ISP professional development meetings (PDMs)

Improving Schools Programme (ISP) is a whole-school improvement programme, particularly targeted at schools where attainment is low and/or groups of children are underperforming. The ISP builds on effective school self-evaluation processes. It is based on the cycle of audit, target setting, planning, action and review. The starting point is the pupil attainment data and the aim is that the programme supports the school to ensure that all children make the expected, or accelerated, progress, ensuring that as many children as possible are working at age-related expectations or above.

The ISP PDMs are timetabled as whole-school half-termly staff meetings. The focus for each meeting or series of meetings, and follow-up in-class support and monitoring are linked to the school's priorities as detailed in the raising attainment plan (RAP) each term. They follow the same agenda each time: review and progression; planning and pedagogy; and putting into practice.

The emphasis is on professional discussion to review, refine and develop current learning and teaching and to plan personal development opportunities related to the PDM theme.