Diary of an NQT
EXTENDED SERVICES EXTENDED SERVICES
Welcome to our house of fun
IT’S SAID that in China, messages sent on “lucky” Three weeks in, I am beginning to find my feet
Implementing extended
red paper contain good news or gifts. That cultural and have been starting to analyse my classes more
symbolism seems to have been lost in translation, as deeply. Taking risks with my good classes has services is a massive
this week our rouged “urgent call to staff meeting” resulted in some interesting times. As I handed over
leaflet greeted me with alarming ferocity. the register to one girl, who was instructed to
undertaking for today’s
Amid terrified cries regarding “that act in role as yours truly, I wondered if I had
which shan’t be named” on the rumour made an error of judgement.
mill, I clambered into a packed staff To my amazement, her highly
schools. Claire Brown
room to have my fears confirmed: developed acting skills had the class in
They were coming. rapture as I too sat in role, massaging
discusses how a group of
A mere 48 hours later, Ofsted my damaged ego, but enjoying the
arrived on our shores and sparkling atmosphere.
schools in Mansfield has
although we were advised that Judging how to engage my
NQTs should avoid a day under behaviourally challenged groups
pulled together to meet
the microscope, it didn’t stop me still puzzles me however, and
feeling a little anxious. it seems this will be my greatest
Our department, and the school conquest if I eventually find the
this challenging agenda,
at large, had made a sterling effort time to plan a lesson that channels
in preparation and headed into the their “kinaesthetic” tendencies into and also how her role as
inspection confidently. Armed with something more constructive than
enough lesson plans and Individual ruler-slaps and headlocks.
the extended services
Education Plans to wallpaper most of A nice break came at the end of my
the school building, I considered that week as we met up for our NQT training.
there was little more that I could do Our excellent support network at the school
co-ordinator works
to prepare for what, I was reassured, organises a fortnightly meeting for us to
could only be a brief chat or whistle- share good practice and generally provide N 2004, the government announced its multi-
stop visit. bibbed shoulders to gush onto. Sharing
Now Ofsted is cunning. I wasn’t ideas from our theory research really
formerly observed, nor did I really helped me to think about how I can tackle
catch a glimpse of the “inspection the remainder of the year and provided an
party” circulating the school: They environment where I could shed “newbie”
operate with stealth. Minutes into my apprehension. I
million pound extended services programme.
So, five years on, was it just another shiny
initiative, or have these so-called extended
schools made any real impact?
The brief is huge and it is difficult to
measure just how “extended” a school is, as
form period, I was greeted with “good I look forward to next week’s return the targets or “core offer” are broad and far reaching.
morning” from a young lady not dressed to relative normality and have the greatest As with Every Child Matters, there are five major
in our school uniform and who looked sympathy for those other NQTs who find themes, with an expansive remit:
slightly out of place among my year 7 themselves under the Ofsted scrutiny imminently. • Childcare and “safe place to be”.
group. Luckily my lovely form is very well Man the drawbridge, they’re on their way! • Varied menu of activities.
behaved and my planned quiz for form-time went • Parenting support.
without a hitch. I had survived. The sighs of relief • Matt Connett is a newly qualified teacher of • Swift and easy access.
echoed around the school as we waved goodbye to English at Shenfield High, a training school in • Community access.
inspection for another few years. Brentwood in Essex. He returns next week. Most schools start with the basics – safe place to be
and the varied menu – jargon for lunchtime and after-
school clubs.
The majority have moved on from the token football
Teach it like Torno!
and netball teams, and after-school activities are limited
only to the imagination and effort of the staff prepared
to run them.
Torno and the Jargonauts
At All Saints’ Catholic School in Mansfield, we
have fashion design and free running. These all now
come under the extended services banner, and are
arguably the quick wins of the core offer.
“YOU MUST learn to talk clearly. The jargon of Another obsession that schools now have is this Parenting support can mean anything from ensuring
scientific terminology which rolls off your tongues is gifted and talented malarkey, or G&T. What about parents have information about the school when their
mental garbage.” Martin H Fischer. those in the middle? What is happening for them? We child enters year 7, to specialist courses run for those
Do you recall the film Jason and the Argonauts? should start a new initiative called Muddling in the struggling with behaviour and family life.
I ask you that because I am thinking very seriously Middle. Then we can add more jargon to the pot. I can Community access is what it says on the tin –
Extending
about a sequel – Torno and the Jargonauts. imagine the staff meeting: “We need someone to take football clubs hiring the school field after school, or a
I am very excited to be back at school and the charge of the M and Ms – any takers?” specialist performing arts school sharing its dance and
opportunities that another school year brings to its But seriously, while I acknowledge that we should music studios with other groups over the weekend.
youngsters. However, I am already sinking in jargon. stretch the most able, we need to ensure that every The most complex, and some would say important,
This week I have heard numerous child really does matter. For example, those element is swift and easy access – realising the point at
acronyms or phrases that would sink children who might end up with D or E which the school alone cannot support a child or family
the Bismarck. SLT (what happened grades in the exam. Who is looking out and signposting them onto other services.
to SMT?), B4L (Behaviour for for them? There is no shame in getting In Nottinghamshire, Joint Access Teams (JATs)
Learning) – what is this? When I such grades if that means they reach are now in operation, which meet once a month. the challenge
started teaching it was known as their potential, but that is not These include professionals from schools, social care,
classroom management. JD – why how it is seen. SureStart, education welfare officers, drug and alcohol
not say job description? And then Oh what a world we services, educational psychologists, police – the list
there’s the old favourites – blue-sky have created. Here is goes on.
thinking, thinking outside the box the hidden curriculum Children referred to the JATs are as far ranging as It goes without saying that money is another issue.
(what bloody box?), and touching indeed. In the system the agencies represented. Some are already known to In Nottinghamshire, funding for the ESC role is
base, to name but a few. we have set up, we have social care, or have been in trouble with the police, guaranteed until 2011, but there have been no promises
When did these Jargonauts take created a culture in which others are young carers, coping with bereavement or after that. And with most of the funding going directly
over? I never noticed it. I don’t think if you achieve below a C divorce, while some have anger management issues. on salaries, ESCs and schools have to be creative when
anyone did. It is like newspeak. It is grade you do not amount JATs aim to ensure young people and their families it comes to delivering new services.
a new language that permeates every to much. Obviously this are given the most appropriate support. They can Bid-writing has now become almost a prerequisite
aspect of education. is not said aloud, but the make referrals to social care, order a CAF (Common for the role, and many ESCs have developed a sixth
PLTS, SEF (I thought he was the message we are sending to Assessment Framework) to be completed, and can sense for when new community funding is about to be
bloke in Emmerdale), ALPS, AFL, many youngsters is one of expect other agencies to comply with requests for released. The first sniff of a funding pot and they are on
CATS, FFT (Fischer Family will negativity and pessimism. support. the phone, ringing contacts, and demanding application
you please reveal yourselves). If Surely education is about However, without the formality of something like packs and guidance notes.
you are not in on it then you are shaping the individual in his or her a JAT team, many schools may struggle to make The buzz-word is sustainability, and extended
finished. You have no chance entirety – not just academically. Schools the necessary links to services, or establish a level services initiatives, in theory, are supposed to deliver
in the management teams of are based on relationships and trust. This of commitment from partner organisations to tackle services which after initial funding can continue without
tomorrow. brings me back to my rant on jargon and problem head on. further investment.
Take AFL. When I was at acronyms. They are like secret codes that In Nottinghamshire, JATs are the baby of Integrated Breakfast and after-school clubs are top of the
school, the good teachers marked exclude those outside the profession. What is Services, and organisations not attending meetings can sustainability hit list, yet they are often the ones which
our books and gave us guidance wrong with plain English? expect a phone call asking why not. struggle most. Many are run by volunteers, and struggle
on how to improve. They made it I have a new set of NQTs. It will only be a With so many boxes to tick, who is there in school to to find the balance between keeping the club affordable
clear what was in the exam and that matter of time before they are talking to me in ensure the core offer is being met? Step in the extended for parents, and ensuring that it has a financial future.
was that. Then these fellows Black and coded language. I will try to discourage them services co-ordinator (ESC). With such a crowded agenda, the relationship
Wiliam come along and write a paper from adopting the newspeak, but I fear I will Nottinghamshire has 45 co-ordinators, one between headteachers and ESCs is very important. For
on Assessment for Learning explaining fail in my quest. Before you know it, they will to represent each secondary school and its feeder extended services to be a meaningful addition to the
the exact principles I have previously be asking me about CPD and PPA. I will hide primaries. Great on the surface, but it doesn’t take long school’s core responsibilities, ESCs have
disclosed and Bob’s your uncle we have a in my office and refrain from encouraging the to realise that ESCs’ job descriptions, salaries, hours to be empowered to develop ideas,
new style of marking – AFL. fast-track mentality. and conditions vary hugely, usually depending upon the and not simply be employed to tick
On top of that, I learn that some heads are In short, it is up to us in positions of influence to headteacher they work for. a box.
earning up to £50,000 in annual consultancy fees to shape the next generation, whether they be students Some are teachers, trying desperately to fit it all in In school clusters, such as ours,
help struggling schools. God help them. Before you or teachers. It is important that we lead them towards between lessons and planning, while others are full- where ESCs are given space to be
know it, the senior management in these schools the philosophy of education as a vehicle to transform time extended services machines, who spend 37 hours creative, they often become an
will be spouting forth acronyms and meaningless lives, rather than developing a business ethos. a week developing the core offer and juggling umpteen important part of the life of the
jargon. It won’t help the kids, but hey everyone is initiatives. school. However, those which are
blue-sky thinking! If these heads really want to start • David Torn is professional tutor and an advanced The disparity as far as ESCs go is probably the biggest sidelined by senior leaders can find
management consultancies, why don’t they leave skills teacher at St Edward’s Comprehensive School problem facing the extended services agenda, apart from it almost impossible to carry out the
education and give us all a break. Perhaps we can in Essex. He is the London Secondary School Teacher apathy, and unsurprisingly the two go hand-in-hand. role they were employed to do.
return to educating rather than creating tables on of the Year 2007 and is passionate that the purpose of Headteachers who remain unconvinced about the One way the ESC can earn
target grades. education is to change lives. He returns in two weeks. agenda, are usually the ones who employ someone for their keep in the eyes of leadership,
15 hours a week. is their ability to be out in the
8 SecEd • October 1 2009
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