Sharing successful practice with other schools is a natural part of the work undertaken by the School. We have a range of initiatives underway involving work with other schools. These are carefully planned and budgeted for, to ensure that they are successful and there is no negative impact upon the children or staff of Thomas Telford School. Below is an outline of the School's extensive Outreach work with other schools which now forms a considerable part of the School's annual commitments in its efforts to support the Government’s agenda to raise standards. The following information gives an overview of our Community Programme and future plans:- Project 40 - National Certificate ICT Online Course

Approximately 800 licences have been issued to schools across England and Wales to use Thomas Telford School Online Learning Materials. This programme involves the training of teachers in the use of the materials and makes available, to all participating schools, our entire curriculum which is delivered to our students using the latest technologies.

The profits from this venture are used for the benefit of our own school and other schools within the region. This has helped to lever out an additional £60m worth of investment in education into the region. The School is now engaged in developing online materials for the new National Certificate Qualification in ICT. This provides an alternative to the Diploma in Digital Applications which became available in September 2005.

After the launch of the National Certificate in March the School has hosted two Training Days for 160 Schools and a further 60 delegates have enrolled for the seminars in July.

Staffing and Financial Issues
This project is self financing.

High Performing Specialist Schools Programme
The Leading Edge Programme has been replaced by a new government initiative The High Performing Specialist Schools Programme. The School was invited to bid for additional funding to designate Thomas Telford School as a Training School and continue with Leading Edge projects.

Training Schools are expected “to deliver excellence and innovation in initial teacher training and professional development for the whole school workforce” The bid was successful and the £60,000 grant will be made available from April 2006 up to the next specialist re-designation in 2009. This finance is enabling the School to continue to develop a range of ventures with Madeley Court School designed to improve standards. It will also enable the School to enhance the professional development programme across our partner schools.

Sandwell Academy teachers have spent the summer term working alongside Thomas Telford staff learning about the on-line curriculum and teaching in open plan bases. Our work with Madeley Court School is reported below.

Staffing & Financial Issues
Between April 2006 and March 2009 £60,000 grant aid will be made available on an annual basis.

Federation with Madeley School and Thomas Telford School
The three year federation with Madeley Court School has ended and we now enter a transitional phase as the school achieves academy status and the building programme begins.

The partnership with Madeley Court School continues to provide professional development for their staff and improve educational opportunities for their students. Students and Teachers from Madeley Court have worked with Thomas Telford Staff on the following projects:-

• GNVQ ICT Years 10 and 11 · KS3 English SAT preparation
• GNVQ Leisure and Tourism
• GCSE PE
• GCSE Dance
• GCSE English
• Music
• Art
• Staff Professional Development

This term the English Department has run additional workshops for Year 11 Students to help with GCSE preparation.

Our focus next term will be on ICT and English where we plan to develop personalised learning programmes for vulnerable students.

We also plan to provide off- site work experience for the most disaffected students.

Staffing & Financial Issues
£120,000 over three years has been allocated for this purpose

Community Initiatives
Horton Special School continue to attend swimming sessions on a weekly basis and the local Primary Schools participate in regular galas hosted by Thomas Telford School. Sixth form students have worked with staff at Penn Fields Special School to provide Arts Workshops for students with severe learning difficulties. French A level students have continued to teach French lessons at Wombridge Primary School.

Mathematics in Local Primary Schools
The Primary School Mathematics project has been suspended temporarily due staffing difficulties within the Mathematics department. The master classes will be re-instated in September when our teachers return from Maternity Leave.

Walsall Academy

See separate report

Sandwell Academy

See separate report

Specialist Schools
We have sponsored 75 Schools to achieve specialist school status and committed over £1.25m to this initiative. This now concludes our programme of financial support as we focus on the Academies Initiative. A final list of Schools sponsored is attached.

School Centred Initial Teacher Training
Thomas Telford School continues as the lead school for the West Midlands Consortium. This involves three Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) courses, 27 partner schools and 49 trainee teachers. The Consortium will be awarded the status of an Accredited Provider for Graduate Teacher Programmes (GTP), in August, in recognition of the quality our training.

Recruitment for the new academic year is well underway and progress is as follows:

 Community Initiatives
Horton Special School continue to attend swimming sessions on a weekly basis and the local Primary Schools participate in regular galas hosted by Thomas Telford School.

Sixth form students have worked with staff at Penn Fields Special School to provide Arts Workshops for students with severe learning difficulties. French A level students have continued to teach French lessons at Wombridge Primary School.