This school improvement plan focuses on consistently improving teaching quality across the school. It summarizes recent observations of lessons, which found that 21% were outstanding, 48% good, 29% satisfactory, and 2% inadequate. The key priority is to reduce variation in students' learning experiences by accelerating improvement in teaching practices. This will be achieved through more robust evaluation of current teaching, identifying clear priorities, and ensuring consistent implementation, such as defining learning objectives and increasing opportunities for independent practice.

1. Teaching and Learning
School Improvement Plan
(February 2012)

2. a craft

3. a craft
complex
^

4.  Human
 Emotive
 Dynamic
 Interactive
 Multi-faceted
a complex craft

6. Dylan Wiliam

7. “Teaching is such a complex craft that one lifetime is not
enough to master it, but by rigorously focusing on their
classroom practice teachers can continue to improve
throughout their career. From teachers, therefore, we
need a commitment—not to attending a certain number
of hours of professional development per year—but a
career-long commitment to the continuous
improvement of classroom practice, and an agreement
to develop in their practice in ways that are likely to
improve outcomes for their students.”

8. “Teachers need to to take small steps as they develop
their practice. Teachers need to be accountable for
developing their practice—the evidence is that left to
their own devices, teachers improve their practice
slowly if at all. And because changes in practice are so
difficult, they also need to be given support for change.”

9. What is our current situation?
Quality assurance lesson observations (2010-11)
66 observations
Outstanding: 19%
Good: 60%
Satisfactory: 21%
Inadequate: 0%

10. What is our current situation?
Ofsted lesson observations (November 2011)
36 observations
Outstanding: 17%
Good: 41%
Satisfactory: 39%
Inadequate: 3%

11. What is our current situation?
CARE lesson observations (February 2012)
39 observations
Outstanding: 28%
Good: 33%
Satisfactory: 33%
Inadequate: 6%

12. Outstanding:
21% of
lessons

13. Good:
48% of
lessons

14. Satisfactory:
29% of
lessons

15. Inadequate:
2% of
lessons

16. Outstanding:
21% of
lessons

17. Good:
48% of
lessons

18. Satisfactory:
29% of
lessons

19. Inadequate:
2% of
lessons

20. Key Priority
• To reduce variation in students’ experience of
teaching and learning through a consistent
improvement of practice.

21. Increasing the mean whilst reducing the
standard deviation!

22. High Reliability Organizations

23. What the school needs to do to improve further:
Accelerate improvement in teaching and learning
across the school, through more robust evaluation of
current practice, used effectively to shape priorities to
be urgently and consistently implemented, including:

24. • defining clear learning objectives for students of all
abilities to know how to make progress
• planning to provide a range of different lesson
activities, including significantly greater
opportunities to practise independent learning skills
• using assessment more regularly to shape and inform
lesson planning and progress.

25. To eliminate lessons judged to be inadequate in quality
1 assurance lesson observations and other monitoring activities.
To increase the number of lessons judged to be good and
2 better in observations and review procedures.
To conduct a review of departmental handbooks, quality
3 assurance files and schemes of learning to ensure consistency
and quality of approach.

26. To create a voluntary team to work on specific issues around
4 teaching and learning.
To design in-service training on the issue of ‘approaches to
5 differentiation’.
To implement a programme for the Key Stage 3 gifted and
6 talented cohort which will provide opportunities for stretch
and challenge beyond the classroom.

27. To create peer coaching opportunities through redesigning the
7 teacher learning communities programme.
To provide a stream of materials for reflection and guidance to
8 ensure that learning and teaching are kept clearly on the
agenda throughout the school.