2023 - 2024 Priorities for Improvement
1 - Provide appropriate guidance and support to improve the quality and level of consistency in teaching and learning.
Why is this a priority?
We recognise that most subjects have high expectations for students. Many books exhibit evidence of students being challenged by engaging topics. However, in a few subjects, there is a tendency to cover subject content superficially and rush through it, rather than fostering deeper understanding.
Recognising this, the school acknowledges the need for feedback to become more specific and grounded in clear success criteria. In the majority of subjects, feedback should explicitly demonstrate to students how they can enhance both their skills and subject knowledge. Furthermore, subject areas must strive for better consistency in their feedback approaches and ensure the appropriate utilisation of lesson time, allowing students to effectively respond to the feedback they receive.
By addressing these areas, the school aims to refine its feedback practices to better support students' learning and progress. The goal is to provide meaningful feedback that goes beyond surface-level corrections, enabling students to develop a deeper understanding of their strengths and areas for improvement.
Furthermore, the school recognises the need to foster professional discussions and reflection around teaching. To accomplish this, a coaching approach will be adopted, encouraging collaborative dialogue among staff members through the development of the TEEP programme. Leaders will offer clear guidance on effective practices, ensuring staff members have a shared understanding and common language pertaining to learning and teaching.
2. Strengthen the progressive development of literacy, numeracy and Welsh language skills
Why is this a priority?
To ensure consistency in approach and that students are provided with the opportunity to make progress in their literacy and numeracy skills across all learning areas, the school recognises the necessity of establishing a clear whole-school strategy that is well understood by staff and implemented meaningfully. This strategy aims to enhance standards throughout the school. Additionally, the school acknowledges the importance of providing appropriate and progressive challenges in various subjects while ensuring that the skills being developed align with the unique nature of each subject.
As the number of first-language Welsh speakers leaving primary education within our catchment area increases, the school acknowledges the need to strengthen its strategic approach to developing pupils' communication skills in Welsh across the curriculum. Furthermore, the school acknowledges the importance of fostering Welsh communication skills in informal contexts to enhance students' confidence as Welsh speakers as they progress through their educational journey.
3. Strengthen processes to monitor the progress of pupils with additional learning needs
Why is this a priority?
Many students benefit from additional literacy and numeracy support including additional support from external sources. The ALN coordinates the educational support of students through the involvement of external resources such as specialist teachers, youth workers, inclusion and well-being officers, therapeutic practitioners, family engagement officers and Careers Wales. This comprehensive support system also encompasses an alternative curriculum, enabling students to access qualifications that align with their progress towards college, training, or employment opportunities. However, we acknowledge the necessity of strengthening the quality assurance procedures surrounding this provision. It is imperative that we ensure students receive the most appropriate interventions and support to meet their individual needs effectively.
By enhancing the quality assurance process, our school aims to provide a robust framework that ensures students with ALN receive the best possible support, interventions, and alternative provision. We will work towards refining the monitoring of student progress, identifying areas for improvement, and ensuring that interventions are aligned with their specific needs.
P4 - Strengthen provision to reduce persistent absence and improve attendance, in particular, that of pupils eligible for free school meals
Why is this a priority?
The pastoral team have prioritised punctuality and has implemented sanctions for persistent lateness to encourage a culture of timeliness. Recognising the challenges some families face, the team have established highly effective partnerships with Inclusion and Wellbeing Officers, a Family Engagement Officer and Therapeutic Worker to support those experiencing attendance and lateness difficulties.
To ensure continuity in the education of pupils not attending school, online work and Chromebooks provided pupils access to resources and lessons. However, due to ongoing challenges in re-engaging some families and pupils with education, the school recognises the need for improvement in overall attendance rates, especially among pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM). Overall attendance reached 86% by May 31st 2023. Our intention this year with the support of our parents is to achieve an overall school attendance of pre-COVID levels of 94%.
P5 - Develop a high-performing leadership team that drives positive change and improves the learning experience for our students
Why is this a priority?
September 2023 will involve the introduction of 3 new members to the Senior leadership team and several new middle leaders to key roles. A priority for our school revolves around fostering the growth and success of our newly appointed leaders within the management team. We acknowledge the need to equip them with the necessary tools and provide the support they will need to excel in their roles, enabling them to provide exceptional strategic leadership.
Central to our development plan is the strengthening of distributed leadership throughout our organisation. By delegating responsibilities and authority, we aim to empower our leaders at all levels to contribute to the school's overall success to promote ownership and an environment where innovative ideas and effective practices can flourish. Middle leaders will play a pivotal role, they will be responsible for holding their colleagues accountable for their daily practices, ensuring that every member of our staff consistently delivers their best through regular performance evaluations within each department and developing an effective coaching programme. This process will enable us to identify areas of improvement and celebrate successes, ensuring continuous growth and excellence.
