Towards Civic and Public Engagement

The Continuing Journey and Impact of the DCU/EQI Shaped Professional Learning Research Network
Looking Back and Looking Forward
By: Patrick Shevlin and Martin Brown

Forward

Prof Daire Keogh

At the establishment of the DCU/EQI Shaped Professional Learning Network initiative, participating schools totalled approximately 40 - a mix of primary and post-primary, controlled and maintained, and including integrated and shared education schools throughout Northern Ireland. One would have imagined that the arrival of Covid19 might have stunted the potential growth of the network. Remarkably, the opposite was true, and in the midst of a pandemic, it is noteworthy that this second compendium features a greater number of school improvement projects and many new additional schools (152 in total) from all school types in Northern Ireland.

This clearly shows the importance placed on this shaped professional learning network initiative by school communities and the impact of organic school-driven development, as evidenced by the quality of case studies and improvement work conducted since 2019. It also demonstrates the longlasting benefits of this type of gradual iterative continuous professional learning. Another striking feature of the case studies contained in this compendium is that much of this work was completed by school staff and the two DCU researchers, Dr Patrick Shevlin and Dr Martin Brown, during the worst phases of the pandemic.

There is clear evidence in many of the case studies contained in this report that this ‘hearts and minds’ approach has allowed schools from all sectors and at all levels, to continue with school improvement and to learn from each other in a truly integrated and cooperative manner, in the best interests of their communities.

As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, and with DCU’s commitment to transforming lives and societies, I consider the DCU/EQI Shaped Professional Learning Network initiative to be an outstanding example of the power of education. It shows how a shaped professional learning network, truly owned by the schools themselves, can play a part in healing the boundaries that exist in our too often divided society.

I congratulate the school leaders, staff and pupils involved in the network and commend Dr Shevlin and Dr Brown for initiating and facilitating, in an entirely voluntary capacity, this ground-breaking initiative.

Professor Dáire Keogh

President, Dublin City University

Abbreviations

ABSAME	Mental thinking frame for improvement
ABSAMER	Mental thinking frame for leadership of learning
AOP	Action and Outcome Plan
AP	Action Plan
CBD	Collegiate Book Discussion
CPD	Continuous Professional Development
DAE	Data plus Action plus Evidence of Improvement
DENI	Department of Education (Northern Ireland)
DJ	Data plus Judgement
EA	Education Authority
ETI	Education and Training Inspectorate (Northern Ireland)
FSM	Free School Meals
KS	Key Stage
LLW	Learning for Life and Work
LS	Learning Support
NIC	Northern Ireland Curriculum
NICIE	Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education
PERI	Peripatetic Educational Support
PRSD	Performance Review and Staff Development
PTE	Progress Through English
PTM	Progress Through Mathematics
SAER	Summary of Annual Examination Results
SDP	School Development Plan
SENCO	Special Education Needs Co-ordinator
SET	Self-Evaluative Timeline
SLT	Senior Leadership Team
SPLD	Specific learning Difficulties
STEM	Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics
TAE	Target plus Action plus Evidence of Improvement
TCN	Trusted Colleague Networking
VAE	Voice plus Action plus Evidence of Improvement
VPJ	Voice plus Judgement

Acknowledgements

Principals and staff of all 152 schools involved in the EQI/DCU school-based action research network
Principals and staff in all schools who supported the authors of the case studies
Paddy McCabe, Principal of Oliver Plunket Primary School Belfast, the hub school for the DCU/EQI shaped network of schools
Chris Donnelly, Principal of St John the Baptist Primary School, Belfast
Diane Dawson, Principal of Braniel Primary School and Chair of Castlereagh and further afield cluster schools
Caroline Greer, Principal of Movilla High School and chair of ASE (Association for Science Education) N.Ireland and ASE-DCU linked science cluster group
Professor Daire Keogh, President, DCU
Professor Anne Looney, Dean of Education, DCU Institute of Education
Professor Harold Hislop, School of Policy and Practice, DCU Insititute of Education
Professor John Doyle, Vice President of Research, DCU
Professor Charotte Holland, Deputy Dean, DCU Institute of Education
Reverent Professor Anne Lodge, The Church of Ireland Centre, DCU Institute of Education
Tommy Halferty, DCU
Maeve Power, Maria McEvoy and all the staff at School of Policy and Practice DCU Institute of Education
Professors Gerry Mcanamara, Joe O’Hara, and all the staff at EQI - The Centre for Evaluation Quality and Inspection, DCU Institute of Education
Professors Ronaldo Munck, Deiric Ó'Broin and all the staff at the Centre for Engaged Research Dublin City University
Professors Tony Gallagher and Joanne Hughes, Centre for Shared Education, Queens University, Belfast
Professors Ronaldo Munck, Deiric Ó'Broin and all the staff at the Centre for Engaged Research Dublin City University
Cathal O’Doherty, Chair of West Belfast and further afield cluster of schools
Keith Wysner, Principal of Whiteabbey Primary School and Chair of “Janus’’ cluster of schools based in North Belfast

Speaker Biographies

Dr Patrick Shevlin

Dr Patrick Shevlin is the President of the Association for Science Education (Northern Ireland) and a research fellow at EQI, DCU Institute of Education. He is an educational consultant with the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE), the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) and the Controlled Schools Sectoral Council (CSSQ). Before taking up these roles, he had been an Inspector with the Education Training Inspectorate (ETI) Northern Ireland for 26 years. Within this role, he had a variety of positions, including that of Education Area Board Coordinator, which involved managing the work of a group of district inspectors within these education support services. A former teacher, he completed his doctoral studies at Queens University, Belfast.

caucausian female with brown hair, outdoors wearing pink jacket and glasses

Prof Anne Looney

Professor Anne Looney is the founding Executive Dean of DCU Institute of Education at Dublin City University. Before taking up her role, she was the interim CEO at the Higher Education Authority in Dublin. From 2001 until 2016 she was the CEO of the National Council for Curriculum and, the agency responsible for curriculum and assessment for early-years, primary and post-primary education in Ireland. A former teacher, she completed her doctoral studies at the Institute of Education in University College London. In 2014/2015 she was Professorial Research Fellow at the Learning Science Institute Australia, based at the Australian Catholic University in Brisbane.

Faustina Graham

Faustina Graham is the Chief Inspector of the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) – Northern Ireland. She leads the inspection of early years, schools, further education and training, youth, initial teacher education and learning and skills in prisons. Faustina also leads the Inspectorate in its inspection of the safeguarding arrangements that education and training organisations put in place to protect children and young people.

Executive Summary

The first compendium of case studies on the use of evidence informed practice and data informed procesess for school improvement entitled Sharing the Impact of Shaped Professional Learning Networks was published in 2019 and listed over 50 schools in the network. This second compendium, entitled Towards Civic and Public Engagement: The Continuing Journey and Impact of the Shaped Professional Learning DCU/EQI Research Network - Looking Back and Looking Forward, presents a further selection of 38 school-based research projects developed within an expanding network of over 150 schools in Northern Ireland that was established by the authors of this report.

As evidenced in this second compendium, the rapidly increasing number of schools in the network illustrates the organic natural growth of the shaped proferssional initiative, and is a healthy indicator of its long-term sustainability and impact on lives and communities. The schools and researchers involved in this network have voluntarily engaged in this work, and at their own cost, continuing and further developing a Hearts and Minds mentality to enance the life chances of students we are privelidged to serve. In keeping with the original intention and concept of this initiative on which this unique shaped network is based, the aim now, and during the work for future compendiums is for the schools themselves to take increasing responsibility for the leadership and management of the network, with DCU and we hope, other instutions providing the when needed external view and overall strategic advice to the network.

The work of the shaped network and now this compendium of evidence-informed case studies has been greatly influenced by and forms part of a sequence of events that have occurred over a period of more than 20 years. The time sequence started with (a) self-evaluation development work that started in West Belfast, followed by (b) a comparative analysis of school evaluations on the island of Ireland in 2007, and (c) the areabased ETI inspection and accompanying report in West Belfast in 2009. This was followed by (d) sequential recommendations derived from a previous EQI project entitled Polycentric Inspection of Networked Schools (PINS) in 2015. Following the completion of the PINS project, this was followed by (d) the publication of the first compendium of case studies before the pandemic struck, and now at this point in time (e) the publication of the second compendium of case studies and associated research/improvement work. A key point worth noting here is that while the pandemic prevented our intention to publish the second compendium in 2021, the work of the shaped network and accompanying professional learning continued unabated, while understandably much other professional learning in Northern Ireland and in other jurisdictions often but not always went into hibernation.

The case studies set out in this report were also conducted as school leaders led and managed their schools during the pandemic period. They faced unrelenting challenges but still availed of the opportunities presented by the shaped professional learning initiative to continue with innovative evidence informed practices to inform improvements in learning. All of this work has been based on the strongly held belief that schools often encounter barriers to improvement when working in isolation, and it is critical for systemic change to link schools together with a strong focus on continuous improvement in the quality and standards of learning, regardless of a school’s educational setting, ethos, or geographical location. As part of this shaped network development, we have gathered evidence informed strategies to allow us to understand the key conditions necessary for effective professional learning by both individual schools and schools collectively as a network.

It is also remarkable that we have managed to do any of this at all during these challenging times and is directly due to the underpinning hearts and minds ethos of the members of the network who have had an unremitting focus on improving outcomes for pupils and staff. Importantly, we continue to develop our own innovative evaluation measures, guided by at the core of the work, data-informed evidence of impact focusing on standards of learning.

The case studies published within this compendium constantly refer to terms such as evidence informed practice and data informed decision making or what the network refers to as “first hand evidence” of and for improvement in pupils’ learning. Importantly, the nature and type of evidence have been carefully defined within the network, and then understood and used consistently by all schools. Above all, the schools in the network accept that they are willing to honestly show what we call tangible improvements as defined by our various carefully defined types of first-hand evidence of learning to all staff within the school (and now increasingly across schools), but also crucially to external inspection bodies. In practical terms, the network of schools has been supported through a series of school-based action research sessions provided by the two authors of this report with accompanying and ongoing in-service and support, all of which was done on an entirely voluntary basis.

School leaders reported that they have had to at times shift their emphasis to a duty of care to staff and students during the pandemic. However, as a result of the shaped network, they have still been able to implement and promote a variety of school improvement strategies with evidence-informed decision-making at the core of the process. Additionally, the network’s key tenets of partnership, transparency, and trust continued to be the most prominent feature of networked school communities, which helped school leaders navigate the challenges of the pandemic and maintain their personal health and well-being. We regard this as a significant strength of the work of the shaped cluster during this time.

School leaders used guidance on pandemic responses from external bodies while also coping with extra pressure, staffing issues, and increased workloads. They also talked about the great challenge of often having to work in isolation, but that the comradeship within the network, provided by other school leaders in the network, gave them a much needed “grounded sense” in what they said was crucially important to them - the best possible standards and outcomes for pupils. Within what we now characterise as a Shaped Network, a very effective model for professional learning has emerged in the production of these case studies. On the one hand, those involved in the network could operate with a great deal of autonomy in choosing their own focus for school improvement and associated school-based action research. On the other hand, they were also required to operate with a clearly defined evidence informed focus as the foundations of the research.

This work has also been grounded strongly on what we refer to as “autonomous accountability” where school leaders within the network work with full autonomy yet are still accountable because they constantly quality assure and are transparent to external inspection agencies about the first-hand evidence of the impact of their work. To quote one principal in the shaped cluster “these are our own schools, this is our own first-hand evidence, and therefore we can confidently understand and take control of the evidence”. Thus, the schools involved in the network feel a strong personal sense of commitment, ownership, and investment, but also as professionals, accept a necessary degree of accountability to a range of stakeholders, including most importantly, learners and parents.

Several other interesting findings emerged from this study. Firstly, the network has a “Hearts and Minds” driving force that is centred on the ethical use of evidence informed practice to drive school improvement. Second, it is underpinned by consistent advice and support from the same team of external trusted advisors; in this case, the authors of this report. All parties emphasised the central importance of regular contact and follow-up as being key to the success of the network.This was perceived as vital in growing the network and in particular to guiding schools to focus on varied ways of using and gnerating their own available data to examine issues concerning teaching and learning for the action research project that was chosen in their schools.

An important question, of course, is whether it can be shown that the account of the activities set out in the case studies contained in this report have improved standards of learning for the children in the schools that have been involved in the network. It is difficult to establish such effects in educational research. However, there was substantial agreement by participants involved in the network that the professional learning provided by the authors of this report and the ongoing discussions and implementation of best practices emerging allowed the case study work to have a direct and ongoing positive impact on improving the actual quality of learning in schools.

A key feature and learning point that also emerged was the gradual transfer of responsibility for professional learning provision from the authors of this report to the leaders and teachers involved in the network. The staff involved in the various schools reported that because they were able to take the advice given and contextualise the advice to their school situations; this empowered not only the staff attending the professional learning sessions but also those staff in individual schools to take ownership of their own professional learning throughout the period of research. All participants reported this building of confidence in their own professional capacity to enhance data-informed decision-making processes at the school level, ensuring that good practice in school-based action research and school improvement can be sustained beyond the three years of the present cycle of work.

A key strategic point worth making here is that if this model of professional learning is adopted more generally, then the appropriate role of professional learning support becomes network based. An important aspect of this research to be considered is how to disseminate this successful network’s results regarding the use of school-based action research to effect school improvement to other schools in Northern Ireland and indeed to schools in other jurisdictions. This is a difficult question to answer. The participants in the network have stated that the key is to convince teachers to use evidence informed techniques to evaluate how good learning is in the classroom, but to do this largely in a collegiate manner. In our network we refer to this strategy for school improvement as “horizontal evaluation.”

The work in these case studies also suggests that there is a place for what we refer to as vertical or judgmental self-evaluation, but that the focus should primarily be on the quality of pupils’ learning to make judgements and not to fixate on teaching performance. However, there is an ethical need to clarify which technique is being used for self-evaluation and, more particularly, for what purpose. Many issues still need to be resolved before a blend of horizontal and vertical self-evaluations can become a genuinely accepted process for school improvement. These issues relate not so much to the methods used or the techniques themselves but to finding a correct balance between horizontal and vertical self-evaluation and an acknowledgement of the purposes for which they are used. If these issues can be resolved, self-evaluation can become a powerful process for continuous school improvement in Northern Ireland and elsewhere.

As is evident in this network, a key facet of the work of the shaped network relates to that of research-informed practice, which can be used to inform work on areas for improvement that the school or indeed the network as a whole has identified. However, it is the network’s view that at the moment in the education sector the term “relevant research” means different things to different people. In our “shaped network” the guiding principle is that school based action research must be useful to the school for school improvement purposes, and have a visible impact with clearly identified success criteria set out in advance for improvements in the quality and standards of learning. The action research and work set out in the individual case studies are grounded in first-hand evidence and focused on improving learning. All the work of the shaped network and schools, individually and collectively, is sharply focused on the key aspects of: Impact; Outcomes; Success Criteria for learning/the learner; using recent and relevant research; progressing improvement at an incremental pace that the school can manage.

All of this work is informed by the fact that, for whatever reason, there is a fear by many on the use of data and research-informed strategies for improvement. Many studies provide plausible explanations as to why many teachers and schools do not engage with and derive benefits from the effective and ethical use of data. These include perceptions and fears of judgementally based evaluations, capacity deficits in data-informed decision making, worries about judgements on teaching practice, and crucially, what has emerged in some jurisdictions as the unhelpful overly bureaucratic nature of self-evaluation. Whether perceived or true, one theme that has always remained the same within the ongoing discussion of school evaluation literature is that some teachers and school leaders do not view self-evaluation as being particularly relevant or useful to ensuring the best possible outcomes for their students.

However, and influenced by other school evaluation systems, such as Ireland, the critical evidence emerging from the research published for this shaped network is that the model of professional learning that we have used within our network over the past 20 years has resulted in embedding genuine positive attitudes towards self-evaluation at all levels in individual schools and collectively in the network. In general, school leaders in this network contend to have their own analysis of learning outcomes and use a variety of evidence informed strategies for improvement that can be verified by an external body, for example an external inspectorate.

It is our view that the network of schools has found the right balance between internal and external evaluation and has become a powerful model of continuous school improvement that all actors, internal and external can subscribe to and feel as being an integral part of the school improvement process. The school leaders involved in the network do not perceive self-evaluation (which crucially must lead to improvements in learning) as being that of another initiative that has been bolted on to their increasingly heavy workload. Instead, selfevaluation is viewed as a powerful and continuous process for improving the quality of teaching and learning in schools.

Crucially, a sharp and rigorous focus on the best possible learning, as distinct from an undue focus on teaching, has been a key factor in teachers’ willingness to engage with this work. The evidence clearly shows that we are successfully embedding a new type of network which we refer to as a shaped network- to add to the two other commonly used names of autonomous and hierarchical networks. The evidence also shows that in a key learning point we identified, namely to ensure the permanence of this new “shaped network” we are indeed succeeding in the gradual transfer of responsibility for professional learning provision and for the leadership and management of the network from the two DCU leaders over to the leaders and teachers in the schools involved in the network/cluster. Moreover, an important outcome of our shaped network work, as reported to us by the schools themselves, has been the relationship and trust being built both within the network and between the network members and the ETI district inspectors, leading to greater cohesion, communication, and cooperation between the different partners. A key element of the ongoing work of the shaped network is for individual schools, and indeed, the network of schools as a whole, to use the evidence they have from school-based action research (focused on their school development plans) to provide school-based selfevaluations that can be viewed as part of the evidence furnished for an external evaluation (inspection) that is audited by an external player, for example, an external inspectorate.

In conclusion, since the publication of the first Compendium four years ago, and crucially throughout the period of the pandemic, all schools and the authors of this report have enthusiastically engaged in the work of this network at their own expense and in their own time. This is because as they engaged the benefits of this approach became clear, including in the usefulness of research being used to inform the work on areas for improvement, the first hand evidence of improved learning that was gathered from the classroom in a collegiate, non-judgemental way, and the use of unique evaluative techniques that teachers did not feel threatened by. Accordingly, school management willingly released teachers from schools to engage in the work, providing cover within their own schools and from their own school budget. There are clear messages therefore for the dissemination of this network practice to schools throughout Northern Ireland and indeed further afield.

Dr.Paddy Shevlin and Dr. Martin Brown DCU/EQI Shaped Professional Learning Network (Northern Ireland)

School Evaluations in Practice

Improving attainment in Numeracy and Wellbeing for pupils and staff at Braniel Primary School - Gillian Miller

Abstract

The Covid 19 pandemic resulted in dramatic changes to our teaching methods and impacted our children’s knowledge and skills in Numeracy and on their Mental Health and well-being. The purpose of this action research project was to raise the attainment of all pupils in Numeracy, specifically Mental Maths and to improve the well-being of all staff and pupils post the Covid 19 pandemic. This was evidenced by data, self-assessment methods and teacher and pupil voice.

Key Words: Numeracy, Mental Maths, data, on-line learning, mental health, recovery curriculum.

School Context

Braniel Primary School is situated on a large attractive site on the edge of the Braniel estate. The children come from both the immediate surroundings and from further afield. In our most recent Monitoring Inspection, March 2017, key findings were that, ‘Self-evaluation is a high priority for all of the staff with a clear self-evaluation time-line written into the school development plan.’

As the COVID-19 lockdown commenced on 23^rd March 2020 all pupils from Nursery to Year 7 were provided with Learning Packs to use for Remote Learning in conjunction with daily interactions with their class teacher on Seesaw. All pupils were provided with access to the online learning platform, Active Learn, to include Bug Club and Heinemann Maths. Y3-Y7 pupils were also provided with access to Times Tables Rock Stars, Numbots and Mangahigh online Numeracy learning platforms. From August 2020, the school operated under the DE COVID-19 Guidance. All classes stay in their bubbles with social distancing maintained by all pupils and staff. A further COVID-19 lockdown commenced on 4^th January 2021. All pupils from Nursery to Year 7 were provided with Learning Packs to use for Remote Learning in conjunction with daily interactions with their class teacher on Seesaw. All pupils continued to have access to their online learning platforms and Maths Factor was added to the platforms used. Vulnerable children and those with Key Worker parents were facilitated in school with supervised learning. Children were given access to digital devices if unavailable at home.

Areas for improvement/ attention

Improve attainment in Numeracy, specifically Number.
Improve the wellbeing of pupils following the period of lockdown.
Improve the wellbeing of staff following the period of lockdown.

Baseline Position

The PTM and PTE data of the ten Year 3 to Year 7 classes was used to identify an area for focus and development following the prolonged periods of Remote Learning. The PTE and PTM scores were examined and a decrease of 5 marks or more in either area were calculated for each class. Six classes had a higher percentage of decline by 5 marks or more in their PTM score. Three classes had a higher percentage of decline by 5 marks or more in their PTE score and one class had the same percentage of decline in both PTE and PTM scores.

Numeracy was therefore identified as an area for improvement. During Lockdown, the pupils engaging with online learning generally coped well with written work they completed from their packs and parents understood and were able to support this kind of learning. They also engaged with practical tasks such as measuring which were easier to access in a home situation as they related to real life.

The focus of “missed out on in Numeracy” was the discussion and modelling of mental strategies which would be done on a daily basis in class. The pupils did not have the opportunity to benefit from the discussions between themselves, their peers and their teachers. Different ways of doing calculations and making connections were not explored in the same way as they would have been had the pupils been in school. It was felt that a focus on Mental Maths especially looking at mental strategies would help address this.

Following the period of Lockdown, the wellbeing of our pupils is paramount. The pupils have missed out on social interaction and integration. They haven’t had access to the varied daily routine and the special events that are part of school life. They have not had the opportunities to experience success and achievements as they usually would. Lockdown has been an isolating experience for our children.

Following Lockdown and the long-term pressures of Remote Teaching and Learning. Staff were anxious about their return to school and what it would look like under the new COVID Guidance. Staff felt a huge responsibility to facilitate a positive return to school for their pupils.

Success Criteria

Most pupils will achieve an improvement in their Mental Maths score with the average Mental Maths test score in each class increasing.
The majority of pupils will participate in our Recovery Curriculum activities actively and experience a positive return to school.
The majority of staff will participate in Wellbeing activities actively and use the Wellbeing resources available to them.

Actions and monitoring

The Self-Evaluative Timeline 20/21 was drawn up.
The Numeracy standardised tests were planned for each child in Year 3 to Year 7 in Oct 2020 to obtain baseline scores.
In December 2020, a Collegiate Book Discussion was held with a focus on Number and Mental Maths strategies.
A Collegiate Book Discussion on the implementation of Maths Factor was planned but could not take place due to lockdown.
In June 2021, a Collegiate Book Discussion was held with a focus on Outdoor Maths activities incorporating Forest School principles.
Additional outdoor Numeracy resources were purchased for use by all year groups.
The Numeracy Co-ordinator visited several the outdoor lessons throughout the week.
The District Inspector was invited to school and visited some of the Outdoor lessons along with the Numeracy Co-ordinator.
To support the children’s wellbeing on return to school following the first lockdown a number of changes were made to timetables. Children would have additional outdoor PE sessions each week. Children would engage in additional outdoor Forest School activities each week. The children would engage in additional wellbeing activities during class time.
Following the second lockdown, a Recovery Curriculum was put in place to further support the children’s wellbeing. The activities included in the Recovery Curriculum weekly for every class were Spanish, Irish, Ulster Scots Dancing, Ulster Scots Language, as well as continuation of the additional outdoor PE sessions and Forest School sessions.
Teachers posted weekly lessons on Seesaw from the Recovery Curriculum for parents and pupils to watch together at home and share in the learning.
Whole-school themed weeks and days were planned and took place on a range of topics such as particular books and authors to give a boost to staff and pupil morale and a shared experience and focus for the whole school.
Due to lockdown and COVID-19 restrictions, Year 5, 6 and 7 pupils missed their opportunities to attend a residential. The Braniel Big Camp Out was planned as a result with the children spending the night camping in the school grounds with activities and an outdoor cinema.
To support all of the teacher’s wellbeing on return to school following the first lockdown, changes were implemented to allow teachers flexibility in their directed time so they could engage in activities to promote their own Mental Health.
Wellbeing resources were purchased and made available to all staff. Essential oil diffusers in each classroom.
Fitness classes were funded twice weekly for all staff after school, in the school grounds.

As a result:

all teachers carried out standardised tests for each child in Year 3 to Year 7 in Oct 2020;
all teachers analysed the standardised scores generated for their class and incorporated strategies for improvement into their planning;
all teachers took part in the Collegiate Book Discussion and contributed to the discussion using Video Evidence from their classes. The teachers used a wide range of activities, resources and approaches in their planning and lessons.
all teachers took part in the Collegiate Book Discussion and contributed to the discussion using Video Evidence from their classes;
all teachers incorporated outdoor Numeracy lessons into their planning and gathered evidence of the pupils’ engagement in outdoor Numeracy and documented their use of outdoor Numeracy resources;
the Numeracy Co-ordinator was able to compile examples of good practice from all of the lessons that she visited;
all teachers adjusted their timetables post the first lockdown to include the additional outdoor PE sessions each week, additional outdoor Forest School activities and additional wellbeing activities during class time;
all teachers following the second lockdown included weekly Spanish, Irish, Ulster Scots Dancing, Ulster Scots Language classes into their timetables along with the additional outdoor PE sessions, additional Forest School sessions that had been added previously.
most families voiced very positive feedback at being able to learn new skills together through the Recovery Curriculum lessons;
most families voiced very positive feedback at the opportunity for their children to experience a residential, especially those children in Y7 who had not had the opportunity before moving to Post Primary;
all teaching staff made use of the flexibility afforded to them in their directed time and responded very positively to this change.
most of the staff made use of the wellbeing resources made available to them;
evidence from the CBD showed there is clear progression in Metal Maths skills and strategies through the school. The majority of pupils were engaged in their learning and confident when speaking about the methods and strategies they were using;
all year groups were planning for daily Mental Maths sessions and at least three out of five of these weekly sessions focussed on Number;
evidence shown from the CBD indicates that all pupils participated in at least one Outdoor Learning experience per week that is clearly linked to their learning in Number.
all pupils participated in collaborative activities and had opportunities to develop mathematical language;
the majority of pupils could identify real life scenarios where Numeracy skills were needed and made links to cross-curricular learning;
good practice examples of Outdoor Numeracy were shared with all staff and a further area for development identified.
all pupils and teachers voiced thoroughly enjoying the changes to their weekly timetables.
the Recovery Curriculum classes were new for every pupil. Their previous levels of participation in Remote Learning and progress made did not matter as all pupils were starting at the same level. There was the same sense of shared achievement for all pupils;
all families could discuss and revise at home their similar Recovery Curriculum lessons and share in the new skills being taught in school.
the majority of staff felt supported and valued in their return to school.
the majority of classes achieved an increase in their average standardised test score, nine out of ten classes. The improvement ranged from +0.1 to +10.4.

Evaluation

We have made very good progress on most pupils achieving an improvement in their Mental Maths score with the average Mental Maths test score in almost all classes increasing. We have made excellent progress on the majority of pupils participating in our Recovery Curriculum activities actively and experiencing a positive return to school. We have made very good progress on the majority of staff participating in Wellbeing activities actively and using the Wellbeing resources available to them.

Evidence gathered

Data, Collegiate Book Discussions, Planning, Lessons, Voice.

Reflection

Well thought through teacher and pupil support was essential for the success of this process. For example, teachers were uploading teaching videos each day, responding to questions from pupils and parents daily. Teachers made themselves available into the evening for communication with parents.

Dealing with student knowledge readjustments in the context of Covid 19: Exploiting the power of retrieval practice using Carousel Learning - Maeve Carey

Abstract

The Covid 19 pandemic led to a revolution in teaching practice as we strove to address the needs of learners during periods or remote teaching as well as ensuring that students’ knowledge gaps in Science were identified and dealt with on return to the classroom. To this end, we used ‘Carousel Learning’, a retrieval practice platform, to support students. Student voice, teacher voice, data and written work all showed that ‘Carousel Learning’ was a useful way to prompt retrieval practice in students and generate formative data for teachers.

Key words: Retrieval practice, formative assessment, Chemistry, Biology, Environmental Technology

School Context

The Abbey Christian Brothers’ Grammar School is an all-boys school. Like all schools, we had students missing teaching during lockdowns and this resulted in students coming in with large and varied gaps in knowledge and learning experiences.

Areas for Improvement/Attention

To deal with student knowledge readjustments in the context of Covid 19; exploiting the power of retrieval practice using Carousel Learning in particular to:

Assess students formatively during the 2020-22 academic years in the context of CoV19
Support students to acquire key knowledge during the 2020-22 academic year in the context of CoV19 even if they missed teaching time.

Baseline Position

A few students can recall key subject content well through repeated use of formative assessment techniques both online and in-person.
A few teachers use formative assessment techniques well to move student learning forward

Success Criteria (Targets)

Most students can recall key subject content very well through repeated use of formative assessment techniques.
A majority of teachers use formative assessment techniques very well to move student learning forward.

Actions

Setting up of a free Carousel Learning account in 2021 to be used with classes.
Students completed the carousel quizzes and used the study packs provided.
As a result of the very positive feedback from students, Carousel Learning accounts were extended to eight science staff.
All teachers in Biology, Chemistry and most in Environmental Technology classes used the carousel platform with exam classes.
Students used retrieval practice techniques and teachers could monitor progress, misconceptions and lack of engagement.

Monitoring

Data

Carousel quiz performance by students downloaded for analysis.
Statistics from CCEA.

Voice

Departmental discussions between teachers using carousel/other formative assessment techniques. Student self-reports e.g. requests for quizzes, comments about efficacy.

Books

Student answers that revealed level of comprehension, gaps in knowledge and misconceptions.

Evaluation

Evidence from the evaluation shows that the Y12 students who were part of the intervention are engaging with the Chemistry content in a deeper way than before and are becoming very skilled at connecting current learning to prior learning. Their Y11 module results were closer to the grammar school average than previous years.

Reflection

Having used Carousel Learning, we identified that a significant barrier to progress related to that of KS3 Chemistry provision. Our KS3 provision had not been evaluated in some time and was found to lack explicit teaching of ‘threshold concepts’. Revision of the KS3 curriculum is now a major focus for the school, within the confines of the statutory ‘Big Picture’.

Improving pupil engagement in their learning to reduce the gap in performance in each cohort post-Covid - Hilary Crichton

Abstract

As Cedar Integrated Primary School staff reflected on the impact of the pandemic on pupils’ learning during the academic year 2020-2021, the school recognised that students needed to be in an emotionally stable place before they could access the curriculum. We needed to focus on Measures and Shape as pupils had missed the use of concrete resources in Mathematics at home. We have clear evidence that our highly effective teachers giving individual and personalised support to pupils to address their needs, lead them to be motivated to engage in their own learning.

Key Words: Learning gap, pupil engagement, remote learning, visual literacy

School Context

The school is located just outside the village of Crossgar. It’s aim is to provide a learning environment where children and young people from Catholic and Protestant backgrounds, as well as those of other faiths and none, can learn with, from, and about each other. The promotion of equality and good relations extends to everyone in the school and to their families regardless of their religious, cultural or social background.

Area for Improvement

To improve pupil engagement in their learning and reduce the gap in performance in each primary school cohort post the Covid pandemic.

Baseline Position - September 2020

Nursery: This new cohort have had less opportunities to socialise with other children during lockdown.

P1: Year of Entry 2020 - A significant number of children have a lack of fine motor skills.

P2: Year of Entry 2019 - This cohort missed a crucial part of their P1 learning and so many pupils are starting at P1 level of activities.

P2-7: Significant learning gaps as most parents although trying their best would have lacked the skills to teach core elements of the curriculum e.g. phonics/ spellings/ homophones, punctuation & grammar, handwriting, reading strategies.

P5-7: A significant number of children have presented with emotional issues which are becoming more of an issue (post pandemic) and are having an impact on pupils’ learning. Most of the children do not have a quick recall of multiplication and division. Reading levels in each class have widened and comprehension skills are lower than previous cohorts.

Success Criteria (Targets)

All staff have adjusted their practice to allow pupils to settle back into school life.
All pupils are settled and ready to learn as the term progresses.
Nearly all pupils are actively using skills and strategies which promote self-regulation.
A “Nurturing Approach” is evident throughout the school community.
All teachers have ensured that they are accessible to parents via email or phone calls as our open-door policy is taking a different form.
Almost all of the current Nursery and P1 pupils have achieved their expected level of attainment.
Most pupils (P3-7) have achieved above average PTE and PTM at the end of the academic year.
Almost all pupils engaged in Reading Recovery have an increase in their Salford Reading Ages.
Nearly all the pupils engaged in Maths Recovery Strategies have shown progress from their initial Baseline Assessment.
All teaching staff have measures in place in the event of the return to Remote Learning.
Most pupils are engaged with Remote Learning/ Blended Learning in the event of selfisolation or school closure.

Actions

Whole School

Parental surveys provided teachers’ with feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of Remote/ Blended Learning during the first school closure.
A whole school focus on wellbeing was the priority as we returned to school, prior to determining a child’s baseline and the resumption of formal learning e.g. weekly sessions of yoga and a focus on outdoor learning.
Professional Learning provided by the EA Nurture Support to provide Nurture Training
An acknowledgement that Core Areas of Learning would need to be prioritised at the expense of other subjects.

Co-ordinators

The UICT Co-ordinator provided training sessions on a variety of techniques, programmes and tools that could enhance pupils’ learning opportunities e.g. Seesaw, Google Classroom, One Note and Microsoft Teams.
The Literacy Co-ordinator developed Guided Reading Resources: Additional titles and in particular reading bands.
New reading schemes which have a low reading age but high interest level to engage reluctant readers in upper KS2 and access to increased reading bands online.
Lead Co-ordinators in each Key Stage have agreed common practice, are sharing good practice e.g. recommending apps, how to condense stories on Seesaw, checking on siblings’ engagement and are monitoring levels of engagement.
The Engage Programme targeted pupils in Maths and Reading Recovery Strategies.

Class Teachers

Nursery (Getting Ready to Learn programme): Effective parental workshops to be recorded by staff and accessible to parents at their own convenience.
P1: Implement additional activities to develop fine motor skills in order to improve pupils’ pencil control.
All class teachers are focusing on the 3 R’s.
P2-4: Staff are giving parents greater guidance on teaching aspects of the curriculum e.g. clear instructions on introducing a Guided Reading Book, creating a video modelling a maths activity.
P2: A focus on Numbers to 10 using P1 strategies and resources.
P3: A whole class daily focus on phonics and high frequency words.
P4: A core focus on place value e.g. aural counting on/off the number line.
P5-7: Parent/ Teacher Meetings by Zoom or phone in the Autumn Term to update on progress and areas for development. All pupils will have a core focus on the learning of multiplication and division facts. All pupils will identify areas of Maths and Literacy that they need to target.

As a result:

nearly all pupils have engaged in Remote Learning during the second period of school closure (January – March 2021);
all teachers have embraced recording or having live video-conferencing so new concepts could be introduced to pupils.

Spring and Summer Term 2021- Full return to school

Staff recognised that although some children were looking forward to returning to school, others were anxious – so another focus on wellbeing was imperative.
Staff could assess how pupils in school were performing but teachers could not make certain judgements as it was unclear as to the level of support offered to pupils to complete uploaded activities at home.
Some pupils, who would have been identified as middle group pupils in class, had regressed. However, it was felt that if they now received targeted support this would have a significant impact on their learning.
In contrast, other pupils had excelled during Remote Learning.
The Engage Programme was re-established targeting Maths Recovery strategies.
Our in-school Literacy support programme was widened to include pupils not previously targeted, and pupils were reviewed regularly.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Generally, each cohort of pupils had always been above the national average. After the pandemic, more areas in Literacy and Mathematics have now fallen below the average and will need to be targeted. Particularly, Year Entry 2019, as this cohort were particularly affected by the lockdowns in their P1 and P2 years.
Data confirmed that children we had identified as receiving a lower level of support at home with schoolwork during remote learning had lower than expected results.
Pupils understanding of Shape and Space and Measure had been impacted during remote learning which staff tried to address in the summer term.
Data backed up teachers’ professional judgement that comprehension strategies, spelling and grammar were areas that need to considered targets area.
PASS results identified Year Entry 16 as having lower perceptions about their learning.
As we started the process of Book Scoops and Learning Observations, we identified areas of good practice, but this was not consistent across the school.
Monitoring of planners by Co-ordinators showed duplication.
As a staff, we phased in CBD and TCN for teachers.

Overall Progress Made

As a school we have made very good progress, as we adapted quickly to the initial lockdown. We listened to parents and developed how we used our online platforms and paper packs to maximise pupils’ engagement and hence learning during the second lockdown.
As a staff, we realised that there was not a quick fix to the impact of the pandemic on pupils’ learning.
Teacher judgement and data would determine targets for class, groups and individual children both in Literacy and Mathematics.
Staff were of the view that areas of Literacy, which have fallen below the national average, would take longer to see improvements in overall PTE.
Mental health and resilience of our older cohorts of pupils had been significantly positively impacted and effectively targeted (though this could still be improved further).

Reflection

Having reflected on the clear progress made and the associated challenges, the following areas were highlighted as points for development:

TCN, SEND, Engage and Happy Healthy Minds Funding would be fundamental to addressing learning and emotional needs of our pupils.
Good practice during the pandemic needs to be kept e.g. meet and greet by teachers in the morning.
Our sensory room needs to be re-instated and resourced.
Teachers felt overwhelmed with their perceived demands of the curriculum. Therefore, staff needed time to access resources already created by CCEA that they could adapt to our school context.
As a school, we needed to overhaul our planning particularly from P3-P7 e.g. reflect on why we taught topics, were the topics relevant, local and answered key questions.
Use of concrete, practical and visual resources was fundamental in the teaching and learning in number.
Visual literacy and new comprehension resources engaged pupils.
Good practice which was embedded in the school pre-pandemic needed to be reestablished e.g. sharing success criteria, AfL strategies, plenary sessions, marking for improvement, etc.

Lessons learned from this study

Students need to be in an emotionally stable place before they can fully access the curriculum.
Effective planning impacts directly on the learning of all pupils.
Once children have a secure understanding of the concept through the use of concrete resources and visual images, they are then able to move on to more abstract concepts.
Engage and excite all learners through a visual literacy programme.
There is clear evidence that the highly effective teachers give individual and personalised support to pupils in order to address their needs, leading them to be motivated to engage in their own learning.

Improving personal method of remote learning for pupils during lockdown/enforced isolation - Jonathan Acheson

Abstract

Staff at CIC reflected on the impact of COVID on pupil learning during the first lockdown and concluded that existing practice was insufficient to ensure that pupils were actively engaged in the learning process when not at school. The college developed a completely new approach to remote learning which was more active and engaging allowing for group learning despite social distancing.

Key Words: On-line learning, e-learning, engagement, social distancing

Context

Crumlin Integrated College (CIC) was the first Controlled, Integrated College in the NE region. It has a wide enrolment area including Crumlin, Glenavy and the surrounding areas. During the first lockdown of the COVID pandemic the SLT realised that the methods of remote learning used were very limited in their ability to engage and maintain pupil learning.

Areas for Improvement

To provide a more up-to-date and personal method of remote learning for pupils during lockdown/enforced isolation.
To improve pupil engagement in remote learning.
To overcome barriers caused by social distancing.

Baseline Position

A significant minority of pupils engaged sufficiently in remote learning during the first lockdown which negatively impacted on pupil learning and assessment performance.
All pupils had to rely on email and distributed hard copies of booklets with no access to asynchronous lessons
No staff member was able to easily share examples of good practice from pupils due to social distancing rules.

Success Criteria (Targets)

A significant majority of pupils will be able to engage in remote learning during the second lockdown limiting any negative impact on learning and assessment performance.
Few pupils will have to rely on email and distributed hard copies of booklets with no access to live lessons
A significant majority of teachers will be able to share pupils’ work as examples of good practice through the use of interactive panels

Actions

The SLT made the following decisions and carried out these actions:

Prioritised the quality of remote learning for pupils by introducing Microsoft Teams.

and enabled the possibility of Live lessons and “face-to-face” opportunities for pupils and staff to engage.

Provided Staff and Year 8 pupils with iPad devices.
Provided training for Staff and pupils on the use of iPads both in the classroom and for remote learning.
Proposed a schedule (based on the ‘normal’ school timetable) for conducting remote learning and the setting of written assignments.
Proposed procedures for the monitoring pupil engagement by creating a spreadsheet to record pupil engagement in both Live lessons and Assignments
Proposed procedures to record daily attendance with from Teachers to host meetings both in the morning and afternoon - Created a spreadsheet to record pupil attendance.
Proposed procedures to maintain contact with parents.
Invested in the purchase of interactive panels for classrooms.

As a result:

all staff undertook training on the use of iPads.
all staff agreed to use the Remote learning schedule.
all form teachers agreed to create Teams meetings to take a register two times per day.
all year tutors agreed to monitor pupil engagement each week and keep in contact with parents if engagement falls below 50%.
all teachers provided with new interactive panels are able to share pupils’ work through screen share facilities.
all year 8 pupils received their iPads and training.
all parents and pupils received a copy of the live lesson schedule and our expectations of them.
nearly all pupils are engaging in the new remote learning process.
more pupils are able to learn from their peers through the sharing of good practice.

Practical Adjustments (in light of challenges from the Pandemic)

Learning adjustments

Pupils as required can engage in Live Lessons using MS Teams.
Pupils are requested to complete and return written assignments.

Procedural adjustments

Live lessons are now taking place on Microsoft Teams.
Pupils complete one set assignment per week.
Form teachers record attendance in the morning and afternoon.
Class teachers record pupil attendance/engagement in both live lessons and assignments – this provides an estimated % of engagement by pupils and for each subject.
The YT monitors pupil engagement and makes contact with home if engagement is less than 50%.
The SLT reviews whole school engagement on a weekly basis and invite pupils to attend school for closer supervision if engagement falls below 50%.

Monitoring and Evaluation

We have made outstanding progress in the development and operation of a new remote learning process.

Evidence

Books - Assignments collected, marked and returned to pupils, providing them with feedback.
Voice - Positive comments on Facebook from parents
Data - % engagement of pupils

Reflection

The college has come a long way in a few short months from having a method of remote learning which needed significant improvement to one that has been shared as an example of good practice by the EA. It has taken a lot of hard work by all the staff, but the pupils and parents are very supportive and benefit from this new way of learning.

Improving Assessment for Learning: A Two-Year Case Study - Evelyn Black, Fiona McIlvanna and Fintan Donnelly

Abstract

Following extensive consultation with staff and pupils, assessment emerged as an area where the school could make significant improvements to our pupils’ learning journey. In the first year of the study, we set about building structures to ensure that each summative assessment completed was consistent, credible and comparable. Having established clear procedures around summative assessment, in the following year we then focused on formative assessment. Staff worked hard to ensure that rigorous planning, sharing of good practice and critical selfevaluation took place on an ongoing basis resulting in positive learning outcomes for our pupils.

Key words: Assessment, leadership, monitoring, feedback, intervention

School Context

Saint Patrick's Academy is located in Dungannon, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. In the first term of the school year 2019-2020, the school went through a consultation process using pupil voice to explore pupils’ experience of their learning and to identify areas for development. Assessment emerged as an area where we could make significant improvement to the pupils’ learning experience.

Areas for Improvement

To improve Assessment for Learning and as a result to address the following priorities:

To maintain 2019 results at GCSE and A-Level.
To improve summative and formative assessment.

Baseline Position

Priority 1

GCSE Results

5+ GCSE A*-C 97.31%
7+ GCSE A*-C 96.24%

A-level Results

3+ A*-C 75.95%
2+ A*-C 94.30%

Priority 2

The majority of pupils can assess their own learning through the use of formative and summative assessments and through effective communication with their teachers.

Success Criteria (Targets)

Priority 1

GCSE Results

5+ GCSE A*-C 97.31% - This will improve by 1.0% to 98.31%
7+ GCSE A*-C 96.24% - This will improve by 1.5% to 97.74%

A-level Results

3+ A*-C 75.95% - This will improve by 2.0% to 77.95%
2+ A*-C 94.30% - This will improve by 2.0% to 96.30%

Priority 2

Most pupils will be able to assess their own learning through the use of formative and summative assessments and through effective communication with their teachers.

Actions

The authors of this study will gather evidence relating to the experiences of pupils, staff and parents regarding current practices on assessment. The authors will provide guidance, support and training for HODs and teaching staff on checks for understanding, assessment (formative and summative) and effective feedback through meetings and online forums.

As a result of these actions:

all staff will use a range of strategies to check for understanding during the delivery of content in the classroom and through online forums;
all staff will use formative assessments along with the summative assessments and data to inform targets set with each pupil they teach;
All staff will provide meaningful, quality feedback to pupils so that they can identify areas for improvement, how they can improve and set achievable targets.
all pupils will have a good understanding of content delivered in the classroom and its application to familiar and new contexts;
all pupils will feel confident in discussing with their teachers (subject and form) areas which are giving them concern in relation to their learning;
all pupils will engage in formative and summative assessments and, through effective communication with their teacher, identify their strengths and areas for improvement and set realistic targets on how to improve their learning.

Monitoring

Progress on the success criteria (targets set) is monitored and then evaluated by analysing the evidence provided by action plans, pupil voice, data and trusted colleague networking.

Evaluation

Priority 1: We have made very good progress.

Priority 2: We have made very good progress.

Evidence

All departments have action plans for CFU. These are reviewed and updated at each Department meeting where sharing of good practice takes place on a regular basis.
Training was provided on CFU strategies involving Magenta Principles and online apps.
Teachers from the Maths and Biology departments shared their experience of CFU with EA, C2K, ETI, Universities representatives and NI teachers, through the TPL event ‘Extending pupil engagement at 16-18 through blended learning practice’.
‘Ask the teacher’ section in Google Classrooms proved very popular with pupils who were not comfortable asking for support in the classroom.
Academy walks and wellbeing periods for pupils and staff are well embedded into the school day.
The number of referrals to the school counsellor in relation to pressure and anxiety of assessments has decreased as most pupils were able to manage the assessment process.
In a staff review conducted in June on CFU, the majority of teachers viewed the CFU approaches as overwhelmingly positive and advantageous to learning.
There was a high level of understanding and an appreciation of the benefits of CFU in the classroom.
Performance data was analysed continuously, and intervention strategies implemented with a number of pupils e.g. small numbers of KS3 pupils are mentored in the morning in subjects such as Maths, English, Science, and French.
Some departments used collaborative groups with senior pupils to help improve their understanding of difficult concepts.The Engage programme was also used to support those pupils impacted from Covid in their learning.
At GCSE level the 5+ GCSE A*-C target was met with an improvement of 2.19% from 2019.
At GCSE level the 7+ GCSE A*-C target was met with an improvement of 2.25% from 2019.
At A-level the 3+ A*-C target was met with an improvement of 3.3% from 2019.
At A-level, the 2+ A*-C target was not met with decrease of 2.7% from 2019.

Reflection

Moving forward, formative assessment will continue to be an area for further research. The development of trusted colleague networks to share best practice across the school and the provision of training on formative assessment techniques with an emphasis on how to ensure effective communication between the teacher and the pupil will be key areas for improvement. Clear, supportive and positive discussions between the pupil and the teacher are essential to support pupils in their learning and help them to progress. These discussions should address misunderstandings, and if timed appropriately, will focus the pupil, helping them to identify strategies to move their learning forward.

School Improvement Through Self Evaluation to Empower Middle Management to effectively lead Self-Evaluation leading to school improvement - John McComb and Shane Lennon

Abstract

The focus for our work on the use of research leading to tangible school improvement (the stated strapline/vision for the work of the DCU shaped network) relates to that of the SI/SE coordinators working alongside middle management in an effort to realise a focused approach to improving standards within their subject area. The ABSAME model will be shared with all subject coordinators and a constant review of the process will take place throughout the year.

Key Words: Self Evaluation, school improvement, ABSAME

School Context

St Kevin’s Primary School returned to a more normal school year in 2021/22 in comparison to the previous year. The case study presented is the latest one, being one of several competed during the pandemic, an achievement in itself. We are now planning school improvement work with the expectation that this continues to be the case. The focus for school improvement this year will be the SI/SE coordinators working alongside middle management in an effort to realise a focused approach to improving standards within their subject area for the children.

Area for Improvement

To develop further our “School Improvement Through Self Evaluation processes and in particular empowering Middle Management within their area of responsibility to effectively lead selfevaluation leading to what we and the DCU shaped network refer to as tangible school improvement.

Baseline Position

A minority of coordinators had confidence in /could complete action plans and school improvement pro-formas to a high standard, including setting out:

clear baselines and success criteria sharply focused on learning;
arrangements for self-evaluation of a range of first hand evidence;
clear statements of progress made.

Success Criteria/Targets

All coordinators will have confidence in/ can complete action plans and school improvement pro-formas to a high standard, including setting out:

clear baselines and success criteria sharply focused on learning;
arrangements for self-evaluation of a range of first hand evidence; ▪ clear statements of progress made during the evaluation process.

Actions (to Bring About Improvement)

Lead Coordinators will:

guide middle management through the completion of high quality action and impact planners;
conduct a termly review with coordinators.

Coordinators will:

complete and understand the ethos behind the completion of the documentation;
guide staff in the implementation of actions required.

Teachers will be led by coordinators within their area of focus.

Children will enjoy and achieve higher standards across the curriculum. Monitoring

Feedback from middle management.
Monitoring the formulation of suitably constructed action planning by coordinators/middle managers.
Monitoring the formulation of improvement case studies by coordinators/middle managers.
Lead coordinators will conduct termly reviews with coordinators to monitor progress.
A collegiate scrutiny of Coordinators’ completed Action and Impact plans.

Evaluation/Evidence

Our overall evaluation is that we have made outstanding progress.

Coordinators are confident in completing Action and Impact plans incorporating the ABSAME strategic school improvement vision.
Coordinators can now see the benefit of our improvement case study; it allows a clear path to school improvement to be plotted.
An interim review of impact and progress at the beginning of term one has proven to be very beneficial; coordinators maintain the focus required for the improvement vision to be realised.
Those coordinators leading areas of the curriculum not seen as core areas are able to maintain an improvement focus and make a meaningful impact in the area they lead.
All coordinators now have a high degree of confidence in carrying out Self Evaluation and that they complete the action plans and school improvement pro-formas to a high standard.

Minimising the Covid Learning Gap - Eithne Erskine, Rosie Jordan and Lyn Graham

Abstract

With the aim of minimising the “covid impact” on independent learning, the focus of this action research project was placed on the strategies of retrieval practice, active teaching of study skills and student self-review. This went hand-in-hand with wrap-around pastoral care. The range of outcomes we evaluated clearly shows that these strategies significantly improved a range of learning outcomes including student outcomes for public examinations.

Key Words: Retrieval practice, study skills, self-review, enhancing student achievement, pastoral support

School Context

St Ronan’s College based in Lurgan, Co. Armagh is an all-ability (11-18) Voluntary Grammar school. In light of the pandemic, a learning and teaching priority included a focus on pupil selfmanagement and independent learning. Within this, retrieval practice and study skills were chosen as focus areas.

Area for Improvement

To minimise the pandemic learning gap, in particular to maximise learning and the impact of teaching to support young people in as far as possible to acquire the skills and knowledge and understanding they need for progression.

Baseline Position

Examination Results	2019	2020 (CAGs)
GCSE - 5 A* - C	69	88
GCSE - 5 A* - C Incl E&M	57	74
A Level 3 A* - C	62	88
A Level 2A* - C	86	99

Success Criteria (Targets)

Taking account of the Cohort Profile, we wanted GCSE and A-Level results improved from 2019 taking student data (ALPs/CAT) into consideration.

Examination Results	Predictions for 2021 based on ALPs/CAT data
GCSE - 5 A* - C	81
GCSE - 5 A* - C Including E&M	67
A Level 3 A* - C	66
A Level 2A* - C	91

Actions

Pupil/Parent/Staff Voice used to identify what worked well during the first lockdown of which, details were shared with staff across all departments.
Staff training in blended learning strategies.
Sharing of good practice - as a result increased staff awareness of strategies available and what worked well with particular groups of pupils.
Strategy developed to monitor pupil engagement in remote learning during lockdown - as a result pupil engagement was tracked more closely, intervention was graduated and took place at an earlier point so that pupils did not become overwhelmed. Intervention was used to identify issues and also offer support.
Increased focus on ensuring availability of devices and Wi-Fi access - As a result there were large numbers of devices made available on loan to students. Wi-Fi vouchers were provided where required. As a result, fewer pupils were restricted by lack of ICT access.
Pastoral tracking to monitor pupil well-being - as a result strategies were applied where required such as making contact with Youth Support Workers, referral to the Counsellor, contact from support staff and learning Hub, support from newcomer assistants, support from classroom assistants and SENCo, support from the ICT Team.
Communication with parents was more regular with regard to accessing remote learning platforms, school day expectations - as a result, pupils and parents are aware of what is the expected procedure for completing work.
Structured and targeted approach was used to support vulnerable pupils and children of key workers. The school opened each day to provide access. ICT facilities were available to all who attended school. Classroom assistants and teaching staff worked to support pupils on an individual level. Specific support was put in place for newcomer pupils.
A back to basics approach was applied with staff development on assessment for learning and the accelerated learning cycle model for learning and teaching.
Staff development delivered on retrieval practice with subsequent sharing of good practice. Pupil training in retrieval practice during specific assemblies and subject lessons.
Focus on effective use of data with staff development and sharing of good practice with regard to individualised support.
Driving pupils to self-review regularly with regard to their own assessments and targets.
Study skills guide included in student planner and a weekly study skills lesson delivered in-house in Years 8-14.
Externally delivered study skills sessions delivered to KS4 students.
Delivery of study skills sessions to parents.
Delivery of additional English, Maths and Science to reduce the knowledge gaps left by lockdowns/absence/omission of units of learning.
Small group support for GCSE Maths for students at risk of falling below C grade.

Evaluation and Outcomes

Student outcomes in the summer of 2021 and 2022 has shown achievement above that predicted by student CAT and ALPs data. In addition, there was a significant improvement in achievement from an analysis of the 2019 data sets.

Examination Outcomes

Examination	2020 (%) (CAGs)	2021 (%) (CDGs)	2022 (%)
GCSE - 5 A* - C	88	92	89
GCSE - 5 A* - C Including E&M	74	81	77
A-Level 3 A* - C	88	85	80
A-Level 2A* - C	99	98	93

Reflection

We have made significant progress over the timespan of this case study. In our College the approach to minimising the covid-learning gap spanned all levels of academic and pastoral support both inside and outside the classroom. Teaching staff, youth support workers, counselling support, learning mentors, classroom assistants, newcomer assistants, parents and the wider community were all involved in this action research project. It is also noteworthy that our new Principal took up this position in March 2020. However, she drove an all-encompassing community based wraparound support for our students and this created a firm basis for filling the subsequent gaps in learning and skills.

In addition to significant academic achievement, now in 2023 our College benefits from our own College Social Worker, School Nurse, Youth Support Worker, KS4 Qualifications Support Assistant and full-time Learning hubs for KS3 and KS4. The focus on independent learning continues and a metacognitive approach has now been added to our program of staff development. The skills-based curriculum remains high on our agenda to continue to maximise the learning and teaching to support our young people now and in the future.