. Early in 1999 he took a permanent post with QCA in the Mathematics Test Development Team with responsibility for the trailing, construction and calibration of the statutory Key Stages 1 and 2 mathematics tasks and tests. Late in 2001 I returned to the LEA as a School Improvement Advisor with specific responsibility for assessment in the LEA as well as his link responsibilities to a number of schools from all phases of education. He also has accreditation from the National College of School Leadership as a facilitator for the School Leadership in ICT courses. David is also an accredited School Improvement Partner, working with a number of schools in the Kempston and Wootton areas

Barney Payne Barney Payne has wide teaching experience. Originally an art and design specialist, he became a faculty head and pastoral team leader in one of the country’s largest schools. He was County Inspector/Adviser for Art in Bedfordshire and Governor Training Co-ordinator before becoming Head of Education Consultancy and Training. An experienced and active school inspector, he has worked with headteachers, governors, class teachers, teaching assistants and support staff, leading training and managing school improvement projects. He is now an independent education consultant and carries out school improvement work and training for a range of clients, including local authorities and individual schools.

Judy Ruff An experienced lower school headteacher of 15 years in both rural and urban settings, Judy joined the School Improvement Team in January 2004 with responsibility for the Bedford Lower and Nursery Schools. She is an accredited School Improvement Partner and SIPCO (School Improvement Partner Co-ordinator), again working in the Bedford area. She is a trained NCSL Facilitator and has responsibility within the County for Leadership Development. Currently, Judy is engaged in working with NCSL and local headteachers on a School Leadership Succession Planning Project. Judy serves as the Local Authority on SACRE (Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education) and is a section 48 Inspector of Anglican Church Schools.

Dave Shiers Dave Shier is a long established consultant who has had a wide range of experiences. An experienced teacher with an interest in using ICT to develop mathematical thinking at all key stages and using mathematics creatively making strong links with other curriculum areas especially art. He has lectured on the Primary Bed courses at De Montfort in mathematics and in using ICT. A number of primary mathematics books have been authored by Dave and he contributed to the National Year 7 Mathematics Framework prior to the KS3 Strategy being developed. His consultancy work has taken him to Guernsey where he initiated the launch of the National Strategy for the Island. He has worked as a consultant to the national test development team at Key Stage 3 and had extensive experience as a marker at both Key Stages 2 and 3, being a senior marker at KS2 since its inception until recently. He has been involved in analysing test papers for NAA, the results of which contributed to the annual Standards report and now the “Implications for teaching”. He has worked on developing a number of CPD courses and workshops for teachers and Teaching Assistants, more recently he has developed the secondary

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Mathematics workshops for HLTA programme.

Lynn Shrehane Lynn has been an Art educator in the authority for 34 years, firstly in Hastingsbury Upper school and then at Robert Bruce Middle School. She has held positions of Head of Art in both schools. Lyn recently joined Arnold Middle School as Art Coordinator. She is a very enthusiastic Art teacher and is passionate about the value and importance of Art education. She is keen to impart her knowledge and experience to those teachers who feel they need to build upon their skills and confidence, in order to be better equipped to teach this enjoyable and rewarding subject.

Deborah Slade Deborah has been a Consultant for 10 years, and leads on the Primary Literacy Strategy in Bedfordshire. Having, taught in Primary and Secondary schools in Inner London and S.E.Asia, she has a wide range of experience of both phases, as well as Special schools. Transition and its relating issues are of great interest. Deborah was also part of the pilot for initiating the condensed KS3 Curriculum in Kent. Deborah has written materials for the Primary and the KS3 Strategies and has been involved with the Primary Strategy since its inception in 1997. She has also lead training in Spain in association with the Primary Strategy. Deborah has also been a senior marker for KS2 SATs. She delivers INSET to schools and runs courses across the county.

Mike Simpson Mike currently co-ordinates the team of SNS Consultants in Bedfordshire and is Lead Consultant for assessment Learning, Thinking Skills and Coaching. He works across all foundation subjects on several aspects of teaching and learning – including learning styles, brain-based learning, behaviour management, drama-in-education, challenge. Planning and ‘levelness’. Mike is also involved in Leadership Development and CPD and has an MA in School Improvement and CPD. Prior to his consultancy work, Mike was Head of Lower School at The Lord Grey School in Bletchley, Head of Modern Languages and School Improvement Co-Leader at Vandyke Upper School in Leighton Buzzard. He was awarded a Best Practice Research Scholarship and investigated the application of Thinking Skills approaches to the MFL classroom. He wrote exemplification materials for the Secondary National Strategy on thinking skills in MFL and is also co-author of Alle einsteigen! – Hodder and Stoughton’s 3-book German course.

Sheila Simpson Sheila Simpson has 10 years experience as a literacy consultant. Having taught in England and abroad, she has a breadth of teaching experience in primary, secondary and special education. Sheila worked for SCITT for several years and is an experienced teacher mentor and assessor. During the last seven years, she ahs delivered both county and whole school INSET in all aspects of literacy. She has promoted the ‘Write Here Write Now’ national competition and run workshops for able and gifted writers in Bedfordshire. In addition to English courses, Sheila has led ‘Motivation Plus’ thinking skills programmes and courses for supply/returning teachers/teaching assistants.

Sue Southward Sue is a Secondary Strategy Consultant working in Maths departments in Middle and Upper schools in Bedfordshire. She has taught in several secondary schools and been a subject leader in a secondary and middle school. As a member of the Bedfordshire Maths Team she has designed resources and assessment materials for schools and led courses and network meetings. She has a particular interest in developing interactive lessons and in ICT, and represents the Eastern

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region on the ICT in Maths group.

Neil Turner Neil Turner's teaching background was in special schools (SLD/PMLD) for 18 years having a variety of roles which included CAL, ICT, INSET Co-ordinator, Deputy Head and Acting Head. He was appointed to the Bedfordshire LEA ICT team with the brief of implementing ICT (originally NGfL, then ICT in Schools now harnessing technology) into Bedfordshire schools as well as supporting ICT & SEN in 1997. He has been a NOF trainer and materials writer, and continues to delivers a wide range of courses aimed at embedding ICT across the curriculum, Neil is an accredited Smart Board trainer and runs a variety of courses on how it works its functionality and how it can be used to enhance learning and teaching. Neil has supported Bedfordshire schools in a variety of ways including administration of the LfT initiative, ICT in Schools funding, the E2BN Virtual Learning Environment launch and more recently Harnessing Technology funding. Additionally Neil has been leading on the Learning Platform agenda and supports a variety of VLE/MLE/PLE initiatives. He has been a part time KS3 strategy ICT consultant and is an NCSL SLICT and BSF facilitator.

Susan Ward Susan Ward has been involved with teaching in both secondary and primary schools. She was an AST in Norfolk and during that time was involved in delivering master classes in collective worship in schools for Headteachers. Part of her Masters Degree was to look at the management of collective worship as well as to debate whether it should still be compulsory in community schools.

Brenda Webster Brenda has taught in primary and secondary schools over a varied career. After a break to raise a family, she returned to teaching in Bedfordshire. Her responsibilities have included, Head of Mathematics, Head of Year, Key Stage 3 Co-ordinator, and member of SMT including responsibility for the school budget and acting Deputy Head. In 1999 she joined the Beds Maths Team as KS3 maths consultant to organise one of 12 national LEA projects and then became a Primary Numeracy Consultant in 2000. She has enjoyed working on a variety of NNS initiatives including developing and piloting the NNS Unit Plans and promoting interactive teaching resources and Peer Coaching. Following her retirement in December 2005, she is currently working for the LA as a Mathematics Consultant on a part-time basis.

Chris White Chris is a Primary Strategy Consultant working with Bedfordshire schools and leading central training. She has taught across the primary phase for many years and has experience of subject co-ordination and senior management. She has written materials for the National Literacy Strategy and produced programmes for the interactive whiteboard. Chris is a qualified OfSTED inspector.

Andi Whitwham Andi Whitwham is the Bedfordshire Drug and Alcohol and Sex and Relationships Education consultants for Upper and Special schools. She is also a part of the National Healthy Schools team supporting healthy schools community 4 and 7, also supporting all schools with their PSHE programmes and in particular drug and sex education policies and programmes. Andi is also a member of the team working with teachers to achieve their DCSF Certification for PSHE. She is the lead facilitator of the professional study group for PSHE and Citizenship. From September she will be responsible for managing the Student Consultants for Children and Young People. She is currently piloting a project in Upper schools involving consultation with young people about their perceptions and attitudes to drug use, bullying, weapons and sex and relationship, with considerable interest from the

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Sex Education Forum and DSCF. This project is going to be extended/offered to more schools from September of 2008. New for Upper schools next year will be able a train the trainers course to enable them to deliver a three day Peer Education programme on Drugs, Alcohol and Sex and Relationships Education in their school.

Jenny Willis Jenny Willis is a secondary education consultant specialising in ICT. As well as being strand leader for ICT, she also leads the ICTAC whole school initiative and is leading a PDA research project. Before moving over to consultancy, Jenny worked as the head of ICT at two upper schools in the authority. She has experience in delivering training, coaching teachers and supporting heads of department in carrying out their professional duties. Having passed her OfSTED exams, Jenny has experience of auditing ICT departments both within and outside of the county. She is a qualified NCSL facilitator for SLICT and has a high level of application skill which is particularly useful in supporting key stages four and five. Jenny was involved in writing the SNS Leading in Learning (Thinking Skills) materials for ICT, an area in which she has carried out action research in the past, and the ICT support materials for teaching assistants. She is currently part of the SNS renewed framework writing team.

Gill Woodland Gill Woodland is an English and Literacy Consultant currently involved in delivery of the National Secondary Strategy through in-school consultancy, coaching and formal training. She is also involved in supporting whole school projects, such as assessment for learning and literacy across the curriculum. Gill has presented at NATE conference for 4 years consecutively to great acclaim; presentations have included Gothic Horror, The Poetry Pod and Challenging Texts. These materials have been shared across county. Prior to her consultancy role, Gill taught for 30 years in 4 different authorities, from reception to sixth form; responsibilities included Head of Special Needs, Head of Year and Literacy Co-ordinator in a large 11-18 secondary school as part of the KS3 Literacy Strategy pilot. She has completed her OfSTED training and has qualified as an inspector. She is currently involved in the KS4 pilot project ‘Study Plus’.

Pat Worden Pat was a primary Headteacher for over 23 years. Since January 2005 she has been working solely as an Education Consultant and has been in demand as a trainer / facilitator, coach and mentor. Pat designs and delivers leadership courses and governor training. She has considerable experience of workforce reform and has supported schools in implementing initiatives such as extended schools and performance management. She is a facilitator for National College of School Leadership programmes and the Training and Development Agency. She is a Primary School Improvement Partner.

Christine Wrigley Christine Wrigley is a classroom and instrumental music teacher with 25 years’ experience of teaching in primary and secondary schools. She is a practising flautist with local orchestras. She has recently completed a certificate of professional development in using Kodaly methods in primary classrooms. She is employed by Bedfordshire music service running vocal projects in schools, and is also a member of the Education outreach team with the Philharmonia Orchestra.

Simon Wrigley Simon Wrigley is an English adviser with 17 years’ teaching and 13 years’ inspection and advisory experience in primary, secondary and special schools. He is English and Literacy line manager for Buckinghamshire LA. He is ex-chair of the National Association of

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Teaching of English (NATE) and runs local and national workshops. lectures and courses.

Glynis Yates Glynis Yates is an experienced education consultant with extensive experience of providing advice and training for physical education. She is a member of the Association for Physical Education, an OfSTED Inspector and an inspector/consultant for the Independent Schools Inspectorate. She is an accredited trainer for school self-evaluation and the Lead Trainer in Bedfordshire for the CPD strand of the National Physical Education and School Sport Strategy. Glynis provides advice, support and training in all aspects of health and safety in relation to Physical Education and Educational Visits and Journeys. She also plays a key part in support for NQTs and Induction Tutors.

Helen Young Helen has worked in education for 12 years, primarily in lower schools. As a Leading Maths Teacher from the start of the initiative she had a particular interest in the use of ICT to support teaching and learning.

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