Innerwick Primary School
School Improvement Plan
2015-2016
Head Teacher: Janette Gordon
Curriculum Rationale
At Innerwick Primary we aim to provide a broad, experiential curriculum that meets the needs of all our pupils and which develops skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work. In doing so we will prepare our pupils to take their place in 21st century society.
This means that every child at Innerwick Primary is entitled to a curriculum which is:
· Coherent from nursery through to transfer to secondary education
· Founded on sound learning and teaching practices including well-planned learning experiences which are active and engaging and based upon sound pedagogical research
· Based upon developing skills and competences in literacy and numeracy and an ability to make informed choices about their health and well being
· Real and relevant now and in the future
All staff have a responsibility to build our pupils’ capacity to become
· Successful Learners
· Confident Individuals
· Responsible Citizens
· Effective Contributors
by developing a curriculum which is based upon the 7 key principles of
· Challenge and enjoyment
· Breadth
· Progression
· Depth
· Personalisation and choice
· Coherence
· Relevance
Staff knowledge and understanding of the curriculum and a collegiate approach to developing experiences and outcomes in our school context will underpin development. This in turn will provide teaching and learning of the highest quality for the pupils in Innerwick Primary School.
Aims
The key aims for focus for our curriculum are:
· To have a clear focus on learning and teaching
· To provide high quality teaching of core skills (literacy, numeracy, ICT, learning and thinking skills, problem solving).
· To provide real contexts for learning and link learning to support pupils’ understanding of the world around them.
· To develop the key personal qualities of resilience, perseverance and a positive attitude to learning.
· To encourage life long learning.
Improvement Priority / Learning and TeachingPeople
Partnership
1. Pupil reflection in their learning / 2.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.7, 5.9
What do we want? / Why do we want it? / How are we going to do it? / Impact / Proposed timescale
To further develop initial work carried out to implement a whole school approach in the involvement of pupils in reflecting and recording and sharing of their learning / *To raise expectations and promote achievement.
* To challenge, motivate and support all learners to achieve their potential.
*Greater understanding of what, how and why of their learning.
* Greater understanding of how to improve their learning.
* For pupils and parents to be able to view and add to learning journeys.
* Parents and pupils to be able to contribute to further learning, achievements and reflection together at home.
*To provide pupils and parents with high quality feedback. / *Staff continue effective questioning and planned high quality dialogue with learners to encourage use of reflective language.
*Staff embed frequent opportunities for pupils to self, peer and group evaluate their learning.
*Establish regular target setting with learners.
*Develop use of Learning Journeys by adding core subject outcome coverage and assessment evidence.
*Establish Learning Walls.
*Regular opportunities for staff to engage in professional dialogue to evaluate progress of actions.
*Share practice with cluster small schools at CAT sessions.
*2 staff members to complete Making Thinking Visible training and action research.
*Termly parental comments and opinions. / *Strong ethos of aspiration, reflection and achievement shared by all.
* Greater engagement of learners in the learning process and increased pupil confidence in their ability to plan, carry out and self-assess effectively.
*Increased self-esteem and improved motivation.
*Raised pupil attainment.
*Pupils and parents will be provided with high quality feedback.
*Consistency across cluster schools to aid transition.
*Staff and learners become confident in using the language of thinking and thinking routines. / To be achieved by June 2016
Regular review of progress and
feedback from pupils and parents to inform ongoing decision-making and development
June 2016
Improvement Priority / Learning & Teaching
People
2. Numeracy and Maths / 1.1, 2.1, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.7
What do we want? / Why do we want it? / How are we going to do it? / Impact / Proposed timescale
To develop strong and secure achievement in areas of Numeracy and Maths. / *To develop numeracy and maths across the curriculum.
*To raise confidence in teaching and learning in application of skills in context and problem solving strategies.
*To develop confidence in SEAL phases, methods and resources across all stages.
*To develop confidence in the use of mathematical language in reflection of learning. / *Plan regular opportunities for learners to use Maths in inter-disciplinary learning and apply skills to real life situations.
*Daily focus of 1 hour on Numeracy and Maths outcomes.
*Staff to regularly moderate Maths across the school and cluster.
*Staff member trained in Authority Numeracy Academy last session to mentor another teacher in use of strategies.
*’I can’ statements to be included in Learning Journeys.
*Achievements to be recorded in Learning Journeys, shared at assemblies and with parents.
*Information meetings for parents and carers.
*Involve parents and community in regular challenges and activities.
Eg Stay and Play and Village Challenge / *Improved levels of attainment in
Numeracy and Maths.
*Learners will reflect on their progress and be confident and aware of their achievements.
*Increase in staff knowledge and confidence in the use of SEAL.
*Greater pupil understanding of progression and next steps in learning.
*Parents/carers will be helped to support their children’s learning and progression.
*Greater engagement with local community. / By June 2016
Improvement Priority / Learning & Teaching
People
3. Technology / 1.1, 2.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.7
What do we want? / Why do we want it? / How are we going to do it? / Impact / Proposed timescale
To strengthen Technologies outcomes and experiences across all stages. / *To develop confidence in planning and assessing Technologies outcomes.
*To promote motivation and challenge across digital and practical technologies.
*To enhance other core areas of the curriculum. / * Revise ICT programme.
*Identify opportunities to incorporate outcomes in everyday practice.
*Present rich opportunities to apply HOTS – analysis, design and evaluating.
*Use technologies outdoors during a weekly Play pod challenge.
*Link to sustainability projects – Eco Schools programme-, working with Sustaining Dunbar.
*Relate to life of work – Careers Week.
*Use parent and community skills and expertise. / *Raised attainment in ICT.
*Increased motivation and confidence in the use of technology.
*Clear planning of technologies across the school.
*Clear links to other areas of learning.
*Greater parental involvement. / By June 2016
Improvement Priority / Learning & Teaching
Culture & ethos
Partnership
People
4. Modern Languages/ Global Citizenship / 1.1, 2.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 6.3, 8.1, 9.1
What do we want? / Why do we want it? / How are we going to do it? / Impact / Proposed timescale
To implement Language Learning in Scotland
1 +2 Approach / *To enable learners to participate fully in global society and economy.
*To encourage learners to celebrate their own and other cultures.
*Improved interpersonal relationships.
*Learners will develop their critical thinking about global and cultural issues. / *School and cluster training of all class and specialist teachers in French to deliver to P1 in October 2015.
*Use programme to ensure progression and experience of 2nd language across curricular areas.
*Access resources and evidence of good practice on Education Scotland and local sources.
* Information meeting for parents/carers.
*Continue to highlight and support global projects and choose charity as focus for this year. / *Increased staff confidence in delivery of 2nd language.
*High quality learner engagement with languages.
*Greater parental involvement.
*Greater pupil understanding of the wider world. / By June 2016
Maintenance items
1.Parental/community involvement / To continue to use skills and expertise of parents and to strengthen information and reporting procedures. To further develop closer links to the wider community.
2.Reading / To continue to resource and develop Read, Write, Inc programme in Early Years and Muckle Reading strategies in P3-7.
3. Self evaluation / To continue the school’s commitment to self evaluation and the improvement agenda and to involve all stakeholders in these processes.