A programme to achieve these objectives, based on an audit of existing strengths and weaknesses, is set out in the Redbridge Education Development Plan . Support is offered in a number of ways. For example courses for teachers are organised, advisers contribute to the governors' training programme and a range of publications is produced. Information about how schools and groups of pupils are performing is gathered together. The interpretation of this information assists schools with target-setting and forms an increasingly important part of advisers' quality assurance work.
Advisers meet and talk with both teachers and pupils on their visits to schools.
In that all advisers are Ofsted-trained inspectors, they are often called upon to observe lessons and to identify what standards are being achieved. In additional, one Grant Maintained secondary school will rejoin the LEA in September 1999 and a formerly independent Catholic Girls School will become a Voluntary Aided Girls Comprehensive School in September 1999. Special Needs Provision Redbridge has four schools catering exclusively for pupils with special educational needs. In addition, one Grant Maintained Special school will rejoin the LEA in September 1999. Specialist services for pupils with special educational needs are also provided through the Brookside Unit , the Tuition Service and the Assessment and Observation Unit .