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| Worst schools' teaching shake-up | Worst schools' teaching shake-up |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Wales' worst performing schools and classrooms will be targeted under a shake-up of teaching standards being considered by the assembly government. | Wales' worst performing schools and classrooms will be targeted under a shake-up of teaching standards being considered by the assembly government. |
| "Coasting schools and teachers" would be given particular attention under the draft plan to narrow the gap between the best and worst performing schools. | "Coasting schools and teachers" would be given particular attention under the draft plan to narrow the gap between the best and worst performing schools. |
| Schools would be assigned successful head teachers to improve their performance. | |
| The final plans are due to be published at the end of February. | The final plans are due to be published at the end of February. |
| The draft document entitled "A National School Effectiveness Framework for Wales", first revealed by the education newspaper TES Cymru, outlines how schools, local authorities and the assembly government can work together to improve standards. | The draft document entitled "A National School Effectiveness Framework for Wales", first revealed by the education newspaper TES Cymru, outlines how schools, local authorities and the assembly government can work together to improve standards. |
| The plan observes young people are not given "an equal opportunity to fulfil their potential" . | The plan observes young people are not given "an equal opportunity to fulfil their potential" . |
| It says there is a significant variation in performance between individual schools and individual classrooms. | It says there is a significant variation in performance between individual schools and individual classrooms. |
| The framework, which encourages schools to learn from each other, could see schools getting more control over their teaching in but they could also face more scrutiny of their performance. | The framework, which encourages schools to learn from each other, could see schools getting more control over their teaching in but they could also face more scrutiny of their performance. |
| Local authorities would also be expected to come under increasing pressure to perform. | Local authorities would also be expected to come under increasing pressure to perform. |
| Two schemes | Two schemes |
| The scheme, due to be piloted between May and the end of the year, would involve 48 schools adopting two different approaches. | The scheme, due to be piloted between May and the end of the year, would involve 48 schools adopting two different approaches. |
| In the first a "high achieving" head teacher, called an "associate" would spend 60 days a year working on school effectiveness paid for by the assembly government. | |
| The new role would also involve working with up to 10 head teachers from a "family of schools" on improvement plans. | The new role would also involve working with up to 10 head teachers from a "family of schools" on improvement plans. |
| Under the second arrangement schools and "key professionals" would group together to form a consortium to submit detailed programmes to the assembly government for improvement. | Under the second arrangement schools and "key professionals" would group together to form a consortium to submit detailed programmes to the assembly government for improvement. |
| The document suggests that the expectation is that improvements in schools should start to emerge within a year. | The document suggests that the expectation is that improvements in schools should start to emerge within a year. |
| Dangers | Dangers |
| Teaching unions have welcomed the draft plan, saying they believe that most schools will value sharing knowledge and best practice. | Teaching unions have welcomed the draft plan, saying they believe that most schools will value sharing knowledge and best practice. |
| But Heledd Hayes, NUT Cymru Education Officer, said: "I think with any initiatives there may be dangers. | But Heledd Hayes, NUT Cymru Education Officer, said: "I think with any initiatives there may be dangers. |
| "Some schools may feel they're being named and shamed and it should be made very clear that this isn't the purpose of the document. It is for all of us to learn." | "Some schools may feel they're being named and shamed and it should be made very clear that this isn't the purpose of the document. It is for all of us to learn." |
| However, Professor David Reynolds, Professor of Education of Plymouth University, who was involved in drawing up the early stages of the scheme said it would be "no challenge" for teachers. | However, Professor David Reynolds, Professor of Education of Plymouth University, who was involved in drawing up the early stages of the scheme said it would be "no challenge" for teachers. |
| He said: "I think it is extraordinarily complacent ... in my view our performance here is sufficiently dire to give support to all schools and all Welsh teachers now - rather than complacently mess about." | He said: "I think it is extraordinarily complacent ... in my view our performance here is sufficiently dire to give support to all schools and all Welsh teachers now - rather than complacently mess about." |
| The final plan is expected to be approved in the spring with Education Minister Jane Hutt addressing four regional conferences to explain the details | The final plan is expected to be approved in the spring with Education Minister Jane Hutt addressing four regional conferences to explain the details |
| The draft document, however, stresses the framework is not an entirely new initiative - it is designed to bring together existing programmes of action. | The draft document, however, stresses the framework is not an entirely new initiative - it is designed to bring together existing programmes of action. |