Initiatives delivered across all phases
The National Strategies deliver a number of programmes that focus on raising standards and improving performance in particular areas that affect early years, primary and secondary phases. These include:
School Improvement
The key priority of the school improvement plan is to continue to raise the attainment of all children and young people while closing the gap between the highest and lowest attaining groups. The plan emphasises that the responsibility for improvement lies with schools themselves and that support engaged by the school must be part of its school improvement plan and must be focussed on high impact strategies. Schools will be supported in bringing about this improvement by a focus on the capacity of local authorities to provide effective challenge and support to schools, including an effective school improvement partner. The Strategies will also be involved in targeted work with local authorities and schools to reduce the number of coasting schools, those below floor targets and those in Ofsted categories.
Behaviour and Attendance
This programme has five main strands – behaviour, attendance, SEAL (social and emotional aspects of learning), parental responsibility and school partnerships – with continuing professional development and networking opportunities offered through the NPSLBA (National Programme for Specialist Leaders in B&A) and NBAE (National Behaviour and Attendance Exchange) evident throughout.
Special Educational Needs (SEN) /Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (LDD)
This programme supports and challenges Local Authorities to implement their operational and strategic duties in relation to children with SEN/LDD. It also aims to increase the confidence and expertise of the local authority and schools’ workforce by providing a programme of continuing professional development (CPD) through, for example, the Inclusion Development Programme (IDP), which focuses on developing Quality First Teaching when working with pupils with high incidence needs in mainstream schools.
Ethnicity, Social Class & Achievement
This programme is focused on ethnic minority achievement and underperforming white British pupils. The main purpose is to sharpen the focus and extend the reach of National Strategies programmes which challenge and support schools, settings and local authorities to raise the attainment and improve rates of progression for groups of pupils identified as underachieving in English, mathematics and science.
Gifted and Talented
The aim of the Gifted and Talented (G&T) Programme is to improve the attainment, aspirations, motivation and self-esteem of gifted and talented pupils, especially those who are at risk of not fulfilling their potential. The project should impact on all subject areas, with a particular focus on outcomes at the higher levels in the core subjects.
Assessment, Progression and Personalised Learning
Across all phases, the National Strategies work closely with DCSF policy colleagues, the Chief Adviser on School Standards and QCA to promote improvements in assessment, the securing of effective progression for all pupils and personalisation of learning. Assessment for Learning (AfL) and Assessing Pupils’ Progress materials are key elements of this work and are promoted through core subjects in both the primary and secondary phases.