Bryan Slater

Director of Education

Distribution

 

 

TO ALL HEADTEACHERS AND CHAIRS OF GOVERNORS – PRIMARY PHASE SCHOOLS

 

 

This document needs your action as detailed below:

ACTION

Title

Target Setting for 2006 – Key Stages 1 and 2; Norfolk School Self Review (NSSR)

Summary of contents

·          Letter re Target setting and NSSR arrangements and procedures

·          Target Setting Timetable

·          RDA Agenda Autumn Term

Associated documents

·        Target setting website

      http://www.esinet.norfolk.gov.uk/core/targetsetting/

·        Previous target setting doc MI 185/03

·        NSSR website school self review database http://advisoryserviceactive.norfolk.gov.uk/ssr

·        Previous NSSR information MI 131/04

 

Date

10th September 2004

Summary of action required

 

Schools to complete target setting and NSSR process

 

 

To be completed by

17th December 2004

LEA Contact

Terry Cook

(

01603-433276

E-mail address

 

terry.cook@norfolk.gov.uk

 

Norfolk Self Review reference

1. How high are standards?

7. How well is the school led and managed?

 

 

Document reference

MI 163-04

 

 

 

 

 

Target Setting for 2006 - Key Stages 1 and 2;

Norfolk School Self Review 2004

 

As you will know schools are required to set targets this autumn in English and Mathematics for the current Y5 pupils for their National Curriculum Tests in 2006. Schools are responsible for setting and publishing their own targets for raising pupils’ attainment in discussion with the LEA. Regulations require schools to set these statutory targets by the end of December 2004 for the Summer 2006 tests.  In the interests of continuous improvement, targets should be ambitious, rather than safe predictions of pupil performance.  The LEA is required to submit these targets to the DfES in January 2005.

 

During August 2003, the DfES issued detailed guidance on the setting of school targets.  This covered the new arrangements for target setting at Key Stage 2 outlined in “Excellence and Enjoyment” – A strategy for primary education.  A summary document outlining the changes was sent to all schools with the target setting documentation in September 2003 (Please refer to Management Information MI 185/03).

 

The LEA is committed to supporting schools, through their RDAs, and by the provision of additional relevant data. When visiting the school, the RDA will be discussing the guidance and target setting regulations and will provide support in implementing these arrangements.  In addition, the LEA will, as previously, be providing you with customised target setting data for the relevant Key Stage 2 cohort of pupils in each of the core subjects based upon previous performance.  This will assist with setting the statutory targets for 2006.

 

To enable us to provide you with this reliable data, and to support your target setting, the LEA has continued working in collaboration with The Fischer Family Trust.  The Trust provides calculations to aid target setting based on national data and builds these from estimates of performance for pupils based on prior attainment.  (If you would like more information on the work of the Fischer Family Trust please contact Chris Jackson in the Management Information Centre 01603-224223).

 

This approach, building from the analysis of individual pupil performance is fully consistent with the announcements made about KS2 target setting and is in line with Excellence and Enjoyment.

 

Enclosed with this letter will be:

 

1.   School summary estimates for 2006 (Key Stage 2 only)

This has four columns of aggregated school data. Columns A and B provide estimates for attainment, and C and D offer targets.  If Norfolk schools are to continue to meet national and local improvement targets your school’s minimum target should be drawn from column C.

 

2.   Pupil level estimates for 2006 (Key Stage 2 only)

This includes the estimates for each pupil.  There are two sets of estimates, Type C and Type D, which aggregate to produce the figures in columns C and D of the school summary above.  (Please note that the information provided for KS2 is based on pupils in your school in January 2004 – so any new pupils will not be included.)

 

3.   Schools’ target setting timetable and RDA agenda 2004

 

 

KEY STAGE 2

 

Last year, the DfES issued guidance resulting from Ministers’ agreements in relation to target setting processes.  This involves schools setting their own targets and the LEA targets being set afterwards.  The DfES stress it is crucial that work in this area is not artificially constrained by a target previously set by the DfES for the LEA as a whole.  This means that it is crucial that the LEA works with schools both to support and to challenge schools in the targets which are set and in the use of performance data.  In fact the criteria reflects much of the process used within this LEA in past years.

 

The criteria by which every primary school needs to review its performance are as follows:

 

·        Targets should be pupil based taking account of the prior attainment and expected progress of individual children.

·        Targets should be stretching, improving on the value added year to year.

·        Targets should be owned by the school, having a clear importance for the assessment priorities in the classroom.

·        Schools will be expected to compare their performance with that of schools in similar circumstances.

·        Schools currently below the floor target of 65% L4+ at the end of Key Stage 2 should set a trajectory of how to reach it as soon as possible.

 

To meet DfES guidance and to keep the process streamlined, we are continuing with the arrangements introduced last year.  This entails the LEA providing schools with their Key Stage 2 Fischer Trust Data early in September.  Schools are requested to use this additional data to support their own internal data analysis systems and use both local and national data to set proposed targets.  These will then be discussed with the RDA and, if possible, a Governing Body representative when the RDA visits the school in the second half of the Autumn Term.   At this meeting the school will need to agree its final 2006 targets, which must be agreed by the RDA, ratified by the Governors, and submitted to the LEA via EsiNet: http://www.esinet.norfolk.gov.uk/core/targetsetting/, by Friday 17th December 2004 at the latest. This will enable us to forward all targets to the DfES as required to meet the statutory 30th December deadline.

 

To enable this programme to be carried out effectively we would like to work to the timescales indicated on the attached timetable.  Your RDA will be available to discuss and advise on these procedures and, at the end of the process, we will be evaluating the effectiveness of this approach.

 

KEY STAGE 1

 

In relation to the setting of targets for the end of Key Stage 1 it is recommended good practice that targets are set by each school.  Last year, after a trial conducted in 2002/03, we requested schools set targets for the end of Key Stage 1 using the following structure:

 

·        For pupils taking SATs in 2004 the school to set their forecast target by the end of the Autumn Term 2003.

·        In subsequent years the targets to be set as part of the RDA agenda discussions at the end of the Summer Term prior to the academic year in which the SATs will be taken.

 

We are continuing to adopt the ‘subsequent years’ advice given above and targets will be set as part of the agenda discussions with the school’s RDA at the end of the Summer Term prior to the academic year in which the SATs will be taken

 

 

NORFOLK SCHOOL SELF-REVIEW

 

The details and arrangements for the completion of the Norfolk School Self-Review (NSSR) summative statement are as given in the Management Information Sheet ref MI 131/04 sent to schools via EsiNet on 11th June 2004.  However, I would like to clarify one procedural detail.  To assist Headteachers in the completion of the NSSR, it has been suggested that the original data should be available to update and amend, instead of redoing from the beginning each time.  We have therefore returned all School Self Review data to the Headteacher’s site http://advisoryserviceactive/ssr. This means that when entering the site it is now not necessary to create a new record, you will need to click onto View and Amend Prepared Data, which will enable editing in the usual way.  Always remember to ‘save’ each time you exit the site, or the information will be lost.

 

We apologise that the target setting data submission process and the NSSR website currently have to be accessed separately; we are working towards a more integrated system for the future.

 

I hope that you find this information useful and your RDA looks forward to meeting you in the second half of the Autumn Term to agree your Key Stage 2 2006 targets and NSSR summative statement, and in the Summer Term to agree your Key Stage 1 targets.  If you require any further guidance or clarification on any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact Terry Cook, Norfolk Education Advisory Services – Tel: 01603-433276, or email: terry.cook@norfolk.gov.uk.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Bryan Slater

Director of Education

 

SCHOOLS’ TARGET SETTING TIMETABLE

 

PRIMARY PHASE SCHOOLS – AUTUMN 2004

 

 

 

September 2004

 

Schools receive Management Information Sheet   and reminder letter outlining the target setting process.  Key Stage 2 schools will also receive estimates produced by Fischer Family Trust.  Letter details timescales and activities to be undertaken.

 

 

First half of Autumn Term 2004

 

Key Stage 2 - schools bring together school data, Fischer Trust information and other local and national data and discuss with staff to initiate the process of compiling proposed targets.

 

 

Second half of Autumn Term 2004

 

Key Stage 2 - RDA, Headteacher and Governor representative agree Key Stage 2 targets for the school.

 

 

By 17 December 2004

 

Key Stage 2 - Governors agree targets; Chair of Governors, Headteacher and RDA verify targets,

which are then submitted to the LEA via EsiNet: http://www.esinet.norfolk.gov.uk/core/targetsetting

 

 

End of Summer Term 2005

 

Key Stage 1 - as part of the School Self Review, set and agree with the RDA the Key Stage 1 targets for Summer 2006.

 

 

 

Use the evidence gained from this process to contribute to your School Self Review e.g. standards section for how well the school cares for its pupils.

 

RDA AGENDA AUTUMN TERM 2004

 

 

 

1.         School Self Review Process

 

                        1a.       Discussion of PANDA and other data services i.e.

                                    eIPSS and Pupil Achievement Tracker (PAT) or AssessIT

1b.       Monitoring activity linked to self review areas negotiated between schools and the RDA

1c.       Completion of the self-review summative form by the Headteacher with the Chair of Governors; negotiation with the RDA of the LEA category for the school; completion of the RDA quality checklist.

 Website for school self review:  http://advisoryserviceactive.norfolk.gov.uk/ssr

 

 

2.         Target Setting

 

                        2a.       Analysis of Performance Data

 

For each Key Stage:-

·        Size of cohort

·        Test and teacher assessment results/exam results

·        Trends over time

·        Attainment against the school’s targets

·        Any anomalies in these results

·        Autumn package analysis (if available)

 

2b.      Setting Targets

 

As per target setting timetable and guidance sent to schools and RDAs at the start of the Autumn Term 2004.

Targets to be submitted to the LEA via EsiNet:

http://www.esinet.norfolk.gov.uk/core/targetsetting

 

 

3.         Other School and LEA Agenda Items

 

 

4.         Key Issues and Recommendations