Sawtry Junior School Development Plan

Raise achievement and improve the quality of teaching to be good or better by: Key priority One for improvement from OFSTED Sep 2012:

Ensuring a good match of work to pupil’s needs so that all pupils make the best possible progress 1.Introduce differentiated learning outcomes so that teachers, teaching assistants and pupils are very clear on what they should be able to achieve in a lesson. 2.Outcomes evident in planning and pupils’ Maths and English books. LO: To write a newspaper article about the plague Must: I can include a quote from the central character Should: I can write in short paragraphs Could: I can use a formal voice throughout my article My own target: Target: For the start of the Spring Term, learning outcomes in Maths And English will be differentiated and challenging.

Providing activities that enthuse, motivate and challenge, which promote good behaviour and give pupils more opportunity to be responsible for their own learning and show initiative 1.Share and agree as a staff what makes an engaging, motivating lesson. 2.Conduct planning scrutinies and observations to ensure that all staff are teaching engaging, challenging lessons. 3.Find out from pupils how they feel we can make their learning more engaging. Target: Start of Spring term, to introduce the mechanisms to enable all lessons to be engaging.

Maximising the involvement of teaching assistants during all stages of the lessons, especially introductions 1.Discussion with all staff on how best to deploy teaching assistants, particularly during lesson introductions 2.Regular planning scrutiny to ensure that introductions are short and interactive to allow teaching assistants to work with children effectively 3.Clear instructions for teaching assistants, both verbal and in the planning. 4. Where appropriate TAs to teach introductions separately in small focused groups. Target: End of January, all TAs will be well deployed at all stages of the lessons.

Embedding the best practice in marking across the school so pupils are clear how to improve 1.Teachers to use marking guidelines developed in Autumn term, improved and extended following discussions with LEA advisers and OFSTED monitoring inspector. 2.Book scrutinies to ensure that marking is in line with guidelines and moving the learning on. Target: By end of Jan, all marking will ensure that pupils are clear on how to improve and show progress in their work.

Improve Leadership and Management by: Key priority Two for improvement from OFSTED Sep 2012

Building upon the secure start made in a whole-school approach to behaviour management that is effective for all pupils and promotes high expectations amongst all staff 1.All staff to reflect on ‘Staying on Green’ and make improvements where necessary. 2.Gauge views of pupils, parents and governors on behaviour policy. 3.Introduce R Time to raise self esteem and cooperation, better behaviour and fewer incidents of bullying. 4.Regular support from the Specialist Teaching Team to enhance teaching assistant skills in behaviour management. Target: Reduce number of children on red by 25% by Feb half term.

Evolving the monitoring role of middle and subject leaders, and the governing body, to more systematically check the quality of the provision and the school’s work 1.Middle leaders (Maths & English) conduct planning scrutinies every Friday for the week ahead, feedback to staff and ask for improvements where necessary. 2.Middle leaders (Upper & Lower Team leaders) conduct pupil progress meetings with the teachers in their team to ensure strategies are in place for pupils not making desired progress. 3.Middle leaders conduct performance management meetings, followed by observations and book scrutinies to drive progress in teaching and learning. Target: By end of Jan, develop rigorous monitoring systems involving middle leaders and governors.

Establishing a greater range of ways to keep parents informed and gather their views 1.SATs information evening for Year 6 parents 2.Parent’s information evening to keep parents informed on work in school to make progress 3.New ‘Best Work’ assemblies running through term 2 4.End of term parents’ open afternoon to visit their child’s class 5.Parent questionnaire on ‘Staying on Green’ 6.Parent feedback form at each event. Target: From Spring term onwards parents will feel involved with the school and able to contribute. Introduce new and better ways parents can find information about the school, school procedures and their own children:

Key priorities for improvement from the OFSTED Monitoring visit Nov 2012 The school should take immediate action to: Strengthen the quality of teaching by focusing the planned actions on aspects of teaching and the use of assessment that need rapid improvement Review the role and impact of the governing body so it can better monitor the school’s performance and effectively steer its strategic development.

Strengthen the quality of teaching by focusing the planned actions on aspects of teaching and the use of assessment that need rapid improvement  Action already taken by Acting Head teacher  Monitoring process in place to ensure managed as a priority  Governing Body meets separately to address school improvements and priorities

Review the role and impact of the governing body so it can better monitor the school’s performance and effectively steer its strategic development.  An Audit of our understanding of the way the school works, its management and processes, and our knowledge and skills as governors.  Action underway to transform the Governing Body so it challenges and supports the Management Team to deliver a ‘Good’ school  The focus of the Governing Body must be more strategic rather hands on  We must hold the school to account and ensure there is a focus on pupil progress

How will we do it?  The Audit will tell us where we are and what we need to improve – complete and actions known by end-February  Recruiting more governors – underway  Focussed visit programme to discuss pupil progress – being developed with management team  Committee meetings to focus on strategic matters and leave day to day running issues to school management – underway  An action plan to pick up Audit work, and activities for school improvement and transforming the governing body – initial plan to be agreed by end-Feb and reviewed at each improvement meeting

How we want to look… GB Strategic Role ‘Critical Friend’ Monitoring and Improvement Finance and Personnel Committee Salaries Chair Property and H&S Committee SEN and Curriculum Committee Safeguarding Head Teacher Performance Leadership Team Head Teacher Parents Community Engagement Working Parties Structure Review Improvement Meeting

The Journey has started…OFSTED recognised: The head teacher and deputy head teacher are a strong team. They monitor accurately and drive improvements in teaching through effective staff development. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are above average and have improved recently. The headteacher goes the extra mile in supporting individuals, noticeably improving behaviour and attitudes to learning. Attendance is above average. Pupils are safe and the new peer mediator system helps them to resolve any differences. Good systems track pupils’ progress and flag up any underachievement. …and with today’s focus and working together we can get to ‘Good’