Moving beyond the floor target case study: Slade Green Junior School, Bexley

Date of issue: Jan. 2008
Theme: Schools Causing Concern (SCC)

School context and profile

The school serves an urban area of very high social deprivation. The school has three-form entry and there are three ability sets per year group for literacy and numeracy. Close liaison is achieved with the infant school that shares the same site and there is a well-established transfer programme.

• Number on roll: 255
• Age range: seven to 11 years
• A third of pupils receive free school meals.
• The majority of pupils (71 per cent) are white British, although recently there has been a rise of pupils who are black African in origin (12 per cent).
• Attainment prior to school entry is generally very low.
• There is also a higher than average number of pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN), especially those requiring a statement of SEN.

Key Stage 2 L4+ results:

2005 English 58%; mathematics 58%
2006 English 63%; mathematics 60%
2007 English 73%; mathematics 73%

Barriers to improvement

• children's low prior attainment, especially language skills and writing skills
• problem-solving skills in numeracy.

The school-based issues – what needed to change?

A whole-school approach was needed with ownership and accountability for success of pupils at Year 6 being seen as a shared responsibility.

• Staff needed to extend their skills in assessing and tracking pupil progress, setting appropriate targets and sharing success criteria.
• Strong leadership from the headteacher ensured the Intensifying Support Programme (ISP) had high status across the school community and was fully incorporated into everyday practice.

What was done?

• Pupil tracking systems were introduced nine months before the school joined ISP. This meant staff saw success, so acceptance of the other elements was more easily embraced. 'ISP was a powerful motivating factor – success bred success.'
• Writing was initially identified as a whole-school issue. Performance management for all members of staff included a target under pupil progress relating to this priority, also linked to their focus groups. This made the focus effective across the whole school. Performance management targets had alternated on an annual basis between literacy and numeracy, now they focus on both.
• A vocabulary, connectives, openers and punctuation (VCOP) programme was introduced alongside the principles of ISP. The criterion scale assisted with precision in assessment, providing focused feedback and systematic teaching.
• The respect and trust given to middle managers, as they led key aspects of ISP, has underpinned the school's success.
• The pupil progress meetings encouraged staff to take ownership and accountability increased. Tracking sheets and use of Fischer Family Trust data meant staff raised expectations, and outcomes for some children improved
• Pupil progress meetings enabled subject coordinators to gain effective information about children and identify support needs of staff. All children are monitored from the tracking sheets, with a particular focus on the target groups (six children from each ability set).

Monitoring and evaluation

• The school development plan and the raising attainment plan (RAP) were closely aligned.
• A termly assessment system was established including a moderation process in the summer term. QCA mathematics, reading and writing tasks and the VCOP criterion scale were used. Teacher assessment supports tracking.
• Success criteria have been introduced for children so that they are involved in self-assessment.
• A range of targets were developed from the pupil progress meetings and displayed with examples. Termly targets were sent home.
• Subject coordinators and more recently the inclusion manager carried out learning walks modelled initially by the ISP coordinator.
• Point scores were added to convey value-added measures.

What has been the overall impact?

• 'Teachers are more skilled and confident. Children are more informed and can talk about learning and progress.'
• 'The whole-school approach has been accelerated by use of ISP which has brought it all together.'
• 'Respect, trust and confidence within the staff team relationships have created a no blame culture.'
• The leadership team’s knowledge of the school has been strengthened. 'We should all know every child.'
• Pupil progress meetings and the quality of the data have raised the quality of professional dialogue about learning. 'Staff are motivated to succeed by this and it has also made people more accountable and aware.'
• The structure of assessment and target setting increased consistency and precision planning across the year groups.

Local authority support and challenge

• The ISP consultant provided the summative and formative ISP assessments for mathematics the year before ISP was formally introduced.
• Analysis of National Curriculum tests data along with support for setting of curricular targets.
• The school became part of the Bexley excellence cluster. Support included the appointment of a learning mentor to help remove barriers to learning including working closely with families to improve punctuality and attendance.

What was done?

• The ISP consultant took a lead in providing the professional development meetings (PDMs) and some coaching for subject leaders
• ISP was part of a comprehensive package of support and challenge provided to the school. The adviser and ISP consultant provided joint planned input and alignment was achieved with brokering other support from LA service colleagues.

Monitoring and evaluation

• RAP meetings were effective because there were close working relationships and open communication between the school’s leadership team and LA colleagues. Meetings were well organised, providing sound data and devoting quality time
• Robust professional dialogue led to developments, such as the introduction of an assessment manager to provide a strategic overview plus valued-added point scores and Key Stage 1 results added to tracking sheets.

What has been the overall impact?

'Building capacity has been key. Working alongside staff to support the introduction of ISP, giving them the confidence to integrate it with other tools to suit the context of the school. This has meant that it has become embedded and staff confidence has grown with success.'

Sustainability – what next?

• The systems and structures are in place and fully embedded. 'It is a layered approach with every teacher becoming responsible and accountable.'
• The professional development provided by the LA has built capacity, so that subject leaders have been confident enough to provide PDM sessions for staff
• Initially the ISP consultant would take the main role in writing the RAP supported by the headteacher. This process now involves all staff providing sticky notes identifying successes and priorities for the future. 'The RAP is fully owned by the school and will continue to form part of the school development plan.'

What will the school do?

• Continue to evolve and build upon effective practice
• Careful planning for when ISP funding ceases and in particular to balance the time for staff to develop ISP against the impact on the children's learning of this time away from their classes
• Termly review meetings will continue to be held to evaluate progress and plan next steps.

What will the LA do?

• A LA exit strategy exists for schools coming out of the ISP programme. This will provide a graduated reduction in support
• The school's promotion of pupils' and adults' emotional health and well-being is particularly strong and their role as a leading practice Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) school will be explored in the future.