Doncaster school's management shake-up

The change will be introduced as part of a wider proposal which will transfer some of the council’s improvement functions to the Doncaster Teaching School Alliance partnership, called Partners in Learning, for the academic year 2016/17.

The changes, which have been agreed by the council’s Cabinet, were drawn up in response to a Department for Education White Paper, Educational Excellence Everywhere. According to the paper, instead of running school improvement, local authorities will focus on delivering their ‘core functions; ensuring every child has a school place, ensuring the needs of vulnerable pupils are met and acting as champions for all parents and families.’

Test administration and moderation processes in all primary schools and Early Years and Foundation Stage settings will be delivered by PIL.

Ofsted inspection feedback and engagement will also be delivered by the alliance. The responsibility of training and monitoring Newly Qualified Teachers will also be passed over to PIL from September 1.

The government also plans for all schools either to become academies, or be converting to academy status, by the end of 2020.

All of the borough’s secondary schools are now academies and increasing number of primary schools intend to form local multi-academy trusts.

Cabinet member for children and young people, Coun Nuala Fennelly, said: “As part of the council’s improvement programme, we have to consider how to provide the best service for our young people.

“By working with expert local partners to deliver services we aim to achieve improved outcomes for our younger generation.

“Our aim is to keep services local and to remain united with school communities even if more of them become academies as a result of DFE proposals.”