Developing classroom practice to raise standards Rosemarie Sadler, Primary Performance Adviser Val Phillips – Primary Performance Adviser

Introduction – Setting the scene Different contexts. The importance of teaching and the leadership of teaching and learning Support and opportunities from the LA Specific aspects of English and maths

Making a difference in the classroom How can you ensure that the management tools impact on every day practice? Management tools Systems strategies Day to day teaching and learning Leadership

The Data Rich school Discuss the 10 principles of a data rich school. How does your school’s practice compare? Have you got the data you need? How do you use it?

Coffee Time

Leadership of teaching and learning Headteacher Improving teaching through effective monitoring and evaluation Governors Monitoring strategies Learning walks

Monitoring and Evaluation

Don’t monitor lessons …..evaluate Notice the importance of looking at the impact on the pupils’ Standards Progress Achievement

Giving feedback

Using a learning walk as part of the work of a Governor 1

The Key Tasks for Governors Focus on raising standards – improving outcomes for pupils Decide what the school should achieve (the vision) and make plans to get there Ensure that all who have an interest in the school contribute to the values, vision and aims Ensure that there are systems in place to check that progress is made towards targets and evidence is gathered

The Key Tasks for Governors Use the evidence to review overall progress, check effectiveness of policies and practice and check on the school’s progress Help set and keep under review the policies that provide the broad framework within which the head and staff should run the school Carry out the Headteacher’s performance management and ensure that the performance management of all staff is carried out appropriately to contribute to school improvement.

The school improvement process Self evaluation Monitoring Evaluating Planning for improvement

Sources of Information WrittenDataFirst Hand Headteacher’s report – to include progress towards priorities, updated data. Self evaluation form Ofsted inspection report Reports from external advisers Reports from staff Questionnaires and surveys School Development Plan Policies Ofsted LA officers’ feedback Committee minutes Performance data from school – EYFS profile, KS1, end of year assessments, optional SATs. School’s own data- tracking Performance data from the LA including Fischer Family Trust RAISE online -Compares with national and similar schools Planned visits and observations Events Tours around school Parents’ evenings Pupil and parent perception work Parental feedback – both formal and informal Links with classes/ subjects Attending PD days and staff meetings Involvement in SEF and SDP Discussions with community

What is a learning walk? A purposeful visit (usually starting with a key question or issue) Usually a collaborative exercise involving the Headteacher, governor and / or a key member of staff A chance for a Governor to look with an open mind at first hand evidence A chance for a Governor to learn about what is happening, and to ask further questions. 2

What is the Governor trying to achieve through a learning walk? From the visit the Governor might be able to:  Challenge  Support  Reassure  Validate  Provide an ‘outsider’s view  Follow up from previous visits  Gather information to support strategic planning 19

What might the Governor do on a learning walk? Visit an assembly or a special activity Observe playtimes or lunchtimes Look at work on display (classrooms and corridors) Look at books on desks Look at planning on walls Talk with pupils, TAs and parent helpers Visit the staffroom Listen in on dialogues (adult:child, child:child) Look at notice boards and information stands Look at resources and how they are organised and accessed Look at outdoor areas 20

Matching evidence with some key questions Look at display in classrooms Aspirations Standards Balance between subjects Pride in work and presentation The balance between celebration and supporting learning 5

What might the Governor learn on a learning walk? Standards and achievement Behaviour Expectation and challenge Atmosphere and ethos Relationships Differentiation Quality of questioning and speaking and listening Curriculum Provision in a key stage or subject area Range of activities within and beyond lessons Pupils’ independence and confidence as learners Use of ICT and other resources Community cohesion Range and suitability of teaching strategies Subject leadership Pride in the environment Pupil self assessment Deployment of TAs Any Health & Safety issues 6

Reporting on the learning walk When governors visit the school, they do so on behalf of the whole governing body. It is therefore important that all the governors share information gathered, issues raised and questions for discussion. 7

Avoiding the pitfalls …. Make sure there is a policy for visits which is shared and agreed by staff and Governors. Start simple and build on experience Make sure the outcomes of visits are shared and minuted. 8

Session 3 Improving teaching and learning – making a difference in classrooms Problem Solving Activity

Scenarios Discuss the 3 scenarios What would you do to move the teaching on and address issues arising? How would governors be involved? Discuss successes in school where you have had a positive impact in moving teaching on.

Next steps What do you need to do next in school? Revisit the barriers you identified at the beginning of the session. Revisit the areas you identified in the audit and discussions with your Improvement Adviser. How are you going to use the IA support? Are there opportunities which the Endowment Fund could support?