Overview of School Development Priorities 2022-2023:

This year’s development plan implements the second year of our 3-year strategic plan.  It therefore consists of two aspects:

1)      Embedding Targets - Some improvement targets are designed to consolidate and embed a number of areas of school improvement work from last academic year.  Initiatives have previously been researched and launched with training and enabling activities completed.  For these objectives, 2022.23 is a period of checking and evaluation to ensure consistency and maximum impact.  

2)      Initiating Targets - A number of new improvement targets, introduced to initiate new work as part of our 3-year cycle of implementation against the 2022.23 aims of our strategic plan.  These targets further develop work on supporting the mental health and well-being of pupils and staff, further strengthen curriculum provision and empower pupils to build strong learning skills -taking a greater lead in their own learning and making a tangible contribution to school life.

Key Priority 1 – Quality of Teaching, Learning and Assessment:

To ensure that the school’s curriculum intent and implementation are embedded securely and consistently across the school, that pupil work across the curriculum is of a high quality and that pupils, in all groups, achieve well.

(Links to Strategic Aim A1)

Success Criteria:

·         At least 85% pupils are on track to achieve age related expectations at the end of KS2, with the proportion achieving greater depth above the national average in maths and English

·         Further fine-tuning of the school’s curriculum ensures that all aspects are coherently planned and sequenced, that it is ambitious and gives all pupils the cultural capital they need to succeed in life.  Opportunities to develop core skills across the wider curriculum are embedded, further boosting attainment in core subjects.

·         Strong systems and processes ensure high quality outcomes in the wider curriculum.

·         Pupil voice and work samples evidence how the curriculum develops pupils as active citizens and teaches inclusivity, resilience and positive mental and physical wellbeing.   Evidence shows positive engagement with the SMSC questions and concepts at its heart and good promotion of the fundamental British values.

·         Reading is of a high priority within school and at home.  There is a rigorous and sequential approach to the reading curriculum.  Reading is assessed well and gaps are closed quickly.  The lowest 20% of readers are supported to catch up through interventions and personalised support.

·         Maths teaching ensures that pupils develop strong test technique and problem solving skills – they are able to apply their conceptual understanding within and across domains and within varied contexts.

·         Strategies such as spaced learning and interleaving ensure that there are significant opportunities to learn basic facts to support working memory and to revise and secure concepts over time.

·         High quality assessment is used to shape provision – Assessment systems are consistently applied.  They are efficient, effective and empowering, allowing teachers to adapt and shape lessons and learning journeys responsive to pupil need.  Interventions, informed by diagnostic assessment, are highly effective in closing gaps and accelerating progress of individuals and groups.

·         Triangulated evidence shows that all pupils are challenged to achieve their best – differentiation is highly effective in ensuring that all pupils, in particular the most able, are challenged, achieve well and make good progress from their starting points.

·         Pupils who are disadvantaged or who have SEN make good progress, facilitated by excellent personalised support and curriculum adaption.

Key Priority 2 – Behaviour and Attitudes:

a) To continually review and personalise provision in order to develop the school as a mainstream model of excellence in terms of inclusion; able to successfully provide a nurturing learning environment where pupils with specific learning, behavioural needs or trauma/attachment difficulties thrive.

b) To develop children as ambitious, active learners with strong learning skills for life.

(Links to Strategic Aims A2, A3, A4)

·         Pupils with SEMH needs are supported through personalised provision that secures their strong academic, social and emotional progress – they know their targets and next steps.  Over time, there are clear improvements in their self-awareness, self-esteem and self-regulation. They are increasingly able to understand the rewards and consequences for their actions.

·         Thrive style interventions inter-link with classroom provision so that skills learnt through interventions are embedded and applied.  The impact of such interventions is measurable.  Children model the school’s values and are able to self-regulate well. 

·         Pupils are highly motivated and show positive attitudes to learning, they are resilient to set backs and take pride in achievements.

·         EPIC skills are embedded within the curriculum so that they are systematically and progressively taught.  Pupils can describe when they have shown EPIC skills in their learning and behaviours and can explain the importance of learning these skills for life.  Pupils increasingly behave with integrity, co-operate well and are successful, reflective learners. They show confidence, resilience, independence and have a sense of enjoyment in learning.  They have good metacognitive strategies, are increasingly self-motivated and willing to challenge themselves and reflect on their experiences.

Key Priority 3 – Personal Development:

To work collaboratively as a school community to actively support well-being so that pupils, staff and parents are empowered to be happy, resilient and healthy and to play a positive role in promoting a caring and successful school environment for all.

(Links to Strategic Aims A2, A3, A4)

Success Criteria:

·         The school community work together to support the MHWB of pupils, parents and staff.  The school’s MHWB policy and staff charter are embedded.

·         The school’s MHWB threshold chart allows effective identification and signposting of appropriate support. 

·         Support has clear, measurable impact on staff and families.  Pupils apply MHWB strategies in class, leading to improved outcomes.

·         Pupils are beginning to play an integral role in creating a happy, positive and respectful school environment – they are given opportunities to influence policy, support the well-being of other pupils and promote positive behaviour in school.

·         School core Christian values and positive learning behaviours are embedded.  Pupils can describe the values, explain how they link to Christianity, and know how they can show the values within their thoughts, words and actions in everyday life. 

·         There are meaningful opportunities for children to be responsible, reflective citizens who contribute positively to society.  Wider community projects have a measurable impact on pupils and the local community.

·         Pupils are given further leadership opportunities that enhance the school e.g. mental health champions, sports leaders, prefects

Key Priority 4 - Leadership and Management:

To continue to develop strong, highly effective leadership at all levels – governors, subject leaders, teachers as leaders of learning within their own classrooms

(Links to Strategic Aims A2, A4, A5, A6)

Success Criteria:

·         A collaborative coaching CPD culture is established.  Staff are proactive about their CPD, they learn from each other, research and trial new strategies to ensure excellent teaching and learning and pupil enjoyment. They are leaders of learning for themselves and their pupils.

·         Professional development for all staff is focused, carefully tailored to need and is highly effective in further raising standards.

·         Subject leaders act as the ‘champions of standards’ for their subject, ensuring that their intended intent, implementation and impact are achieved.  They regularly monitor outcomes in their subject and provide feedback to staff and children.  Such work has a clear and measurable impact on further raising standards in the wider curriculum. 

·         Governors have clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.  They conduct regular and strategically planned monitoring activities that hold leaders to account for the school’s performance and oversee the school’s financial performance well.