SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT REPORT AND PLAN School: St. Columba s RC Primary School Head Teacher: Violet Smith Date submitted: June 2017 School Vision, Values and Aims SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT At St. Columba s RC Primary School we are actively engaged in the pursuit of excellence. There is a strong Catholic ethos where everyone can learn and succeed. We present the children with opportunities to develop the four capacities of the Curriculum for Excellence so that they will become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors. This will equip them with skills and attitudes for lifelong learning, and will prepare them for life beyond school. Our overall aim is to create a secure, happy, friendly environment where the children are encouraged to develop academically, socially, emotionally and creatively to the best of their ability. Our commitment as a Catholic school plays a central part as we endeavour to reflect the ideals of our faith in our everyday practice, particularly in the ethos and positive attitude of the school as a whole. We share our vision and values which promote respect and equality for all. We focus on the development of a community based on genuine care and understanding where each child is respected, valued and encouraged to realise his/her full potential. This shared vision is supported by a number of strategies including our school aims. VALUES Create a warm and welcoming atmosphere where pupils feel included and respected Encourage all pupils to aim for excellence in everything they do Make learning fun, active and challenging so that everyone can achieve their potential Encourage independence, responsibility and active participation in school life Respect and value individual pupils' qualities and abilities SCHOOL AIMS To maximise standards of attainment by: providing a broad general education from Nursery to Primary 7 which is active and childcentred ensuring a coherent and progressive approach to teaching and learning enhancing the ethos of achievement through recognition and celebration of the success of all regular monitoring of progress and achievement 1 June 2017
To provide a high quality learning environment which stimulates and motivates pupils by: using enterprising learning and teaching practices that encourage enthusiasm, creativity and ambition encouraging positive attitudes in the pupils towards themselves and others ensuring equal opportunities for all pupils through our policy of inclusion promoting the health and well-being of all members of the school community To develop in pupils a knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith by: ensuring the school environment promotes and reflects the values and teachings of the Catholic Church working in partnership with home and parish to build a firm sense of Christian community reflecting the liturgical calendar of the Church through planned spiritual services To encourage partnership with parents and the wider community to enhance the quality of pupils' learning and welfare by: welcoming parents as active participants in the life of the school recognising the rights of parents to be informed, consulted and involved in the education of their children promoting opportunities for pupils to develop enterprising skills through links with the local community To enhance professionalism of staff by: ensuring that all staff have opportunities for continuing professional development undertaking CPD training which responds to individual needs and school priorities liaising with colleagues and staff in other schools to share innovative practice 2 June 2017
Standards and Quality Report referencing your previous Improvement Plan and next steps Context of the school: St. Columba's RC Primary is a denominational Roman Catholic school which serves Fort William and the surrounding area. The school is a community of faith and learning which builds strong partnerships between home, school and parish. The school is part of a new joint school campus, sharing the building with Caol Primary School. The school opened on 29 th September 2016, and provides a very modern, attractive, spacious learning environment for pupils. There are currently 110 pupils on the school roll. Most of the children who enter Primary 1 have previously attended our Nursery or partnership pre-five establishments. Our effective transition programme provides a warm welcome to pupils, and guidance to parents on the curriculum, approaches to learning and supporting learners at home. The current staffing complement is 6.0 FTE which comprises the Head Teacher, Principal Teacher, two permanent class teachers, a probationer teacher and two job-share teachers. There is also an ASN teacher who works 2.5 days per week in the school. In addition, the school benefits from the input of four instrumental teachers for chanter, strings, brass and woodwind. St. Columba's RC Primary implements an inclusive policy, supported by 6.0 FTE pupil support assistants who support children in their learning and help them to develop necessary life skills. Our associated secondary school is Lochaber High School, and a successful transition programme is in place for pupils. St. Columba's RC Primary has a range of pupil groups which take forward developments within the school. Pupil involvement is prominent through the following committees Learning Council, Eco Committee, Fairtrade Committee, Rights Respecting Schools Committee, Junior Road Safety Officers and House Captains. Achievements have included achieving a fourth Green Eco Flag and being awarded Fair Achiever Status. The school has very strong links with St. John's RC Church. Pupils, staff and parents are well supported by the parish priest, Fr. Roddy McAuley. The school benefits from a high level of support from the Parent Council. Links with the wider community are fostered through on-going work in religious education, environmental projects, health and wellbeing and global citizenship programmes, where a number of partnerships have been formed. The school also benefits from the involvement of a range of partners including the Active Schools Co-ordinator, Educational Psychologist, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapist, School Nurse and Dental Nurses. St. Columba s RC Primary School has been awarded 19,200.00 Pupil Equity Funding for Session 2017/2018. 3 June 2017
What have we done to close the attainment gap? Literacy / Language There has been a focus of children's writing, specifically on the use of effective learning and teaching approaches and the development of higher order thinking skills. It is clear that most classes have become more confident in the use of the language of Blooms Taxonomy within their learning, engaging effectively in a wider range of texts, identifying key features of writers' techniques and then applying this knowledge within their own writing. Children are making connections between their reading and writing skills and engaging in quality discussion about this. This has been evidenced through classroom visits, professional dialogue with staff, feedback from pupil focus groups and monitoring writing jotters. We have hosted workshop sessions for parents, helping parents to develop a better understanding of literacy, new initiatives and teaching strategies to help them support their children s learning. Numeracy / Mathematics Our focus on raising attainment and achievement in numeracy / maths has resulted in learners improving their pace and accuracy in mental agility. Learners in all classes have experienced challenging contexts in which they have effectively demonstrated their ability to apply numeracy skills and their higher order thinking skills. Learners have been actively engaged in a wide range of learning opportunities, and they have become more confident in identifying their learning targets and evidencing their progress through various methods including learning conversations with staff. Learners are more able to articulate the strategies they are using in their tasks. They are more aware of their stages of learning, and what their next steps in each area of numeracy will be. We have introduced digital based learning across the school this session including Heinemann Active Maths and TT Rockstars. Study Ladder, N-Rich, Maths Rockx and various other apps and websites are being used in different classes. Having access to SMART Boards in each class and having SMART training has given staff opportunities and increased confidence to create specific programmes for their classes. Two members of staff attended the Highland Numeracy In-Service Day in February and Probationer Training on Highland Numeracy has also been utilised. The Highland Numeracy Board has been accessed for resources. Planning has been weighed towards numeracy as advised by HNP. The Highland Numeracy Assessments have been implemented in every class. This information has been used to inform teachers of gaps in learning and identifying high-fliers. Through our involvement with Highland Council s model for continuous profiling and reporting, learners have engaged in improved learning conversations linked to their key assessment tasks. Nursery pupils are more involved in planning and initiating lessons with staff, and have been able to transfer their numeracy skills to their outdoor learning activities. 4 June 2017
RERC God s Loving Plan has been effectively implemented to develop approaches to relationships and moral education in P6 and P7. Learners have benefited from opportunities across learning for breadth, challenge and application within RERC. They have developed healthy and respectful attitudes to their bodies and to relationships. All P7 pupils have achieved their Pope Francis Faith Awards in recognition of their commitment to showing their faith in action at school, at home and as partners in the parish. 1 + 2 LANGUAGES The teaching and learning of French (L2) has been extended to Nursery this session, and further embedded in P1 P7. Cross-curricular links and transition links have been established. Pupils across the school have become more confident in their use of French vocabulary, and their fluency and understanding has been well developed. P5 P7 pupils have also developed their fluency and understanding of Gaelic (L3), and they have increased their awareness and respect of other cultures. Overall pupil attainment and progress is good at Early, First and Second Level. However, there is a significant attainment gap between some pupils with FSM / SIMD2 and other pupils in the school. Our overall evaluation of the school s capacity for continuous improvement: * We are confident in our capacity for continuous improvement * We have some concerns about our capacity for continuous improvement Comment: The school is well placed to build on existing good practice. There is a robust system of selfevaluation and well-established partnerships with pupils, parents and agencies. Pupil Equity Funding will ensure that children requiring most support will benefit from targeted interventions to help raise their attainment levels. All staff, parents and pupils have been fully involved in evaluating progress and impact of the School Improvement Plan for Session 2016/2017, and are committed to the continuous improvement agenda of the school. Leadership at all levels is encouraged and supported within a collegiate environment. Teaching staff have a supportive role with peers in ensuring planning, assessment and moderation continue to be integral to the school. We will continue to work with colleagues to share our vision for achieving excellence and equity for all. The Parent Council continue to be very supportive, and are keen to support the school on its continuing journey of improvement. 5 June 2017
QI 1.1 Self-evaluation for self-improvement Self-evaluation is embedded into the life and aspirations of our school community. As a school staff we constantly evaluate our work and seek to identify ways to improve. We are fully committed to providing excellent learning experiences for all our pupils. The school involves all stakeholders including pupils, parents and staff. Our collegiate approach ensures that all staff have developed a shared understanding of their role in securing improvement for pupils and a feeling of ownership of improvement developments. We use tracking data and information to help us know and understand our pupils learning. Staff identify, plan, monitor and evaluate learning interventions and address barriers to pupils' learning. Our self-evaluation procedures take account of the Catholic identity and mission, values and aims of the school. Staff use the How Good Is Our School 4? and How Good Is Our Early Learning and Childcare? documentation to impact on self-evaluation throughout the school and nursery. We will continue to target support on pupils who are at risk of under-achieving. We will implement, monitor and evaluate the Pupil Equity Funding Plan. We will continue to reflect on our curriculum to ensure coverage over all curricular areas. QI 1.3 Leadership of change We are good at delivering change to improve the work of the school. Our vision, values and aims are reflective of the ethos and culture of our school. All pupils have access to a broad, balanced and progressive curriculum where skills development, children's rights, learning for sustainability and outdoor learning are embedded. Staff play a strong distributed role in leading improvement and innovation in learning and teaching, ensuring high quality learning experiences for all pupils. Staff analyse school tracking data and identify current gaps in attainment to help pupils improve. Continue to work together to develop a shared understanding of standards and expectations for improvement with staff, pupils and parents. Identify interventions to close the attainment gap to ensure all pupils have appropriate support to achieve their potential. 6 June 2017
QI 2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment Staff continue to review learning and teaching strategies in numeracy and literacy, ensuring consistent practice across the school. Pupils know what they are expected to learn in their lessons. Almost all pupils are successful, confident and engaged in their learning. Pupils are actively involved in planning, assessing and evaluating their learning across all stages from nursery to Primary 7. Through well-planned programmes, pupils have opportunities for cooperative learning, active learning, interdisciplinary learning and outdoor learning. There is a good level of personalisation and choice available to pupils, and they are able to contextualise their learning. The school has introduced Learning Snapshots to involve pupils and parents in the evaluation and reporting process. All staff have analysed pupil attainment data to identify levels of progress and achievement, and to identify target pupils/groups that will benefit from further support and intervention. Ensure the progression in numeracy and literacy skills is maintained across all stages, with a key focus on using and applying skills and knowledge effectively. Further develop digital learning across all areas of the curriculum. Introduce Chromebooks to P5 P7 to enhance learning opportunities across the whole curriculum. Continue to develop the process of continuous profiling and reporting. 7 June 2017
QI 3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion The school has good systems in place to ensure pupils are included, safe and have equal opportunities to achieve their potential. The new school campus provides a very stimulating learning environment for all pupils. Health and Wellbeing permeates the positive ethos of the school community and pupils are progressing well in various aspects of skills development in this area. All staff have a secure knowledge of GIRFEC (Getting It Right For Every Child) and The Highland Practice Model, and we have very clear support procedures using the staged intervention approach. Nurturing approaches are being embedded to meet the social and emotional needs of pupils. God's Loving Plan has been introduced to P6 and P7 pupils to enhance their knowledge and understanding of relationships. Pupils in all classes have improved their physical fitness through their involvement in the Daily Mile and Go Noodle Dance Programme. All pupils have equal opportunities and equal access to all areas of the curriculum and extracurricular activities. We will continue to develop and strengthen opportunities for greater involvement of parents in school and learning, and to remove any barriers to learning. We will further develop our commitment to equality and diversity through planned lessons. Explore ways to further enhance pupils' physical and emotional health. Pupil Voice Committees will continue to be fully involved in the decision-making processes. QI 3.2 Raising attainment and achievement We are confident that our pupils attain at a suitable level and make progress as they move through the school. We encourage all pupils to attain as highly as possible and to explore opportunities for wider achievement. The implementation of the Big Writing strategies has had a positive impact on pupils' writing skills across the school. Reading skills are very good at all stages. Daily Mental Maths activities in all classes has led to improvement in mental agility skills. Pupils are able to engage effectively in communication and dialogue about their next steps in learning. ASN pupils continue to be well-supported to help them achieve their potential. Continue to raise attainment across the school Implement the Pupil Equity Funding Plan to ensure equity for all pupils. Continue to develop our approach to profiling and reporting to inform and improve learning. 8 June 2017
QI 1.2 Leadership of learning There is a clear steer from the school on vision, values, aims and priorities. Staff are empowered to take ownership of their own professional learning, and they ensure the highest quality of teaching and learning for their pupils. Staff are skilled in making sound professional judgements on pupils' attainment based on a wide range of evidence. Through a targeted approach, P6 and P7 pupils have emerged as leaders, and are helping to influence change across the school. Pupils at all stages contribute very effectively to the work of the school through engagement in various committees including the Learning Council, the Eco Committee, the Fairtrade Committee, the Rights Respecting Schools Committee, Junior Road Safety Officers and House Captains. Staff will continue to engage in continued professional development and collegiate activities to enhance their professionalism and to explore features of highly effective practice. We will continue to encourage a culture and curriculum which promotes creativity, innovation and enterprising attitudes in all our pupils. Further develop our approach to Developing the Young Workforce by establishing more robust links with local businesses and partners. 9 June 2017
Key School Improvement Priorities Improvement Priority Title Raising Attainment in Literacy, Language and Communication : Taking a Developmental Approach to Emerging Literacy Development of Digital Learning across all areas of the Curriculum Development of Continuous Profiling and Reporting Relevant QI(s) and Theme(s) QI 1.3 Leadership of Change QI 2.3 Learning, Teaching and Assessment QI 2.5 Family Learning QI 2.7 Partnerships QI 3.2 Raising Attainment and Achievement QI 2.3 Learning, Teaching and Assessment QI 3.2 Raising Attainment and Achievement QI 2.2 The Curriculum QI 2.3 Learning, Teaching and Assessment QI 2.4 Personalised Support QI 2.6 Transitions 10 June 2017