Mr J Thatcher

BCS/JT/MLB 01603 222574

DOE NPS SLA HT2 Final Let

27th June 2000

 

All Norfolk Headteachers

Dear Colleague

Psychological Service

Service Delivery

I write to inform you of changes in the delivery of Psychological Service support to schools.

Last autumn we consulted on proposed changes in the way the Psychological Service provides support to schools. In essence these changes are:

i To establish a tiered service delivery framework in order to allow:

• continued regular contact between a cluster of schools and School Support Teams (Level 1);

• faster and more flexible responses to urgent situations as well as a range of activities in support of schools and pupils that can be deployed across the area (Level 2) and;

• the deployment of expertise on a whole-county basis (Level 3).

ii To introduce a maximum time allocation system based on a needs-led formula.

iii To establish regular School Support Team visits to all schools in addition to their time allocation.

iv In order to allow a more flexible response to referrals as well as the targeting of expertise, to establish core responsibilities for all Psychological Service teachers as well as maintaining areas of higher expertise for each of them.

 

Psychological Service

Service Delivery

I would like to thank Heads who commented on these proposals. James Thatcher has replied individually to those colleagues. In the light this of this consultation we shall be introducing the changes over the course of this term, seeing them fully established by September. Full details of the activities provided at each level are given in the attached paper and revised details of school time allocations will be provided before the end of the summer term.

Some of the comments made by Heads related to the need for greater transparency about how time is used, and the need for more explicit statements about activities available and the standards of service that can be expected.

To achieve this I am pleased to say that we are developing Service-Level Statements (SLS) for the Psychological Service and all other retained Services.

Service-Level Statements:

i Describe the Service and its aims, organisation and responsibilities;

ii Specify precisely what activities it provides;

iii Specify how time is allocated and how it can be accessed.

iv Identify the standards of service schools may expect;

v Identify how to communicate with the Service including how to register concerns if necessary.

A key feature of this approach is to enhance reporting, monitoring and evaluation. Thus, for the Psychological Service, there will be:

• Regular reporting to each school about the use of time allocated to it;

• Reporting on the use of time at the Area level;

• Annual reporting on the use of all the time available in the Service and on its performance.

Service Level Statements are designed to further under-pin our commitment to quality and will be with our Services to Schools booklet each spring.

Attached as a paper is part of what will be the Psychological Service’s Statement.

It gives details of the activities provided and the standards we strive to achieve.

Yours sincerely

 

Bryan Slater

Director of Education