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What is Diversity?
The school diversity programme encourages schools
to work on their strengths and to develop a clear ethos and distinctive
character. By doing this schools will improve, become leaders in
their area of expertise and drive innovation.
School diversity has the potential to benefit
all students in a community when schools work together to share
their resources and expertise. As schools develop their individual
strengths, and standards of teaching and learning improve, they
can then contribute to raising standards in the wider system.
As schools develop
their specific areas of expertise they should then be contributing
to the wider system through a local network, or 'community of schools'.
What is the Diversity Pathfinder Project?
Hertfordshire is one of only six authorities to
be granted Pathfinder status, the others being : Cornwall,
Portsmouth, Newham, Birmingham and Middlesbrough.
The key aims of the project are to:
- facilitate close, practical, working links between secondary
schools to ensure that the benefits of resources and expertise
gained through the diversity programmes can be effectively
shared in local communities of schools; and
- develop LEA wide strategic plans, in close collaboration
with headteachers and heads of departments to expand
the range and number of specialist schools to benefit local communities
What is the Hertfordshire Picture?
The number of specialist schools in the
county has accelerated rapidly from 17 in 2002 to 37 in 2003. This
now represents almost half the total number of 76. It is likely
that there will be in excess of 50 specialist schools in the county
from September 2004. This is the fastest acceleration of any comparable
LEA.
Hertfordshire schools have done really well to both raise the £50,000
sponsorship and write successful applications. The county is
well on course to achieving the new government target of 90%
specialist
schools by September 2006. The balance of specialisms across
the county is roughly in line with the national picture, although
there
are fewer Sports Colleges. However, this should improve with
an increased number of schools applying for Sports status in
2004.
End of Project Review
The Hertfordshire Diversity Pathfinder Project has now finished.
When the project started in April 2002 there were 17 specialist
schools in Hertfordshire specialising in either Languages or Technology.
Now there are 52 specialising in 8 different curriculum areas.
Importantly these specialisms are balanced both across localities
and the county. This trebling of specialist schools is the fastest
rate of acceleration of any comparable LEA. This growth will continue
this year and at least 60 of our 76 secondary schools will be specialist
from September 2005. In addition, two leading edge schools were
designated: Highfield in Letchworth and Sandringham
in St Albans,
and one training school: Sir John Lawes in Harpenden.
How was this achieved?
This has been achieved by the LEA using the additional funding
from central government to establish a small central team to co-ordinate
a network of clusters across the county. These clusters have worked
to share good practice around achieving specialist status and the
impact of it on young people and their communities. The central
team and the local cluster leaders have worked with governors,
Heads, Deputies and curriculum leaders to develop a highly collaborative
approach. Community Education Development officers have also worked
with schools to ensure that community plans are integrated with
other local initiatives.
Hertfordshire Educational Resources Trust
In addition, the LEA also established the Hertfordshire Educational
Resources Trust (HERT) to assist schools in raising the £50,000
sponsorship required to apply for specialist status. HERT is now
an independent grant making charity which has received donations
of almost £150,000 during 2004. At least 7 schools will benefit
from these donations during this academic year. The charity will
continue to support schools in their quest for specialist status
but will also seek to support other projects, at both primary and
secondary level, across the county. More information about HERT
is available from our website: www.hertfordshiretrust.org.uk, where
a map of specialist schools and examples of good practice can also
be downloaded.
The Future
The development of specialist schools has left Hertfordshire's
secondary schools well placed to take on the significant challenges
proposed at 14-19. The Hertfordshire 14-19 team will continue to
provide advice, support and guidance on both applying for, and
the impact of, specialist status. For example on 6th December we
will be holding a seminar on "The Impact of Specialist Status:
Evaluating the First Year". This will explore the pilot work
being carried out in North Hertfordshire and will involve most
of the 35 schools designated in 2003 and 2004."
Michael Lynes
14 - 19 Adviser
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