26 March 2015 weekly update

Funding for PRU Support to Primary Schools

Last year, following the review of the Pupil Referral Units and the roll out of new arrangements across the eight PRU hubs, we allocated just over £1 million to support projects for Primary Schools in meeting the needs of pupils with challenging behaviour. At the time we said this funding was for one year to develop approaches that would be sustainable for the future.

We have seen a range of innovative approaches in local areas that have achieved a number of positive outcomes for pupils in Primary schools.  We would like to support this work further and hope that more schools could benefit. We are allocating £750,000 for this work for this financial year. Funding will be allocated on the basis of bids from the eight hubs.

We would expect successful bids to include the following elements of good practice, which we have seen in some of the existing projects:

• Systems and procedures to include LIFT as an integral part of the process for identifying need and providing support
• Routine involvement of Early Help and Preventative Services through an Early Help notification for individual pupils
• Robust links with nominated Early Help professionals
• The offer to include appropriate support for KS1 and KS2 pupils
• Commitment to share best practice in the local area and across the county
• Ongoing commitment to reduce Primary exclusions thereby improving the educational chances of vulnerable learners
• Projects which incorporate contributions from schools to reflect a shared responsibility and accountability
• Primary school representation on PRU Management Committees

For more information please contact: margot.clarkson-bennett@kent.gov.uk or Ming.Zhang@kent.gov.uk.

Early Years Foundation Stage Profile and Assessment

The DfE has confirmed that the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Profile will remain statutory until September 2016.  However, in September 2015 schools are invited to pilot the new EYFS baseline assessment. 

The DfE has approved six baseline assessments and schools have up until the end of April 2015 to select one of these. The DfE will be covering the basic cost. Each of these baselines will:

• Provide a single score for each child
• Record an individual child's outcomes (as a minimum) in Communication and Literacy and Mathematics
• Be able to make predictions for the end of KS1
• Be used by Ofsted to judge progress from Year R
• Provide a high level of statistical reliability
• Provide a way of submitting data for new value added measures

We believe the Early Excellence Baseline is the best option because it builds on existing approaches and good practice in observational assessment. It operates as part of everyday effective practice which is familiar as part of the EYFS and includes a rounded perspective of the child's development including parents' views.

The Standards and Testing Agency has approved the following providers for the Reception baseline assessment:

• Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring, Durham University (CEM)
• Early Excellence
• GL Assessment
• Hodder Education
• National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER)
• Speech Link

The Early Years Service is delivering briefing sessions for Headteachers and Reception class teachers across the County where we will include an overview of all the approved Baseline assessments prior to a more in-depth look at the recommended Early Excellence Baseline. For more information please contact Alex.Gamby@kent.gov.uk.

Recruitment to School Improvement Adviser Posts

We have an opportunity to recruit to some additional posts in the Standards and School Improvement Team from September 2015. The posts being advertised are for Senior Improvement Advisers and Improvement Advisers for Primary, Secondary and Mainstream SEN, Special schools and PRUs.  

We would be keen to appoint or second serving senior leaders in schools. Full details about the posts advertised, along with Job Descriptions and Person Specifications, are available on the Kent Teach website. The closing date for applications is Friday 17^th April 2015. For more information please contact Nigel.Blackburn@kent.gov.uk.

Patrick Leeson

Corporate Director, Education and Young People's Services