Preparing for Renewal of a Quality Mark Award by a Primary School

Preparing for renewal of a Quality Mark award by a Primary School

This is a sample template for the self-audit which should be undertaken by a primary phase school prior to seeking to renew an existing Primary Quality Mark (PQM) award. It can also be used as the basis of a final submission to be sent to an assessor or as an assessment ‘check-list’ by an assessor. However it is used, the format of the template is illustrative only and should be used as a ‘working document’. It can also easily be customised to any layout which better suits the needs of those choosing to use it.

Please ensure that any self audit or submission prepared for an assessment is completed with reference to the fuller guidance contained in the booklet ‘Quality Mark for Primary Schools’ (Revised Nov 2015 version). Copies of this can be purchased, quoting ref: A2175 via .

A cross-phase school holding both PQM and SQM awards, may prefer to complete a single (combined elements) renewal template, downloadable from www.qm-alliance.co.uk.

Note: The recommended order when undertaking a review of the 10 QM Elements for a self-audit/assessment visit is:-

1st step: Elements 2, 3, 1 & 10 (the elements relating to assessment, target setting, planning, monitoring and evaluating impact);

2nd step: Elements 4 & 5 (the elements relating to underattainment and/or underachievement);

3rd step: Elements 6, 7, 8 (the elements relating to teaching and learning);

4th step: Element 9 (the element relating to the involvement of parents and carers).

PART 1: The elements relating to assessment, target setting, planning, monitoring evaluating impact

2

/ AN ANALYSIS OF THE ASSESSMENT OF PUPIL PERFORMANCE IN BASIC SKILLS IN THE SCHOOL / Summary of current practice / provision / performance / Evidence source
·  it makes use of an appropriate range of summative data in speaking and listening, reading, writing and mathematics; / Assessment and tracking is tightly focused at The Woodside Academy.
Decisions are made about pupil progress and attainment on a daily basis in lessons through a range of embedded AFL techniques, including self and peer marking and target setting.
Regular response to marking encourages a dialogue between the child and the adult marker. Next steps are given and repeated in further work to ensure basic skills are addressed and learning moves forward.
We have devised our own system in response to life without levels which works on end of year expectations and is tracked on Sims. Children conference with the teacher about their achievement throughout the year. Learners are involved in the process and have the opportunity to prove why statements should be ‘ticked off’ on their ‘writing target sheets’.
Opportunities are built in to ensure moderation takes place between teachers and year groups. Data is collected, tracked and analysed termly on SIMs.
Half termly progress review meetings between SLT and year groups mean that discussion is had on pupil progress and those falling behind in anyway can be identified and support put in place.
Those children requiring intervention are identified on a comprehensive provision map.
Targeted support groups are identified and closely monitored in reading, writing and maths to ensure rapid progress for children with identified gaps. These are operated on a 3 weekly programme.
DSEN passports are drawn up with individual targets for children requiring them, and progress of objectives achieved in the passports is tracked on Sims.
EAL tracking is carried out for children who are new to English using a be-spoke levelling/points system (EAL assessment framework).
Raise Online Data is actively analysed by the leadership team and verified with support from our in house assessment consultant.
Our analysis of our own performance is shared with Governors and informs the SEF.
Pupils are able to identify their own strengths, weaknesses and targets and share these with parents.
EYFS pupils take part in the baseline process and in their continuous assessment. Observations are shared with parents half termly via 2Engageparents, as part of 2Buildaprofile.
QCA tests in Years 3,4 and 5 are taken for maths, reading and GPS at the end of the year. A gaps analysis is carried out and used to inform future planning. / Assessment folders
Pupil books/ writing target sheets/ maths target cards
Pupil books
Baseline Entry Data for Reception (across The Synaptic Trust)
Assessment folders/ SIMS
Writing target sheets
Monitoring file
Pupil progress meeting notes.
Provision map and intervention grids.
Targeted support record sheets.
DSEN pupil passports
EAL folders
SEF
Moderation notes from Y2 and Y6
Governors minutes where data analysis is shared
Learning review notes and pupil review sheets
End of year reports
Tapestry reports
·  it makes use of an appropriate range of formative data throughout the school year e.g. moderated teacher assessment;
·  it uses the outcomes from the analysis of data to identify and track learners who are underattaining and/or underachieving;
·  it uses ongoing assessment to inform planning processes (school development planning; provision mapping and teachers’ planning);
·  it has a procedure for assessing the basic skills needs of learners whenever they join the school;
·  learners are involved in the assessment of their own progress;
·  it uses information from assessment of learners to make appropriate provision.
Possible sources of evidence
·  Self Evaluation Form
·  recent inspection and advisory reports
·  outcomes of on-entry assessment procedures
·  English & mathematics task and test results from previous years
·  analysis and comparison of teacher assessment and test results
·  national comparative data / ·  local data analysis and benchmarking
·  value added analysis
·  pupil tracking & class teacher records
·  special needs register
·  teachers’ planning
·  work scrutiny analysis
·  discussion with key staff and governors

3

/ TARGET SETTING FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE SCHOOL’S PERFORMANCE IN BASIC SKILLS / Summary of current practice / provision / performance / Evidence source
·  it has targets for improving performance in basic skills that are quantifiable, measurable, realistic and evidence based; / Targets are set for the school and shared with the LA for end of Key Stage results. These are based on prior attainment and taking guidance from Fischer Family Trust and RAISE online.
The school has a good track record in forecasting realistic outcomes with input from teachers.
Targets are set for each year group and in KS1 and 2, the expectation is that at least 80% of the cohort will meet the expected standard for that year group- this is the first target for all teachers at performance management. At the end of EYFS at least 68% of children are expected to achieve Good Level of Development
SIMs allows us to review pupil progress towards theses targets.
Individuals are aware of their next steps for learning and can articulate what it is they need to improve. Pupils are involved in their assessment through the use of the self-evaluation at the end of lessons as well as peer assessment.
Pupils take responsibility in terms of tracking and evidencing their own targets (shown in Maths and Writing books).
Pupils are also involved in sharing their learning and successes at termly Learning Review meeting with parents/carers. Pupils are encouraged to lead the meetings with their strengths and areas for development. Pupils from Reception to Year 6 are encouraged to be involved in this process. Targets are discussed and agreed with the group.
Pupils identified as DSEN have their own Learning Passport with individual targets for Reading, Writing and Maths. Termly meetings are held between teachers, parents and the AHT for Inclusion to review and share the targets of those with individual behaviour plans and DSEN support plans/passports.
SALT services and other outside agencies such as OT set targets for individuals where appropriate.
Teaching interventions such as oracy and precision teaching also set targets for those children identified as in need.
Marking has been developed in order to ensure clear next steps and a positive impact for each child. Pupils are encouraged to respond to marking, helping them to move on in their learning.
Conferencing time is built into timetables in KS2 to impact positively on progress.
In KS1 time is provided regularly for children to respond to marking and edit and improve their work (in Year 1 the children have ‘Fix-it Friday’ where they respond to marking). / School Improvement Plan
Year group and subject action plans
End KS/year group targets
Annual target setting
Analysis of Testbase and use of data to bridge gaps
Pupil Progress Meetings
Yr2 & 6 RWM combined is tracked
Maths and Writing targets in front of books
KS1 reading targets on bookmarks in Reading Records
Guided Reading targets tracked in Guided Reading folders
Behaviour Plans
DSEN Passports/
Individual action plans
SALT targets
Performance Management
Precision teaching targets/Targeted Support
Pupil targets from annual reports
Response to marking
Pupil Voice
School Council
Reception Baseline data
Data from targeted support groups
·  targets are set at whole school, cohort, group and individual levels;
·  individual learners are involved in the target setting process at an appropriate level;
·  individual pupil targets are shared with relevant staff;
·  targets have a positive impact on learning.
Possible sources of evidence include:
·  Self Evaluation Form
·  intervention programme targets (where applicable)
·  curricular targets for English and mathematics
·  examples of staff (anonymous) performance management targets
·  outcomes of on-entry assessment procedures
·  English and mathematics task and test results from previous years
·  teacher assessment and predictions / ·  value added analysis
·  tracking records of school and cohort performance
·  discussion with headteacher
·  discussion with key staff
·  discussion with a member of the governing body
·  discussion with learners about their own targets
·  observation of curricular targets on display in classrooms and in books

1

/ A WHOLE SCHOOL STRATEGY AND PLANNING TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE IN BASIC SKILLS / Summary of current practice / provision / performance / Evidence source
·  based on self evaluation - which will include an audit of underattainment or underachievement in literacy and mathematics of learners in the school; / As a school we have identified what we expect of pupils in line with the end of year expectations and the minimum percentage expected to achieve this. Regular and thorough tracking of progress and attainment allows us to identify where individuals or groups may be falling behind this expectation and plan actions to address this.
Support and ‘catch up’ provision is provided for those pupils or groups on a comprehensive provision map. This provision map is monitored and reviewed each term. Targeted support groups are identified and closely monitored in reading, writing and maths to ensure rapid progress for children with identified gaps. These are operated on a 3 weekly programme.
All interventions are measured with entry and exit evaluations with clearly agreed expectations for the outcomes.
Senior Leaders are responsible for assessment and achievement and they produce a detailed school improvement plan, including specific action plans, which is fed into by the SEF and reviewed annually.
The half-termly pupil progress meetings between year groups and SLT allow discussions to happen regularly about pupil performance in basic skills. They also help to develop the ethos of individual teacher accountability for pupil progress.
A document entitled MATline (Monitoring and Assessment Timeline) allows us to map out and keep a track of monitoring and learning walks around the school. This includes monitoring of planning, which is stored in central files.
Year Group Governors are aware of the curriculum, skills, knowledge and data for that year group.
Our approach to Performance Management of staff requires all teaching staff to work on an area of action research to improve learning in their year group as well as working in triads across the school to share skills and expertise.
Clear expectation that all members of staff are responsible for helping to improve basic skills, including lunchtime staff (hearing readers in Lower Primary, testing multiplication tables in KS2).
Support staff are encouraged to improve their skills (e.g. HLTA status achieved by some). Training for support staff is delivered on INSET days.
High profile Inclusion Team, leading staff meetings, learning walks, pupil interviews.
Regular reviews of policies to ensure that equal opportunities and inclusion are adequately covered.
Inclusion Quality Mark achieved in May 2016.
Our primary teaching approach is through small group focus teaching which allows greater and more targeted support of individuals and also the ability to ascertain progress and make clear assessments
We also are dedicated to promoting collaborative learning in our children. Our children are developing skills in planning and learning together and engage regularly in peer assessment and review.
Our children have a clear sense that learning is a struggle and are keen to embrace challenge. They know there is no learning without struggle. The concept of ‘The Pit’ is one which our children are very familiar with.
Regular drop ins by SLT and YGL with feedback for teachers.
Developing greater understanding of working without levels determined by milestones. Documents used to track pupil progress and shared with parents.
Year 6 Booster Groups are provided in the lead up to SATs to help bridge gaps in basic skills.
Enrichment opportunities identified – Easter and Summer ‘Bounce’ club where children are targeted given priority to attend. After-school clubs promote basic skills – e.g. ICT, fine motor, story club.
Regular staff training from Maths and English teams ensures up to date knowledge.
A range of resources are made available to support learning across the curriculum.
The English Team have introduced a Must, Should, Could (MSC) criteria to use in writing. Differentiated assessments are made against the criteria and next step feedback is linked to the MSC.
Year groups moderate within and across year groups regularly.
Moderation cluster meetings held with other schools to agree judgements. / SIP
Year group and subject action plans
SEF
Curriculum Mapping Document
Provision Map
Assessment Schedule
MATline
Staffing structure
Action Research
Projects
Planning
Pupil targets in books
Pupil questionnaires
Book looks
Learning Walk notes