ELP primary curriculum support and capacity building plan

Overall aims of the learning and achievement committee plan

Strategies are in place to coordinate CPD and expertise across the partnership based on scrutiny of performance and other data

• There is a culture of trust and collaboration between schools to solve common challenges
• Leaders and teaching staff access to a range of experience across partnership
• Schools are given opportunities to lead commissioned activity on behalf of the partnership
• Schools have access to high quality networks and support in response to their needs
• The partnership is focused on closing achievement gaps and raising expectations for underachieving groups.

Research and inspection evidence suggest that the most important factors in how, and how effectively, the curriculum is taught and assessed are that:

• Teachers have expert knowledge of the subjects that they teach. If they do not, they are supported to address gaps in their knowledge so that pupils are not disadvantaged by ineffective teaching.
• Teachers enable pupils to understand key concepts, presenting information clearly and encourage appropriate discussion.
• Teachers check pupils’ understanding effectively and identify and correct misunderstandings.
• Teachers ensure that pupils embed key concepts in their long-term memory and apply them fluently.
• The subject curriculum is designed and delivered in a way that allows pupils to transfer key knowledge to long-term memory. It is sequenced so that new knowledge and skills build on what has been taught before and pupils can work towards clearly defined end points.
• Teachers use assessment to check pupils’ understanding to inform teaching, and to help pupils embed and use knowledge fluently and develop their understanding, and not simply memorise disconnected facts.

What do we want for our learners by 2023?

• Learners are confident in and enjoy their learning
• Schools can reflect on the needs of their learners and provide a relevant, broad, and balanced curriculum for their pupils.
• Learning is appropriately challenging, sequential and builds upon previously learned skills, knowledge, and attitudes
• Schools enable all learners to achieve or exceed national standards where they exist.
• Ensure that all learners’ needs are taken in account and are supported, taking in to account such factors as culture, need, ethnicity, ability etc

What expertise do we need to develop by 2023?

Leaders

• Managing and developing people including coaching
• Understanding developing and creating the best learning environment
• Enable their schools to be able to network and share with others to maximise effectiveness
• Seize opportunities and using a variety of strategies for continuous improvement
• Enable leaders to have access to wider professional thinking and research

Teachers

• Maximise professional development opportunities, including coaching, research, sharing and supporting others
• Provide opportunities for staff to develop subject knowledge and expertise
• Ensure effective classroom practice
• Support the development of leadership to enable all staff to lead and manage others and be effective team members
• Provide opportunities to share practice and network (subject, SEN, phase networks) and to visit each other’s schools
• Access to external networks of support e.g. learning hubs

What conditions must we create to achieve both?

• Map specific activities for ECTs, subject leaders, developing leaders, A and D Heads and Heads as well as governors
• Map and make clear the networks and the CPD opportunities for all staff
• Develop school professional development co-ordinators
• Develop school learning leads
• Develop subject network groups led by practitioners, co-ordinated centrally
• Provide CPD to enable schools to utilise strategies for continuous improvement, coaching, research, use of effective teams etc
• Continue to develop effective strategies and structures that enable schools to share and support each other with ‘high challenge, low threat’.

ELP curriculum development

• Each subject is at a different stage of development in schools and across ELP is being supported differently.
• Each subject area to be developed over time – starting with exemplification materials and moving to high quality subject leadership development in all schools – a master plan across all subjects. In addition, a CPD programme will be planned, by which is meant CPD in the widest sense, not just courses but a full range of CPD activities.

Phases for curriculum development

Phase 1 February/May 2021

• Overall curriculum plan for ELP written with the L and A Committee
• CPD programme agreed supporting ELP priorities
• Clusters realigned for wider professional development support activities
• The work planned by cluster leads will be completed and on EGfL by May 2021 half term
• Cluster leads collect examples of planning in Art, MFL, History
• Identified links and any further support put on EGFL
• (Heads) meeting highlights further curriculum developments
• Role of Learning Leads and clusters clarified for Sept 21
• Subject development plans shared on EGfL by May half term

Phase 2 May/June 2021

• 2 subjects selected for staff development support (G and H)
• Develop x no of leaders in those subjects (according to the expectations set)
• Materials for both subjects developed
• Need 2 in each of 4 or 5 clusters

Phase 3 December 2021

Initially, with Mark Hartley June 2021 to December 2021 (see below) with project completed with:

• Samples of plans on EGFL for History, Art, Geography and MFL
• Links, additional materials on the website for the above
• More detailed resources available for History and Geography
• CPD provided for X subject leaders in History and Geography (reps from clusters)
• Cross-learning clusters created in History and Geography with leads in those subjects

Initially, with Mark Hartley May 2021 to December 2021 developments for Geography and History

ELP curriculum leadership – lead learners developed

Start small scale with Geography and History. Identify “up and coming” curriculum leaders in each ELP cluster – those who have the passion, knowledge and understanding to work alongside Mark throughout the summer and Autumn term to develop their leadership of curriculum and learning, including professional learning. The aim is to attract individuals who are committed to developing their own knowledge, skills and practice and to leading and coaching other teachers as leaders and learners

Commitment of curriculum leads to ELP

Theses curriculum leads will then contribute directly back to their clusters across academic year 21-22 – they lead the dialogue and training with other curriculum leads in their cluster – they lead learning communities for their subjects and perhaps provide bespoke support to schools where needed. ELP invests in the training for the people; schools release and are paid for the leaders’ time later when they are supporting their cluster). There will be an ELP funding contribution to the school of the lead and their expectations made clear

• This model is reviewed and then possibly replicated for other subjects – some could start at the same time – perhaps science using an external facilitator. See subject plan grid
• This complements Approach 4 in the cluster development paper – i.e. clusters become the agreed mechanism for accelerating professional learning through the curriculum. This strengthens the role of clusters within the ELP architecture
• A ‘mini-commission’ for geography/history ELP leaders will be drafted and schools invited to submit an expression of interest against agreed criteria by mid -May ready to start soon after the May half term.

Group size

A maximum of 10-12 leads, at least 2 from each cluster to enable them to lead the subsequent development work in pairs. If this is not possible, we would need to re-think the delivery of training – perhaps combine clusters etc.

Work to date

Schools may be further ahead with history than geography. Some recent exemplification from schools with strong history progression plans are being collated so there may be obvious “leaders” for the project who can be developed further.

Model possibly developed for other subjects This is a model for growing capacity and if we get it right, it will be empowering and ensure that we have a mechanism for upskilling a new layer of leaders. The balance to be achieved will be for subject leads to feel that they are being given something of substance and value in return for their commitment to enable and empower others. The development of leaders in the maths mastery approach springs to mind.

Timeline

• Outline history/geog proposal (finalised by NC by May 5th)
• Communication to heads at heads meeting 5th May followed by invitations out to schools
• Expressions of interest by 28th May
• Confirmation of successful people back to schools by 17th June
• First intro mtg with staff 6th July pm
• All work and other sessions during Autumn 2021 with early September start

Senor leaders, Curriculum and learning leads (throughout 2020-21)

• Possible annual Conference ( in 2021 – to be held in November, probably virtually) 10/15 min presentation from schools and overall speaker
• A programme about wider learning issues/research/inspiring leadership
• CPD on leading dynamic action research to enable some schools to design their own CPD/research programme
• Ofsted update at Heads Briefings but also CPD for leaders and middle leaders re Ofsted

Subject summary

Overall aim

Build capacity and develop leaders, curriculum leads and learning leads to have overall strategy and curriculum ‘big picture‘ through:

• Developing links between schools for curriculum information sharing including subject networks
• Making links with wider support and organisations
• Overall curriculum plan for ELP written with the L and A Committee
• CPD programme agreed supporting ELP priorities
• Clusters realigned for wider professional development support activities

A full subject summary for school information that includes CPD opportunities, lead personnel etc. will be developed during May.

This will enable schools to see current initiatives, identify contacts and support and links.