Lessons learned from Signature
Delivering Social Change
POST-PRIMARY
Outline of the day
9.30-10.30- Session 1- Update on the Signature project
Success story
10.30-10.50- Refreshments
10.50- 11.50- Session 2- Good practice-7 quality indicators
11.50-12.30-Session 3- Implications for your school
12.30-1.20- Lunch
1.20-2.20-Session 4 – OFMDFM survey and NISPLAN evaluation
2.20- 3.00- Session 5- resources
Final evaluation
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.
OFMDFM Signature Project
This course aims to :
 provide an update of Signature
 inform about the key elements for Year 2
 inform about Common Metric Questionnaire
 share effective practice from Year 1
Ethos of intervention
 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
The 5 “things” 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
Who?
• Targets
group(s)
What?
• Needs
Really?
• Digging
deeper
• Questioning
How? • Sampling
• Impact?
Now
what?
• Review
• More
help?
Background to Signature
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Who is being trained?
Who is involved?
Who is leading/ managing it?
Outline of training
Overall messages from those involved
Teachers Appointed
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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)
Overall Data – From Website
 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
344
Pupils Supported
3072
Teachers Supported
259
OFMDFM Signature Project
Analysis of the Monitoring Documents on NISPLAN
Comments from Monitoring
“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.”
OFMDFM Signature Project
Comments from Monitoring
“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 selfesteem 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.”
OFMDFM Signature Project
What worked and why?
• Team teaching, therefore support for all groups in
class.
• One-to-one or small groups led to greater
identification and addressing of needs.
• Additional support classes after school.
• Creating and developing new resources.
• Pupil self-assessment targets.
• Assessment for Learning strategies, especially
formative feedback.
• More questions asked by pupils.
OFMDFM Signature Project
What worked and why?
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Bespoke groupings of pupils.
Whole smaller class created in Year 11.
Talking and Listening – small group setting.
Building rapport with pupils.
Growing knowledge of GCSE requirements.
Close monitoring of progress.
Sharing good practice.
Observation of experienced teachers.
Use of data.
OFMDFM Signature Project
What worked and why?
• Clear use of exam question material – modelling
answers.
• Not so much ‘juggling’ of different papers in maths.
• Use of ICT – Fronter for resources.
• Building of pupils’ confidence.
• Availability of support outside the timetable.
• Using existing intervention supports e.g. “Aim
High”.
• Tailored tutoring to their needs.
• Showing genuine care by actions and
words/building confidence by praise.
• Singing with groups!
OFMDFM Signature Project
How did your involvement with pupils impact on their
learning experiences in the mainstream classroom,
elsewhere in the school or at home?
More confident, engaged, independent pupils.
Questioning improved in other subjects.
Pupils brought their needs to the attention of the teacher
now.
Behaviour improved.
Revision techniques used in other subjects.
Sharing effective practice, reflective feedback with Head
of Department.
Newer teaching strategies used.
Improved extended writing e.g. history.
OFMDFM Signature Project
How did your involvement with pupils’ impact on their
learning experiences in the mainstream classroom,
elsewhere in the school or at home?
Better attendance at revision classes.
Small groups bringing out real issues, fewer
distractions and secure learning environment.
All at the one level, not afraid to make mistakes.
Peer learning.
Better effort at homework, sense of pride.
Used pupil questionnaire to gauge impact.
Improved pupil concentration.
Sharing resources/information.
Going on residential with group – improved selfesteem and confidence.
OFMDFM Signature Project
What challenges did you encounter?
• Timetabling.
• Lack of respect as a young teacher – classroom
assistant?
• Behaviour – pupils challenging• Learning the reward/sanction system.
• Poor pupil attendance.
• Starting later in the year – no time to see progress.
• Accommodation issues- no specific room.
• Increasing knowledge of exam requirements.
• Negative, awkward pupils, not engaged with project.
• Difficult to motivate girls during maths – having to break
everything down.
What challenges did you encounter?
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Bringing parents on board.
Role in the school backfill/Centrally Recruited confusion.
Too many pupils/ wrong pupils in target group.
Seeing pupils regularly enough, not being taken out.
Some teachers unwilling to let pupils go.
 Record-keeping.
 2 schools, 2 exam boards therefore confusing and tiring –
following up behaviour issues – collecting work.
 Internal IT/email difficulties
OFMDFM Signature Project
What challenges did you encounter?
• Convincing the department that the Signature
teacher had the required skills.
• Next year’s Year 11 Signature group are form
class to make pastoral connection
• Overcoming stigma attached to withdrawal.
• “The aim of the signature project was to achieve
‘success’; it had no connection to ‘failure.”
message
• Not seeing pupils frequently enough to make a
difference.
• Greater communication within school.
Comments from Monitoring 1
 Students may not do well unless they build on the progress that they
have created throughout the year and study at home.
 I believe that the Signature Project has been successful in achieving its
key aims and has bedded into our whole school ethos very comfortably. I
have observed significant gains for a wide range of students in a variety
of skills and aptitudes and look forward to seeing even more progress
next year.
 We need to keep teaching the students in small groups. We need to
involve them more in how they make progress. We need to provide
more opportunities for them to identify their own areas of weakness
and continue to facilitate addressing these areas. All this could be done
during the timetabled lessons since there is only a small number of
students in each group.
Comments from Monitoring 1
 A decision was taken that pupils would attend in groups of three on a rotation
basis to ensure misbehaviour was minimised and work effort was maximised.
This resulted in a dramatic improvement in both behaviour and attitude of the
pupils towards the support also allowing them to demonstrate their ability,
levels of understanding and areas of difficulties.
 The Signature Teacher has been firmly embedded into the English Department,
and the development of pupil progress is monitored carefully and evaluated
each month during departmental meetings, in collaboration with subject
teachers and the Head of English.
 Without doubt, I feel Signature has been beneficial to all our pupils, in terms of
resources, improved attitude, recognition of their hard work, and raising their
self-esteem and self-confidence. Long may it continue, even though I know it is
only for the next year. I just hope the pupils get the better results they deserve
for the hard work, time and effort they have put in.
Success story
 Tanya from St Matthew’s
Primary School, Belfast
Session 2
Quality indicators for successful
Intervention
pupils
parents
7 quality indicators
Collaboration &
communication
teachers
Effective
Signature
intervention
leadership
Monitoring
&
evaluating
planning
OFMDFM Signature Project
pupils
•
•
•
•
•
•
• correctly identified,
• data used effectively,
• moved in and out of intervention,
involved in their learning,
• setting targets
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
teachers
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.
OFMDFM Signature Project
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 used throughout.
ACTION PLANS are detailed and
real, recorded online and regularly
reviewed and adjusted;
• school tracking and pupil targetsetting are used.
Monitoring
&
evaluating
OFMDFM Signature Project
parents
Involved from the beginning
and kept informed of
progress.
• evident within and between
schools- sharing strategies,
resources and ideas.
• evident between lead school
and other schools, involving
the teachers at all points
Collaboration &
Communication
Session 3
Discussion
Evaluate and share how these
indicators are evident in your
school
Session 4
OFMDFM questionnaire
Fronter
Accessing Fronter
Fronter - Signature Rooms
Fronter - Signature Staff Room
Fronter – Giving Pupils Access
Fronter – Giving Pupils Access contd.
Fronter – Pupil Room
Pupil Questionnaires
1. Each pupil should launch Fronter from within ‘My-School’ portal
2. Click on the Signature Project Pupil Room icon.
3. The following screen will appear.
Click on the image to access the
questionnaire.
4. Staff should provide all pupils taking the questionnaire with the following
information:
 Name of the school
 Type of school
(Maintained / Controlled / Integrated)
 School DENI number e.g. 2012660
 Own date of Birth e.g. 12/03/1996
5. When questionnaire is completed, click Submit.
Logging out of Fronter
Log out of Fronter: Click on Account drop-down arrow and click Log Out. Close
browser window.
Excel spreadsheet for results
Email directly to the schools and
return to Michael Burns by email.
Session 5
Lessons learned : successful
intervention strategies for English
and Maths
Good practice in English
 Understanding the criteria for GCSE
 Building knowledge of standards for each part of the
course
 Developing strategies for small group work
 Controlled assessment support
Monitoring students’ progress
The Head of Department must have regular meetings
with the Signature teacher to monitor students’
progress, to request predicted Grades, to ask questions if
students are still predicted Grade D, to ask about parental
contact, students’ attendance at after-school classes and/or
Saturday School, identify individuals who are not working
hard. Action must be taken to ensure that as many
students as possible achieve the intended outcome:
Grade C.
Target Setting: Unit 3
 The Head of Department led the Signature
teacher to work towards a target for
students’ achievement in Unit 3, using the
previous cohort’s unit performance and
ultimate achievement of Grades as a guide:
 2012-2013, Year 12s who achieved Grade C
achieved at least 50/80 in Unit 3, i.e. Band 4
as an overall target for their controlled
assessment tasks. Some students who
achieved 48-49/80 also achieved Grade C but
required higher achievement in Unit 1 or 2 to
compensate for this mark.
Target Setting: Unit 2
 The Head of Department led the Signature teacher to set a
target for students’ achievement in Unit 2, using the previous
cohort’s Unit 2 performance and ultimate achievement of
Grades as a guide:
 2012-2013 Year 12s who achieved Grade C achieved at
least 32/45 in Unit 2, i.e. Band 4 as an overall target for their
Speaking and Listening tasks.
Good practice in Maths
 Understanding the criteria for GCSE
 Building knowledge of standards for each part
of the course
 Developing strategies for small group work
The Legacy of the project
… 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)
Final evaluation
nisplan.welbni.org