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SCHOOLS REWARDED FOR SUCCESS – MILIBAND
07 May 2003School staff, from headteachers to caretakers, in nearly 7,000 schools are to get a cash bonus for helping pupils to achieve high or improved test results in 2002, School Standards Minister David Miliband announced today. This year’s School Achievement Awards, worth around £5,700 for a typical primary school and £25,700 for a typical secondary school are being awarded to:
• Schools where pupil performance was substantially better than in 1999;
• Schools where pupil performance in 2002 was better than most schools in similar circumstances; and
• Schools that have come out of special measures in the 2001/02 school year.David Miliband congratulated the winners:“There is much to celebrate about our schools – improving results, good teaching and committed staff. Success in schools depends on each and every member of staff working together to raise standards. It is right to reward the staff whose work helps pupils to learn and today’s awards celebrate their achievements.“Every person working in a school has their part to play in raising standards, whether they are a classroom assistant or a teacher, a bursar or a dinner lady. The school achievement awards celebrate the work of the entire school community in helping pupils to achieve high or improved test results, and rewards them for their efforts with a cash boost to their pay packets. “Our goal is to improve the quality of teaching and learning throughout the school system. Today’s awards recognise the existing hard work and dedication of the whole school workforce in raising standards in our schools. Pupils, parents and staff deserve to proud of their school’s success”.
Editor's Notes
This press notice relates to England
1. A full list of award-winning schools can be found on the school achievement awards website at http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/schoolachievementawards from 07:00am on Wednesday 7 May.
2. The school achievement awards scheme was announced in the December 1998 Green Paper Teachers: meeting the challenge of change. The Government is pledged to “…develop school achievement awards that reward staff in 7,000 fast improving schools a year. This is the third round.
3. All maintained schools, non-maintained special schools, city academies and city technology colleges in England are eligible for awards. About 7,000 schools have won awards in this third round. This is equivalent to about 30% of all maintained schools in England.
4. About three quarters of the awards are based on rapid improvement. These awards are based on ranking schools by the difference between their 1999 and 2002 Key Stage test or GCSE/GNVQ results.
5. Awards are also given to schools leaving special measures in the 2001/2002 school year.
6. 6. The remaining awards are based on high performance. These are based on ranking schools’ summer 2002 Key Stage test or GCSE/GNVQ results. To allow for the well-established association between socio-economic differences in schools’ intakes and their results, most schools were divided into groups based on the proportion of their pupils eligible for free school meals. Awards are being given to the highest ranking schools in each group. Grammar schools, secondary modern and other non-selective secondary schools in selective authorities were ranked in separate groups.
7. Key Stage test and GCSE/GNVQ results do not provide reliable performance indicators for special schools, pupil referral units while very small primary schools and nursery schools do not produce such results at all. Awards for these schools are based on nominations by chief education officers or head teachers assessed by independent panels with expert knowledge of the particular type of school.
8. For most schools, the value of awards is simply a function of the number of staff.
9. With guidance from DfES and advice from heads, governing bodies are being asked to decide how to share the award between staff. A school’s success depends on the efforts of its entire staff and the purpose of the scheme is to reward staff teams. ALL staff are eligible to receive a bonus. This includes: teachers, teaching assistants, contracted catering staff, maintenance staff, administrative staff, supply staff and peripatetic teams. In fact anyone working at the school who is a paid employee whether under a contract of employment or a contract for services.
10. The money for awards will be distributed to schools via local education authorities in May through the Standards Fund.
11. Case studies of award winning schools follow:
1. Evesham Nursery School, Four Pools Road, Evesham, Worcestershire, WR11 1DGEvesham Nursery School is receiving a high performance award.In March 2002, Ofsted said:“Evesham Nursery is an average sized nursery school situated near the town centre and sharing a site with Evesham High School. It is the only Local Education Authority (LEA) nursery school in Worcestershire… Twenty eight per cent of the children have been identified as having special educational needs, which is much higher than when the school was last inspected. All the children in nursery speak English as the main language at home”.
“This is an excellent school. Children are on line to well exceed the expected standards by the time they leave. Leadership and relationships are excellent and the teaching is very good. Children make very good progress during their time in nursery and they are very well cared for. The school provides an excellent basis for children’s future learning”.
“The majority (of children) are on course to well exceed the national standards known as the Early Learning Goals in all areas of learning. Children are expected to reach these goals by the end of the Foundation Stage so this represents very good achievement. One of the reasons they reach such high standards is because staff are always encouraging them to take on these new challenges, never settling for the first answer or the simple solution. Children are expected to think for themselves and, as a result, their levels of independence are quite remarkable. Those who have special educational needs are provided with very good levels of extra support by adults to ensure they can take an active part in all the areas of learning”.The headteacher is Mrs Naomi Christelow and she is available on 01386 4231182. Bonner Primary School, Hartley Street, London, E2 0NABonner Primary School is receiving an award for high performance, with 98% of pupils achieving Level 4 or higher at Key Stage 2.In March 2002, Ofsted said:“Bonner is a large inner city, multi-cultural school… Just under half the pupils are Bangladeshi; approximately one third are of white UK heritage; the remainder of pupils are of Black Caribbean or African heritage, Chinese or Indian. Less than half the families with children who attend Bonner have a wage earner and more than 70 percent of pupils are entitled to free school meals. This is well above the national average. The majority of families live in over-crowded local authority accommodation. There is a very large number of second language learners; the proportion of pupils speaking English as an additional language is 66 per cent and this is very high. The proportion of pupils with statements of special educational needs is 3.9 per cent and this is above the national average. Children start school with very low levels of attainment and many experience serious social and domestic issues.”“High quality teaching results in good achievement. Excellent leadership and management of the headteacher, ably supported by his deputy, senior staff and governors are responsible for the outstanding use of resources, which has resulted in a learning environment of very high quality. Outstanding self-evaluation means that the school is well aware of its strengths and areas for development. This has ensured that it gives very good value for money”.“There is a shared determination amongst governors to support the school and all play a full part in determining its strategic direction. Since the appointment of the very efficient office manager, school administration is now effective and well organised. The school has worked very hard to involve the local community and is part of a local Education Action Zone. It has ensured that its practice and workforce are more representative of the community it serves. The school is also involved in a number of initiatives that promote learning within the local community; for example, providing English lessons and parenting skill sessions. Schemes of work have been completed for all subjects and this ensures that skills are taught progressively throughout the school. The school is very well-placed to continue improvements and has the necessary systems in place.The headteacher is Mr Martin Tune and he is available on 0208 980 10043. Drayton Manor High School, Drayton Bridge Road, Hanwell, London W7 1EUDrayton Manor High School is receiving an award for high performance, with 65% of pupils achieving 5 GCSE A* - C grades. In March 2002, Ofsted said:
“Drayton Manor High School is a larger than average comprehensive school for pupils aged 11-18. There are 1551 students on roll, 866 boys and 685 girls. Most of the wards served by the school are worse than the national average in terms of level of disadvantage. The percentage of people eligible for free school meals are well above average. Students from a nearby special school are educated in this school. Over 40 different languages are spoken by the student population”.
“The school is an excellent school which provides high quality of education. Standards are above national average. The quality of teaching and learning is very good. The leadership of the headteacher and the management is excellent. The school provides very good value for money.
“Systems for monitoring improvement are outstandingly good. Students are keen to learn and they are very enthusiastic in lessons. Personal development is very good. Race relations are excellent. The provision for students with special educational needs is very good. The school is committed to excellence and recognises that it can never be complacent in its goal to work towards even better partnership with all parents and carers”.
Contact Details
Public Enquiries 0870 000 2288, info@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
Press Notice 2003/0083
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