Title: Specialist Schools
1Specialist Schools
- Bidding Support Information Seminars
- Cohort III Phase
- 2008-2012
2Programme
- 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
Principals perspective - 11.45am Application timeline and bidding support
arrangements - 12.30am LUNCH
3Learning 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
4Rationale for Specialist Schools
5Specialist Schools Key Processes
- Bidding Support
- Regional Training Unit
- Facilitator Team
- John Reid / Stewart Polley / Imelda McDaid
6Key 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
7History
- 2006 - Pilot Specialist Schools NI
- (12 schools designated)
- 2007 - Cohort II Specialist Schools NI
- (13 schools designated)
- 2008 - Cohort III Specialist Schools NI
8DE / RTU / E2S division of roles
- DE
- Sets criteria and guidelines for bidding
- Decides whether sponsorship is eligible
- Assesses bids through independent panel
- Designates specialist schools (Ministerial
decision) - Evaluates Specialist Schools (through ETI)
- FAQs
9Division 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)
10Division 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
11The Application Process
- DE Guidelines
- Designation 2008/2012
- Cohort III version can be downloaded from the DE
website - Application forms available directly from DE
14-19 team - www.deni.gov.uk
12Empowering Schools
RPA
Shared Futures
Together Towards Improvement
E2S
Revised Curriculum
Entitlement Framework
Education for Employability
LMS
Literacy Strategy
Numeracy Strategy
Extended Schools
SENDO
School Development Plan
Monitoring and Evaluation
13last 11 intake
ESA
10-Nov-09
14Which 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 14-14 schools apply with 14 schools)
15What schools have to do...
- Choose a specialism
- Raise 25,000 or more
- Draw up a 4-year development plan
- School - specialist subject(s) whole school
- Community
- -Partner schools (at least 5 with 3 post-primary
schools) - -Wider community
- Show how the money will be spent
16What schools get
- Specialist School status from September 2008
until 2012 - 75,000 Grant 25,000 Sponsorship
- 100 pa per pupil recurrent grant
- 50 - school
- 50 - community
17Preparing your application
- Minimum 0-2 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 grant) - Develop a coherent and manageable plan thats
right for YOUR school
18What 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
19What 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.
20The Specialist Schools Process
- General Case
- School Plan
- Audit
- Objectives, Targets, Implementation
- Community Plan
- Audit
- Objectives, Targets, Implementation
- Monitoring evaluation
- Financial Plans
21(No Transcript)
22General Case (page 5 ( page 7App 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 - enhance career education, information, advice,
guidance and progression - to develop ICT as a learning and teaching tool
- develop links with other schools / FE / wider
community - Maximum 3 pages
23School Plan
- 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).
24School Plan
- 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 - qualitative targets on how LT will contribute to
improving standards in other departments - set targets for involvement of business/employers
- education for employability objective
- pupil based targets
- sharing best practice
- work-related learning
25Community Plan
- Audit
- summary of consultation with community (max 1
page) - partnership with other schools detailing
strengths and areas for development (max 2
pages). An assessment should be made of how
links to partner schools are supported by ICT - support for identified community groups detailing
existing provision and areas for development (max
1 page)
26Community Plan
- 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
27Monitoring and Evaluating (app Guidance Pages 20
21)
- 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
28Funding Sponsorship
- Refer to Application Guidance
29Support Timetable
- March - Information workshops
- March/April - Bidding Support Workshops
- March/April - Writing Workshops
- March/April/May - Consultancy Support
30Specialist 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
31Specialist Schools Bidding Support Arrangements
- Response to telephone and e-mail enquiries
- Stages of Readiness Indicator Inventory
- Information Seminars (March 2008)
- Bidding Support Workshops (March/April 2008)
- Consultancy clinics for all bidding phases
(March/April/May 2008) - 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
- Establishing links with Youth Sports Trust (YST)
for Sport Specialism
32Specialist Schools Bidding Support Contact Details
- Project Leader John Reid Email
jreid_at_rtuni.org - Project Team Imelda McDaid/Stewart Polley
- Executive Officer Gina Livingstone
(glivingstone_at_rtuni.org) - Email Telephone 02890 61812
- Fax 02890 618123
- Web www.rtuni.org
33- Evaluation Travel Claims
- Questions
- Lunch