The Norfolk Learning Collaborative

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.