Professional Learning at Heronsbridge School
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Information about the school
Heronsbridge is a residential special school maintained by Bridgend local authority. The school provides education for pupils aged 4 to 19 years. Nearly all pupils attend on a day basis. There are currently 266 pupils on on roll with 240 members of staff. Many pupils have either a statement of special needs or a local authority individual development plan (IDP). Pupils at the school have a range of needs, including profound and multiple difficulties (PMLD), severe learning difficulties (SLD) and autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). The school is organised into departments, primary, secondary, post-16, and a centre for pupils across the age range that have a primary diagnosis of autism and complex needs. Forty-one per cent of pupils receive free school meals. Attendance rates are around 91%.
The school has a well established vision, ‘We give them wings, our Herons will fly’ and strong values, which are shared by all staff and stakeholders. These firmly place the pupils at the core of all that happens at the school. ‘Together we can’ is deeply embedded in everything that occurs across the school. The school is a Rights Respecting School, an Investors in People Platinum school and Investors in Families Diamond school. As a result, all staff have high expectations and aspirations for all pupils.
Context and background to the effective or innovative practice
Heronsbridge actively engaged in curriculum reform as a pioneer school for curriculum and professional learning, and as a pilot school for the new, ‘Professional Standards for Teaching and Leadership’, ‘Professional Standards for Assisting Teaching’ and ‘The Schools as Learning Organisation model’ (SLO). This addressed the Welsh Government’s focus on preparing the workforce for transformational change: to develop a highly trained education workforce committed to continuous learning for all, with an emphasis on professional learning to realise the ambition for all learners in Wales.
As a pioneer school, Heronsbridge was encouraged to rethink its pedagogy, be innovative in approaches and facilitate teacher agency in exploration and understanding of Curriculum for Wales. The SLO model and new professional standards were the vehicles used for this. The SLO model enabled the school to create the right learning climate, culture and structures to adapt to change. The professional standards helped to set high expectations alongside developing reflective practitioners taking responsibility for their own and collaborative professional development needs.
Description of nature of strategy or activity
The school’s vision: ‘We give them wings, our Herons will fly’, is the purpose and SLO model underpins all school improvement processes. The annual survey informs the school of where it is and where it wants to be. It is vital for all staff to have a voice in school improvement and the starting point for this is the SLO survey, rating the performance of the school in the seven action-orientated dimensions; highlighting the aspirational goals and processes to transform a school into a learning organisation. Results from the survey are the seeds from which the school improvement plan grows. Additionally, all staff are given opportunities to reflect on their practice using the professional standards and their ‘Professional Learning Journey’ folders, as a catalyst to promote personal awareness alongside collective discussions on professional learning across the school.
By responding to SLO survey results, the senior leadership team are able facilitate a programme of professional learning opportunities, which addresses the needs of the school and empowers staff to take ownership of their learning journey. This work ensures that the school: meets the individual learning needs of pupils, supports curriculum delivery, supports pupil learning experiences and proactively manages the learning environment to ensure nurturing relationships with pupils.
Grants are used effectively to allow staff to access training and support from a bespoke Heronsbridge directory alongside access to external opportunities.
Examples include:
- Comprehensive induction/probation package, including mandatory training and E-learning.
- Termly Twilights – entitlement for all – with a heavy focus on well-being and readiness to learn skills – supported by the health team, pupil support team and communication/digital team.
- Heronsbridge Development Programme: to sustain progression and standards across the school.
- Opportunities for professional discussion on pedagogy through peer coaching, video analysis and reflections, learning walks and booklooks – calendar of meetings and their purposes.
- Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) training and links with external training providers to support accredited learning routes.
- Global involvement in sharing practice through British Council funded project BOTAWA (link to schools in Botswana, Tanzania and Wales)
- Many staff being trained as accredited trainers, ensuring that skills and knowledge are sustainably delivered.
- Subscription to E-learning providers to allow a flexible approach to learning, the staff area on the website offering further direction to learning opportunities.
- A ‘Directory’ of training to guide staff in their learning journey.
This is not an exhaustive list but illustrates the school’s investment into the best professional learning offer for staff, to support the success of all learners.
What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?
An extensive professional learning offer – linked to school values, performance management and school improvement targets – fulfils the professional learning needs of all staff. This is integral to improvement planning, with an extensive evaluation of impact on learners and learning by leaders. Impact is measured through attendance, behaviour ratings, attitudes to learning, engagement, well-being and progress in learning and personal achievement.
‘As a result, the school has a highly trained work force who are skilled in managing the needs of pupils across the school extremely well.’ (Estyn 2023)
How have you shared your good practice?
- Systemic opportunity through central south consortium’s networks, the National Professional Enquiry Programme (NPEP), Teaching Assistant Learning Pathway (TALP) and special school collaboration groups.
- Key staff regularly deliver training through central south consortium – e.g. Teachers New to ALN & Future Leaders (Special Schools).
- Staff trained by the National Autistic Society (NAS) to provide training to parents, with additional training provided by our family engagement team.
- Heronsbridge’s professional learning systems have been shared with other leaders of special schools across the South Wales Association of Special School Headteachers and South West Association of Leaders of Special Schools networks at both meetings and conferences.
- The school’s professional learing playlist is shared on Hwb: Staff development and learning opportunities: Heronsbridge School – Hwb (gov.wales)