1.
Executive Summary - June 2014
In common with organisations across the education sector, The Ashcombe is facing
increasing challenges and demands on its people as a result of tighter resources,
increased levels of accountability, revised Ofsted requirements and national
developments such as changes to the National Curriculum and the performance
management/pay system for teachers.
Against the above backdrop, the school’s senior leaders and governors value the
Investors in People framework as a means of ensuring that their people practices
remain fit for purpose in an ever changing environment. They undoubtedly recognise
the strong link between engaging with staff, providing an ‘attractive’ place to work (that
includes opportunities for professional development and growth) and a high performing
organisation. Fifteen years since first achieving the accreditation, Investors in People
remains an integral part of the culture at The Ashcombe. The previous assessment
report commented on the level of commitment to investing in people and this
commitment evidently remains undiminished despite resource constraints.
Each assessment visit identifies a wealth of good practice and this latest visit is no
exception. Notable good practice to highlight this year includes: the way in which
individuals’ targets are closely aligned to school priorities, the increasingly innovative
methods used to deliver staff learning and development and to share good practice
(e.g. Teach meets and ‘Marketplace’), the level of opportunity for middle leadership
development (e.g. the additional ‘acting’ positions created this year) and the increased
opportunities for support staff to develop (e.g. through shadowing and taking on
special projects).
During the assessment people were asked to describe what it was like to work at The
Ashcombe as this question often serves as a litmus test of the state of staff well-being
and morale. As ever, interviewees were great ambassadors for the organisation. Many
people remarked on the strong team spirit and senses of camaraderie amongst the
staff. These are just some of the comments that demonstrate that, despite some minor
frustrations, The Ashcombe remains a great place to work:
“I wouldn’t work anywhere else”
“Everyone bonds together when times get tough” “Moving here has been the best thing
I’ve done” “The staff make the school; you feel supported”
“There’s good team spirit and a sense of camaraderie” “There’s support amongst the
staff and mutual respect” “There’s a positive atmosphere, it’s inclusive and supportive”
“It’s the best school I’ve ever been in; it’s the whole package”
“It’s great fun, enjoyable, different every day but sometimes challenging and sometimes
frustrating” “People don’t dump stuff on you; they’re very considerate; there’s no
atmosphere; it’s very refreshing”
There are some suggestions for continuous improvement (see section 4 below) which
will help the school to fine tune its people practices, retain its talented workforce, bring
about school improvement and sustain its reputation for being a great place to work.
These mainly relate to: reviewing the effectiveness of the appraisal system for teaching
assistants, making people more aware of the talents of non-teaching staff and
providing more feedback to individuals (where needed) outside of formal processes
such as performance management.
In conclusion, the Assessor would like to congratulate The Ashcombe on retaining its
Investors in People accreditation and to acknowledge the efforts of everyone involved
in this year’s assessment process (whether in helping to ensure that it ran smoothly or
taking part in the interviews).
Document1
17-Mar-16