SIA School Improvement Associates The Broadway Academy
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SIA School Improvement Associates Advisory Services
SIA School Improvement Associates
The Broadway Academy
Independent external study of the academy’s response to the
national public health emergency of 2020
Undertaken across the week of 1st-5th June 2020
David Turner
Summer Term 2020
Special note. SIA Ltd does not act as a representative of any State inspectorate or regulatory body. SIA Ltd cannot
guarantee the result of any regulatory visit or school inspection. In truth, no public or private provider of
educational advisory services can provide one. However, our advisory team will offer reasonable advice and guidance
to all clients, commensurate with their experience as teachers, governors, leaders, trainers, advisers, and
inspectors.
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The purpose of the work
This work was undertaken to assist senior leaders in their evaluative assessment of the academy’s
response to the national public health emergency of 2020.
The SIA teams
David Turner has significant experience as an adviser, leader, teacher, CPD provider and
inspector. When working with your school, he is a private adviser and represents no regulatory
body.
The spirit in which the work was undertaken
The SIA adviser was totally open with the school. The school is regarded as a client. The ethos
for working with our client is always supportive while never avoiding the sharing of information
which can help the school improve.
The areas considered
1. How the school assessed risk, liaised with external authorities and local community, then
organised its closure during the declaration of a state of emergency in early Spring 2020
2. Leadership strategy and operations during closure and how school routines were maintained
3. How the school continued to look after pupils, including those who were considered
vulnerable
4. How the school continued to offer an educational curriculum to its pupils
5. The school and the local community during the closure
The methods and conditions
SIA School Improvement Associates set the agenda for work and formulated the lines of
inquiry independently and staff were not provided with any advanced notice of the questions
posed
Scrutiny of documentation and statistical information about the national emergency,
Birmingham city and the academy
Meetings with senior and other leaders by face to face virtual meetings
Taking account of information provided by different stakeholders
Scrutiny of information published by the school in the public domain
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1. Context and summary findings
i. Context
Across Spring and Summer 2020, and in the face of the most serious global pandemic in a century,
over 4.5 billion human beings entered restrictive living conditions. Commonly referred to as ‘The
Lockdown’, whole sectors of national and global activity came to an end as governments sought
to reduce or break the transmission chain of a deadly disease called Covid-19. Routine global
activities stopped. Millions of people became infected and hundreds of thousands died. At the
time of writing this report, the disease still rages across many lands and in the absence of a
vaccine, there is concern about its future management and control.
In keeping with most sectors of the economy and national life, schools in the United Kingdom
were instructed to close across the week of 16-20th March 2020. The decision to restrict personal
freedoms and economic, cultural, and educational activities was one of the most profound in
British history. It surpassed many measures taken in war time and was comparable to measures
adopted hundreds of years ago in the face of great plagues and epidemics.
In the United Kingdom, millions of children and young people were required to stay away from
school settings for an indefinite period. The most vulnerable and those whose parents were
essential workers were offered differing levels of direct support.
ii. The quality of the Broadway Academy’s work during the Pandemic
The response of academy leaders and staff to the national emergency has been extremely
successful. Our work leads us to conclude that leaders directed a highly effective emergency
strategy which controlled the situation and averted a crisis. The Broadway was not overwhelmed.
In fact, its capacity for great work rapidly expanded during the time of the Pandemic. Under
great leadership and direction, the Broadway was a ‘Highly Reliable Organisation’ (henceforth
HRO). All staff were directed to focus on the four most important priorities of the emergency.
Children’s safeguarding
Children’s welfare
Children’s learning
Community. Excellent use of community intelligence to help the community.
The strategy was characterised by a strong sense of reality, situational awareness, priority,
expert timing, the involvement of every member of the academy staff team and impressive
capacity building. At all times, the entire effort was expertly coordinated, and people had their
eyes and activity continually focused on the four priorities.
The results have been commendable. The academy accomplished an efficient, well-ordered
shut down in the week of 16th-20th March 2020. Broadway then became an advanced, remote
working organisation, finely tuned to respond to the needs of its community. Leaders quickly
marshalled the organisation’s capacity, to maximise quality provision.
Leaders acted calmly and with foresight. They directed all activities to address the priorities.
All staff thoroughly understood what they were expected to do. They did it gladly and went well
beyond what was asked or required. Leadership was shared and developed across the organisation
and at different layers. Communication between leaders and staff was efficient and finely tuned.
At all times, staff were constantly aware of their core priorities.
All priorities were achieved, and the academy leaders, staff and governors should celebrate.
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2. Background to this evaluative study – Global Pandemic 2020
i.The global pandemic of 2020 AD
A lethal, highly contagious disease was identified in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. Epidemiologists
gave it the name Covid-19. Since then, the viral pathogen which causes the disease has travelled
around the world. It has not yet run its course. At this time of writing, there is no effective
vaccine, nor a global, standardised, medically approved drug regime to counter it. At one point
in Spring 2020, over 4.5 billion human beings had agreed to stay in their homes indefinitely to
break the transmission chain. Where testing regimes have been active, it has been determined
that at least 6 million people have been infected and several hundred thousand have died.
In the current wave of this pandemic, the disease is particularly deadly among older people,
males, certain ethnic minority groups and people with underlying health conditions. So far, while
it is gaining ground in European Asia and Latin America, the disease has been particularly deadly
in Europe and North America. Within this broader picture, the United Kingdom and the United
States have seen significant cases and deaths.
Following several months of enforced economic and personal lock downs, many countries are
currently striving to reopen their different sectors of activity. The impact of the pandemic is
colossal in both human lives and economic costs. It will be felt for years.
ii.The impact of the pandemic of 2020 AD on the United Kingdom
It is commonly accepted that the Corona virus
arrived in the UK at some point in January
2020, having originated in the People’s
Republic of China during Winter 2019.
Based on the UK’s national test regime
and detection arrangements, there have
been 272,826 cases found in the
UK. Of these cases, at least 38,376 people
have died and other sources indicate
estimates of between 38,376 and 46,000,
depending on recording methods. The numbers
of actual cases are agreed as being higher, while
the government’s leading scientific advisors
agree that around 50,000-60,000 people are
still becoming infected every week. Older
people, males, some ethnic minorities
and people with underlying health
conditions have suffered the most serious
cases or been those most likely to die.
The impact of this pandemic is the most
potent in 100 years. While current global
deaths are far smaller than the Spanish Map source - Known Corona cases per
Influenza of 1918-1921, the 2020 pathogen 10,000 people in the UK
is highly contagious. With no effective vaccine
or established drug treatments, the disease
Covid 19 remains a formidable opponent.
In mid-March 2020, the UK government signalled emergency regulations to try and control the
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transmission of the disease across the country. Most sectors of the UK economy were closed. On
20th March 2020, all schools closed indefinitely.
It is commonly agreed that the economic impact of this pandemic will be felt for decades. This
follows the most profound peacetime shutdown in the history of the British economy, massive
government borrowing, and the emergency measures required to prevent a total economic
collapse.
The education sector has been especially affected. There has been no regular onsite teaching for
several million children and young people since late March 2020. Across the country, schools have
offered scaled down onsite support, care, and tuition to a tiny fraction of their normal
complement of children. At the same time, the education sector has sought to educate pupils
from home, care for them and support them in many other ways.
At this point in the first days of May 2020, the government is seeking to reopen the different
economic sectors and schools. There is a wide range of opinion about this move. While it is clearly
desirable, there remain evidence-based concerns about the potential risks for transmission of
the disease. These are amplified because track and trace control measures, and high-volume
testing, are not yet fully established. There are also concerns about to what extent children can
carry the disease and transmit it to adults within school or transmit it back in their homes to
adults there. This is especially so for children who reside in multi-generational households.
iii. The implications for Birmingham, in the light of the global pandemic
The infection and death rate for the city were profoundly serious for its people and presented an
important caseload across the region. As of the weekend of 30th-31st May 2020, there were at least
3,268 cases of Covid 19 in Britain’s second city. This represented a full fifth of the West Midlands’
regional case load (almost 17,000). At least 1,000 local people had died of the disease by 19th May
2020.
By 30th May 2020, Birmingham had more than 27 people infected per 10,000 people (see previous
Map) with an indexed infection rate above 270 (high but not as high as some core centres of the
North East of the UK where the rate remains in the range of 300-350).
The city’s population profile and potential implications during the pandemic
The population of the city is around 1,141,000 people according to the 2018 census.
The population is different to the ‘standard’ UK demographic profile. This is a ‘younger’ city
where one fifth of inhabitants are children and almost two thirds are of working age. The ‘elderly’
is a smaller proportion of the population than the ‘standard’ picture across the UK and certainly
smaller than other core urban centres in other regions.
In terms of ethnicity, Birmingham is around 53% White (2011 census), with a truly diverse range
of other ethnic groups. The largest minority groups are South Asian, African, Afro-Caribbean,
Mixed Race and East African.
While Covid 19 is generally more serious for the elderly, males and those with underlying health
problems, Birmingham has many people from Black and Asian heritage. National case loads clearly
show that over one third of Covid 19 deaths have come from these ethnic groups.
One tenth of UK Afro-Caribbean citizens and one quarter of UK West Africans carry Sickle Cell
trait, a lesser but by no means benign form of the full Sickle Cell anaemia condition. This condition
can have profound effects on the immune system and carries the risk of cardio-vascular,
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pulmonary, respiratory, renal, pancreatic, and other chronic diseases in later middle age. All
these conditions can contribute to poor or fatal outcomes in Covid 19.
In several the city’s communities, it is more commonplace for people to live in multi-generational
households. This, together with above average communal contact (including religious worship)
and shared activities presents further opportunities for viral transmission.
The school age population of Birmingham and implications for the Pandemic of 2020 AD
There are around 325,000 children and young people aged 0-19 in the city. For those of school
age, there are almost 500 State schools, 79 of which are secondary providers. 48 of the secondary
sector State schools are academies. In addition, there is an important, long-established
independent education sector within the city. This large proportion of young people and the
number of educational sites represent significant, potential vectors for disease transmission if
conditions were wrong.
Safeguarding and oversight of vulnerable children presents a challenge to the authorities when
children are not inside school. Within the 0-19 age group, c.2,000 are in the care of the local
authority. 1,319 have a child protection plan and around 3,000 are working with Family Support.
658 disabled children receive specialist social care.
Some issues relating to safeguarding include well-understood challenges for children and young
people and are found in any area of the UK. There are also safeguarding challenges which are
more specific to Birmingham and its diverse communities. These are a matter of public record.
There are almost 36,000 children and young people with a record of Special Educational Need.
Almost 19,000 have no specific assessment resulting in a defined need. 7,700 have moderate
learning difficulty, 4,500 have speech and language needs and 2,000 have social, emotional, and
mental health difficulties. Around 7,000 of these 36,000 children have a statement or EHCP.
61,000 children of school age receive free school meals. This represents around one quarter of
the school population. Almost 28% of the school age children reside in a low-income household
and there are many households with multi-generational occupants.
Conclusions
From many different angles, the global pandemic and UK national emergency of 2020 AD
presented significant challenges to many schools within the city of Birmingham and the wider
sectors of activity. These included safeguarding, SEND, social care, outreach to low income PP
households and school cooperation with the LA, police, and other agencies. These basics were
fundamental, alongside the massive question of home education and resourcing it. Schools would
be required to operate in exceedingly difficult circumstances.
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3.The response of Broadway Academy leadership and staff, to the Pandemic
3.1 HRO – The Broadway as a ‘Highly Reliable Organisation’
Leaders made sure the academy was a Highly Reliable Organisation. They planned their mission
and were consistently successful. Here in the UK, good examples of HROs are air traffic control,
water, electricity and gas supplies, nuclear power stations, NHS intensive care wings, armed
forces Gold command structures and our food supply chains. They do not fail. They cannot fail.
Their missions are too important. During the Pandemic, none of these HROs failed in the UK.
We have identified that the Broadway leadership created a Pandemic strategy with characteristic
HRO features
Leaders’ strong situational awareness of local, national and global indicators
In a national emergency, leaders calmly determined what they could control to avert a
crisis. They then planned for it.
The strategy had four limited, essential goals – safeguarding, care, curriculum & community
‘Many knowing eyes and hands working well on the problem.’ All staff understood the goals
and knew what they had to do
Communication methods and organisation were excellent for different scales and purpose
including full, 100 staff virtual meetings
Oversight and shared intelligence were highly developed
Timing was excellent. The order of tasks was rational and supported the strategy
From the beginning, there was smart use and growth of capacity – CAPACITY NEVER
DICTATED STRATEGY OR LIMITED ACTIONS.
As well as exerting control with smart priorities, leaders maintained key, long term projects
because crisis was averted and the school was not overwhelmed.
As a result of the above, leaders had ensured The Broadway Academy was very well placed to
meet its goals and avert a crisis.
3.2 Specific examples of how the strategy worked
We have characterised the academy’s response as a remarkably successful example of an HRO.
First, leaders carefully drew on their enormously powerful knowledge and understanding of
local needs, in the face of national and global developments. The community is densely
populated, with many multigenerational households and below average incomes. Almost two
thirds of the children are on free school meals. Collectively, there are at least 100 children who
are on the ‘watch list’ of different concerns, including CP, CIN, early help and non-formal
examples. Then there is the SEND register. Leaders also knew that in some households, remote
communication and presence is restricted. All these factors were carefully considered as the
prospect of lock down began to loom.
In the weeks before the lockdown, the headteacher and senior team calmly assessed the
potential national and local factors which were emerging. And acted well. They spoke with
external agencies. They determined what was within their control and what the academy could
do very well, if a shut down occurred. Therefore, they determined the four, limited but critical
goals set out earlier.
All work was undertaken in a well-timed sequence that supported the strategy. Leaders used
remaining time to calmly brief the different leadership groups and wider staff about the priorities
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and to start them thinking about roles. This happened in advance of the week of the 16 th March
2020. Therefore, the people of the organisation were psychologically prepared as a team with the
time to digest what was likely to happen.
When the shut down was announced, leaders and staff avoided chaos. They focused on their
key goals and did not overload the organisation and staff with pointless work. Instead they
ensured.
i. School closed a day early for all children who were not on the vulnerable or SEND list. This
was safe and allowed many staff additional time for preparation.
ii. Vulnerable children, FSM pupils, SEND and others attended school, often with families, to
receive important equipment, resources, and direct support with remote working access
such as tech support to access the school platforms and emails.
The above allowed the neediest children and those requiring protection to be thoroughly prepared
for remote working with parental involvement.
Once the most vulnerable were looked after, the leaders ran the following logical sequence
of work to ensure the academy had the CAPACITY for remote working.
i. The organisation of ‘many eyes and hands on the job’ was now possible
ii. The use of time prior to the closure had already identified the priorities
iii. The remaining final two days of onsite work were used very wisely.
- CAPACITY - All staff were given close, supportive training to help them work and
communicate remotely using the school’s preferred platforms. These included FROG, My
Concern, Email accounts etc
- CAPACITY - Communication protocols and schedules were successfully established
including Zoom and these have proven to be extremely successful.
- CAPACITY – the OVERSIGHT of children was exceptionally well organised with powerful
arrangements for information sharing, reporting and action. Every member of staff knew
what to do.
- CAPACITY – the academy’s communication strategy was expanded so that it was possible
to call every child’s home, a minimum of once per week and in some cases daily.
- CAPACITY – a centralised information MATRIX was established with critical indicators, so
that all responsibility holders could instantaneously know about every child’s location,
welfare, care, work completion and important information of common concern.
- CAPACITY – home visits were established when and if required.
- CAPACITY – it was possible for families to be assisted with food requirements
- CAPACITY – curriculum teams had the space and time to quickly develop secure home
learning offers from remote means and by paper-based means
Conclusions
In the face of an alarming global and national emergency, the academy’s strategy was quite
expert. The strategy was designed to avert crisis, protect children, and help them. Capacity did
not limit action, because leaders built the capacity to support action.
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4. The Impact of the academy’s strategy
4.1 Safeguarding
The academy responded to the pandemic and lockdown with characteristic strength and tenacity.
The work of leaders was decisive, well-focused and successful. They drew on their local
intelligence to drive their work. They marshalled the resources of the staff teams. They expanded
the capacity of the safeguarding systems. Consequently, the academy’s safeguarding work
maintained its characteristic strength. Leaders worked in concert with other agencies,
particularly the police and local authority. As a result, the academy’s reach into the community
it served was particularly strong. There is much evidence that demonstrates the children and
families have appreciated this quality of contact.
As the school went into indefinite lockdown, leaders set a basic care threshold for every pupil in
terms of welfare, safeguarding and home learning. About official census, there were 3 children
under child protection orders and 7 regarded as a child in need. 10 children were in a form of
Educational Health and Care Plan and 80 were on the ‘radar’ for having one or more
vulnerabilities. In response to these challenges, leaders set out very thorough, layered
arrangements which brought together Child Protection staff, welfare staff, heads of house and
senior leaders.
On the day before lockdown, some of the most vulnerable children and families in the school were
given a briefing on contact protocols and many were provided with suitable communication and
IT equipment. This was a far sighted, well-conceived step.
Links with the local authorities were strengthened in the light of the extraordinary community
conditions.
Leaders adopted a highly reliable doctrine of ‘Many Eyes with Oversight’, supported by precision
activity and systematic approaches to coordinating these eyes. An efficient division of
safeguarding labour was established, supported by a weekly and fortnightly pattern of meetings.
The critical forums were panel and advisory board. DSLs were assigned to each year group and
the SENDCO or suitably experienced staff were assigned to each EHCP pupil. Their liaison with
local authority officers for SEND took place on a weekly basis to ensure close support and
oversight. The large group of vulnerable pupils were overseen by heads of house, year, or SSTs.
The precision of this work fed into regular, layered meetings between different groups of staff
and leaders who were able to take decisive, clear action on a regular basis when intelligence was
assessed. There was thorough, systematic oversight of My Concern and Log Sheets. The same
quality of work was seen in oversight of engagement records for work.
The academy kept in close contact with children, families, and the wider community. Where
direct contact with a home proved difficult, leaders used their well-honed oversight of
neighbourhoods to use contacts of influence. The school did not hesitate to resort to direct,
socially distanced home visits. In a minority of cases, leaders resorted to the police and secured
contact.
In some instances, leaders have found the police more responses than the local authority.
Within a short period of time, and staff made over 1,000 safeguarding phone calls to homes
between 20th March to 30th May and this demonstrates the command, control and capacity
developed by leaders as part of their very strong response to the emergency. This included the
expansion in direct phone lines for the community to reciprocate and call staff.
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Reports by senior staff clearly demonstrate that the children and their families in receipt of the
most contact were incredibly pleased and thankful for the academy’s work and attention at this
testing time.
Conclusion
The academy’s safeguarding responses were highly effective. They were systematic, child-
centred, and not restricted. Priorities were crystal clear and well understood by every
stakeholder. Capacity was expanded to meet those priorities and the reach of the academy into
its community was extraordinarily strong.
4.2 Welfare, pastoral and behaviour work
As the academy went into shutdown, leaders accurately identified approximately 100 children
with some form of vulnerability and need for close attention. Largescale capacity for outreach
and care work was established. Central recording, management and use of information were fully
established. Team effort and attitudes were excellent. Staff frequently did more than they were
asked to do. The reach out to children and families was extensive, which was critical because of
the contexts in which many children live and higher levels of risk and lower incomes.
Prior to the lockdown, the neediest families and children were invited to receive any available
electronic equipment to be able to work and learn remotely.
To ensure a strong reach into the community, the academy rapidly developed the capacity to
make a minimum of 1,200 phone calls home per week or c.1 per child. Pastoral leaders have
provided compelling evidence about this. There was a massive team effort and many staff played
their part in making home calls. Some children received a minimum of three keeping in touch
checks per week. Others were contacted daily.
Central records were completed accurately and promptly by all staff. These records were brilliant
in design. They provide seniors with a comprehensive view of the entire school roll while allowing
simultaneous focus on any child, should red flags be raised about them. There was a priority group
of children who received closer attention than others. Lack of reply to contacts, family
income/work, food risks, IT access, completion of studies or other concerns would prompt further
contact. Such flags could generate contact visits from the academy or LA/police contacts.
During the period of the lockdown, over 75 home visits were made to local homes by academy
staff.
Some family incomes were affected by the drastic economic shut down. Families in financial
difficulty were helped. Almost two thirds of the school roll received free school meals, so during
this period, the neediest families were provided with food parcels additional to the vouchers they
would normally receive. Academy staff personally helped with this endeavour.
At least 18 families were affected by bereavement during the pandemic. The academy has taken
account of these tragic events and is planning for CPD for all staff relating to bereavement
awareness when the school eventually reopens.
The academy’s welfare work has been very well received by the local community. Approval ratings
from children and parents have been placed at 8.5-9.0 out of 10.
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Leaders are now looking to the future and building on their success. Whether the academy reopens
sooner or later, the pastoral and welfare teams have begun establishing the following valuable
programmes to help the children and their families.
i. The incoming Y10/11 transition programme to ease the return of the current Y10
ii. Year 6/7 and Y11/12 transition/induction
iii. IT connectivity and equipment programme to hep families who need them
iv. 1:1 mentoring
v. Bereavement counselling
vi. Achievement workshops for children who have under-achieved
vii. Parenting toolboxes and parenting guidance
Qualitative evidence from pupil voice records shows unanimous support from those sampled for
the provision of their teachers and support staff.
Conclusion
Welfare work was of extremely high quality and capacity was rapidly expanded. Capacity did not
limit the welfare activities of the academy.
4.3 SEND
The SEND department quickly established its priorities for shutdown, as part of the wider academy
strategy goals. The leadership of SEND was strong and mirrored the quality of work in other areas
of school activity.
i. There was daily contact with every child on the register
ii. There was regular contact with the children who had been on the monitoring list for
those not yet on the register
iii. After the SEND team had established control over their pupil information, they adjusted
home contact to three days a week for some children.
iv. The quality of team effort and division of labour matched that seen in other areas of
school life
v. EHCP listed children had appropriate levels of attention
vi. Leaders worked closely with external agencies including the LA SEND services and the
educational psychologist
vii. Electronic communication was established for working and for contacting pupils
viii. A thorough curriculum plan was established for FROG and paper-based work, covering
numeracy, literacy, and wider subject range
ix. Secure, offline IT working was firmly established
x. Parental and child approval was extremely high.
Conclusion
SEND work was of very high quality. Communication, oversight, and action were significant
strengths.
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4.4 PDP and CIAG
This work was very well led across the period of the pandemic, with a farsighted priority for ‘how
the future could look like in Autumn 2020, and how once routine processes can be adapted.’ This
trait of adaptation was seen across every strand of the academy’s work and was made possible by
the priority leaders gave to capacity-building from the very start of the crisis.
The leadership has re-vamped the KS2/KS3 transition process the use of information for induction
and assessment. First, the academy will use teacher led KS2 assessments where available.
Secondly, the academy will gently undertake CATs during October 2020 if conditions allow it.
The academy will communicate its induction arrangements to prospective Y7 and families via
films on the website and other routine electronic measures. New methods will also be employed
such as Zoom. Some films have already been created and are established online. Liaison with
primary feeders is already established and effective. Taking account of the local conditions, the
quality of these arrangements is high.
Year 11 to sixth form transition arrangements are well in hand and adaptation has been successful,
including.
i. Remote mentoring and interviews
ii. A useful blog platform
iii. An 8-week programme of preparation for Year 11 that covers.
Confidence
Personal counselling
Work experience components
Positive assertive behaviour
Careers guidance on the VLE
iv. Across Y10-Y13, there is a very sharp focus on pupils assessed as at risk from NEET
v. There is greater liaison with colleges, employers, and HE
vi. The Uni Frog programme is up and running successfully
PDD curriculum will continue to be delivered as normal, via electronic templates.
Conclusion
PDP and CIAG work were of very high quality, particularly because of the adaptations and
flexibilities.
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4.5 Curriculum delivery
Curriculum leaders were well led and coordinated by senior staff in the final 2-3 weeks prior to
closure. They were calmly briefed on the scale of work which would be required when the
shutdown happened and they were allowed the time and space to focus on curriculum delivery,
with their teams. This decision making occurred as shutdown started and the academy focused on
a safe, equipped departure for the most vulnerable children. Subject and curriculum leaders were
able to rise to the challenge of delivering an online or ‘posted home’ curriculum (depending on
access to the web), because of senior leaders’ sense of priority and timing prior to shut down.
The evidence presented also demonstrated the following strengths.
i. There was strong teamwork across subject and faculty areas
ii. Staff rallied and frequently did more than they were asked
iii. There was a division of labour among teams to make sure that work was planned
iv. Communications between subject leaders and staff were immensely helpful
v. Innovation was required and expected from all staff
vi. Real improvements were made to subjects that required development before the
shutdown including RE.
vii. Subject leaders distributed leadership and innovation across their departments. Staff
were able to develop subject materials and content for online teaching.
viii. Staff teaching knowledge was built up by useful CPD across different departments
ix. IT systems and capacity did not fail. Staff were positioned to work from home very
quickly and technical support was highly effective.
x. Curriculum leaders held productive weekly meetings for subject teams and were able
to meet with them as individuals or in small groups, via private, remote arrangements.
A ‘mixed economy’ approach to communication also supported morale.
xi. Frog and Zoom technology came into their own. Pupil voice evidence, subject leaders
and pastoral leaders all pointed to the
The key challenges for the curriculum delivery and learning were.
i. The remote engagement of a small but significant minority of pupils. However, this
problem was mitigated by the precision oversight of the academy, the red flagging of
non-compliance and the provision of physical learning materials when this could help.
ii. Learning was made more colourful, vivid, and challenging via the selection of suitable
materials and online experiences for children. This also grew their interest in learning
from home.
iii. The Future. Subject leaders know the implications of long-term absence on the pupils’
minds and mentality. They are already planning to induct children back into school but
with limitations and a need for flexibility. They know that the previous full-size classes
and timetables are unlikely to be re-established for some time and possibly not until
2021.
iv. RE/Humanities, English, Mathematics and Science all demonstrate strong curriculum
leadership and the capacity to overcome any challenges.
Conclusion
Taking account of the emergency of March 2020, curriculum leaders were able to deliver strong
remote learning for every child. Capacity was established early in the emergency and technical
elements were extraordinarily strong. This was critical. Poor engagement was found in a minority
of pupils, but subject and pastoral leaders were able to control and improve this.
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4.6 Governance and the Board of Trustees – managing the emergency with
leaders and continuing the long term strategic goals of the academy
Senior leaders and the statutory bodies worked very well during the lock down. Consequently, the
momentum behind different projects was not lost. This was a real strength. Important
appointments to the governing body were made during the emergency. They came from senior
positions in the independent education sector and the local university.
Governors and Trustees maintained their strong oversight and strategic functions across the period
of the closure. This was the result of the powerful pre-closure contingency planning, high
communication standards and capacity for remote working. Again, capacity was grown and did
not dictate what could or could not be done.
Consequently, governors met in virtual ways according to the normal monthly schedule and board
members met twice, in keeping with academy business. Many gave several hours per week to their
role, on top of routine work.
They were able to be appraised of all academy work and activities during this time and were able
to question leaders and reflect with them on the emerging picture as the emergency planning fell
into place.
Governors and Trustees approved detailed plans and actions across the closure.
They also continued their routine oversight of long-term strategic matters which are essential to
the future of the academy, after the national emergency comes to an end. These plans were not
allowed to fall behind and the academy had the capacity to continue with them and approve
them;
i. Broadway Football Academy
ii. The Pool Island Campsite (for out of area education)
4.7 Mutual Aid – saving lives
Throughout the emergency, the academy prioritised ‘Community,’ This was more than evidenced
by the powerful outreach for SEND, PP, FSM, the vulnerable, those in need for protection, and all
the other children.
However, the academy went further when it opened its design and technology workshops to
manufacture PPE facial visors. This vital equipment was distributed to Mosques and care homes.
The importance of this work can never be underestimated. In the community, the overwhelming
majority of people’s religious observance requires prompt funeral services and practices in
keeping with their faith. The academy’s provision of visors was essential to keeping morticians,
religious representatives and public volunteers in safer health.
14SIA School Improvement Associates Advisory Services
4.8 Support staff
Throughout the closure, all support staff in all roles continued to offer a remarkable contribution
to the academy. Premises were deep cleaned, salaries continued to be paid, IT systems continued
to function, and communication and administrative systems did not break down. This was a critical
‘arrow in the quiver.’ Without these support staff and the systems they maintained, capacity
could have been lost. This would have undermined the general infrastructure of the academy’s
work.
5. The Future
In mid-March 2020, the academy suddenly and successfully closed indefinitely. Its HRO doctrine
was a fulsome success and worked in special, measured, sequential steps.
As a result, capacity was grown and the resources and means of the academy were never
overwhelmed. This strategic command gave leaders and staff the space to breathe and grow their
provision exponentially.
Equally, key elements of the school’s long term development continued routinely and without
interruption, which was further evidence of capacity and far sighted leadership.
As we approach the final weeks of the Summer term, 2020, the academy is looking towards the
planned return of children to school. The shape and form of this provision will be different to the
conditions pre-closure. Leaders understand this and are planning accordingly, maintaining the
balance of transmission/disease control and practicable arrangements for onsite provision.
However, and with greater importance, all leaders know that at the heart of any transition is a
holistic appreciation of way in which pupils have been affected by the pestilence. At least 18
families have been bereaved. Many families have had food security issues, which the academy has
assisted with. There is clear sense that the psychological and emotional well-being of the children
will be critical, front and centre considerations for action.
On the basis of leaders’ efficacy in closure and determining strategy, there is no evidence which
would demonstrate the same team of leaders and staff can’t re-open the academy in an equally
successful manner.
However, at all times, leaders remain vigilant and have built the capacity to maintain online
education at all times, without any sudden switch off and with a view to warding against any
future lock downs.
In view of national conditions in early June 2020 and with the potential for challenges in terms of
civil order, protests, six months without school attendance and other privations, the academy
leadership is also working hard on a summer studies programme to ensure children continue to
achieve as well as they can.
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