Specialist Schools

1
Specialist Schools

• Bidding Support Information Seminars
• September 2008

2
Programme

• 9.00am Registration
• 9.30am Welcome and Introductions
• 9.35am Rationale for Specialist Schools Northern
  Ireland and connections to E2S and other NI
  policy development
• 10.00am Specialist Schools Northern Ireland Key
  Processes
• 10.45am BREAK
• 11.15am Specialist Schools Northern Ireland A
  Principal perspective
• 12 noon Application timeline and bidding support
  arrangements
• 12.30pm Questions
• 12.45 pm LUNCH

3
Learning Outcomes

• By the end of the information seminar, attendees
• Know the rationale and key aims of the specialist
  schools initiative and understand how specialist
  schools fits into the E2S policy developments
• Are aware of the key processes in Specialist
  Schools application
• School Plan
• Community Plan
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Have reflected on the experiences of a principal
  from a Northern Ireland Designated Specialist
  School
• Are aware of the timeline for completed
  applications and
• Know of the bidding support arrangements for
  schools applying for Specialist School Status

4
The Specialist School Concept

• Whole school improvement
• Identifies and builds on existing strength
• Broad curriculum not focused on specialism
• Develops links with other schools and local
  community

5
What makes it work?

• It is not the particular specialism that
  makes the difference - it is the process of
  identifying and building on the schools existing
  strength.

6
How does specialism build school improvement ?

• Creates a framework for self review
• Ensures developments in the specialist area are
  used to benefit other curriculum areas
• Enhances a sense of purpose and direction within
  the school and in relationship with other schools
  and the community
• Helps schools move away from an environment
  characterised by competition towards one of
  co-operation and collaboration
• Creates a supportive network of schools by
  schools for schools.

7
David Bell, HMI Chief Inspector of Schools

• Being a specialist school makes a difference.
  Working to declared targets, dynamic leadership,
  a renewed sense of purpose, targeted use of
  funding and being a contributor to an optimistic
  network of like minded schools, all contribute to
  a climate for improvement and drive forward
  change.

8
Objectives of the NI Specialist School Model

• To provide opportunities for pupils to benefit
  from wider learning experiences
• To ensure maximum impact of the available
  expertise and resources, by promoting
  co-operation and collaboration among schools and
  between schools and other providers of education
  and training for 14-19 year-olds
• Raise standards and realise performance
  improvement for all young people and
• Develop links between schools, there local
  communities and the economy to ensure that all
  young people are given a strong foundation for
  lifelong learning and work.

9
Specialist Schools Northern Ireland

• Angela Smith announced NIs first Specialist
  Schools on 14 March 2006
• Following a 2-stage process and based on the
  advice of an independent panel, 12 schools were
  selected to operate as specialists from Sept 2006

10
History

• 2005/2006 - Pilot Specialist Schools NI
• (12 schools designated)
• 2006/2007 - Cohort 2 (25 applications with
  13 schools designated)
• 2007/2008 - Cohort 3 (13 applications with 9
  designated)

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Year 1 Pilot Schools - Sept 2006

• Limavady High School Arts-Performing
• Glengormley High School ICT
• Belfast Model for Girls ICT
• Ashfield Girls High ICT
• St Louises College Arts-Performing
• St Johns High School BE
• St Mary's College Science
• St Cecilias College Arts-Performing
• Shimna I C Languages
• St Malachys Music
• Lumen Christi College Science
• Ballyclare High ICT

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Year 2 Schools - Sept 2007

• Hazelwood College Arts Visual
• Portora Royal Arts Performing and
  Visual
• Carrickfergus College Business and Enterprise
• St Patricks and St Brigids College,
  Claudy Business and Enterprise
• Belfast High School Languages
• Grosvenor Grammar, Belfast Languages
• St Columbs College, Derry Maths Computing
• Dromore High School Science
• Loreto College, Omagh Science
• St Colmans College, Newry Science
• St Marys Grammar, Magherafelt Science
• St Patricks College, Maghera Science
• Cross Passion College, Ballycastle Sport

13
Year 3 Schools - Sept 2008

• Ulidia Integrated College Arts
• Downshire School, Carrickfergus Business and
  Enterprise
• Bangor Academy Sixth Form College Business and
  Enterprise
• Slemish Integrated College Humanities
• St Patricks Grammar, Downpatrick Humanities
• Thornhill College, Derry Mathematics
• Carrickfergus Grammar School Science
• St Pauls High School, Newry Science
• Holy Trinity College, Cookstown Sport

14

Specialist Schools Northern Ireland Key
Processes
15
The School and Community Development Plans

• Equal emphasis has been placed on the School
  Development Plan and Community Development Plan
• Further encourage schools to develop and set
  targets for their work with other schools, FE and
  the local community
• Focus on Entitlement Framework

16
Key features of Specialist Schools Model

• Raise standards-specialist subject(s) whole
  school
• Strengthen/develop learning and teaching
  strategies
• Extend enrichment including via FE, sponsors,
  business etc
• Develop specialist identity
• Collaborate with other schools to enhance
  learning and teaching
• Extended opportunities for wider community
  involvement, including local business

17
DE / RTU / E2S division of roles

• DE
• Sets criteria and guidelines for bidding
• Decides whether sponsorship is eligible
• Assesses bids
• Designates specialist schools (Ministerial
  decision)
• Evaluates Specialist Schools (through ETI)
• FAQs

18
Division of roles

• RTU
• Introduces schools to the programme and the
  bidding process
• Advises and supports schools preparing bids.
• Advises on sponsorship rules and fundraising.
• Provides resources to assist schools preparing
  bids
• Liaises with DE (including questions for FAQs)

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Division of roles

• E2S officers
• Advice and support when considering how the
  specialist application will fit into the
  developing collaborative arrangements in a
  schools area
• CASS
• Specific curriculum guidance and support related
  to the bid

20
The Application Process

• DE Guidelines
• Designation 2009/2013
• Cohort III version can be downloaded from the DE
  website
• www.deni.gov.uk

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Which schools may apply?

• All schools, currently with pupils in each year
  group in KS3 KS4
• except those schools
• currently in SSP
• already designated specialist schools
• Dickson Plan schools through a joint application
  (ie 11-14 schools apply with 14 schools)

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What schools have to do...

• Choose a specialism
• Raise 25,000 or more towards a capital project
• Draw up a 4-year development plan
• School - specialist subject(s) whole school
• Community
• -Partner schools (at least 5 with 3 secondary
  schools)
• -Wider community
• Show how the money will be spent

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Specialist status in the following

• Arts (performing, visual or media, drama)
• Art and Design
• Business and Enterprise
• Health and Social Care
• Humanities
• Language
• Leisure and Tourism
• Music
• Sport
• STEM Science, Mathematics, Technology,
  Mathematics and Computing

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What schools get

• Specialist School status from September 2009
  until 2013
• Up to 75,000 Capital Grant from DE to add to the
  25,000 sponsorship (ie. a total of 100,000 to
  spend on a Capital Project)
• 100 pa per pupil recurrent grant
• 50 - school
• 50 - community

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Preparing your application

• Minimum 0-4 months from thinking to doing
• Leadership of principal essential
• Involvement of SMT/HODs/School staff/Governors
  vital
• Start early in seeking sponsorship
• Involve key staff partners at an early stage
• Audits of lead subjects and needs of community
  partners is crucial
• Follow DE guidelines from outset
• Access Bidding Support arrangements
• Liaise with E2S and (Employing authorities re-
  proposed use of capital grant)
• Develop a coherent and manageable plan thats
  right for YOUR school

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What the application is about

• Integral to DE educational policy and
  developments
• Raising standards - developing an ethos
• Curriculum teaching and learning
• Whole School
• Collaboration and partnership
• Sharing practice within schools and other
  partners
• Working with community, businesses, sponsors

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What the application is not about

• A dash for cash
• Focusing on one curriculum area at the expense of
  others
• Going it alone
• Building/equipping a science/maths block/drama
  studio etc.

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• 30 minutes

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The Specialist Schools Process

• General Case
• School Plan
• Audit
• Objectives, Targets, Implementation
• Community Plan
• Audit
• Objectives, Targets, Implementation
• Monitoring evaluation
• Financial Plans

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General Case (page 18 and 19 App Guidance)

• Schools are specifically required to demonstrate
  how specialist status would be used to
• raise attainment in the specialist area and whole
  school improvement and what will be achieved over
  the 4 years
• assist the implementation of the revised
  curriculum
• take forward the schools plans to offer access
  to the entitlement framework
• Fit into your schools ongoing collaboration with
  other providers, particularly in the development
  of your local Learning Community and
• Show how you will promote your schools
  distinctive ethos and identity.
• Maximum 3 pages

31
School Plan (pages 8-13 App Guidance)

• Audit
• summarise the current position in terms of
  strengths and areas for development for each
  subject covered by your proposed specialism at
  your school using the following headings
• attainment
• teaching and learning
• curriculum provision
• uptake of specialist subjects
• resources
• ICT
• quality of management.
• (maximum of two pages per subject).

32
School Plan (pages 21-23 App Guidance)

• Objectives and Targets
• must reflect how (and how far) in the specialist
  subject you are planning to
• raise attainment (each year for 4 years)
• increase provision / uptake of specialist
  subjects (Yrs 12)
• expand enrichment opportunities (Yrs 1 2)
• Applied/vocational and work related learning
  should be included
• whole school improvement objective
• detailed whole school attainment targets, using
  your specialism to drive up attainment
• In particular, targets focusing on raising
  attainment in English and Mathematics should be a
  priority
• qualitative targets on how LT will contribute to
  improving standards in other departments
• set targets for involvement of business/employers

33
Community Plan (pages 25-30 App Guidance)

• Your Community Plan will involve partnerships
  with
• At least 5 other schools (three of which must be
  post-primary and at least 2 of which must be
  members of your Area Learning Community) and
• Wider community groups such as local
  businesses/employers, youth groups and other
  community organisations.
• Partnerships should focus on one or two specific
  projects with each partner school.

34
Community Plan (pages 28-30 App Guidance)

• Objectives and Targets
• must reflect how (and how far) in the specialist
  subject you are planning to address an issue
  identified in the audit
• set 5 objectives on your work with primary and
  post primary partners as well as the wider
  community groups
• optional objective to cover/focus on other issues
  identified in the audit
• targets for schools/community groups set as
  learning outcomes
• demonstrate how the use of ICT will add value to
  relevant objectives in the community plan

35
Monitoring and Evaluating (app Guidance Page 31)

• Outline your monitoring and evaluation
  strategies. Your summary should relate to the
  questions outlined in the guidance and show
  clearly the composition, structure and
  inter-relationships in your arrangements.
• Max 1 page

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Funding Sponsorship

• Refer to pages 32-37 of Application Guidance

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Timetable

• September - Information workshops
• October/November - Bidding Support Workshops
• November January - Writing Workshops
• November January - Consultancy Support

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Bidding Support Workshops

• Wed 01 October 2008 School Plan Glenavon Hotel,
  Cookstown
• Wed 15 October 2008 School Plan Armagh City Hotel
• Frid 17 October 2008 School Plan Comfort Hotel,
  Antrim
• Mon 10 November 2008 School Plan Clandeboye
  Lodge, Bangor
• Mon 17 November 2008 Community Plan Comfort
  Hotel, Antrim
• Mon 24 November 2008 Community Plan Bushtown
  Hotel, Coleraine
• Mon 01 December 2008 Community Plan Bushtown
  Hotel, Coleraine
• Mon 08 December 2008 Community Plan Clandeboye
  Lodge, Bangor
• Wed 10 December 2008 Community Plan Armagh City
  Hotel
• Conference Timings - Registration at 9.00am. The
  conference will conclude at 3.30pm

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Specialist Schools Bidding Support Team

• Aims
• To respond to school queries through the Bidding
  Support arrangements
• To track the progress of bids
• To help improve bid quality
• To liaise with SSAT and YST
• To advise on strategies for raising sponsorship
  and eligibility
• To liaise with DE and Employing Authorities
• To work in partnership with E2S officers,
  particularly related to Specialist Schools

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Specialist Schools Bidding Support Arrangements

• Response to telephone and e-mail enquiries
• Stages of Readiness Indicator Inventory
• Information Seminars (September)
• Bidding Support Workshops (Oct/Nov)
• Consultancy clinics for all bidding phases (Dec
  and Jan)
• Telephone and e-mail feedback on draft bids
• Face to face support to schools
• Links to Specialist Schools in Northern Ireland
• Links to Specialist Schools in England
• Establishing partnerships with iNet

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Specialist Schools Bidding Support Contact Details

• Project Leader Stewart Polley
• Email spolley_at_rtuni.org
• Telephone [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• Web www.rtuni.org

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• Evaluation Travel Claims
• Questions
• Lunch