Self Evaluation Form

Mrs Olivia Bates – Head Teacher

August 2016 (reviewed Sept 16, Oct 16, Nov 16)

The school's context

Type of school /
  • Lower 2 – 9 years mixed community. Affiliated Church School Status (June 2016)

Roll/intake / Nov 16 - 89 - Main school 32pre school = 121
Sept 16 90 Main school 32 pre school = 122, Sep 15 - 95 main school plus 28 in pre school =123, September 2014: 79 pupils, September 2013 – 67 pupils
  • PP is below national average –June 16 – 4 children + 1 pre school = 3.7%, Oct 2015, 5 children = 5.2%,
  • Pupils join Reception class with skills and knowledge mostly‘at’ ARE. Children can join the Pre-School after their 2nd birthday.
  • The school is considerably smaller than the average sized primary school.
  • The majority of pupils are White British Heritage.
  • There is 1 pupil in school who isEAL.
  • The proportion of pupils who have difficulties with their learning is below average. 1 EHCP application pending. 1 on the SEND list and 5 provision mapped
  • 2 pupils are family fostered. We work closely with external organisations & strong links with families.

Chair of Governors /
  • Mr Gifford Kelly
/ Head Teacher* Mrs Olivia Bates
Previous inspection /
  • October 2013 – Good with outstanding for Safeguarding and Behaviour

Awards /
  • We achieved re-accreditation for International School Award in 2013 - Due to reapply Dec 16. (first gained the award in 2007)
  • Gold award - Sainsbury’s sports awards 2015 & 2016
  • Working towards Green tree award, bronze Arts Mark award and RE Quality Mark.
  • Affiliated church school status (July 2016)

Buildings /
  • The school is on a single site (the school has an allotment that is off site)
  • We have an outside pavilion that was funded through a lottery grant
  • We have an extensive environmental area – Re named by the school council “Wonder Wood” Jan 16
  • In January 2015 the Pre School became part of the School.It has a separate freestanding unit on the school grounds.

Staffing / Pre- School (Blossom Class)
Mrs Sarah Norman –Leader L3 (safeguarding/ prevent)
Mrs Alison Bates – Deputy Pre School Leader L3 (SENDco, LAC)
Mrs Rebecca Waters– Assistant L3
Mrs Kate Colomb – Assistant L1 (working towards L2)
Miss Natalie Smith – EYFS Apprentice (L2)
Main School
Year R (Cherry) – Mrs Aly O’Neill (Maths, PSHCE, Values,EYFS Coordinator)
Year 1 (Holly)– Mrs Catherine Harrison (Literacy, art, PE, Computing)
Year 2 (Rowan) – Miss Schwab – Agency long term cover
Year 3 (Oak)– Miss Sheryl Dew
Year 4 (Sycamore) – Mrs Deborah Mitchelmore (Assistant Head teacher, School Council, curriculum and Science) / Learning Support
Mrs Maureen Petherick – Level 2
Mrs Louise Beary – Level 2/ SLTS
Ms Carol Willis. – Level 3/ cover supervisor
Miss Shannon Murray –EYFS Apprentice/ LTS
Mrs Ruth Allen - QTS 1:1 SEND, Nurture worker
Ms Jenny Hackett - 1:1 SEND/ LTS
Mrs Laura Wagstaff -1:1 SEND/ Nurture worker
Mrs Sally O’Connell - 1:1 SEND
Office Staff
Mrs Enid Willison - Clerical assistant/ Bursar
Mrs Deborah Smith - Clerical assistant
Mrs Nadia Sweetland - Clerical assistant/ LTS
Mr Coppard – Site agent/ cleaner
Mrs Perkins -Lunchtime Supervisor
Miss Lauren Clarke -Lunchtime Supervisor
Partnerships /
  • We are part of Learning Community 2 (Leighton Buzzard area) and are liaising with schools in that area.
  • We are membersof the School Sports Partnership in LC2
  • Small schools forum (local small schools)
Bought in professional services
  • Tracking and monitoring system - School Pupil Tracker (SPT)
  • CPD – Central Bedfordshire training.

Finance /
  • We have achieved the Financial Management Standard in Schools (FMSIS).

Other /
  • Future Games wrap around care provide an after school cluband a breakfast club.
  • Green status for LA
  • CDO for the Pre School is Trudy Mather.

School Evaluation in the area of: Overall Effectiveness - The quality and standards of education = Schools Self Evaluation:Good(moving to O)

School Evaluation in the area of: Leadership and management =Schools Self Evaluation: Good (with some evidence of Outstanding)

Area / Comment / Evidence
Role of GB in the school /
  • Governors monitor finances and hold Headteacher to account
  • Regular meetings of the governing body provide challenge and support. The HT welcomes this.
  • Governors training programme (LA),to ensure that they are aware of their duties and are able to perform these duties effectively.
  • The governors visit the school each term with a specific focus that has been decided beforehand and linked to the SDP.
  • The school employs an experienced Clerk to Governors.
  • Governance review held July 2016.
/ HT reports to governors
GB minutes
HT PM
Committee meeting reports.
How leaders at all levels drive improvements /
  • Governors hold HT to account for all aspects of school performance
  • HT holds members of staff to account for their performance and carries out performance management for all staff.
  • Targets for pupil performance are set annually with class teachers and monitored half termly by SLT and class teachers.
  • The SLT (HT/AHT/ EYFS leader) have a weekly meeting to discuss the strategic direction of the school and ensure distributive leadership has maximum impact on the quality of teaching and learning in Early Years/KS1/KS2.
  • HT meets weekly with teachers, teaching assistants, and Pre School staff, HT holds regular meetings with support/back office staff and external services to ensure the vision is communicated to all stakeholders.
  • In the July 16 questionnaire 89.7% of parent’s carers agreed or strongly agreed that the school was lead and managed well.
/ Staff PM Folder and documents.
SPT
Parent questionnaire.
Capacity to improve /
  • School self-evaluation is secure. HT has worked with LA school improvement team to ensure a rapid increase in attainment.
  • HT, SLT and Pre School staff are working with the LA to ensure an outstanding grade for Pre School/ EYFS
  • The curriculum and standards committee meet regularly to assess the developments in the SEF and SDP. We have clearly highlighted the main areas of need, using a range of resources including but not exhaustive, Raise online, SPT, parent forum, parent questionnaires, School council, children questionnaires, lesson observations, learning walks, appraisal, reports from external agencies and advice from agencies.
  • SDP is updated in light of self-evaluation
  • The HT keeps up to date with initiatives and disseminates them to staff and governors – professional book club, peer mentoring.
  • The HT is proactive in promoting professional development to all staff.
/ SEF/SDP
RAISE
Questionnaires
Meetings
Leadership of T&L /
  • Teaching and learning are good leading to good results (2016).
  • EYFS results in July 15 were uncharacteristically low, 2016 result in line with school trend.
  • SLT make robust judgements about the quality of teaching in lesson observations, this was backed up by the judgements made at the last inspection (October 2013), Mock EYFS OFSTED (June 2016) assessed EYFS as Good/ Outstanding.
  • Focus on monitoring based on triangulation of evidence (work scrutiny/planning/assertive mentoring folders/tracking, pupil interviews) informs final judgement.
  • Pupil progress meetings are carried out every term. The HT monitors inclusive classrooms and creates provision maps to ensure the best outcome for all pupils is achieved.
  • Challenging targets are set for all children across the school. These are monitored by SLT for individual pupils and groups to ensure standards are maintained and improved.
  • Parent consultations three times a year with online report in autumn and spring. Summative reports June.
  • The SIP reflects the schools achievements but also provides strategic direction for further improvement with challenging time lines, success criteria, monitoring and evaluation.
/ Data analysis
Observations
Book scrutinies
Learning walks.
Evidence board I staff room.
SEND Provision map.
TA timetable.
Curriculum /
  • Curriculum is broad and balanced to provide a wide range of learning opportunities
  • Positive behaviour is promoted through PSHCE, Values, house points and all areas of curriculum.
  • Creative approaches allow positive experiences that affect pupil behaviour, academic involvement and achievement. The range of opportunities for educational visits and visitors enrich pupils’ learning and engagement.
  • Extra curricular enrichment activities in the arts, sports and academics enhance learning.
  • Y4 residential initiated Summer 2016.
/ Values policy.
Value tree in the hall.
House points system.
Engagement with parents /
  • Open door policy with parents/ carers.
  • Monthly newsletter informing parents of activities and giving information.
  • Email alerts and reminders.
  • The mission of the school are clearly displayed and promoted on the schools web site in around the school.
  • Parent consultations attendance is high, with parents making alternative arrangements to meet with teachers if unable to attend.
  • Parent forum is well attended, suggestion box for those who can’t attend.
  • SPT enables effective communication across the whole school family – between school leaders, teachers, pupils, parents/carers and governors. Parents and carers can access their child’s attainment and progress data half termly and see termly mini reports.
/ Newsletters.
Web site
SPT Governor log in
SPT parent Log in
SMSC /
  • Staff and children chose the school Values. The Value of the month is introduced during assembly. Teachers and support staff can write leaf awards for children if they have met the Value, these are added to the value tree as the year progresses.
  • BritishValues are given equal weighting with the schools core values. As are the Olympic values.
  • Star awards are given during Friday Celebration Assembly. We celebrate achievements in school and outside of school.
  • 1 Jehovah’s Witness pupil attends assembly but does not sing the songs/hymns, we are sensitive to the beliefs of different groups in school whilst maintaining a Christian ethos.
  • Pupils show a keen interest in the world around them and enjoy working on our school allotment in the village.
  • Pupils are given opportunities to use 'feelings charts' in their classes so that they can consider what has gone well or caused them concern at playtimes. This gives them the opportunity to discuss their feelings and to find solutions collaboratively.
  • Pupils are made aware of diversity in the world through activities such as Operation Christmas Child, harvest and fundraising for charities such as Keech Hospice, Children in Need, Comic relief, Hearing Dogs for the Deaf.
  • We have achieved the International School Award and re-accreditation (awaiting result of 3rd re-accreditation).
  • ‘Nurture’ type provision. At present 5 children attend 3 afternoons a week.

Safeguarding and prevent /
  • School’s arrangements meet statutory requirements
  • Safeguarding Audit Oct 2015 has been completed.
  • Induction includes safeguarding and prevent training.
  • All members of staff and voluntary helpers have been cleared for working with children (DBS)
  • All members of staff undertake training according to statutory requirements and in addition part of the September, January and April training days includes updates on safeguarding and prevent issues each year.

Next steps /
  • Governors skills audit to be completed.
  • HT and governors to review the PM rolling programme.
  • HT and SLT to continue to promote outstanding teaching across all phases using mentors and examples of outstanding practice.
  • To encourage more parents to complete the end of year performance questionnaire for opinions and ideas to combine with parent forum.
  • Review the mission statement with the new direction as a church school.

School Evaluation in the area of: Quality of Teaching, Learning and assessment = Schools Self Evaluation: Good (moving to O)
Area / Comment / Evidence
Quality of teaching currently in the school and how you quality assure it /
  • The teaching in all areas of the curriculum and in all classes is consistently good, with outstanding practice.
  • HT, AHT and EYFS lead observes lessons formally and on ‘walkabout’. The ‘Snap shots of learning’ wall is used to monitor. Formal observation inform PM.
  • Teachers have high expectations of pupils as shown in target setting
  • Pupils make good progress – tracked continuously using SPT and formally half termly.
  • Pupils are engaged in their learning, attentive and keen to succeed.
  • There are positive relationships within classrooms and pupils are encouraged to take risks with their learning.
  • Teachers deliver a minimum of 3 observed lessons per year and this forms part of the school’s review cycle framework and staff performance management. The first observations are carried out in the autumn term, identifying any areas of inconsistency or gaps that need to be address in light of the previous year’s results.
  • The cycle then moves onto the second phase with a key focus set out in the school’s SDP.
  • The third set of observations is to quantify and evidence the impact of programmes and initiatives both individual and whole school, providing a measure of impact and a tool to measure success. In the summer term the observation cycle forms parts of the review process in updating the schools SEF for the following year.
  • 100% passed phonics check 2016.
/ Lesson observations
Learning walks
Targets
Data analysis
Staff meetings.
Ofsted report Oct 2013
Snap shot wall in staff room
How well teachers use assessment information to inform their teaching and match work to ability /
  • Planning is annotated to inform next sessions in a theme/series of lessons
  • Teacher assessments completed each half term with targets set.
  • Pupils are involved in their next steps for learning continuously. The marking scheme insures children always know what they can do to improve, they are becoming proficient in looking for ‘green for growth’ comments to improve.
  • Time in the curriculum is planned into the timetable for ‘fix it’ or “de-bugging’ time, where children can look at their next steps and make improvements.
  • Differentiation is evident in planning to match work to ability (2 children have individual curriculums)
  • Assessment data shows that pupils are achieving good standards and making good progress
  • SPT - staff can see instantly where gaps are in teaching and learning and plan accordingly to rectify this before gaps occur. Likewise individuals or groups of children can be quickly identified to accelerate progress for deeper learners.
  • Trends can be spotted, class, vulnerable groups and whole school, supporting the schools aim to meet the needs of all its learners and continue to strive to improve the school results in all areas.
/ Planning
Assessments
Children work and books
Jigsaw centre CPD
How well English and maths are taught across the school and curriculum /
  • Reading, writing and maths is taught well – seen in lesson observations, learning walks, planning, data, outcomes
  • Writing is used for recording in other subjects – seen in planning and pupils’ work
  • Reading is used for research purposes by pupils and for pleasure. The pass rate for the phonics check is above LA and national. Y2 SATs reading test results - 87% at and above (above LA 77%)
/ Data analysis
Lesson observations
Learning walks
Pupils’ work
The quality of feedback, marking and dialogue including any inconsistencies /
  • Marking policy – seen in pupils’ work. Marking shows pupils how to improve work (green for growth)and what has been done well (tickled pink). Children enjoy looking at the marking and learn from it/ progress made.
  • In EYFS and KS1 generally verbal feedback is given to children in relation to their performance/next step, however for the more able children, child friendly sentences can be written to encourage their reading and comprehension.
  • During YR and Y1 all children are slowly introduced to written FB when they can read.
  • Children are given time each week to check ‘next steps’ and make corrections or improvements and then given the chance to self and peer-assess their work. Fix It time.
/ Pupils’ work
School council reports that they like the marking.
The quality of intervention work/ differentiation /
  • Effective strategies are used to enable all pupils to access curriculum – individualised curriculum for 2 children in school.
  • Appropriate work, including homework, is set taking account of ability
  • Work is targeted at specific groups within lessons to enable challenge as well as support.Depth of learning is a key aspect in planning.
  • Provision mapping gives a balance of support as well as challenge for the more able children.
  • Vertical streaming differentiates phonics. Topic based curriculum literacy is differentiated, in most cases 3 ways, but can at times come from ‘next step’ feedback.
  • The 5 children accessing the Rainbow room (nurture) complete tasks that are linked to class learning.
/ SPs
Planning
Observations
Pupils’ work
Next steps / Quality of Learning
  • To maintainstretch results at the end of EYFS, Year 2 and in the phonics check.
  • Continue to reward home learning /reading to continue to motivate parental engagement.
  • Research a robust reading age assessment to inform planning.
  • To update the homework policy and unify how and what differentiated homework is being sent home.
  • To initiate half termly take home tasks that are curriculum based on top of the literacy and numeracy home work already being sent home.
  • To develop ‘watch me learn’ in pre school, to enhance learning and continue to foster good relationships with parents.
  • To continue to moderate with other schools for YR, Y2 and Y4.
  • YR teacher to become a LA Moderator.
Quality of teaching
  • Ensure that all staff understand what makes outstanding teaching and its impact on successful learning.
  • To develop a model of peer modelling amongst staff, to be developed with the HT and AHT.
  • To continue to use the snap shot board in the staff room where good practice observed can be displayed for all staff to see. To remind them of what makes outstanding teaching.
  • Through the quality of teaching improving standards in English and Maths to continue to exceed floor targets at the end of EYFS and KS1. End of Year 4 results to rise to exceed national expectation.
  • All cohorts to meet a higher % of pupils attaining age appropriate outcomes, increasing attainment bands of pupils exceeding national benchmarks for age and stage.
  • Teaching profile, raise proportion of good to outstanding teaching so outcomes for pupils are always at least good.
  • Continue to provide challenges for the more able pupils so accelerated progress is sustained.Embed deeper learning.
/ Ofsted report 2013
Raise on line

School Evaluation in the area of: Personal development, behaviour and welfare =Schools Self Evaluation: Outstanding