Prestonpans Learning Community

Prestonpans Infant School

Improvement Plan 2017-2018

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School Context, Aims, Values

Context of the School

The town of Prestonpans is situated on the south coast of the Firth of Forth, 10 miles east of Edinburgh. It has developed from a traditional mining and fishing town to a town of two communities. Pockets of growth have come from new private housing developments while other parts continue to have areas of high unemployment with a significant number of children and families living in poverty or experiencing work poverty (ELPC, 2017). The school has been allocated £106,800 as part of the Scottish Governments Pupil Equity Funding Programme.

Prestonpans Infant School proudly sits within the heart of the local community and is known locally as ‘Wee Pans’. It has a pro-active Parent Council and a very supportive parent body. The school has 15 infant classes (356 pupils), a 120-place nursery provision and, from August 2017, has led development of the new Prestonpans Early Learning and Childcare Centre (2-5 years). The core purpose of the school is to ‘Nurture children and families to be kind, happy, achieving learners.’ An Acting Head Teacher was appointed in January 2017 when the substantive Head Teacher took up a secondment at Edinburgh University until December 2018. The Acting HT and HT continue to work collaboratively on school developments for succession planning. The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) consists of one Acting Head Teacher, one Depute Head, one Acting Depute Head, one Principal Teachers and one Acting Principal Teacher leading a team of 47 staff.

The school actively engages with the opportunities of A Curriculum for Excellence to ensure that learners have a sound foundation in becoming Confident Individuals, Successful Learners, Effective Contributors and Responsible Citizens. Prestonpans Infant School works in partnership with Action for Children to offer emotional and social support to pupils. Within our community, we work with Support from the Start, particularly our Family Worker, Dadswork, CLD and our Area Partnership to give Prestonpans children the best start in life.

There is positive and respectful cluster working between the secondary and all feeder primary schools. In particular, a very close working relationship with Prestonpans Primary School is developing, focussed on joint curricular and pastoral working. In conjunction with Prestonpans Primary School and the wider school community, joint Vision, Values and Aims were developed to exemplify the collective ethos of Prestonpans Infant and Prestonpans Primary Schools.

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Our Vision

Working in partnership with families and the Prestonpans community, our vision for Prestonpans

Infant School and Prestonpans Primary School is to be a safe, nurturing learning community where

children are happy, confident individuals who persevere to achieve and become successful learners

and responsible citizens.

Our Values

Honesty Respect Kindness Determination

Happiness Co-operation

Our Aims

O As the Prestonpans Learning Community, we will work in partnership with others to make our schools and learners the

best they can be.

O To nurture and develop every child’s confidence and self-esteem so they value themselves and others as individuals.

O To encourage children to recognise that everyone can achieve their full potential through effort, celebrating

achievements both in and out of school.

O To inspire children to learn, develop, feel wanted and be excited about learning through having a voice in their school.

O To promote a sense of pride and belonging in our local community and beyond where everyone recognises the valuable

contribution they and others can make.

O To develop and acquire the skills for life and skills for work.

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National Priorities In line with the National Improvement Framework, school improvement priorities should clearly articulate with the following 4 key priorities in session 2017/18:

Improve attainment, particularly in Literacy and Numeracy

Close the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children

Improve children and young people’s health and well-being

Improve employability skills and sustained, positive destinations for all young people (DYW 3 to 18)

Local Priorities Curriculum

Implement curriculum frameworks of learning across all schools within the broad general education: Numeracy and Mathematics, English and Literacy, Science, Social Subjects and Health and Wellbeing.

Develop and implement the curriculum frameworks for Expressive Arts, Modern Languages and Technologies

Review the curriculum within the senior phase across all secondary schools with stakeholders

Implement the revised 1+2 Language Plan Learning Teaching and Assessment

Implement the revised policy to ensure consistency in our approaches to planning learning, teaching and assessment and ensure our assessment evidence is valid and reliable, particularly at key milestones

Continue to engage in ongoing achievement of a level and moderation activities.

Implement the national standardised assessments Leadership

Shared responsibility for the quality of education of all children and young people

Build capacity for leadership at all levels to drive improvement at a school and local level to continue to drive forward our vision for children and young people in East Lothian.

Self-evaluation for self-improvement

Developing expertise within our schools, collating and sharing ‘what works’.

Build on and extend our approaches to self-evaluation for self-improvement across our schools

Monitor and evaluate the impact of the Pupil Equity Fund actions

Continue to develop approaches to reporting, monitoring and tracking within Broad General Education and DYW

Implement the recommendations of the ASN review

Develop a Quality Action Plan for early learning and childcare

Early Years and childcare

Develop the Expansion and Implementation Plan 1140 hours by 29 September 2017 Take forward the Early Learning and Childcare Strategy

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School Priorities Based on your self-evaluation of the following QIs to include actions towards addressing the areas for improvement identified:

1.3 Leadership of change

2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment

3.1 Inclusion, equality and wellbeing

3.2 Raising attainment and achievement Note: Include reference to the actions and approaches being taken forward to improve the effectiveness of moderation of teacher judgement of CfE levels in Literacy and Numeracy and to raising attainment. Note: Include actions identified from the SEE survey and employee engagement survey.

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Priority: 1.3 Leadership of change

Actions Drivers for improvement When/Who Impact/Evidence

Establish and embed shared vision, values and aims across the Prestonpans Learning Community and develop strong, supportive, respectful relationships. Through:

Identification of common elements of existing VVA in both schools.

Amalgamation of common elements to produce one set of collective VVAs with collaboration from all staff.

Agreement from all stakeholders.

Embed to create a sense of common moral purpose.

The development of child friendly characters and text to exemplify values developed by Infant Pupils with PPS Pupil Council input.

Develop leadership skills at all levels - management, class teacher, support staff

Through:

SCEL Into Headship.

ELC Middle Leadership.

PRD process.

Opportunities for 1:1 support sessions from Employee Engagement Survey.

Support for Masters Level Learning.

Support for SVQ 3 – Early Learning and Childcare

SSSC - Post Registration Training and

School Improvement

Parental Engagement

School Improvement

Teacher Professionalism

All school staff across both schools. Parent forum and children. Through classroom practice, assemblies, relationships. By June 2018 Joint Parent Council opportunities (Nov, 2017) and Pupil Council opportunities. Joint CAT sessions x2 Into Headship – Acting HT, Middle Leadership – Acting DHT and acting PT PRD sessions – All Staff September/October/November 2017 and April/May 2018 1:1 sessions for Employee Engagement – Opportunities for all staff - October and November 2017, January 2018.

Impact

Children and families will experience a common ethos across both schools.

Clear expectations will be set for all.

The values will be exemplified through day to day relationships and interactions.

Increased cohesions between the staff from both schools.

A common foundation to build our Prestonpans Learning Community.

Impact

Leadership will be shared over the whole school team, creating an ethos of ‘bottom-up’ leadership. This will be underpinned by increased knowledge of leadership theory and practice, positively impacting on the strategic leadership of the school. Staff will gain confidence in identifying and leading learning opportunities within and beyond classroom practice.

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Learning.

Opportunities for staff to lead on curriculum areas and influence improvement agenda. (PEF).

Bespoke in house support staff training programme focussing on curriculum developments and professional interests e.g. Father Friendly School Champions.

Support staff – whole school.

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Priority: 2.3 - Learning, teaching and assessment 3.2 – Raising attainment and achievement Underpinned by 1.1 – Self-evaluation for self-improvement

Actions Drivers for improvement When/Who Impact/Evidence

Improve pupil attainment and achievement through:

Implementing consistent and effective pupil tracking leading to targeted support for pupils.

Improved use of data to inform school improvement.

Improved curricular transition from nursery to P1 and P3 to P4.

Improved Quality Improvement procedures e.g. monitoring, professional dialogue across both schools.

Tracking of wider pupil achievement.

Greater engagement of parents/carers in school self-evaluation and improvement.

Revising SMT remits and ensuring that they are shared and understood by all.

Staff will develop their understanding of:

ELC Frameworks and how to use these practically within the classroom through development of a new joint planning format.

Create opportunities to share Frameworks linked to the Benchmarks with children, parents/carers.

The Basic Provision of teaching and learning expected across all classes (PINS).

Performance Information

School Improvement

Assessment of Children’s Progress

Parental Engagement

School Leadership

Teacher Professionalism

School Improvement

Assessment of Children’s Progress

Parental Engagement

SLT from both schools - ongoing throughout 2017-18 Teaching and support staff – staff meetings, termly learning and attainment focus meetings. Parent Council Parent engagement sessions All teaching staff and Nursery staff across both schools – on-going from August 2017. Literacy and Numeracy leads, Working Parties

Impact

Improved accuracy of pupil predictions supported by assessment evidence.

Planning and assessment material informs next steps across transition periods.

Strong focus on Quality Assurance ensuring a systematic approach to monitoring impact on consistent L&T across all stages in place in both schools. This will be predominantly led by the features of highly effective practice and reflection on the challenge questions from HGIOS? 4.

Formal system for tracking pupil achievement in place.

School Improvement plan 2018-19 continues to reflect the needs of our school communities.

Clarity for all staff and families regarding SLT roles and responsibilities.

Impact

All stakeholders having a greater understanding of the progression and targets from Early through to Second Level.

There will be consistency across the school, cluster and authority.

A common framework for planning and assessment will be in place to embrace all principles of curriculum design between the two schools.

A Basic Provision for teaching and learning will be experienced by all children – initially nursery to P3 (PINS).

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Through:

moderation opportunities across stages with a particular focus between P3 and P4.

Collaboration with Stage Partners.

Critical Friend (PINS)

a clear focus on the Learning and Teaching Cycle – planning, delivery, assessment (Learning Wheel ).

Learning and Attainment Focus meetings.

Developing a greater understanding of Assessment and how it impacts on Learning and Teaching by developing holistic assessments in addition to day-to-day assessments.

Staff will engage with the new National Assessments.

In-line with the Scottish Government’s directive, by 2021 we will:

Develop our 1+2 approach Through:

Training all staff in 1+2 implementation through cluster level CAT sessions .

Provide additional language CLPL opportunities that are linked directly with ELC 1+2 learning and teaching framework.

Improve reading by fully implementing the Prestonpans Infant School Reading Programme (include Big Bedtime Read and Learn to Sleep, Sleep to Learn). Staff will agree and allocate supports to maximise positive outcomes for all children and families and

Performance Information

School Leadership

Teacher Professionalism

School Improvement

Assessment of Children’s

Progress

Stage Partners On-going over 2017/18 Working Party – development of holistic assessments. By June 2018. CATx3/ In-service/CLPL , directed by the lead teacher in each school. June 2018 Teaching and support staff. Evaluated through Teaching and Support staff meetings and Year Group meetings.

Dialogue during attainment meetings will highlight gaps and prioritising next steps to ensure pupils are meeting their targets.

A shared understanding of the experience and evidence needed to achieve a level.

A shared understanding across the Prestonpans Learning Community.

Increased engagement from pupils.

Appropriate personal targets being set to progress learning.

Clear evidence to identify and support individual needs

Learning and attainment focus meetings will prioritise supports and identify meaningful next steps in learning with the child at the centre.

Shared targets with parents/carers/pupils.

Improved, more meaningful assessment opportunities embracing the totality of the curriculum. National Assessments will inform and support teacher judgement.

Impact

Clear progression across both schools with shared expectations.

Increased confidence in delivery of 1+2 by all staff through a progressive framework.

Increased confidence of learners through consistent language input.

Impact

Faithful implementation of the programme across all classes to create a common reading framework, particularly in relation to its impact on raising attainment in reading in P1.

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meet individual needs. Through:

In line with PEF planning, staff will agree the best use of Support for Learning Teacher, Literacy and Numeracy intense focus teachers, Nurture nursery nurse, Family Engagement Nursery nurse and Outdoor Learning Provision to close the poverty related attainment gap and provide intensive support to pupils/groups of pupils in an increasingly diagnostic way.

The offer to parents/carers to be engaged in their children’s learning will be increased.

Continue Father Inclusive Practice & dissemination (Systems Leadership – Acting HT)

Our Support from the Start Family Worker will continue to develop Family Learning Club.

Our Support from the Start Family Worker will link with our newly developed role of Nursery Family Engagement Nursery Nurse to provide pastoral support and advice to our families.

Parental Engagement

In-service day – May 2016, Staff meetings (on-going), Parent Council, PEF meetings. All staff, dads champions and Dadswork. Varied and comprehensive ‘offer’ to parents/carers – issues August 2017 Acting HT and Natalie Moir – SfS Family Worker.

Impact

There will be many avenues of support available to our young children and families that best meet their needs in a diagnostic way, pin pointing and responding to areas for development in a diagnostic way.

Parents/carers will have a variety of opportunities to become directly involved in their children’s learning. This will develop the continuum from involvement to engagement.

How Father Friendly is our School? Guide, developed by Acting HT, will continue to improve the engagement of dads and male carers in their child’s educational experiences.

Appropriate pastoral support will be given to families through our SfS Family worker and Family Engagement Nursery Nurse using a multi-agency approach to get it right for every family.

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Priority: 3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion

Actions Drivers for improvement When/Who Impact/Evidence

Embedding our shared vision, values and aims across the Prestonpans Learning Community and developing strong, supportive, respectful relationships are key to this QI. Lead the development of our new Early Learning and Childcare Centre 1140 hours pilot for eligible 2-year olds and 3 & 4-year old children. Through:

Identification of current nursery staff to initially set up the play environment.

Recruit staff according to revised job specifications.

Work with Health Visitor colleagues to identify children to trial the new provision based on set criteria.

Make personal contact with families identified to offer places.

Undertake enrolment process with start dates for children to start.

Development of community aspect of

School Leadership

Parental engagement

Assessment of children’s progress

School improvement

Acting HT and identified staff by 9 October 2017 1140 hours Workforce Planning Group, HR, Anna Robertson, Pauline Homer - asap Acting HT, Acting PT, Health Visitors by 13 October 2017 Acting HT and admin staff by 25 October 2017

Impact

The new model will provide extended high-quality early learning and childcare (ELCC) for eligible families with children aged 2-5. This will mean an increase from 38 weeks per year ELCC to between 40 and 50 weeks with extended daily hours. This provision will offer a more comprehensive, flexible childcare solution for families and help to remove barriers to employment by supporting parents and carers to work, train or study. Crucially, the site will also have provision for additional community support through external agency partnerships and provision for family learning. Family learning will offer parents and carers opportunities to engage in no or low-cost activities with their children, develop knowledge of early play opportunities and increase connectedness. It will be the first local authority eligible 2-year-old provision in

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provision

Continually review provision, ensuring it meets the needs of service users.

Evaluate the service in line with local and national policies and guidance e.g. HGIOELCC.

In beginning to develop Our Nurturing School, we will:

Continue to develop our nurture room and extend this to include a ‘graduate’ programme for children leaving nurture group and moving back full time into class.

Establish systems and processes across both schools, including boxalls, to correctly identify children as part of the Children’s Planning Process and including Parents/Carers in the process.

HTs to begin to explore self-evaluation linked to Our Nurturing School.

Develop and implement mindfulness across both schools through The Mindup curriculum resource.

In line with parent feedback on the development of Health and Wellbeing in our school:

Parents/carers will undertake training through Active School to develop and implement a lunchtime/after school sport programme for nursery to P3 children.

School Leadership

School Improvement

Assessment of Children’s Progress

Parental Engagement

Acting HT, Acting PT and centre staff – ongoing over 2017/18 Acting HT, joint SLT, Susan Allan – Nurture nursery nurse, Lorraine Stevenson -ASNA. Educational Psychologist, Children and Parents/Carers. Parents/carers, Active Schools – Paul Lavery, Jill Craig DHT.

Prestonpans. The model for extended hours will result in revised nursery nurse working hours which should offer more flexibility with increased opportunities for upskilling and career progression for staff. It will also result in the recruitment of additional staff.

Impact

Common approach to nurture across both schools.

Children will have fuller access to the curriculum through a focus on well-being.

All classrooms will be established as nurturing environments.

Mindfulness will foster emotional and social awareness, enhance psychological well-being and promote academic success.

Impact

Children across the school will have increased opportunities to engage in sport and other activities over the school day/week. Parents and carers will become increasingly active in school life and have the autonomy to develop programmes linked to pupil interests and needs.

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Session:

Provisional priorities for the following 3 sessions:

2018/19 1+2 languages

Focus on ELC Curriculum Frameworks, planning format and Benchmarks.

Consistency across Learning and Teaching over the Prestonpans Learning Community.

Assessment and Moderation.

Development of self-evaluation linked to Our Nurturing School.

1140 hours Early Learning and Childcare.

2019/20

2020/21