What is the Black Country Challenge?

The Black Country Challenge is a welcome partnership between schools, local authorities and national government. Its aim is to boost educational performance in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton and to enable our young people to achieve the standards we know they are capable of achieving.

From 2008 to March 2011, investment from the Department for Children, Schools and Families of over £25 million will enable us to provide:
• Tailor-made support for schools working in challenging circumstances
• Additional support for children who are falling behind their peers
• Enhanced development and training for school leaders, teachers and other staff working in schools
• A celebration of achievement and success, helping to raise the profile of pupils and teachers working in the Black Country

As a result of this investment, we confidently expect to:
• Decrease the number of under performing schools by supporting those facing significant challenges
• Create many more good and outstanding schools
• Narrow the attainment gap for vulnerable groups of young people

Why do we need the Challenge?

The Black Country has historically been integral to this country’s development and wealth – an industrial powerhouse. But over the past 25 years, the manufacturing base has declined, and the area has suffered accordingly.

The future of the Black Country will depend on a diverse, knowledge-based economy – one that can only be delivered by a highly skilled local workforce - but at present too many of our young people lack the skills and the aspiration to enable us to achieve this.

In recent times, there have been positive signs of improvement. Results are rising across the Black Country at 11, 14 and 16, and more 16-18 year olds are participating in full-time education than ever before. But the gap is not closing quickly enough. To help our young people meet the challenges of the future, we need a significant additional boost - now.

That is where the Black Country Challenge comes in.

Our Aspirations for the Challenge

We are extremely ambitious about what the Challenge can help us to achieve.
By 2011, we intend to:

• Increase the number of 5 year olds who are ready to make an effective start to their education.
• Cut by half the achievement gaps which exist between Black Country children and their peers at 11, 14 and 16.
• Have no primary schools in the Black Country in which fewer than 65% of pupils achieve the national expectation. (Currently we have 25).
• Have no secondary schools in which fewer than 30% of 16 year olds achieve 5 A*-C including English and Maths. (Currently we have 32).
• Double the number of primary schools in which 90% of pupils achieve level 4 in both English and Maths. (Currently we have 29)
• Double the number of secondary schools in which more than 60% of students achieve 5 A* - C including English and Maths. (Currently we have 7)
• Have no schools judged by OFSTED to be in Special Measures. (Currently we have 6)
• Reduce the percentage of post 16 students who are not in education, employment or training.

Above all, we need to motivate all those working in education across the Black Country so that they genuinely believe that success on this scale is achievable.

We are up for the Challenge! Are you?

Are you up for the Challenge?

Pupils
The Challenge will:
• Provide additional support if you need extra help to ensure you achieve your best
• Provide opportunities to celebrate and develop your special talents
• Provide more scope to take ownership for your learning, supported by clear information explaining how you are doing and what you need to do next as a learner
• Help you do the very best you can in all your learning

Your challenge is to:
• Take responsibility for your learning – it’s up to you!
• Aim high in all that you do
• Be proud of your school and where you live
• Always do your best

Parents and Carers
The Challenge will:
• Offer advice to help you support your children’s learning
• Increase the profile of the achievements of Black Country children and young people and their school

Your Challenge is to:
• Talk to your child’s teachers about their progress and find out how you can help them
• Encourage your child to aim high
• Celebrate their achievements
• Ensure your child attends school regularly

Local Employers
The Challenge will provide:
• Closer links for you with schools and school leaders
• Better qualified young people, with higher literacy and numeracy skills
• School leavers with skills which better prepare them for work and Higher Education
• A more competitive and better motivated workforce

Your Challenge is to:
• Support schools through collaboration and potential sponsorship opportunities
• Provide work based learning opportunities to support new education developments for 14-19 year olds.

Schools
The Challenge will provide:
• Individually tailored support programmes for a number of identified schools to accelerate progress
• Enhanced professional development programmes to improve teaching and learning
• Additional opportunities to showcase talent and achievements
• Extra support to help you and your governors to recruit and retain high quality staff
• Opportunities for effective school leaders to support other schools
• Enhanced succession planning activity to identify, nurture and support potential future leaders
• Data to help school leaders compare performance with similar schools
• Enhanced training to improve subject knowledge in English and maths.
• Increased opportunities to learn from successful colleagues
• Opportunities to develop leadership skills and secure sustainability

Your Challenge is to:
• Maximise opportunities and raise the profile of your school
• Embrace the challenge and make the most of the extra provision and opportunities
• Recognise and nurture the potential in all your students

Local Authority partners
The Challenge will provide:
• Increased opportunities and resources to help meet your combined aspirations
• A cohesive range of support that recognises the collaborative endeavours and strong partnership approach to delivering the Challenge

Your Challenge is to:
• Effectively coordinate the Black Country Challenge programme with other local authority support
• Work collaboratively and take joint responsibility for raising the profile of the Challenge
• Work with schools to ensure that the Challenge programme has maximum impact on teaching and learning
• Take joint responsibility for meeting the aspirations of the Challenge.