The overarching aims of our school support & improvement strategy are clear and unambiguous:
- Ensure excellence from all, for all
- Transform the life chances for young people
- Raise aspirations by believing that together we can all achieve beyond our expectations
DMAT’s school Improvement strategy is built around utilising the expertise within our schools and the trust. Our strategy provides collaborative support and professional challenge. We will be proactive in providing sustainable partnerships that ensure:
- Effective leadership and governance in all schools
- High quality teaching
- Evidence informed professional development supported by the Research School, encompassing the complete professional journey
- Clear and productive recruitment and retention strategies with talent management pathways for all staff, including high quality ITT training
- Safe, welcoming schools with fair access
- Value for money
Our MAT
Guiding principles for support
All colleagues involved in school improvement will:
- Promote collaboration and partnerships which allow for excellent practice to be shared and developed
- Consistently have regard for the autonomy of the school, its self evaluation and context
- Focus on school-led model of sharing good practice and holding to account for sustainable school improvement
- Intervene in a timely manner, and with urgency, to help prevent underachievement or any aspect of schools becoming a cause for concern
- Aim to work with schools to eliminate gaps and foster inclusive environments
- Take into account the factors which impact on progress across all phases
- Encourage and demonstrate high expectations, and shared responsibility with families and stakeholders in relation to behaviour and attendance
- Uphold the highest standards of professionalism, maintaining confidentiality and sharing information on a need to know basis.
DMAT is accountable for ensuring that all our schools commit to ongoing improvement, through self-review or with appropriate support and intervention.
All DMAT schools will receive a minimum of 10 days support per year. Schools in phases 2, 3, and 4 will receive more support, proportionate to need.
A School’s phase will initially arise from the Mutual Information Gathering/ Due Diligence outcomes, where a best fit model is adopted. A school’s phase will be reviewed at least annually following termly progress summaries, or following an OFSTED inspection.
Allocation of Support
Breakdown of support for each school improvement phase by number of days.
School Improvement Phase | Review Days | Leadership Support (bespoke) | Support and Development (bespoke) | Head’s Appraisal | Total |
1. Strong and Embedded | 2 | 2 | 4 | Equivalent of 2 | 10 |
2. Good | 4 | 4 | 4 | Equivalent of 2 | 14 |
3. Improvement needed | 6 | Minimum of 6 days, dependent on need. | Minimum of 6 days, dependent on need. | Equivalent of 2 | 20 (minimum) |
4. Intensive Attention Required | 6 | Equivalent of 2 |
Headteacher appraisal/ performance management will be carried out in partnership with the LGB. Target-setting will be part of this process. Schools requiring intensive support are likely to have additional arrangements in place.
Review Days
Improvement Phase | Autumn Term | Spring Term | Summer Term | Total |
1. Strong and Embedded | No review | 1 day Improvement Plan and tracker review and planning | 1 day Confirmation and Consolidation of priorities for next academic year | 2 days |
2 Good | 1 day Improvement Plan review | 2 days Improvement Plan and tracker review and planning | 1 day Confirmation and Consolidation of priorities for next academic year | 4 days |
3. Improvement Needed | 2 days Improvement Plan and tracker review | 2 days Improvement Plan and tracker review and planning | 2 days Confirmation and Consolidation of priorities for next academic year | 6 days |
4. Intensive Attention Required | 2 days Improvement Plan and tracker review
| 2 days Improvement Plan and tracker review and planning | 2 days Confirmation and Consolidation of priorities for next academic year | 6 days |
The review visits will support in-school monitoring and evaluation and will include:
- Data discussion
- School Improvement Plan
- School SEF
- Quality of teaching
- Attainment and progress in EYFS/ Key stages 1-5 as relevant
- Attendance and behaviour
- Attainment, progress and attendance of vulnerable groups including disadvantages, CLA, SEND, EAL
- Moderation of actions and their impacts through learning walks, work sampling, lesson observations, pupil voice. Wherever possible these will be carried out jointly with school leaders
- Discussion regarding staffing, recruitment, retention, induction, capabilities etc.
Two day review visits will be carried out where schools require support with their monitoring, evaluation self-assessment.
In addition, information will be shared, and priorities discussed through collaborative meetings between heads, senior leaders and the central executive team. Targeted support will be provided in individual schools, based on identified priorities.
School Improvement Annual cycle
Data Collection
At various calendared tracking points throughout the year schools will submit a range of information, and analyses. The information collected will include data on attainment, progress, behaviour, attendance, suspensions and exclusions. This data will be used to support the planning for Review Days. DMAT will ensure that all data requested from schools is manageable and links to planning for improvement.
Meeting Together
Opportunities for DMAT teams to come together and learn from each other are key for school improvement and our DMAT drive for excellence for all.
Annual Heads Ethos and Vision Day – Summer Term
- Review and revisit DMAT vision and ethos
- Share strengths and areas for development for schools and the trust
- Agree priorities for future development
Annual Trust Network Meeting for SLTs, and Governors
- Share and celebrate schools, Research School and SCITT
- Update on key changes and developments
Termly Heads and Chair of LGBs Briefing
- Governance update
- School Improvement updates
- DMAT- wide policies update
Future plans will include networks for curriculum areas, key stages and pastoral staff.