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Moving beyond the floor target – Various Primary Schools, Bradford

Date of issue:	Jan. 2008
Theme:	Schools Causing Concern (SCC)

School(s) context and profile

The case study involved the following three schools:
Atlas Community Primary School
Bradford Moor Community Primary School
Lapage Primary School and Nursery

Atlas Community Primary School

Almost all pupils are of Bangladeshi or Pakistani heritage and 98.1% of pupils speak English as an Additional Language (EAL). The proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is over twice the national average with 95% of the pupils living in neighbourhoods described as being among the 10% most deprived in the country.

In an Ofsted inspection report of April 2007 the school was given a Notice to improve, and required to:

• improve pupils’ attainment;
• ensure that the quality of teaching was consistently good, and that pupils were suitably challenged;
• improve the use of assessment.

Attainment at Key Stage 2 over a three year period was as follows:

Although a new headteacher was appointed in January 2007, improvements had begun prior to his taking up post.
In December 2007, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate (HMI) judged that the headteacher was providing strong leadership and that the school was on track to be removed from category within 12 months.

Bradford Moor Community Primary School

The school serves an inner city area which has very high levels of social and economic disadvantage with 99.6% of pupils in the 20% most deprived in the country and 85% of pupils are in the 10% most deprived in the country, particularly regarding income, health and education. Almost all pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, with the majority being of Pakistani origin. A very high proportion of pupils (98.1%) are at the early stages of learning EAL. The school was inspected in February 2007 and evaluated as satisfactory.

Attainment at Key Stage 2 over a three year period was as follows:

A downward trend in Key Stage 1 results in reading and writing were largely due to concerns regarding the validity and reliability of pre-2006 data.
A new headteacher was appointed in 2005, and was very well supported by a deputy headteacher
and an assistant headteacher.

Lapage Primary School and Nursery

The school serves an inner-city area which has very high levels of social and economic disadvantage. Almost all pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, with the majority being of Bangladeshi and Pakistani origin and 94.6% of pupils speak EAL.
The current headteacher was appointed in January 2005. Prior to her appointment the school had seven acting headteachers in the space of four years.
In an Ofsted inspection report of February 2007 the school was given a Notice to improve, and
required to:

• raise standards and improve achievement in English, mathematics and science across the school;
• raise the overall quality of teaching and learning to good or better.

Attainment at Key Stage 2 over a three year period was as follows:

In November 2007 HMI judged that the school was making good progress.

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Barriers to improvement

Atlas Community Primary School

• There was considerable inconsistency in the quality of teaching, including issues of capability.

Bradford Moor Community Primary School

• A lack of consistency in teaching.
• From 2003 to 2005 there were concerns regarding assessment, the quality of leadership, and the inability of the school to build upon the very good start made by pupils. Overall, very poor value added.

Lapage Primary School and Nursery

There has been considerable staff turnover, and a general period of turbulence in the school since 2000. Concerns were expressed about:

• the overall quality of leadership;
• a lack of distributed leadership among staff;
• poor staff accountability;
• inconsistency in the overall quality of teaching;
• a tendency for the school to take on a number of initiatives before previous ones were embedded.

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The school based issues – what needed to change?

Atlas Community Primary School

• Standards of attainment in English language.
• Low staff expectations.
• Little staff accountability for pupils’ progress.
• Inconsistencies in the overall quality of teaching, with some examples of unsatisfactory lessons.
• Too little focus on learning, and pupils too passive.
• Too little account taken of pupils’ prior learning, or a desire to meet pupils’ needs.
• Pupils unclear of what to do to improve.
• Organisation of staff not focused on meeting the needs of pupils.
• The engagement of the school with parents, and the involvement of parents in their children’s learning.
• Too many initiatives taken on board, thus weakening the school’s desired aim to improve.

Bradford Moor Community Primary School

• Standards of attainment in English and mathematics at Key Stage 2, and contextual value added (CVA).
• The assessment of pupils’ progress at Key Stage 1.
• Pupil attendance at Key Stage 2 in particular.
• Pupil behaviour and their attitudes.
• Inconsistency of approach by a small minority of the support staff.
• The remits of the senior management team (SMT) and Teaching and Learning Responsibilities staff (TLRs).
• The culture of the school with regard to raising standards.

Lapage Primary School and Nursery

• The quality of leadership and management.
• The overall quality of teaching; some was unsatisfactory and there were no systems for assessment or planning.
• Expectations of staff.
• Standards of attainment and achievement.
• Pupils’ learning was inadequate, and pupils were not active in their learning.
• The culture of the school which did not value children, and where pupils’ views were neither sought nor respected. There were no shared values among staff.
• There were no systems for monitoring or performance management.
• The school environment was not fit for purpose, and there was a considerable lack of resources.

What was done?

Atlas Community Primary School

• The previous headteacher had begun to tackle the major issues in the school, and had begun to build foundations for change.
• The newly appointed headteacher had initial discussions with the staff as a whole on the low standards within the school and weak teaching. Thereafter he took the following action:

1. Organised one-to-one development meetings between staff and consultants, and bought in additional consultants’ time.
2. Initiated monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning using the criterion ‘Are pupils making sufficient progress?’ Prior to observation, teachers were required to identify how they had used assessment to improve pupils’ learning.
3. Began the process of changing the culture of the school, making it clear that there was no place for blaming pupils for making inadequate progress.
4. Moved teachers to different stages, and used all staff more flexibly.
5. Analysed the assessment of pupils’ progress.
6. Discussed pupils’ progress with individual teachers; determined which pupils had regressed and where there was little value added; and questioned staff regarding next steps in pupils’ learning. Staff were held accountable three times per year for pupils’ progress. Teachers were given the statistics prior to meetings with the headteacher, and asked to respond as far as pupils not making sufficient progress were concerned. Targets were set for individual pupils and groups of pupils in reading, writing and mathematics.
7. An assessment and review activity was introduced for all staff. Teachers targeted specific small groups of pupils and identified their needs with a view to influencing their future planning.
8. Implemented new teaching programmes in reading and writing, and emphasised the need for teaching to be more interactive.
9. Put a School Improvement Plan (SIP) in place as part of the Raising Attainment Plan (RAP) with measurable success criteria. In this the School Improvement Officer (SIO) was very supportive.
10. The SMT tackled the issue of staff capability. The authority provided intensive support for individual teachers. Individual teachers had been supported and coached and members of the SMT provided exemplar lessons. As a matter of policy all members of SMT teach at some point.
11. Teaching assistants (TAs) trained as Better Reading partners. Increased help for support staff who have been empowered to take ownership of what they are doing.
12. Continuing professional development (CPD) linked to the SIP and also to the needs of individual staff, where, if they were involved in specific CPD, the school would benefit.
13. Pupils' work displayed well and valued to help build pupils’ self esteem.
14. Provided intensive support to Year 6. Members of the SMT gave individual coaching to Year 6 pupils in English, mathematics and science.
15. Began to involve parents more.
16. Support teachers where necessary. They have a key role in the process.

Bradford Moor Community School

• The analysis of data and the use of assessment became a more effective tool in raising standards. The system in practice included:
  

1. Assessment windows in December and May.
2. Data entered on memory sticks by teachers, each of whom had laptops, and given to the SMT. Data included the progress made by individuals in sub levels. Analysis now including issues of gender.
3. Subject leaders review data; check value added for individuals, groups and years; and discuss with teachers where necessary. They have a key role in the process.
4. Assessment manager (assistant headteacher) leads meeting with subject leader and Inclusion manager.
5. Discussion by leadership team of implications for action.
6. Action plans determined to influence planning and teaching. Decisions are evidence driven.
7. Within this cycle is the school monitoring programme. Monitoring is done by subject leaders, TLRs and SMT. All staff involved in performance management, and all teacher members of the leadership team have a weekly teaching commitment.

All staff were trained to interpret and use data, which emphasised the principle that teachers were responsible for their pupils’ progress.
Other activities included:

• Staff were placed in classes/years dependent upon their strengths.
• Booster groups were held in the evenings in English, mathematics and science from January onwards. They last for one hour and no pupil is allowed to attend more than two. In all 50-60% of pupils attend one or two sessions.
• Intervention strategies take place during the school day.
• Pupils were set from an early stage.
• Layered targets introduced and displayed.
• Individual targets written in literacy and numeracy books and renewed termly.
• Extended provision enhances the overall conditions for pupils. A total of 16 after school clubs meet and provide a wide range of activities including four sporting clubs and others in cookery, spelling, German, dance and recorders.
• The curriculum was reviewed and theme studies introduced.
• Coaching by the headteacher of particular staff to improve the quality of teaching.
• School focused on sustainability; does not become involved in one-off initiatives.
• Alterations were made to the school’s internal structure to create quieter learning environments.
• Use of pupil questionnaires for feedback.

Considerable work was done with parents to try to involve them with their children’s learning.
Activities include:

• Meetings with parents from nursery onwards to introduce them to the curriculum; how they could help their children; literacy, reading, writing and mathematics; and National Curriculum tests.
• Contact with parents when school has concerns.
• Speedy contact if a pupil is not at school and parents have not been in touch.
• Profile evenings on progress twice per year.
• Parents’ meetings on progress twice per year.
• Parents’ questionnaire used for feedback.
• The Parental Involvement Officer is a key staff member in supporting and challenging parents; in working with them to aid their development; and helping to develop parents’ self-esteem to help them support their children.

Lapage Primary School and Nursery

The headteacher spent the first two terms evaluating learning and teaching, school systems and planning for the future. She proposed to the Interim Management Board (governing body) a plan for the appointment of an extended management team comprising four assistant headteachers and a School Business Manager (SBM) who would have the same status and salary as the assistant headteachers. This was agreed.

The following action was also taken:

• The headteacher was very clear and straightforward with staff regarding the state of the school and what had to change.
• New assistant headteachers, following a period of teaching, were taken out of full-time class commitment and began a process of coaching and mentoring staff.
• The headteacher dealt with issues of competence, and by September 2006, the workforce was no longer inadequate. Between January 2005 and September 2006 ten teachers left the school.
• Teachers were made accountable for pupils’ progress and targets for teachers and individual pupils were set.
• The Performance Management System (PMS) was linked to targets for whole classes or groups of pupils in core subjects. Every half term discussions take place between individual teachers and subject leaders or the headteacher, using a very detailed assessment and recording system linked to intervention, support, value added and quality assurance. Teachers were constantly challenged about individual pupils’ progress.
• The school began to move to internal moderation of teachers’ assessments.
• Each teacher knows each pupil’s starting point using the internal tracking system and information such as the Fischer Family Trust; targets and expectations are set and each teacher is held to account within a supportive environment.
• The headteacher walks the job daily and visits each class every morning; staff are thanked for what they do.
• The headteacher has specifically developed the professionalism of senior staff in areas such as competency, target setting, and monitoring. Their teaching was also a model of good practice, and monitored by the headteacher.
• One of the most important decisions made by the headteacher was the appointment of a SBM at the level of assistant headteacher. The manager has taken responsibility for all matters of finance, human resources, buildings and resourcing, thus releasing the headteacher to focus on learning and teaching. She is a key equal member of the SMT.
• The headteacher began to make parents accountable; she made clear to parents the link between pupil’s attendance, punctuality and standards of attainment. Parents are given information about Year 6 National Curriculum tests and the effect of extended leave and poor attendance.
• The Inclusion manager is responsible for monitoring attendance and punctuality; parents are contacted immediately if pupils are late or absent; and where necessary other agencies are involved in taking action. The community development worker works hard to bring parents into the school.
• The curriculum was improved to widen pupils’ experiences and make them more active in their learning.

In all of the above the school was given very good support from the authority. The SIO was hugely supportive, and the authority provided additional funding to help raise standards in teaching and learning.

Monitoring and evaluation

Atlas Community Primary School

• SMT meets weekly and evaluates progress.
• Scheduled programme of monitoring teaching and learning.
• Meetings to discuss pupils’ progress, including the analysis of each individual pupil’s progress.
• The establishment of assessment windows.
• Target-setting meetings.
• Performance management.
• Weekly plans monitored, after the teaching and evaluation of the effectiveness of the teaching has taken place, to determine whether or not planning was adjusted to meet pupils’ needs.
• Use of the criteria in the SIP.

Bradford Moor Community Primary School

• The use of assessment as a core process for school improvement.
• The PMS.
• Monitoring by the SMT.
• A clear, highly-focused approach to the SIP.
• Individual discussions with teachers.
• The use of findings from authority staff in the Intensifying Support Programme (ISP) and Ofsted inspection reports.

Lapage Primary School and Nursery

• The PMS, linked to staff targets.
• The quality assurance system, including the monitoring of teaching and learning – with a focus on learning.
• The tracking system.
• Discussions about assessments of pupils’ progress.
• Formal and informal meetings with staff.
• Internal moderation of assessment.
• The SIP; the RAP; and criteria for success.
• The use of co-coaching across the school.

What has been the overall impact?

Atlas Community Primary School

• Standards of attainment in English and mathematics have risen.
• Assessment now has a purpose, and is used to meet the needs of pupils.
• Staff are now responding to children’s needs, and are setting higher expectations.
• There is an improvement in the consistency of teaching, and teachers are now held accountable for pupils’ progress.
• Lesson and medium-term planning is now taking account of pupils’ needs.
• Pupils are now aware of their targets, and enjoy being both supported and challenged.
• Parents are now beginning to be more involved.
• The school is now using staff more flexibly to respond to pupils’ needs.
• The school is now focused on key issues and its prime purpose.
• Overall, there is a changed culture in the school.

‘We have been busy, but it has been enjoyable… the school has moved forward, but we are on a journey.’
‘The authority has been helpful and supportive when necessary. Our school improvement partner is very challenging and makes us think.’
‘The school is a better place than it was before – there is now a culture of learning where we are now meeting the needs of our pupils more effectively.’

Bradford Moor Community Primary School

• Standards of attainment in English and mathematics have risen.
• Improvement in the quality of writing, particularly at Key Stage 2.
• Attendance has improved to the national average. The remits of SMT members including TLRs have been amended and improved. All have been empowered to make decisions and take responsibility.
• The core process of the analysis and use of assessment information has become more effective in helping to improve standards, the focus of teaching and pupils’ learning.
• Teachers have a greater understanding of their individual responsibility for pupils’ progress.
• The effectiveness of support staff has improved.
• The overall curriculum has been improved.
• There is an overall improved culture within the school; pupils’ behaviour and their attitudes to work have improved.

Lapage Primary School and Nursery

• There has been a considerable improvement in the overall quality of leadership and management. The headteacher has driven improvements, but has also appointed and developed an effective SMT comprising four assistant headteachers and a SBM. According to pupils, ‘The change came when the headteacher came.’
• Quality assurance is embedded within the school and includes very effective tracking and the use of assessment information, linked to discussions with staff about the progress of individual pupils.
• Effective structures and systems are in place.
• An improvement in standards of attainment in English and mathematics.
• An improvement in the overall achievement of pupils.
• Pupils are now valued; they have a voice within the school; they enjoy school; they realise that the staff care and have become more confident.
• An enriched curriculum has widened the pupils’ experiences.
• A considerable improvement in the quality of teaching; teachers have sense of pride in what they are doing. The development of a strong staff team, which is well supported by SMT and also self supportive. A greater desire among staff to see pupils succeed.
• Higher expectations of staff; and pupils with higher expectations of themselves. Pupils know the level at which they are working and know what they have to do to improve.
• An improved environment for learning. Finance spent wisely and effectively to improve the school.
• Parents more aware of school expectations.

‘In this authority you are thanked, supported and provided with relevant data… it is very supportive… they want schools to succeed.’

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Local authority (LA) support and challenge

What did the LA identify as the key areas for support/challenge?
In all three schools the following areas were required to improve:

•  the overall quality of teaching;
• levels of attainment and overall underachievement.

In Bradford Moor Community Primary School and in Lapage Primary School and Nursery the following were also key areas for development:

• the overall quality of leadership;
• staff accountability;
• the effective use of assessment to meet pupils’ needs.

What was done?

• Following a categorisation of schools the LA determined the schools requiring support: a total of 53 which is approximately one third of the LA’s primary schools.
• There was a focus on working in partnership with schools.
• The LA had a clear determination to build every school’s capacity for improvement. They wanted improvement in pupils’ achievement to be built on solid foundations and be sustained for each pupil. They were not focusing on making short-term fixes to improve statistics through individual or small group coaching prior to testing.
• Having determined the schools which were either regarded as targeted or others requiring intensive support the following action was taken in all three of the named schools:

1. An SIO has responsibility for the action plan and the RAP.
2. Following confirmation of the RAP the SIO brokers support from consultants, who create a consultancy pack for each school.
3. The SIO discusses non-negotiables in ISP schools only.
4. A senior SIO deploys consultants to ensure allocation according to need. Frequency of visits determined by need. For example, a consultant was in Lapage Primary School and Nursery one day per week from January until July.
5. The SIO is responsible for monitoring progress within the schools.
6. Frequency of visits by the SIO is determined by need; visits can be fortnightly or every half term.
7. Pupil progress is tracked termly.
8. The head of service thereafter holds the SIO accountable.

In essence the schools within the intensive group receive more support than others and there is a greater degree of external accountability.

In future a SIP will determine school needs and priorities and will hold the SIO accountable.

The above is generic action which was taken in all of the schools named. In addition to that, however, specific action was taken in Lapage Primary School and Nursery to deal with the difficulties in staffing. The LA created a package which resulted in ten members of staff leaving at the end of one year. In the subsequent year there was further staff turnover. This led to the headteacher appointing new staff and a new SMT. While this was seen as positive action and necessary, one of the consequences was a loss of continuity and experience.

Monitoring and evaluation

• Records of pupil progress and levels of attainment were key items of data used.
• The success criteria in the RAP were key pieces of information against which progress was measured.

What has been the overall impact?

Atlas Community Primary School

• Levels of attainment have improved and the school is now above floor targets in English and mathematics.
• There is improved leadership at all levels within the school, and greater consistency within the SMT.
• HMI confirmed in November 2007 that the school was making good progress.
• Continued effort is necessary to improve the overall quality of teaching.

Bradford Moor Community Primary School

• Considerable, sustained progress in raising attainment is being made and the school is now at or above floor targets in English and mathematics.
• More requires to be done to address satisfactorily all of the areas of concern indicated.

Lapage Primary School and Nursery

• Standards at Key Stage 2 are rising and the school is now above floor targets in English and mathematics.
• There is greater consistency in the overall quality of teaching.
• Subject leadership has improved, and staff are now more accountable.
• The school is now a more stable organisation.

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Sustainability – what next?

All three schools will have another two years of support.

What will the school do?

Atlas Community Primary School

• Develop a greater understanding among pupils of what they have to do to improve.
• Ensure that the school curriculum reflects the community it serves and meets the needs of the community.
• Maintain the improvement for all agenda.
• Increase the challenge for higher attaining pupils.
• Help pupils become more independent.
• Involve and support parents in their children’s learning. For example, the Year 2 teacher is to train parents in supporting children’s reading.

Bradford Moor Community Primary School

Continue to:

• improve Key Stage 2 results;
• improve CVA to be in top 20% of schools by 2009-10;
• improve attendance;
• develop the role of middle managers and the team of staff;
• enhance further the culture of the school and expectations of parents, pupils and staff;
• develop the extended school’s agenda;
• develop the role of the governing body to help them become more of a critical friend;
• ensure pupils leave with higher standards.

Lapage Primary School and Nursery

• Discussions to take place with the governing body regarding succession planning.
• Extend the professional development of SMT members.
• Base future assessment on internal teacher assessment and moderation. Continue to ensure consistency in assessment across 28 members of staff.
• Continue to embed the new procedures and further develop the culture of the school.
• Move to collaboration and moderation of standards across teachers in similar schools in Bradford.

What will the LA do?

• In Atlas Community Primary School there will be continued support within the programme.
• Bradford Moor Community Primary School will remain in ISP this year; decisions on next year will be made depending on levels of pupils’ attainment and progress.
• In Lapage Primary School and Nursery there will be targeted support to build the school’s capacity for improvement.

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