Schools
Local Learning Communities
Welcome to the Learning Communities web pages. Since the election of the Coalition Government the environment which schools operate within has changed significantly but the County Council still believes that outcomes for children can be significantly improved by schools working collaboratively together.
Here you will find information relating to how we believe Learning Communities can work together, records and action plans from the Areas Reviews, access information about federating with other schools, and access the LLC data sets. We have also moved information from the school place planning website to support place planning, school forecasting, and an analysis of pupil numbers.
We hope to continue our links with schools via the Local Partnership Forums and the notes and papers from those can be accessed online.
Local Learning Community list 
(64KB - pdf help) and map (155KB - pdf help).
Working together to improve outcomes for children.
The County Council believes that collaborative working is still desirable for schools if they are to continue to improve outcomes for children, ensure all schools are sustainable and viable, and leadership is appropriate to lead each school. Whilst we are now seeing a significant number of schools converting to Academy status it is clear that most of these schools still want to act as community schools and operate within the LLC structure, and in time the majority or all schools may become Academies.
Supporting documents for schools to function within the LLC structure:-
- Core values and aspirations (15KB - pdf help)
- Participation protocol (20KB - pdf help)
- Role description of the chair of the LLC.
The County Council has been a national leader and exponent of schools establishing Federations, either in pairs or as a string of schools. We believe this supports teaching and learning, and in many cases will lead to improved and sustained leadership of a high quality. In addition, there are many opportunities for schools to make efficiency savings by pooling acquisitions and back office functions. And for many small rural schools facing a fall in their roll, it may be a means of maintaining a school within a community that would otherwise be unsustainable, both financially and academically.
- Template framework for a Model Partnership Contract or Memorandum of Understanding (28KB - pdf help)
- Realising Potential (304KB - pdf help)
The County Council has completed all of the area reviews which we believe have enabled many schools to start discussions about collaborative working, federation, delivery companies, strategic planning, stepping stones, many of which would not have been possible if it was not for the informative and open approach that we were able to adopt, and the attendance of a broad range of officers to inform discussions.
Additional information can be accessed regarding Action Plans.
In 2011 we are producing the fourth version of the LLC data sets which has given schools, head teachers governors and DCC officers a broad picture of the issues with each LLC relating to its demography, premises, school activities, pupils and standards. The core information provided is published by the government as well as on the County Council’s school statistics webpages. Due to the sensitive nature of the benchmarking that has been added to the raw data the Devon Association of Primary Headteachers (DAPH) has asked that these should only be accessed by Schools and Governors who have signed the Data Set Protocol and submitted that to sue.newson@devon.gov.uk. Those schools will then be issued the appropriate password.
We are continually looking to adjust the contents of the data sets annually to reflect the needs of schools and the changing duties and responsibilities they have. We would welcome feedback on the current data sets and suggestions for future content.
Log in to view the Local Learning Community Data Sets here.
Having an understanding about future pupil numbers is essential for schools as that is what drives each schools budget. A decline in local numbers will have a negative impact on budgets and class structures and we know that schools have are not generally good at looking ahead at future numbers and adjusting staffing and budgets accordingly. And as many of our urban areas are now seeing an increase in births many schools will face an increase in pupil numbers in the autumn term Reception admissions but may not have sufficient budget to afford an additional teacher. The County Council is striving to reduce the number of compulsory redundancies as they are very costly, and for schools expecting to need additional staff for the autumn term, advanced requests to FIPS is essential. In most cases a request for additional funding as a result of an increase in pupil numbers will be supported by the School Organisation team.
A number of forecast modules and pupil level information can be accessed online, and there is additional information in the LLC data sets.
Local Partnership Forum
- Local Partnership Forum - 16 March 2011 (27KB - pdf help)
- Local Partnership Forum - 20 October 2010 (139KB - pdf help)
- Local Partnership Forum - 15 June 2010 (139KB - pdf help)
- Local Learning Community Chairs meeting Tuesday 9th March 2010 (206KB - pdf help)
- Local Learning Community Chairs meeting 5th June 2009 (55KB - pdf help)
