News, Events & Meetings
The Education Bill Update
DfE 15 November 2011: Education Bill receives Royal Assent
The Education Bill was introduced into the House of Commons on Wednesday 26 January 2011 and received Royal Assent on 15 November 2011. Provisions in the Act include:
- a power for schools to search pupils without consent for any dangerous or banned items
- the removal of restrictions that prevent schools from issuing detentions to pupils without providing 24 hours' written notice
- new pre-charge reporting restrictions on allegations of criminal offences made by pupils against teachers at their school
- a power to create an entitlement to free early years provision for disadvantaged two-year-olds
- reforms to the procedure for the establishment of new schools, to give preference to Academies and Free Schools
- a re-focusing of Ofsted routine school inspections on four key areas that matter most to parents
- a power to exempt schools from routine Ofsted inspections
- new powers to tackle underperforming schools, including extended powers for the Secretary of State to close them
- the abolition of five existing arms-length bodies, with some of their functions transferring to more efficient new executive agencies, which are directly accountable to the Secretary of State.
- www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/inthenews/a00200186/education-bill-receives-royal-assent
Education Act - Summary for Schools
Justin Donovan, Director of Education and Early Intervention, has produced a brief summary of key points of The Education Bill (as of November 2011) which headteachers may find useful:
First Teaching Schools - £19m Funding for First Schools in the New National Network
Sept 2011- The first 100 teaching schools, which will lead the training and professional development for staff to help raise standards, have been designated by the National College for School Leadership.
These outstanding schools - all of which have a clear track record of substantial initial teacher training, leadership development and school improvement - will be formally awarded teaching school status when they start in September. The 100 teaching schools are made up of 36 primary, 57 secondary and 7 special schools from across the country.
Hertfordshire schools on the list are:
- The Bishops Stortford High School and The Hertfordshire and Essex High School and Science College (job-share agreement)
- The Hammond Primary School & Bovingdon primary School (job-share agreement)
- The Wroxham School
The Schools White Paper Published
"A radical reform programme that puts teachers at the heart of school improvement and frees schools from central government direction has been published by Education Secretary Michael Gove."
"The Schools White Paper, The Importance of Teaching, draws heavily on the evidence learnt from the world’s best education systems and will see heads and teachers driving school improvement."
"The Importance of Teaching explains that schools will be freed from centralised bureaucracy and endless government interference, in return for greater accountability to parents and local communities.
It puts teachers and heads first so that they are freed up to do what they do best – teach. It underlines how we will raise the prestige of their profession by strengthening the quality of new teachers and how we will transform the quality of initial training and continuing professional development. And it commits Government to cutting away unnecessary duties, processes, guidance and requirements."
The White Paper also sets out
- powers for teachers to improve discipline in the classroom
- a vision for a transformed school curriculum
- the reform of school performance tables
- a pupil premium to channel more money to the most deprived children, and
- plans to develop a fairer and more transparent funding system.
Download from the DfE website at:
A Bristol Document Summary of the White Paper is available for Hertfordshire schools here. 
Secondary School Leadership Newsletter - March 2011
 This publication is aimed at
school leaders in Hertfordshire and
beyond. We intend to publish the
newsletter termly, with three key aims:
1. To support you by providing
information about changes that may
affect secondary schools.
2. To spread good practice from our
schools and beyond
3. To give you information about ways in
which we can support you to help
improve the effectiveness of your
school
Ofsted: Leading Schools to Improve Teaching (December 2010)
The best leadership in schools focuses on improving teaching and learning with headteachers seeing this as their core business. Common characteristics of the best leadership include honest self-evaluation and leadership shared across the school. For the report Developing leadership inspectors visited 24 high-performing primary and secondary National Support Schools, led by National Leaders of Education.
The report calls on the National College for Leadership of Schools and Children's Services to do more to encourage partnerships between schools in terms of management training.
Education Performance Target Setting 2012
This DfE guidance provides support for local authorities and schools in setting education performance targets for summer 2012 designed to show the best possible outcomes for all pupils. It includes important changes to the role of local authorities and schools in the 2012 statutory target setting round:
Herts Framework for School Self-Evaluation - Revised
The newly revised Herfordshire Self Evaluation Framework (5th Edition) has been updated according to the Ofsted schedule as it stood at July 2010. Given the recent DfE announcement on the SEF it will be increasingly important that schools have robust internal self evaluation systems and records. This is an essential part of ongoing school improvement and vital in preparation for inspection.
SIP Handbooks 2010-11
The SIP Handbooks for Primary and Secondary for 2010-11 and proformas have been published and are available in the SIP section at:
Update on the Primary Curriculum for Headteachers
Creating the Creative Curriculum
The presentation from the 'Creating the Creative Curriculum Conference' held on the 20th May 2010, is available to view:
New Primary Curriculum Workshop
The presentation material from the New Primary Curriculum Workshop for Headteachers is available to view:
The Qualification and Curriculum Development Agency case study videos focus on the new primary curriculum can be viewed at:
Growing into Leadership 2010-2011
Hertfordshire has arranged for the Eastern Leadership Centre (ELC) to run one of their successful programmes exclusively for Hertfordshire teachers.
Growing into Leadership is a leadership development programme designed to meet the varying needs of those in, or aspiring towards, senior leadership positions, but who are not yet ready for headship. More details and booking....
Stepping into Leadership
11 October 2010;
15 February 2011;
18 May 2011
A three-day professional development programme designed for middle leaders in primary, secondary and special schools run on behalf of Hertfordshire by the Eastern Leadership Centre (ELC). Stepping into Leadership’ is an intensive programme offering valuable insight and essential knowledge which can be applied immediately, benefiting both the participant and school. More details and booking....
Leadership Essentials on the Grid
It was agreed at the Headteacher Workload Group that a termly update would be issued on the latest exemplar policies and other resources available in the new 'Leadership Essential Resources' section on the Hertfordshire Grid for Learning
In the Spring term new model policies were added for ICT Acceptable Use/Data Security and e-Safety; SIMS Learning Gateway; and Anti-bullying.
A new SEF 6 Step Process for Curriculum Writing document has been added to the Ofsted New Inspection Framework page along with highlights from the latest Ofsted news.
Very brief and helpful summaries of national education policy and guidance from the Bristol Document Summary Service continue to be added and cover topics as varied the National Strategies; Use of Force to Control or Restrain Pupils; Religious Education in English Schools; Workforce Reform; and Languages Learning at KS2.
A list of Useful Forms for Schools is now available giving links to forms that schools need quick and easy access to.
All the above can be found in the Leadership Essential Resources section on in the Leadership section of the Grid at:
Safeguarding and Schools - A Multi-agency Approach - 15th June 2010 Presentations
The presentations from the key note speakers and the various seminar speakers at the Safeguarding and Schools Conference held at Hertfordshire Development Centre are now available to download here....
Leadership Development Initiative – September 2010 to March 2011
The first phase of the Leadership Development Initiative is now coming to an end and we are inviting applications from groups of schools who would like to be involved in the next phase, starting in September 2010.
The leadership development initiative underpins the priorities of the Hertfordshire Leadership Strategy and aims to support schools with succession planning and leadership development.
The support of the LDPs is provided from funds voted back by the Schools’ Forum for leadership development although there is no direct funding for activities associated with the project.
Networks Application Form
Letter to Headteachers
Director's Annual Report 2009
 The sixth annual report by the Director of Children, Schools and Families on standards, quality and well being in Hertfordshire schools and other settings. The report presents evidence from inspections, visits, test and examination results and other assessments, as well as a wide range of activities across the full spectrum of Every Child Matters outcomes. It is an opportunity to celebrate success and, also, to highlight priorities for improvement.
The full report, executive summary and the appendices can be downloaded here.
The Evaluation Schedule for Hertfordshire Schools
The Hertfordshire-specific evaluation schedule is for use with the additional elements of the profile that are not covered by Ofsted’s evaluation schedule – these are marked in italics on the profile. All other elements are covered by Ofsted’s evaluation schedule. More...
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