School Improvement Service

Camden's Strategy for School Improvement

Making Good Schools Better

002929

Context
^{Camden's Strategy for School Improvement defines the partnership between schools and the Local Authority (LA), the purpose of which is to improve progress and achievement and promote the well being of children and young people in Camden. The core of the strategy is the increased importance of School Review and Self Evaluation (SRSE) and the school's own diagnosis of its support needs.}

^{The strategy incorporates the expectations of The New Relationship with Schools and Every Child Matters -Change for Children building on the successful relationships and leading edge developments in multi-agency provision. The strategy is underpinned by the knowledge that children learn best when they feel safe and healthy. Consequently schools are expected to keep a focus on both excellence and and equality and to demonstrate their success through ensuring that every child:}

• ^{reaches the highest standards they are capable of;}
• ^{develops a healthy lifestyle;}
• ^{is safe and protected from bullying and discrimination;}
• ^{attends regularly; behaves responsibly; has a strong voice in the life of the school and helps others;}
• ^{lives in a community that values education;}
• ^{is supported actively by their parents and carers.}

^{These arrangements are reflected in the Framework for the Inspection of Schools and the Annual Performance Assessment & Joint Area Reviews of Children's Services (the monitoring of the LA). These procedures provide the criteria by which outcomes are judged.}

^{The characteristics of the inspection frameworks are:}

• ^{SRSE as the main evidence base;}
• ^{success measured on outcomes and impact on the progress of children and young people;}
• ^{inspection targeted on areas of concern emerging from self evaluation and/or performance data;}
• ^{gathering evidence directly from leadership teams, governors, school staff, children, young people, parents, carers, and other key members of the school community;}
• ^{swifter reporting;}
• ^{intelligent accountability through inspections which are lighter touch, shorter notice and more frequent.}