Headteachers and Chairs of Governors - all schools

Welcome back and a very happy and prosperous New Year, I hope 2008 will be an excellent year for you and all associated with your school. An especially warm welcome to new and acting headteachers who are taking up new posts this term.

TERM DATES

With such a short Spring Term ahead we will be into Summer before we know it. I think that with the very uneven pattern in the number of days in each half term it is worth re-visiting the pattern of terms again and we will be bringing forward some ideas for discussion this term. This will also include some proposals about having more fixed non-pupil days so that we can reduce transport costs. These will be discussed through the Headteacher and governor associations and formally consulted upon with the professional associations and unions.

SCHOOL INSPECTIONS

The number of school inspections each week has reduced from last year's 7 or 8 per week to 4 or 5 per week in the last Autumn Term. Despite a further two schools going into special measures the overall pattern of inspection outcomes was much more pleasing. I have set out the results for the term's 46 school inspections in the table below. We have been very pleased by the positive feedback from schools that the advice we have given on sticking to ten basic areas of practice has served them well. It can't be overstressed that the inspection focuses very sharply on the school's ability to evaluate itself, present clear plans for action and to be absolutely clear in the tracking and analysis of the school's data on the progress every child is making.

We are very proud of the number of schools getting "outstanding", and "good with outstanding features", reports. We are also pleased that our friends in the media are beginning to give these reports some coverage too, we try very hard to get them to understand the great achievement involved.

	Outstanding	Good	Satisfactory	Inadequate
PRUs	0	0	0	0
Special	1	0	0	0
Primary	2	19	18	1
Secondary	1	2	1	1
TOTAL	4	21	19	2
	9%	46%	41%	4%

CELEBRATING PROGRESS AND ACHIEVEMENT

I am sure that, you, like us, have been very disappointed by press coverage saying that half our schools are not good enough based on the way Ofsted report under just four categories. While we all agree with the catchy phrase, "satisfactory (inspection outcomes) are not good enough" we have spent some time trying to get the media and public to understand this. Emphasising that for some schools the progress they have made to get to a satisfactory outcome should be celebrated and is often a good achievement in its own right. Please keep up the many admirable efforts in getting the good news and school celebrations in front of your communities and into the media. If you do send something out to your community or to the press, not just about inspections, please make sure your SDA or SIP gets a copy. You can also send me a copy so we can keep an accurate record of all the good work going on across the whole school system.

The other day Lisa asked me to give her some examples of what I thought was good in the system, what had been going well. I wonder what you would have put on the list? Attached is my list which took about ten minutes to put down on paper - in no priority order - it just shows that there is much to be proud of which we mustn't forget as we continue to strive for even higher levels of achievement. If you wanted to know more about any of the things on my list I'd be pleased to point you in the right direction.

IMPROVEMENT AGENDA AND INVOLVING GOVERNORS

As I'm sure you know our own Annual Assessment from Ofsted provided some real challenges over the overall outcomes under "Enjoy and Achieve" and under "Economic Well Being". I have been genuinely touched by the very positive way the vast majority of schools have responded to our greater challenge and by the way Norfolk schools continue to rally round to support each other when things go wrong. I hope we never lose that part of our culture. We still have some way to go in ensuring schools do not go into Ofsted categories. This term we will be focusing more on ensuring all governing bodies have a clear understating of the essential features of good practice and we will shortly be sending a document we would like placed on the governors agenda this term.

TERMLY HEADTEACHER AND GOVERNOR MEETINGS

As I'm sure everyone knows now we will be having our Joint Area Review (JAR) in the Summer Term and we will want to give some time to briefing you about this at this term's Headteacher and governor meetings. Please make every effort to attend this term.

Headteacher Meetings

Wednesday 27 February	Masonic Royal Assembly Rooms, Gt Yarmouth (East)
Monday 3 March	Easton College (Central)
Wednesday 5 March	Venue to be confirmed (North)
Wednesday 12 March	Barnham Broom (South)
Monday 17 March	Ecotech Centre, Swaffham (West)

All meetings to commence at 9.00 am. Refreshments available from 8.45 am.

Governor Meetings

Monday 18 February	Queensway Junior School, Thetford (South)
Tuesday 19 February	King's Centre, Great Yarmouth (East)
Wednesday 20 February	Norwich Professional Development Centre (Central)
Monday 25 February	West Norfolk Professional Development Centre (West)
Wednesday 27 February	North Walsham Junior School (North)

All meetings to commence at 7.00 pm until 8.30 pm.

I do hope that you have a very successful term, I look forward to hearing even more about what works well and what we should celebrate. Lisa and I hope to continue our programme of school visits and continue to be uplifted by your commitment to the best possible outcomes for children and young people in Norfolk.

FRED CORBETT
Deputy Director of Children's Services

Please ensure you read Fred's Brain Storm on What's Worth Shouting About attached.