The Diocese of Worcester Multi Academy Trust (DoWMAT) Academy Effectiveness Team works directly with each academy to support continued school improvement and is fully committed to ensuring every child within the Trust receives the best in all aspects of school provision.

Our Academy Effectiveness Team, led by our Academy Improvement Lead, Mrs Sue Parker, has a clear understanding of the strengths and next steps for all academies within the Trust.

Each DoWMAT academy receives a half termly Academy Effectiveness Visit; affording academy leaders the opportunity to reflect on impact to date, celebrate achievements and map out actions for next steps, within a supportive and challenging framework.

As a growing MAT, we are constantly reviewing our academy effectiveness provision to ensure we have a skilled team of advisors, strong practitioners, external support and best practice to draw upon, to meet the needs of all our academies. As capacity and strength of practice grows in our own academies, collaborative and peer-to-peer opportunities are presenting an exciting addition to this approach.

Curriculum provision and using assessment effectively to deliver improved pupil outcomes are key drivers this academic year as we look to building back better after the disruption of the last few years.

DoWMAT Academy Improvement Offer

Since the very beginning of our DoWMAT journey, a key priority has been to grow leadership capacity across the Trust so all academies can benefit from working alongside strong, effective leaders and committed, fully active Local Academy Boards able to provide a sounding board and be a critical friend for school improvement matters. We are now at a point where this vision has become a reality.

DoWMAT capacity for Academy Improvement is made up of four different strands;

1. Trust Central Improvement Team
2. Trust Improvement Leads: Internal Support
3. Teaching and Learning Partners: School to School Support
4. Key Capacity Providers

TRUST CENTRAL IMPROVEMENT TEAM

We have expanded our DoWMAT Academy Improvement Team, to include;

ADDITIONAL TRUST LEADS

In addition to this strong team, we are also thrilled to see growing numbers of Senior Leaders stepping forward with an interest in leading initiatives across the Trust and having a growing impact and influence on schools beyond their own. These leaders will join our Central Advisory Team in leading key areas across the Trust from September, to include;

TEACHING AND LEARNING PARTNERS

We have growing numbers of Teaching and Learning Partners across our Trust academies. These are excellent class / subject practitioners working every day in our DoWMAT classrooms who are able to share good practice and work with teachers across the Trust to develop classroom and leadership expertise.

We rely on Headteachers to inform us of staff working at this level who are interested in becoming a DoWMAT Teaching and Learning Partner. We operate a selection process to ensure all DoWMAT Teaching and Learning Partners have the necessary skills and abilities to fulfil this role successfully. 

Current Teaching and Learning Partners are as follows;

KEY CAPACITY PROVIDERS

We work in close partnership with the Diocese of Worcester Education Team and with a number of other educational providers and external consultants who we are able to draw upon for additional support capacity, when required, to include;

Chadsgrove School (SEND)

Worcestershire Local Authority: Safeguarding / School Improvement

Arbor

Primarysite

Worcestershire County Council

The Rivers CofE Academy Trust

KEY ACADEMY IMPROVEMENT STRANDS

Our wide- ranging and comprehensive package for academy improvement encompasses the following key strands;

TRUST ACADEMY IMPROVEMENT CYCLE

Our improvement cycle is based on a cyclical process whereby we review the academy’s current position, strengths and improvement needs and follow this up with support, CPD and interventions, as required to empower academy leaders to reach key milestones and ultimately achieve key priorities.  There are regular opportunities to evaluate outcomes to check we are on the right track and to support the identification of the next steps for improvement.

OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED

Moving to a position where system leadership is the norm and staff can be a part of developing practice across a wide range of schools is an exciting prospect for the DoWMAT.  Working together and collaborating across academies is key to achieving this and is why we are particularly interested in supporting staff along every stage in their professional education journey. If you are looking for the next step, either in terms of accessing the support available to improve / support your practice, or if you feel you are at a point where you would be interested in supporting others, please speak to your Headteacher or the SIA assigned to your academy who will be able to signpost you in the right direction.

Our full Academy Improvement Offer can be downloaded here.