New to Leading and Managing Data

An essential grounding in the school data landscape: what to track, when it matters, and how to use it well.

A practical, full-day course giving new and recently appointed data leads and managers the knowledge, confidence and tools to navigate the school data landscape with clarity. It covers the annual data cycle, key accountability dates, exam results days, making sense of internal and external data, and how to interpret your ASP and IDSR reports.

Why is it needed?
Managing school performance data is complex, and the accountability calendar doesn't pause while you find your feet. Anyone new to the role can quickly feel overwhelmed by census dates, checking exercises, and the sheer number of external tools and reports they're expected to understand. This course closes that gap before it becomes a pressure point.

What are the benefits for you and your organisation?
For you: essential clarity on the range of performance measures and where to find them, confidence using ASP, IDSR and FFT, practical guidance on choosing the right data analysis platform for your context, and a solid grounding in effective target-setting approaches.

For your organisation: a data lead who knows which pupil groups to track and why, can meet accountability points across the year with confidence, and can share data meaningfully with governors and staff to genuinely support school improvement, not just report on it.

Speaker

Tiffnie Harris

Data, Disadvantage and Primary Specialist

Fees

ASCL member: £265+VAT
Non-member: £280+VAT

Bring a colleague for £175+VAT

Programme

ASCL reserves the right to amend the programme should circumstances dictate.

9.00am			Registration and refreshments

9.20am			Welcome, introductions and aims of the day

9.45am			Session 1: Understanding School Performance Measures Data principles. Understand the range of performance measures. The Curriculum and Assessment Review. Exam results and data patterns. Updates on changes to accountability, the new report card and how to make sense of school improvement in the temporary absence of Progress 8.

10.45am			Refreshment break

11.00am			Session 2: The Accountability Cycle When to look out for important tasks in the accountability cycle (including school table checking exercise and school census days) and how to manage them. What information can be found, where and when. Understanding the purpose and use of external accountability tools including how to select a data platform for your school and the effective use of data to support target setting.

12.00pm			Lunch

12.40pm			Session 3: The Accountability Cycle (cont'd) Using data to support transition from KS2 to KS3. Making sense of the information within the ASP and IDSR.

1.40pm			Refreshment break

1.55pm			Session 4: Accountability and Stakeholders How to share information with governors and school staff. How to help the wider school community understand the meaning and impact of external and internal data. How to use data to support school improvement. Examination days and good practice.

3.15pm			Plenary, evaluation, next steps and questions

3.30pm			Close

Suitable for

Data leads or data managers new to the role, or those who've recently taken it on. School leaders with responsibility for data and outcomes. Where possible, we'd encourage both to attend together to maximise shared understanding, though individual staff are equally welcome.