1. Outcomes from Signature, Delivering Social Change
Primary 2015 v

2. Outline of the session 1- It worked! 2- Why did it work?
According to us, the schools, the pupils, the ETI and the data
2- Why did it work?
Quality Indicators for success
Intervention model
Good resources
3- How one school made it work
From the perspective of an effective practitioner
4- How can you make it work for you?
Resources to share
Website
Legacy issues
It worked- according to us (nisplan team), the schools (evidence), the pupils (evidence), the ETI (report) and the data
Why did it work?- 7 quality indicators
How can you make it work? Resources for writing and reciprocal reading website etc
Legacy issues to copy the intervention model

3. In 2012 the OFMDFM announced a Delivering Social Change Signature Project on improving literacy and numeracy. The aims of the Signature/ NISPLAN project have been :
to increase the number of pupils in primary schools achieving at the expected level or above at the end of Key Stage 2 in English, Mathematics and Irish;
to increase the number of young people in post-primary schools, achieving a grade C or above in English and Mathematics by the time they leave school, and
to provide employment opportunities for 270 recently graduated teachers.
Objectives of the programme

4. ETI survey- summary 3 focus areas: Achievements and standards;
Provision;
Leadership and Management.
supporting doc available with details -summary slide from ETI

5. It worked! According to the ETI survey- Overall Effectiveness
Schools visited ranged from satisfactory to outstanding, with 88% being evaluated as good or better and 61% being very good or outstanding.  
In primary schools, the overall effectiveness of the programme was very good or better in 59% of schools. In post-primary schools, the programme was very good or better in 63% of schools.

6. Overall Effectiveness

7. It worked! According to Tanya from St Matthew’s
Tanya McCrory, seconded for 2 years from her class in St Matthew’s Primary School, Belfast.

9. It worked!
Elmgrove PS
Elmgrove

10. Quality indicators for successful Intervention
Why did it work?
Quality indicators for successful Intervention

11. 7 quality indicators pupils teachers parents
Effective Signature intervention
pupils
teachers
leadership
planning
Monitoring & evaluating
Collaboration & Communication
parents
7 quality indicators
Each of the indicators reflects an area of the project which had the potential to be the reason for success or failure. Just as the ETI indicators are a measure for all schools to use, these specific comments are for the consideration of schools to work out why progress was not as extensive as had been anticipated, used after the first year.
eaflet with summary

12. Intervention

13. Correctly identified, data used effectively, moved in and out of intervention, involved in their learning, setting targets
pupils
‘effective use of data to identify pupils at risk of underachieving;
active involvement of the pupils in setting personal targets.’
Ballysally boys

14. (Christ the King Primary)
‘Pupils were more confident in their own ability and in their approach to learning. Pupils were much more willing to "have a go" and take risks in their learning.’
(Christ the King Primary)
‘The target pupils have been giving an opportunity to work in small groups with an experienced teacher. This has set a culture in the groups of being able to ask not just Literacy type questions but ask about other worries as well.’
(Botanic Primary)
Quotes from kids

15. (St Cairehall’s Primary)
‘Some of the comments on the pupil evaluation sheet: "I enjoyed reading the large selection of books;" "My handwriting has become much neater;" "Now I know how to make poems;" "I have learned lots of new words;" "We enjoyed working in a small group;" "I liked reading our poems and stories in front of the other children in the school."’
(St Cairehall’s Primary)

16. equipped to know what to do plan appropriately
teachers
chosen well- either recruited by WELB (CR), or appointed by their school on secondment (S) or to fill the Backfill post (BF)
equipped to know what to do
plan appropriately
use a variety of strategies
tailor intervention to suit pupils
track their pupils’ progress.
St joseph’s Fiona

17. ETI survey- Best practice in teaching
The teacher has good knowledge of each individual pupil and planned appropriately for progress in learning;
An appropriate variety of teaching strategies are used to tailor the specific intervention to meet the pupils’ needs;
Signature teachers are proficient in assessing incremental learning and able to provide excellent pastoral support
They have the capacity to engage well with parents and other staff.

18. promote the Signature intervention model as a legacy for the school.
leadership
supportive of the aims of Signature, at HOD level, at SMT/ Principal level and as teacher-tutor;
set clear direction, plan intervention carefully and integrate the Signature teacher(s) into plan for school improvement
promote the Signature intervention model as a legacy for the school.

19. It worked! Why Signature was different, according Chris Donnelly VP, Belfast P.S.
Distinguished between Underachievers & Low Attainers
Schools directed to target pupil cohort most capable of improvement
Small Group tuition led by professional teachers, directed by school leaders
Encouraged accountability, aspiration and opportunity for professional reflection & strategic leadership interventions
Chris Donnelly

20. Lessons from Signature
Classroom Practice
Effective planning: breadth, progression & pace
Differentiation
Varying Strategies & Practical Resources
Value of Diagnostic analysis to inform teaching/ learning
Tracking and monitoring progress
Understanding Low Attainment and Underachievement
Knowing your pupils
Knowing what can be achieved
The value of effectively confronting the obstacles to learning
Reflective Practitioners
Self-evaluation culture
Collaborative opportunities to share best practice
Strategic interventions from leadership can work
Chris’s 2nd

21. Leadership & management profile

22. appropriate and flexible at all levels-
planning
appropriate and flexible at all levels-
classroom work is tailored and adapted
timetables are suitable
allowing for monitoring and evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the model used
ongoing assessment is used throughout.
‘…dissemination of the good practice developed, with the inclusion of a clear focus in school development planning and the allocation of appropriate staff development resources to the dissemination process.’

23. Monitoring & Evaluating
ACTION PLANS are detailed and real, recorded online and regularly reviewed and adjusted;
school tracking and pupil target-setting are used.
KS4 Tracking
Amendments to tracking sheet
Tracking report
Pupil self-evaluation
Tracking assessments
Pupil focus groups
Parental Feedback
Paula from Newbridge

24. Individual Learning Plans
Newbridge example

25. involved from the beginning and kept informed of progress.
parents
involved from the beginning and kept informed of progress.
‘meaningful involvement of parents and carers in the programme … (teachers) giving practical advice on how they may support their child’s learning.’

26. (St Mary's Primary, Mayogall Road)
‘Parent Questionnaires report that children have "benefitted from involvement in Signature Project" and "know that this will stand (them) in good stead" as they "progress into secondary school level." Parents also reported children's work and confidence levels have improved. Those parents who have younger children in primary school said that they would like them to also avail of the Signature Project for both Maths and Literacy.’
(St Mary's Primary, Mayogall Road)
‘Parents are beginning to see greater levels of engagement among their children. Additional support workshops have been developed to enable parents to feel more actively involved in their child's education. Parents are always happy to see the level and standards of their child's work improve.’
(St Paul's Primary, Mica Drive)
Parents quotes

27. (Gaelscoil na gCrann Primary)
‘Parents were very supportive of this project within our school and many a parent requested for their child to be part of it, as the feedback from one parent to another was very good. The parents whose children took part in this project remarked on how happy they were with their child's progress.’
(Gaelscoil na gCrann Primary)
‘The parents were so appreciative of any extra help given to their children and particularly loved the fact that they were being taught in much smaller groups which they felt was important. They were very keen for the legacy to continue.’
(Ebrington Primary)

28. Collaboration & Communication
evident within and between schools- sharing strategies, resources and ideas.
evident between lead school and other schools, involving the teachers at all points
Cluster group

29. Evidence from 2 schools
“This vision of collaboration, efficient use of resources and increased choice, has proven to be highly beneficial to the pupils, parents, schools and the local community, and the non-threatening sense of shared purpose and simple ‘good neighbourliness’ has impacted significantly on cross-community relations.”
Remember Legacy newsletter

30. How can you make it work for you? Legacy issues

31. How can you make it work for you
How can you make it work for you? Resources-intervention strategies for English and Maths

32. News-letter Clubs Expertise Extended Use the model Schools Other
Resources
Shared
Education
Clubs
Expertise

33. Ruiseal McKimm, Harmony PS

34. Ruiseal McKimm, Harmony PS

36. And also- Legacy magazine and possibly cluster Inset

37. Implications for your school Any questions?

39. nisplan.welbni.org
In folder from RTU