Hillside Primary School
Education Brief
The Purpose of the Education Brief:
This document sets out the Academy Trust’s vision, principles and practice for transforming
Hillside Primary School, through working in close partnership with the very successful Priory
School. It provides a blueprint to inform the early stages of the exciting journey to move
Hillside from a satisfactory school to an outstanding school, where all learners have an
entitlement to high quality teaching and learning , through the aspirations shared by all
stakeholders. This will be achieved through engaging and involving children,, staff,
governors, parents and partners to be, ’Great by Choice’.
The Education brief is for the governors and leadership teams of both schools to drive the
implementation of their vision for Hillside. Its most valuable function is to capture the core
aspects of the vision and aspirations for moving the school from just satisfactory to
outstanding. It will be the single overarching document for current and future stakeholders to
use as they implement their plans, providing a blueprint for adhering to and embedding the
new culture of high achievement in Hillside. It will also be flexible in response to the rigour and
pace of change in order to meet the high aspirations for the school.
The Education Brief sets out clearly how the school will work with and for their community to
achieve the aims and aspirations of children and their families. This brief sets out high level
strategy and provides a policy framework. The Hillside Primary School Prospectus, detailed
policies and guidance are available from the school and the Hillside Primary School web site.
A summary of the Education Brief is attached as Appendix 1 to provide a stimulating and
readable document that enables staff, parents and other stakeholders to engage with and
share the vision and aspirations for Hillside.
Contents:
1. About the Sponsor
2. Hillside Primary School’s Vision, Ethos and Values
Vision
Ethos
Values and Principles
Plans
3. The Proposal
Age range and character of the school
Uniform
Site and buildings
4. The Curriculum and The Hillside Learning Model
Introduction- ‘Great By Choice’
The Hillside Learning Model - DRIVE
The Early Years and Foundation Stage
The Key Stage 1 and 2 Curriculum
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Developing a Virtual Learning Environment Curriculum Resource Base
5. Assessment
Tracking Pupil’s Progress
Raising the Bar
Partnership with Parents and Reporting to Parents
6. Teaching
High Quality Teaching - Principles and Practice
Behaviour Management
Using ICT as a tool for teaching and learning
7. Staffing
Staffing Structure-Leadership and Management
The Rationale for the new Structure
Performance Management
8. Governance
The Trust Board
Leadership
Local Governance of The Priory School and Hillside Primary School
9. Context
Social context
Current standards
* Early Years and Foundation Stage
*.Key Stage 1
*.Key Stage 2
Attendance and Exclusions
10.
Proposals for Improvement
Objectives including Key Performance Indicators
11.
Induction and Stakeholder Engagement
12. Other aspects of the School’s Organisation
School Year
School Day
Safeguarding Arrangements
Appendix: The Priory Trust -Summary of the Education Brief for Hillside Primary School
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1. About the Sponsor.
The Priory School is the sponsor for Hillside Primary, under the governance of The Priory Academy
Trust Board. The Trust Board will secure the aims and vision for Hillside Primary School by promoting
the aspirations of children and parents, placing Hillside at the heart of the community, working in
partnership with The Priory School.
The Priory School is a large mixed secondary school, with a thriving sixth form. At The Priory School d
most students make consistently good progress and achieve high standards, which are continuing to
improve. Student attitudes and behaviour are good. OfSTED recognises;’ the very clear strong
leadership of the head teacher and his senior team’ as well as the vision to drive continuing
improvement that is shared fully with the very effective governing body. The Priory School will work in
partnership with Hillside Primary School to create a single, ambitious learning community.
2. Hillside Primary School’s Vision, Ethos and Values.
Educational Vision
Our vision for Hillside Primary School is for all staff and pupils to adopt an ambition to be;’ Great by
Choice’ where all pupils have an entitlement to a high quality teaching and learning experience, based
upon the values and aims of The Priory School.
The Priory Academy Trust will require all staff to have high expectations and a strong belief in what all
pupils at Hillside Primary School can achieve to promote progress and enhance their life chances.
Ethos
Hillside Primary School will work in partnership with The Priory School to grow and embed a culture of
high aspirations where a commitment to and engagement in learning is the norm for all children.
Through sharing the compelling ethos of The Priory School; ‘Raising Confidence, Creating
Respect, Continuing Improvement’, Hillside Primary School will inspire and instil confidence in the
children, their families and the community.
Values and Principles
Hillside Primary School will become a ‘Great’ school, with a dynamic learning environment and
inspirational curriculum, where success for children is based on 7 core values:

Promoting and achieving excellence to inspire children and adults to achieve the
extraordinary

Insisting on the highest standards of behaviour and attendance to support learning and
promote achievement;

Encouraging creativity and innovation to grow a ‘can do’ and ‘no excuses’ culture;

Recognising the importance of learning to achieve, be fulfilled and contribute positively to
society;

Promoting equality and diversity, to gain mutual respect and celebrate diversity;

Safeguarding health, safety and welfare to protect all children and adults;

Working in partnership to raise aspirations;
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Plans
The Sponsor’s Education Brief sets out the vision and the way in which the aspirations will be
achieved, building on the improving practice at Hillside, evidenced through the recent OfSTED
inspection (June 2012), and embarking on a journey of transformation. This high level strategy is
translated into the individual School Development Plans for The Priory and Hillside, identifying
ambitious timeframes and clear responsibility for rigorously implementing each of the actions or
initiatives. Progress and outcomes are evaluated, analysed and monitored through a consistent and
robust School Self Evaluation Framework. The Priory Academy Trust will hold the schools to account
offering support, providing challenge and measuring the success of the aims and ambitions as
outlined in the Governance framework in section 7 of this document.
3. The Proposal
Age range and character of the school.
Hillside Primary School will open in September 2012, continuing as a mixed primary school for
children aged 5-11. The school will increase its Pupil Admission Number (PAN) from 54 children per
year to 60. Hillside Primary School will then continue to be organised as a two form entry school, with
up to 30 children in each parallel class within a year group. This will increase the budget available to
the school and enable the sponsor to provide a wider range of educational opportunities and activities
to promote learning and raise standards
In addition, Hillside Primary School will continue to:

lead and manage a ‘Specialist Resourced Provision’ for 18 pupils with special educational
needs, educating children with a statement of special educational need, from a wider
catchment area.

work in partnership with the ‘on site‘ nursery, managed through a private lease agreement, to
promote continuity for children in the nursery transferring to Hillside.

encourage children to take part in a range of extra - curricular activities, working with The
Priory and other partners to deliver a more inspirational offer, building on the excellent
specialist sports offer within The Priory School, for example.
Uniform
Hillside Primary School children will continue to wear their distinctive gold and grey uniform with pride,
promoting high standards of behaviour in and out of school. As part of the ‘Reward and Praise’
system, children belong to one of four houses. Children will continue to wear the appropriate red,
blue, yellow or green house T shirts with pride.
Site and Buildings
The small amount of funding available for the site determines the focus for the short term plan:

up-dating the Key Stage 1 toilets and redesigning the reception area

enhancing the learning environment
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The building works will improve the environment: the toilets in terms of health and safety and the
reception refurbishment will start to symbolise the change in expectations and the partnership with
parents. The reception will be more welcoming, with clearly designated learning areas.
Longer term plans for further improvements will be identified by the Hillside Local Governing Body
and agreed through by The Trust Board.
4. The Curriculum and The Hillside Learning Model
‘Great by Choice’
The Hillside Learning Model will inspire adults and children to be part of a learning community by
choice. They will develop a love of learning, through high quality teaching across a broad curriculum
that raises expectations for pupil achievement.
The Hillside Learning Model - DRIVE
The Hillside Learning Model has been created to emphasise the DRIVE required to improve the
quality of teaching and learning, promote pupil progress to reach the aspirational targets for Hillside.
DRIVE
The DRIVE learning model follows 6 simple steps that reinforce the key messages for staff, children
and their families:
Differentiation
Rigour
Inspiration
Validation
Expectation
The model is designed to provide a consistent framework for children, teachers and support staff. The
6 steps for high quality teaching and learning are supported by some key questions to exemplify and
reinforce the consistent focus on Differentiation; Rigour; Inspiration; Validation and Expectation.
The 6 steps will also be clear and simple for children and their parents to understand. They can be
used to evaluate planning and provide a framework for monitoring the quality of teaching
1. Am I ready to learn?
This focuses on the attitude and preparation for learning.
Are teachers and support staff well prepared and organised?
Do the seating arrangements promote effective learning?
Is the atmosphere calm and purposeful?
Do teachers use strategies such as brain gym to create the right atmosphere?
Is the classroom environment a learning resource for children and staff?
Are classroom routines well established and adhered to by children and adults?
Is praise used appropriately to acknowledge and promote readiness for learning?
2. What do I already know?
Are teachers clear about what children know and can do?
Are children able to articulate their knowledge and understanding?
Are the children familiar with the technical terms and using the language appropriately?
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Is the teacher asking a range of questions to promote explanation, hypothesis and analysis?
Are children given an opportunity to share their prior knowledge and understanding?
Does the teacher deploy support staff effectively to promote learning in pairs/groups?
Is the outcome clearly recorded as an assessment record to use as a reference for progress?
3. What am I learning today?
Are the learning objectives clear and understood by the children and adults?
Is the learning set within the context of the bigger picture for the topic?
Are the children able to articulate their learning?
Are children clear on what success will look like for them?
Is the work differentiated to enable all children to make progress from their previous learning?
4. How will I be supported to achieve success?
Does the classroom environment provide high quality resources to scaffold learning?
Do the adults provide appropriate resources to enable the children to work independently?
Do the adults constantly reinforce what the children are learning and need to achieve?
Are the children well trained and practised in using the resources available to achieve success?
Do the children have an opportunity to articulate what they are doing to achieve the objective?
Is children’s work shared at all levels to reinforce expectations for high quality work?
Does the teacher seize opportunities to create a new beginning (BEM principle), keep children
motivated and maintain the pace of the lesson?
Are adults monitoring, checking and assessing progress in learning throughout the lesson?
Is intervention timely, appropriate and promoting progress towards the learning objective?
Is the teacher using differentiated questioning effectively to promote progress for all abilities?
Are strategies for collaborative working used effectively within the classroom organisation?
5. How am I doing?
Is the teacher assessing learning and promoting progress from where children started?
Are the interventions and teaching points timely and effective in moving children forward?
Are the children helped to assess their work and that of their peers against learning objectives
and personal targets?
Are the children able to articulate their learning referring back to the big picture and prior
attainment?
Are the adults promoting problem solving skills and shared solutions as an integral part of flexible
thinking and learning?
Is effort being recognised and rewarded to make problem solving a positive learning strategy?
Is explicit questioning promoting understanding, explanation and analysis?
6. What have I learned?
Does the plenary enable the children to demonstrate what they have learned and achieved?
Is peer assessment systematically focused on clear criteria and explicit steps to improve?
How does the teacher use children’s work to demonstrate specific points related to the learning
objectives?
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How does the teacher use the plenary to assess and celebrate the children’s learning?
Are the children supported to sort out problems, any confusion and challenges encountered
during the lesson?
Are children able to explain the mistakes they made and how they solved them?
Is the teacher using a different range of styles and strategies in the plenary to enable all learners
to engage and demonstrate their thinking?
How does marking affirm progress and attainment against individual targets, clearly setting out
the next steps?
How are, ‘Challenge the Teacher’ sessions used to demonstrate children’s higher order thinking
and questioning skills, using what they have learned?
The Hillside Curriculum
The Hillside Primary School curriculum will inspire and motivate children, placing them at the heart of
the ‘Hillside Learning Model.’ The learning model, based on the OfSTED analysis of effective learning
and teaching, will be developed and embedded to provide consistency and continuity for children and
skill teachers to deliver the appropriate curriculum, working in teams with support staff and expert
subject specialists from the Priory.
The Learning Model will be the vehicle for delivering the curriculum to ensure children acquire the
skills, knowledge and understanding across subject areas. The National Curriculum focus on reading
literacy and numeracy is embedded in the model by developing the skills of teachers and children in
developing thinking skills, using and applying higher order questioning to secure understanding,
accelerate progress and promote independent learning.
A Curriculum Framework for Learning and Achievement
The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework and National Curriculum throughout KS1 and KS2 will
be shaped and enhanced through:

A powerful curriculum that introduces a Modern Foreign Language in the Early Years;

Introducing master classes in English and Mathematics for the Gifted and Talented delivered
by secondary specialists , working with Hillside staff

Aspiring to’ raise the bar’ to remove the ceiling for Level 3 achievement at Key Stage 1 and
Level 5 achievement at Key Stage 2, by fostering individual talent

Using the skills of all adults to drive standards, enhancing these skills through professional
development and deploying staff creatively across the school to ensure all children
experience high quality teaching, for example specialist use of mathematics and English
teachers and HLTAs for Years 5 and 6 and use of the Specialist staff from the SOU to
accelerate progress for children with SEN

Introducing high quality specialist science teaching and learning opportunities, using the
expertise and facilities at The Priory

Using the students at The Priory as role models for Hillside children, through introducing
‘Sports Leader programmes ‘ learning mentor arrangements and joint School Council
meetings and events for The Priory Trust
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
Developing and extending the programme of extra -curricular opportunities to focus on and
enhance learning, introduce new skills in Spanish and dance for example

Maximising the opportunities for Hillside to benefit from the strength and impact of the
successful external partnerships at The Priory to extend and enrich children’s learning
experiences, both within and beyond the school gate

Celebrating success with pupils, their parents and families to inspire further achievement
The Early Years and Foundation Stage
Hillside will adopt and enrich the revised EYFS Framework from September 2012 to ensure children
become keen learners and master the early learning skills in literacy and numeracy through an
exciting and stimulating curriculum.
The Early Years’ curriculum will focus on:

progress towards, achievement against and beyond the 17 Early Learning Goals

3 prime learning areas of :communication and language; physical development; personal,
social and emotional development

4 specific areas of learning: literacy; mathematics; understanding the world, expressive arts
and design

creating confident learners, who are able to express themselves in a range of situations,
through using the Hillside Learning Model

strengthening the balance between adult led and initiated activities and child led and initiated
activities to guide learning and promote progress

assessing, reporting and sharing assessments to create
powerful partnerships between
professionals and parents

maximising the enrichment activities in Spanish and physical education to promote a vibrant
curriculum and high standards in the Early Years and Foundation Stage
The National Curriculum in Years 1 to 6 will focus on:
 developing excellence through the Gifted and Talented programmes
 driving achievement and progress by using specialist teachers in English and Mathematics
across Years 5 and 6, trained by the secondary specialists from The priory
 introducing MFL through Spanish initially and then developing French across Key Stages 1
and 2
 using the audit of staff skills to deploy support staff and develop teaching specialisms in
English and Mathematics to secure more consistently high quality teaching across the school
 maximising the use of expert contributions to the curriculum through a programme of external
visits and vibrant experiences alongside a motivating range of visitors and speakers
 increasing the range of activities and opportunities for children through sharing and building
on the extensive successful partnership programmes in The Priory
 introducing master classes in Key Stage 2 taught by secondary experts, working alongside
staff from the Hillside, to develop adults as learners with specialist skills
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Developing a Virtual Learning Environment Housing a Curriculum Resource Base
The DRIVE curriculum model will be supported through developing a Virtual Resource Base for all
teaching staff that provides:

exemplars of excellent planning

assessment tools to record learning and progress

shared resources that demonstrate effective use of the learning model

web based resources and web sites to support teachers’ research and planning

exemplars of how higher order questioning is applied from the Early Years through to
Year 6

classroom resources that bring a continuity of approach to learning and teaching to
accelerate progress

exemplars of effective marking and peer review against individual pupil targets

other exemplars and photographs of the learning model in action.
The Hillside Virtual Resource Base will provide a strategy for; introducing, embedding and sustaining
the Hillside Learning Model to raise aspirations and improve the quality of teaching across the school.
It will also be an excellent resource for new teachers and support the induction and performance
review process for all staff and adults working with children in the classroom. The resources will be a
part of the Continuing Professional Development Programme and can be used creatively to support
children and parents in their understanding of the learning model.
5. Assessment
At Hillside, assessment is integral to the collection, collation and use of data to drive progress and
attainment. The current policy and practice for assessing and reporting attainment and progress has
been recognised by OfSTED as a strength; ‘middle managers work well with other leaders and use
assessment information to track pupil’s progress rigorously and accurately and use this to inform
group and pupil interventions’.
The assessment policy will be further embedded through the Hillside Learning Model, which provides
a consistent framework for securing on-going continuous assessment within the lessons, more
rigorous use of prior knowledge, skills and understanding to improve the quality of lesson planning
and the quality of teaching.
The assessment cycle will be reviewed by The Priory Trust Board to bring synergy to the policies and
practice at the two schools, for example bringing together the timing and frequency of teacher
assessment and the framework for reporting assessment data and analysis to The Trust Board. This
will be supported by appropriate guidelines on formal assessment policies and procedures for the age
appropriate Key Stages in The Priory and Hillside.
This will be developed to include standard reporting procedures to the Trust Board’s Standards
Committee and procedures for Quality Assurance through agreement trialling and work scrutiny
across the schools, raising aspirations and securing the integrity of assessment data.
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This overarching policy will be set within the National Assessment Framework for formal assessment
at Hillside, encompassing:




Foundation Stage Assessment for reception pupils
Phonic screening for Year 1 pupils
End of Key Stage 1 Assessment for Year 2 pupils
End of Key Stage Assessment for Year 6 pupils
Tracking Pupil’s progress
Hillside Primary has developed a robust policy framework for tracking pupil progress in response to
the OfSTED inspection recommendations. This enables the senior leaders to work effectively with the
middle leaders to monitor and analyse the performance of: individual children; vulnerable groups and
different cohorts. Comprehensive data is collected, collated and analysed termly:

subject level performance data, with particular regard to reading and writing in literacy

Early Years’ profile points with particular regard to Communication, Language and Literacy

attainment levels, sub levels and points of progress within each year

attainment, progress and age related performance for individual children, classes and year
groups

overall performance trends and targeted interventions

overall performance including and excluding children within the Special Opportunities Unit

moderated performance data

predictions against performance targets

attendance patterns linked to performance and progress
The in depth analysis is analysed and action taken to address underperformance and to tackle
inconsistent performance across classes and year groups. The analysis is then matched to the quality
of teaching across the school and the links reported clearly in the School Self Evaluation document:
‘Progress shows that where there is satisfactory teaching, there is satisfactory progress; where there
is good teaching, there is good progress’ The data is then fed into the Performance review framework
for teaching and support staff.
Raising the Bar
At Hillside we will take immediate action to raise the bar to strengthen the assessment of performance
and improve the quality of teaching through:

introducing the aspiration and challenge for high performance through the collection and
analysis of performance above age related standards

using the Gifted and Talented and specialist teaching programmes in English and
Mathematics to demonstrate accelerated progress towards high achievement

reporting the above age related achievement data to raise expectations
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
introducing the Hillside Learning Model to introduce more rigorous on going assessment
practice, leading to improvements in teaching and learning

introducing specialist teachers and organisational models for teaching English and
Mathematics in Years 5 and 6 to ensure all children enjoy high quality teaching experiences

deploying the Deputy Head teacher across the school to model high quality teaching and
target support for vulnerable pupils and adults

developing the role of the Assistant Head teacher as ‘the internal inspector’ providing
challenge to raise standards through using assessment data more effectively for continuous
improvement
Partnership with Parents and Reporting to parents
The aspiration to strengthen the engagement and partnership with parents is already visible through
the increase in the level of interest and concern for the future of the school. Parents want a good
school for their children. They have confidence in The Priory School and hopes for the future, but
quite rightly want reassurance about the quality of future teaching and learning.
The Executive Head teacher and staff from the two schools are responding to parents and the
community through a series of meetings and information leaflets. This first introduction to the new
approach to developing links with and using the expertise of The Priory School will develop rapidly,
acting on the consultation process to shape the relationship and partnership for learning. Most
significantly, the Hillside Head teacher will take the lead role in engaging with parents and the
community, using vision and energy to strengthen partnership and improve the reputation and
outcomes for children and families.
The current reporting policies will be reviewed in consultation with parents and carers to assess the
quality of reporting and the clarity of information. Parental comments and levels of satisfaction will be
key to any amendments and changes in reporting procedures, including parent consultations and
written reports. The secondary transfer process will also be the subject of review with parents, carers,
older pupils and staff from both schools to improve the transition for children and their progress.
Hillside will develop a partnership approach to learning with parents, providing more appropriate
guidance and support for extending the learning beyond the school gate. This will be a systematic
approach to learning through play, developing reading and writing skills, spelling and grammar, a
coherent homework policy and practice that provides children and parents with the skills and
scaffolding tools to support their children’s progress. A review of the use of technology to provide
equality of access to children, parents and carers will be undertaken and developed through The
Trust Board, using and developing the ICT expertise, systems, appropriate protocols and practice
from The Priory.
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6.Teaching
Principles and practice-high quality teaching
Improving the quality of teaching is the key priority for Hillside Primary School. It has driven the
development of the Hillside Learning Model. The key principles of the model are aligned with the
OfSTED judgements. The ‘DRIVE’ model requires teachers and support staff to work in effective
teams and employ the full range of strategies identified in a whole school approach to good and
outstanding teaching and learning:











Questioning
Listening
Explaining
Demonstrating
Instructing
Managing
Praising
Assessing
Reminding
Describing
Guiding
The introduction to the model and the expectations will be reinforced by a regular focus on what
makes good and outstanding teaching and learning, drawing on examples from within and beyond
Hillside and The Priory. All staff meetings and professional development opportunities will be linked to
the quality and impact of teaching on children’s learning and progress
The Priory School will offer professional development for the Hillside staff in:

the use of data in planning and implementing effective intervention strategies to tackle
underperformance



specialist knowledge and high quality teaching in English Mathematics and Science
improving the quality of teaching through the school’s ‘Good Teacher Programme’
using ICT effectively in the classroom, with a particular focus on the flexible use of laptops
They will do this through working in partnership, providing guidance and leading CPD programmes,
including ‘surgery sessions’.
The performance framework will drive the pattern of lesson observations and feedback to improve
teaching and learning. Teachers and teaching assistants will be supported to improve through the
organisational models referred to in this document. The reports to The Trust Board’s Standards
committee will monitor and review progress towards all teaching being judged good or outstanding.
The ‘Internal Inspector’ role will be crucial to the success of the drive to improve the consistency of
teaching and measuring the impact on progress and standards.
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Behaviour Management
The standard of behaviour in Hillside is good overall and children are aware of the rules, rewards and
sanctions. The behaviour policy outlines key strategies for behaviour management. The Learning
Model aspires to ensure all children are ‘ready to learn’ and that all adults are working to create a
stimulating learning ethos and a supportive and exciting learning environment. The challenge will be
for teachers to develop independent learners who are able to exercise self- control and to work well in
a range of organisational models. These skills will be taught and learned as the Learning Model is
adopted and embraced across the school.
‘The House’ system is an important corner stone of the behaviour policy at Hillside as it builds respect
and develops relationships across the age groups, replicating the very successful College system in
The Priory School.
Children will be encouraged to recognise and discuss strategies for behaviour management both
inside and outside the classroom, giving them an important role in driving up standards to
outstanding. Parents will be key partners in meeting this aspiration, as the OfSTED parental
satisfaction survey highlights that some parents remain dissatisfied with standards of behaviour.
The Trust Board will review the policy framework within the cycle of monitoring for the Policy and
Compliance committee.
Using ICT as a tool for teaching and learning
The vision for ICT at Hillside reinforces the need to bring provision up to a higher standard with a
planned strategy. The strategy will start with the essential components of: an established IT back
office function, additional hardware, in the form of a set of 30 laptops, and a robust and supportive
programme of continuous professional development for all staff. The process will be supported by the
skills of the specialist teachers who will be working alongside Hillside staff, modelling best practice in
using ICT to enhance teaching and to promote learning.
The Priory Trust will then consider a planned investment programme, including: opportunities for
children from Hillside to use the facilities at The Priory; the involvement of parents in the training
programme; an after school club or master class in ICT to give children increased access to
computers and technology,
7.Staffing
The Staffing Structure
The Executive Head Teacher has reviewed the staffing structure at Hillside Primary School to drive
school improvement and meet the budget challenge to provide a fit for purpose, value for money
model.
The roles and responsibilities of the senior leadership team embrace and drive the vision for The
Priory Trust: Raising Confidence, Creating Respect and Continuing Improvement:
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Head teacher: Raising Confidence.

Strategic Planning and maintenance of the School Development Plan

Accountable to the Executive Headteacher

Attainment, progress and accountability

Internal Inspector Role’-Holding the School to Account’ for high quality teaching and learning

Safeguarding

Parent partnership and influencing parent choice

Local community and business partnerships

Partnership links with The Priory School

Links with external agencies and nursery providers

Children as Ambassadors for learning and achievement

Performance Management
Deputy Head teacher: Creating Respect

Personalisation agenda for all learners to raise expectations and standards of achievement;
a) Special Educational Needs
b) Gifted and talented
c) LAC
d) Gypsy Roma children and families
e) Vulnerable families

Responsible for the impact of the Interventions
a) Secure appropriate intervention to deliver high standards
b) Tracking and reporting progress
c) Celebration of wide ranging achievements

Attendance and Behaviour for learning and achievement
Assistant Head teacher: Continuing Improvement

Holding middle leaders to account

High Quality Teaching and learning through continuous professional development linked to
The Priory School

Robust data analysis and Interventions to secure consistently high outcomes

The Curriculum and Policy framework
2 x TLRs 2a- Leader for Literacy across the school
2a- Leader for Numeracy across the school
Staff Organisation
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These 5 form the senior leadership team, supported by the teacher in charge of reception and
the teacher in charge of the Special Opportunities Unit, All other year groups are divided into 2
parallel classes, managed by class teachers. A team of 2 Higher Level Teaching Assistants and
2 Teaching Assistants target support across the Early Years and Foundation Stage and Key
Stage 1. 2 additional teaching assistants are deployed across Years 1 to 3 and Years 3 to 6 to
target personalised learning programmes and interventions as a result of data analysis.
4 Teaching assistants support children in the SOU and may be involved in working across the
school in partnership with other teaching assistants when possible to coach and model specialist
interventions and strategies. The strong and robust SEN focus will be supported by an SEN an
Assistant and 2 part time administrative Assistants.
The staffing for Hillside is completed with The Priory Trust’s back office function, encompassing
HR, Finance, Premises and IT, managed through the Executive Head teacher and the Head
teacher of Hillside.
The rationale for the new structure
The new streamlined structure outlined in Appendix 2 is designed to:

Maximise the skills and talents of the senior leadership team, working in partnership with The
Priory senior leadership team and subject specialists,

to drive improvement

Focus the senior leadership roles on strengthening partnerships to underpin the standards
agenda

Improve the quality of teaching and learning, through releasing the deputy head teacher to
work strategically across the inclusion agenda, using her high quality teaching skills to
support teachers’ planning and pupil achievement

Reduce the number of support staff and target resources more effectively to raise standards

Maximise the shared resources within The Priory Trust for facilities and administrative
functions, reducing the administrative support at Hillside Primary

Embed the support for vulnerable families within the roles and responsibilities of the senior
leadership team

Be affordable and ‘fit for purpose’
Performance Management
The Trust will introduce a renewed more robust approach to performance management for all staff at
Hillside to create synergy across the two schools. This will set higher performance levels, reinforcing
the link between staff performance, learning and achievement. The staffing structure reflects this new
focus. The current performance arrangements for all staff, which include targets that measure the
impact on children’s learning and progress, will be strengthened. The quality of teaching and
performance, currently reported openly to governors, will also be reported to the Performance and
Standards Committee of The Trust Board. The introduction of new more focused roles and
accountabilities for the senior leadership team and shared back office functions, such as finance, will
change the supervision, reporting lines and appraisal for some staff.
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The Executive Head teacher will review this with the Head teacher of Hillside to align the practice
across the two schools and agree the format for reporting quarterly to The Trust Board’s Performance
and Standards Committee.HR procedures and practice will be aligned through a single HR contract
managed by The Trust Board.
8. Governance- The Priory Trust Board
The Priory Trust Board will be constituted to create robust and challenging governance across The
Priory School and Hillside Primary School, realising the ambitions and aspirations for high
achievement. Building on the excellence of the quality of governance at The Priory, the Trust Board
will bring synergy to the leadership, management and policy framework for both schools to ensure
that Hillside Primary School improves rapidly.
The Trust Board will hold the Governing Bodies accountable through the structure set out in the
diagram below.
Information from each of the Local Governing Bodies will be monitored and challenged through the
committee structure. Terms of reference are available for each of the committees.
Trust
Board
LGB (The
Priory
School)
LGB
(Hillside
School)
Finance
Standard
s
Policy &
Complian
ce
Exclusions
Admissions
Complaint, Etc
Constitution of Committees-Year 1
The 3 strategic committees Of Finance, Performance and Standards and Policy and Compliance will
be represented at the highest level.

Chair of the committee

Chair of The Trust

Executive Head Teacher

2 Directors from the Trust Board

2 additional governor representatives from each Local Governing Body
Constitution of minor committees and task and finish groups

Chair of the committee elected from the representative members

2 Directors
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
1 Governor from the appropriate Local Governing Body
Leadership
The Trust Board Chair brings expertise and business acumen to the support and challenge of
governance. Jane Winter is an experienced teacher and leader in both the primary and secondary
sectors. She has been a governor at The Priory since 2002, became vice chair of The Priory
governing body in 2006 and chair in 2011. As chair of the Trust Board she brings specialist skills in
policy and compliance, leadership and learning and HR.
Her professional experience of running a charitable organisation extends from establishing charitable
companies and making timely returns to policy writing, quality assurance, leadership and
management. Her portfolio of skills is further enhanced through her work in the voluntary sector.
The standard for high quality leadership of the Hillside Governing Body will be set by an experienced
governor from The Priory Board, who will take one of the partnership places. He is an accomplished
and skilled professional, an experienced magistrate, who will be able to mentor, support and
challenge the governing body to aspire to; ‘Raise Confidence, Create Respect and Continue
Improvement. The Director of The Trust Board will also have the advantage of knowing the processes
and procedures that drive success in The Priory.
Governance of The Priory School and Hillside Primary School.
The Governing Bodies of the two schools report to the Trust Board and be represented on the Trust
Board Committees and working task groups.
Expectations:
The Local Governing Body serves two main functions. The first is to monitor the performance of their
school and report to The Trust Board as required. This will be achieved through regular calendared
meetings, monthly meeting between the Chair of the Local Governing Body and the head teacher and
monitoring visits by governors, with a focus on the priorities for improvement. The monitoring visits
will include engaging with Student Voice. Secondly, to build capacity to ensure that the Trust Board
has a group of trained governors in both schools who have the potential to be Directors on The Trust
Board in the future. Newly appointed governors will undertake an induction programme as well as be
assigned an experienced governor as a mentor.
Accountability:
Each Local Governing Body will have delegated responsibility for recommending targets for academic
performance and inclusion, monitoring of the performance of the School’s Development Plan against
the agreed targets and reporting on the performance to the Trust Board. The Local Governing Body
will be presented with a report by the head teacher detailing the required information to enable the
governors to prepare their report to the Trust Board as well as maintaining an accurate ‘SEF’.
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Composition of the Local Governing Bodies for The Priory School and Hillside Primary
School:
(As stated in the EOI)
Hillside Primary School
 Parent Governors (3)
 Trust Directors (2)
 Executive Head Teacher
 Head Teacher Hillside
 Staff Governors (2)
 Community Partnership (3)
The
ThePriory
PriorySchool
School
 Parent Governors (4)
 Executive Head Teacher
 Heads of School (2)
 Staff Governors (2)
 Community/ Partnership (4)
Frequency of Meetings:
The Trust Board, 4 meetings a year
Finance Committee, 6 times per year
Performance and Standards Committee, 4 times per year
Policy and Compliance, 4 times per year
Local Governing Body, 4 times per year
Minor Committees and Task and Finish Groups, as necessary
9. Context
Social Context of the School
Hillside Primary School, with its 18 place Special Opportunities Unit for complex needs, is set within
the following context:

Located in an area of high deprivation- in the top 20% of schools nationally

35.3% of children entitled to Free School Meals-17% above the national average

23% of children with SEN-3% above the national average

Below average attainment on entry

14% of children from ethnic minority groups-below the national average

5.8% of children have English as an additional language

4 Looked After Children

3 Child Protection Plans

A gender imbalance of 45% girls and 55% boys –compared to the national almost equal split
Standards at Hillside
The Foundation Stage profile-trend Analysis
Percentage of children scoring 78 points or more
Year
2009
2010
2011
2012
Hillside
62.3%
60.7%
56.9%
80%
Bromley LA
73.9%
75.2%
78.1%
n/a
National
75%
78%
n/a
n/a
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The performance at Hillside has improved dramatically in 2012, reversing a very worrying downward
trend .This correlates directly with the improvements in the quality of teaching in the Early Years
which is judged to be good overall, with some outstanding features, validated by OfSTED.
However, within this overall excellent improvement in standards, the Foundation Stage Profile
analysis highlights significant strengths and achievements and some key focus areas in the transition
to Key Stage 1:

Girls achieve better than boys in all areas of Communication. Language and literacy

Standards in writing are still below local and national benchmarks, despite improvements in
overall achievement compared with 2011

Children have made good progress from low starting points on entry to school
Other factors that impact on standards in the Foundation Stage include;

Lower attendance rates in the Early Years and Key Stage 1 than Key Stage 2,with
significant numbers of children below 85% attendance

Inconsistent levels of engagement with parents in the partnership for learning

Significantly lower percentages of children achieving 8 points or more in the areas of
learning compared with local and national standards, especially in areas related to
literacy and numeracy
The Key Stage 1 Trend Analysis for Hillside
Year
2009
2010
2011
2012
Improvement
Trend
Reading L2+
65.6%
72.2%
76%
77%
11.4%
Reading L2B+
57.4%
51.9%
53%
54%
-3.4%
Writing L2+
54.1%
61.1%
59%
64%
9.9%
Writing L2B+
31.1%
25.9%
39%
43%
11.9%
Maths L2+
70.5%
81.5%
65%
69%
-1.5%
Maths L2B+
49.2%
51.9%
43%
54%
4.8%
The performance at Hillside demonstrates improvement from a very low base in reading with an
11.4% increase in standards over 4 years however standards remain well below national standards.
This is reflected through other areas of the KS1 core curriculum, with overall attainment remaining
below national standards and floor targets in writing and mathematics.
In 2011, national KS1 results were significantly above the Hillside outcomes for 2012:

85% achieved L2+ in Reading

81% achieved L2+ in Writing

90% achieved L2+ in Maths
More significantly 0% of Hillside children achieved Level 3 at Key Stage 1
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The decline in standards in mathematics overall and reading at Level 2B is a key focus for The Priory
Board in raising aspirations and introducing the DRIVE learning model across the school to improve
the quality of teaching and learning.
Other factors impacting on standards at the end of Key Stage 1 in 2012;

Low levels of achievement at the start of Year 2, with age related achievement at 60% in
reading; 52% in writing and 65% in mathematics.

A slower rate of progress in mathematics for Year 2 children

Unacceptable inconsistencies across the core curriculum areas

The quality of teaching and learning

The aspirations and expectations for children to achieve higher than national expectations

Levels of attainment on entry and rates of progress through the Early Years and Key Stage 1

Lower attendance rates for children in Key Stage 1 compared with Key Stage 2
The Key Stage 2 Trend Analysis for Hillside
Year
2009
2010
2011
2012 (TA)
Not yet validated
by test results
English L4+
50.9%
60.8%
63%
76%
English L5
13,2%
9.8%
14%
13%
Maths L4+
54.7%
58.8%
67%
79%
Maths L5
17%
25.5%
26%
18%
E and M L4+
53%
53%
71%
E and M L5
10%
12%
11%
Science L4+
60%
84%(TA)
74%
Science L5
28%
9% (TA)
0%
The significant and more consistent improvements in standards at Key Stage 2 for Level 4+ are
almost in line with the 2011 national results for KS2:

82% achieved L4+ in English

80% achieved L4+ in Maths

74% achieved L4+ English and Maths
In addition, the percentage of children making the expected 2 levels progress between KS1 and KS2
was about 10% below target in 2011.Internal data analysis shows this has been accelerated in 2012,
subject to validation.
The inconsistent trends and performance across core subjects is a key priority for The Priory Trust.
The required improvements in the quality of teaching and learning will be underpinned with high
expectations, specialist teaching in English and Mathematics and identification of a Gifted and
Talented Programme.
Other factors impacting on standards at Key Stage 2:
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
Accelerated progress in writing and mathematics during Year 6 from a low entry baseline of
age related attainment of 46% in writing and 51% in mathematics

More consistent outcomes cross the 3 core subjects, but inconsistencies remaining in levels
of progress in 2012, from 89% of children making 2 levels of progress in reading, compared
with 73% in maths

Improving attendance at KS2 to above national averages

The accuracy of Teacher Assessment which may not accurately reflect the final test
outcomes
Attendance and Exclusions
The school has made progress in gradually improving persistent absence, rates of attendance, and in
reducing exclusions. There is still more to do to ensure that more consistently excellent attendance
levels and high standards of behaviour underpin high quality teaching and learning, promoting pupil
progress and achievement.
Attendance and behaviour remain a key focus for measuring the impact of high quality educational
delivery at Hillside. Attendance has improved to 94.3% but this must be further improved to meet a
target of 96% by 2013 and 97% by 2015.
Analysis shows the reduction in persistent absence from 9.2% for 15% of sessions missed to 5.6%
within 2011-2012 to date, which will continue to be addressed to impact on achieving whole school
aspirational targets for 2013 and 2015.
Exclusion data shows low level fixed term exclusion rates which need to be eradicated through high
quality teaching, high standards of behaviour and self -control amongst children through the ‘Creating
Respect’ agenda.
10. Proposals for Improvement
Key Performance Indicators
The Trust Board will drive improvement through the strategic partnership with The Priory, using the
Educational Brief as a blueprint to accelerate the rate of progress towards making Hillside an
outstanding school. The key indicators focus on the key drive to raise standards in English,
particularly writing, and Mathematics, from the Early Years through to the end of KS2.
The impact will be measured through Key Performance Indicators that will be shared and owned by
all stakeholders. These will be reviewed to raise aspirations as the partnership develops.
Key Indicator
Current Performance
2013
2015
50%
60%
70%
EYFS Writing
64%
72%
80%
EYFS Numeracy
75%
78%
82%
Key Stage 1 Writing
64%
72%
80%
Key Stage 1 Reading
77%
80%
85%
Key Stage 1 Maths
69%
76%
82%
Quality
of
teaching
Good to Outstanding
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Key Stage 2 E and M
65%
73%
78%
84%
90%
100%
82%
90%
100%
Attendance
94.4%
95%
95%
Persistent Absence
9.2%
5.6%
4.0%
Fixed Term Exclusions
10
5
0
Number on roll
337 +18 (SOU)
357 +18 (SOU)
390 +18 (SOU)
L4+
2 levels progress KS2
English
2 levels of progress
KS2 Maths
11. Induction and Stakeholder Engagement
The strategy for Stakeholder engagement, led by the Executive Head Teacher, is being implemented
To date this has included:

Public information and consultation documents for parents and other stakeholders

Parent meetings

Consultation and Planning meetings with the Head teacher designate at Hillside (April-June)

Planning meetings with the Acting Head teacher at Hillside (June-July)

Consultation and engagement with the Primary Adviser for Hillside,

Staff briefing and consultation on the revised staffing structure

Creation of The Priory Trust Board

Communication with Governors

Liaison with other agencies

Staff workshop on the DRIVE Learning Model with senior leaders from The Priory and
teaching staff at Hillside

Feedback from the OfSTED inspector and parent survey (June)

Contract negotiation for developing shared back office functions

Consultation with the LA on admission arrangements and the appointment of the Acting
Head teacher to cover the Head teacher’s absence in June-July
12. Other Aspects of School Organisation
School Year
The published dates for the conventional school year include 5 identified Professional Development
Days for 2012-2013. However, the strategy for introducing the Hillside Model and inducting staff into
the aspirations and expectations for understanding and achieving the vision requires an intense
programme of continuing professional development. The Executive Head teacher proposes to
translate one or two of the 5 days into 5 or 6 twilight sessions. This programme will follow and build
upon the initial introductory staff workshop held on 2 nd July and the one day conference scheduled for
the start of the autumn term. This keynote conference, led by the Executive Head teacher, will
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introduce the new culture, expectations and procedures for transforming Hillside and engaging all
staff in the aspirational agenda to be ‘Great by Choice’.
Initially the pattern of the school day will remain as it is, providing a basis for taking forward and
parental concerns or ideas. However, for those pupils who are underperforming and require further
intervention or for example, need additional guidance/support to access the VLE then a programme of
classes will be organised for the lunch break and after school. The pattern of break times, meal
times, wrap around care and extended school activities will be monitored and reviewed to meet the
needs of children and their families. This will include the planned introduction of the new curriculum
clubs and after school activities, master classes and shared sporting events led by Young sports
Leaders from The Priory.
Safeguarding Arrangements
Robust safeguarding arrangements are in place through the policy and practice at Hillside, led and
managed by the Head teacher. This policy will be used to assure safeguarding is at the heart of all
new policy and practice, to assess and mitigate risk. The new senior staff structure reinforces the
importance of the safeguarding priority, through ensuring that the head teacher and deputy head
teacher assume the key responsibilities for safeguarding, vulnerable children and their families.
Appendix – Summary
of The Education Brief for Stakeholders
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Appendix
The Priory Trust
A Summary of the Education Brief for Hillside Primary School
This document sets out the Academy Trust’s vision, principles and practice for
transforming Hillside Primary School, through working in close partnership with the
very successful Priory Secondary School. It provides a blueprint to inform the early
stages of the exciting journey to move Hillside from a satisfactory school to an
outstanding school, where all learners have an entitlement to high quality teaching
and learning, through the aspirations shared by all stakeholders. This will be
achieved through engaging and involving children,, staff, governors, parents and
partners to be, ’Great by Choice’.
Educational Vision
Our vision for Hillside Primary School is for all staff and pupils to adopt an ambition to be;’
Great by Choice’ where all pupils have an entitlement to a high quality teaching and
learning experience, based upon the values and aims of The Priory School.
The Priory Academy Trust will require all staff to have high expectations and a strong belief
in what all pupils at Hillside Primary School can achieve to promote progress and enhance
their life chances.
Ethos
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Hillside Primary School will work in partnership with The Priory School to grow and embed a
culture of high aspirations where a commitment to and engagement in learning is the norm
for all children. Through sharing the compelling ethos of The Priory School; ‘Raising
Confidence, Creating Respect, Continuing Improvement’, Hillside Primary School will
inspire and instil confidence in the children, their families and the community.
Values and Principles

Promoting and achieving excellence to inspire children and adults to achieve the
extraordinary

Insisting on the highest standards of behaviour and attendance to support
learning and promote achievement;

Encouraging creativity and innovation to grow a ‘can do’ and ‘no excuses’ culture;

Recognising the importance of learning to achieve, be fulfilled and contribute
positively to society;

Promoting equality and diversity, to gain mutual respect and celebrate diversity;

Safeguarding health, safety and welfare to protect all children and adults;

Working in partnership to raise aspirations;
The Curriculum and The Hillside Learning Model
‘Great by Choice’
The Hillside Learning Model will inspire adults and children to be part of a learning
community by choice. They will develop a love of learning, through high quality teaching
across a broad curriculum that raises expectations for pupil achievement.
The Hillside Learning Model - DRIVE
The Hillside Learning Model has been created to emphasise the DRIVE required to improve
the quality of teaching and learning, promote pupil progress to reach the aspirational targets
for Hillside.
DRIVE
The DRIVE learning model follows 6 simple steps that reinforce the key messages for staff,
children and their families:
Differentiation
Rigour
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Inspiration
Validation
Expectation
The model is designed to provide a consistent framework for children, teachers and support
staff. The 6 steps for high quality teaching and learning are supported by some key
questions to exemplify and reinforce the consistent focus on Differentiation; Rigour;
Inspiration; Validation and Expectation. The 6 steps will also be clear and simple for
children and their parents to understand. They can be used to evaluate planning and provide
a framework for monitoring the quality of teaching.
Step 1: Am I ready to learn?
Step 2: What do I already know?
Step 3: What am I learning today?
Step 4: How will I be supported to achieve success?
Step 5: How well am I doing?
Step 6: What have I learned?
Proposals for Improvement – The Key Performance Indicators
The Trust Board will drive improvement through the strategic partnership with The Priory,
using the Educational Brief as a blueprint to accelerate the rate of progress towards making
Hillside an outstanding school. The key indicators focus on the key drive to raise standards
in English, particularly writing, and Mathematics, from the Early Years through to the end of
KS2.
The impact will be measured through Key Performance Indicators that will be shared and
owned by all stakeholders. These will be reviewed to raise aspirations as the partnership
develops.
Key Indicator
Current Performance
Quality of teaching 50%
2013
2015
60%
70%
Good to Outstanding
EYFS Writing
64%
72%
80%
EYFS Numeracy
75%
78%
82%
Key Stage 1 Writing
64%
72%
80%
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Key Stage 1 Reading
77%
80%
85%
Key Stage 1 Maths
69%
76%
82%
Key Stage 2 E and M 65%
73%
78%
progress 84%
90%
100%
2 levels of progress 82%
90%
100%
L4+
2
levels
KS2
English
KS2 Maths
Attendance
94.4%
95%
95%
Persistent Absence
9.2%
5.6%
4.0%
5
0
357 +18 (SOU)
390 +18 (SOU)
Fixed
Term 10
Exclusions
Number on roll
337 +18 (SOU)
Partnership with Parents
Hillside will develop a partnership approach to learning with parents.
The aspiration to strengthen the engagement and partnership with parents is already visible
through the increase in the level of interest and concern for the future of the school. Parents
want a good school for their children. They have confidence in The Priory School and hopes
for the future, but quite rightly want reassurance about the quality of future teaching and
learning at Hillside.
The Executive Head teacher, Mr Nick Ware, and staff from the two schools are responding
to parents and the community through a series of meetings and information leaflets. This first
introduction to the new approach to developing links with and using the expertise of The
Priory School will develop rapidly, acting on the consultation process to shape the
relationship and partnership for learning. Most significantly, the Hillside Head teacher will
take the lead role in engaging with parents and the community, using vision and energy to
strengthen partnership and improve the reputation and outcomes for children and families.
Governance- The Priory Trust Board
The Priory Trust Board will be constituted to create robust and challenging governance
across The Priory School and Hillside Primary School, realising the ambitions and
aspirations for high achievement. Building on the excellence of the quality of governance at
The Priory, the Trust Board will bring synergy to the leadership, management and policy
framework for both schools to ensure that Hillside Primary School improves rapidly.
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The Trust Board will hold the Governing Bodies accountable through the structure set out in
the diagram below.
Trust
Board
LGB (The
Priory
School)
LGB
(Hillside
School)
Finance
Standard
s
Policy &
Complian
ce
Exclusions
Admissions
Complaint, Etc
The Future for Hillside
The exciting plans for Hillside will improve the education for all children, working with families
and other partners to make the school ‘Great by Choice’, enabling children and adults to
achieve the extraordinary.
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