Themes we are offering

Who will deliver the courses?

The courses will all be delivered by members of the Senior Leadership Teams of individual schools who work day to day in the areas to which the courses relate. Details of the SLT teams in each EDGE school who will be involved in the courses can be found here.

There are two types of CPD we offer:

1. One day Conferences
2. Coaching and mentoring to small groups and individuals

ONE DAY CPD CONFERENCES

• Leadership in Special Education
• Partnership working - strength and success from schools working together
• Multi agency working - making it work and reaping the benefits
• Leading change towards success in challenging circumstances - lessons from the front line

CPD small group and individual coaching and mentoring themes in the following areas will be available from Autumn 2009:

1. Senior Management and Leadership

With ten inspiring and successful Heads and their SLT teams within the partnership, this theme this will offer those in SLTs or who aspire to be a member of a SLT a very practical course which includes:

• The issues facing the SLT
• The operations of SLTs
• How to be a successful member of the SLT
• The day to day work of SLT members

2. Headship

The course is designed for current Heads and those who aspire to Headship. It will be a practical opportunity to meet with serving Heads from different schools across the EDGE partnership to discuss the key issues of Headship, and will be tailored to the needs of individual clients. However, it is likely that issues of visioning, priority setting, delegation, personnel management, leadership and management, raising standards and inspiring and delivering effective change will be among those covered.

3. Social cohesion and multi agency approaches

This is an area of increasing Governmental attention and priority, and schools are increasingly seen as the fulcrum for successful community cohesion. This course will be of interest to all teachers who work in areas where there are challenges to social cohesion. It will provide the opportunity to meet and discuss these topics with lead practitioners who are working in developing practical and realistic frameworks to develop cohesion. The course will be tailored to the needs of clients, though such areas as multi agency approaches, engaging with parents, working with businesses, sustainable vocational learning and working with challenging young people will be covered.

4. Schools operating in challenging circumstances

The EDGE includes a number of schools who are working in areas of socio-economic deprivation and disadvantage. Their achievements, approaches and ideas might well be of interest to other schools, both inner and outer city. Some of the schools are also developing expertise in working with the ‘white, working class’ group. This course will aim to create a relationship with participants, offering support and practical advice from those leading and delivering positive change.

5. Curriculum development and issues, including the National Curriculum

The EDGE schools have developed a number of innovative and successful approaches to curriculum design, development and implementation, including QCA recognition of the work on the new National Curriculum. This course is aimed at sharing the expertise with participants.

6. Partnership working

This theme will explore how a partnership can evolved successful in a very practical way...with the coaching and mentoring led by those who have created the Edge Partnership. The Edge Partnership has evolved through its own desire and energy into an effective and innovative partnership of schools, with cross partnership cooperation and common work, as well as a range of effective developments which have impacted positively on the young people within our schools. Our recent evolution of charitable and social enterprise functions and the current development of our own pupil referral unit, show our commitment to continued innovation to benefit our communities.

"The Edge Partnership is an outstanding model of schools working together for the benefit of all students in the community. The Partnership is driving up standards and investing in the development of staff."

Sue Williamson - SSAT

This course will offer participants the opportunity to find out about how the EDGE works together as a partnership, its evolution and its future.

7. On going SLT coaching and mentoring

With ten inspiring and successful Heads and their SLT teams within the partnership, we hope we can offer sustainable and personalised coaching and mentoring service to those either new in post, aspiring to SLT or who would like a new viewpoint and relationship after a number of years in post.

8. Special Schools and education

The Edge Partnership has three highly successful special schools within its membership, and thus the breadth of coaching and mentoring we can offer is considerable, and includes:

• Understanding Autism
• Managing the environment to promote learning
• Behaviour Management - managing very challenging behaviour
• Making positive interventions (PRIME certificated)
• Child Protection
• Work related curriculum
• Multi agency approaches
• Family Support Systems
• Engagement Techniques for disaffected teenagers
• Basis numeracy and literacy within challenging behaviour environments
• Meeting individual learning needs
• Understanding dyspraxia
• Improving Physical Coordination
• Understanding autism
• Managing the environment to promote learning
• Care control and physical intervention
• Language Development

Forest School - encouraging and inspiring children and young people through positive experiences and participation in engaging, motivating and achievable tasks and activities in a woodland environment

Supporting the development of fine motor skills.

• Understanding the principles, developing strategies and resources to support teaching and learning.

Including children and young people with physical disabilities in a mainstream setting

• Understanding disability
• Promoting inclusion and participation
• Planning for progress and achievement.

Using a sensory based approach to lesson planning

• The aim of the support offered in this area would be to share the good practice and highlight how to plan a range of activities to develop a curriculum that is exciting relevant to young people with complex difficulties. There will be opportunities to see how specialist arts status has enhanced curriculum and learning opportunities.

Children Handling and Risk assessment training

• The Edge Partnership has considerable capacity and expertise in staff who are trained and qualified to lead courses on manual handling and risk assessment. Hence trainers are practitioners who are involved in the issues of moving and handling children on a daily basis.
• Sessions are planned to provide information about legislation, knowledge of the spine, basic bio-mechanics and problem solving techniques for manual handling routines
• Attendance will provide participants with good advice on moving and handling of children ensuring moves are as safe as possible for both staff and children.
• Attendance will enable schools and organisations to meet statutory health and safety requirements

9. Turning around failing schools

There are few more daunting tasks in education as successfully and positively turning around a failing school, and it is a challenge of which the Edge Partnership has first hand experience and is able to share.

Teaching and Learning are at the core of any school. Participants joining this theme will have the opportunity to discuss at length with SLT members the different models and approaches of leadership which have brought about high standards of teaching and learning across the curriculum through a whole school approach. The Edge Partnership of Schools has developed a teaching and learning framework across all its schools, and this will be included in the coaching and mentoring we offer. This course will be particularly relevant to senior managers leading teaching and learning in a school.