Information for Parents and Carers Dear Parents/Carers
Halsford Park Primary School Manor Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 1LR Tel: 01342 324643 Mr Glenn Livingstone – Executive Headteacher Mrs Sue Turk – Head of School
Autumn 2016 School Improvement Plan (SIP) Information for Parents and Carers
Dear Parents/Carers, We regularly evaluate all the different aspects of school life and prioritise which to focus on. We call these our ‘spotlights’ and each term we review the spotlights from the previous term and set new targets in each of the revised four OFSTED key areas: 1. Leadership and Management 2. Quality of Teaching, Learning and Assessment 3. Personal Development, Behaviour and Welfare 4. Outcomes for Learners Information about how we will be improving our school is detailed in the ‘spotlights’ overleaf. If you would like to know more about the School Improvement Plan, please contact me. Yours sincerely
Glenn Livingstone Executive Headteacher
Sue Turk Head of School
i:\halsford park\admin\notes home\notes home 2016-2017\letters to whole school\sip autumn 2016 - hp for parents and carers.doc email: [email protected] web: www.halsfordpark-sussex.sch.uk fax: 01342 300680 Registered office for Grenestede Academy Trust (exempt charity status, and a company limited by guarantee, registered in England with Company Number 9081030)
School Improvement Plan for Parents and Carers Summer 2016 OFSTED Key Area
Summer Term 2016 Spotlights What did we do last term? What impact did it have?
Leadership and Management
To reduce bureaucracy in order to further develop a climate in which teachers are motivated and trusted to take risks and innovate in ways that are right for their pupils. The Department for Education released information encouraging Headteachers to examine ways of improving teachers’ workload. Our teachers worked in teams to reduce the bureaucracy surrounding planning, feedback and assessment. The teams focussed on what was currently working well and how they could work with greater efficiency.
Autumn term 2016 Spotlights What are we doing this term? Why? All staff and governors to play a role in developing the School Improvement Plan (SIP) Our staff and Governors know our school and children well and are therefore well placed to contribute towards what we need to work on and develop further.
Over the last two years we have worked hard to make changes to improve learning in our school. New initiatives have been introduced each term and have formed our Spotlights. Some Spotlights were embedded more successfully than others and we The Planning teams found and agreed ways of streamlining wanted to provide an opportunity to revisit those which were felt teachers lesson planning that would not compromise children’s needed further exploration. Staff and Governors were asked to learning but instead make it more adaptive to their learning. The identify these areas for further development. Some of these have feedback and marking team looked carefully at our Policy to ensure formed our Spotlights this academic year. it was effective and responsive to children’s work. Suggestions directed teachers to focus on their next steps and use the Policy to provide praise and encouragement reducing lengthy written feedback. The assessment team commissioned a new programme to collect and analyse children’s assessments. Through these recommendations teachers were able to spend a greater proportion of time on what makes the difference with our children’s learning.
Quality of Teaching, Learning and Assessment Outcomes for Pupils
Personal Development, Behaviour & Welfare
Our teachers have explored the effective use of questioning to support and challenge all learners. Questions can enable teachers to identify any misconceptions children may have which can then be addressed. Examples of these include: ‘Is this statement true or false? Explain why.’ ‘Which is the odd one out and how do you know?’ ‘Here is the answer, can you tell me what the question might be?’ Some questions require a lot more thinking and this provides opportunities for learners to deepen their understanding. The increase in the level of questioning was evident during Lesson Visits and in learner’s books. Our Anti Bullying Policy has been reviewed with Learners, Staff and Governors and has now been published on our websites.
We are revisiting this Spotlight to further embed a Common Language for Learning throughout the school and develop a consistent approach between year groups. Building on the work from last year, all classes have Common Language for Learning ‘wheel’ which displays the vocabulary that will be used so that learners are able to develop higher order thinking skills, decide how best to learn and challenge themselves to deepen their understanding. Look out for a Parent’s leaflet with more information to follow shortly.
Our provision for Special Educational Needs and Disadvantaged learners (SEND) is being refined with our Inclusion team, staff and parents/carers to identity current barriers in the system and to Further opportunities to ensure best practice and full ensure children are supported appropriately. understanding of the policy will continue with National AntiThis term, we have introduced new systems using School Based Bullying week which commences 14th November during Plans and an Early Identification Tool kit for use by all staff. These assemblies and class work. will identify clear routes to enable staff to Assess Learners needs, Plan a course of action, Do specific interventions with the Learner A Parent’s Guide to our Anti Bullying Policy and practice will be and Review what needs to happen next. sent home during Anti –Bullying week. This Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle will continue to provide support for learners alongside Parents and Carers. With the increased expectations set by the Government for every We regularly analyse pupil progress data carefully and identify year group we are pleased to report that Learners are making variances in each year group. good progress towards securing the achievement statements and meeting the end of year Age Related Expectations. Opportunities One of these variances is how well our boys and girls perform. We for rehearsal and consolidation are essential through daily ‘fast plan learning to inspire both genders to ensure they achieve well five learning activities’, ‘Rock Star Times Tables’, and to apply and narrow the gender gap in year groups. these skills to extended pieces of work and homework. For example, we continue to use quality texts and contexts to Our Key Stage 2 SATs results were either in line or above the ensure all learners are inspired. Therefore more teachers this year national average for both attainment and progress. (For further are using the highly successful Power of Reading programme, details, please see our school website – Key information tab – designed to support schools in raising engagement and attainment Results.) in reading and writing for all pupils.
Autumn 2016 School Improvement Plan (SIP) Information for Parents and Carers
Dear Parents/Carers, We regularly evaluate all the different aspects of school life and prioritise which to focus on. We call these our ‘spotlights’ and each term we review the spotlights from the previous term and set new targets in each of the revised four OFSTED key areas: 1. Leadership and Management 2. Quality of Teaching, Learning and Assessment 3. Personal Development, Behaviour and Welfare 4. Outcomes for Learners Information about how we will be improving our school is detailed in the ‘spotlights’ overleaf. If you would like to know more about the School Improvement Plan, please contact me. Yours sincerely
Glenn Livingstone Executive Headteacher
Sue Turk Head of School
i:\halsford park\admin\notes home\notes home 2016-2017\letters to whole school\sip autumn 2016 - hp for parents and carers.doc email: [email protected] web: www.halsfordpark-sussex.sch.uk fax: 01342 300680 Registered office for Grenestede Academy Trust (exempt charity status, and a company limited by guarantee, registered in England with Company Number 9081030)
School Improvement Plan for Parents and Carers Summer 2016 OFSTED Key Area
Summer Term 2016 Spotlights What did we do last term? What impact did it have?
Leadership and Management
To reduce bureaucracy in order to further develop a climate in which teachers are motivated and trusted to take risks and innovate in ways that are right for their pupils. The Department for Education released information encouraging Headteachers to examine ways of improving teachers’ workload. Our teachers worked in teams to reduce the bureaucracy surrounding planning, feedback and assessment. The teams focussed on what was currently working well and how they could work with greater efficiency.
Autumn term 2016 Spotlights What are we doing this term? Why? All staff and governors to play a role in developing the School Improvement Plan (SIP) Our staff and Governors know our school and children well and are therefore well placed to contribute towards what we need to work on and develop further.
Over the last two years we have worked hard to make changes to improve learning in our school. New initiatives have been introduced each term and have formed our Spotlights. Some Spotlights were embedded more successfully than others and we The Planning teams found and agreed ways of streamlining wanted to provide an opportunity to revisit those which were felt teachers lesson planning that would not compromise children’s needed further exploration. Staff and Governors were asked to learning but instead make it more adaptive to their learning. The identify these areas for further development. Some of these have feedback and marking team looked carefully at our Policy to ensure formed our Spotlights this academic year. it was effective and responsive to children’s work. Suggestions directed teachers to focus on their next steps and use the Policy to provide praise and encouragement reducing lengthy written feedback. The assessment team commissioned a new programme to collect and analyse children’s assessments. Through these recommendations teachers were able to spend a greater proportion of time on what makes the difference with our children’s learning.
Quality of Teaching, Learning and Assessment Outcomes for Pupils
Personal Development, Behaviour & Welfare
Our teachers have explored the effective use of questioning to support and challenge all learners. Questions can enable teachers to identify any misconceptions children may have which can then be addressed. Examples of these include: ‘Is this statement true or false? Explain why.’ ‘Which is the odd one out and how do you know?’ ‘Here is the answer, can you tell me what the question might be?’ Some questions require a lot more thinking and this provides opportunities for learners to deepen their understanding. The increase in the level of questioning was evident during Lesson Visits and in learner’s books. Our Anti Bullying Policy has been reviewed with Learners, Staff and Governors and has now been published on our websites.
We are revisiting this Spotlight to further embed a Common Language for Learning throughout the school and develop a consistent approach between year groups. Building on the work from last year, all classes have Common Language for Learning ‘wheel’ which displays the vocabulary that will be used so that learners are able to develop higher order thinking skills, decide how best to learn and challenge themselves to deepen their understanding. Look out for a Parent’s leaflet with more information to follow shortly.
Our provision for Special Educational Needs and Disadvantaged learners (SEND) is being refined with our Inclusion team, staff and parents/carers to identity current barriers in the system and to Further opportunities to ensure best practice and full ensure children are supported appropriately. understanding of the policy will continue with National AntiThis term, we have introduced new systems using School Based Bullying week which commences 14th November during Plans and an Early Identification Tool kit for use by all staff. These assemblies and class work. will identify clear routes to enable staff to Assess Learners needs, Plan a course of action, Do specific interventions with the Learner A Parent’s Guide to our Anti Bullying Policy and practice will be and Review what needs to happen next. sent home during Anti –Bullying week. This Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle will continue to provide support for learners alongside Parents and Carers. With the increased expectations set by the Government for every We regularly analyse pupil progress data carefully and identify year group we are pleased to report that Learners are making variances in each year group. good progress towards securing the achievement statements and meeting the end of year Age Related Expectations. Opportunities One of these variances is how well our boys and girls perform. We for rehearsal and consolidation are essential through daily ‘fast plan learning to inspire both genders to ensure they achieve well five learning activities’, ‘Rock Star Times Tables’, and to apply and narrow the gender gap in year groups. these skills to extended pieces of work and homework. For example, we continue to use quality texts and contexts to Our Key Stage 2 SATs results were either in line or above the ensure all learners are inspired. Therefore more teachers this year national average for both attainment and progress. (For further are using the highly successful Power of Reading programme, details, please see our school website – Key information tab – designed to support schools in raising engagement and attainment Results.) in reading and writing for all pupils.
