Academy Improvement Model And Professional Development

In 2021/22 our Academy Improvement Offer continued to develop, and be shaped by, the needs of the academies we serve.

As a MAT we are best placed to improve practice through sharing our expertise. We are able to invest in our workforce and provide professional development across the whole academy group. Our Education Strategy and Framework includes activities focusing on supporting academy development, planning and delivery, effective academy self-evaluation - and recognises that the prime responsibility and driver for effective academy improvement comes from academy leaders.

Specific professional development programmes and projects are designed and offered to meet the needs of academies where evaluation of KPIs, analysis of performance indicators, feedback from Headteachers, and national priorities identify trends across the academies that require whole Trust strategies to support improvement. These are led by the Central Education Team, expertise from within the system (or externally-led), or could be research learning communities-led from within the Trust.

A huge strength of our academy improvement offer is our professional networks and moderation events, and feedback in this academic year tells us that these are greatly valued and appreciated by staff team members.

Building these professional learning networks for colleagues working together in specific year groups, or leading in specific subject areas, ensures that subject-specific expertise and pedagogical understanding is developed through a range of collaborative approaches.

Our Voyage Improvement Offer in 2021/22 included:

- Assurance visits and bespoke reviews as requested by Headteachers in areas such as curriculum, attendance, safeguarding, teaching and learning, Early Years, and phonics

- Termly assurance schedule of activity, including core annual reviews and agreement trialling

- Leadership development days

- Year-long focused development programmes for teachers - such as challenge, middle leadership, and Year 1 and 3 strategies

- Development of coaching culture through trust-wide coaching projects, including external expertise

At Voyage, improvement is seen as a collective responsibility across the organisation, underpinned by strong systems and structures that support all academies at different stages of their improvement journey.