School Self-Evaluation Report 2015 Introduction The focus of the evaluation A school self-evaluation of teaching and learning was undertaken during the period 1/09/1 to 30/06/15. After a period of analysis and consultation, literacy was selected as the curricular area to be focused on in Year 2. This is a report on the findings of the evaluation. School Context Christ the King G.N.S is an urban 2015 girls’ school under Catholic patronage. It is a vertical school 2nd class to 6th class. There are currently 92 pupils, five class teachers, a shared learning support teacher, a shared resource teacher and a shared home school community liaison teacher. The principal is a teaching principal. The Findings
Data was gathered on the basis of both quantitative and qualitative inquiry.
Standardised test results in English reading show that the majority of pupils are performing at or above the national norm average. There was an in-depth analysis of standardised test data carried out over the last three years.
The school undertook a whole staff analysis of areas requiring attention based on school context and standardised test results.
A SWOT analysis was carried out to give an opportunity to staff to reflect on strengths, opportunities and challenges facing the school.
Responses to pupil reading questionnaires showed that 66% of pupils enjoyed reading books.
Pupils have a clear understanding of what makes a good reader such as using expression when reading (30%), practise reading often (20%) and appropriate pace when reading (14%).
Just over half of pupils enjoy reading aloud. (51%)
Teachers completed a questionnaire on teaching reading fluency.
Teachers demonstrated a thorough understanding of the meaning of fluency and its characteristics.
80% of teachers both teach and monitor fluency on a daily basis.
90% of teachers assess fluency through teacher observation.
Teachers answered that they sometimes or never use readers’ theatre, echo reading and making audio books as fluency teaching strategies.
We timed the children’s reading using the 1 minute WCPM chart. Children in 2nd and 5th class scored above the guide for WCPM at their class level. 50% of 3rd and 4th class scored above the guide for WCPM.
We assessed children’s automaticity, phrasing, intonation, smoothness and pace using the Multidimensional Fluency Scale. 41% of children in 3rd class scored under the average score of 10. 28% of 4th class scored under the average score of 10.
Resulting findings As a result of the above process of self- evaluation, reading fluency was chosen as the main focus for Year 2 of our school improvement plan. The main focus will be on the improvement of pupils’ reading fluency.
Progress made on previously identified improvement targets The school has had a DEIS plan since 2007. Targets have been set and reviewed for literacy, numeracy and attendance on an annual basis. Significant improvements have been made in Spellings, our chosen area in SSE for 2014/2015.
Summary of main strengths Our school has strengths in the following areas in literacy.
Pupils’ standardised test results in English reading show that 54% of pupils scored a sTen of 5 or above in the DPRT in May 2014.
66% of pupils report enjoying reading in a survey of attitudes conducted in preparation for this plan in February 2015.
Literacy initiatives have been introduced over the past number of years. There has been an increased number of class novels being read at each class level. Paired reading and book clubs have been introduced. ‘My read at home book’ has been introduced at all class levels this year and has proven to be a great success with children and teachers responding positively to all reading genres covered in the book.
Reading comprehension skills are explicitly taught at all class levels. The school has adopted Building Bridges of Understanding as a whole school approach to the teaching of reading. Its primary focus is on teaching comprehension strategies.
Teachers demonstrated a thorough understanding of the meaning of fluency and its characteristics.
All teachers are aware of the fluency level that their class should be at.
80% of teachers both teach and monitor fluency on a daily basis.
Pupils have strategies to help them read new words
Pupils display confidence in using language?
Pupils display emotional and imaginative development though language
Pupils are taught to write in a variety of genres
Pupils in 3rd to 6th write in a cursive script.
The following area is prioritised for improvement We have chosen the area of reading fluency to prioritise for improvement in 2015/2016 in the area of teaching and learning. We aim:
To improve accurate word recognition so that children are reading at 90-95% accuracy at their instructional reading level.
To improve automaticity (the ability to read words without conscious decoding). This is in order to allow the children to concentrate on comprehending the text.
To improve rhythm and intonation. This is also referred to as prosody and concerns the ability to read with some sort of inflection. It often indicates a child’s level of understanding about the parts of speech contained in a sentence which is in essence a lower order form of comprehension.
To ensure that teachers are using the eight agreed strategies for teaching fluency during the school year. i.e. paired reading, modelling, poetry, re-reading, readers’ theatre, echo reading, choral reading and making audio books.
The following legislative and regulatory requirements need to be addressed: Review and revise Code of Behaviour and Anti- Bullying Policy