Standards, Quality and Improvement Plan for Dean Park Primary School

Dean Park Primary School aims to create a learning community where everyone has the opportunity to flourish.

Standards and Quality Report for session: 2015-2016

Improvement Plan for session: 2016-2017

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Table of contents

Section Section title Page

<insert> Standards and quality report 1 The school in context (short introductory paragraph)

4 2 School’s self evaluation 5

Improvement plan

3 Key areas for school improvement 10

4 Cluster improvement plan (reflecting three year CfE implementation) 15

Standards and Quality Report 1. The school in context Dean Park Primary School is a non-denominational school which serves the village of Balerno in the South West of Edinburgh. Currently the school has a roll of 478 pupils in the main building with an additional 120 pupils in our Nursery. The proportion of pupils who are entitled to free school meals is well below national average. Pupils’ attendance is in line with national average. The school is very well supported by its local community and is ideally situated to take advantage of the natural resources for outdoor learning offered by our school grounds, the Pentlands National Park, Malleny Wood and the Water of Leith. We enjoy excellent links with the other educational providers in our community and work closely with each setting. We also share our ‘curriculum rationale’ with a number of community partners to help ensure we get the depth of learning in our ‘rich tasks’ and that ‘sustainability’ is an integral part of our curriculum . We call our community based experiences our ‘Big Ideas’ and these are based in transdisciplinary learning. More information can be found on our school website: http://deanparkschool.org.uk/position-papers/the-big-ideas/ & http://deanparkschool.org.uk/position-papers/curriculum-rationale-refresh/ The school is based on two sites with an annexe building in the village centre which houses our Nursery Classes and one of the local playgroups. The main school building is approximately 40 years old and is in need of general updates to the fabric to the building and surrounding grounds. Our pupils, although mostly living in owner occupied housing, represent a cross section of society, which makes Dean Park a stimulating and culturally rich environment. We pride ourselves in having exceptional links with our community of learners and are proud to hold the following accreditations: Rights Respecting Schools Level 2 Award, Eco Green Flag, Fairtrade Status and Health Accreditations. The Headteacher is supported by two depute headteachers. There is one principal teacher and visiting teachers for art and music. The pupil ratio is 24:1. In addition, support staff are allocated to range of whole school responsibilities and learning needs. The budget per pupil cost for 2015-2016 was £2,843. The school has an active Parent Council and Parent Teacher Association.

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2. School’s self evaluation 1.1 Improvements in performance

Standards of attainment over time

Overall quality of learners’ achievement Impact of improvement plan

Continuing on from last year’s work we started to implement the following:

The school implemented effective arrangements for improving attainment at department level in 2015-2016 by studying our tracking and monitoring materials rigorously against our professional moderation. This includes new reporting models to parents. This work will be ongoing this session particularly taking note of the National Improvement Framework, Raising Attainment for All and CEC Briefing note for Headteachers.

The school is expanding on the recording and acknowledging of wider achievement. This again is an ongoing process.

The school is developing its standardisation/moderation of assessment in Mathematics, Literacy and Science. Literacy and Numeracy moderation is on track and as a cluster the primary schools have produced solid documents. These will become part of our departmental moderation and expectations. We had limited contact with our associated secondary school.

Numeracy pathways and SEAL throughout school.

Embed the literacy strategies across the school. Continue to develop our 3-18 working.

What are we going to do next? Implement into our practice the 4 NIF priorities :

1. Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy 2. Closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children 3. Improvement in children and young people’s health and wellbeing 4. Improvement in employability skills and sustained, positive school leaver destinations for all young people.

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2.1 - Learners’ Experiences

Learners are motivated, eager participants in their learning.

Learners make good progress in their learning.

Learners know their views are sought and acted upon. They feel valued.

Learners feel safe, nurtured, healthy, achieving, active, included, respected.

Maintain pupil voice via our numerous pupil committees and faculties including Rights Respecting Schools, Eco Flags, Health, Enterprise and Pupil Council.

Sustain our partner links with our wider community of learners and also cluster primary schools.

ICT to continue to enhance learning, specifically support for pupils and literacy across learning.

School camp will be relocated to Benmore which is a City of Edinburgh Council Camp venue as soon as possible.

Continue to develop our outdoor learning.

Personal learning planning will continue to be enhanced in line with notable pupils and ASL department.

What are we going to do next?

1. Audit support for learning 2. PRDs of staff and allocation of remits to help support and develop learners’ experiences 3. Parent focus groups and discussion evenings 4. CAT sessions to promote school efficiency and continuity between pupils’ learning experiences 5. All teaching staff will attend Level 4 Group Leader training.

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5.3 - Meeting Learning Needs

Tasks, activities and resources Identification of learning needs The roles of teachers and specialist staff

Meeting and implementing the requirements of legislation

Coordination of CPM dates and times termly to be streamlined. This will move this session to two blocks in September and April 2016 -17.

Ongoing work on differentiation and planning of challenge, core and support within the classrooms.

Pastoral and support for pupils continues to meet on a weekly basis and pastoral minute is shared with all staff.

GIRFEC paperwork is in place.

The roles of teachers and specialist staff are displayed on the school website.

Moderation calendar is in place.

Self-evaluation calendar is in place and will be further enhanced in session 2016-17.

What are we going to do next? 1. ASL team audit 2. In-service days school communication about expectations for Teaching and Learning will be shared. 3. Achievement of a level and moderation training will continue all session and will be tied into our self-evaluation expectations 4. Our curriculum rationale for the school and departments will be clearly articulated and shared with all staff. 5. School staff remits will be clearly shared 6. PRD targets will focus on identification of learning needs of staff and pupils in order to meet the learning expectations of the organisation. 7. All staff will receive annual ASD training on the second in-service day 8. Dyslexic training and Child Protection training will be updated. 9. Staff will receive relevant medical training in August & September 2016. 10. All staff will receive the school GIRFEC update and also the school expectation for support for pupils on the Frist In-service day in August along with SQIP. 11. Mandatory CEC policy update for all staff.

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5.1 The Curriculum

The rationale and design of the curriculum

The development of the curriculum

Programmes and courses Transitions

The curriculum rationale and design is clearly defined and in place for the school and each department.

The curriculum development has been audited and evaluated to make sure the E’s and O’s are covered. We will continue to build on the good work already in place to ensure maximum coverage and expectations for learners.

Programmes and courses are in place for the 2 year cycle but also now include future thinking towards sustainability in education and risk assessments.

Transitions are worked on termly and annually and the department curriculum rationales now highlight this work.

What are we going to do next? 1. Embed the department curriculum rationales 2. Carry on the work of the ‘Big Ideas’ and develop sustainability into the curriculum in a similar fashion to RRSA. 3. To continue to embed the pupils’ voices and open up the school to termly road shows to share the work of the school and development of our curriculum with

our community. Each term the road show will offer a different area which we are currently evaluating or working on. 4. Continue with developing our parent workshops and discussion evenings around the work of the school and our curriculum. 5. To continue to develop our curriculum to match the needs of our pupils in line with Developing Scotland’s Young Work Force and listen to our learners voices.

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5.9 Improvement through self-evaluation

Commitment to self-evaluation Management of self-evaluation School improvement

Continue to set clear targets and expectations for self-evaluations. There is clear expectation for whole school reflection and in practice.

The school staff will continue to have a strong collegiate nature in taking forward the work of the school. All staff are aware of the school priorities for improvement, our vision and our values.

Self-evaluations will continue to be very much part of the schools work. We hold regular focus groups and discussion groups with parent, pupils and our community. This will be enhanced further with the introduction of our new reflective moderating calendar which will evolve over session 2016-17 from the planned framework using HGIOS4.

The Headteacher produces and annual position paper to inform the school improvement plan- The HT did not do the focus groups this session as was on maternity leave. This activity was undertaken by other SMT. The HT plans to run the focus groups again early in 2016-17 to update the position paper for October instead of August 2016.

Systems for monitoring and supporting self-evaluation are evolving and are starting to be well established.

The Headteacher has morning and community surgeries.

The Parent Council has started an annual “two stars and a wish” feedback for school improvement.

Pupil voice.

Staff and team meetings are held each week. There are elected staff members on the Senior Management Forum.

What are we going to do next?

1. The introduction of our new reflective moderating calendar which will evolve over session 2016-17 from the planned framework using HGIOS4. 2. The HT annual position paper to be produced for October 2016

3. Regular CAT and staff meetings focusing specifically on improvement through self-evaluation and reflection. 4. Staff working parties for areas of school development to lead self-evaluation and inform the work of the school; Literacy, Numeracy,

Sustainability, Health and Wellbeing, Efficiency.

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Improvement Plan

3. Key areas for school improvement NIF Priority 1 - Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy. QIs 1.1 Analysis and evaluation of intelligence and data

2.3 Effective use of assessment

2.3 Planning, tracking and monitoring

3.2 Attainment in literacy and numeracy

Priority: To raise attainment in numeracy

Outcomes:

1. All staff will have a shared understanding of numeracy across levels and improved moderation in school.

2. Better attainment in numeracy and ability to evidence that.

Tasks By Whom Resources Timescale Impact

School Numeracy working group to meet and moderate and evaluate current provision. Identify focuses and develop and action plan in line with school improvement

Numeracy working group. Whole staff Department staff Cluster staff.

Meetings August one per term for development and one per term for evaluation. Numeracy working group action plan Department meetings Notable pupil meeting SQIP inservice day.

August to May 2017. Inservice days and CATS

Priority To raise attainment in Literacy

Outcomes

1. All staff will have a shared understanding of literacy across levels and improved moderation in school.

2. Better attainment in literacy and ability to evidence that

Tasks By Whom Resources Timescale Impact

School Literacy working group to meet and moderate and evaluate current provision. Identify focuses and develop and action plan in line with school improvement

Literacy working group. Whole staff Department staff Cluster staff.

Meetings August one per term for development and one per term for evaluation. Working group action plan Film education. Department meetings Notable pupil meetings SQIP inservice day.

August to May 2017.

NIF Priority 2 Closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children.

QIs 1.5 Management of resources and environment for learning

2.5 Engaging families in learning

3.2 Equity for all learners

Priority 2a: Reduce the attainment and achievement gap for our school

Outcomes: All staff will be aware of what the attainment and achievement gap looks like.

Staff use a wide range of performance information to reduce the attainment and achievement gap. All pupils scoring 85 or less in standardised SWRT to be monitored.

Tasks By Whom Resources Timescale Impact

Identify the gap for each year group. Share information with all staff.

SMT & Developmental PTs / ASL to discuss names of students in their faculty for targeted intervention.

Lead people to be identified for coordinating intervention strategies.

Parental engagement to be reviewed/strategies to be put in place to engage families in learning

SLT SLT All staff SLT All staff CTs / SLT / PTs/ DHTs SLT/ SMT/PTs

Insight data CEC analysis In service day Termly Weekly Discussion evening ASN meetings Parents nights.

August 2016 ongoing First CAT session achievement of a level and moderation. Each term. Aug to May 2017. September 2016 By April 2017

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NIF Priority3 – Improvement in children and young people’s health and wellbeing QIs Blue

Orange

Green

Priority To increase awareness of learning for sustainability

Outcomes: To continue to develop the schools wider achievements in Health, Rights respecting schools and sustainability.

Tasks By Whom Resources Timescale Impact

Pupil voice and committees: - RSSA HEALTH FAIRTRADE ENTERPRISE BIG IDEAS OUTDOOR LEARNING SUSTAINABILTIY JRSO PUPIL COUNCIL ECO FLAG Cluster working party Big Ideas

Staff Faculty leads Pupil committees Parents Wider community Cluster

Minutes Meetings Group action plans Staff working groups for some committees such as Sustainability, Health and RRSA. Road Shows.

August to June 2017

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NIF Priority 4 – Improvement in employability skills and sustained, positive school leaver destinations for all young people

QIs Blue

Orange

Green

Priority Priority 4: Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce

Outcomes: Careers roadshow

Big Ideas

Tasks By Whom Resources Timescale Impact

Planning cycle B Enterprise Careers and developing the workforce Big Ideas As per year overviews.

Enterprise CL- committee. Whole school priority Parents and partners Whole school stage by stage.

Roadshow Planning cycle B Curriculum plans and big ideas annual plans Blue Sky Folder.

Easter 2017. August 2016 – June 2017.

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