School Improvement 2021-22: Emerging Stronger from the Pandemic

School Improvement 2021-22: Emerging Stronger from the Pandemic

School Improvement 2021-22: Emerging Stronger from the Pandemic Dawn Haywood Chief Executive Officer

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Windsor Academy Trust

School Improvement 2021-22: Emerging Stronger from the Pandemic

“ Out of adversity comes opportunity.”

— Benjamin Franklin The focus of our planning for the academic year ahead is on how we emerge stronger from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Benjamin Franklin’s quote ‘out of adversity comes opportunity’ inspires us to look to the future with optimism and reminds us that we have a golden opportunity to re-imagine and reform our approach to education. We are at an inflection point where we can bend the curve of education progression to give our children hopeful futures.

Determined to rise strong from the pandemic, the Windsor Academy Trust family is focused on accelerating our students’ academic and personal potential. Following a robust diagnosis of where students are currently, both academically and personally, our planning for the academic year 2021-22 is informed by three significant areas of national thought leadership.

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First, The Confederation of School Trusts (CST) in their publication: Knowledge building School improvement at scale (February 2021) outlines four propositions: 1.

The goal is for every teacher in every classroom to be as good as they can be in what they teach (curriculum) and how they teach it (pedagogy).

2. For this to happen, we need to mobilise for every teacher the best evidence from research.

3. There is no improvement for pupils without improvement in teaching and no improvement in teaching without the best professional development for teachers.

4. Strong structures (in groups of schools) can facilitate better professional development and thus better teaching and improvement for pupils.

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School Improvement 2021-22: Emerging Stronger from the Pandemic

Second, the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) has produced School Improvement Planning - The Tiered Model that offers evidence-based guidance to schools to support their work for the upcoming academic year 2021-22. The three tiers EEF suggest for school improvement planning are: 1.

High quality teaching

2. Targeted academic support 3. Wider strategies Finally the DfE have positioned their ‘recovery funding’ for the academic year ahead around the three ‘T’s’: 1.

Our diagnosis, at the end of academic year 2020-21, indicates that 90% of students will be accelerated to where we would expect them to be through our curriculum taught by talented, inspiring and research informed staff with 10% requiring additional academic or wider boosters.

The School improvement approach for 202021 has the Windsor Academy Trust School Improvement Pyramid at its heart and is complemented by additional ‘accelerators’ for those 10% of students that require them.

Accelerators are aligned with the Education Endowment Foundation’s three tiers.

Teaching

2. Tutoring 3. Time

1.

Curriculum and pedagogy

1.

Teaching

2. Mobilise research

2. Tutoring

3. Professional development

3. Time

4. School Trusts

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School Improvement 2021-22: Emerging Stronger from the Pandemic

Windsor Academy Trust School Improvement Pyramid Our School Improvement Pyramid is aligned with the Confederation of School Trusts: Knowledge building - School improvement at scale (February 2021) four propositions and provides a framework for school improvement. All aspects of the School Improvement Pyramid are grounded in research.

School Improvement Pyramid

Personal Potential

Outcomes

Powered by digital technology Codified approaches

Teacher and Learner Effectiveness

Curriculum

Engagement

Attendance Diagnosis

Improvement

Great People - High Expectations and Aspirations

Great People: Underpinning our School Improvement Pyramid are great people, our staff, with high expectations and aspirations.

Exemplary teachers who are great at what they teach (the curriculum) and how they teach (pedagogy). Teachers who are research informed and who benefit from exceptional professional learning and talent development.

Diagnosis and Improvement: All school improvement first requires accurate diagnosis so that school improvement strategies are data and evidence informed and laser focused to drive the required impact. The WAT Assessment publication sets out our codified approach to diagnosing where students are in their learning. windsoracademytrust.org.uk

Attendance and Engagement: We want all students to be inspired and excited to attend school and to actively and positively engage in school life. Aspire and Prepared for Excellence are two approaches that support strong attendance and engagement.

Curriculum: The WAT curriculum ‘exists to change the student, to give the student new power’ (Christine Counsell). The WAT curriculum equips students with the OECD Learning Compass 2030 consisting of knowledge - threshold concepts; skills learning skills and strategies that lead to self regulation as well as subject domain skills and life skills; values and attitudes - character virtues.

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School Improvement 2021-22: Emerging Stronger from the Pandemic

The WAT Curriculum is built upon six principles: 1.

Student Learner effectiveness is developed through the Aspire Framework: six learner skills and six character virtues.

Threshold concepts

2. Mastery and deep learning 3. Long term memory sequencing and storytelling 4. High challenge for all 5. Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary 6. ASPIRE: Character virtues and learner skills The WAT Curriculum publication sets out our codified approach to the curriculum.

Teacher and Learner Effectiveness: Our teaching and learning vision is to engage, enthuse and inspire every lesson every day. Great teaching is developed through professional learning focused on: 1.

The WAT Brilliant Basics 5

2. The WAT Teaching and Learning Sunshine Model 3. High Challenge for All Scaffold

Character

I am respectful responsible

Academic and Personal Potential

The WAT Developing Teacher and Learner Effectiveness publication sets out our codified approach to teaching and learning.

Personal Potential: Our aim is for all of the students in the WAT family to have high aspirations for their future and to be inspired in the present to take action towards their hopes and dreams.

The WAT Aspire Framework supports students reaching their personal Aspire Mountain summit unlocking their academic and personal potential. We understand that when students find their passion they have a better chance of discovering their purpose.

The WAT family provides students with vibrant enrichment and extra-curricular activities, many student leadership opportunities and cultural capital building experiences through the WAT Pledge.

Learner skills

I can be organised become unstuck

resilient

self-quiz

creative

give and receive feedback

compassionate courageous

be collaborative communicate clearly

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School Improvement 2021-22: Emerging Stronger from the Pandemic

Digital Technology: WAT understands that digital technology, used in line with the SAMR model, can rapidly accelerate learning and help power student self regulation.

approach to school improvement. The series includes: •

WAT Curriculum

Students in five year groups: 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 have a personal iPad with the ambition to extend to all students over time.

•

Developing Teacher and Learner Effectiveness

•

WAT Assessment

•

Staff Professional Learning and Talent

Codified Approaches: This is the first publication in a suite of publications that sets out WATs research grounded codified

School Improvement that moves schools forward based on their position in their school improvement journey Sir David Carter, when National Schools Commissioner, developed a model that identified that schools are at one of four stages in their school improvement journey. WAT has identified where each of our academies are in their improvement journeys and provides differentiated school improvement to ensure progress that is rapid and sustainable.

1. Stabilise

3. Improve

•

•

Empowerment at all levels

•

Systems and routines start to become embedded

•

Tipping point reached

Broken and requires significant improvement

•

No clear underpinning for the future

•

Capacity receiver

2. Repair

4. Sustain

•

Leadership more proactive

•

Leading school across the family

•

Control from chaos

•

Confident, innovative and collaborative

•

Systems and routines in place

•

Capacity giver

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School Improvement 2021-22: Emerging Stronger from the Pandemic

Get in touch windsoracademytrust.org.uk

windsoracademytrust.org.uk

@WinAcadTrust

Windsor Academy Trust