School Update Meeting 5th December 2016

School Development Priorities 2016-17 KEY PRIORITIES Greater depth Accelerated maths progress Nurture provision OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: Healthy eating policy review & changes to practice Continued development of outdoor learning provision Continue to develop enrichment and ‘Gifted and Talented’ opportunities, including links with other schools.

GREATER DEPTH To ensure that teachers provide opportunities for a higher percentage of pupils in all classes to achieve greater depth in reading, writing and maths combined.

GREATER DEPTH ACTIONS: support teachers to identify pupils who are currently achieving greater depth in reading, writing and maths. Target specific pupils for combined greater depth; support teachers to provide opportunities for pupils to enable them to achieve the targets Staff training Moderation – internal and cluster groups SLT moderation Regular progress meetings

ACCELERATED MATHS PROGRESS To accelerate pupil progress in all subjects, but particularly mathematics.

ACCELERATED MATHS PROGRESS ACTIONS Embed the Singapore approach to maths which was introduced in June 2016 Continue to focus on basic skills in maths to ensure fluency Develop a collaborative approach to monitoring so that: - Middle leaders are supported to identify further opportunities for pupils to apply basic skills through the curriculum Staff training needs are identified and addressed Hold regular progress meetings with teachers to provide challenge and support

NURTURE PROVISION implement nurture provision to support vulnerable children and families in school

NURTURE ACTIONS Review schools’ behaviour and exclusion policies Set up a nurture group room General nurture training for all staff Specific training for nurture leaders Training on Boxall Profiling Use Boxall profile to assess vulnerable children Incorporate 6 principles of nurture into all classrooms Review whole school PSHE curriculum Ensure behaviour monitoring and record keeping is rigorous. Gather parent, pupil and staff feedback on behaviour and safety

WHAT IS NURTURE AND WHY DO WE NEED TO DO IT? The concept of nurture highlights the importance of social environments - who you're with, and not who you're born to - and its significant influence on behaviour and cognitive ability. Children and young people who have a good start in life have a whole host of advantages over those who don’t have such positive experiences at home when they are little. They tend to do better at school, attend regularly, enjoy activities with friends and are significantly less likely to offend or experience problems with poor physical or mental health. Nurture groups offer an opportunity to learn the early nurturing experiences some children and young people lack, giving them the skills to do well at school, make friends and deal more confidently and calmly with the trials and tribulations of life, for life.

NURTURE GROUPS Nurture groups are founded on evidence-based practices and offer a short-term, inclusive, focused intervention that works in the long term. Nurture groups are classes of between six and 12 children or young people in early years, primary or secondary settings supported by the whole staff group and parents. Each group is run by two members of staff. Children attend nurture groups but remain an active part of their main class group, spend appropriate times within the nurture group according to their need and typically return full time to their own class within two to four terms. Nurture groups assess learning and social and emotional needs and give whatever help is needed to remove the barriers to learning. There is great emphasis on language development and communication. Nothing is taken for granted and everything is explained, supported by role modelling, demonstration and the use of gesture as appropriate. The relationship between the two staff, always nurturing and supportive, provides a role model that children observe and begin to copy. Food is shared at ‘breakfast’ or ‘snack time’ with much opportunity for social learning, helping children to attend to the needs of others, with time to listen and be listened to. As the children learn academically and socially they develop confidence, become responsive to others, learn self-respect and take pride in behaving well and in achieving. Nurture groups have been working successfully for more than 40 years in the UK and now in other countries including Canada, New Zealand and Romania, and have been praised, supported and recommended by organisations such as Ofsted, Estyn and HMIE.

THE SIX PRINCIPLES OF NURTURE Children's learning is understood developmentally The classroom offers a safe base The importance of nurture for the development of wellbeing Language is a vital means of communication All behaviour is communication The importance of transition in children's lives

THE BOXALL PROFILE The Boxall Profile provides a framework for the precise assessment of children who have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) and are failing at school. It helps teachers to plan focused intervention for those children whose behaviour seems to make no sense. The profile provides the teacher with insights and suggests points of entry into the child's world — it makes people think about what lies behind the behaviour. The Boxall Profile is, from a practical point of view, very easy to use. The two-part check list, which is completed by staff who know the child best in a classroom situation, is quick — and, very importantly, it is constructive.

HOW WILL THIS WORK IN OUR SCHOOL? Specific nurture base Trained staff Team approach – not just nurture leaders Clear, consistently reinforced boundaries- whole school Regular progress meetings to identify vulnerable children Shared information between class teachers and nurture leaders Parental involvement Use of the Boxall Profile to assess and ‘Beyond the Boxall Profile’ for planning Nurture principles applied in all aspects of school life – classrooms, playground, dining room, visits. Develop robust and manageable systems of provision.

DAILY PROCEDURE Nurture children register an order lunch with own class before going to nurture base. Morning spent on strict programme of activities including a shared breakfast, circle time and communication activities. Nurture group have a separate morning break Lunch eaten in nurture base with friends and staff invited. Children will go outside at lunchtime with their peers. After lunch – register in own class and remain in mainstream for afternoon lessons. Daily rota of TA support

Parents as Partners Parents play a crucial role in our learning community – thank you for coming along today and supporting our work in school.