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Hull: Developing a whole school approach to curricular targets

Date of issue:	Oct. 2005
Theme:	Target setting
Audience:	Heads and deputies, Coordinators

What we did

Curricular targets
The ISP developed many whole-school systems to ensure a systematic approach for all staff to raise standards. One of these was the introduction of curricular targets for English and mathematics. During the summer term the literacy and numeracy subject leaders completed a thorough analysis of the key stage 2 and optional national tests. From this, priorities were identified as termly whole-school targets for the following academic year. These targets were 'layered' for each year group with clear steps to support 'target getting' identified. The curricular targets were introduced and discussed at a whole school professional development meeting. Child-friendly versions of the targets were then displayed in classrooms and shared with the children.

The curricular targets were then used by class teachers and subject leaders to review the progress children were making towards the achievement of them.

An analysis of the attainment children had made was produced to identify the spread of children in each year group who were at, above or below the expected age-related level. Teachers then identified action to be taken for those children who were working just below the expected age-related level - the 'target group'. Their progress was then closely monitored by the literacy and numeracy subject leaders.

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Tracking pupil progress
One of the important whole-school systems introduced was the implementation of the pupil attainment overview sheets. Each term a whole school overview sheet was produced for reading, writing and mathematics. These sheets showed each child's progress, using a system of plus, minus and equal sign, measured in sub-levels from the beginning of the year. SEN children and 'target group' children were identified on the overview sheet. Subsequently, a picture of the whole school's attainment and progress could be seen and compared with national expectations. The termly overview sheets are displayed in the staff room and are regularly discussed in staff professional development meetings. A similar sheet has now been designed for use by the Foundation Stage practitioners. It has been the first step towards creating a corporate responsibility for children’s attainment, progress and learning.

The 'target group' in each class was highlighted in teacher’s planning. Work was carefully planned for them and extra input from teachers and support staff given throughout the course of a unit of work in an effort to accelerate their progress towards achieving the age-related expectations. Where appropriate, the children were involved in the Literacy and numeracy intervention programmes. The accelerated progress of these children is a priority for the school and is very closely monitored by the leadership team. This has become part of the performance management targets for all staff in the school.

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Monitoring of progress
Pupil progress is now closely monitored by staff and the leadership team. Individual pupils are identified across the whole school where there are concerns about their progress. Pupil progress interviews are also held on a termly basis and staff are asked to identify reasons for pupil's lack of progress and strategies to address any barriers to learning. Children’s progress is shared with parents.

Progression and continuity throughout the school
To ensure whole-school progression, materials were created to support the teachers. Assessment folders were set up to provide teachers with information and methods of recording and assessing children's progress. Whole-school structures were also created so that all year groups followed similar methods. In numeracy the staff agreed on whole-school progression for calculations where all staff would teach the same methods so that continuity could be ensured through every year. Similarly, in literacy whole-school planning frames were created to ensure progression in narrative writing.

Professional development meetings (PDMs)
A huge benefit from being involved in the ISP was having access to the programme of professional development meetings (PDMs). These were highly successful in our school and allowed staff to have access to high quality training that was then implemented into their own practice. The PDMs had such high importance that both teachers and support staff were involved, which meant that all staff were aware of methods to improve learning and teaching. The PDMs gave clear areas for development for the staff to complete. These were used as success criteria when monitoring teaching and learning throughout the school.

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Learning environment
Another noticeable change in the school has been the development of the learning environment. Prior to ISP, classrooms were used to display children's work – every classroom was different and displays did not necessarily support learning. ISP has encouraged the development of working walls for Literacy and numeracy to both support curricular target getting and children's learning during specific units of work. The content of the walls changes regularly to support learning and teaching. Initially the walls were well developed but not used effectively by staff and children to aide learning. We have worked hard to ensure that the walls are now an integral part of our teaching and not merely there for display. We have developed a whole-school approach to the method of display and development of these walls. Observations in lessons have shown that they are now used successfully in the teaching and impact of the learning.

Assessment for learning
A key area of improvement in practice in the school came after the input on assessment for learning. It was already school practice to share learning objectives in lessons with the children. This was consolidated with the use of success criteria in all lessons which has enabled teachers to make clear to the children what they should achieve by the end of the lesson and how they are going to demonstrate their achievements. This in turn has led to teachers being able to plan tasks more carefully to ensure that the success criteria was achieved , and has allowed children a greater understanding of what was expected of them. This process was embraced enthusiastically by all staff across the school, including the Foundation Stage. The Foundation Stage now uses a puppet who supports discussions with the children about what they need to be looking for before they start an activity. The puppet then sits close by to the children and 'watches' them to see if they are achieving. Children as young as four are able to explain why the puppet is there and talk to him about their work and achievements.

Embedding clear success criteria into the learning and teaching for the school then allowed the development of children's self-assessment. They are now involved in both peer and self-assessment. Different ways of doing this range from 'thumbs up, thumbs down' to a traffic light system:
Red: I did not understand
Amber: I partly understood
Green: I fully understand.

In numeracy, children draw a happy, sad or straight face to show their level of understanding. The teacher adds their own colour coding based on the traffic light system to show their understanding of the child's achievement in the lesson. Younger children point to a sad or smiley face to show how they feel after their work. All assessments are made against the success criteria for the lesson. This, coupled with the children's own target cards for reading, writing and numeracy, has led to a greater understanding by the staff and children of sub-levels and what is required of them to move to the next level.

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What was the impact?

Maybury as a learning community
Working on the ISP as a whole school has set a precedent for creating an ethos where everyone works together. This has allowed us to start to develop the curriculum in line with Excellence and enjoyment. Good practice in literacy and numeracy has filtered through into other curriculum areas.

Raising standards
The implementation of ISP has been highly successful in the school. ISP on its own does not raise standards. However, it has allowed systems to be put into place that have enabled us to measure and track children’s progress for the first time. Weak areas are now easily identified which has allowed us to put actions into place to address these. It has also developed a corporate responsibility for raising standards across the school – every teacher and every year counts! The professional development meetings have provided high quality training for all staff which has given opportunity for every teacher’s practice to improve. It has been a highly effective mechanism for school self-evaluation and encouraged self-reflection in our constant drive to raise standards.

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