Five Elms Primary School

Priority: Reading

Current Position:

• KS2 reading well below national for 2017 and 2018.
• 2019 KS2 data is broadly at national for expected. Greater depth improved on 2018, but remains below national. Overall three years the trend shows consistent growth which evidences the highly positive impact of improvement work in that period.
• 2019 data is maintained for EY and Y1 national assessments. KS1 at expected is improved on last year and at national average.
• Greater depth in reading is an area for focus in both KS1 and KS2. Formative data in 2020 suggests progress at KS2 was made and attainment at higher levels improved.
• Planning has been developed and refined for particular texts. Core books have been selected for each year group Y1 – 6 and planning completed in line with Medium Term Outcomes.
• No summative data available for 2020. Formative data suggests stronger data would have been achieved, but unconfirmed.
• Phonics in Y1 is consistently good in the last three years. It is now broadly national. No national data available for 2020.

Outcomes:

• Refined detail of new systems and practice in place will secure and further improve reading outcomes
• Development of a broader reading experience through the wider curriculum will continue to improve vocabulary
• Catch-up programme (C19) succeeds and reading standards in KS1 and KS2 exceed national in 2021; achievement in Greater Depth at KS1 and KS2 meets national standards in 2021.

Vision:

• Good work around reading has been completed this year and improvements secured. Increased consistency in approach and planning will ensure the quality of teaching and learning secures further improvement in outcomes for children.
• Core texts supported by rigorous planning provide a strong basis for the development of vocabulary across the school.
• The development of self-efficacy in reading is essential, so that children have both strategy and confidence to reason efficiently and secure consistently good achievement. Planning provides a challenging reading curriculum where children are well versed in comprehensive strategies, have the vocabulary to tackle demanding texts with precision and have well developed inference and deduction skills.

Evidence Base For Monitoring:

• Planning
• Learning Walks
• Data evidence
• Pupil voice, staff evaluation and feedback
• External review

Wider Benefits:

• Opportunities for research-based learning in the school to further improve practice in this area
• Links to curriculum redevelopment and work around challenge, risk-taking and self-efficacy
• Links to homework opportunities and increasing parental engagement

Priority: Curriculum: Recovery and Remote Learning Programmes

Current Position:

• Curriculum reviewed and finalised for September 2020. Knowledge based curriculum focussing on vocabulary and concept acquisition. Topics link various areas of the curriculum to enable transference between subjects.
• New PSHE and RE programmes set to run from September 2020.
• Maths mastery running in all year groups from September 2020.
• Google Classroom platform worked reasonably well for remote learning provision during lockdown – over 50% of regular take-up. Two issues identified: access to technology and quality of modelling/ explanation for subject areas. Remote offer to be finalised in September 2020.
• Full school return in September according to government guidance. Recovery/ catch-up curriculum planned to be implemented in Autumn term and reviewed using Rising Stars termly.
• This area has high low-income deprivation and therefore although the number of children on FSM has decreased there are many children with significant disadvantage who are not in receipt of Pupil Premium. The catch-up programme will need to be more extensive and focus more widely than Pupil Premium children, programmed 1:1 and small group learning during the school day and after-school sessions.
• SEND children have had contact throughout the lockdown, but support has been limited due to circumstances, if they have been at home throughout.

Outcomes:

• Whole school curriculum cohesion
• Improved curriculum learning experience and outcomes
• Genuine in-depth study of chosen aspects of the curriculum
• Established links across all curriculum subjects
• Catch-up programme, recovery curriculum and remote learning retain a broad and balanced subject base and restore any lost learning in lockdown period.
• 1:1 and small group learning closes the gap for disadvantaged children.
• SEND children programmes are re-established including outside agency support from health services.

Vision:

• The curriculum planning review work provides a clear, more coherent progression now for children in KS1 and KS2. The focus on knowledge, concepts and vocabulary provides children with a broad and balanced experience in their education at an appropriately challenging level to ensure consistency and quality of education.
• The curriculum will be three tiered:

• the statutory offer which meets the National Curriculum expectations;
• an additional offer which is tailored to meet the needs of our children in their context e.g. the mental health programme, specified trips and experiences for each year group, the specific focus on vocabulary given the high level of speech and language needs in the school;  
• an enrichment offer based around extra-curricular and sports provision

• The work in the school around CREAM continues to be relevant in order to enable our children to develop strong attitudes to learning. However many children struggle for self-efficacy: having the strategies and skills, and also the confidence to succeed. This links with work we have done around providing challenge; ideally the curriculum should provide greater opportunities for challenge and risk-taking to build children’s confidence and resilience.
• Time pressures around the curriculum have impacted on the depth of study. Identifying aspects of each subject area that lend themselves to increased challenge and better knowledge and understanding of the world would enable children to study elements of the curriculum in much greater depth. Although all aspects of curriculum content need to be covered, it is possible to prioritise and focus on those curriculum elements that best serve the needs of the children. Monitoring of the depth of study will enable the school to identify the effectiveness of the new planning in delivering depth.
• Covid 19 disruption will be addressed via the catch-up programme, recovery curriculum and remote learning offer. Children recover lost learning and are on track to achieve age-related expectations by the end of the relevant Key Stage.
• Remote learning offer: strategies and remote learning on Google Classroom will be highly developed in school to build on the opportunities afforded by the more strategic use of technology. Modelling and explanation are delivered via interactive routes including video/ live learning, developed in planning by teachers. LSA/ support staff training and development is prioritised to ensure the widest delivery of the offer and the support team in school works efficiently to support children’s learning. In-school strategies transfer immediately to remote learning in the event of a future lockdown. All children have access to an iPad which supports Google Classroom so remote learning can be delivered to all children.
• Leasing of iPads is a more cost-effective solution over time than purchase. Technology stays updated and all children have access. Blended learning becomes part of school practice and provides flexibility to meet children’s needs more effectively.

Evidence Base For Monitoring:

• Planning
• Work samples
• Learning walks
• Pupil voice

Wider Benefits:

• Opportunities for research-based learning in the school to trial new approaches would enable wider professional dialogue with staff around teaching and learning
• Wider involvement of Senior Management Team to work collegiately on redesign would provide useful professional development and leadership for middle leaders
• Reviewed curriculum principles provide a strong basis for future curriculum development as pupil needs change over time
• Remote learning development offers more versatility to support children in school and at home and opportunities to deploy support staff more efficiently.

Priority: Classroom Redevelopment

Current Position:

• Classrooms have a mixture of furniture, shortage of storage.
• Sinks in most classes need replacing.
• Presents as eclectic, ad hoc.
• Furniture has been replaced as needed.
• Lack of consistency across the classes.
• Corridor display is solely children's work.
• Classroom displays are wall to wall, can look very "busy", communicate too much information - information/sensory overload for some children - overall effect can be confusing.
• Six classrooms completed by Easter 2020. Average cost per classroom £12K. Working with LA, next 5 rooms to be completed during 2020-2021 from capital money and LA contributions.
• Remaining rooms to be completed in 2021-2022, budget depending.

Outcomes:

• Classrooms are fit for purpose environments for learning.
• Displays are focussed and selective.
• Corridors reflect the school vision and values.
• Improved classroom organisation.
• Sufficient storage is available.

Vision:

• Children, teachers and parents know that when they go into a classroom, it is fully focussed on learning, that there is a professional feel to the environment and expectations are high.
• Particular aspects are prioritised eg book corners, working walls to create specific focusses for learning. There is flexibility within this model to reflect changing school priorities.
• The school makes full, strategic and conscious use of the school environment to transmit the school vision and values, promote our inclusion and diversity, and celebrate pupil achievement.
• In creating a less "busy" environment, children will find it easier to process information. The school has a much higher than average number of children with speech and language needs and this approach would also benefit EAL and other SEND pupils.
• In redeveloping classrooms we create a modernised learning environment which is deliberately designed to assist children to achieve the best learning outcomes and has future sustainability.

Evidence Base For Monitoring:

• Capital funding has £20K. Can be used to purchase fixed furniture eg classroom storage walls.
• The school has an in-year deficit, but capital money and LA contribution will pay for completion of 5 classes this year.
• Three year project.
• Monitor value for money. Evidence may be qualitative rather than quantative.

Wider Benefits:

• Reduced display reduces teacher and classroom assistant workload which enables more time focused directly on children learning and best use of our currently reduced capacity.

Priority: Writing

Current Position:

• Decline in data over the last 3 years, although 2019 data improved on 2018, particularly in terms of progress.
• Curriculum provides opportunities for cross-curricular writing and within English curriculum.
• Books show evidence of extended writing, but more needed in order to develop more advanced features.
• Spelling is good.
• SPaG scheme is successful, more focus on transference of skills into writing.
• Review Medium Term Outcomes to define age-related and greater depth aspects more precisely for teaching.

Outcomes:

• Achievement in writing improves at the end of KS1 and 2.

Vision:

• Writing opportunities are linked to reading and different areas of the curriculum, offering variety and purpose in writing. Children transfer spelling and grammatical knowledge to their writing in all curriculum areas. Children express their ideas, opinions, knowledge and understanding articulately, using a wide range of vocabulary and writing devices.

Evidence Base For Monitoring:

• Planning
• Learning Walks
• Data evidence
• Pupil voice, staff evaluation and feedback
• External review (Challenge Partners)

Wider Benefits:

• Links to curriculum redevelopment and work around challenge, risk-taking and self-efficacy
• Links to improved evidence of achievement across the curriculum
• Enable children to access wider opportunities beyond the curriculum and outside school.