ElmvalePrimary School
Forward Planning
Policy
Getting Started
The folder’s first contents should start with a class list followed by the class’ weekly timetable showing when each curricular area is to be taught. The following are the agreed percentages for ElmvalePrimary School.
Balance
Language – 25% (including 5% flexibility)
Maths – 20% = (including 5% from flexibility allowance) 6hours 15 mins
Env. Studies – 15% (People in place, past, society/Science/Technology) 3 hours 45 mins
Exp. Arts (Art, Drama, P.E/Dance, Music) – 15% 3 hours 45 mins
R.E./P.S.D./Health – 15% 3 hours 45 mins ( 3% or 45 mins of which is Assembly)
Teacher’s own flexibility factor (including homework) – 10% 2hours 30 mins
Timetable should detail exact use of flexi and split of broad areas (e.g. Expressive Arts into its 4 components).
Timetables should include a summary of the total times and percentages for each curricular area. (The
specific figures should be listed for each Expressive Art, R.E., P.S.D., and Health.)
(Some helpful figures ……. 1% = 15 minutes, one hour = 4%, 1 full week = 25 hours)
French comes from the Language allocation. The weekly Assembly, lasting 30 minutes on a Friday morning, comes from the P.S.D. allocation. Issuing of homework should take its allocation from the curricular area that it covers or from flexi. While the written timetable should reflect the above, the teacher’s own professional discretion allows him/her to use the timings as a guideline only, reflecting other events and needs as the week progresses.
A yearly timetable is useful in making sure nothing is missed out and makes it easier to organise educational trips.
Times when EAL, Classroom Assistants or Learning Support teachers are involved in your class should also be shown. Please keep your timetable up to date with any changes amended. Please send a copy of any amended timetable to the Head Teacher.
Beginning Each Section
Where appropriate (e.g. Maths and Language) each section should begin with the group names and a list of children in each group so that it is clear to whom the following information refers.
Language Plans
The reading plans should be placed first in this section working from term 1 (front) followed by term 2, 3 and 4. This is followed by the next group’s reading plans, term 1-4, and the next group and so on. This is followed by reading into writing and then group writing, term 1-4, the next group and so on. Listening and talking should follow. All plans should indicate the term and group name where appropriate.
Evaluations/next steps and assessments should be placed in the appropriate sections in a similar order i.e. reading, writing, listening and talking term1-4. Phonic checklists and common word checklists should be included in the reading section of planning.
Writing
Each member of staff should have a writing folder and from P3-7 each child should have a writing jotter. Each folder and jotter should be passed onto the next teacher. Each child should complete an extended piece of writing per term. Jotter and extended writing should be kept in folder.
Reading Assessments
Two sections should be selected per term as a focus for assessment. The next steps section should be completed for any child marked with a red or green.
Writing Assessments
All four sections should be selected per term as a focus for assessment. These four areas should be reflected in an extended piece of writing for that term. Make sure that when plans are handed in, the next term’s focus for assessments in reading and writing have been included in the plans.
Please remember that your forward plans should be a working document. If you are absent, any member of staff should be able to continue your intentions in order to ensure progression for your pupils. Therefore names of resources and page numbers are important.
Spelling/Handwriting Resources
SpellingLA P1 – Phonics onset and rhyme, rhyme and analogy
Pack A, Pack B, Common Words
LA P2 – Common words, Hand for spelling – not sheets, just words
LA P3 – Red Book Nelson spelling
Common words, Hand for spelling
LB - Nelson Book 1, Common words
LB P4 – Common words, Nelson Book 1
LC P5 – Nelson Book 2
LD P6 – Nelson Book 3
LD P7 – Nelson Book 4
HandwritingNelson P1 – 7
LA P1 – Workbooks 1-4
LA/B P2 – Workbooks 5-6
LA/B P3 – Developing Skills – Red
LB P4 – Developing Skills – Yellow
LB/C P5 – Developing Skills – Book 1
LC P6 – Developing Skills – Book 2
LC/D P7 – Developing Skills – Book 3
Please note that it depends on your children’s ability and notes from previous teacher as to which resources to use for your pupils, not their age/stage.
Maths Plans
These should be highlighted to show work planned, and they should be followed in order unless advised otherwise by the Head Teacher. Learning outcomes should be dated when completed. The problem solving plans should also be highlighted to show work planned but do not need to be followed in order. It is advisable to cover all strategies (not activities) for that level over the course of the year.
Environmental Studies
The Environmental Studies assessment sheet should be completed as the pupils progress through the unit. There should be three knowledge and understanding, two skills and one informal attitude for each unit taught. Learning outcomes should be included in planning.
Topics should follow the Glasgow Scheme plan – per year you should cover 2 Social subjects, 2 Science and one Technology. Teachers can augment these units or use other units so long as they cover the same skills and learning outcomes at that level. Other resources are available.
Expressive Arts
Assessment sheets should be completed twice a year for each of these areas. P.E. and Drama are taken mostly from the Glasgow packs. “Borders Music” and Go For Bronze – Kodaly method of teaching rhythm used by M. Douglas are the suggested music resources and “Borders Art” is the suggested Art resource. Please note these are resources and should not beblindly followed. Other resources can also be used. Please asterisk strands covered by lessons for Art, Drama and Music planning. There should be no highlighting.
Make sure the lessons (titles) are included. Remember that any member of staff should be able to pick up your folder and teach planned lesson if you are absent.
R.E., P.S.D., Health
R.E. topics should be taken from the Glasgow grid, one per term. There are a range of P.S.D. resources. Health topics are taken from the Glasgow Health folder and it includes a P1-P7 grid and composite class grid. There is now an organized health pack per stage which should be used to teach this area of the curriculum. Assessment sheets should be completed twice a year for each of these areas.
I.C.T.
Remember computers should be on all the time and pupils should be using them to support their learning. There is a wealth of programmes that support maths, language and other curricular areas. There is an ICT assessment sheet which should be completed twice a year.
French
The main resource used is the Glasgow Primary French pack.
Assessment Folders
Make sure assessment folders are up to date. Please include a sample of assessment from each curricular area, once a term where possible – language = listening/talking and reading. This folder and contents follow the pupil to the next class. Folder of achievement – includes certificates, successes achieved by pupils.
Assessment Session 2007/08
Highlighting ColoursFocus for Assessment
Reading, Writing, Listening & Talking, Maths – each term
Term1 – yellowTerm1 – P.E., Art, P.S.D., Health
Term 2 – blueTerm 2 – R.E., Music, Drama, ICT
Term 3 - greenTerm 3 – P.E., Art, P.S.D., Health
Term 4 – pinkTerm 4 – R.E., Music, Drama, ICT
Presentation of Work in Maths and Language Jotters
Maths
P1-3 Big squares 1cm. One jotter. 1 number in 1 box.
Date at top in short format – left hand side. Use dots not slashes. Dot in box.
Page number and title e.g. H Text Book in middle.
Title with chalkboard work. Miss one box between each sum.
Ruler to be used at all times. Make sure children date workbooks.
1 / a / 2 / + / 6 / =b / 3 / + / 3 / =
Language
Full date in hand writing jotters.
Language jotter – Date in margin. Title on top line. Numbers in margin. Miss a line under title.
Miss a line after completed work and rule a line in after a day’s work.
Maths
P4 – P7
Layout for Maths – one empty box, then question number, then one box, then write sum.
1 / a / 6 / 2 / 2 / a / 7 / 03 / 1 / 3 / 4
Rule a line after day’s work.
Language
P4 – P7 – No more than 2 jotters.
One jotter for reading and for language exercises (grammar & spelling etc)
One jotter for writing.
Set Out
DateTitle
Miss a line.
No lines omitted between questions.
Blank jotters may be used for Environmental Studies.
Old jotters may be used for any other purpose.
What To Hand In
Dates are arranged throughout the year to hand in each term’s plans. The entire plan is handed in to the HT. At times throughout the term, the HT or PT may wish to see your full plans again. Please inform the HT of any major changes in your planning using the evaluation sheets.
When handing in the terms plans, please include an extra photocopy of your:-
Yearly timetable
Class timetable
All curricular area group lists (e.g. language group members)
Make sure that the following are also completed and included:-
Evaluation of own plan sheets
Assessments
Learning Support referrals
I.E.P.
At The End Of The Session
At the end of each session the entire plan should be handed to the class’ next teacher. Extragroup listsshould be completed to note information if the class does not move on as a whole. These can be used for the various schemes in Maths and Language or elsewhere as required.
Monitoring and Evaluating Your Plan
As the term progresses, following formal and informal assessments, the plans should reflect and record alterations, changes and amendments to the teaching planned. The plan should be a working document. Such changes should be commented on in the termly evaluation of your plan. Itwould make sense to record this throughout the term rather than at the end of term.
Forward Plan Evaluations/Next Steps
Every term teachers are required to fill in an evaluation of their forward plan. This should record any major changes to the plan that were made or will be made. Comments should summarise and reflect aspects such as:- how well the children performed, how successful and suitable a resource was, time taken to complete pieces of work and changes in groupings, direction, pace, choice etc that will influence the next plan.
Next steps – where a child is green/red, a sentence must be included to explain what must be done to overcome difficulties, challenge (develop) strengths.
Annual Self Evaluation
In January of each year, teachers should complete a self-evaluation of “Teaching, Learning and Classroom Management’ and include this in their plan.
The following format (see next pages after Forward plan evaluations) is used for self-evaluation of teaching and learning. The sheets are filled in by the Class Teacher annually.
It is, of course, possible that not all contents of the checklist are in evidence all at one time. The teacher’s sheets will be discussed with the Head Teacher and this is an opportunity for the teacher to request support/in-service etc. Above all the exercise should be viewed as a positive and useful one.
Monitoring Of Forward Plans (Feedback)
Every term the HT or PT will give written and oral feedback to teachers at a meeting where questions, clarification or comments can be discussed. A copy of the sheet used follows at the end of this document.
Plans are returned to Class Teachers with a feedback form. The necessary alterations/additions etc should then be addressed. Within 1 week, the whole plan should be returned to the Head Teacher (once amended).
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