Why this is leading practice
- impacts directly on standards
- impacts on cross curricular standards
- recognised by the local authority
- shared in many local primary/secondary schools
- supports personalised agenda
- promotes independence
- promotes progression through the whole school
Impact to date
The whole school approach to this initiative is the very backbone of its success. The work has been led by a very able deputy head teacher who has been an AST for literacy in the local authority. Her subject knowledge and understanding of how to improve standards has led to this method of all year groups in the school using a writing checklist that has been devised for them. All children know their specific targets for writing and these have been carefully graded to support progression.
The system has been well tested within the school and the deputy head teacher / AST has shared this approach with other schools in the authority who were having similar diffficulties and have now found success using the method. A school in an area of deprivation has made a huge improvement in the quality of writing working in a collaborative way with Skelton Primary.
Staff have been carefully trained and supported in this method to ensure equality of access and delivery across the school. The writing checklist is used in a cross curricular way, supporting writing in all areas of the curriculum. The improved sentence structure and punctuation lifts the quality of the children's writing. The children like it because they know how to improve in small steps, parents are very supportive and the checklist is used as appropriate when children are doing homework. The writing checklist has been helpful with marking, making it more relevant and focused.
Targets and progression are maintained more easily through transition from year group to year group enabling a consistancy of approach.
Rationale / Start Point
- Addresses children’s needs
- Based on whole school audit – highlighted weakness in sentence structure. Has been turned into a strength of the school
- Reflects national/regional picture – weakness in writing
- Strength of the school
- Confidence of staff
- Directly impacts on standards
Key Strategies
- Whole school approach
- Shared CPD through staff meetings and training days
- Successful coaching and mentoring
- A collaborative approach with other schools
- Excellent leadership
- Secure and concise subject knowledge
- Shared in 'small steps' to success
- Documentation directly linked to National Curriculum, optional SATs, APP - using the same language
- Sharing philosophy with partners - parents and governors
- A careful eye on transition keeps the progression moving
Sustainability and Further Development
The writing checklist system has been tremendously successful in Skelton Primary School, It has been embedded over a number of years, through changes in staffing. The philosophy has been shared with other schools successfully. The biggest challenge to Skelton Primary is ensuring the sustainability in the future as the lead practitioner, deputy head teacher, is moving to a headship within the authority.
I am sure that the enthusiasm and committment of this individual will influence the practice in the new school and develop further partnership working. The whole school approach to this way of working at Skelton will ensure the good practice continues.