Our Kirklees Futures
Our approach to learning 2021-2030
The future of Kirklees is in the strong and safe hands of our children and young people. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that their aspirations, rights and talents are acknowledged, nurtured and celebrated. They deserve nothing but the best.
Our Kirklees Futures believes that families and communities provide the first and best start in life for every child and young person. This strategy builds on those foundations and will deliver a strong, equitable and high achieving system that benefit all learners.
It is ambitious in its scope and optimistic in its approach. Together we can make a difference to the lives of children, young people and families of Kirklees.
Our obsessions
Inclusion
Children, young people and learners of all backgrounds learn and grow side by side, to the benefit of all
Resilience
The ability and support to overcome adversity
Equity
Everyone gets the support they need
Our vision
By 2030, Kirklees is a place where children and young people have the best start in life and are:
- Learners are safe and feel safe from harm
- Children, young people and adult learners in Kirklees are safe because they benefit from exceptional safeguarding practice as recognised by Ofsted outcomes and external reviews
- Children, young people and adult learners in Kirklees are safe because safeguarding practitioners are recognised as leading practice through our safeguarding partnerships, social care and early support
- Children, young people and adults report as feeling safe and know where to access help and support
- Learners live healthy lifestyles and maintain these into adulthood
- Help people to make informed choices to support their physical and mental wellbeing throughout Kirklees
- Mental health is prioritised for early intervention, support, and resourcing
- Learners access a high performing education system, enjoying access to the best cultural, creative, sporting and social opportunities
- Learners across Kirklees make outstanding progress as measured against National metrics
- They access a high performing education system that is benchmarked against Local, Regional and National comparisons
- Learners achieve well in external examinations as evidenced by validated, published data
- Learners enjoy a curriculum offer that celebrates cultural, creative, sporting, and social pursuits that are amongst the best in the country.
- Gaps in achievement for those deemed disadvantaged or with additional needs are significantly and consistently reduced, with inequalities addressed.
- Learners are happy and optimistic about their future
- Learners report that their learning experiences provide them with positive pathways, and lead to optimism about their future aspirations
- Social, moral, spiritual, and cultural values are recognised and championed, leading to an ethos where all learners report as being included, happy and successful
- Learners have access to an excellent local school which they regularly attend
- Attendance across our education system is higher than national average and we engage with families where attendance is a challenge, understanding the barriers to engagement
- Two-year old provision take-up is encouraged and impacts positively on outcomes across the district
- Transition between ages and stages secures progression and enables those not in employment, education and training to be provided with positive pathways
- All Kirklees learners can access their local school, setting or college
And our system is:
- In alignment with our SEND (Special Education Needs and Disabilities) Transformation plan, expertise and capacity is embedded in our mainstream settings to support early identification and assessment of need
- Appropriate support and provision for all learners, including access to alternate education routes where appropriate, is considered by learners and families to be of a high quality and provided within statutory timelines
- Child level and whole school strategies for support are provided through consultation, support, training, and modelling
- The education and learning infrastructure will work towards being carbon free and actively promotes understanding of the science of climate change
Our actions
Listen to learners
Hear their ambitions, aspirations and concerns so they can shape their own future.
Collaboration
Work together across Kirklees to ensure a joined-up approach to improving lives.
Schools at the heart of communities
Enable them to represent and support all of their community and receive trust and support in return.
Prioritise our early years
Focus resources so learners and their families have the best start in life.
Safeguard early support and help
Provide sufficient resources and focus so that home provides the first and best start in life.
Smooth transitions
Ensure learners benefit from clear and appropriate transition at every stage of education and into adulthood.
Tackle inequalities
Remove barriers and clearly focus on learners with additional needs, whilst actively promoting anti-discriminatory behaviours.
Harness digital technologies
Champion methods of accessing learning that improve life chances and embed skills for future employment.
Value our people
Support, develop and value all those who work with Kirklees learners.
Promote wellbeing
Champion social, emotional, mental, and physical health.