Farnham Common Junior School PTA Forum: January 2012 “Moving our premises towards excellence”

Our school community - welcome! Parents PTA Governors Staff …and by proxy, pupils.

Aims of this forum To share our School Development Plan objectives; All members of school community need to be aware of the bigger strategic picture; To contribute your own thoughts and ideas; To identify how we can best use our combined strengths to push this work forward; To map a path towards realising our “excellence” goals.

Our School Development Plan What? Why? Who? When? How? Document at the centre of all that we do in school. Our driver for “Excellence” Embraces our vision and values; Addresses key priorities arising from inspection and self-evaluation; Informs policies and identifies practice to realise these.

Our School Development Plan What? Why? Who? When? How? Compiled by leadership team following ongoing consultation and collaborative work with staff, governors, pupils, parents and community. Three year plan in place every September Constructed around the four inspection foci for Ofsted: pupil achievement, quality of teaching, leadership and management, behaviour and safety of pupils.

Our main focus areas S.E.F. “Self Evaluation Form” Creative curriculum – planning, delivery and assessment Progression in literacy, reading and numeracy Quality of teaching and training Interventions - support and challenge Electronic developments – VLE, tracking, reporting, e-safety Safety and behaviour Engaging parents and community S.E.N. review (in response to White Paper) Site and premises

So why site and premises? Ambience! Mood! Important to our homes and businesses Essential for pupil, parent and community engagement Surprisingly, perhaps, all four inspection foci are impacted by physical environment; Teachers routinely adjust the classroom environment to suit teaching and learning. Physical Environment – inside and out - impacts directly on standards of behaviour, engagement, achievement, progress and attainment.

Space – the final frontier! Effective use of space Centralising resources Creating more teaching areas for small group work Improving the dining room facilities Creating staff work space and improving our staffroom Parents’ meeting and waiting areas

Remember the Rationale Inspection foci for Ofsted : pupil achievement, quality of teaching, leadership and management, behaviour and safety of pupils.

Centralising Resources Guided reading Reading scheme Mathematics Science Art / DT / Music / Drama Other curricular resources / topic boxes P.E. equipment – inside and out Playground equipment PTA

Small group work rooms Additional teaching areas Interventions – support and challenge Old changing rooms Plans Cost!

Dining Room Less pressured Conducive to enjoying lunchtime Promote better social interactions Developing manners Positive discipline Happier, safer lunchtimes Maintaining a readiness for learning in the afternoon Cost!

Staff rooms Also available as meeting rooms Work space – upstairs ICT room Staffroom: R&R – decorations, furnishings, heating Fire prevention and safety works Loss of storage facilities Cost!

Parents’ waiting areas The “Forum” Centralised Informal networking Self-supporting parent body Information boards Shelter Chairs and tables Signs and directions Cost!

Playground Promotion of positive behaviour, social interaction, risk assessment and independence: environment, facilities and activities Quiet area and field – weather dependent Marked out areas / rotas Signs and inspirational wall messages Equipment Playground games – led and supervised by older pupils Buddy systems School Council focus

The “land” This has evolved and is being added to our development plan. Strategically placed to enhance our profile in the community and form a tangible link with the Infant School Great resource for curriculum and community Outcomes of our consultations with you Resources are limited Capacity to maintain it must be considered Sensitive location

Our place in the community Travelling to and from school; parking. Consideration for our close neighbours. Welcoming the community; sharing our premises. Using our premises to promote community cohesion. Using the community to enhance our premises. Letting out our premises.

Self Evaluation Part of school’s culture; To identify strengths and areas for development; Focused on achieving the best outcomes for pupils; Devolved responsibility – all stakeholders; Most effective when there is a strong collaborative and inclusive ethos.

…and now… Thoughts and ideas - the more creative the better! How can we best use our combined strengths to push this work forward? Can we see a path towards realising our “excellence” goals? Manpower; funding; sponsorship; priorities