EDUCATION & CHILDREN’S SERVICES
IMPROVEMENT PLAN
2015 - 2016
FOR
Elrick Primary School
Aberdeenshire Council Education & Children’s Services
“Our vision is for an Aberdeenshire in which everyone is able to develop the skills and
confidence needed for learning, life and work.”
Elrick Primary School
A Place to Learn, Develop and Grow
At Elrick Primary School our vision is the driving force behind all our improvement activity.
Education & Children’s Service’s Quality Improvement Framework, is the overarching
strategic management tool which directs and supports school improvement in
establishments across Aberdeenshire. At the heart of the framework is the belief that self
evaluation in each school drives improvement and all improvement is aimed at delivering
positive outcomes for children and young people.
“Self evaluation is a reflective, professional process through which schools get to know
themselves well…Improvement Planning builds on that self knowledge by involving us in
understanding and valuing the best of that which already exists, deciding how good we
can really be, and identifying the best way forward.
The Journey to Excellence Part 4: Planning for Excellence, HMIe, 2007
Self-evaluation is an on-going process and involves all stakeholders, including our pupils.
It is reported annually to parents/carers in our Standards and Quality Report.
Education & Children’s Service Improvement Cycle
Self evaluation to find out
where you have to go
Review/
Re-affirm vision
Identify
priorities and
specify
outcomes
Self evaluation to
ensure
stakeholders
commitment
Self evaluation to
determine impact
Check to
ensure impact
Take action
Self evaluation to monitor
and determine progress
The priorities for improvement contained in the Improvement Plan for 2015-16 reflect this
process and the priorities identified locally and nationally.
Page 2 of 7
Improvement Plan
Improvement Priority No.
Reporting Children’s Progress and Achievements to Parents
1
Intended Outcome (s) / Impact
Actions
 An improved process of reporting learners’ progress and
achievement to parents/carers
ie an identified and clear, on-going process with regular
information sharing
 The improved reporting process is spread over the whole
school year
 Increased pupil involvement in the reporting process
 Increased parental involvement in their children’s learning
 An increased understanding for parents of their children’s
progress and achievement
 Children and staff using technology effectively for self
reflection and sharing progress with parents
 Children using reflective language more effectively when
they are talking about their learning
 Children are able to talk confidently about their areas of
strength and what they need to improve
 Share good practice/discuss with colleagues in the
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Authority Group more effective methods of reporting
progress to parents (HT)
Build on feedback from staff, pupils and parents from last
session to draw up a reporting progress and achievement
calendar; share with parents and pupils
Consider effective learning and teaching (referring to
theory/research) in relation to reporting progress and
achievement. Share findings/good practice.
Provide training and drop in sessions in the use of
technologies to enhance learning and teaching/reporting
progress and achievement (DHT – RW)
Staff integrate reflection on pupil progress and how to
improve, into their day to day classroom practice
Evaluate and review progress throughout the year with
staff, parents and pupils (HT)
Timescales
Ongoing
Collegiate (T1)
Terms 2-4
In Service
Ongoing/In Service
Terms 2 and 4
How will you measure success?
 Observations/learning visits
 Audit of parents and pupils throughout the process
 Dialogue with staff pupils and parents, along with online reflections of learning and progress
Progress Check / Comments / Next Steps
Date:
Date
Date:
Page 3 of 7
Improvement Plan
Improvement Priority No.
2
Curriculum Rationale and Design
Intended Outcome
Actions
 A clear rationale and curriculum design, incorporating the vision,
 Use audit from Stepping Up Tool to identify strengths, gaps, next
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values and aims of the school, reflecting the 4 contexts (curricular
areas and subject, ethos and life of the school, interdisciplinary
learning and opportunities for personal achievement), shared with
parents and pupils, is in place
Staff and parents have a shared understanding of curriculum
rationale and design
Enhanced curriculum and improved outcomes for children
Frameworks for Literacy, Numeracy and Health and Wellbeing,
which provide guidance on planning, progression, learning
teaching and assessment, are shared, understood and
implemented by staff
Frameworks for other curricular areas are shared with staff
Bundle experiences and outcomes more effectively to provide
meaningful experiences for the children
Resource Interdisciplinary learning to allow for more flexibility
Staff understand the principles of and can successfully deliver
Interdisciplinary Learning
Staff have a focus on improved learning and teaching
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steps (HT/All staff)
Revisit curriculum design principles and four contexts (HT/All
Staff)
Draft Curriculum rationale and design and share with staff,
parents, pupils (SMT/working group)
Work together to gain a shared understanding of the Frameworks
and how they will be effectively put into practice
Consider effective learning and teaching in relation to cross
curricular and interdisciplinary learning. Share findings and good
practice with staff. (Working Group)
Use Education Scotland/Journey to Excellence resources to
ensure a common understanding of Interdisciplinary learning and
explore existing good examples of practice (HT/All staff)
Update the current interdisciplinary plans to allow for
flexibility/choice of contexts and learner involvement (DHT - LM)
Identify relevant resources to support learning and teaching
(DHT- LM)
Timescale
Collegiate (T1)
In Service
(Nov/Feb)
Collegiate (T1-3)
Collegiate (T1)
In Service (Feb)
Term 3
How will you measure success?
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Curriculum design documentation
Planning and progression evidence
Dialogue with staff, parents, pupils
Learning visits
Progress Check / Comments / Next Steps
Date:
Date
Page 4 of 7
Improvement Plan
Improvement Priority No.
3
Literacy – Active Literacy Approaches
Intended Outcome
Actions
 Raised attainment and achievement in language
and literacy
 Active Literacy approaches are implemented
across all stages
 Staff are more confident with the Active Literacy
Approach
 Improved learning experiences for all young
people
 Increased engagement and independence in their
learning
Introduction to the Active Literacy Approach (DHT – RW/LM)
– collegiate
Familiarisation with the teaching manuals, book banding and
related resources
P1-3 Implementation of all aspects from August
P4-7 - Implementation of spelling and phonics terms1, Writing
term 2, Reading term 3
Learning teaching and tracking meetings with SMT
Use of data (PiPS/InCAS) to ensure pace and challenge
Dialogue with stage partners, sharing of practice
Training based on needs of staff as implementation
progresses
Parent information session
Timescales
August
Ongoing
One per term
PiPS – September
InCAS –ongoing
In
Service/Collegiate
November
How will you measure success?
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Observations and learning visits
Emerging patterns in PiPS/InCAS data
Dialogue with pupils and staff
Evidence in jotters
Progress Check / Comments / Next Steps
Date:
Date
Page 5 of 7
Improvement Plan
Improvement Priority No.
4
1 + 2 Languages
Intended Outcome
Actions
 Staff have raised awareness of the principles and
implementation of 1 + 2 languages
 Introduction to the principles and outline plan for the
 Staff will understand their role in delivering 1 + 2 languages
and will start to engage with relevant resources to enhance
their own knowledge and skills
 Introduction to an online resource
 Staff will start to deliver a second language
 Start to implement into classroom practice
Timescales
In Service (Nov)
implementation of 1 + 2 languages (MLPS teacher SC)
In Service (Feb)
 Familiarisation with online resources
Term 3/4
How will you measure success?
Progress Check / Comments / Next Steps
Date:
.
Date
Page 6 of 7
Improvement Plan
Page 7 of 7