The impact of professional development

Clase Primary School is a community primary school situated three miles north of the city of Swansea and one mile from the town of Morriston. There are currently 311 pupils on roll, including 36 part-time pupils in the nursery.  The school has 12 classes and four specialist teaching facilities for pupils with autism and moderate learning difficulties. 

The average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals over the last three years is 55%.  This is well above the average for Wales of 18%.  The school has identified around 50% of its pupils as having additional learning needs, well above the national average of 21%.  Currently, 11% have a statement of special educational needs.  Many of these pupils are in the four specialist teaching facilities, with only a few in mainstream classes. 

Very few pupils come from a minority ethnic background.  Very few pupils speak Welsh at home.

The headteacher has been in post since September 2010. 

Context and background to the practice

The School Leadership team, including the governing body, has shown a consistently strong commitment to improving the school for the benefit of all learners.  This is articulated and shared through the vision, aims and motto of the school and supported by the school community, including pupils themselves, and its key stakeholders in the wider community.  This commitment can be seen in the current Leadership Charter, which is based on school values and leadership standards and highlights the significant importance the school leaders placed on identifying staff needs and providing them with ‘opportunities to shine’.

The headteacher has consistently demonstrated a clear understanding of the strategic importance of building leadership capacity at all levels throughout the school.  She identifies strengths in personnel and gives them the opportunity to receive quality continued professional development and the confidence to take risks. Through modelling and coaching, she supports staff and sets high standards, which facilitates trust and collaborative working.

Senior leaders demonstrate a strong and active commitment to their own development and show drive, ambition and dedication to the ethos, culture and vision of the school.  As a result, nearly all staff are inspired and encouraged to improve their own practices and have high aspirations.

Over a number of years, the school has developed a consistent track record and a very strong commitment to building capacity through access to high-quality training and empowering individuals, especially in personal and career development.  This includes identifying staff career aspirations and planning potential opportunities during performance meetings.  Specific training needs and requirements are identified, and whilst taking on leadership roles within the school, staff are given ‘opportunities to shine’.  As a result, nearly all staff strongly agree that they are given appropriate opportunity for professional development and that their contribution and skills are valued.

Description of nature of strategy or activity identified as effective or innovative practice

There are robust performance management arrangements in place, and successful professional learning opportunities for all staff.  These processes support school improvement and career progression effectively.  This is a strong feature of the school.

Training is provided to support individuals to develop their leadership roles and the school has a strong culture of distributed leadership.  For example:

• All senior leaders have completed post-graduate training in leadership and management or professional learning. For example, the lead teacher for curriculum and lead teacher for pastoral and nurture support completed a 2-year graduate diploma in leadership and management.  The lead teacher for lCT/DCF successfully completed the middle leadership training and a further Graduate Diploma in Professional Learning.
• The headteacher is a peer inspector for Estyn and has effectively supported other colleagues in the local authority and across the regional consortium.
• The deputy headteacher has completed the NPQH, is assessment lead within the cluster and has completed coaching and management course.
• Curriculum leaders are given opportunity to attend regional middle leadership training.
• All teachers in the specialist teaching provision have completed, or are completing, post graduate diplomas in supporting pupils with severe and complex additional learning needs.
• A few teaching assistants have completed the Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP) and are now teachers at the school, with one of the first to undertake the training already within a senior leadership role at the school.
• A few teachers have completed a Master’s degree in education practice and one of the teaching assistants is completing a Master’s degree in supporting pupils with autism.
• The caretaker has completed an apprenticeship in facilities management.
• The senior lead teacher for curriculum has been involved in a highly-effective regional ‘developing senior leadership’ internal secondment.  This process has supported the development of leadership skills.
• A steadily increasing number of teaching assistants have access to or completed foundation degree courses and continued on to access full degree courses.  Some have continued to become teachers.
• All governors have attended a range of training opportunities in school, and with the local authority.

What impact has this work had on provision and pupils’ standards?

As a result of access to high quality professional development, many staff have undertaken further leadership roles within the school.  This has further helped to develop distributive leadership and ensured consistency even when staff are promoted within the school or move to other schools.  This has also had a positive impact on teaching and learning within the school.  A steadily increasing number of staff have undertaken a range of foundation degrees and, of those, a significant number have now completed degrees, and one is currently undertaking a Master’s degree in Autism.

Arrangements to develop staff professionally have a very positive impact on pupils’ progress and wellbeing.  Successful links, networks and the sharing of good practice have ensured effective building of capacity within the school and with other schools and education providers.  For example, as a result of a senior leadership secondment for a science role, pupils have been able to improve skills in recording their investigations in Years 5 and 6.

The school has a strong culture of distributed leadership, which has impacted significantly on school improvement and teaching and learning.

How have you shared your good practice?

The school has shared its practice with other schools in Swansea and in the region.

The headteacher has effectively supported other headteachers and leaders through the local authority consultative pool and more recently through the regional School to School support programme.