Musselburgh Burgh Primary School

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2021-2022

SCHOOL CONTEXT, AIMS and VALUES

Musselburgh Burgh Primary School was built in 1964 as a merger between the original Burgh School and Fisherrow School. The ground floor of the building houses two classrooms, Nurture Room, large Assembly Hall with Stage, Dining Hall, Gym Hall, Nursery, Meeting Room and several offices. Ten further classrooms, a Library, and Support for Learning room are located in the two storey block. The TU in our playground will be repurposed and refurbished this session to create a Family Room space for our families to feel welcome within the school, while also offering an environment for wider community projects in partnership with our Excellence and Equity Officer. It will also house a dedicated Nurture and Learning base for our P1 cohort including a new sensory room. The Burgh is situated in Musselburgh town centre and has a very mixed catchment area, from the large, privately owned properties in Inveresk Village to a high number of council flats. Currently more than 65% of our pupils live in properties located in SIMD deciles 4 and below and the school benefits from the allocation of significant Pupil Equity Funding. This funding has been utilised to develop a Nurture approach across the school, including a Nurture base staffed by a Nursery Nurse. We have also targeted support towards closing the poverty related attainment gap through the employment of additional ASN Auxiliary staff. The school roll continues to increase and there are currently 316 pupils from P1 to P7 in addition to the 1140-hour Nursery with capacity for 48 full-time places. We have twelve mainstream classes with composite groupings at P2/3, P3/4, P5/6, and P6/7. The Burgh’s Senior Leadership Team has a relatively new look for the start of session 2021/22 with the Head teacher and Depute Head teacher beginning their first full years in post together following their appointments during the previous session. The school also now has three permanent Principal Teachers in post who share responsibility with the HT and DHT for the Early, First and Second Level teams. This year our Raising Attainment priority within our school improvement plan will focus on progress and achievement in Primary 1 and strengthening effective links across the Early Years, while developing a play based curriculum across P1 and wider play experiences throughout the school. At the Burgh, we are committed to working together as a whole team to deliver the values and principles of Curriculum for Excellence. We work in partnership with our families and the wider community to ensure that we deliver on our core purpose: to offer all of our pupils the best educational experience possible in a happy, safe and nurturing environment.

National Priorities (NIF)


In line with the National Improvement Framework, school improvement priorities should clearly articulate with the following 4 key priorities in session 2021/22:

  • Improve attainment, particularly in Literacy and Numeracy
  • Close the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children
  • Improve children and young people’s health and well-being 
  • Improve employability skills and sustained, positive destinations for all young people (DYW 3 to 18)

Local Priorities

East Lothian Council Plan 2017-2022

Reducing inequalities within and across communities

  • Implement the recommendations within the Poverty Commission Action Plan

Growing our Economy

  • Reduce unemployment and improve employability

Growing our People

  • Reduce the attainment gap and raise the attainment and achievement of our children and young people and improve the life chances of the most vulnerable people in society

Growing our Communities

  • Extend community engagement and decision making and increase community and individual resilience

Growing our Capacity

  • Deliver excellent services as effectively and efficiently as possible within our limited resources

East Lothian Education Service Improvement Plan

  • Improve inclusion, wellbeing and equality
  • Improve attendance and reduce exclusions
  • Raise attainment and achievement, particularly the lowest 20%, LAC and ASN in relation to:
    • Early Level attainment at Primary 1
    • Attainment in Writing for the BGE
    • Closing the poverty related attainment gap for our most disadvantaged learners
    • Closing the gender related attainment gap
    • Improving transitions for pupils at BGE S1-S3.
  • Improve positive destinations, particularly the lowest 20%, LAC and ASN
  • Improve the % of schools and early learning and childcare settings evaluated as good or better across the NIF quality indicators

School Priorities – identify three or four main priorities only. Please take account of the new developments towards a self-improving schools approach and focus on curriculum development and pedagogy of learning, teaching and assessment. Use the following HGIOS4 & equivalent HGIOELC QIs as a guide towards addressing the areas for improvement identified:

  • 1.3 Leadership of change
  • 2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment
  • 3.1 Inclusion, equality and wellbeing
  • 3.2 Raising attainment and achievement

 

PRIORITY 1: RAISING ATTAINMENT – Early Level Attainment at Primary 1

Actions

Drivers for Improvement 

When/Who

Impact/Evidence

Introduce and develop a play-based curriculum across Primary 1


Use GL Teaching Talking assessments as baseline (diagnostic) and summative measure to inform targeted developmental interventions


Develop new Early Years planning and tracking framework from Nursery to Primary 1


Train all Early Years and infant staff in the use of high quality observations to track children’s learning and identify next steps


Additional full time Primary 1 Teacher for delivery of targeted intervention groups in key curricular areas (funded by Scottish Government and Pupil Equity funding)


Develop TU area as additional P1 Learning and Nurture environment including sensory room and outdoor space


Embed regular opportunities for structured outdoor learning experiences


Introduce regular Stay and Play sessions to encourage parental engagement in ongoing play-based learning

Raising Attainment Driver

  • Early Level attainment at Primary 1
  • Attainment in Writing for the BGE
  • Closing the poverty related attainment gap for our most disadvantaged learners
  • Closing the gender related attainment gap
  • Improving transitions for pupils at BGE S1-S3.


NIF Driver 

  1. School leadership
  2. Teacher professionalism
  3. Parental engagement
  4. Assessment of children’s progress
  5. School improvement
  6. Performance information


East Lothian Sails

  • Leadership
  • Learning
  • Relationships

August 2021 – Ongoing; Amy Hainey & P1 Team


September 2021 and May 2022; 

P1 Team


October 2021; Jon, Natalie, Amy & Jodie


September 2021; East Lothian’s Early Years Support Team


August 2021 – Ongoing; Stephanie Cunningham



October 2021; 

School Leadership Team


August 2021 – Ongoing;

Amy Hainey, Emily Macdonald & P1 Team


Oct 2021 – Ongoing; Amy Hainey  

Impact:

  • Raised Early Level attainment;
  • Increased pupil engagement in ongoing learning opportunities;
  • More seamless transition from Nursery to P1;
  • Enhanced social and emotional literacy;
  • Responsive learning experiences will meet the developmental needs of all learners ensuring appropriate pace and challenge; 
  • Greater opportunities for staff and children to work collaboratively across Nursery and P1;
  • More effective identification of individual and collective learning needs and next steps;
  • Increased pupil involvement and participation in planning and evaluation of learning experiences;
  • Better informed and more consistent professional judgment around achievement of Early level;
  • Improved provision of targeted intervention opportunities; 
  • Increased parental engagement and understanding of the value of play in their child’s ongoing learning;

Evidence:

  • Data from diagnostic and summative assessments e.g. GL Teaching Talking, RWI assessments, SNSA;
  • Progress and Achievement data will show >80% of pupils in P1 achieving Early level 
  • Leuven Scale data will evidence increased pupil engagement in Learning through play
  • Feedback from P1 pupil focus group;
  • BOXALL profile assessments of targeted pupil groups from SIMD 1-4 and SIMD 5 and above; 
  • Individual Early level tracking documents for each P1 pupil;
  • Teacher weekly planning – responsive and targeted – with ongoing evaluations informing pupil-led next steps;
  • Tracking and assessment evidence containing ongoing observations, pupil achievements and next steps;  

 

PRIORITY 2: HEALTH & WELLBEING – Inclusion & Equality

Actions

Drivers for Improvement 

When/Who

Impact/Evidence

Create, share, and agree new whole school Inclusion, Equality and Positive Relationships policy


Further engagement with East Lothian’s Inclusion policy – Included, Engaged and Involved: Inclusion, Equality and Accessibility for All 


Further engagement with East Lothian’s Anti-bullying policy – Respect for All 


Redeliver training on Building Resilience programme for all staff


Delivery of Building Resilience Programme in all classes throughout school


Delivery of training for all staff on racism and inclusion from Show Racism the Red Card


Identify and Develop LGBTQ+ Inclusive Education resources


Implement and integrate inclusive practices throughout the curriculum using Stonewall’s 10 steps to inclusive practice

NIF Driver 

  1. School leadership
  2. Teacher professionalism
  3. Parental engagement
  4. Assessment of children’s progress
  5. School improvement
  6. Performance information


East Lothian Sails

  • Leadership
  • Learning
  • Relationships

Nov ‘21; RJ and Inclusion & Equality Team


Nov ‘21; RJ and Inclusion & Equality Team



Nov ‘21; RJ and Inclusion & Equality Team


September 2021; Rebekah Jones


Sept ‘21 – Ongoing; 

RJ and all staff


1st October 2021; SRTRC and all staff


Jan ‘22; RJ and Inclusion & Equality Team


June 2022;  Inclusion & Equality Team and all staff

Impact:

  • All staff will have an improved confidence in and understanding of issues related to race, gender and equality and will be clear on what the statutory guidance says;
  • Pupils will have an enhanced understanding of equality laws and protection from discrimination;
  • All members of the school community will be aware of support available to meet the wellbeing needs of staff and families;
  • The school’s provision of care and education will be inclusive and reflective of the diversity of our community;
  • Pupils will learn to develop skills, abilities, and habits to deal with challenge and adversity throughout their lives;
  • All children and adults will be protected from bullying behaviour and will be supported to manage difficulties;

Evidence:

  • School planning frameworks will evidence links to relevant inclusion, equality and diversity topics;
  • School policies will outline commitment to equality and inclusion;
  • Whole school culture will celebrate diversity;
  • Language of diversity and inclusion will be evident across the school throughout teaching and learning experiences;
  • SEEMiS Tracing and Monitoring of bullying incidents data will evidence managed and supported behaviours;

 

PRIORITY 3: HEALTH & WELLBEING – Rights Respecting Schools & Sustainable Development Goals

Actions

Drivers for Improvement 

When/Who

Impact/Evidence

Introduce learning around Sustainable Development Goals and link to Rights Respecting Schools class charters


Engagement with Rights Respecting Schools National training Materials


Create SDG library – real and virtual – and share related resources for all pupils


Professional Reading and signposting around SDG for all staff


Delivery of training for all staff around Sustainable Development Goals through Scot-Dec


Continue to embed SDG practices as part of work towards achievement of Green Flag ECO Award


Full incorporation of UNCRC Rights of the child and progress towards Rights Respecting Schools silver award

NIF Driver 

  1. School leadership
  2. Teacher professionalism
  3. Parental engagement
  4. Assessment of children’s progress
  5. School improvement
  6. Performance information


East Lothian Sails

  • Leadership
  • Learning
  • Relationships

August In-service; 

Emily Macdonald


August In-service; 

Emily Macdonald


October 2021 – ongoing;

RRS & SDG Team


October 2021 – ongoing;

RRS & SDG Team


January 2022; Emily Macdonald


June 2022; Emily Macdonald & Eco Group


June 2022; Emily Macdonald & RRS & SDG Team

Impact:

  • All staff will be familiar with and have a shared understanding of the UNCRC rights of the child and impact of national legislation;
  • Pupils will have an understanding of their rights and will be able to talk confidently about the legislation that protects them; pupils rights will be respected
  • UNCRC rights of the child legislation will be fully incorporated and evident in the school practices and policies;
  • Pupils and staff will have access to resources and professional literature around Sustainable Development Goals;
  • School will be committed to promoting and meeting Sustainable Development Goals and will encourage families and wider community engagement in projects;

Evidence:

  • Achievement of RRS Silver award;
  • Achievement of Green Flag ECO award;
  • Ongoing work with Connected Classrooms project and linked schools within the local authority and International partners;
  • Survey of all staff, pupils and families around understanding of UNCRC legislation and rights of the child;

 

PRIORITY 4: NUMERACY & MATHS

Actions

Drivers for Improvement

When/Who

Impact/Evidence

Develop progression pathway for Numeracy across Nursery-P7 identifying available and recommended resources and programmes in line with EL framework


Develop robust assessments in Numeracy & Maths in line with existing school tracking processes to establish consistency of moderation across stages


Create and share in-school numeracy challenge to support development of basic numeracy skills across each stage


Develop whole school skills-based problem solving teaching resource 


Training for all Second level staff in Accelerated Maths to support raising attainment rather than as teaching tool


Improve analysis of Accelerated Maths data to inform interventions for targeted support groups and develop the use of target setting using scaled scores


Investigate available Numeracy intervention resources

NIF Driver 

  1. School leadership
  2. Teacher professionalism
  3. Parental engagement
  4. Assessment of children’s progress
  5. School improvement
  6. Performance information


East Lothian Sails

  • Leadership
  • Learning
  • Relationships

February 2022; Natalie Copland and Numeracy Team


December 2021; Natalie Copland and Numeracy Team


June 2022;  Numeracy Team


December 2021; 

NC and Numeracy Team


September 2021; Natalie Copland & Diane Chiole


October 2021 – ongoing; SLT, Second level staff and SfLT


April 2022; Numeracy Team and SfLT

Impact:

  • All staff will have a consistent understanding of the vision and expectations for numeracy and maths across school;
  • Staff will be confident teaching numeracy and maths in their class and will be able to access data to inform progress, next steps and areas for development; 
  • Assessment tasks across the school will be consistent and staff will be familiar with tracking and moderation processes;
  • More accurate teacher professional judgment around achievement of a level in Numeracy and Maths;
  • Pupils will benefit from enhanced opportunities for consolidation of numeracy skills;
  • Pupils will demonstrate improved mental agility and recall of key multiplication and number facts;
  • Breadth of problem solving strategies are developed and applied by pupils in variety of contexts;
  • Staff will have access to interventions to support targeted pupils;

Evidence:

  • Teacher forward planning with ongoing evaluations informing next steps;
  • Available ACEL and AM data will indicate and evidence improved attainment by the majority of pupils;
  • Data monitored by SLT through Quality Assurance Calendar and through team meetings at Early, First and Second;
  • Numeracy Challenge tracking data;
  • Moderated assessment evidence and Shared Classroom Practice feedback;
  • Survey staff confidence in teaching Numeracy at start and end of session;