Bishopspark School Monitoring, evaluating and improving learning policy Intent: To establish a commitment throughout the school community to continually monitor, evaluate and improve learning. To inspire children to enjoy learning, nurturing independence and life-long skills, to allow all to become tomorrow s successful global citizens. We value: We aspire to ensure that every child makes excellent progress and attains highly. We value the process of developing life-long learning skills and therefore have a commitment to developing our school s learning code and character values. We value teachers who learn and learners who teach. We value growth mindsets where if something is not achieved, we believe that we can t do it yet. Linked policies: School vision, aims and values Teaching and Learning policy Writen Feedback policy Performance Management DIN (2014) Standards for Teachers (2013)
Overview of improving learning cycle: The cycle of improvement is as follows Monitor what learning is taking place? Evaluate where can this learning be improved? Plan when improvements needed, priorities and plan how we can improve learning Do make the changes to improve learning Review how successful have these changes been in improving learning outcomes? What learning do we monitor and evaluate: How rapidly are our children becoming; a) Successful learners in academic, personal, physical and creative capacities b) Happy, valued individuals c) Responsible, confident citizens In order to monitor and evaluate these areas of learning we focus on four key areas: 1) Learning outcomes and progress in learning journeys, books and other records of learning 2) Observation of learning throughout the school day, including taught sessions, play times, assemblies, during lunches etc. 3) Analysis of pupil progress data on a termly basis 4) Pupil, parent, staff and other stakeholders reflection How we monitor and evaluate learning: There are three broad and separate areas of monitoring and evaluating learning. (See calendar of monitoring and evaluating - Attachment A). 1) Self and peer 2) Performance Management 3) Regular extensive whole school
1) Self and peer Pupils are encouraged to actively participate in assessment for learning, to assess their own and their peers learning, identifying improvement priorities. This helps develop life-long learning skills. Teachers and LSAs monitor and evaluate the progress of children whilst planning, delivering and assessing learning. Constant and careful monitoring, using Assessment for Learning (AFL) strategies to assess pupils progress during the teaching process is the most essential and powerful part of improving learning. Teachers and LSAs engage in collaborative activities to monitor, evaluate and improve learning, including lesson studies (Learning 3 s), action research projects, peer lesson observation and joint moderation/work sampling. LSA team to monitor, evaluate the learning of children at play times with a particular focus on progress towards becoming happy, valued individuals and responsible, confident citizens. Senior Leaders maintain high visibility and engage with the learning process throughout the school day monitoring, evaluating and looking for ways to improve learning. Administrative staff monitor, evaluate and look to improve learning by developing efficient and effective business practices which are fit for purpose and match the vision, aims and values of the school. 2) Performance Management Performance Management follows the Performance Management arrangements for MOD Teaching and further educational grades (Defence Instructions and Notices Nov 2014) for UKBC teachers. For support staff employed through LSU, LSU appraisal procedures are followed and adapted to fit the context of our school. Reviewers are appointed for Reviewees and this is distributed through staff in the school to allow for distributed leadership and opportunities for leadership development. These are outlined at the start of each academic year (see attachment B) Specific targets are set for teachers and in order to be successful with performance management it is expected that teachers have adhered to the requirements of the Teacher Standards (2013). Targets vary and therefore the standards and required evidence is likely to be different. However, in terms of assessing typical practice to meet the Teacher Standards (2013) similarities are self-evident and therefore monitoring and evaluating schedules focus on the following areas: Monitoring of learning outcomes and progress in learning journeys, books and other learning records Monitoring: Frequency 1 X per term with additional follow-up reviews as required. If areas for improvement are identified, these will be discussed, written down with agreed time frames for improvements will be agreed. Dates for review will be set. A minimum of three working days notice will always be given of the date and time of the learning/work scrutiny.
Observation of learning and teaching Monitoring: Frequency 1 X per term (30 mins in total) with additional follow-up observations if improvement is required. In an academic year, the maximum total observation time is 3 hours and a minimum of three working days notice will always be given for each observation. Analysis of pupil progress data Monitoring: There are 4 key dates for pupil progress data to be entered onto Target Tracker; (Baseline) two weeks after entry (any point during the year), Autumn term 1 (November), Spring term 1 (February) and end of Summer term. Pupil progress meetings are held and when necessary closer monitoring of the progress of class, group and/or individuals are organised. If whole school monitoring and evaluating, including discussions with pupils, parents and staff, reveals potential practice contravening the Teachers Standards (2013), these would require further investigation as part of performance management procedures. Performance management (appraisal) for LSAs (LSU employed) Targets vary and therefore the standards and required evidence is likely to be different. However, in terms of assessing typical practice, similarities will exist in monitoring and evaluating schedules and fit with those identified for UKBC teachers above. Observations are limited to 2 x 30 mins per year, with more arranged if required. Learning/work scrutiny is limited to the specific children and groups that the staff member supports and teaches and is set in the Autumn and Summer term. Additional scrutiny can be arranged if required. All follow up observations and learning/work scrutiny should be written down with clear expectations and review dates identified. 3) Regular extensive whole school All members of the school community should be involved in monitoring, evaluating and improving learning; these are separate to performance management procedures. We value monitoring and evaluating feedback as a way to improve learning and to that end operate an open-door policy where everyone in school is approachable, transparent and actively engages in discussions on how to improve learning. Pupils provide feedback in lessons, through dialogue marking, the school council, talk partners, questionnaires, informal discussions with other pupils, staff and parents. Parents provide feedback through discussions with teachers and other staff members, questionnaires, letters/e-mails, parent in partnership groups, Home/School diaries, home learning and the School Governance Committee. Subject leaders and other provision leaders (e.g. SENCO, EAL) monitor, evaluate and improve learning in subject areas through learning/work scrutiny, planning sampling, learning observations, data analysis, talking to pupils, staff and parents. Key stage leaders monitor, evaluate and improve learning in their key stages through learning/work scrutiny, planning sampling, learning observations, data analysis, talking to pupils, staff and parents. There is a particular focus on continuity of practice within each key stage. The School Business Manager monitors, evaluates and improves learning through talking to staff, parents and other stakeholders, and reflecting on efficient and effective systems and business management.
Headteacher will maintain a high visibility presence and engage in regular (daily where possible) engagement in the learning process throughout school to monitor, evaluate and improve learning before, during and after school, in classrooms, corridors, play grounds, the dinner hall and other areas used for educational activity. Headteacher will monitor, evaluate and improve learning through learning/work scrutiny, planning sampling, observing learning throughout the school day, data analysis, talking to pupils, staff, parents, governors and other stakeholders. Discussions between senior leaders and other school community members on what is working well and what needs to improve are essential parts of planning and delivering future learning improvements. The School Governance Committee monitor and evaluate the quality of education using headline data to compare to national and other key performance indicators. The SGC provides strategic direction. Lesson observations are not part of the Governors remit due to the judgemental and skill based requirement of this role. Learning walks to connect to the work of the school through sub-committee focus are encouraged as is sampling pupil learning and pupil voice, and meeting with subject leaders to discuss school performance and improvement. Link Inspector Advisor and other HQ SCE personnel monitor and evaluate school provision and work with Senior Leaders to ensure continual improvement in learning. OFSTED and similar inspection agencies monitor, evaluate and provide summative areas for school improvement. How do we know that this policy is working? The accuracy and robustness of the cycle of monitoring, evaluating and improving learning is externally validated each term by the Link Inspector Advisor, summarised in a written report. An integral part of this process is evaluating, validating or challenging the School self-evaluation recorded on the School evaluation form (SEF). OFSTED and similar inspection agencies (i.e. external moderators) provide further external verification or challenge to the accuracy of self-assessment and continual improvement, summarised in written reports. Key school performance indicators are comparable with national (England) and SCE data. This allows external comparison with achievement of other schools; this data is used by Senior Leaders within HQ SCE to hold individuals schools to account for their performance. The SGC review school performance and hold School Senior Leaders to account (SGC minutes) Policy from October 2016
HT analyses pupil questionnaires (July) Leadership team provides reflection on previous year and outlines areas for school improvement/challenges for coming AY (INSET day) ANNUAL CALENDAR FOR MONITORING & EVALUATION Attachment A SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER CTs enter on entry data onto Target Tracker. Print copy for HT/ Assessment Leader. HT compiles internal pupil progress/attainment overview (3 year trends) to discuss in Leadership meeting along with SCE and national comparison data (Data Pack) HT and other Reviewers to triangulate performance management data from previous year for each reviewee. Subject Leaders school improvement plans to HT PM Lesson observations and learning/work scrutiny by SLT of all teachers HT reports on standards of pupil achievement to SGC. SLT amends SEF and HT reports to LIA. PM Observations and work/learning scrutiny of LSAs by Reviewers Cycle of Subject leader observations/learning scrutiny to fit with school improvement focus KS2, KS1 and FS assessment standardisation and moderation meetings (internal and external) CT enter pupil progress data on target tracker and print group and individual analysis for HT. Annotate for discussion. JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH Lesson study (Learning 3s) for all teachers PM lesson observations and work/learning scrutiny by HT and LIA KS2, KS1 and FS assessment standardisation and moderation meetings (internal and external) Pupil progress meetings as required SGC learning walks/meetings with subcommittee focus OFSTED style questionnaires to parents Subject leader observations/learning scrutiny/pupil voice/planning sampling to support school improvement focus SGC learning walks/meetings with sub-committee focus CT enter pupil progress data on target tracker and print group and individual analysis for HT/DHT. Annotate for discussion in Pupil Progress Meetings. SLT amend SEF Performance Management mid-year reviews all staff APRIL MAY JUNE /JULY PM lesson observations and work/learning scrutiny by SLT/LIA KS2, KS1 and FS assessment standardisation and moderation meetings (internal and external) All subject learning/work scrutiny across school for Subject Leaders CT enter pupil progress data on target tracker and print group and individual analysis for pupil progress discussion. Class foundation subject attainment records to HT to disseminate to subject leaders for data analysis OFSTED style questionnaires to pupils