Intervention: schools

The Early Years Intervention Team provides professional advice, support and challenge for nursery and Reception classes within schools, in line with the local authority’s statutory responsibilities. Intervention may be offered in the following circumstances:

• An Ofsted judgement for the Early Years evaluation area of Needs Attention or below.
• Concerns identified by a School Improvement Adviser which indicate that additional Early Years support is required.
• A request for support from the school, where the Schools or Early Years Adviser Team have determined that targeted intervention would be beneficial.
• Where the school is participating in a Rapid Improvement Group and additional support for early years provision has been identified as a priority.

An Early Years Improvement Adviser will be assigned to work with the school. An initial evaluation of the quality of education, leadership, curriculum and practice within the early years provision will be undertaken to identify strengths, areas for development and the level of support required. Where appropriate, an Early Years Improvement Plan will be developed, informed by Ofsted findings, the school's self-evaluation and the initial evaluation completed by the Early Years Improvement Adviser.

Targeted support may include specialist training, facilitated visits to effective settings, leadership support, coaching, mentoring and ongoing quality assurance activities. Support may be directed at the whole early years team, specific practitioners, or particular aspects of provision that require improvement.

Throughout the period of support, the Headteacher and Early Years Leader will be expected to monitor and demonstrate progress against the identified improvement priorities. Where the school is part of a Rapid Improvement Group, progress will be reviewed through regular meetings chaired by the School Improvement Adviser, with contributions from relevant local authority officers and other professionals supporting the school. These meetings provide an opportunity to evaluate the impact of improvement activity, address barriers to progress, and agree any further actions required.

Enhanced support will continue until the early years provision achieves and sustains an Ofsted judgement of Expected or above, or until the objectives within the Early Years Improvement Plan have been successfully met and the Early Years Improvement Adviser, Headteacher and School Improvement Adviser agree that intensive support is no longer required.