Factors Influencing the Improvement Plan

Whalsay School

School Improvement Plan

Session 2017-18

Factors Influencing the Improvement Plan

School factors

• New SMT team in place. HT appointed in October 2016. DHT is acting up until February and the return of substantive post holder.

Local authority factors

• Schools and Quality Improvement Service Plan 2017-18

National factors

• National Improvement Frameworkwhich focuses on:

• improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy;
• closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children;
• improvement in children and young people’s health and wellbeing; and
• improvement in employability skills and sustained, positive school leaver destinations for all young people.

• Curriculum for Excellence (see diagram below)
• Getting it Right for Every child (GIRFEC)
• Education (Scotland) Act 2016
• How Good Is Our School (4th Edition)

School Aims

Our School Mission Statement, the core vision for our school, refers to providing a caring, purposeful, happy and safe environment for our pupils and includes a commitment to covering all aspects of each pupil’s development, including their physical, emotional and social wellbeing.

We intend to achieve a caring, purposeful, happy and safe environment by:

Encouraging pupils to generate respect for themselves, for others and for education

Making sure our school is well-ordered, stimulating and safe

Providing pupils with a well-balanced curriculum

Stimulating pupils and encouraging them to take responsibility for their own learning

Covering all aspects of each pupil’s development: Physical, Emotional, Social and Academic

Setting realistic and achievable targets

Encouraging open communication between Parents, Pupils, Staff and the Community

Our Learning Aims

We will respect and care for each other.

We will listen to each other and appreciate our differences.

We will agree on classroom rules and teacher expectations will be shared with the pupils.

We have high expectations of behaviour.

We aim to make formative assessment an integral part of the learning and teaching process throughout the school, including sharing learning intentions, success criteria and learner’s being given constructive feedback.

Pupils and staff will work together to create an enjoyable and purposeful learning environment.

We endeavour to meet each of our pupils’ learning needs, supporting and challenging appropriately.

We aim for positive interactions within our school community with praise and encouragement being given when appropriate.

We aim to set regular homework which will support and consolidate learning.

We endeavour to instil a positive attitude to lifelong learning

How pupils were consulted and involved in decisions

• Pupil council meetings with PT Pupil Support and Head Teacher
• Pupil feedback on learning and teaching in subject departments and following School Reports
• Views of pupils expressed in PSE classes and Pupil Support interviews
• Consultation on Tracking and Monitoring in Year Group Assemblies

Strategy for parental engagement

Existing practice on this includes:

• Engagement with the Parent Council on issues affecting the school like staffing, local authority policies, national initiatives and changes to the curriculum
• Interaction with parents at regular Parents’ Evenings that are very well attended
• Regular correspondence with parents by email and letter (for those who prefer it) and through School Facebook Private Group
• Bi-annual newsletters updating parents about events, achievements and changes in the school
• Feedback slips received from parents on receiving annual Pupil reports

Supporting Parental Engagement particularly with regard to supporting Learning at Home is an important part of our Improvement plan for this year. This will be a key part of our strategy for closing the attainment gap and utilising our Pupil Equity Fund allocation.

Priority 1 Raising Attainment and Achievement
NIF Priority Target:Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy(1)Key driver: Assessment of Children’s Progress
Quality Indicator(s): 2.3, 3.2
Target:Improvement in levels for Reading, Writing, Talking & Listening across the school.
Strategy identified for improvement of Numeracy across the school.
School’s current position: Last year, the school began a number of strategies to improve attainment in literacy including the Northern Alliance pilot with P1/2, the introduction of Accelerated Reader into P4-S2and the Big Write. This year we need to consolidate and develop these strategies further and begin identifying similar strategies to improve pupils’ performance in numeracy.
Desired Outcomes
Early literacy activities in Nursery and P1 meet pupils’ needs and support their progress.
The majority of pupils in P4-S3 are increasing their reading and closing gaps between reading age and chronological growth or their reading age is exceeding chronological age.
Pupil performance in Numeracy closely monitored with a view to introducing strategies for improvement in 2018/19
Scottish National Standardised Assessments introduced in P1,4,7 and S3 and data used to raise attainment / Implementation Process (Actions)
Northern Alliance Literacy Project
Consolidation of practice in P1 class.
Extension of Northern Alliance Raising Attainment through Literacy, Language and Communication Project to pupils in Nursery/P2
Attendance at project events
Parental engagement to support Learning at Home
Accelerated Reader
Extension of Accelerated Reader into S3
Staff training on tracking and monitoring pupil progress and targeting interventions.
Pilot Parental involvement with Secondary
Monitoring of pupil performance in Numeracy across the school
Moderation Activities focused on Numeracy
Liaison with Numeracy Hub Coordinator
Training for Staff in SEAL
Training for SMT in SNSA
Training for Teaching staff
Data used to inform forward plans and to identify targeted interventions
/ By whom
DHT and early years staff
SMT, Primary, English and Library Staff
SMT, Teaching staff
SMT
Teaching staff
SMT/teaching staff / Time Scale
Staff meetings throughout session
Staff meeting 19/9
Sec 5/12; 8/5; Pr 29/5
Jan-March / Resources / Monitoring
SMT meetings
Feedback from Parent meeting
SMT meetings
Accelerated Reader data
SMT meetings
Moderation Recording sheet
SMT meetings
SNSA data
Teacher Judgement Survey
Evaluation:
Are pupils in Early Years making significant progress in early literacy skills?
Are pupils in P4-S3 reading more frequently and closing gaps between their reading and chronological ages (or reading age exceeds chronological age)?
Have strategies for improving Numeracy across the school been identified for implementation in 2018-19?
Are SNSAs providing useful data to identify necessary improvements in attainment in literacy and numeracy? Is this data being used to inform forward planning and is there evidence that this is having an impact on CfE levels reported in Teacher Judgement Survey? / Evidence (How do we know?)
Northern Alliance Data
Accelerated Reader Data
SMT minutes
SMT minutes, Forward Plans, Teacher Judgement results compared with SNSAs
Priority 2 Closing the Attainment Gap
NIF Priority Target:Closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children (2)Key driver: Parental Engagement
Quality Indicator(s): 2.5, 3.1, 3.2
Target:Support parents of targeted pre-school children in helping their children with pre-reading skills
Support offered to all parentsof pre-school children to promote learning at home
Provide additional support to close attainment gaps in literacy/numeracy between our most and least disadvantaged children
School’s current position: Northern Alliance Literacy Project screening shows that there is a wide variety of early literacy skills development among our P1 intake. We will be using Pupil Equity Fund Resources to promote parental confidence in supporting their children’s early reading skills and to target interventions for identified pre-school children. Where attainment gaps in literacy/numeracy between our most and least disadvantaged children have been identified, we will use PEF resources to try to close them.
Desired Outcomes
Parents of Pre-school children are more confident in how to help them with pre-reading skills.
Early Years children who require additional support with pre-reading skills are identified and offered it
Targeted group of P5 pupils supported to close attainment gap in Literacy and Numeracy
Nurture Room set up and equipped for pupils who require it / Implementation Process (Actions)
Sessions run for parents of Pre-school children incorporating Bookbug and promoting other strategies for improving learning at home.
Northern Alliance Literacy Project screening used to identify early attainment gaps and parents offered resources to enable them to support their children.
Materials identified and staff resources sourced
Identify suitable room. Furnish and equip it. / By whom
SMT, Early Years Staff, School Youth Worker
Early Years Staff
SMT
SMT/ ASN staff / Time Scale
One per term
Term 1
By April ‘18
Term 1 / Resources
Book and play resources
Booking fees for venue
Staffing costs
Resources and staffing costs
Resources for room / Monitoring
SMT meetings / Nursery meetings / QIO meetings
Teacher Tracking
Support for Learning Meetings
Evaluation:
Have parents gained in confidence in reading to their children and promoting early reading skills?
Are targeted interventions taking place where appropriate and is there evidence that these are working to close early attainment gaps?
Have parents been offered strategies/ideas for supporting learning at home?
Are parents finding above strategies useful?
Have P5 target group reached CfE level 1 in Literacy and Numeracy
Is the availability of the Nurture Room helping staff to support pupils with ASN? / Evidence (How do we know?)
Parental Survey
SMT/Nursery meeting minutes
Parents’ Night preparation / Parent emails / Facebook posts
Feedback from Parents’ Evenings / Responses on Facebook
Teacher Judgement Survey
Girfec review minutes, SfL meeting minutes, number of PINS submitted
Priority 3 Tracking, Monitoring and Assessment
NIF Priority Target:Improvement in attainment (1); improvement in health & wellbeing (3)Key driver: Assessment of Children’s Progress
Quality Indicator(s): 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1
Target:Begin implementation of Shetland Strategy for Tracking, Monitoring and Moderation in the BGE
Implement changes to assessment arrangements for National SQA courses
School’s current position: The school had planned to develop most of these outcomes in last year’s improvement plan but the replacement of SALs with Benchmarks and the subsequent delay of the Shetland Strategy for Tracking, Monitoring and Moderation in the BGE meant that some strategies planned had to be put on hold. We will begin implementing the Shetland Strategy as well as implementing further changes that have been made to National 5 assessment arrangements by the SQA.
Desired Outcomes
All pupils in the BGE will have a folio of evidence with work from each curricular area.
All pupils will have their progress tracked using Benchmarks and other evidence at least twice per year
Pupils benefit from interventions resulting from SHANARRI assessments
Pupils will be well prepared for new assessment arrangements in National Qualifications / Implementation Process (Actions)
Audit existing practice and seek ideas for going forward
SMT develop and introduce revised arrangements
First revised folios piloted (e.g. with one year group)
Audit existing practice
Support staff in becoming more familiar with Benchmarks
SHANARRI self assessments of pupils take place in Terms 1 and 3
Interventions planned
Development of a School Spreadsheet with tracking information for attainment and vulnerability
Work with colleagues in cluster towards a cluster-wide tracking system
Teachers aware of changes in their subject area through attendance at SDG and their own professional development time
Teachers implement changes. / By whom
SMT / teaching staff
Teaching staff / pupils
SMT
SMT / teaching staff
PST / Primary staff
SfL team
SMT
SMT
HT / Subject Teachers / Time Scale
Sec.30/8; Prtbc
Sec. 16/1; Pr tbc
before Parents’ Evening of target group
Term 1
moderation meetings(4)
Terms 1/2
Terms 3/4
Term 1
By March
2018 / Resources / Monitoring
SMT meetings
Feedback from Parents/Pupils
Moderation recording sheet
Forward planning sheets
Collation of data from self-assessments
Support for Learning Meetings
SMT meetings
Cluster Meetings
SMT meetings / Secondary Staff Meetings
Evaluation:
Do all pupils in the BGE have a folio of evidence with work from each curricular area?
Are all pupils in the BGE having their progress tracked using Benchmarks twice per year?
Have SHANARRI assessments taken place for all pupils in Terms 1 and 3?
How many interventions have taken place as a result of SHANARRI data?
Are pupils prepared for new assessment arrangements in NQs? / Evidence (How do we know?)
Folios
Interim reports / School Report / School Spreadsheet
Collated data
Support for Leaning Meeting Minutes
Verification reports / PST meetings with pupil and parental contact / Secondary Staff meetings
Priority 4 Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce
NIF Priority Target:improvement in employability skills and sustained, Key driver: Assessment of Children’s Progress
positive school leaver destinations for all young people (4)
Quality Indicator(s): 2.3, 2.7, 3.3
Target:All pupils across the school have opportunities to develop skills for learning, life and work and the school’s high performance with regard to positive school leaver destinations is maintained.
School’s current position: In session 2016-17 a small working group of teachers, led by the Acting PT of Pupil Support and in consultation with Secondary pupils, generated ideas for wider achievement opportunities to replace the ASDAN scheme which the school was phasing out. A structure has been proposed which it is anticipated will be flexible to allow for pupil choice and interest. The working group will continue to develop this and build partnership with local employers and the wider community.
The Primary Department have a number of annual projects and enterprise activities. During the session we will audit and map this activity and develop STEM opportunities.
For many years now the school has been running a Rural Skills programme in conjunction with a local croft. This year we will be moving to a new croft and we will use this as an opportunity to increase awareness beyond the school of the existence of this opportunity and increase uptake.
Desired Outcomes
Pupils benefit from a coherent but flexible programme of wider achievement opportunities and the opportunity to reflect on the development of their skills for learning, life and work / Implementation Process (Actions)
Planning meetings of staff involved
Consultation with pupils
Development of business and community links through Newsletter / Community Cafe / Other
reflection incorporated into pupil profiles (developed in Priority 2)
Audit of Primary practice regarding DSYW
Development of STEM opportunities in Primary / By whom
Secondary Teaching Staff
SMT / PST
SMT / Primary
Teaching Staff / Time Scale
1/11 +13/2
Term 2
Terms 2/3
Term 2
Term 2
Terms 2/3 / Resources / Monitoring
Group minutes
SMT meetings
Pupil feedback
Group minutes
SMT meetings
Evaluation:
Are pupils able to choose and plan wider achievement activities that give them the opportunity to develop skills for learning, life and work?
Are pupils able to reflect on the development of their skills for learning, life and work?
Do the audit of DSYW related activity and the STEM opportunities introduced show that we are meeting DSYW requirements in Primary?
Has the move to the new Rural Skills croft been successful?
Have applications to Rural Skills increased? / Evidence (How do we know?)
Wider Achievement programme (particularly terms 3/4)
Pupil profiles
Audit, Staff Meeting minutes
Review with staff involved
Vocational Pathways statistics
Priority 5 Develop Strategy for Parental Involvement and Engagement
NIF Priority Target:Parental EngagementKey driver:
Quality Indicator(s): 1.1, 2.3, 2.5, 2.7
Target:Audit and Review Parental Involvement and Engagement in the School.
Identify and consolidate good practice in this area and develop new strategies to increase Parental Engagement in pupil learning.
School’s current position: The school currently has a very active Parent Council whohave a prominent role in fund raising for the school. Parent volunteers regularly assist in school particularly with school trips. Parents have also helped to promote initiatives in the school like Eco School and Outdoor Play. The recent review of the Parental Involvement Act and the publication of a draft Parental Involvement Strategy by SIC School Service are calling for an increased engagement of parents in pupils’ learning.
Desired Outcomes / Implementation Process (Actions)
Audit activities on School calendar against the 6 types of parental involvement identified by Epstein and referred to in the Review of the Parental Involvement Act.
Identify areas of strength and areas for development
Consult parents on current methods of communication and ideas for improvement
Raise awareness of staff of the importance of parental engagement in learning and develop strategies to support this
Consult Parent Council on the structure and usefulness of the School Handbook
Run events for parents to promote understanding of Internet Safety and STEM subjects
Pilot use of Parent Volunteers to assist with literacy and numeracy work in lower Primary / By whom
SMT
SMT / Parent Council
SMT/ Parent Council
Sec and Pr
staff
HT/DHT
HT (int’net)
DHT (stem)
asap / Time Scale
October
November
November
Sec 7/11
Pr 18/1
Feb/March
15/11
27/9
asap / Resources / Monitoring
SMT meetings
SMT meetings / Parent Council meetings
SMT meetings / Parent Council meetings
Evaluation:
Have strengths and areas for improvement been identified in current practice around Parental Involvement and Engagement?
Have strengths and areas for improvement been identified in current practice around communication with parents including the School Handbook?
Have staff identified strategies that can be implemented to enhance parental engagement in learning?