DASP

Education Development Plan (EDP)

Priority 3: Enhance schools capability to track and support pupil progress, through a consistent framework of support, to raise standards

An important priority is to provide feedback to all schools about their pupils performance at key points in the school year. To date, information has been provided covering the performance of pupils in the National Curriculum key stage assessments, showing comparisons with the Dorset and National averages and school trends over time. Also, in order to support better tracking of pupils progress year 4 tests have been introduced and it is a priority to include tests in years 7 and 8 in 2001.

Areas of particular importance highlighted in the plans for this academic year include the provision for the development of value added and pyramid performance data. It is clearly important that all schools should be able to show the progress their pupils make as a result of what they do. Value added data will support this by showing the progress pupils make between two fixed points. For example, key stage 1 to year 4 or Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 etc. Drawing on the experience of one pyramid of schools, which has been developed to a 4 to 19 assessment record, information will be provided in particular, to aid the pupils transition between schools. This is a crucial area to address in order to raise standards. All the research shows clearly that the potential for pupils to make unsatisfactory levels of progress is significant at the time of changing schools.

Overall, the use of pupil performance data is a key priority which runs through the EDP. Analysis of data at school level is fundamental to setting of targets for school improvement.

Year Two Activities:

(a) Provide value-added data to support school improvement and to enable schools to set targets.

Person Responsible: Les Cowling

(b) Support the introduction of Year 7 and 8 tests and the continuing development of tests in Year 4 to take forward individual target-setting in Key Stages 2 and 3.

Persons Responsible: Les Cowling / Graham Langtree / Teresa Bain

(c) Provide pyramid performance data to enhance continuity and progression between schools and to support pyramid improvement plans.

Persons Responsible: Les Cowling / Harry Turner

(d) Improve support for pupils with SEN by introducing systems to monitor and track progress.

Persons Responsible: Les Cowling / Steve Cottrell

(e) Support improvements in areas with above average rate of exclusion and truancy.

Person Responsible: David Bowen

Priority 4: Improve ICT capability

This is both a national and local priority in which Dorset schools have shown significant improvement during the last two years. The standards achieved by pupils and the provision made for ICT, are no longer consistently identified as weaknesses in OfSTED inspections. The work carried out by the Dorset ICT team has also gained national recognition.

Examples of the outcomes resulting from work already undertaken in the EDP include: all schools on ISDN line with enhanced computer hardware; some sixth form students being given access to the Intranet; all schools being given an aerial photographic atlas which gives stunning views of the land forms in Dorset; numerous examples of projects aimed at raising standards through the use of new technologies such as electronic interactive whiteboards.

The overall priority is to continue to support schools and enable them to use ICT to effect whole school improvement and to raise standards further. Key priorities for the year focus on continuing to develop teacher expertise, the provision of models of planning for Key Stage 3 and to raise standards in Key Stage 4. Importantly, through the year, the ICT team will monitor progress in some schools to seek the evidence of effective practice which will be used to support future improvements, throughout the County.

Year Two Activities:

(a) Develop teacher expertise and confidence in using ICT for the second cohort of teachers.

Person Responsible: Martin Graham

(b) Monitoring the impact of NGfL / SWGfL on standards.

Person Responsible: Martin Graham

(d) Raise teacher expectations.

Person Responsible: Martin Graham