St. Colm’s High School

Twinbrook

‘The development of effective strategies for

improvement in schools with a higher percentage

of pupils entitled to free school meals –

a holistic approach’

Imelda Jordan

‘We do our Best, To Be the Best that We Can Be’

N.I.A.R (2010) ‘Free School Meals Entitlement

as a Measure of Deprivation’

Research shows that children from less well-off backgrounds

are less likely to achieve at school.

The strengths of FSME include that it is:

• Linked to the children in the school

• Readily understood

• Readily available

• Updated annually

• Income-based

However, FSME alone is likely to

under-report deprivation

• Reflects registered rather than actual eligibility

• Measures income only

• Changing criteria for FSME and eligibility of individual

children

• Families close to the eligibility threshold may experience

similar disadvantage

SaintColm’s High school

Shannon Donnelly ,RoisinShannon Donnelly ,RoisinShannon Donnelly ,RoisinShannon Donnelly ,RoisinConnollyConnollyConnollyConnolly

SaintColm’sSaintColm’sSaintColm’sSaintColm’s high schoolhigh schoolhigh schoolhigh school

• St Colm’s is in Summerhill Drive Belfast.

Mrs Jordan is the principal of the school.

• She is very kind to us and we love her

beautiful school.

What our school looks likesWhat our school looks likesWhat our school looks likesWhat our school looks likes

• Our school looks like a very old building

when you look at it from the outside but

inside it is beautiful

Our school subjects• Religious

• Science

• English

• HE

• Geography

• Personal D

• Drama

• French

• Maths

• Technology

• Irish

• PE

• Music

• History

• Art

Our teachersOur teachersOur teachersOur teachers• Mrs feenel

• Mr Nixon

• Ms Ardis

• Ms Mc Carron

• Ms Murphy

• Mrs McCafferty

• Ms Smyth

• Ms Waide/ Ms Gibson

• Ms Grudden

• Ms Gallagher

• Mr Mooney

• Ms Breannan

• Mr Morgan

• Ms Martin Higgins

• Mr Conway

• Mr McGurnaghan

• Ms Maloney

• Ms Morrissey

• Mr O Rourke•

After school clubs

• St Colms has lots of after school clubs there

is lots of activitys to enjoy as well as the

school day.

• Etc

• Art

• Technology

• Football

• Homework

• And lots more.

Bye

• Thanks for watching our slideshow I hope lots more people come to our school in septemper bye xoxoxoxoxoxo

• Roisin Connolly and Shannon Donnelly

• Lots of love xxxx

St. Colm’s - The Context

‘Mistakes are a fact of life.

It’s the response to them that counts’

GIOVANNI

• 1974 – Encampment of mobiles

• Disenfranchised ‘Community’ – ‘Troubles’- refugees –

social deprivation - no infrastructure

• 1983 – School building opened

• 1980s – Low Community Confidence

• 1990s - New Leadership, Improving School, Community

Confidence

‘In the race for quality, there is no finish line’

KEARNS

• 1999 > Continued Upward Trend in Performance, KS5

established, 700 pupils

• Serving the Colin Area – Twinbrook, Poleglass, Lagmore

• Co-Educational – majority of boys – 3+/2

• 65% + Special Needs Literacy and/or Numeracy

• 50-60% FSM

• Fractured Society – Chronic Deprivation, Family

Breakdown, Increasing Mental Health Issues, Substance

Abuse, Self Harm/Suicide Trends

The Improvement Journey‘I think I can .I think I can ..I think I can .’

‘The Little Engine that Could’

• What is Possible?

• Creating/Sharing/Believing the Vision

Quality of Learning & Teaching

Leadership & Management

Standards & Achievement

‘The Magic’People

• What is your experience?

• How do you bring staff with you?

• What is ‘The Magic’ in your school?

Quality of Learning and Teaching‘To make your ideas work for you,

You first have to work for them’Edison

The School Development Plan identifies four priorities.

These do not change but the actions to realise them do.

‘To continue to foster high self-esteem and expectations among pupils,staff, Governors and the Wider Community’

‘Improving pupils’ attendance, punctuality and behaviour’

‘Improving levels of achievement in literacy, numeracy and ICT across the

School’

‘Increasing the pupils’ range and level of achievements generally’

These priorities underpin all that we do.

Quality of Learning and Teaching‘When you’re through changing – you’re through’

Barton

• Focus on Tackling the Barriers to Learning and Teaching

• Support for Learning – Raising Standards in Literacy and Numeracy

• Shared Understanding of Good Classroom Practice

• Whole School Approach to Behaviour Management

• Culture of Critical Self Evaluation

• Effective Distribution of Leadership

• Symbiotic relationship between the Pastoral and Curriculum Domains

• Curriculum Development/CPD/PRSD > Focus on this school’s needs

• Whole School Ownership of the Continuous Improvement Agenda

• Policy > Practice

Improvement - Achievement

‘Do not follow go instead where there is no path,

and leave a trail’Mc Alindon

• KS3 - Pilot School > New Curriculum embedding

• KS4 - 100% 9+ GCSE entry policy,

Equality of Opportunity in Options

• KS5 - Collaboration as Opportunity

EF Compliance, ‘Shared Future’ Agenda

To enable our pupils to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to be what they want to be, and play a full part in, and contribute to society into the future.

Special Needs – A Whole School Responsibility

• Quality Whole Class Teaching

• Quality Teaching plus Additional Support for Identified

Pupils

• Quality Teaching plus Personalised Support to meet the

needs of Individual Pupils

• Facilitating Professional Learning

Department of Education(2008) ‘Every School a Good School:

A Strategy for Raising Achievement in Literacy and Numeracy’

Model of Support‘We can not become what we need to be

by remaining what we are’

De Pree

• Positive Behaviour Policy – Pupil Tracking (PPMS),

Parental Involvement, Whole School Tiered System of

Rewards/Sanctions, Academic Mentoring

• Modification of English and Mathematics Curriculum –

Literacy and Numeracy Class built in - data informed

• Structured Corrective Reading/ Numeracy Programme

• Progress Scores to inform intervention/practice

• Special Needs Register – external agency involvement

• Whole Staff CPD

• High Expectations – all children can achieve

Recipe for Success in Learning & Teaching

� Pupil Planner/Equipment on Desk.

� Set the scene – Prior learning/ leading to

� Learning Intentions >>> Success Criteria

� Evidence of AFL throughout e.g. Open Questioning.

Thinking Time, Self Assessment Feedback, Plenary –

What has been learnt? How they know/show/learning.

� Homework – Connected

Enhance Learning.

� Activities/Pace/Challenge/ Differentiation

Books ‘ 2 stars and a Wish. ‘

Marking for Improvement

Orderly Entry & Exit

SEN

Support/Differentiation

Classroom/Corridor

Environment/Displays

(Subject Specific info. Pupil

Work. Key Words, Use of

ICT, Careers.)

Consistent use of Positive

Behaviour Policy.

Relationships

Welcome Pupils at Door

Focus: What Learning has taken place?

How do I know?

Standards and Achievement – Use of Data‘A Challenge is something you haven’t done before that you work towards’

S.J Parker

• Use of Data – Baselining > Tracking >Target List

• *KS2 Levels - P.7

• Standardised Scores - P.7 – Support

• Progress Scores - Y8 and 9 - Intervention

• *KS3 Levels - Y10

• YELLIS - Y11 – Target and Intervention

• Mapped to Teacher Predictions (Dept. Target List)

• Whole School Target List 5+ A* - C

• Formal Review – Jan Y12

• Results Analysis > Action > August Y12

Benchmarking‘Not everything that is faced can be changed.

But nothing can be changed until it is faced’Baldwin

Band

A

Band

B

Band

C

Band

D

Band

C&D

5 + GCSE’s

2006 4 13 30 54 84% 45%

2007 5 13 32 50 82% 50%

2008 1 11 39 48 87% 56%

2009 2 13 36 49 85% 58%

2010 0 4 32 64 96% 69%

2011 0 3 28 69 97% ????

St. Colm’s - Yellis Profile

Standards and Achievement‘Goals determine what you’re going to be’

ERVING

Whole School GCSE Performance Profile

Year

5+ A* - C

Percentage

(%)

1-4 A* - C

Percentage

(%)

Total

(%)

5+ A* - G

Percentage

(%)

5+ A* - G

Percentage

(%)

Total

(%)

1999 - 2000 23 46 69 89 11 100

2000 - 2001 35 35 70 100 0 100

2001 - 2002 32 43 75 96 4 100

2002 - 2003 30 56 86 99 1 100

2003 - 2004 45 38 83 100 0 100

2004 - 2005 40 51 91 100 0 100

2005 - 2006 45 45 90 100 0 100

2006 - 2007 50 34 84 99 1 100

2007 - 2008 56 38 94 100 0 100

2008 - 2009 48 38 96 100 0 100

2009 - 2010 69 27 96 100 0 100

Target Setting for Improvement‘What is now proved was once only imagined’

Blake

• Data Informed rather than Data Led

• Pushing the Boundaries > 20%-30%-40%-50%-69%-???

• Heroic People > Do what it takes! Create the Future

• Leadership, Support, Challenge, Unremitting Hard Work at all levels >

• Pupils – Believe the story, want the happy ending!

SEELB Post-primary (Non-Grammar) Schools (4 year average)

FSM Entitlement & 5+GCSEs (incl. equivalent) Grades A*-C

2005/06-2008/09

R2 = 0.2333R

2 = 0.1311

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

% FSM Entitlement (4 year average)

% o

f p

up

ils a

ch

ievin

g 5

+G

CS

Es

Gra

des A

*-C

(4 y

ear

avera

ge)

Non-Grammar Schools SEELB Non-Grammar Schools St Colm's HS 423-0223Linear (Non-Grammar Schools) Linear (SEELB Non-Grammar Schools)

54.1% 2008/09

NI Average

46.8% 2008/09

SEELB

St Colm's HS

Twinbrook 423-0223

SEELB Post-primary (Non-Grammar) Schools

FSM Entitlement & 5+GCSEs incl English & Maths

(incl. equivalent) Grades A*-C 2008/09

R2 = 0.2925

R2 = 0.2231

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

% FSM Entitlement (4 year average)

% o

f p

up

ils

ac

hie

vin

g 5

+G

CS

Es

in

cl.

En

g

& M

ath

s G

rad

es

A*-

C (

20

08

/09

)

Non-Grammar Schools SEELB Non-Grammar Schools St Colm's HS 423-0223Linear (Non-Grammar Schools) Linear (SEELB Non-Grammar Schools)

32.9% 2008/09

NI Average

30.1% 2008/09

SEELB

St Colm's HS

Twinbrook 423-0223

SEELB Post-primary (Non-Grammar) Schools (4 year average)

FSM Entitlement & 5+GCSEs (incl. equivalent) Grades A*-G

2005/06-2008/09

R2 = 0.1498

R2 = 0.0636

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

% FSM Entitlement (4 year average)

% o

f p

up

ils

ac

hie

vin

g 5

+G

CS

Es

Gra

de

s A

*-G

(4

ye

ar

av

era

ge

)

Non-Grammar Schools SEELB Non-Grammar Schools St Colm's HS 423-0223

Linear (Non-Grammar Schools) Linear (SEELB Non-Grammar Schools)

87.6% 2008/09

NI Average

89% 2008/09

SEELB Average

St Colm's HS

Twinbrook 423-0223

SEELB Post-primary (Non-Grammar) Schools (4 year average)

FSM Entitlement & 2+A-Levels (incl. equivalent) Grades A-E

2005/06-2008/09

R2 = 0.1262

R2 = 0.1107

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

% FSM Entitlement (4 year average)

% o

f p

up

ils

ac

hie

vin

g 2

+A

-Le

ve

ls

Gra

de

s A

-E (

4 y

ea

r a

ve

rag

e)

Non-Grammar Schools SEELB Non-Grammar Schools St Colm's HS 423-0223Linear (Non-Grammar Schools) Linear (SEELB Non-Grammar Schools)

94.2% 2008/09

NI Average

93.8% 2008/09

SEELB Average

St Colm's HS

Twinbrook 423-0223

SEELB Post-primary (Non-Grammar) Schools (4 year average)

FSM Entitlement & 3+A-Levels (incl. equivalent) Grades A-C

2005/06-2008/09

R2 = 0.201

R2 = 0.1267

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

% FSM Entitlement (4 year average)

% o

f p

up

ils

ac

hie

vin

g 3

+A

-Le

ve

ls

Gra

de

s A

-C (

4 y

ea

r a

ve

rag

e)

Non-Grammar Schools SEELB Non-Grammar Schools St Colm's HS 423-0223Linear (Non-Grammar Schools) Linear (SEELB Non-Grammar Schools)

41.3% 2008/09

NI Average

37.7% 2008/09

SEELB Average

St Colm's HS

Twinbrook 423-0223

Leadership and Management‘Leaders do not create followers.

They create more leaders’Peters

• SLT – Principal, Vice- Principal, School Development Leader > ICT/STEM Coordinator, Extended Schools’ Coordinator

• Two new Senior Posts – January 2011 – Pupil Experience Coordinator, Pupil Progress Coordinator

• ELT >Distributed Leadership Model

Heads of Faculty (5) - Curriculum Team

Heads of Year (6) – Pastoral Team

• Heads of Department/ Postholders

• All Staff

Subject

teachers

School Aspirations

Current/

Impending

Legislation

Community

Aspirations

Government

Initiatives

Local Area

Planning

Demographics

Curriculum

Subject

Teachers

Common

Formula

Funding

KEY

Senior Leadership Team

Extended Leadership Team

Entitlement

Framework

Post Primary

Review (CCE)

Extended

Schools

New Building

Collaboration

‘Leadership and Learning are indispensable to each other’J.F. Kennedy

• Culture of Critical Reflection

• All are Leaders

• All are Accountable

• Mistakes are Ways to Learn

• Innovate to Improve

• Mutual Respect

• Shared Vision – How and Why we do things

• Collegiality

• Emotional Intelligence

Impact on pupil

‘THE MAGIC’‘You never know when you’re making a memory’

R.L. JONES

• Curriculum/Pastoral intertwined

• Pupil self esteem at centre

• Never give up – ‘row against the tide’

• Pupil Learning – any ‘way in’ is valid

• Support for the Vulnerable – parents too!

• Push The Boundaries – achievement crucial!

• Empathy – sharing of oneself

• Positive Pupil Experience

Relaxed, Responsive, Respectful Relationships

P

E

O

P

L

E

Is there a ‘Silver Bullet’?

‘ Schools cannot systematically address underachievement

through isolated actions or individual strategies: they

must work towards improvement across a range of

areas, using a carefully planned reflective approach’

N.I.A.R (2010)

‘self-improving, well governed and effectively led

communities of good practice . meeting the needs

and aspirations of all pupils’

ESaGS (2009)

Quality of Learning & Teaching

Leadership & Management

Standards & Achievement

‘The Magic’People