The Norfolk Learning Collaborative

The Norfolk Learning Collaborative (NLC) is comprised of colleagues from across the education sector committed to working together as a system collaborative to fulfil this ambition for Norfolk's Children & Young People, address challenges and share collective responsibility for delivering the best possible education for all children and young people.  

Membership

The NLC has a wide membership from different sectors, such as schools, colleges, Early Years, SEND, alternative provision, and multi-academy trusts alongside representatives from the local authority and Department for Education. 

New members who share the same vision and commitment and who want to contribute to a self-improving system are always welcome. If you are interested in joining, or finding out more about the work the Collaborative does, please do get in touch.

What does the NLC do? 

This NLC works to facilitate collaboration across the system to enable all children and young people to benefit from the capacity and expertise already in Norfolk.    

To achieve the Norfolk Learning Ambition the NLC have identified key priority areas of focus. These current priorities are shown in the diagram and will be reviewed annually. This year, the NLC have identified improvement to outcomes at KS2 as its immediate priority focus and have launched the Norfolk Key Stage 2 Challenge. You can find more information about the work happening each of the other areas here NLC Current Priorities. 

Alongside this, the NLC will be developing its operating structure and there will be actvity to ensure that the voices of all stakeholders, including young people incorporated into the Learning Ambition. 

Norfolk County Council will also enable the system collaborative to support our coproduced evidence-led strategy: Attendance is Everyone's Business to improve attendance in Norfolk. 

You can find out more about the work that has already been taking place and current activity here.

Meeting Updates

September 2024

At their third meeting on the 19th September, the Collaborative met to consider the Norfolk Picture and the implications of future education policy. Members heard an update from Becky Taylor, Head of Delivery at the DfE (East of England), concerning recent and upcoming developments in education policy and took questions from members. Members also heard from Sara Tough, who invited colleagues to consider the Norfolk picture and local priorities, along with ongoing work to influence policy at a national level. 

NLC members discussed how the Collaborative would shape itself moving forward to ensure impact and it was agreed that a working party would be convened. The working party will consider operating models best suited to the goals of the collaborative. Once this group has been established, this group will undertake research on behalf of the wider collaborative, reporting findings and recommendations.

As last year KS2 outcomes were identified as a central priority, the collaborative is considering the activities that it can facilitate to support improvement. 

June 2024 meeting

During this session, the Collaborative were provided outcome and contextual data from the 2023 Key Stage 2 cohort. This included comparison between schools' structural arrangements, relative size, geographical location, SEND needs and deprivation, all compared against national outcomes and Norfolk's statistical neighbours. Discussion was focused on the disparity between Norfolk, national and statistically similar counties, and the reasons behind this. This led to a collation of key themes that were felt to be key barriers to improving outcomes in Norfolk; these were collated and fed back to the group after the session for discussion. It was agreed that at the next meeting the Collaborative would refine these themes, agree a set of priorities to focus on and determine actions that can be taken to tackle them. This would include how the Collaborative will organise and agree the resource and capacity to undertake specific pieces of work.

February 2024 meeting

At the first meeting, colleagues came together to discuss the core issues facing the education system. Through discussion, there was an agreement that a high priority area for improvement should be outcomes at Key Stage 2, and they requested that data be made available to understand the root causes underlying a gap in outcomes between Norfolk schools and national data.

They also heard updates from across the Learning Ambition Task groups, and in more detail from the Communication and Engagement task group, where they discussed the need for practice sharing and collaborative work across the education system.

It was agreed that the next meeting should focus in more detail on the issues surrounding outcomes at Key Stage 2, and that ahead of that, the Norfolk Research School and colleagues from Children's Services would collaborate on some potential diagnostics to better understand the causes. Additionally, colleagues in Children's Services would provide collated data on outcomes and other contextual factors relevant to Key Stage 2 outcomes. This would provide an evidence base to support any actions going forward.

What is the Learning Ambition?

We want Norfolk to be a county where all children and young people can flourish. Our ambition is that all children and young people are achieving their full potential and developing skills which prepare them for life. This is a key part of our  Norfolk Flourish ambition.

Why do we need a Learning Ambition?

We know that there exist challenges within our education system, which affect outcomes for children and young people across the county and that the best way to address them is for the system to tackle them collectively.  

The Norfolk Learning Ambition through the Norfolk Learning Collaborative aims to support a strong self- improving system, helping education providers to collaborate, support, challenge and learn with each other. 

What does the Learning Ambition look like?

To achieve the Norfolk Learning Ambition the NLC have identified these key priority areas of focus. A programme of sector-led activity in each area is currently underway. 

• Supporting resilient communities and families
• Improving data and information sharing
• Capacity and expertise of the Education workforce
• Ensuring effective transitions
• The Norfolk Key Stage 2 Challenge

You can find the focus for each priority area by clicking the sections below:

Capacity and Expertise of the Education workforce

This group focuses on bringing the system together to work collaboratively on activity which improves the recruitment and retention of support staff in Norfolk; secures the pipeline into teaching and education careers in our county; and enhances Teacher Training and CPD offers available, to meet local needs.

Leadership

This group focuses on ensuring senior leadership is seen as an attractive aspiration for the educational workforce and as a viable and attractive career within the graduate market by developing a package of wellbeing support, collegiate networks, CPD and flexible working options for school leaders developed with the sector.

Ensuring Effective Transitions

This group used as its starting point the learning achieved through the Norwich Opportunity Area transition group. It encompasses transition points across the age ranges from pre-school to post-16 as well as a broad range of aspects from careers to transport and capture of stakeholder voice

Improving Data and Information Sharing

Working alongside other Data and Intelligence workstreams within Norfolk County Council, the goal of this priority area is to develop the sharing of information with those working in, and with, schools. This will enable leaders and colleagues to benchmark their education settings against local and national data, analyse trends and gain useful insights into how provision enables children and young people to Flourish.

This priority area is currently developing data at Multi Academy Trust and Zone Inclusion Partnership level and is designing a universal 'data training' program. It aims to enhance stakeholder's ability to use data analysis to identify issues that the system can address collaboratively

Supporting Resilient Families and Communities

This group aims to provide accessible support to help families become more resilient, ensuring they have the resources and guidance needed to navigate challenges effectively. It is working initially with pilot schools to align available support to children, young people and their families through developing trusted web-based content (self-serve). The piloting will then be adapted so all schools can access these resources and sources of support to share with their staff, students and communities.

Additionally, the project seeks to offer resources that empower school communities to FLOURISH, promoting overall well-being and growth within the educational setting including aligning with RHSE statutory guidance.

Norfolk KS2 Challenge

Through the Norfolk KS2 Challenge, the whole system is being invited to share how they are contributing to improving KS2 outcomes and to consider how they could collaborate to support one another Norfolk Key Stage 2 Challenge.

Since its launch in November, the challenge has provided colleagues with a platform to reach out to others with a question, share goals for KS2 and plans to achieve them as well offer opportunities to support and work collaboratively with others.

A Learning Ambition for Norfolk, through the Norfolk Learning Collaborative: Update, February 2025

Capacity and Expertise of the Education Workforce group

There has been collaboration between local ITT providers around a range of pieces of work to secure the pipeline into teaching in our county, including activity to promote a wider understanding of the many routes into teaching (through a range of jointly run events targeted at schools and those considering a career in teaching), as well as activity to develop systems which support the apprenticeship route into the classroom - again, through facilitating the joint working of ITT apprenticeship providers operating in Norfolk, to secure contrasting placements for students and ensure the best experience for our apprentice teachers.

Look out for an engagement piece, later this term, to hear about the benefits of engaging with the UEA cohort of international students, recruited specifically to support our local staffing crisis in shortage subjects (such as Mathematics, Physics and Mfl) as well as hearing more about the variety of routes into teaching offered by other local providers and the rich diversity this brings to our Norfolk education workforce.

Leadership

Stakeholders from NCC, VNET, NSLA and the Norwich Diocese have worked collaboratively to create and publish a tiered, curated wellbeing support document for senior leaders via the NSLA website.

The EHT network has been re-convened and facilitated by VNET, NCC, NSLA and the Norwich Diocese.

NSLA are running a monthly local 'Teacher Tapp' style survey as well as an annual survey to all leaders in Norfolk to ascertain current concerns and offer responsive support.

They also hold monthly peer to peer support groups for newly appointed senior leaders; identifying need so an early response/support can be given (in addition to the fortnightly sessions for existing senior leaders which can also be accessed).

You will find the following on the Leadership Support section of the NCC Schools web page: Bitesize leadership guides Co-headship model at Mag Gates video Flexible working page with Padlet of resources explaining what flexible working is, how it can work, why you might consider it and the benefits.

Further work will focus around building bitesize leadership guides, developing a visual CPD leadership pathway and building a bank of case studies of flexible models of co-senior leadership. If you have any examples that you would like to share, please do let us know

Ensuring Effective Transitions

The Ensuring Effective Transitions group has published results from the parental survey, including a number of recommendations and aspects for further consideration. Workshops with Year 7 students are under way to gather their views about Year 6-7 transition and results from this will be analysed alongside other information relating to this point of transfer. Extension of work around student perceptions of careers advice and guidance has started. The focus for forthcoming work will be collaborative work to agree a set of Key Principles for Effective Transition

Improving Data and Information Sharing

The Norfolk Data Collaborative has been set up by the Improving Data and Information Sharing priority area, with colleagues from across the county participating in a networking group to consider the needs and wants of future data sharing systems. These colleagues come from a wider range of school phases, structures and roles, and key requirements are being discussed and used to shape any tools created. The group also facilitates the sharing of best practice around data management in schools and will be invited to offer case studies of successful strategies used. The pilot Inclusion Dashboard has been developed and used to facilitate Zone Inclusion Partnership meetings and Strategic MAT meetings alongside other datasets; with valuable feedback received to continue further developments

Supporting Resilient Families and Communities

To date, this priority area has successfully met with senior leadership teams from four high schools, each representing a diverse geographical area. These meetings have been instrumental in understanding the unique needs of each school, agreeing on a collaborative approach, and identifying key design principles. This broad representation ensures that the final product will be accessible and beneficial to all schools, fostering an inclusive environment for learning and growth.

Norfolk KS2 Challenge

The Norfolk KS2 Challenge was launched in November, inviting colleagues from across the system to sign up and consider what they could offer others. A platform has been established to enable collaboration around this theme which you can find here Norfolk Key Stage 2 Challenge. So far, the initiative has benefited from a huge amount of system generosity. Colleagues have come forward to offer to lead working groups, host exceptional practice visits, offer advice and share experiences. Getting involved is easy. Whether you or your organisation have the capacity and expertise to work with other schools around a particular theme, could share how your school is working to improve outcomes or are looking to connect with others, the Norfolk KS2 Challenge wants to hear from you norfolklearningambition@norfolk.gov.uk.

A Learning Ambition for Norfolk, through the Norfolk Learning Collaborative: Update, June 2024

Within the Capacity and Expertise of the Education Workforce group, joint presentations were delivered to members of the Norfolk School Leaders Association by the  NCC Apprenticeships team and Apprenticeships Norfolk team, with a focus on recruitment and retention benefits of an apprenticeship route. This was received positively, with renewed interest already translating into new sign up to the TA apprenticeship in particular.

There will be an ITT provider webinar for schools on Thursday 10 October at 4pm, where ITT providers will share information about their mentor programmes, and to demonstrate the range of provision across the system and how this can be accessed.

The Ensuring Effective Transitions task group has received a large number of parental responses to the transitions survey which was sent to a group of Norfolk parents: 766 parents returned the survey, which will now be analysed, ahead of the production of a report which will be shared in due course. These responses also will be used to inform any recommendations made by the task group and influence the direction of their work going forward.

A survey was sent to all schools by the Improving Data and Information Sharing task group calling for volunteers to participate in a networking group to consider the needs and wants of future data sharing systems. This was well responded to, with colleagues from a wider range of school phases, structures and roles interested. After an initial meeting, key requirements were captured and will be used to shape any tools created. The pilot inclusion dashboard tool is still ongoing; as soon as a complete draft is available this will be shared with school leaders for feedback.  

A programme of school visits arranged by the Enhancing the self-improving system through a Norfolk Collaborative Standard​ group has had almost 30 signups, with colleagues from across the county visiting and learning from a range of school settings. For many this has been the first opportunity to visit and spend time in another setting outside their own. Colleagues have commented on how useful and inspiring they have been and how they have given lots of food for thought.

The Schools, Colleges and Settings Communication and Engagement task group have been working on the creation of a shared calendar, which will be accessible via the website and contain key dates and events relevant to education professionals. This will be maintained and updated through the year, with the aim of maximising notice for upcoming events. This will launch ahead of the summer holidays. Additionally, a directory of key members of staff will be available on the website, which will also be updated to ensure it remains a useful resource for contacting colleagues within Children's Services

A Learning Ambition for Norfolk, through the Norfolk Learning Collaborative: Update, May 2024

The Learning Ambition for Norfolk works to support and deliver the aims of the Norfolk Learning Collaborative, where education leaders from across the county have agreed to work together to address key issues. At the first Collaborative meeting, members identified the Norfolk Challenge of improving the KS2 outcomes across the county as one of the main priorities, and this will be a core focus of the group moving forward, alongside the core themes in the Learning Ambition. The next meeting takes place on Tuesday, 11th June at 2pm at County Hall; if you would like to join please let us know. Six task groups within the Learning Ambition continue to work within these core themes, and we would like to share some of the collective work of these groups with the following highlights:

The School, Colleges & Settings Communication and Engagement​ task group has been working to improve communications with schools, colleges and settings. The new Norfolk Schools website now hosts all news items, categorised and tagged so that they are easier to find, share and revisit. The eCourier bulletin has now been redesigned for ease of access and readability, highlighting items which require action and foregrounding content to share with staff, parents, children & young people and the wider community.

Their next actions are to further develop the website so that information is easier to access. This will include the creation of 'one-minute guides' for a range of topics, including clear signposts to local and national guidance and ensuring that routes into teams within the Local Authority are clear. This, combined with a longer-term ambition to reduce the number of different platforms which are needed by education providers, aims to help education providers to access and use information effectively.

The Capacity and Expertise of the Education Workforce task group has launched a short-term, local recruitment campaign via EducationHR to grow the teacher and teaching assistant talent pools. This campaign is live and runs until the end of the summer term. They have also continued their work to improve retention rates in leadership by beginning to create resources to support headteacher well-being. In collaboration with Educate Norfolk, systems leaders are creating a graduated wellbeing resource for heads and systems leaders to signpost to local and national support available, and featuring Norfolk leaders' anecdotal experiences, challenges, and solutions. If you would like to contribute to this resource, please do get in touch.

The Ensuring Effective Transitions task group, building on work from the Norwich Opportunity Area, and aligned with transition work in Local First Inclusion, has created a questionnaire for parents, designed to understand how the education system can better support transition between all phases. Starting with a pilot year 6 and 7 group, the intention is to make this available across the county. They have also created a template for a research report to support strong transition practice, which will also be shared. Potential aspects for research have been identified, linking a number of other themes of work (such as work to support Key Stage 2  outcomes across Norfolk, and school communications).

The task group focusing on Enhancing the self-improving system through a Norfolk Collaborative Standard​has arranged a number of school visits across the county, including primary, secondary and special schools, to highlight and share good practice. A case study proforma has also been developed, designed to be easy to share and compare school improvement and development experiences. This group has representation from both Local Authority maintained schools and Academy Schools, but is always keen to hear from those across the education sector; if you would like to participate, ask a question or provide input, please get in touch.

If you would like to find out more about the task groups, or if you (or someone on your staff) are interested in supporting the education system, please let us know.

As part of the Norfolk Learning Ambition, some of Norfolk's outstanding primary and secondary schools are opening their doors and inviting colleagues to visit them as part of a programme of exceptional practice visits.

Each opportunity to visit is structured to enable colleagues to hear about another school's approach, see it in action and then have an opportunity to reflect, ask questions and have a professional discussion with the host school and other visitors.

If you feel your school has expertise it can share with others or you would like to visit another school with a particular area of strength, please contact victoria.groom@norfolk.co.uk.