School Improvement Commission

Overview

Sheffield City Council have commissioned Learn Sheffield to deliver statutory duties in relation to school improvement since we were incorporated in August 2015. The sequence of commissions has reflected the changing educational landscape both nationally and locally, with the size and scope of the activity and the funding reducing over time.

More detail about the series of school improvement commissions can be found in A Brief History of Learn Sheffield 2015-2023. The timeline of key moments in the history of Learn Sheffield includes the four commissions between 2015 and 2023. Pages 10/11 of this document contains a focus on the commissions with additional detail, including the values.

The current school improvement commission began in September 2023 and lasts for two years through to August 2025. It has four components:

• Ofsted inspection in maintained schools (speaking to inspectors and attending feedback)
• Supporting headteacher recruitment in maintained schools
• Primary (Key Stage 2) writing moderation
• Primary SATs and Y1 phonics monitoring.

In 2024/25 this will be supplemented by and extension to the contract to deliver a Raising Attainment programme focussed on primary writing.

More details about the primary writing programme will follow but this will include an in-kind contribution from Learn Sheffield to make the Primary Assessment Programme available to all Sheffield settings.

Learn Sheffield Writing Project

Improving writing outcomes is a priority for Sheffield. The Local Authority has commissioned Learn Sheffield to support schools to moderate the standards of writing at set points in the year to identify pupils who are not on track to achieve the expected standard and to highlight their learning gaps. This work is funded and at no cost to Sheffield settings.

Y6 teachers are invited to bring examples of writing from selected pupils to a short moderation session at Learn Sheffield on Thursday 5th December, Thursday 12th December or Friday 17th January. Sessions will last for an hour and will be facilitated by Diane Stokes and a number of experienced, STA-approved, Y6 moderators.

• Session 1: 9:00 – 10:00
• Session 2: 10:30 – 11:30
• Session 3: 12:00 – 1:00
• Session 4: 1:30 – 2:30
• Session 5: 3:00 – 4:00
• Session 6: 4:30 – 5:30

The opportunity for additional moderation will be repeated on both Friday 14th March, Friday 21st March or Thursday 27th March for the same schools to track their progress or for other schools who would like to check their standards. Session times will be the same.

To book a session please contact bookings@learnsheffield.co.uk.