Striving for excellence Part of the HOME ABOUT OUR SCHOOLS CAREERS LEARNING & TEACHING CONTACT USEFUL LINKS OUR STORY SO FAR… Since the Xavier Catholic Education Trust was founded in 2016, everyone has worked hard to achieve the plans laid out and agreed by the the Directors, the Headteachers and the Chairs of Governors. We are not sitting on our laurels and the journey is set to continue which you can read about in this section. Importantly there is the matter of expansion to include all Surrey Catholic schools and to set schools’ expectations to become centres of excellence. Keep reading as follows: Our Mission Our Aims Our organisation chart Summary of achievements to date Our plans for the future Our self-evaluation Our Mission Our mission is to provide an outstanding Catholic education for all the children in our schools. We will follow the example and teachings of Christ and everything we do will be inspired by Gospel values. We will strive for excellence in all areas of our work and cherish every child in our care. Our Aims We will love every child and provide them with an education that is enjoyable, challenging, inspiring and well rounded. We will celebrate, develop and enhance the Catholic life of our schools and ensure our distinctive Catholic ethos underpins all our work. We will work closely together and support each other as we drive towards excellence in all aspects of our children’s education. We will share expertise, best practice and resources to ensure value for money. We will achieve economies of scale through commissioning of services and purchasing of resources. We will streamline services and provide them centrally and more cost-effectively. We will work together to find, develop and retain teachers, support staff and leaders. We will support and challenge our schools to ensure that every child is taught well throughout his/her school life. We will fulfil our mission in serving the poor and vulnerable. We will involve all our stakeholders in the life of our schools and enjoy good relationships with Parents, Parishes and our wider community We will treat everyone with dignity and respect and ensure everything we do is based on the values of the Gospel. Organisation Chart of Central Services plans for 2019 Xavier Catholic Education Trust … the journey so far Standards All schools using common Assessment system and data tracking system Termly data collection across MAT Teaching and learning audits of all schools to identify priorities Support package for all teachers who need to improve, bespoke training for individual schools and coaching for individuals needing support Joint training days Common lesson plans developed for all schools for Maths and SPAG Common reading programme across MAT Visits to centres of excellence Year groups working together with reps from each school Maths, literacy groups working together with reps from each school Teaching and learning website Learning and teaching group working together Joint moderation Teaching and learning development plan Support provided for school in difficulties Joint leadership programme for all levels Phone App formulated and used in secondary schools to analyse quality of teaching Joint Learning group sessions in secondary schools Open lessons in all schools to share best practice New CPD programmes offered, eg, Deputy Head Development Finance All the schools provide accurate and timely reports on a quarterly basis Successful implementation of a new budgeting system allowing schools to effectively plan, create and modify their budgets at all times Strong internal controls across the accounting function New schools integrated into the Trust quickly and efficiently with full support provided centrally throughout the process Business Managers part of an integrated and supportive team which meet on a half termly basis Clean audit Central procurement in process for all main services Central Services provided Human resources Education Psychologist SEN support Web development Network management for schools who require it Teaching and learning support Data tracking system and Assessment system Leadership training Bid writing 24/7 phone support Central procurement for buildings and services Statutory compliance support Financial support Recruitment support Headteacher appraisal Free courses and training Support for other MATs Buildings Building Condition Surveys are completed for all schools 10-year plan for works and capital expenditure have been developed All high priority condition, and Health and Safety work completed. Phase two of condition work started. All procurement done centrally Project feasibility studies have been completed for mid-term projects Mid-term (1-3 years) projects identified Schools audited annually to ensure statutory compliance and paperwork in place. All premises-staff trained on Health and Safety Specialist contractors have been employed to assist the schools with statutory maintenance and inspections, eg, heating, fire alarms and security. 24/7 telephone support provided for emergencies Catholic Ethos Aspiring Catholic Headteachers course Joint Liturgies Proactive recruitment of Catholic teachers Audit of chaplaincy support Free support for Catholic schools in difficulty Xavier Mass Expansion Mandate to expand Xavier CET to include all Surrey Catholic Schools Central resources expansion plan to meet growth needs Set expectations that all MAT schools are contributors/ centres of excellence as well as beneficiaries Targeted expansion programme to ensure stability and maintenance of present services The Future. It’s September … Staffing All our schools are fully staffed CPD is centrally co-ordinated and joint INSET days are held annually Plans are in place to become a primary SCITT There is a consistent programme of work for all Local Governing Committees There is a succession plan in place for Headteachers We provide training for Local Governing Committees There is a proactive system of recruitment for all our schools We provide a Xavier performance management system for all staff We have identified a deputy CEO There is a training programme and CPD opportunities for every member of staff who works for us Standards All schools are at least good in Ofsted terms and in Section 48 and aiming for outstanding Achievement and progress meet the criteria for good/outstanding in all schools There is a seamless system of transfer and access to data across the MAT All progress measures are above zero in every school Schools all work together to share expertise to raise standards. There is outstanding pastoral care in all our schools There are no ‘inadequate’ teachers in any of our schools A bespoke plan is in place for all teachers requiring improvement Buildings The high priority work identified by the condition survey has been completed There is a 5 year condition plan in place for the MAT There is a regular maintenance programme in place that is organise centrally There is a strategic property plan in place in conjunction with the Diocese We have a pool of preferred suppliers and contractors All our schools are audited and compliant with legislation We have consistent Health and Safety practice across our schools We constantly look for opportunities to use our buildings as a source of revenue Centralised Services There are a common set of policies across all schools All schools are supported in budget development There is a central procurement for as many services as possible, eg, IT, Audit, risk assessment, statutory testing We will have a robust central procurement strategy As many services as possible are organised centrally Data is collected and monitored centrally with all schools using the same system School to school support is co-ordinated centrally Heads’ performance management is carried out by the CEO in conjunction with Governors Finance We have sound reserves All schools are able to set and keep to budget There is a 3 year financial plan for the MAT No school is in deficit There is a costed development plan for all schools We run school finances centrally for the majority of schools There are transparent financial processes in which the Heads and Governors have confidence We achieve a clean audit There are identifiable economies of scale through central purchasing All schools have an in-year balance Heads’ and Governors’ feedback indicates that the central services provide value for money We have a robust overview of all schools and act early to prevent any school having financial difficulties We work with other similar MATs to share expertise and benchmark We provide benchmarking information for all our schools to support their financial planning We have invested in facilities to provide wrap around care in all our schools We have found ways to generate income Finance is run centrally for all schools who request it Catholic Ethos All our schools are full All our schools are good or outstanding in Section 48 We have applied for funding successfully and run the Catholic Leaders course each year We will have good links with our Parishes, Diocese and local community We will provide training opportunities that support the Catholic life of the school We identify and develop Catholic leaders and Governors so that each school can maintain a vibrant Catholic life We proactively find and recruit Catholic teachers and leaders Feedback from our stakeholders supports the work we are doing as Catholic schools External Relations We have positive relationships with DABCEC, the Trustees, the LA, the local community and the Parishes and other Deanery schools We have applied for all bids available to support other schools, and our own We have permanent Directors who have the full skill sets needed We have procured a range of goods and services We have found ways to generate income We have supported schools in difficulty We have used our expertise to help other MATs We have a communication strategy Expansion We have a wide range of schools joining the MAT each year in order to maintain stability We have carried out full Due Diligence on each school hoping to join the MAT We have reviewed the MAT structure/ Steering Group membership in line with MAT growth An additional Director has been appointed for 2019/20 We have grown by a maximum of 4 schools per year We have a robust integration plan to ensure ongoing stability of the MAT Our growth strategy ensures financial stability of the future of the MAT Xavier Self Review Beginning – this early stage is an indicator that the Trust is new and that whilst the characteristic has been identified as being important, the progress within the characteristic is embryonic and developmental. Trust activity is focused on oversight and structures as the culture and ethos is established in the schools. Developing – this moves beyond the embryonic and it is clear that the Trust has started to drive improvement and strategy to embed stronger and better practice in the schools to sustain their improvement over time. Key improvements are being shared across the Trust. Embedding – this moves to a more concise model of Trust influence where some of the systems and structures that the Trust wants to embed, are now in place and making a difference. Staff work together through Trust co-ordinated work and independent collaborative groups that staff set up themselves. MAT Characteristic Beginning Developing Embedding Leadingn OVERALL PERFORMANCE SELF ASSESSMENT There is clear evidence that the outcomes for young people who are educated within the MAT are exceeding previous performance and National expectations The Trust outcomes for young people in terms of the progress they are making from KS1 to 2 or KS2 to 4 are not yet at national averages in more than half of the academies in the Trust. The Trust outcomes for young people in terms of the progress they are making from KS1 to 2 or KS2 to 4 are in line with national averages in more than half of the academies in the Trust. The Trust outcomes for young people in terms of the progress they are making from KS1 to 2 or KS2 to 4 are above national averages in more than half of the academies in the Trust. The Trust outcomes for young people in terms of the progress they are making from KS1 to 2 or KS2 to 4 are significantly above national averages in all of the academies in the Trust. Step 2 - there is a clear accountability framework for the performance of the Trust that all staff understand, including what happens when key staff under-perform Accountability is linked to line management at academy level and does not rise through the Trust effectively. Local Governing Bodies may hold the Principal(s) to account but the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Trust Board are not directly involved. The CEO is not fully held to account. Performance Management is embryonic at Trust level. The CEO holds the Principals to account and is held to account by the Board for the performance of the Trust. The CEO is accountable for standards in the academies. Performance Management of the CEO is emerging as a strength. The Chair of Board and the CEO hold the Principals and the chairs of academy boards to account. There is a collective responsibility for standards across the Trust. Performance across the academies is not as strong as it is at senior level where it is excellent There is a clear path of accountability that enables discussions to take place from the Trust Board Chair to the CEO, the Trust Board Chair to Chair(s) of any local governing bodies, the CEO to Principals and Principals to their team members that improves standards. Performance Management is excellent Trust-wide Step 3 - there are clear quality assurance systems in place to improve consistency and performance The Trust has started to explore the elements of common practice that it believes will lead to greater consistency across the Trust. Examples include shared CPD and agreed data collection points and common educational policies across the Trust. The Trust has moved towards a stronger commitment to shared approaches that are improving practice. Shared CPD & data collection points are extended by peer reviews with frequent inclusion of external challenge. The Trust has ensured that there is a pattern of consistent practice that is now recognised as more efficient than each academy working independently. Academies are suggesting new areas of common working practice of their own for the Trust. The Trust has a common understanding of what outstanding performance is. All of the chief operating systems are consistently applied by the academies who welcome this level of effective practice development Step 4 - there is a clear delegated framework for governance at Trust Board and local governing body level that makes the responsibilities of both the Board and any LGBs explicit Members and directors understand their role but the overall governance structure lacks clarity, and information flow from academy level to Board is restricted as a result. The Trust may be considering an LGB structure but this is not yet in place. All decisions for all schools are taken at Board level. There is a MAT Board where the distinction between the role of members and directors is clear and understood by all staff. A skills audit enables the Board to recruit skilled professionals capable of fulfilling their roles. There is clarity in terms of the roles of both Boards but the structure is at an early stage of development. The values of the organisation are driven by the uniqueness of the schools not the Trust. The MAT Board is a strength of the organisation and has been developed over time following review into a stronger unit that reflects the scale and development of the Trust. The delegated authority is clear and both Boards understand their responsibilities. The MAT Board protects and extends the values of the organisation. The board has a clear plan for delegated authority and regularly checks that it is fit for purpose. Local governing bodies are effective at quality assuring standards at their school and the CEO and central team are subject to the same scrutiny. The Trust is successful as a result of the school's performance and the schools are good because of the Trust. There is top-down and bottom-up accountability Step 5 - there is a Trust-wide school improvement strategy that recognises the different interventions needed at different stages of the improvement journey that a school undertakes. There is an embryonic Trust wide school improvement strategy that is focused on performance improvement in schools in significant difficulties. The Trust may have embedded effective attendance, behaviour and performance tracking systems for example to rapidly improve the schools in the early years of membership The Trust has a school improvement strategy that is becoming embedded and has progressed beyond the day to day core improvement needs. Systems to track data, the collection of regular KPI and a stronger performance management system are sustaining improvement in the schools. The school improvement strategy is sustaining improved performance, and standards are rising and improvement is rapid. The self-evaluation of the academies is maturing so that they have greater ownership of their own requirements and make more bespoke support demands of the Trust. The Trust has improved the majority of its schools to the point at which those that were once weak now have capacity and strength to support new schools joining the MAT or schools beyond the Trust. They can also peer review with confidence other schools in the Trust.MAT leaders can articulate their school improvement repertoire Step 6 - there is a systematic programme of school to school support that is focused on the need of individual academies The Trust is starting to develop a school to school support strategy. Support is delivered by talented teachers and leaders in their own schools and is framed around core improvement themes and the skills of the staff. The Trust ensures that more teachers and leaders are making a contribution to school to school support beyond their own schools. The practice is good but needs to be more impact driven classroom support. The Trust's school improvement strategy balances the generic needs of the schools with the facilitation of smaller learning communities of teaching leaders who develop coaching groups with colleagues needing help. The Trust's school improvement strategy is built around an emerging pool of talented teachers and leaders who know the impact of their work and can name it and describe it Step 6 - there is a systematic programme of school to school support that is focused on the need of individual academies The Trust is starting to develop a school to school support strategy. Support is delivered by talented teachers and leaders in their own schools and is framed around core improvement themes and the skills of the staff. The Trust ensures that more teachers and leaders are making a contribution to school to school support beyond their own schools. The practice is good but needs to be more impact driven classroom support. The Trust's school improvement strategy balances the generic needs of the schools with the facilitation of smaller learning communities of teaching leaders who develop coaching groups with colleagues needing help. The Trust's school improvement strategy is built around an emerging pool of talented teachers and leaders who know the impact of their work and can name it and describe it Step 7 - there is evidence of skilled management of Trust Risk indicators There is a contingency and business continuity plan in place but there is little evidence that risk management is structured in the Trust. Risks are managed on an individual basis and whilst successfully mitigated, do not enable the Board to prevent them re-occurring. The Trust has a risk register in place and it is used to monitor risks that the Trust has identified as possible threats to the organisation. There is some but as yet unstructured relationships between the Trust Risk Plan and those in the academies. The Board risk register is used to drive all improvement priorities and is the framework for agenda setting across the Trust. Each academy has its own Register which indicates the risks that are linked to their academy as well as the ways in which board risks are mitigated. The Board risk is managed well and there is a clear relationship between risk and mitigation. The board has a structure in place that ensures that not only current risks are managed well but that there is a 3-5 year risk anticipation plan in place that is under regular review Step 8 - there is a clear succession plan for the key posts within the MAT - (CEO, Director of Finance, HR, Chair of Board, members and directors, Principals and Vice Principals) The Trust knows there are posts in the organisation that require a succession plan. It has not yet grown enough capacity from within the organisation to address this. The Trust would rely on external recruitment or some internal secondments to resolve succession issues The Trust has a talent management programme that supports and develops talented teachers and leaders and equips them to work effectively across the Trust in different academies and roles. These blend CPD opportunities with wider leadership experience. The Trust has a talent management plan for emerging and senior leaders in the organisation that means the Trust can deploy its most talented staff to work in more than one school on secondments or permanent transfers, creating career development and succession solutions. The Trust has a talent management plan that has matured and now includes staff at all levels across the Trust. Senior leaders have worked in more than one Trust academy and middle leaders and the best teachers are deployed across the Trust to sustain and deepen impact. Step 9 - there is a Trust wide commitment to making a contribution to local, regional and national educational networks beyond the MAT The academies in the Trust continue to participate in local and national networks but these are the continuation of previous practice and there is little evidence that these relationships contribute to Trust improvement or support for other academies The Trust has developed partnerships with external groups beyond those that the academies have sustained. These partnerships enable the Trust to be better connected to regional and national networks that benefit children and staff The Trust and the academies play a key role in wider system leadership through membership of Teaching School Alliances, supporting other schools, leading and participating in local partnerships and sharing expertise widely. The Trust learns from and contributes to the practice of other MATs in their region The Trust has a Teaching School Alliance, NLE, NLG and SLE who provide support across the Trust but also to schools beyond the Trust. The Trust is a key part of the regional system leadership capacity to improve standards for all and works to support and challenges new and experienced MATs Xavier Catholic Education Trust