FC/TC/RB 01603-433276 Ext 178

27^th June 2000

Following the recent discussions held within the Advancing Norfolk Education partnership, and at Area Headteacher meetings, I am writing to explain further the changes being made to the Review and Development Adviser (RDA) programme.

In line with other LEA services, ie Education Finance, and, in particular, the operation of the School Improvement Support Officers (SISOs), the RDA teams supporting the primary sector will be reorganised into a geographically focused system as from 1^st September 2000. This will mean:

• RDAs will only operate in one geographical area for the primary phase. This will enable the establishment of area focused RDA teams.
• For high schools, the allocation of RDAs will not be area focused but the secondary RDA will co-ordinate with the area-based team to provide consistent support across the full age range.
• A Senior Adviser School Effectiveness (SASE), who is a senior RDA, will be responsible for a geographical area and for the day-to-day co-ordination of the RDA work in each of the four areas; West Norfolk, North Norfolk, Central Area and South and East Norfolk.
• The SASE and SISO will co-ordinate the LEA monitoring and evaluation functions in each geographical area (in line with the 1999 statutory Code of Practice for LEA – School Relations). To support this work Area School Support Groups, comprising LEA Officers who work locally with schools including SISOs and SASEs, will meet regularly to review data and other information about schools in their area. These groups will also monitor the effectiveness of support being provided to each school.
• The SASEs and SISOs will be co-ordinated jointly by the Principal Adviser School Effectiveness, Terry Cook, and Senior Education Officer School Effectiveness, Jeff Gough. This structure will enable the LEA to provide a uniform programme of support and challenge to schools in each geographical area, as well as a co-ordinated County structure.
• We also have a number of new advisers starting in September and integrating them into the RDA system would in any case have necessitated a number of changes.

Inevitably a fundamental change to the RDA structure, as is being planned, will lead to changes in a number of schools from their present RDA. This is unavoidable and was discussed within the Advancing Norfolk Education groups and at the Area Headteacher meetings. Whilst it was recognised that a number of schools have concerns relating to a possible lack of continuity created by the change, the outcomes of a range of discussions held indicate that it is better to make the change sooner rather than later. Each new RDA will be fully briefed by the current RDA to ensure they are fully aware of the context of the school by the time that they make their first visit. We now have good information about schools, the LEA knows its schools and while there may be a change of individual, the mechanisms are in place to ensure that there is continuity in the support for schools from the adviser team as a whole.

The change will also result in a number of other improvements to the quality of service provided and these include:

• LEA services will now be co-ordinated more effectively in each geographical area. This will result in the services being more flexible to meet local needs and provide a quicker response to issues as and when they arise.
• SASEs will be operating with a dedicated team of RDAs within a geographical area. This will ensure more consistency and increased local knowledge of schools, to provide more effective support and challenge.
• Principal Advisers will not be named RDAs for individual schools. This will enable them both to respond more effectively to the needs across the County and to provide an improved quality assurance system by monitoring and evaluating the work and impact of the advisers.
• Principal Advisers will also take a more strategic role in countywide reviews and in co-ordinating the support we give to schools of concern.
• The RDA will be the front-line LEA officer working with an individual school in terms of school improvement and effectiveness. This will provide each school with a dedicated officer with indepth knowledge and understanding of the school, and with the ability to be responsive to the needs of the individual school. Each school will be entitled to a minimum of three days of RDA support during a financial year, and this time will be enhanced in certain schools in inverse proportion to success (identification of this enhanced support will be via the Norfolk Model for School Self Review). Where a school is in Special Measures or Serious Weakness a lead officer will be identified to work with the RDA in co-ordinating LEA wide support and monitoring the progress the school is making.

I hope these points clarify the reasons for, and rationale behind, the changes to the RDA system. Once implemented they will enable the LEA to provide a more co-ordinated and responsive system on a County and area basis. The details regarding the allocation of RDAs to schools from September 2000 is currently being finalised. I will be writing to you again, before the end of the Summer Term, to provide you with the name of the RDA allocated to your school.

Yours sincerely

Bryan Slater

Director of Education