PRIMARY

9.30-10.00- Session 1- Background on the Signature project
Success story
10.00-10.30- Refreshments
10.30- 12.00- Session 2- Good practice-7 quality indicators
Interview about good practice
12.00-1.00- Lunch
1.00-1.30- Session 3- How to manage successful Intervention
1.30- 2.30-Session 4 – Lessons learned in Literacy and Numeracy
Practical ideas
2.30- 3.15- Session 5- Implications for your school
Final evaluation


To show the good practice of The OFMDFM
Signature project from primary and post-primary sectors

To share the strategies which have been most effective in raising pupil achievement in English and Maths at the expected levels of attainment

To use the experience of the Signature teachers to disseminate good practice to other teachers

In 2012 the OFMDFM announced a Delivering Social Change
Signature Project on improving literacy and numeracy. The aims of the Signature/ NISPLAN project have been :
• to increase the number of pupils in primary schools achieving at the expected level or above at the end of
Key Stage 2 in English, Mathematics and Irish;
• to increase the number of young people in post-primary schools, achieving a grade C or above in English and
Mathematics by the time they leave school, and
• to provide employment opportunities for 270 recently graduated teachers.


Count, Read: Succeed messages

What is intervention?
Schools monitored pupils’ progress regularly and used this information to refine the planning of intervention.
 by the teacher as part of the programme
 by a coordinator to gain an overview of the progress made
 by a senior leader to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention

that the class or subject teachers will do to raise standards in literacy and numeracy are, in order:
1. provide high-quality teaching for all pupils;
2. address underachievement as soon as it emerges;
3. address continuing underachievement with support from other staff in the school;
4. address continuing underachievement with support from outside the school; and
5. meet the needs of pupils after a nonstatutory assessment through the SEN framework.
C,R:S, p33

OFMDFM Signature Project
Collaborative Approaches
Intervention teachers worked closely with the class teachers to plan what should be taught and how , and were prepared to adapt the materials and approaches to meet the pupils’ needs.
Such approaches included concentrating on building pupils’ confidence , tackling common misunderstandings and providing opportunities for pupils to apply what they had learned.

group(s)
What?
• needs deeper
• Questioning
• Sampling
Now what?
• Review
• More


Who is being trained?

Who is involved?

Who is leading/ managing it?

Outline of training

Overall messages from those involved


225.4(FTE) – OFMDFM 32.4(FTE) – DE

2(FTE) – by schools

260.7(FTE) – Appointed Overall

300 individual teachers employed

208 – Seconded Teachers (1 days training)

73 – Centrally Recruited (5 days training)


3042 – Primary Pupils Supported o 1561 – Literacy o 1402 – Numeracy o 79 – Irish

6658 – Post Primary Pupils Supported o 3023 – English o 3635 – Mathematics

Post Primary CR Support 2013/14
Signature
Classes Supported
255
Pupils Supported
2305
Teachers Supported
186

Primary CR Support 2013/14
Signature
Classes Supported
89
Pupils Supported
767
Teachers Supported
73

Overall CR Support 2013/14
Totals
Classes Supported Pupils Supported Teachers Supported
344 3072 259

Numeracy
16
60%+ 15
70%+ 11
Level 4
94%
73%
Literacy Level 4
14
60%+ 12
70%+ 11
86%
79%
Based on schools who provided results

“Discussions with class teachers have highlighted an increase in confidence for children when attempting numeracy work. Children are enthusiastic about the withdrawal lessons and always participate well. All children receiving intervention support have successfully been awarded a Level 4 in numeracy and so have achieved their target.”

“Establish greater contact with parents including face to face meetings with the parents of targeted pupils.”
“High level of participation from students during in-school sessions
Student, parent and teacher questionnaires carried out in January indicated marked improvement in student self-esteem and attitude towards learning and exams. Parent meeting provided valuable and positive feedback. Teacher records in regular English lessons indicate improved marks and anecdotal evidence from English teachers noted how much more positive students were about their
English. Improved controlled assessments, attendance at after school sessions are positive and students are actively seeking help and support, even out of normal lesson time.”

“Therefore after one full term (the second term) with the
Signature Project pupils I feel better equipped to express opinions on the work covered and discuss the level of progress of individual pupils. Initially, it was decided to raise the profile of reading within the cohort of pupils. I wished to make reading a regular, enjoyable experience which embraced a lifeskill element. The concept of reading in one's spare time became a pivotal aim. Reading became a time filler, a life skill and a hobby all in one. My sense of drive ensured that I convinced my pupils of the importance of the art of reading which could enrich their life experiences.
Trying to work with a spread of reading ability throughout the cohort provided direction and purpose.”

What works well
Close collaboration and team teaching with class teacher helped my inexperience
Good balance of withdrawal and team-teaching
Team-teaching to get to know the pupils initially and throughout the programme to gain an insight of how they are achieving in class
Pupils during withdrawal can concentrate more
Active strategies and practical approaches to problem solving
VAK approach
Class teacher introduced the learning. Small group tutorial helped the children to deepen their understanding
Personalised learning


Continuous assessment, reflection and evaluation

Daily challenges

Celebration and rewards

VCOP and super sentences

Sharing targets with pupils - provided children with ownership of their learning.

Safe environment led to ‘have a go ‘ attitude

Meetings for parents about how to support your child


Settling in to one or more new schools

Timetabling- for withdrawal and weekly meetings with teachers – especially when some of the teachers were part-time

Regularly meeting with groups - either being used for subbing or children being needed elsewhere

What to do in the afternoons (mornings is the best time for lit /num work.

P7 pupils did not have enough time to improve. Next year should be better

Behaviour of some children in the group


Knowing the standard of level 4 Worked closely with the teacher and used the guidance given

Lack of parental support

Wrong target group

School not knowing enough about the project

Realistic target-setting

Showing improvement. Used class tests and adapted CCEA tasks to track children

Attendance

Perception of intervention
 use of ipads, practical work and small treats helped.

Attitude of boys and/or P7 pupils

Timetables had to be looked at and confidence/relationships developed


Tanya from St Matthew’s
Primary School, Belfast

Session 2

pupils parents
Collaboration &
Communication
Effective
Signature intervention teachers leadership
Monitoring
& evaluating planning

pupils
• Correctly identified,
• data used effectively,
• moved in and out of intervention, involved in their learning,
• setting targets.

teachers
• chosen well- either recruited by
WELB (CR), or appointed by their school on secondment (S) or to fill the Backfill post (BF)
• equipped to know what to do
• plan appropriately
• use a variety of strategies
• tailor intervention to suit pupils
• track their pupils’ progress.

leadership
• supportive of the aims of
Signature, at HOD level, at SMT/
Principal level and as teachertutor;
• set clear direction, plan intervention carefully and integrate the Signature teacher(s) into plan for school improvement
• promote the Signature intervention model as a legacy for the school.

planning • appropriate and flexible at all levels-
• classroom work is tailored and adapted
• timetables are suitable
• allowing for monitoring and evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the model used
• ongoing assessment is used throughout.

Monitoring
& evaluating
ACTION PLANS are detailed and real, recorded online and regularly reviewed and adjusted; school tracking and pupil targetsetting are used.

parents

Session 3

Session 3

Session 4


Understanding the levels

Linking to teaching, assessment and tracking

Resources: VCOP, Pie Corbett, Literacy shed, Sue
Palmer,

Activities: super sentences, visualisation

Seven ways to change a sentence:

Add words

Drop in chunks

Add at the beginning

Add at the end

Reorder or change words

Add a simile

Special effects

Add words
Drop in chunks eg ing/ed
Add at the beginning
Add at the end
Re order or change words
Add a simile
Special effects
The tiny bird flew down the busy road.
The bird, struggling against the wind, flew slowly down the road.
Struggling against the wind, the bird flew slowly down the road.
The bird flew down the road, its wings flapping slowly.
Down the M1 flew the small green parrot.
Screeching like a barn owl, the tiny bird flew down the road
Flapping furiously, the bird flew down the busy bypass.

Add words
Drop in chunks eg ing/ed
Add at the beginning
Add at the end
Re order or change words
Add a simile
Special effects


Understanding the levels

Session 5

… the true measurement of success (of Signature) will take me far beyond the
End of Key Stage. It will be judged in value added results, life forming habits that go beyond simple test scores. It is not just about their ability to use/develop important literacy skills across the curriculum. It is about continuing to use these skills and habits in real life situations. This in itself requires self-confidence and understanding. I am confident that this will happen for some of my pupils. Increasing this percentage is not only a personal goal but an overall aim shared by the school.
I am also confident that our End of Key Stage 2 results will improve next year and beyond. For the most part the work that continues on a daily basis has been worthwhile and enjoyable for all concerned. The challenge still remains,
“To work hard, express ourselves clearly, listen to others, to feel valued and thus to succeed”.
Barrie McGowan – Good Shepherd Primary School- ( taken from Year 1 Monitoring form)