School Objective 1
By the end of KS2, most pupils achieve the expected level in all key areas. However, teacher assessment indicates that our MAT pupils, whilst competent with using number, have difficulty explaining the process and find difficulty to think creatively to reframe and solve problems.
School Objective 2
However many pupils are not forming upper- and lower-case letters accurately which are consistent in size.
School Objective 3
In line with the school’s vision for the new curriculum, we need to strengthen pupils’ higher order thinking skills in order to support their development as ‘Ambitious Capable Learners’ and ‘Enterprising Creative Contributors’. In particular, their ability to apply, analyse, evaluate and create. Last year, teachers received professional learning focused on HOTS and implemented explicit teaching of analysis (and evaluate) skills, provided opportunities for pupils to practise these skills and to begin to apply them independently. As a result, monitoring highlighted that most pupils in ks2 were able to describe a range of learning e.g. investigating, brainstorming and researching, pupils in yr 6 were able to link thinking skills to literacy activities. However, self-evaluation has shown we need to continue to embed the explicit teaching of analysis skills and implement the explicit teaching of evaluate and create through the five elements of collaborative learning practices. Teachers need to ensure they identify regular and effective opportunities for pupils to progress with their integral skills – solve problems; overcome challenges; investigate and develop their higher order thinking skills through explicitly modelling these skills and providing regular opportunities for pupils to practice these skills. Furthermore, we need to evolve the way we teach so that teachers are not just presenters of information but also mediators of the exploration and developers of ideas.
School Objective 4
The school identifies pupils with additional learning needs soon after they enter the nursery or reception class. It provides purposeful support in class and in a wide range of effective withdrawal groups as identified pupils move through the school. Successful programmes include targeted speech and language provision in the nursery and interventions to support pupils’ wellbeing in key stage 2. All pupils with additional learning needs have a personalised individual education plan that includes measurable and challenging targets. Staff and parents review these plans regularly. Most pupils make good progress towards their individual targets. A few more able pupils benefit from effective interventions to boost their learning, Nearly all pupils in the early years assessment unit respond extremely positively to the varied activities and nurturing environment that staff create for them. However, policy and procedure needs to further improve to create a fair and equitable system for all learners based on the principles of ALN Transformation.