School Development Plan (meeting for parents)

1. School Development Plan (meeting for parents) September 2010

2. Our aim is to lead a school… …that is committed to • developing the spiritual life, faith journey and Catholicity of all • promoting a love for learning and life long learners …which provides • the best possible start in education so that all are able to achieve their potential and make the most of their God given abilities and talents …in which • all pupils are able to develop life skills so that they are prepared for their future, whatever that may be. …that is • outstanding

3. Monitor and evaluate current practice Update a school Self Evaluation Form (SEF) Write a 1 year and a 3 year School Development Plan (SDP) Implement actions Monitor and evaluate It is important to include all stakeholders in all of the above. How do schools further improve / achieve their aims?

4. Ofsted visit schools regularly in order to: • Provide an independent, external evaluation of the quality and standards • Inform parents, the school and the wider community about the quality of the education in the school • Promote a culture of self-evaluation and improvement • Tackle underachievement and progress of vulnerable pupils and groups We received our last Ofsted inspection in June 2008 and I am expecting an inspection this year. Since September 2009 there has been a new Ofsted Framework – we now need to ‘run to stand still’. Once a faith school has received an Ofsted inspection, an RE inspection will follow shortly.

5. Religious Education In the last year: • INSET taken place (led by Angela O’Hara from the Diocese) in order to further develop teachers knowledge of RE level descriptors • Work scrutiny of more able pupils work undertaken by Headteacher, RE coordinator and Angela O’Hara • Termly work scrutiny to take place (next scrutiny early November) • Assemblies now taking place to acknowledge eg Jewish New Year, Islamic New Year. • Multi faith links identified during Deep learning topics (Talk through relevant School Development Plan targets)

6. Outcomes (Assessment) In the last year: • New assessment coordinator began in November 2009. • Robust termly Pupil Progress Meetings - all pupils not on track to make expected rates of progress are identified as well as those who are not on track to achieve national expectation • Assessment coordinator and class teacher identify what can be done in addition or differently to address this. 1:1 tuition or intervention may take place. Parents informed of this information and ways in which they can support. • All Year 2 SATS results are thoroughly moderated (a 2-3 day process that also includes relevant Governors) before they are sent to the Local Authority. • Termly moderation for maths and writing to ensure all awarded levels are correct (Talk through relevant School Development Plan targets)

7. Provision (Teaching and Learning) In the last year: • Planned lesson observations – 3 times a year • Learning Walks (a focused ‘drop in’) • Staff receive either mentoring, coaching and opportunities to peer observe or to team plan and team teach • Deep Learning planning scrutiny – to ensure progression of skills (Talk through relevant School Development Plan targets)

8. Leadership and Management In the last year: • Increased focus and inclusion of the Senior Leadership Team in all the school does • Further development of the Governing Body eg focus school visits • All members of staff have a main responsibility (generally curriculum) in addition to another whole school responsibility eg school newspaper – this will result in increased distributed leadership • All staff given designated time to develop their subject areas. They will report back on this half termly and annually to Governors (Talk through relevant School Development Plan targets)

9. Community Cohesion and Equalities In the last year: • 4 audits have been carried out – diversity, teaching and learning curriculum, equity and excellence, community engagement and extended services. • Policy and action plan written Child Protection and Safeguarding In the last year: • Audit of current practice • New procedures in place • Policy written • Focus Governor visit (Talk through relevant School Development Plan targets)

10. To summarise: Why do we need a School Development Plan? • To know what we need to do to improve and to identify how we are going to get there. Ofsted • Whatever one may or may not think of Ofsted, they encourage us to self evaluate so that we may improve. What they say about our school does matter and we need to be as prepared as possible. • Under the new Ofsted schedule, certain aspects may not be judged as highly as we were during the previous inspection. • However, we must judge our school based on varying criteria, not just data. This a happy school with a strong sense of community. Children enjoy their education and feel valued. They are given a variety of opportunities to further develop them into the people they wish to be. Most importantly, that we play a crucial role in helping children on their Catholic faith journey.

11. Our 'headline' (linked) aims are: • To ensure that within a year a vast majority of all our pupils make two levels of progress and within three years, a majority make more than 2 levels. To achieve this we need to ensure that: • Within a year a large majority of our teaching is at least good and within three years, a very large majority • Our leadership and management is strengthened at all levels These are very ambitious targets but our teachers, who are very well aware of this, are fully on board and feel supported.

12. Our aim is that all children leaving Cottesmore St Mary will have made the most of every learning opportunity so that they can grow into the people they strive to be, fulfilling their dreams, doing their best, showing resilience and standing firm in their faith. These children will have received an education that not only strives for excellence and celebrates talents but one that enables children to identify God within themselves and others, developing a self awareness based on the teachings of Jesus. They will look back on their time at Cottesmore as life long learners who have happy memories. They will go forth ready to contribute to and succeed in the world in which they live. These children will be confident in their faith so that in times of trouble, they can say Mane nobiscum Domine - Abide with us O Lord.