The focus of work for the trust in 2020/21 will move from writing (although this group will still continue to work together) to maths.
A maths leaders group has been formed to focus on mathematical vocabulary. The key aims of the group are to focus on:
- Knowledge lost during lock down.
- Lack of commonality of mathematical language that is taught and used across the school and trust.
- Enabling children to explain their processes in mathematics.
- Ensuring children are able to use mathematical vocabulary effectively to make connections to develop understanding of concepts.
- Middle leaders, new to the maths teams, to develop an understanding of how to ensure actions as a subject leader have an impact on the children's learning.
A detailed strategic plan is in place which is monitored by the group and reviewed and evaluated by the Trust Board.
We have now come to the end of our second year of work on writing but this has been a year in education (indeed the world) like no other. The aim of the writing focus was to ensure age appropriate grammar and spelling in independent writing.
The group followed the same approach as the previous Literacy working party which had a very clear steer and high quality collaboration proving instrumental to the success of previous work. This way of working was replicated; thinking first about the criteria all staff use to grade writing. Writing Assessment Grids were created and used by all staff across all schools. This helps to ensure consistency and when teachers come together to moderate writing the meetings are purposeful, challenging, constructive and move practice forward.
The actions taken this year have included:
- Literacy leaders have created a Development of Grammar Progression document using content domains from statutory testing. The document also supports all year group teachers to understand what the minimum requirements for each year group ensuring clear and coherent progression and allowing children to access the content of each year group programme of study without gaps in their knowledge.
- The group has also developed a portfolio of exemplified writing containing examples of age-related writing in each year group to support standardisation and accuracy of judgements across all our schools.
- An external consultant to the trust supported the group in many way providing support and challenge to ensure clarity around terminology. Key/core principles were reviewed and modified to be useful and allow for consistency amongst all trust schools without removing each school's autonomy. Lesson studies were also completed.
- All trust teachers received Talk for Writing training in November 2019, with an external consultant focusing on non-fiction writing.
- Collaborative training on the teaching of grammar took place with a LCC School Improvement Consultant to develop a shared understanding of grammar teaching and development of trust documentation.
- Moderation of Key Stage 1 writing across trust schools has supported teachers in reaching accurate judgements when externally moderated by the Local Authority.
Focus for 2018/19 & 2019/20
The focus of work for the Trust in 2018/19 will shift from reading - although this work will continue to develop - and the main area for Trust development will be writing.
The aims of the work are as follows:-
- Children make accelerated progress from their starting points (4+ jumps) in Reception class towards the Early Learning Goal in Writing.
- Writing outcomes at KS1 & KS2 show improvements from the previous year.
- A greater % of pupils reach end of year expectations in writing in all year groups.
- Progress data from KS1 – KS2 at least in line with national levels.
- An increase in % of children meeting end of year expectations in writing in each year group.
- An improvement in the application of age appropriate GPS skills in all independent writing.
- An increase in opportunities for cross curricular writing.
As before, a detailed action plan is in place which is monitored by the Trust consultant and reviewed and evaluated by the Trust consultant and the Trust Board.