GREAT NEWS!

It's official. The Key Stage 3 SATs are history!

In September I suggested that we should look at the balanced scorecard approach in New York. The system has five aspects that could prove useful:

• it is outcomes based;
• it combines transparency with complexity;
• it is focused;
• it provides an incentive for schools to improve attainment for the most deprived;
• it supports a bottom-up approach to school impprovement.

The New York balanced scorecard reports on schools under four headings:

• school environment (15%);
• student performance (30%);
• student progress (55%);
• closing the achievement gap.

The New York scorecard was developed in collaboration with school leaders, teachers, parents, community leaders and researchers.

It's great to know that the DCSF are listening and that we are finding out more and looking at how we can develop our own balanced scorecard.
Chris