Skip to content ↓
Fir Tree School

Fir Tree School

School Development Plan 2023-2024

This is a summary of our School Development Plan.  In order to write this document, we seek feedback from pupils, parents and staff at the end of each academic year. It focuses on key areas of improvement. 

Quality of Education

  • Pupils outcomes are at least in line with national average
  • Improve provision and progress for disadvantaged and SEN groups
  • Continue to prioritise Early Reading and phonics
  • Continue to improve the quality and effectiveness of teaching so as to develop children’s higher level reading skills
  • Develop writing in school particularly the teaching of writing skills including editing and redrafting, writing for a purpose and opportunities for writing across the curriculum
  • To further develop conceptual understanding through improved lesson and timetable design in Maths
  • Develop mathematical thinking through more frequent and carefully planned problem solving opportunities 
  • The well-sequenced curriculum identifies what pupils must know and remember, starting in the early years.
  • Continue to develop foundation subject assessment
  • Continue to develop curriculum subject leadership

Personal Development

  • Ensure there are opportunities in the curriculum to address the personal development of pupils especially through RSE, SMSC, assemblies, school council/leaders & ambassadors and curriculum enhancements etc
  • Continue to develop and embed meta cognition practices within the classroom and curriculum to support pupils’ knowledge of their own resilience, regulation and SEMH
  • Develop a deeper understanding of children’s health and wellbeing and strategies to support children and their families
  • To extend the offer of extra-curricular provision, in order to build cultural capital, and increase accessibility
  • To increase access to trips and visits for all children.
  • Continue to facilitate outdoor learning within the Curriculum at Fir Tree

Behaviour and Attitudes

  • Raise attendance, particularly persistent absenteeism
  • Improve punctuality
  • Celebrate good attendance and raise the profile of those children attending well
  • Real Play Leaders to support and facilitate play
  • The school values and British values underpin the work of the school and are shared in assemblies, circle time and PSHE
  • Continued development of a whole school approach to SEND provision

Leadership and Management

  • Continue to reduce workload and improve wellbeing
  • Address any areas of concern for staff and support staff wellbeing
  • To ensure robust monitoring of foundation subjects
  • To fully embed the connected curriculum and to show the impact of the curriculum on all our children.
  • A detailed Pupil Premium Strategy is in place to secure substantial improvement in diminishing the difference with progress and attainment of disadvantaged pupils
  • Leaders are aware and take account of the pressures on staff, considering staff wellbeing, ensuring well-being opportunities for all within the school
  • Subject leaders to further develop their roles to ensure high quality teaching and learning of their curriculum
  • To increase parental engagement
  • To ensure all stakeholders have a clear understanding of the pathways and processes involved in identifying and supporting children with SEN in school