GSO Test

Why Ignis

The core purpose of Ignis Multi Academy Trust is to improve the educational outcomes and life chances of all pupils.

We aim to support pupils’ learning and progress, building on their starting points to enable them to use their rapidly developing knowledge, understanding and skills to reach above national and local averages. In so doing we aim to enable our pupils to reach their potential with confidence and build and develop their abilities towards achieving productive and aspirational futures and lives.

 Ignis Academy Trust (IAT) endeavours to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and with respect. We aim to ensure that no-one experiences harassment, less favourable treatment, discrimination or prejudice through e.g. the development of safe, secure and stimulating environments, effective interventions based on individual need, effective systems of communication and consultation and creative and challenging learning environments where children and adults are valued and encouraged to constantly improve and value lifelong learning.

 The MAT offer is supported by a MAT wide School Improvement pedagogy delivered in partnership with the Bexley Teaching School Alliance.

Ignis Academy Trust (IAT) supports schools to build on their strengths and to focus forensically to achieve rapid improvement in the progress and attainment of pupils. This summary overview provides a basic guide to the operational school improvement strategy for IAT schools.

 School Improvement Strategy

Partnership working is fundamental to our ethos as a Multi Academy Trust.

 In order to know our schools well, MAT leaders will undertake rigorous data analysis, looking at both external and in-house data sets, Ofsted reports, strategic action plans, self-evaluation documents and the outcomes of external reviews. This integrated process will be done alongside school leaders, identifying strengths as well as areas for improvement.

 IAT will have provided a range of school improvement services to some schools joining the Trust and the impact will have been measured.

 School Improvement Review Board

The CEO/Executive Head Teacher of the MAT will chair a School Improvement Review Board for schools causing concern to monitor the school’s overall performance through scrutiny of data, work sampling etc. These meetings will involve the Head Teacher, Chair of Governors and School Improvement Leader and take place every 4 weeks.

School Improvement Leader

A School Improvement Leader (SIL) will be allocated who will facilitate further development within the school and engage in providing support and advice to the school’s leadership team. The SIL will be responsible for facilitating continuing professional development (CPD) alongside the Teaching School Leader and school leaders, as well as monitoring and evaluating the impact of improvement strategies and the performance of the schools over time. Local Governing Bodies and the Trust Board will receive regular reports of impact through the MAT’s reporting and analysis systems.

 Operational School Improvement Processes

The Trust will commission/arrange an annual coherent package for school improvement in liaison with school leaders which effects rapid improvement and builds the school’s capacity to improve through its ability to:

  • Articulate high aspirations and expectations for all
  • Acquire a deep understanding of the context of each individual school
  • Provide targeted, high quality CPD programmes to develop all staff at all levels
  • Draw upon an evidence base supported by research
  • Provide National Leader of Education (NLE), National Support School (NSS) and SIL support as appropriate
  • Pro-actively share best practice
  • Pro-actively encourage school-to-school support to develop the capacity of the school and MAT as a whole
  • Undertake rigorous Quality Assurance through lead professionals
  • Develop leadership potential at all levels
  • Develop sustainability and growth

 The team of education professionals, led by the CEO/Executive Head Teacher of the MAT, currently comprises:

  • NLE/NSS support
  • Outstanding external School Progress Adviser
  • School Improvement Leader
  • Direct school-to-school support organised through the MAT Senior Leadership team structure
  • Specialist Leader of Education - PE
  • Teaching School (TS) Leader outreach
  • Teaching School provision of CPD
  • School Direct provision for recruitment through the TS
  • Accredited MAT Business Manager
  • Leading Teachers
  • PE Specialist accredited teachers

 Impact of IAT School Improvement Strategy

  • MAT schools will have a culture of relentlessly driving for improvement
  • MAT schools will have high aspirations and expectations for pupil progress and attainment
  • MAT schools will be judged good or outstanding within two to three years of joining the MAT
  • All teaching will be judged good and outstanding
  • MAT schools will have strong governing bodies who provide appropriate levels of support and challenge to leaders
  • MAT schools will have highly skilled governing bodies with a range of expertise who provide school-to-school support
  • MAT schools’ self-evaluation will be forensic and accurate
  • High quality support and CPD for staff will ensure schools attract and retain high quality staff

S.J. Brooks

CEO/Executive Head Teacher

January 2019