Newsletter 13 - October 2021
Wow it has been a fast start! I hope the first month of the academic year has gone well for you all. You will be glad to know that our place-based work is in “pole-position,” as we implement our agreed Autumn and Spring Term plans.
Headlines this month include…..
- We have a new Minister overseeing the pilot place-based strategy. Baroness Barran MBE was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education on 17 September 2021.She was previously Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport from 26 July 2019 to 17 September 2021.To find our more https://www.gov.uk/government/people/baroness-barran
- Congratulations to Lee Sargeant who has been appointed as Headteacher of Devonport High School for Girls. We wish you well in your next leadership challenge Lee and are pleased that you remain in Plymouth.
- Thank you for submitting your TAG data to SWIFT and to Jon Lunn for collating it. The outcomes achieved represent a new baseline for secondary schools in the City and it is our aspiration, recognising there is some uncertainty around examination in 2022, that we maintain this trend of improvement.
- The Strategic Education Group met for the first time this month. Amongst other things to consider the KPI framework that will provide a framework through which we can evaluate the success of our collaborative efforts. These draft KPIs will be published shortly with Headteachers having the opportunity to comment and shape.
- OA Funding Bids have been signed off by the Place-Based Strategy Board, which is chaired by Hannah Woodhouse, the Regional Schools Commissioner. Further bids are being written to support a “Curriculum Excellence Programme” led by the West Country Trust for Plymouth. Also, a bid to support further roll out of the Sparx Maths offer across the City. Once these have been published they will be shared. Minutes of the meeting are published on the portal here…(insert)
- Thank you for your continued support of the Plymouth Secondary Improvement Portal, which continues to be an essential facet of our work. If you have not provided invoicing details yet, please do so here. https://www.plymouthstrategy.org/renewal
- At the next PLT meeting, November 2nd, Martin Smith will be joining us to give you a briefing on the new NPQs and the ECF, implications for schools.
- Ofqual and the Department for Education have published the outcome of the recent consultation on adaptations to exams in 2022, as well as outlining further information on grading in 2022 and the launch of a new consultation on TAG contingencies. This paper provides a brief summary of the key points: https://www.plymouthstrategy.org/80-leadership
With thanks for your continued support and engagement with our work.
Best Wishes

Tony and Chrysta
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