Annual Report 2007—2008
106900 Students/ 17769 school– based staff/ 219 primary schools/ 39 secondary schools/ 6 Specialist Inclusive Learning Centres/ together we are Brilliant/
Education Leeds Annual Report 2007—2008
Contents
www.educationleeds.co.uk
4 Introduction from the chair 6 Foreword from the chief executive 8 Narrowing the gap for schoolage parents / Peer mentoring 10 Attendance champions / Building Schools for the Future (BSF) 12 Looked after children / Computers for pupils 14 Invest / 14–19 16 Our next steps 18 Appendices 19 Financial information
Together we Achieve More/
Education Leeds achievements — Winner of the Beacon Award for Healthy Schools 2007 — Winner of the BETT Award for Leadership and Management Innovation for Bluewave Swift 2008 — First education team to gain the new Customer Excellence Standard 2008 — Nominated for the Carl Bertlesmann Prize ‘Integration through education: Fairness for all’ 2008 — Recognised by the House of Lords for work with International New Arrivals — Recognised through one of Ofsted’s thematic surveys as an example of good practice for social responsibility and community cohesion — Accredited by the National Autism Society for our STARS Autism Outreach service — Awarded the VI Quality Mark 2008 for our Visually Impaired Team — Recognised as excellent practitioners by the House of Lords for our Chinese Supplementary Schools
Education Leeds is a not-for-profit company, formed in April 2001 and wholly owned by Leeds City Council. From 2001 to 2006, the company was a unique partnership between Leeds City Council and Capita and operated under a direction from the Secretary of State for Education and Skills. In April 2006 the Secretary of State withdrew their powers of direction and Leeds city council decided to continue the contract with Education Leeds. This ended the five-year strategic partnership with Capita. Through the contract with the council, Education Leeds is responsible for providing education support services for all children and young people of statutory school age.
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Introduction from the Chair of education leeds
www.educationleeds.co.uk
I am pleased to welcome you to the Education Leeds annual report for the 2007 to 2008 academic year, my first as chair of the Education Leeds board. This report records our successes and achievements over the past year, and sets out our priorities for the future. Education Leeds has continued to develop, not only as a company, but as an increasingly strong and efficient partner within children’s services in Leeds. Strong relationships with our partners across children’s services, Leeds City Council, our colleagues, our schools, and our children and young people are helping to transform learning in Leeds and deliver improved outcomes. This year saw our best ever results in GCSEs and A-Levels, in addition to significant improvements in academic achievement, attendance, and behaviour.
Education Leeds has a strong, innovative vision for education in this city, made possible by the ongoing dedication and commitment of many talented people. I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone for their hard work and energy — to all our young people who achieved so much in their exams this year, to the dedicated school staff who nurtured their potential and encouraged them to succeed, to Chris Edwards and his team of fantastic colleagues here at Education Leeds, and to my fellow board members. I am proud to be working with Education Leeds as we face the changes taking place in education and the wider opportunities this will bring across the city. I very much look forward to making my contribution to creating a world-class learning experience in Leeds which meets the needs and aspirations of all our children and young people.
Professor Stephen Parkinson, Chair, Education Leeds
Together we perform/
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foreword from the Chief Executive
www.educationleeds.co.uk
This is our seventh annual report, which looks back at the progress we have made together over one of our most dynamic and exciting years to date. We have once again seen brilliant successes and record achievements for our children and young people, schools and Education Leeds itself. Education Leeds remains at the cutting edge of children’s services. Through our strong partnerships we continue to improve outcomes and transform opportunities. Our reputation for creativity, innovation and delivery continues to grow, while powerful links with Stockholm and Helsinki are helping us on our journey to make Leeds a truly world-class city.
Success) programme for parents and carers, to our Enterprise Programme for young entrepreneurs. From the first-ever Gypsy, Roma, Traveller History Month, to our success with Find Your Talent. From our intergenerational Building Bridges programmes, to our Wake Up Shake Up initiative. Together with colleagues from children’s services we received a ‘good’ rating in our first ever Joint Area Review, with special recognition for our leadership and management, our strong focus on partnership and our innovative and creative approach to improving outcomes. We became one of the first education teams nationally to achieve the new Customer Service Excellence award, reflecting our commitment to customers, and were nominated and shortlisted for the prestigious Carl Bertelsmann ‘Integration through education: Fairness for all’ award.
Working with our schools, we have again achieved our best-ever GCSE and A-level results. Over 61 per cent of our young people achieved five A*-C grades at GCSE, closing the gap with the national average to just one per cent, while A-level passes also increased by three per cent. We also opened two more This is an exciting time. We are preparing fantastic secondary learning environments, for new challenges which will change the benefiting over 1,900 young people. shape of our educational provision; our 14+ review which will determine the agenda Work continues to make sure our children for post-16, higher and further education; and young people are happy, healthy, safe our extended services programme which and increasingly successful.The number of is opening up our fantastic learning places schools awarded National Healthy Schools to their wider communities, and the Leeds Standard in Leeds rose to 208, with 96 Inclusive Learning Programme which will achieving Advanced Standard. Another 25 help us better meet the needs of every received the Stephen Lawrence Education child and young person. Standard for their work to challenge racism and encourage tolerance and understanding. We must take time to recognise and And 23 more schools achieved the Inclusion celebrate the fantastic achievements and Chartermark, recognising their work with the incredible progress we’ve made this children and young people with complex year. However, we must also maintain and special needs. our belief that we can do even better. With persistence and determination we Everywhere we look brilliant initiatives can continue to improve outcomes and are making a real difference. From our make sure that no child is left behind… STEPS (Steps to Excellence for Personal whatever it takes!
Chris Edwards Chief executive, Education Leeds
Together we are one/
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Narrowing the gap for schoolage parents This year saw a dramatic improvement in the GCSE results for pregnant young women and mothers at school in Leeds.
Peer mentoring “It’s great to see the life skills and confidence our young people develop through being peer mentors.”
www.educationleeds.co.uk
The teenage pregnancy and parenthood team at Education Leeds are working together in partnership to narrow the gap between the attainment levels of young women at school who are either pregnant or mothers, and their peers, to help improve their outcomes.
barriers to education for these young people to make sure that they remain engaged in learning and achieve their full potential. This year saw a dramatic improvement in the GCSE results for pregnant young women and mothers at school in Leeds of 31 per cent. This is a massive achievement, even better than Nationally, over 40 per cent of teenage the increase achieved by their peers. mothers leave school with no qualifications. Due to the hard work of the young This significantly reduces their ability to women themselves, the support they achieve economic wellbeing, and further receive from specialist learning mentors impacts on their own children who are at Education Leeds, and from their schools 63 per cent more likely to live in poverty. and other agencies, this year has seen a big step towards narrowing the gap. Narrowing the gap in attainment and achievement between school-age mothers Narrowing the gap for school-age and fathers, and their peers, is a priority parents can make a huge difference to for the teenage pregnancy specialists at not only improving their own outcomes Education Leeds. The teenage pregnancy and opportunities, but those of their and parenthood team works to remove children as well.
As part of the anti-bullying initiative ‘Power of Me’, young people across Leeds schools are being trained to become peer mentors and help other young people who may be being bullied, feeling lonely, or having arguments with their friends.
expertise not only to deal with problems, but to know when to talk to staff. Our peer mentors work as a team, so they have someone else they can talk to.” “In addition to what it adds to the inclusiveness of our school, it’s great to see the life skills and confidence our young people develop through being peer mentors. They become very empathic, and good listeners, and they really get a buzz out of helping and making a difference.”
The programme has been running at Adel St John the Baptist Church of England Primary School since June 2008, when Childline ran a training session with some then Year 5 students. The session involved looking at the attributes a peer mentor has, playing games to bring out One of the peer mentors said: “I think those qualities, and discussing what it feels people would rather talk to a peer mentor like to be targeted. than they would to a teacher because it’s more their same age and they have had The inclusion manager at Adel St John similar problems. I think when you sort out the Baptist Church of England Primary someone’s problems a peer mentor feels School said: “The parents and all our proud and happy that they have made staff support our peer mentors 100 per someone happy.” cent, and have faith in their maturity and
Together we are Engaging/
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Attendance champions Working with partners Education Leeds has developed innovative and exciting attendance initiatives to engage all children and young people.
www.educationleeds.co.uk
Promoting regular school attendance continues to be a priority for Education Leeds and the city’s schools. Missing just 17 days in one school year can lead to a drop of an entire grade at GCSE. Persistent absence in secondary schools has been a key government measure for the last two years. Leeds has seen a decrease of 22 per cent, representing almost 1000 more young people consistently attending school. Working with partners, Education Leeds has developed innovative and exciting attendance initiatives to engage all children and young people.
24,000 entries from 205 schools. Prizes on offer included one-off experiences, such as visiting a studio recording at MTV, tickets for sold-out concerts, and MP3 players. As a result of this competition schools reported increases in attendance of up to 3 per cent, with one school noting a 5 per cent rise. The ‘Reach for the Stars’ programme, working with Key Stage One and Key Stage Two students with poor attendance, continues to go from strength to strength. This year twice as many schools engaged with the programme, and the number is set to double once more in 2008—2009.
Families are also getting the message. It’s estimated that over 1000 school days The high impact ‘Give it 100%’ competition were saved by families taking holidays ran again this year, with the support outside of term time, thanks to the of many partners from the business partnership with Cooperative Travel. In community.To enter, children and young total, families benefited from discounts people needed 100% attendance for the worth over £15,000 on their holidays. month of March.There were an amazing
Building schools for the future
As technology students at Cockburn College of Arts entered Leeds’ first stateof-the-art Building Schools for the Future (BSF) facilities in March, they became the first young people to experience a new era of learning in Leeds.
Three stunning facilities have been completed while progress continues on schemes to transform Cockburn Three stunning facilities at Allerton High, and other secondary schools.
explains how the BSF programme can transform learning. “The school and design team’s attention to detail has been amazing. The learning spaces, décor, ‘chill’ rooms…the whole environment promotes the calm our young people need to focus on learning.
Pudsey Grangefield and Rodillian have since been completed while progress continues “Even the school bell is in a tone which on schemes to transform Cockburn and doesn’t cause our young people distress.” other secondary schools. The young people were involved in the Each is a 21st-century environment design process so that they own and feel created around the needs of young safe in the centre. Cutting-edge portable people. They contain flexible, innovative technology strengthens the interaction spaces, including break-out areas, ‘show with the main school and supports every and tell’ rooms, and unprecedented young person’s individual learning needs. levels of technology to support ‘anytime, anywhere’ learning. The teacher added: “The centre’s design and high-profile position in the school One teacher at the North West SILC’s reflect that every child matters, and our Autism Resource Centre — which has young people are more confident in the moved to a purpose-built, increased new school’s wide, light, open spaces. We capacity centre in Allerton High — expect them to flourish here.”
Together we grow/
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looked after children Education Leeds is committed to helping every Leeds student achieve successful outcomes.
www.educationleeds.co.uk
Around 1350 Leeds children are looked after children, meaning that they are in the care of the local authority. Education Leeds is committed to helping every Leeds student achieve successful outcomes, and the Stepping Stones programme is designed to contribute to the efforts of Leeds City Council to release the potential of our children and young people in public care. The key aims of the Stepping Stones programme are to promote the educational successes of looked after children, to raise their aspirations, and to widen participation in further and higher education. To achieve this, the Stepping Stones programme runs transition programmes for students moving from Year 6 to Year 7 and continues with homework support sessions, summer schools and mentoring schemes through Years 9, 10 and 11.
and personal support and a further 18 mentors assist with homework help sessions. Many of these mentors are undergraduates themselves so can offer valuable first hand advice and inspiration to looked after young people. In the 2007—2008 academic year, Stepping Stones celebrated the outstanding achievement of a student who, having achieved 9 GCSE A-C grades with the help of the programme, has gone on to study four A-levels. The student has also taken part in several national conferences, in addition to gaining a national Aimhigher award for her achievements. She also plans to become a mentor herself.
In the 2007 inspection of children’s services, inspectors highlighted the Stepping Stones programme as an excellent example of raising attainment, saying: “Programmes such as Stepping Stones have helped raise aspirations and Stepping Stones’ mentoring schemes as a result, 40 care leavers are currently have been a great success. The programme attending university, five of whom are employs 18 mentors who offer academic studying at Masters Level.”
Computers for pupils The computers, which allow safe and secure internet access, give these young people the opportunity to benefit from all the advantages of digital learning.
Children and young people across the city have benefited under the £2.7m Computer for Pupils programme.Through the scheme, Education Leeds has provided laptops to over 2,350 11-16 year olds whose families would not otherwise have access to a computer. A further 950 laptops will be distributed under the scheme. The computers, which allow safe and secure internet access, give these young people the opportunity to benefit from all the advantages of digital learning. Pupils are able to use the internet as a research tool to aid their studies and can access the secure education platform Leeds Learning Network. After the Computers for Pupils scheme launched in Summer 2007, with the first computers delivered in December 2007, the network was recording up to 588 first time visitors per week.
The deputy headteacher of Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School said of the positive impact of the scheme: “The Computers for Pupils scheme has enhanced pupils’ learning in terms of developing research skills and giving depth to their work. “Teachers are able to set computer-based homework, as they know that every child has access to a computer. In some subjects pupils can even submit their work electronically and have it marked online.” As well as benefiting our children and young people, families and parents are also able to make use of the laptops. As a result there has been increased uptake in free adult ICT courses in Leeds.
Together we help each other/
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INVEST Schools and local community members report better communication, mutual support, respect and understanding, as well as a greater sense of belonging and partnership.
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INVEST (Introduction to volunteering in educational settings training) is a unique programme aimed at increasing parents’ and carers’ participation in Leeds primary schools. Now in its third year, it recognises the importance of engaging parental support for and in schools at an early stage, and the impact that this can have on helping children to achieve their potential. The Education Leeds families and schools together team (FASTT) deliver the introduction to volunteering programme in two hour-long sessions, over six weeks, with the aim of encouraging good relationships between a school and its parents and carers. FASTT have now delivered 26 programmes in 15 Leeds primary schools.
Most of them complete the accreditation, a massive achievement for them as many have not undertaken any formal qualifications since leaving school. The programme also helps them to develop their own learning and enhance their own self-esteem, confidence and aspirations. Feedback from participants and from headteachers has been overwhelmingly positive. Schools and local community members report better communication, mutual support, respect and understanding, as well as a greater sense of belonging and partnership.
One parent at New Bewerley Community Primary, who had previously blamed the school for a breakdown in the homeschool relationship with her eight yearAt the end of the programme, participants old son, became a regular volunteer in have the option of writing a short school through INVEST and now works portfolio to achieve accreditation in partnership with them to help her son through the Open College Network. improve his behaviour.
14–19 Vocational and work-related learning qualifications have made a significant contribution to excellent progress in raising attainment levels in the city.
This year saw some of the most significant changes to the 14 to 19 curriculum in decades. Education Leeds continues to work with partners in schools, colleges and businesses to develop opportunities for all young people to achieve and succeed. Vocational and work-related learning qualifications have made a significant contribution to excellent progress in raising attainment levels in the city. Education Leeds will continue to deliver better outcomes for all learners through increased choice, flexibility and personalisation of the curriculum.
The headteacher said: “This curriculum really engaged our students, and proved a tremendous motivator for students and teaching staff alike. Students created documentaries from the viewpoint of individuals in history and shared them with an audience. Assessment methods gave them more control and confidence. This approach took them to a different level.
“We’ve seen that the vocational route puts things into a context that students can relate to. We’re trying to get the right mix of personalised approaches which will give young people the skills and confidence they need to succeed It’s an approach that’s worked for in further education and the workplace. GCSE history students at John Smeaton Feedback from our partners show we’re Community College.This year’s course used heading the right way.” a mix of traditional academic and vocational techniques which saw the subject pass mark rise past 70% – about four times higher than the previous year’s A*-C rates.
Together we improve/
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Our next steps… This year has seen record levels of GCSE attainment for our young people in Leeds.
We will continue to help our schools set and achieve more ambitious targets for children and young people.
www.educationleeds.co.uk
We want all children and young people to enjoy brilliant learning that gives them the confidence, knowledge, understanding and skills to thrive and achieve their potential. We want all Leeds schools to be brilliant learning places — to be good schools, improving schools and inclusive schools where every child and young person can be happy, healthy, safe and successful, and where no child is left behind.
Our mission To build brilliant learners and to achieve brilliant outcomes — whatever it takes!
Our priorities — Build partnerships for transformation. — Lead personalisation and curriculum innovation. — Develop transformational leadership. — Revolutionise learning environments. — Champion the needs of those at risk of This year has seen record levels of GCSE poor outcomes. attainment for our young people in Leeds, — Nurture learning communities. with a rise of more than 5 per cent in the numbers of young people achieving five Our values or more A*-C grades at GCSE, closing — To put the interests of all children and the gap between Leeds and the national young people first. average to just 1 per cent. Many of our — To respect and respond to all individual schools also had individual achievements needs and aspirations. way above this level. A-level results were — To listen and involve children and the best ever in Leeds with a 3 per cent young people, staff, schools and their increase in passes. communities. — To encourage openness and trust in We will continue to build on our successes our partnership working. in GSCE achievement, with a target of — To always keep our promises and even more young people gaining five or commitments. more A*-C grades in 2008—2009, with — To bring passion, optimism and specific targets for young people from dynamism to all that we do. black and ethnic minority communities. — To empower people to take We will continue to help our schools set responsibility, get on with the job, and and achieve more ambitious targets for take risks. children and young people to make sure — To identify, understand and meet they leave school with the skills, knowledge customer needs. and experience they need to make their — To ensure quality in our service next step in life. provision.
Together we make progress/
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Appendices There are over 106,900 young people in our schools, around 17,769 school based staff and 1129 Education Leeds employees.
Education Leeds celebrates and promotes the rich cultural, linguistic, ethnic and religious diversity of Leeds.
www.educationleeds.co.uk
Listening to our customers Education Leeds delivers services to a wide range of people and we are committed to all our customers. There are over 106,900 young people in our schools, who along with their parents and carers, and around 17,769 school-based staff are all our customers. Other key stakeholders are Leeds City Council, members of the public, the statutory, business and voluntary sectors, and external agencies such as the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), and Ofsted.
We continued to consult widely on initiatives and strategies affecting schools and communities in Leeds. In 2007—2008 consultation and engagement with children and young people was a particular focus, and this will continue to be a priority for the company. We continued to engage with ethnic minority communities and staff.
Equalities, policies and practice Education Leeds is committed to policies and action to ensure that its employees and the people it serves are not discriminated against on the basis of Education Leeds continues to record and disability, race, colour, ethnic origin, age, monitor compliments and complaints. This sexuality or gender. year we received 11 complaints, less than half the number received in the previous Education Leeds celebrates and promotes year (29). 523 complaints were received the rich cultural, linguistic, ethnic and against schools, which is quite a substantial religious diversity of Leeds, and is increase on the 2007—2008 figure of 297, committed to making sure that we take but this may be due to improvements in equal opportunities into account at every accurate recording. During this time we stage of our work. Together with Leeds also received 44 compliments. City Council, we are working towards the Equality Standard which incorporates Between April 2007 and April 2008, the six equality strands, and works across the number of Local Government principles of quality, leadership, customer Ombudsman cases that Education Leeds focus and community involvement. received has continued to fall. 26 cases were received compared to 37 the We have already made progress against previous year. the targets set at Equality Standard Level 3 for race, gender and disability, and by 2009 we will have made progress against targets for sexual orientation, age, religion and belief for Equality Standard Level 4.
Together we move forward/
Financial Information
Total company income in 2007—2008 amounted to £73,745,000 (2006—2007 £68,672,000) comprising: — £60,639,000 through the contract with Leeds City Council; — £4,095,000 from schools under specific service level agreements; and — £9,011,000 for work undertaken on behalf of schools which was over and above that specified under service level agreements, work on behalf of departments of Leeds City Council, grants and contributions from other partner bodies and interest on investments. Expenditure in 2007—2008 of £73,571,000 (2006—2007 £68,302,000) was incurred including making provision for future depreciation costs for fixed assets purchased during the year. This resulted in an operating surplus of £174,000 (excluding pensions adjustments) which has been carried forward to 2008—2009. The operating surplus arose largely due to savings for the following reasons: — home to school and college transport particularly in relation to taxis for pupils with special educational needs; — staffing savings arising from delays in the filling of posts and staff turnover;
— additional grant income, course fees and other traded income; — higher than anticipated investment income due to an increase in investment rates and cash flow management. These savings were partially offset by additional costs in the following areas: — home to school and college transport costs for mainstream pupils relating to school and college cards; — reduced income for ICT and school improvement; — a contract reduction to realign resources to children’s services. The average number of staff employed by Education Leeds during the financial year was 965 full time equivalents (2006—2007 985). This reduction was mainly due to reduced posts in the finance, psychology and community language teams. The premises used by Education Leeds are rented from Leeds City Council. The information provided above does not constitute the company accounts. A copy of the audited company accounts is available on the Education Leeds website www.educationleeds.co.uk
Our board Education Leeds has a board of non-executive directors. The board members during 2007 to 2008 were: Stephen Parkinson / Chair and nonexecutive director (February 2008 onwards) Leslie Wagner / Chair and non-executive director (until December 2007) Parin Bahl / Non-executive director Neil Evans / Non-executive director and director of neighbourhoods and housing, Leeds City Council Alan Gill / Non-executive director Dave Page / Non-executive director and deputy chief executive, Leeds City Council
Further Information For further information please visit: www.educationleeds.co.uk Email: education.communications@educationleeds.co.uk, phone: 0113 395 0687, or write to: Communications team, Education Leeds, 10th Floor West, Merrion House, 110 Merrion Centre, Leeds LS2 8DT.
This publication can also be made available in large print, on computer disc and audio cassette. Please call 0113 395 0687. If you do not speak English and need help in understanding this document, please call 0113 395 0687 and state the name of your language. We will then put you on hold while we contact an interpreter. We can assist with any language and there is no charge for interpretation.
All photographs have been posed by models