Luton Primary School Core Priorities

Rationale: Children start school with language and vocabulary below that typically expected (60% of children on SEN register are on for a Speech and Language need)

1. Improve children’s language and vocabulary

This will be achieved through:

• Swift assessment of all children to identify speech and language need using Language Link 
• Talk for writing strategies
• Clear modelling by adults of correct language structures
• A focus on developing children’s language and vocabulary through the daily routines in the classroom
• Child initiated learning opportunities that adults scaffold through targeted questioning
• Talking Partner
• An emphasis on the teaching of language related to Maths through Talk for Maths (tool kits) and Think Maths (metacognitive activities to encourage problem solving and reasoning)
• Write stuff training

Rationale: Children start school with poor gross and fine motor skills

1. Improve children’s fine motor skills to enable them to be able to hold a pencil effectively to form recognisable letters and numbers

This will be achieved through:

• Wake up, Shake up in class room and on playground before school and during lunchtimes (Parental engagement)
• Regular PD activities – dough gym, squiggle while you wiggle
• Carefully planned continuous provision
• Daily handwriting opportunities following Nelson Handwriting Scheme
• Gross motor interventions
• Mark-making opportunities using a variety of media
• OT led parent based programmes

Rationale: Analysis identified that more children need to be working within phase 4 phonics at the end of Yr. R

1. A minimum of 70% of children to be working within phase 4 phonics by the end of the year

This will be achieved through:

• Teaching in differentiated groups daily from end of Phase 2
• Working closely with parents of children who are not on track
• 1-1 and small group interventions for children who are not on track
• Swift interventions for children joining throughout the year if they are not on track
• After/before school interventions for targeted children

Rationale: No enough children achieve a good level of development in writing

1. A minimum of 55% of children to achieve a good level of development in writing

This will be achieved through:

• Continued use of ‘Talk for Writing’ strategies
• Daily targeted phonic sessions
• Common exception word focus for homework
• Heightened expectations around outcomes for shared and guided writing
• Regular opportunities for children to write including planned morning activities
• Opportunities to be planned for extended writing
• Training for EYFS TAs around adult scaffolding during child initiated activities

Key Priorities in Key Stage 1

Rationale: Children continue to have language and vocabulary that is below that typically expected

1. Scaffold children’s language and use of vocabulary especially for Literacy and Maths tasks

This will be achieved through:

• Literacy planning to follow the ‘Talk for Writing’ model and children to be supported in the internalisation of key texts.
• Clear modelling by adults of correct language structures.
• A focus on developing children’s language and vocabulary through daily routines in the classroom and independent learning opportunities e.g. story mapping resources to be available for independent groups during guided reading, ‘speed words’ to be incorporated into Literacy planning.
• An emphasis on metacognitive activities throughout the curriculum to ensure children are talking about their learning.
• Interventions for targeted children after analysis of assessment, including Talking Partners.
• An emphasis on the teaching of language related to Maths through Talk for Maths (tool kits) and Think Maths (metacognitive activities to encourage problem solving and reasoning)

Rationale: Analysis identified that not enough children passed the phonic screening test at the end of year 1 and some children fail to pass the re-test at the end of year 2

1. A minimum of 82% of children to pass the year 1 phonics check and 80% of children to pass the re-take in year 2

This will be achieved through:

• Differentiated teaching to target needs.
• Working closely with parents of children who are not on track.
• Termly assessments to be carried out and interventions for children who are falling behind.
• Clear identification of marginal children built into TA Performance Management.

Rationale: Analysis identified that not enough children have reached the expected standard in writing

1. Attainment in line with national expectations at the end of each year

This will be achieved through:

• Talk for writing strategies and The Write Stuff to continue to be employed
• Clear opportunities to respond to marking
• Emphasis on opportunities for re-drafting and editing
• Writing interventions following data analysis

Rationale: Analysis identified that a weakness in spelling is preventing more children reaching age expected levels

1. Children secure in the spelling of year group words identified in the National Curriculum

This will be achieved through:

• Using ‘Spelling Bee’ .
• Emphasis placed on talking about the spelling of words during shared and guided writing.
• Ensuring that letter names are used when talking about how to spell words.
• Opportunities for daily practise of common exception words.
• Emphasis placed on common exception words during guided reading.
• Ensuring that children revisit and practice spelling errors made during writing tasks.

Rationale: Analysis identified that not enough children start the year at age expected levels in Maths

1. Attainment in line with national expectations at the end of each year

This will be achieved through:

• Using the White Rose maths curriculum
• Planning opportunities for learning calculation in a variety of contexts.
• Planning opportunities for topics to be revisited.
• High emphasis is placed on the teaching of reasoning and problem solving.
• Planning ensures that enough curriculum time is spent teaching time.
• CLIC remains within daily teaching to develop children's mental calculations skills
• Working closely with parents of children not on track.
• Implementation of interventions for children not on track.