In order to sustain recent improvements made, the headteacher needed to review the school’s vision with all stakeholders. This included embedding a programme of monitoring, evaluating and reporting to ensure that all stakeholders were aware of the school’s baseline of standards across all areas of school life, followed by the priorities ahead of new curriculum. A timeline was then developed to bring the vision into action. Through a series of whole-school training days the school’s stakeholders developed its aims for the next three to five years. The school vision was re-written to accurately reflect the diverse needs of learners. This process included leaders, governors, staff, pupils, parents and community links.
To support the leadership team in enacting the vision, an innovative trial to introduce a new system for grouping pupils was carried out in 2017. This was led by the assistant headteacher and teachers on the upper pay scale. Data produced from pupil progress meetings was analysed and showed that pupils made accelerated progress in the trial. TLR holders analysed this data across the core subjects of Maths, English and Science. Supported by main pay scale teachers who led foundation subject areas all aspects of the curriculum were reviewed.
Leadership responsibilities during the trial period included reporting to stakeholders, leading meetings, carrying out monitoring, evaluating and reporting activities, attending professional learning opportunities, research and extensive analysis of pupil data.
All teaching staff were involved in the development of this new system, ensuring that the whole community continued to influence improvements in light of changes to the national agenda and the evolving needs of pupils. This led to an increased commitment from the community to understand the needs and the reasons for change.