School Development Plan 2021-22
Priority A - Quality of Education
Children generally achieved very well in end of year assessments in reading, writing and maths. We need to ensure assessment this year is robust to ensure those children that ‘just reached’ expected are demonstrating a secure fit at this level. Some children who were working at a greater depth level have dropped back to expected, and they need challenge and support to achieve greater depth. In some year groups children who were expected have dropped back to ‘working towards’ to now achieve ‘expected’. Moderation for assessment of these subjects will be planned for to support robust teacher assessments and evidence for reading assessment needs to be re-established. In all subjects there needs to be a focus on the most vital learning, and we will use guidance to ensure coverage is appropriate. Outcomes for disadvantaged and children with SEN will continue to be a focus, using individual trackers and a provision map to ensure interventions are appropriate and effective, alongside staff training. While rightly focusing on high-quality teaching during 20-21, the standard of work in books and on display in some year groups has dropped and therefore a focus on ensuring work produced reflects the high standard of learning, knowledge and progress is required. Children learn phonics very well and staff training for new and experienced staff delivering this training will be a priority to ensure outcomes remain good. The breadth and progression of learning in non-core subjects is good, but there now needs to be a focus on appropriate, robust assessment to ensure learning builds on previous learning. Non-core curriculum co-ordinators have not had the opportunity to fully develop an understanding of their subject and time, support and a clear plan for this needs to be established. Previously the intention to expose children to a wide range of social and cultural experiences and understanding was planned for but this has not yet been embedded. This will be revisited and planned for through all curriculum areas to encourage children to become respectful citizens, recognise their own potential, so they can flourish and achieve. The Remote Education provision has been effective and the same plan will remain in place.
Priority B - Behaviour and Attitudes
OTTER Learners has been a key part of engagement in learning for some years. To refresh this good attitude to learning, a revamp of the OTTER Learners will be started, revisiting what the children in this school need to focus on to have the very best attitude to their learning in order to succeed. This will be linked to taking a pride in work, displays and the school environment through re-establishing routines and rewards. Whilst behaviour in the school is generally very good, we know the potential return of mixing classes of children at breaktimes, collective worship and during ‘house’ time may be challenging for some children. To ensure children feel safe and happy at these times, we need to equip children with the skills to take responsibility for their own actions and support the well-being of others, linking to the school value of love. This will be achieved by rebuilding the school as a whole community, alongside the value of the term and learning through PSHE lessons. Staff will play a key part in being alert to issues and supporting children to report and respond to these in a respectful, appropriate manner. This will also extend to how children interact with each other outside of the school day, including online.
Priority C - Personal Development
Children need to be supported to become responsible, respectful, active citizens. To support this, we will re-launch pupil voice through children led groups such as School Council. Through our collective worship, termly values and PSHE teaching a focus on deepening understanding of British Values and ensuring the school continues to be fully inclusive and promotes each person as an individual will be continued. Collective Worship will meet the requirements within the new ‘Statement of Entitlement and Expectation for Collective Worship’ from the Church of England Education Office. We need to develop opportunities for learning about cultural and social diversity and this will be through the curriculum, and particularly books and resources used in English teaching and through RE teaching. PSHE teaching will be vital to support children to be confident, and understand online and offline risks and how to recognise issues and access support. The updated Relationships, Sex and Health Education Policy and associated teaching needs to be fully embedded to ensure children to develop an understanding of healthy relationships. Active break times have been successful with new resources and adult as role-models and this must continue, alongside extra-curricular provision.
Priority D - Leadership and Management
Continuing professional development for staff will be a focus this year as opportunities have been reduced due to COVID restrictions. Online CPD will continue as well as refresher training for specific identified areas such as phonics and new training for curriculum and learning and teaching, including an effective training plan for teaching assistants. The good practice already embedded in school needs to be identified and shared with staff observing each other and sharing successful strategies. We recognise there are some new staff joining the school, as well as teachers taking on different roles, and therefore a strong induction and effective support will be in place for these members of staff. Parents/carers have had little opportunity to be in school to share the learning and successes of children and actions such as open classrooms and sharing assemblies will be re-established to foster this. Mental health and wellbeing support will continue to be signposted to staff, as well as a whole school ethos of support and keeping all staff involved with changes and priorities, while mindful of workload. The role of governors will be revisited with a focus on the core purpose to provide confident, strategic leadership. A closer link between governors and vital areas such as pupil premium, catch up funding and sports premium funding will be created to ensure governors know money is well spent. An updated 5-year strategic plan will be created by the governing body, capturing where the school is now and future aspirations for the school. The strong safeguarding culture of the school will continue with appropriate updates, training for all staff and, where appropriate, governors. Ensuring the schools works to prevent sexual harassment, online sexual abuse and sexual violence will be focused on through the effective behaviour policy, pastoral support and PSHE teaching. Leadership skills, knowledge and experience will be developed through the role of curriculum co-ordinators and the school leaders actively seeking opportunities to work with other schools locally and through the academy, ODST.
Priority E - Early Years
The Reception year group has a strong, embedded vision. This needs to remain in place, while ensuring the new EYFS Framework is introduced effectively. Staff have already attended some training regarding this, and will continue to access appropriate training and moderation opportunities throughout the year. The new Reception Baseline Assessment will be administered within the first six weeks of school. At the end of the year the EYFS profile will be completed, and shared effectively with parents/carers and the Year 1 teacher to assist with planning for activities and learning as children transition to Year 1. Strong communication with parents will continue, including information about how the EYFS curriculum is delivered, how to support their child’s learning at home with a focus on learning to read, and how parents can contribute information about their child’s learning and progress. A renewed focus on language and vocabulary development will be implemented with staff modelling and supporting children through daily learning and activities, as well as implementation of focused interventions. The strong focus on learning of phonics and reading will continue. Reception staff will lead an information session with all teachers and governors to ensure an understanding of the new framework and baseline assessment and impact this will have as this, and future cohorts, progress through the school.
School Priorities and Success Measures (2017-2020 *extended into 2021-22)
1. To consistently provide the right environment, support, and challenge to enable all children to fulfil their potential and be their best.
2. To develop our children to be respectful, well rounded citizens that actively reflect the Christian, spiritual and inclusive values of our school community.
4. To further develop strong governance and robust leadership throughout the school.
Priority A - Quality of Education
Children generally achieved very well in end of year assessments in reading, writing and maths. We need to ensure assessment this year is robust to ensure those children that ‘just reached’ expected are demonstrating a secure fit at this level. Some children who were working at a greater depth level have dropped back to expected, and they need challenge and support to achieve greater depth. In some year groups children who were expected have dropped back to ‘working towards’ to now achieve ‘expected’. Moderation for assessment of these subjects will be planned for to support robust teacher assessments and evidence for reading assessment needs to be re-established. In all subjects there needs to be a focus on the most vital learning, and we will use guidance to ensure coverage is appropriate. Outcomes for disadvantaged and children with SEN will continue to be a focus, using individual trackers and a provision map to ensure interventions are appropriate and effective, alongside staff training. While rightly focusing on high-quality teaching during 20-21, the standard of work in books and on display in some year groups has dropped and therefore a focus on ensuring work produced reflects the high standard of learning, knowledge and progress is required. Children learn phonics very well and staff training for new and experienced staff delivering this training will be a priority to ensure outcomes remain good. The breadth and progression of learning in non-core subjects is good, but there now needs to be a focus on appropriate, robust assessment to ensure learning builds on previous learning. Non-core curriculum co-ordinators have not had the opportunity to fully develop an understanding of their subject and time, support and a clear plan for this needs to be established. Previously the intention to expose children to a wide range of social and cultural experiences and understanding was planned for but this has not yet been embedded. This will be revisited and planned for through all curriculum areas to encourage children to become respectful citizens, recognise their own potential, so they can flourish and achieve. The Remote Education provision has been effective and the same plan will remain in place.
Priority B - Behaviour and Attitudes
OTTER Learners has been a key part of engagement in learning for some years. To refresh this good attitude to learning, a revamp of the OTTER Learners will be started, revisiting what the children in this school need to focus on to have the very best attitude to their learning in order to succeed. This will be linked to taking a pride in work, displays and the school environment through re-establishing routines and rewards. Whilst behaviour in the school is generally very good, we know the potential return of mixing classes of children at breaktimes, collective worship and during ‘house’ time may be challenging for some children. To ensure children feel safe and happy at these times, we need to equip children with the skills to take responsibility for their own actions and support the well-being of others, linking to the school value of love. This will be achieved by rebuilding the school as a whole community, alongside the value of the term and learning through PSHE lessons. Staff will play a key part in being alert to issues and supporting children to report and respond to these in a respectful, appropriate manner. This will also extend to how children interact with each other outside of the school day, including online.
Priority C - Personal Development
Children need to be supported to become responsible, respectful, active citizens. To support this, we will re-launch pupil voice through children led groups such as School Council. Through our collective worship, termly values and PSHE teaching a focus on deepening understanding of British Values and ensuring the school continues to be fully inclusive and promotes each person as an individual will be continued. Collective Worship will meet the requirements within the new ‘Statement of Entitlement and Expectation for Collective Worship’ from the Church of England Education Office. We need to develop opportunities for learning about cultural and social diversity and this will be through the curriculum, and particularly books and resources used in English teaching and through RE teaching. PSHE teaching will be vital to support children to be confident, and understand online and offline risks and how to recognise issues and access support. The updated Relationships, Sex and Health Education Policy and associated teaching needs to be fully embedded to ensure children to develop an understanding of healthy relationships. Active break times have been successful with new resources and adult as role-models and this must continue, alongside extra-curricular provision.
Priority D - Leadership and Management
Continuing professional development for staff will be a focus this year as opportunities have been reduced due to COVID restrictions. Online CPD will continue as well as refresher training for specific identified areas such as phonics and new training for curriculum and learning and teaching, including an effective training plan for teaching assistants. The good practice already embedded in school needs to be identified and shared with staff observing each other and sharing successful strategies. We recognise there are some new staff joining the school, as well as teachers taking on different roles, and therefore a strong induction and effective support will be in place for these members of staff. Parents/carers have had little opportunity to be in school to share the learning and successes of children and actions such as open classrooms and sharing assemblies will be re-established to foster this. Mental health and wellbeing support will continue to be signposted to staff, as well as a whole school ethos of support and keeping all staff involved with changes and priorities, while mindful of workload. The role of governors will be revisited with a focus on the core purpose to provide confident, strategic leadership. A closer link between governors and vital areas such as pupil premium, catch up funding and sports premium funding will be created to ensure governors know money is well spent. An updated 5-year strategic plan will be created by the governing body, capturing where the school is now and future aspirations for the school. The strong safeguarding culture of the school will continue with appropriate updates, training for all staff and, where appropriate, governors. Ensuring the schools works to prevent sexual harassment, online sexual abuse and sexual violence will be focused on through the effective behaviour policy, pastoral support and PSHE teaching. Leadership skills, knowledge and experience will be developed through the role of curriculum co-ordinators and the school leaders actively seeking opportunities to work with other schools locally and through the academy, ODST.
Priority E - Early Years
The Reception year group has a strong, embedded vision. This needs to remain in place, while ensuring the new EYFS Framework is introduced effectively. Staff have already attended some training regarding this, and will continue to access appropriate training and moderation opportunities throughout the year. The new Reception Baseline Assessment will be administered within the first six weeks of school. At the end of the year the EYFS profile will be completed, and shared effectively with parents/carers and the Year 1 teacher to assist with planning for activities and learning as children transition to Year 1. Strong communication with parents will continue, including information about how the EYFS curriculum is delivered, how to support their child’s learning at home with a focus on learning to read, and how parents can contribute information about their child’s learning and progress. A renewed focus on language and vocabulary development will be implemented with staff modelling and supporting children through daily learning and activities, as well as implementation of focused interventions. The strong focus on learning of phonics and reading will continue. Reception staff will lead an information session with all teachers and governors to ensure an understanding of the new framework and baseline assessment and impact this will have as this, and future cohorts, progress through the school.
School Priorities and Success Measures (2017-2020 *extended into 2021-22)
1. To consistently provide the right environment, support, and challenge to enable all children to fulfil their potential and be their best.
- Strong academic and non-academic performance
- Full roll and a waiting list to join our school
- High attendance and engagement
2. To develop our children to be respectful, well rounded citizens that actively reflect the Christian, spiritual and inclusive values of our school community.
- Recognising and responding to each child as an individual
- Excellent behaviour at all times
- Celebrating our strengths and achievements
- Children recognised within wider community for their conduct and contributions
- School community has opportunity to engage with other cultures globally
- We have built a local reputation for excellence/strength and actively support other schools to improve
- All resources are well deployed in support of educational excellence
- We recognise our professional expertise and actively work to develop and share this, within school and in our wider professional community
4. To further develop strong governance and robust leadership throughout the school.
- We retain staff and are known for the opportunities, development and support we provide
- We have a balanced and appropriate range of skills and experience within the Governing Body
- Staff and Governors are known to the community and are role models for the ethos and values of the school
