Raising achievement in secondary schools in Somerset

Description of the contract

The Somerset Children’s and Young People’s Compact in its School Improvement Strategy has agreed that there should be a Raising Achievement Plan for each sector.

The Somerset Secondary Raising Achievement Plan for 2012-13 has as key priorities:

1. Raising Attainment and Achievement

2. Narrowing the Gaps

3. Teaching and Learning

4. Leadership Development

5. Targeted School to School Support

We are seeking to commission key partners to support one or more of these priorities to improve outcomes for young people in Somerset and the Tender Response Template will set out the detailed specifications for the tender process and how to apply.

This contract tender relates to the provision of Supporting the Raising Achievement Plan 2012 -2013 (RAP).

Purpose of Invitation to Tender

SCC is keen to provide the best quality services within the funding resources available. The tender exercise permits SCC to gather all relevant information from interested tenderers to analyse responses and ensure the contract is awarded to the provider best able to deliver the identified needs for Somerset.

Scope of Contract

The contract shall run for a period of 12 months from 26th November 2012 to 25th November 2013. Thereafter, the contract may be extended for a further period of up to 12 months, subject to the availability of continued funding, no changes to statutory responsibilities, and satisfactory performance of the Contract.

Individual organisations may tender for all the projects described in this tender, or for individual projects. We require that you can fulfil all the requirements of the individual projects that you are bidding for. Part applications for some of the project tasks are not invited. Individual organisation may tender for projects or there can be joint bids by a number of organisations that may deliver different parts of the contract, but as one would provide the full service. However, the consortia/partnership must be a single legal entity. Your responses must enable SCC to assess the overall service proposal.

Context

Somerset covers 3,452 square kilometres and is home to roughly 10% of the South West’s population. The county is predominantly rural, with over half its population living in communities of less than 3,000 people. Somerset has a population of 525,186. There are estimated to be 110,184 children and young people (under 18) living in the county.

Over 67,000 children and young people are educated in 274 state-funded schools and academies in Somerset. Year group cohorts are around 5,500. There are 37 secondary schools and academies in Somerset. Just over two thirds of secondary aged students are educated in academies.

15.6% of children under 16 are estimated to be living in poverty and 1 in 8 pupils claim Free School Meals. 7.1% of the school population is classified as belonging to an ethnic group other than White British.

There are over 500 children in care in Somerset, with numbers increasing in recent years. Roughly 300 children are subject to a Child Protection Plan.

Raising Achievement Plan

A joint Raising Achievement Plan was agreed between the Somerset Association of Secondary Headteachers (SASH), the Somerset Association of Leadership Teams (SALT) and the Local Authority. The successive RAPs have focused on three key priorities:

– Raising attainment and achievement

– Narrowing the gaps

– Leadership development

The vision set out in the Somerset Children and Young People’s Compact School Improvement Strategy states:

‘Our vision is for all children and young people in Somerset to have access to a high quality education which enables them to progress, improve their life chances and achieve their full potential giving them a sound basis for a successful and fulfilling life as active members of the community.’

The following list sets out some key strategic priorities for the next phase of development:

– Accelerating recent improvements so that the overall Somerset figures rise faster than the national picture rather than keeping pace

– Narrowing gaps in outcomes between

– Vulnerable groups and their peers

– Reducing variation between schools and within schools

– Securing good Ofsted judgements in all schools (the proportion with satisfactory or more than one satisfactory judgement is too high)

– Improving the proportion of good / outstanding teaching and learning

– Leadership develop to secure the above priorities including the next generation of leaders

Full specifications will be sent to interested parties – please email Sean Taylor: SDTaylor@somerset.gov.uk.

(MT Ref:93736)

Documents

Classification of the contract

80000000 Education and training services

80200000 Secondary education services

80210000 Technical and vocational secondary education services

80211000 Technical secondary education services

80212000 Vocational secondary education services

 

Who to contact

How to apply

For further information please review the full notice details at http://www.mytenders.org/search/search_switch.aspx?ID=93736