School Effectiveness services

Our experienced group of specialist education professionals provide high quality support, advice and training to assist schools in raising attainment, accelerating progress and improving the provision for vulnerable pupils.

We support schools on their journey to achieving a positive Ofsted judgement and challenge good and outstanding schools to continue to develop excellent practice. We also offer bespoke services designed to address particular objectives.

Key service features:

• In-depth knowledge of local schools supporting them in reaching and sustaining excellence
• Core and bespoke services to support school improvement
• Highly-skilled and professional staff with a vast range of experience including as English specialists and KS1 and KS2 moderators
• Up to date knowledge of the Ofsted Inspection Framework

Officers provide bespoke support packages according to individual schools’ needs. Outcomes will be evidenced in terms of impact on pupils’ outcomes, including for different groups of pupils and improvements in practitioner practice.

Examples of the types of support that can be delivered include:

• Mentoring and coaching of staff and support for teams
• Bespoke professional development packages tailored to support individual staff or groups of staff
• Curriculum development guidance and support
• Support and challenge to maximise school improvement and achievement
• Analysis of pupil performance data and access to expert advice and guidance on its use
• Guidance and support to quality assure and develop teaching and learning.
• Professional development and support for leaders and governors
• Validation of school self-evaluation in line with the current Ofsted Inspection Framework
• Facilitating learning partnerships to support professional development and school improvement
• Pre and post Ofsted support including support for action planning and monitoring visits
• Specialist support across all phases for English and Mathematics
• Support and guidance for underachieving and ‘at risk’ pupils/groups of pupils
• Support for performance management

Click the link Tailored school improvement and curriculum support for further information on our service or email us at school.standards@brighterfuturesforchildren.org

Curriculum development underpins our standards, progress and assurance offer because curriculum excellence is at the centre of school improvement. BFfC provide a full training and consultancy package to enable school leaders to evaluate and develop the power of their curriculum to transform children’s lives and help their staff to hone and shape the effectiveness of their pedagogical toolkit.

Curriculum quality is particularly important for vulnerable children and those with SEND as these children have differences that impact their attentional skills and processing functions in working memory. Good mental health and staff wellbeing start with feeling clever and confident and our approach builds both knowledge and success. In the shadow of COVID and with increasing numbers of children in need, curriculum effectiveness is not just desirable but essential to support our most vulnerable learners.

Our support offer has a basis in the research underpinning the current Ofsted Inspection Framework and supports leadership focus on curriculum design, coherence, sequencing and effective instruction based on Rosenshine’s principles (in partnership with national leader Tom Sherrington).

We provide curriculum reviews, coaching and training for leaders to consider the intent, implementation and impact of their curriculum to date, and to plan and implement effective improvement actions.

We have a strong track record of success in supporting school development and can provide testimonials on request.

Click the link Tailored school improvement and curriculum support for further information on our service or email us at school.standards@brighterfuturesforchildren.org

Our English subject specialists offer a comprehensive range of support to schools. Please contact us for further details school.standards@brighterfuturesforchildren.org.

We offer:

• Central, federation/MAT, school, subject leaders or individual bespoke training and projects
• Underpinned by experience, research and cognitive science
• Leading or coaching

Examples of the types of support that can be delivered for reading, writing, phonics and oracy include:

• Planning from a great text
• Talk for writing
• Lesson study – in class support
• Identifying next steps in learning
• Audience and purpose driven writing
• Spelling
• Grammar and punctuation
• Generating/reviewing a writing or reading spine
• Poetry
• Subject Leader writing project
• Monitoring writing practice and outcomes
• Assessment/moderation
• Dialogic Book Talk
• Shared and guided reading – teaching comprehension
• Fluency in KS1 and KS2
• Decoding – the application of phonics
• Reading for Pleasure – UKLA/OU Teachers’ Reading Group (project)
• Introducing/rejuvenating a validated Systematic Synthetic Phonics Programme
• Phonics subject knowledge for teachers/Tas/EYFS/KS1/KS2
• Monitoring phonics – data, groups, QFT
• Supporting parents
• Identifying application opportunities across the day/curriculum

Click the link Tailored school improvement and curriculum support for further information on our service or email us at school.standards@brighterfuturesforchildren.org

Each school’s governing body has a statutory duty to monitor and manage the performance of the headteacher on an annual basis. Under the 2012 School Teachers’ Appraisal Regulations, the governing body of a maintained school must appoint an external adviser for the purpose of providing it with advice and support in relation to the appraisal of the headteacher.

School Effectiveness Officers are equipped to provide advice to the governing body about the performance management of the headteacher. Our School Effectiveness Officers are well practiced and knowledgeable in helping to improve the process, as well as clarifying the links between internal and external accountability, headteacher development and governance.

Further information on purchasing this service can be found via the following link: Headteacher’s Performance Management

National changes to the appropriate body role for early career teacher (ECT) induction requires all ECTs starting induction or continuing induction at a new school to be registered with a teaching school hub (TSH) for the statutory elements of induction from September 2023.  

From September 2024, local authorities will cease operating as appropriate bodies and teaching school hubs will be the main provider of appropriate body services (except for appropriate bodies for independent and overseas schools).  

Further details on the changes can be found in the statutory guidance Induction for early career teachers (England)  

A list of teaching school hubs can be accessed via the following link: Teaching school hubs  

Schools can use any hub as their appropriate body. TSH Berkshire is the local teaching school hub for Reading schools.

Requesting ECT Induction records  

Under GDPR regulations appropriate bodies and schools retain ECT Induction records for six years from the date an ECT completes induction or leaves partway through induction. After six years the records are deleted.  

If you are an ECT or headteacher who has employed an ECT wishing to requesting copies of an ECTs Induction reports email ECT@brighterfuturesforchildren.org detailing the ECTs name, teacher reference number and date of birth.  

If you are an appropriate body requesting an ECTs record you must, as detailed in the statutory guidance, also provide written confirmation from the headteacher of the school where the ECT is employed requesting that you seek the reports on their behalf from Brighter Futures for Children.  

School governors are one of the biggest volunteer forces in the country, working in their spare time to promote school improvement and to support headteachers and teachers in their work. Find out all about the benefits of becoming a school governor on our Volunteering Opportunities page.