Self-evaluation for improved pupil outcomes
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Information about the school
Llansannor & Llanharry Church in Wales VA Primary School is a single form intake English-medium primary serving the Rectorial Benefice of Cowbridge and the parish of Llanharry. The school is in a rural setting four miles north of Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan and half a mile from the village of Llanharry in Rhondda Cynon Taf, and takes in pupils from both local authorities.
There are around 230 pupils on roll aged between three and eleven, including 43 in the part-time nursery. The school teaches pupils in eight classes, which contain pupils from single year groups. Around 5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals and the school identifies around 15% of pupils as having additional learning needs. Nearly all pupils are of white British ethnicity and speak English as their home language.
The headteacher took up her post in January 2015.
Context and background to sector-leading practice
Following a period of instability in Spring 2015, with nearly half of the teachers on temporary short-term contracts, the headteacher’s main objective was to identify strengths and weaknesses in teaching, challenge underperformance, and develop clear lines of accountability through implementing robust systems and procedures. A period of rigorous recruitment resulted in strengthening the leadership and teaching team through the appointment of a new Leader of Learning / Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator (ALNCo) together with a Foundation Phase Leader and two Newly Qualified Teachers.
In order for the headteacher and senior leadership team to gain an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development, they reviewed the arrangements for self-evaluation, monitoring and planning for improvements.
Description of nature of strategy or activity identified as sector-leading practice
School self-evaluation
Following a review of self-evaluation processes, the school’s monitoring, evaluation and review cycle focuses rigorously on improving outcomes for pupils. Strong distributed leadership ensures that all staff make a considerable contribution to this process. Subject leaders take ownership of their improvement plans, which they draw up based on their monitoring evaluations and analysis of performance data. Leaders plan robust monitoring cycles that use a variety of monitoring activities throughout the year to check quality; these include evaluative reviews of pupils’ work and lesson observations. They measure progress and assess the impact of actions at key points, preparing summary reports that outline the strengths and areas requiring further improvement.
Pupils also contribute to the school improvement process through ‘immersion’ planning days, allowing them to make decisions on how, and to some extent what, they will learn the following term. Pupil ambassadors observe learning in lessons and make recommendations for improvement; their comments were key in developing pupil targets and the marking and feedback policy.
The outcomes of self-evaluation across the school determine clear priorities and targets for improvement. These form the basis of a detailed school improvement plan, which sets out responsibilities, actions, timescales and procedures for monitoring progress clearly.
Use of data
The school gives high importance to using a variety of data to measure progress. Leaders use robust and detailed electronic tracking sheets to record a range of pupil assessment data, and staff use these confidently and regularly to monitor and evaluate performance of pupil groups. Teachers understand very well how they are accountable for pupil progress. Supported by leaders, they review progress termly, and identify appropriate actions to achieve future targets. This process has created an adaptive and responsive culture whereby staff maintain high expectations and link any changes to provision or training directly to pupil need.
Responding to stakeholder views
Leaders encourage all stakeholders to contribute to the self-evaluation process through annual questionnaires, attending workshops, parents’ evenings and various pupil voice groups across the school. School leaders carry out detailed analyses of findings and respond promptly to areas identified by particular groups. For example, leaders improved communication with parents, by using social media and introducing mid-term pupil progress reports, which parents appreciate greatly.
Collaboration in networks of professional practice
Leaders value the benefits of collaboration and partnership working both within school and with other schools and partner agencies. External agencies have carried out reviews on Foundation Phase provision, marking and feedback and health and safety. Findings from these reports have helped the school to address identified areas and move forward quickly. The school also engages openly with its cluster of schools, school improvement group, pathfinder, local authority, regional consortium and challenge adviser on a number of projects. Staff regularly visit other schools with excellent practice and reflect on their findings, disseminating what is relevant and appropriate for its own setting. This work has provided good external perspective, challenge and support whilst facilitating the two-way sharing of resources and effective leadership processes.
Staff plan, prepare and assess pupil work in teams, and help each other to develop and improve within a supportive, caring and trusting ethos. All teachers have the opportunity to observe others teach and, through planned professional and reflective dialogue, they identify areas to celebrate and share. This has resulted in a self-improving learning culture where staff feel valued and morale is very high.
All staff are encouraged to embrace an area of action research linked to a particular area of curriculum innovation, ensuring that the school continues to improve. These have included: growth mindset, innovation/entrepreneurialism, thinking skills, pupil immersion planning days, habits of mind, modern foreign language learning, outdoor learning and marking and feedback.
What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?
All evaluation activities focus rigorously on improving outcomes for pupils and this has ensured a steady trend of improvement in reading, writing and mathematics across the school.
All staff understand the school’s priorities for improvement and their role in bringing about the desired results. The very strong ethos of staff teamwork and support has meant that staff are willing to take certain risks. This has allowed the school to work on a number of innovative curriculum development projects that have had a positive impact on pupils, for example improvements made in using questions to challenge pupils’ thinking more effectively.
As a result of successful improvement planning, the school now has a strong record of success over the past two years in raising standards for most pupils.
How have you shared your good practice?
The school is leading a project to share its good practice in tracking and use of data with other schools. The school has shared its strong leadership and strategic planning processes with other schools through pathfinder, school improvement group and cluster groups. It has also shared its high challenge and lines of accountability on the National Professional Qualification for Headship training programme and other national challenge adviser training events.