YOUNG PEOPLE AS VERIFIER
18 May 2011
Dear Headteacher
Young People as Verifiers
As you are aware the Leading Aspect Award is a national Award which accredits high quality education provision through a rigorous quality assured self-evaluation framework.
We would like to work with you and your School Council to train young people as verifiers and enclose a flyer inviting pupils to apply.
The benefits for the school are:
§ You will have young people who can support you in your own self-evaluation process.
§ The young people will be able to bring back to your school practice they see in other education settings.
§ Pupils will further develop leadership, confidence and communication skills in undertaking this role.
Once training has been completed £250 will be paid for any verification visits undertaken. This could be used by your School Council.
We are asking pupils to apply to do the training and send in two references in support of their application. Training dates are still to be confirmed, but at this stage it would be helpful if you would let us know if this is something you would like to become involved in.
We hope you are able to work with us on this exciting new venture. If you would like to discuss this in further detail please contact the Leading Aspect Award Agency on 0121-464 1237. Please also visit our website at www.leadingaspectaward.org.uk
A copy of the Flyer and the Proforma are available under Documents - Helpful Documents for all - Young People as Verifiers.
Showcasing the Leading Aspect Award
28 April 2011
Did you see the Leading Aspect Award at the HR Conference at the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham, or did we make ourselves known to you at the Education Show at the NEC? We would be more than happy to showcase the Leading Aspect Award if you have an event coming up in the future. Please contact us on 0121-464 1237.
THE CHANGING EDUCATIONAL WORLD IN 2011
28 March 2011
There is unprecedented change in the world of education currently where relationships between Local authorities and schools are being redefined, where the emphasis is increasingly on school to school support. The Leading Aspect Award has a central role to play in all these developments. The role of national leaders in Education and teaching schools will place schools at the heart of the improvement system.
What will be the mechanisms for validating our outstanding practice, can we rely on an OFSTED process that proportionately means that our good and outstanding schools will only be inspected sporadically?
There is much leading practice in the system reflected in our outstanding schools but also we must not forget that there is much that is outstanding in the vast majority of our schools and that we need a means of capturing, recognising and sharing this. The Leading aspect award is well placed for this role and we would be very willing to contribute to your local discussions. Please ring the agency to arrange for us to meet with you.
Doing things well; Using leading practice
02 March 2011
The Leading Aspect Award forms an integral part of the Walsall Sharing Effective Practice Strategy. Supporting schools in applying for Leading Aspect Awards is one of many strategies we use to support schools in moving from good to great or outstanding. It also provides a vehicle to share more widely the creative and innovative practice within Walsall schools, settings and partnerships. School to school support is becoming more and more essential and this is one of the ways that schools can source leading, validated practice.
The LA support has been provided through funding a pilot group of schools to apply for a Leading Aspect Award and by providing a surgery to assist them in completing the application and preparing for a verifiers visit. We have also trained 10 members of
staff from the LA and schools to become Leading Aspect Verifiers. This will enable Walsall staff to directly experience leading practice across the region or beyond and bring back to Walsall examples of the leading practice.
Over the last eight months nine Walsall schools have been successful in gaining 12 further Leading Aspect Awards across all phases of education. This has led to these schools receiving enquiries about their practice from other interested schools across
the country. Momentum has been maintained with further Walsall schools now applying for awards.
Annette Jones
Walsall Children’s Services - Serco
NURSERY WORLD SHOW 2011, LONDON
16 February 2011
The Show was a national event for professionals and practitioners working in the Early Years Sector and included the Pre-School Learning Alliance, NDNA, NCMA and 4Children, with visitors anticipated at between 3-4,000. We had a 50 word advert with logo in the Nursery World magazine, of which 22,000 copies were printed. We had a stall on both days distributing literature, pens, drinks bottles, etc, and gave two 15 minute briefings demonstrating what the Leading Aspect is about. Thank you to all those involved, including Sue Trotman of Sandwell, Teresa Broad of Oxford and Helen Miles of Birmingham, who all helped to generate a lot of interest. We are anticipating a high number of applications!