Standards and Quality Report 2019-2020 School Improvement Plan 2020-2021

Rothienorman School

Head Teacher: Mrs Rachel Wood

School Vision, Values and Aims Our starting point for learning is a positive school ethos and a climate of mutual respect, trust and pupil voice. This area will form part of our new school improvement plan for 2020/21. Rothienorman School is committed to creating an environment where exemplary behaviour is at the heart of productive learning. Everyone is expected to maintain the highest standards of personal conduct, to accept responsibility for their behaviour and encourage others to do the same. We will hold ourselves to the highest standards and promote positive recognition for those who go ‘above and beyond’. Fundamentally, this is a joint effort between pupils, staff and parents/carers. As a collective community we revised our school’s values during 2019/20 session. As a result, we have new core values that underpin the ethos and day-to-day life in the school. These new values are: Achieve your SPARK!

Achievement Strength Perseverance Ambition Respectful Kindness

Our next priority is to involve all stakeholders in developing our vision, aims and curriculum rationale for the school and this will form part of our new School Improvement Plan as detailed later in this document. This is the foundation to building a successful school and one where everyone is respected, valued and takes responsibility for their actions. The values are embedded in all we do around school and we are looking at additional ways to ensure children live and breathe the values, so they are not just a gimmick or wallpaper in school.

Context of the school Core Quality Indicator Evaluations

This report shares the impact our School Improvement Plan has had on pupils’ learning over the past year. Using How Good is Our School 4? (HGIOS 4) our self-evaluation in key quality indicators is shown below: Quality Indicator Evaluation

Satisfactory

These evaluations are based on a range of self-evaluation processes which we carry out over the year to evaluate our work.

SIMD (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation)

The SIMD quintile profile for Rothienorman School ranges from decile 6 to decile 9 - no child at Rothienorman School lives in an area of deprivation (decile 1); almost all children are in decile 8.

Free School Meals & Pupil Equity Fund Allocation

Just under 8% of pupils at Rothienorman School are registered for free school meals. PEF Allocation received April 2020 = £11748. Details of intervention contained in School Improvement Plan section.

Other School Data

We currently have a school roll of 143 pupils in seven classes. 32% of our school roll is identified as having additional support needs and 68% without. Our overall school attendance statistics for 2019/20 was 96.14%.

Attainment Data - Attainment Data for Literacy & Numeracy (Whole School) Curriculum for Excellence Levels (Teacher Professional Judgement).

Attainment Over Time

It is important to note that the number of children in each year group is variable and the % value per child can also vary from year to year.

School data indicates there have been variations in Curriculum for Excellence levels across all stages over a 4-year period. In reading and listening & talking, the results indicate an upward trend over the last three years. It is clear from our data over time that writing and numeracy data isn’t consistent and needs to be focussed on over the coming years. From this data, the school has decided to focus on raising numeracy attainment by addressing the curriculum progression from nursery to P7. The school improvement target areas identified will start the long term process of raising attainment over time. In 2021/22, we will prioritise literacy progression within school focussing in the main on writing development.

We now hold regular meetings between practitioners and the Head Teacher that focusses on tracking attainment in each class. The school has developed a tracking tool to monitor a range of data that impacts on children’s progress over time. This data is helping the school to analyse the effectiveness of interventions more strategically to inform future improvement work.

In raising attainment further, children will be given more opportunities to learn in unfamiliar contexts that offer greater depth, challenge and application to their learning experiences. The Head Teacher will continue to support teachers in accurately identifying achievement of a level to ensure overall attainment data is more robust.

Quality of Learner’s Achievements

The school will be continuing to recognise and celebrate children’s achievements in a range of ways, including at assemblies, displays, newsletters. We will raise our awareness of pupils’ wider achievements and ensure all pupils have opportunities to participate in activities outside of the school curriculum and environment.

As a school, we are also starting our long-term school improvement focus of our curriculum. Through the work this year, we will ensure our curriculum develops the children’s skills and conceptual awareness whilst building on the four capacities of the Curriculum for Excellence. Our curriculum rationale will be updated to reflect the school and local community influences whilst providing opportunities to develop a coherent awareness of the skills for learning, life and work.

High Level Review of School Improvement Plan Progress 2019-2020 2019-2020 Improvement Priority 1: Leadership and Approach to Improvement

NIF Priority Aberdeenshire Priorities

1. Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy 1. Improving learning, teaching and assessment. 2. Closing the attainment gap between the most and least 2. Partnership working to raise attainment. disadvantaged children 3. Developing leadership at all levels. 3. Improvement in children and young people’s health and 4 Improvement through self-evaluation. wellbeing 4. Improvement in employability skills and sustained, positive school-leaver destinations for all young people How Good is Our School 4? Quality Indicators

1.1 Self-evaluation for self-improvement 2.4 Personalised support 1.2 Leadership of learning 2.5 Family learning 1.3 Leadership of change 2.6 Transitions 1.4 Leadership of management and staff 2.7 Partnerships 1.5 Management of resources to promote equity 3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion 2.1 Safeguarding and child protection 3.2 Raising attainment and achievement 2.2 Curriculum 3.2 Securing children’s progress (ELC) 2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment 3.3 Increasing creativity and employability Progress: What has taken place? (High level evaluation) Impact: Evidence of impact • During 2019/20 Rothienorman School has had two changes of leadership and had the impact of lockdown due to COVID 19. As such, many of the priorities and actions as identified on the School Improvement Plan last year were not achieved. • Parents are more aware of learning experiences due to the implementation of Seesaw from Nursery to P7. This was established in early T3 when the new Head teacher started. This platform was then adopted through the lockdown as the main communication, teaching and learning tool and was extremely successful. • MOST parents are now connected and use Seesaw to communicate and share in the learning taking place. • MOST staff have worked with the Meldrum Cluster colleagues to ensure a deeper knowledge and understanding of the Writing Benchmarks and moderation of a Level (October ’19 in service day and cluster collegiate meeting February ’20). • ALL staff are supported with professional development and developing leadership skills through attendance at a variety of courses and further reading opportunities. • MAJORITY of staff are starting their development of leadership opportunities with key responsibility areas identified. This will continue into 2020/21 and beyond. • MAJORITY of staff now have an improved understanding and awareness of Benchmarks for Numeracy and progression from Nursery-P7 through a staff leadership work on new school Numeracy Progression planners. • ALL practitioners have completed their PRD meetings with the HT (in and out of lockdown) and have discussed and taken on key responsibilities within the school moving forward. Next Steps: To inform Improvement Plan • Continuation of the work with ALL practitioners to finalise the Numeracy progression planner for Nursery-P7. • Document to also include vocabulary, mental maths and written calculation methods progressions to ensure consistency and awareness from year group to year group. • Staff leadership to be further developed in 2020/21 with staff leading areas of school improvement. • ALL stakeholders to have the opportunity to contribute to whole school developments even with COVID restrictions including a new school ethos and approach to positive relationships in and out of school. • Key positive relationships documentation will be simplified and consistently applied by ALL school staff. • ALL practitioners to be offered further training and development to support the delivery of high-quality teaching and learning experiences (Isabella Wallace – February ’21). • School vision, aims and curriculum rationale to be completed during this academic year to continue to drive the school in a new direction and inform our whole school curriculum development.

2019-2020 Improvement Priority 2: Teaching, Learning and Assessment

NIF Priority Aberdeenshire Priorities

1.1 Self-evaluation for self-improvement 2.4 Personalised support 1.2 Leadership of learning 2.5 Family learning 1.3 Leadership of change 2.6 Transitions 1.4 Leadership of management and staff 2.7 Partnerships 1.5 Management of resources to promote equity 3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion 2.1 Safeguarding and child protection 3.2 Raising attainment and achievement 2.2 Curriculum 3.2 Securing children’s progress (ELC) 2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment 3.3 Increasing creativity and employability Progress: What has taken place? (High level evaluation) Impact: Evidence of impact • Data is used more effectively to target resources for impact: Improved use of tracking data with ASN Teacher/Headteacher and Pupil Progress Meetings with individual staff during Term 3 helped establish needs of children and supported PSAs in delivering quality interventions to address these. Unfortunately, lockdown has hampered the expected progress of this. • Pre-lockdown, new Headteacher identified that unstructured times were main source of issues around positive relationships which had negative impact in classes and across the school as more time was taken up resolving issues and contacting parents/carers. • ALL PSAs involved in supporting the Rothie Outdoor Revolution (ROR) and with the support of our PPG, the successful application for a local grant of £2000 to be used for our planned unstructured times interventions. • During lockdown ALL PSAs and a FEW teaching staff who were also interested have completed further reading around effective playtimes during lockdown (“Creating Excellence in Primary School Playtimes” Michael Follett). Feedback and discussion with Headteacher held during lockdown on wider reading. • MAJORITY of PSAs completed “The Playtime Revolution” staff training resource/reflective self- evaluation tool during lockdown which will be revisited at the end of this academic year. • Staff confidence on staged intervention levels improved after staff collegiate time to moderate levels of example children. School ASN audit updated to reflect staged intervention levels of all pupils and paper trail improvements in process. • MOST practitioners attended and contributed to the cluster writing moderation event (in service day Oct ’19 and twilight collegiate meeting Feb ’20). Next Steps: To inform Improvement Plan • ALL PSAs to complete “The Playtime Revolution” self-evaluation again after the work of Rothie Outdoor Revolution is underway to assess positive changes and identify further target areas for improvement for the following academic year. Compare results to the original documents completed during lockdown. • MOST pupils report an improvement to their unstructured times after establishing Rothie Outdoor Revolution in school survey. • ALL staff report a reduction in the level of behaviour intervention (1, 2 or 3) and number of occurrences each week (weekly tracking statistics). • Continue development of formal recording and tracking of children with ASN to ensure effective differentiation of learning environment, work and resources. • Use support from cluster IPT (Intervention Prevention Teachers) to develop staff’s confidence in universal classroom strategies and support professional development of PSAs and teachers. • Continuation of the work with ALL practitioners to finalise the Numeracy progression planner for Nursery-P7. • ALL staff to be involved in the analysis of a variety of data at individual, class, whole school level (WTA).

2019-2020 Improvement Priority 3: Ensuring Wellbeing, Equity and Inclusion

NIF Priority Aberdeenshire Priorities 1. Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy 1. Improving learning, teaching and assessment. 2. Closing the attainment gap between the most and least 2. Partnership working to raise attainment. disadvantaged children 3. Developing leadership at all levels. 3. Improvement in children and young people’s health and 4 Improvement through self-evaluation. wellbeing 4. Improvement in employability skills and sustained, positive school-leaver destinations for all young people How Good is Our School 4? Quality Indicators

1.6 Self-evaluation for self-improvement 2.4 Personalised support 1.7 Leadership of learning 2.5 Family learning 1.8 Leadership of change 2.6 Transitions 1.9 Leadership of management and staff 2.7 Partnerships 1.10 Management of resources to promote equity 3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion 2.1 Safeguarding and child protection 3.2 Raising attainment and achievement 2.2 Curriculum 3.2 Securing children’s progress (ELC) 2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment 3.3 Increasing creativity and employability Progress: What has taken place? (High level evaluation) Impact: Evidence of impact • Seesaw established in early 2020 to improve communication with parents and increase partnership opportunities between home and school. • School Twitter page established in Jan 2020 to promote the successes of the school and pupils and share communication with parents. • Establishment of positive recognition ideas for those children who regularly go above and beyond, such as Hot Choc Fri. • DEN provision was extended from one day a week to five days a week to support the emotional and social well-being of an increased number of pupils (Term 3). • Pupil views are always considered and recorded formally as part of the multi-agency meeting process. • On our return from lockdown, the whole school had a focus on the topic ‘What does it mean to be healthy?’ and have looked at health and well-being of body and mind in detail, and took learning in direction classes have wanted (personalisation and choice). • Updated additional support needs (ASN) audit completed in March 2020 and teacher confidence on levels of staged intervention increased after collegiate time. • School data used more effectively to ensure the children identified as requiring extra support received it in Term 3 (before lockdown) delivered by PSAs through targeted and effective interventions and supported by ASN teacher. • MAJORITY of PSAs have contributed to the self-evaluation of the unstructured times by doing further reading in the holidays (‘Creating Excellence in Primary School Playtimes’, Michael Follett) and self-evaluation tool ‘The Playtime Revolution’. • Engagement with school PPG to develop more creative and imaginative play opportunities outside. Next Steps: To inform Improvement Plan • ALL staff to be involved in the review of the current positive relationships policy and to have a refresh/extension on emotion coaching training (with IPT staff) delivered in 2019 to ensure all staff apply this consistently. • Re-establish the DEN with all stakeholders (PEF funding a developed staff role to support children and families). • Planned spending of the £2000 local grant from lockdown to improve the opportunities for creative, cooperative and imaginative play during unstructured times. • ALL staff to have engagement with Nurture self-evaluation tool. • ALL practitioners to have opportunities to analyse key school data to help inform future practice and developments (PASS, SNSA, TPJ – Teacher Professional Judgement, SIMD, stakeholder surveys etc). • From PASS surveys, practitioners to work collegiately to determine key interventions to support positive change in the nine attitudinal factors surveyed with all P1-7 pupils at individual, class and whole school level. • Re-establish the targeted high-quality interventions delivered by PSAs to individuals identified by teachers on tracking and pupil progress meetings. • Establishment of a system to show universal classroom methods tried but unsuccessful and taking into consideration 5 key GIRFEC questions before proceeding with further staged interventions.

The Views of Learners at Rothienorman School

Capacity for Continuous Improvement

The overall capacity for improvement at Rothienorman School is good. This is based on the following aspects within the school: • High levels of commitment and leadership by staff who are dedicated to improving outcomes for all learners. There is a strong focus on improving learning amongst all staff and staff are committed to change. • Staff have a renewed and high expectation of all learners. Learners at Rothienorman School are fully aware of the new school values and MOST children are keen to strive to do their best. • All stakeholders promote a climate where children and young people feel safe and secure. • The school has a clear direction for future school developments and improvements and staff feel more empowered with leadership opportunities. • Productive partnerships with parents through a support Parent Council (PPG) has a positive impact to life and ethos of the school.

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2020-2021

Rothienorman School

Improvement Priority 1: Whole school ethos and culture linked to behavioural expectations and wellbeing of all stakeholders.

NIF Priorities Data / Evidence that informs this priority?

1. Improvement in attainment, particularly in Professional dialogue, informal discussions with parents/carers and self- literacy and numeracy evaluation of our school has identified this as being the biggest barrier to 2. Closing the attainment gap between the the pupils and school. It is clear since the new Head teacher appointment most and least disadvantaged children in January through observations and time dedicated to resolving issues, 3. Improvement in children and young that the ethos and culture in school was hampering any further efforts to people’s health and wellbeing lead improvements in other areas. All staff agree that this should be the 4. Improvement in employability skills and main priority, particularly in welcoming the children back into school sustained, positive school leaver routines, expectations and boundaries after the lockdown period. The destinations for all young people school relies on additional cluster resources to support several pupils in school. Through involvement of all stakeholders to create a new vision, Linked to National Improvement Driver(s) aims and behavioural standard throughout school and with it being School Leadership consistently applied by ALL involved in the school (pupils, parents, ALL Teacher Professionalism staff), we feel this would reduce the number of pupils requiring access to Parental Engagement additional resources both in school and through the cluster. This is the Assessment of Children’s Progress foundation to which everything else should be built. We will continue our School Improvement work to embed our new core values as decided upon and agreed by all Performance Information stakeholders in February 2020. Aberdeenshire Priorities Relevant HGIOS 4 Quality Indicators 1. Improving learning, teaching and assessment. 1.3 Leadership of Change 3.1 Ensuring Well-being, Equity and Inclusion 2. Partnership working to raise attainment. 2.4 Personalised Support 3. Developing leadership at all levels. 2.7 Partnerships

4 Improvement through self-evaluation. Improvement Priority 1 Intended Outcome(s): • ALL stakeholders involved in the creation of our new school vision and aims to support the work carried out earlier this year on our values. This will underpin the culture and ethos expected at Rothienorman. • ALL stakeholders responsible for CONSISTENTLY setting and enforcing a high expectation of our VVA and ethos within and outside of school. • ALL children (P1-7) will complete a survey around their attitudes to self and school including issues around confidence, resilience, motivation, concentration, disaffection and alienation and baseline data will be used to identify specific areas in school, classes, groupings and individuals to determine interventions/supports that will be offered in school. • ALL staff will be confident in using this data to ensure we provide the best possible outcomes for ALL pupils. • ALL stakeholder will create a new stripped down behavioural/relationships policy outlining proactive and reactive strategies and implement this with CONSISTENCY. • ALL staff and adults in school will be responsible for leading our new core values and ensure these are embedded into all areas of school with ALL children. • ALL pupils will be expected to demonstrate our core values at every opportunity (Achieve your SPARK! = Achieving, Strength, Perseverance, Ambition, Respectful, Kindness). • Creation of Family Link Worker role in school through PEF allocation to support pupils and families in tackling barriers to achievement and potential.

Improvement Priority 1: Whole school ethos and culture linked to behavioural expectations and wellbeing of all stakeholders. What Specific Actions & Interventions Who Links Management of What impact will be Progres Actual Impact (Tasks to Achieve Improvement Priority 1) will to Resources to measured? s How do we know? lead? Standa Promote Equity - Q.I. Use Education Scotland Complet (Performance Data / Q.I. rd 1.5 Terminology e Documentation / Challenge Questions / 1.3 GTCS Ongoing PEF Time Stakeholders’ Views)? Leader Utilise Resource No Prog. ship of d? Change VVA 3.2.1 School ALL practitioners report that they have Improvement contributed to the strategic improvement Continuation of work to develop the school’s VVA (Vision and Aims) with the whole school community to build upon the work Meetings (See of our whole school VVA. 3.4.2 WTA)

in Feb 2020 values. ALL parents/carers given opportunity to

X Inservice Day Nov contribute to VVA with MAJORITY ‘20 providing feedback. • What strategies do we employ to translate our vision,

2021 values and aims into daily practice within our school and Parental ALL pupils given opportunity to contribute how effective are these? an Pupils engagement to VVA with ALMOST ALL/ALL providing

• How well do we ensure ALL children feel safe, healthy, staff ALL opportunities feedback.

By By J Rachel Wood Rachel achieving, nurtured, respected, active, responsible and Parents/carers throughout year included? • How do we ensure that relationships with parents/carers and pupils are characterised by trust and respect? • How well do we take action to remove barriers to success? POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS/ETHOS/CULTURE 3.2.2 School ALL practitioners involved in the creation Work with the whole school community on the creation of a new Improvement and agreement of whole school policy and behaviour/relationships policy including agreement on reward meetings (WTA) procedures. system throughout school with whole school community (this Leadership ALL parents/carers given opportunity to includes proactive/reactive and implementation strategies). √ additionality contribute to VVA with MAJORITY SEE PEF (EW/EW) providing feedback.

• To what extent are our tools for change impacting OVERVI

positively on the whole school community and improving EW Inservice Day Nov ALL pupils given opportunity to contribute ‘20 to VVA with ALMOST ALL/ALL providing

outcomes for ALL learners?

feedback. 2021 • How well do children show consideration for others and Nurture SEF

demonstrate positive behaviour and relationships? Jan Pupils Evidence from proactive, reactive and

• How well do we understand our local community? Are the Values Boards implementation strategies (Twitter,

By By Rachel Wood Rachel key features of the local community reflected in our Parents/carers Seesaw, HT Recognition Board, DEN learning pathways? Stakeholder rebranding etc). https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/tools/guidance- Surveys reports/improving-behaviourinschools ALL practitioners engaged in the Nurture In service day SEF framework.

Elaine Ward Eilidh Whytock ALL staff staff ALL Whytock Eilidh Elaine Ward (emotion coaching, nurture training, ALL identified families engaged with new ASD training – Ed Family Link Worker role and MOST Psych/IPT?)

indicating a positive impact for their Formation of children in school. Family Link Worker in school – liaison MOST identified children with an increase with Fraserburgh in % attendance from Term 1 compared North to Term 4. PUPIL VOICE & SUPPORTING INTERVENTIONS/DATA Rachel Wood to ALL pupils in P1-7 to complete PASS

3.2.2 complete survey survey in Oct and again in June ’21. ANALYSIS Children in P1-P7 to complete a GL PASS (Pupil Attitudes to with children Self and School) survey as a tool to: 3.3.1 ALL practitioners involved in data analysis School and supporting leadership of change to

• measure a baseline and measure impact √ Improvement implement changes to whole school policy

• gain information about the nine attitudinal factors SEE PEF meetings (WTA) and procedure. • specific targeted interventions for individuals, groups, P7) OVERVI - Pupil Progress Information to be shared with ALL

classes, whole school 2021

7 staff 7 EW

- Meetings (PPM) parents/carers to ensure collegiality when • determine next steps in whole school improvement partnership working.

• Provide early identification of concerns and PASS survey Data June

interventions to support Rachel Wood Wood Rachel

and analysis ALL parents and staff given own By ALL ALL P1 (P1 Pupils (WTA) behaviour surveys and MAJORITY of • How well do we listen to and involve children in making parents to return and MOST staff to return decisions about their well-being, lives and future? feedback.

• How well do staff know learners as individuals? (Impact scores measured in June to to June in measured scores (Impact

https://www.gl-assessment.co.uk/products/pupil-attitudes-to-self- planning) in 21/22 steps next determine and-school-pass/ ROTHIE OUTDOOR REVOLUTION ROR) 3.1.5 PSA ‘Playtime MOST pupils report a positive experience Revolution’ SEF and positive impact from ROR plans and Development of Rothie Outdoor Revolution (ROR) plans from pre-lockdown. Partnership working with PPG (Parent Council), from March ‘20 implementation. 3.2.1 PSAs, pupils and staff to utilise the Ventient Energy PSA notes from MOST parents/carers report a positive X Gordonstown Fyvie & Rothienorman Community Fund totalling Book Club experience and positive impact from ROR £2000 successfully applied for during lockdown to enhance 3.4.2 (Creating plans and implementation. outdoor learning opportunities at unstructured times and Excellence…) improve positive relationships (reducing practitioner ALL PSAs/practitioners report a positive Pupil/Parent experience and positive impact from ROR interventions).

• How well do we identify priorities, communicate, plan, Surveys (pre and plans and implementation.

post) monitor and evaluate our work with partners? Are we clear ALL PSAs to complete Playtime

what value added each partnership brings? PPG Grant Revolution SEF documentation from Pupils

• How well do we seek out and respond positively to / proposal and lockdown (PSAs) in June ’21 as a

potential partnerships which will lead to better outcomes meeting minutes comparison. PSAs for the children we work with? on spending

ALL practitioners have a reduction in time 2021 By June • How well do ALL staff understand their role and staff All PSA meetings allocated for Circle Time conversations in responsibility in supporting learners’ health and well- PPG (Parent Council) (Parent PPG class (currently every day after lunch) by being? School 40% ‘Creating Excellence in Primary School Playtimes-How to Make 20% Improvement of the School Day 100% Better’ Michael Follett meetings (WTA) ALMOST ALL PPG members reporting an ‘Playtime Revolution’ Learning Through Landscapes Staff Training improvement in positive interactions and Resource and Self Evaluation Tool In service day time relationships in school. Gallacher Gillian from support with Wood Rachel Nov ’20 with PSAs Reduction in weekly tally class/whole school totals for behaviour intervention levels 1,2 and 3 by 20% by Term 4.

Improvement Priority 2: Raising Attainment and Achievement in Numeracy (nursery-P7).

NIF Priorities Data / Evidence that informs this priority? Data analysis from our school data pack showing attainment over time (2015/16 to 2019/20) 1. Improvement in attainment, particularly in indicates a wide fluctuation of children achieving the expected level of attainment at the end literacy and numeracy of key year stages (P1, P4 and P7). This could suggest an issue with progression from N- 2. Closing the attainment gap between the P7. The general trend shows a large dip between P1-P4 and then some value added most and least disadvantaged children between P4-P7. Numeracy is one area that is showing a drop based on last year’s 3. Improvement in children and young people’s attainment data. health and wellbeing Teaching staff (nursery-P7) completed a lockdown Microsoft Form around numeracy 4. Improvement in employability skills and progression within school which also indicated that improvements needed made. Feedback sustained, positive school leaver from newer teaching staff also found that the school needed to look at supporting destinations for all young people documentation to support staff in the planning, teaching, assessing and moderation of maths throughout N-P7 to ensure coherence and consistency. Numeracy attainment will form the Linked to National Improvement Driver(s) specific starting basis of our long-term school improvement journey for this academic year, ensuring we have a curriculum with the seven key design principles (challenge and School Leadership enjoyment, breadth, depth, personalisation and choice, coherence and relevance). Teacher Professionalism Whilst we do not expect to see triangulation of evidence indicated a substantial change from Parental Engagement the school improvements in numeracy this year, we would hope this would create a Assessment of Children’s Progress triangulation of evidence over time of improvement in attainment and achievement for all School Improvement learners as they move through the school. Performance Information Aberdeenshire Priorities Relevant HGIOS 4 Quality Indicators 1. Improving learning, teaching and assessment. 3.2 Raising attainment & achievement 2.2 Curriculum 2. Partnership working to raise attainment. 1.1 Self-evaluation for Self-improvement 2.4 Personalised Support 3. Developing leadership at all levels. 1.2 Leadership of Learning 2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment 4 Improvement through self-evaluation. Improvement Priority 2 Intended Outcome(s): • ALL practitioners (nursery-P7) to use new school progression document to support with planning, monitoring, assessment of individuals, groups and class progress. • ALL staff to ensure new numeracy vocabulary supporting progression is utilised to support the acquisition and development of key mathematical vocabulary to support in raising attainment and achievement. • MAJORITY of parents/carers report an increased awareness and ways to support numeracy outside of school due to the partnership links and resources the school has developed and shared. • MAJORITY of pupils to achieve the expected attainment level by the end of key stages (P1/P4/P7) at the end of this year (also factoring in impact of COVID on attainment related progress) and increase to MOST pupils by end of ‘21/22. • ALL practitioners to design and use new written calculations supporting progression document to support the transfer and build upon previous years’ skills and knowledge (also liaising with Academy Mathematics staff). • ALL practitioners to design and use new mental calculations supporting progression document to support the rapid recall of key mathematical facts and support strategies used to estimate and calculate. • ALL practitioners to trial using the same documentation (‘splash sheets’) for each curriculum organiser to make professional judgements on acquisition of knowledge and skills ensuring application, breadth and challenge in assessment activities. • ALL practitioners to use the document to help set next steps in learning for pupils in class and when sharing this information with parents (formal reporting opportunities).

Improvement Priority 2: Raising Attainment and Achievement in Numeracy (nursery-P7). What Specific Actions & Interventions Who will Links to Management of Resources What impact will be measured? Progre Actual Impact ss (Tasks to Achieve Improvement Priority 1) lead? Standard to Promote Equity - Q.I. 1.5 Use Education Scotland Terminology How do we know? Q.I. 1.3 Compl (Performance Data / Leadersh GTCS ete Documentation / ip of Challenge Questions / Change PEF Utilised? Time Ongoin Resource g Stakeholders’ Views)? No Prog. WHOLE SCHOOL PLANNING & PROGRESSION DOCUMENT 3.1.1 RD ALL practitioners (Nursery-P7) using the Leadership new progression planner as a starting point Finalise and begin to embed the whole school progression planner documentation as a starting point for planning, teaching, Release Time to identify ind/group and class next steps. 3.1.4 learning and assessment to ensure continuity and coherence X School ALL practitioners show a greater awareness from Nursery to P7 taking account of local and national guidance

Improvement of the steps to progression from Early-Third

and policy documentation. meetings levels. on • How well are our approaches to raising attainment improving (WTA)

outcomes for children and young people? MAJORITY of pupils to achieve the expected supporter) Pupil Progress • How well is our focus on numeracy leading to raising – attainment level by the end of P1/P4/P7 at attainment across the curriculum? Meetings the end of this academic year. (PPM) • To what extent do we critically engage with research, policy ALL staff to critically reflect on and share

sources and developments in learning and teaching? Peer own practice through peer quality 2021 June By

• How much account is taken of local and national policy and collegiate assurance/collegiate activities. Rhiannon Davids Rhiannon guidance when agreeing the rationale for our curriculum? observation

• How well do we provide opportunities for staff to be involved Wood (Rachel time (WTA) ALL staff to utilise two-day CDP multi cluster

in and lead aspects of school improvement? training with Isabella Wallace (Feb ’21 in X2 Feb ’21 in service days) to support in delivery of high- • How well do we encourage staff to reflect on and share their service days quality teaching, learning and assessment own practice? with numeracy as first focus. WHOLE SCHOOL VOCABULARY & WRITTEN CALCULATIONS 3.1.1 RD ALL practitioners will be involved in Leadership collegiate peer observations with a focus on PROGRESSION Finalise and start to embed a whole school vocabulary, written Release Time numeracy vocabulary and written methods. and mental calculations progressions (Nursery-P7) using key 3.1.2 School ALMOST ALL practitioners positive

X local and national guidance and policy documentation, and Improvement feedback to embedding vocabulary and

liaison with staff within cluster including Academy staff. meetings strategies through CPD Isabella Wallace - • Do we have a shared understanding of what progression (WTA) Talk less Teaching opportunity in Feb in

supporter) looks like? service days (x2 days). • How effective is our whole school overview in ensuring – Pupil Progress children’s knowledge and skills are built appropriately over Meetings MOST learners (N-P7) show increased (PPM) knowledge and awareness of numeracy time? vocabulary and rapid recall facts (baseline 2021 June y (NOV) to final assessment (JUNE). B

Rhiannon Davidson Rhiannon MAJORITY of learners articulate and record (Rachel Wood Wood (Rachel agreed written methods (for addition and subtraction only as a starting point) in line with school progression documentation through pupil groups.

ASSESSMENT, TRACKING & MODERATION 2.1.5 RD ALL practitioners critically reflect and Staff reflectively trial the progression ‘splash sheets’ for each Leadership feedback on the trial of ‘splash sheets’ to curriculum organiser to track and assess progress of attainment Release Time track and assess progress/attainment of 3.1.4 and achievement for groups of learners. groups and classes of learners. X School Use the document to have professional discussions around 3.3.1 Improvement ALL practitioners to use the progression barriers to achievement, progress and specific interventions at meetings documentation to have professional Pupil Progress Meetings (PPMs) three times a year. (WTA) dialogue during PPMs three times a year. Staff to reflectively analyse different data forms to make 3.4.2 professional judgements and use all data to inform future Pupil Progress ALL practitioners to use allocated time to individual and collective school improvements (SNSA, TPJ, Meetings analyse different data forms to determine

supporter) (PPM)

individual and collective improvements to

holistic assessment). – ensure all learners achieve potential. • How well do we use evidence from tracking meetings (PPM), Staff professional dialogue and assessments to measure collegiate ALL practitioners to use this documentation progress over time and in particular points of transition? planning as a starting point for planning thinking of • How well do we record, analyse and use assessment meetings the moderation cycle and it be evidenced in 2021 June By information to identify development needs for individual Davidson Rhiannon (WTA) forward planning.

learners and specific groups? Wood (Rachel ALL practitioners to work collegiately within • How well is assessment evidence used to inform teacher stages to create opportunities/activities for judgements? holistic assessment. • How well do we apply the principles of planning, observation, assessment, recording and reporting as an ALL practitioner to use this as a basis for integral feature of learning and teaching? target setting formally and informally and share with pupils, parents/carers. HOME/SCHOOL & CLUSTER/ACADEMY PARTNERSHIPS 3.1.5 RD MOST pupils show an awareness of their Leadership current numeracy target area from the use To build upon partnerships between home and school to ensure the best possible outcomes for all learners. Release Time of the progression planner document.

To communicate and share with home our new agreed methods 3.3.1 X School MOST parents/carers have an awareness of and progressions to ensure clarity (through various digital/non- Improvement their child’s current numeracy target area digital channels). meetings from the use of the progression planner To continue to collaborate with cluster colleagues and Academy (WTA) document. mathematics colleagues to ensure continuity and progression into the senior phase. Pupil Progress MAJORITY of parents/carers agree to having 1

supporter) Meetings

an awareness of knowledge about where to 202

• How well does our work with partners ensure positive – (PPM) find information relating to the school’s

outcomes for all learners? agreed numeracy progression (including PPG

• How effective are our approaches to collegiate learning? Are expected vocabulary, written methods, June we using an appropriate range of approaches which enable curriculum organiser coverage). us to learn with and from each other? By • How effectively do we involve learners and parents in Davidson Rhiannon MAJORITY of parents/carers and pupils involved in the evaluation of learning that

planning and evaluating learning? Wood (Rachel has taken place (report cards – MAY ’21).

MAJORITY of pupils involved in the planning of their next steps in learning using the new progression document in lessons (based on pupil group responses).

Improvement Priority 3: Curriculum rationale, design and development to deliver learning pathways and promote skills for learning, life and work (year 1 of a 3- year school improvement cycle). NIF Priorities Data / Evidence that informs this priority? Feedback from established and new members of staff highlights the need for the 1. Improvement in attainment, particularly in whole school curriculum to be redesigned to meet the seven curriculum design literacy and numeracy principles. All practitioners whether established or new need to have a clear 2. Closing the attainment gap between the most and framework for skills and knowledge progression. Our curriculum needs to develop least disadvantaged children the key skills for life, learning and work and reflect the modern world of teaching, 3. Improvement in children and young people’s learning and assessment to equip children for future world of work. health and wellbeing All practitioners need to also have a clear rationale for our curriculum and have a 4. Improvement in employability skills and consistent approach to ensure all children leave Rothienorman equipped for the sustained, positive school leaver destinations for next stage in their learning journeys. After some professional reading during all young people lockdown, ALL staff agreed that we need to create a curriculum that offers more personalisation, choice and challenge. All staff are keen to take this forward and Linked to National Improvement Driver(s) create a curriculum that has our local and wider communities at the heart and ensures skills, knowledge and aptitudes are built upon right from Nursery to the School Leadership end of P7, thus raising attainment in core and non-core curriculum areas. We Teacher Professionalism recognise this priority will take at least 3-5 years to fully realise but are all Parental Engagement committed to starting the process. Assessment of Children’s Progress School Improvement Performance Information Aberdeenshire Priorities Relevant HGIOS 4 Quality Indicators 1. Improving learning, teaching and assessment. 2.2 Curriculum 2.3 Learning, Teaching & Assessment 2. Partnership working to raise attainment. 1.1 Self-Evaluation for Self-improvement 2.4 Personalised Support 3. Developing leadership at all levels. 1.2 Leadership of Learning 3.2 Raising Attainment & Achievement 4 Improvement through self-evaluation. 1.3Leadership of Change 2.7 Partnerships 3.1 Ensuring Wellbeing, Equality & Inclusion 3.3 Increasing Creativity & Employability Improvement Priority 3 Intended Outcome(s): • ALL stakeholders given the opportunity to collaborate with the creation of a new vision with a clear curriculum rationale that is relevant for Rothienorman. • ALL stakeholders given the opportunity to have a shared understanding of what makes Rothienorman unique, what our main curriculum drivers should be to help us shape the 3-5year road to improvement with our curriculum. • ALL staff to be involved with and begin to implement the creation of a whole school key skills and concepts overview that curricular teaching, learning and assessment will be built upon. • MAJORITY of pupils will provide positive feedback on the use of the skills and concepts overviews within the curricular planning stages (with pupil involvement) giving them more personalisation, choice and challenge during their learning. • ALL practitioners identify and contribute towards the key curriculum drivers that should be the foundation to our curriculum. • ALL practitioners to develop and start to use (Term 4) a draft whole school curriculum progression document and provide constructive feedback in order to finalise before being used for the first full year (2021/22).

Improvement Priority 3: Curriculum rationale, design and development to deliver learning pathways and promote skills for learning, life and work (year 1 of a 3- year school improvement cycle). What Specific Actions & Interventions Who will Links to Management of What impact will be Progr Actual Impact (Tasks to Achieve Improvement Priority 1) lead? GTCS Resources to Promote measured? ess How do we know? Q.I. 1.3 Equity - Q.I. 1.5 Use Education Scotland Compl (Performance Data / Leadersh Terminology ete Documentation / ip of Challenge Questions / Change PEF Time Ongoin Utilised? Resource g Stakeholders’ Views)? No Prog. VISION/CURRICULUM RATIONALE Standard EW/EWh MOST stakeholders will have shared Leadership understanding on what the new vision is, Using supporting guidance documents, videos and activities from 1. Education Scotland, staff, pupils and parents to collaborate on a Release Time with a clear curriculum rationale that is relevant for Rothienorman. This to be shared understanding of what makes us unique, what our main 2.1.1 X School shared and used in a variety of curricular drivers should be and what our overarching rationale should Improvement formal/informal digital and non-digital

be at Rothienorman. This will be used to create our long-term meetings (WTA) means.

curricular vision for improvement. 2.2.2

How much account is taken of local and national policy and guidance when Inservice Day ALL staff have clear local knowledge and Nov ‘20 be able to reference key data to agreeing the rationale and design for our curriculum? To what extend do we take account of all the factors that make our school understand the starting points for ALL our unique? Pupil learners. Davidson groups/Pupil Do ALL staff have an up to date knowledge about local community and Council surveys ALL practitioners will collaborate with key 2021 June By understand circumstances affecting children’s lives and learning? stakeholders All and responses. local and Education Scotland resources to https://education.gov.scot/improvement/self-evaluation/primary-curriculum- establish our curricular vision and improvement-toolkit/ Parental view rationale. SIP) term longer of (part

surveys Rachel Wood supported by Eilidh Eilidh by supported Wood Rachel Whytock, Elaine Ward & Rhiannon & Rhiannon Ward Elaine Whytock, PPG meetings (RW) DEVELOPMENT OF WHOLE SCHOOL SKILLS (BASIC, ACTIVIE 3.1.1 EW/EWh ALL practitioners will collaborate with key Leadership local and Education Scotland resources LEARNING) AND CREATIVE THINKING SKILLS OVERVIEW Using the Monkey Proof Box to support our whole school curriculum Release Time and wider reading materials from

lockdown Book Club to finalise our foundation. Staff to collaborate on finalising a key skills document 3.1.3 X School curricular key skills overview. considering the pillars to Scottish Education: CfE, DYW and GIRFEC. Improvement KEY CONCEPTS OVERVIEW (PERSONALISATION, CHOICE/ 3.1.4 meetings (WTA) ALL practitioners will collaborate with key CHALLENGE & ENJOYMENT) local and Education Scotland resources Using the Monkey Proof Box to support our whole school curriculum Inservice Day and wider reading materials from foundation. Staff to collaborate on finalising and trailing a key 3.1.5 Nov ‘20 lockdown Book Club to finalise our concepts overview as the basis for providing a more interesting, curricular concepts overview.

Davidson Staff collegiate powerful and broad approach to exploring key topics. 2021 June y

planning time ALL practitioners trial both overviews for a B Elaine Ward & Rhiannon & Rhiannon Ward Elaine

To what extent do we make effective use of available support materials and stakeholders All (WTA) term’s planning using their collegiate information to inform the development of our curriculum? planning time (WTA) and provide How well are children involved in the planning and identifying opportunities feedback for further professional SIP) term longer of (part

for personalisation and choice? discussion/development. Rachel Wood supported by Eilidh Eilidh by supported Wood Rachel ‘Monkey Proof Box: Curriculum Design for Building Knowledge, developing Whytock, Creative Thinking and Promoting Independence’ by Jonathan Lear

WHOLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM PROGRESSION OVERVIEW 2.1.2 EW/EWh ALL practitioners to have a shared Establish a new curriculum progression for nursery-P7 ensuring it Leadership understanding of what our new curriculum meets the seven CfE curriculum design principles and has Release Time progression should look like. 2.1.3 Rothienorman community at the heart of its design (from our X School ALL practitioners to contribute to redeveloped curriculum rationale). Improvement developing our new curriculum 3.1.1

Do we have a shared understanding of what progression looks like? meetings (WTA) progression overview which includes

1 To what extent does our school team have a shared understanding of ‘splash sheets’ for our key skills and

3.1.3 SIP) term

interdisciplinary learning and how to develop it as an important context for Inservice Day concepts overviews. - 202 learning? Nov ‘20 How effective is our whole school overview in ensuring children’s knowledge 3.1.4 ALL practitioners to self-evaluate our final

Staff collegiate draft curriculum progression to ensure the June and skills are built appropriately over time? Davidson planning time seven curriculum design principles are How well does our curriculum planning meet the needs of different groups of By

All stakeholders All (WTA) met. learners?

ALL practitioners to agree how we can longer of (part track and support children’s wider

Rachel Wood supported by Eilidh Eilidh by supported Wood Rachel achievements as they progress through Whytock, Elaine Ward & Rhiannon & Rhiannon Ward Elaine Whytock, school and consider four capacities progression. AGREEMENT OF KEY DRIVERS OF OUR CURRICLUM – EQUITY, 2.1.4 EW/EWh ALL staff have a shared understanding of DIVERSITY, SUSTAINABILITY, DYW ETC) Leadership the new draft curriculum progression Release Time overview. Agreement from ALL staff around the curriculum drivers that should be 2.2.1

the pillars for our new curriculum to be built upon which will link into School ALL staff have a clear understanding of

X our key skills and concepts overviews. 3.1.3 Improvement the key drivers that should shape our new 1

To what extent does our curriculum promote equity and raise attainment for meetings (WTA) curriculum to ensure equity, diversity and

term SIP) term - all children? eliminate discrimination. 202 To what extent does our school celebrate diversity? Staff collegiate

How well does our school ensure that the curriculum is designed to develop planning time ALL staff to have a clear understanding June June and promote equality and diversity, eliminate discrimination? (WTA) on how we support the development of

the four capacities. By

Do ALL staff have sufficiently high aspirations and expectations for all stakeholders All children? Davidson Rhiannon ALL staff clear on the new ways the

How effective are we at nurturing creativity and innovation? school will monitor and track wider longer of (part Rachel Wood supported by by supported Wood Rachel

How well are we enabling learners to become independent learners and & Ward Elaine Whytock, Eilidh achievement from Nursery-P7. develop the four capacities?

PUPIL EQUITY FUND OVERVIEW

Rothienorman School

Pupil Equity Fund Allocation April 2020 Rothienorman School received an allocation of £11748. Data / Contextual analysis (what is the gap?) Interrogation of data and conclusions drawn from self-evaluation activities involving all stakeholders at Rothienorman School using Education Scotland’s ‘12 Interventions for Equity’ highlighted the following as priority within our setting when considering our PEF allocation:

• Early intervention and prevention • Social and emotional wellbeing • Targeted approaches to literacy and numeracy

Proposed Intervention Taking into account the views from staff and parents/carers, Pupil Equity Funding at Rothienorman School will support interventions to address the following key points: 1. Employ an additional PSA x2 days a week to support with early intervention/prevention of social and emotional issues (particularly on our return to school from COVID circumstances) within the classroom environment and provide necessary playground monitoring during unstructured times. 2. Funding of a new survey for all pupils (P1-7) to undertake as a baseline and at the end of the year (plus additional surveys purchased for specific individuals where more monitoring is needed and/or new children enrolling in school) at a cost of £459. The Pupil Attitudes to Self and School (PASS) survey will give us detailed data at individual, class and whole school level as well as the ability to look at specific groups (gender, ages, EAL etc) within the nine attitudinal factors. This data will be used to identify specific areas to include within the new positive relationships policy and guidance for a new consistent whole school approach. The data will also be used to report to parents at both the Interim (T2) and Final (T4) formal report cards. The PASS survey also links into the four main CfE capacities and SHANARRI well-being indicators. Furthermore, the GL PASS details intervention ideas to support the development of the attitudinal factors which will be used in school and encouraged at home as part of our next steps information. 3. The school is keen to establish a sustainable school resource and upskill staff so that pupils and families can be supported throughout their time at Rothienorman. A proportion of the funds will be used to create a new position within the school of Family Link Worker and will allow an existing PSA to take up this role. They will be engaging with families to support them and their child’s education and perception of school. They will also be a point of contact and will support families in ensuring attendance and lateness is reduced. The PSA will be guided, supported and upskilled through liaison with the cluster’s Pupil Support Worker, Intervention Prevention Teachers (IPT) and Educational Psychologist. 4. The remaining funds will be donated to support the work of the cluster Pupil Support Worker, Mrs Bowie, to ensure we have the support established and sustained for this academic year with identified pupils. Impact Measurement Impact measurement will be an integral part of our Continuous Improvement Calendar at Rothienorman School which comprehensively details a range of self-evaluation activities and data gathering exercises. This will be recorded and updated in our School Improvement Planning Documentation. All outcomes from these interventions are intertwined with the school’s comprehensive SIP documentation as detailed above.