Clusters and Governance
Strengthening foundations for
current collaboration
National Policy Framework
• increased school autonomy
• increased local accountability
• responsibility for 'systemwide'
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improvement
increased need & opportunity for
collaboration
School improvement is responsibility of
the school (market & school to school
support)
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Norfolk – Local Context
• Clusters as a starting point
• Consultation on reorganisation
• Increased responsibility, therefore need to
strengthen governance
• Geographical
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Rationale – you decide
• A collaborative focus on raising standards
• The development of a wider entitlement of experiences for all our
pupils
• A local Every Child Matters agenda, i.e. local solutions to local
issues
• The opportunity to develop more cross-phase projects /
programmes to work innovatively with any specialist provision
(SEN) or Academy Trust or Children’s Centre in the locality / cluster
• The opportunity to create more efficient and effective support
services
• The opportunity to develop a new inclusive curriculum with effective
transition from pre-school to post 16
• The ability to attract staff to more innovative approaches
• Provide school improvement support
• Commission new schools?
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Cluster Governance
• Strengthen systems for decision making
and monitoring of significant funding
• Adopting an appropriate framework for
existing and emerging collaboration
• Ensuring secure agreements for both
individual schools and partnerships
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Types of Schools
Community
Foundation
Voluntary
Controlled
Voluntary Aided
Trust
Academy
Free
University
Technical
College
Studio
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What are the options?
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Collaborations
Federations
Trusts
School Companies
Academy (conversion or with support of
sponsor)
Multi-Academy Trust
Umbrella Trust (Academies)
Collaborative Partnership Model (Academies)
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Collaborations
Example: Management
Partnership with one head
teacher for two schools
• Governance partnership
model
• Separate Governing
Bodies (joint committee)
• Appointments require
Service Level Agreement
• Collaboration
Arrangements
Regulations only apply to
maintained schools
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Changes to the distribution
of SEND Funding
Judith Carter
Senior Adviser Complex Needs/Vulnerable Learners
Education Achievement Improvement and Governance Team
Judith.carter@norfolk.gov.uk
What is changing and what is staying the same with
regards to SEND funding?
Norfolk County Council spends approximately £30 million pounds every year
on learners with SEND in mainstream settings.
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£15 million is distributed to settings
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£15 million managed by the LA* (this is the element of change)
SEND funding will continue to be distributed predominantly in 3 strands:
Basic School Allocation (BSA)
School Specific Allocation (SSA)
Pupil Specific Allocation (PSF)
(This is becoming Cluster Specific Allocation over the next 7 years)
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What is changing and what is staying the same with
regards to SEND funding?
•Learners at SA+ or with Statements of less than 20 hours were and will
continue to be funded within the School Specific Allocation.
•Learners in your setting with a Statement of 20 hours or more, will continue
to receive Pupil Specific funding in to your budget, but when they change
schools or phase this will become Cluster specific allocation.
•The money will still exist, but it will be given to SEND focused clusters, for
distribution to cover the costs of ‘Support For Learning’ packages.
How will SEND focused Clusters, distribute this money, fairly, effectively and
with the greatest impact for learners?
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SEND focused Cluster Framework
• The framework and tool kit have been written as a ‘starting point’ to
support thinking and discussion.
• It offers a model for application during the devolved year.
• The core issue is to ensure that the money is targeted at the
learners with SEND, not simply divided between schools.
• To do this, the SEND cluster must ‘know’ the profile of its learners
• This framework attempts to facilitate the process of ‘provision
mapping’ within each SEND cluster, by explicitly linking need to
provision planning and review.
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SEND focused Cluster Framework
The framework proposes an ‘annual’ planning meeting, where the
Head, SENCO and a Governor from each school, would meet as
an SEND cluster.
The purpose is to review:
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The SEND profile of learners within the cluster
Prioritise ‘spending’ streams
Identify any development themes for the cluster
Review the impact of previous intervention on learners
Evidence base accountability for spend linked to the needs of
learners.
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SEND focused Cluster Toolkit
There are 6 chapters and a guidance document which
outlines the practical elements of the model.
The framework proposes 2 working groups:
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2.
The decision making group (Heads)
The implementation group (SENCOs)
Each working group will meet termly, with each meeting
facilitated by a SEND cluster nominated ‘host.’
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SEND focused Cluster Toolkit
Each SEND cluster is asked to nominate their ‘host’ who
will require 6 days release time during the year.
The ‘host’ will be supported with ‘preparatory’ training
before every half term meeting, to increase
familiarisation with the tool kit and meeting agendas.
The SEND cluster, will have an opportunity to ‘review’ how
this mechanism is working during the year, and decide
whether it is something they wish to invest in longer
term.
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SEND Cluster Toolkit – Contents
• Chapter 1 – Introduction
– Rationale for the changes to the distribution of SEND funding
and the opportunities associated with this way of working
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Chapter 2 – SEND Profile
– Detailed description of the SEND profile of learners within each
school and across the Cluster
– Presentation of ‘My school, Our Cluster’ profile sheets for use in
the annual process of provision mapping
– Practical resources relating to ‘support for learning’ packages
• Chapter 3 – Financial Context
– Provision of financial summary ‘My school, Our Cluster’
– Evaluative questions to aid discussions and to establish process
for decision making linked to the distribution of shared resources
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Cluster Toolkit – Contents
• Chapter 4 – Capturing Impact
– Identification of sources of impact data, both for ‘my school our cluster’
– Provision of EPAS data for the cluster
– Evaluative questions relating to capturing impact, defining the anticipated
impact and communicating with learners, families and governors
• Chapter 5 – Learning Partners
– Links to National and Local Partners including Children’s Services
contacts, Voluntary groups, SEND focused Cluster Associate Member
links
• Chapter 6 – How to …
– Practical guides and suggestions relating to ‘how to overcome barriers to
learning’
Currently available for clusters to ‘pilot’ and feedback any comments.
The final version as a ‘working model’ will be available electronically
Email: judith.carter@norfolk.gov.uk
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Questions / Comments?
HELP via:
http://goo.gl/D2ES6
Cluster financial admin
& HR issues
Alison Randall
School Support Manager
Schools’ Finance Team
Actions to date - financial
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Cluster fund-holding schools identified
Data-file & bank accounts sets up
Cluster balances
Cluster general funding
Cluster SEND funding
Cluster budget plan
Cluster admin funding
Guidance & support
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HR & staffing matters
• Full guidance in finance pack
• Summer term 2012 – transitional
arrangements in place
• Staff employed in individual schools
• Staff employed across a cluster
• Recharges agreed by clusters
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HR & staffing matters
• Changes expected from September 2012
• Staff employed in individual schools
• Transferred funds ‘belong’ to receiving
school – cannot be moved back
• Staff employed across a cluster
• Nominated employing school – legal
• Coded to cluster
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Staffing adjustment costs
• Legal framework for redundancy
• No change from current arrangements,
just formalising them
• All available funds in clusters
• Protects employing school
• Spreads the ‘risk’ across all schools
• Lessons from previous problems
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Any Questions?
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Role of the Local Authority
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Champion of children and families
Ensure provision of sufficient 'good places of
education'
Responsibility to safeguard the most vulnerable
Identifying and challenging institutions of
'concern'
Brokering Partnerships
Continued option to have 'traded services'
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Role of LA in collaboration
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Encouraging collaboration for the benefit of
children
Brokering potential partnerships
Providing information regarding different options
(neutral)
Encouraging local, well informed decision
making
Supporting schools in the process of
conversion/change once a decision has been
taken
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