School Improvement Plan 2014-2015St Paul’s CBS

School Improvement Plan 2014 {School Self Evaluation Process}

NUMERACY

Introduction

School Improvement Plan 2014-2015St Paul’s CBS

The focus of the evaluation

A school self-evaluation of teaching and learning in St Paul’s CBS was undertaken during the period 11.12 to 04.13 During the evaluation, teaching and learning in the following curriculum areas were evaluated:

Numeracy: Understanding and using Mathematics

School context

We are a DEIS band 1 all boys vertical Primary School under the patronage of ERST. We currently have 174 pupils with 9 class teachers, 2 Learning support teachers and one resource teacher. We also have a home School Liaison teacher shared with the neighbouring girls school Presentation Georges Hill. The school completion programme is ongoing in the school with a project worker visiting targeted pupils one afternoon per week. Under this programme attendance is tracked using an online computer tracking system. We also have a life skills coach visiting the school one day per week.

Getting StartedIn the school year 2013/14, the school identified mathematics as a potential area for improvement. We reviewed our mathematics during several Croke Park meetings.

The teachers analysed the standardised test results, in addition to analysing the teacher-designed tests which are administered in each class on a monthly basis. The teachers were generally pleased with the outcomes of the standardised test results; however they then conducted a staff reflection and identified broad areas across these themes for further investigation.

School Improvement Plan 2014-2015St Paul’s CBS

The following areas were prioritised for improvement:

Language of Maths Problem Solving in Maths Assessment of and for Learning Numeracy in the School Environment: Using the

environment/community as a learning resource: The school building is used as a resource to support the Maths programme. Teachers use the school environment to provide opportunities for mathematical problem solving e.g. numbers on doors, using hula hoops to sort children in PE, games on the playground, count trees in the playground, count windows, observe shapes of windows, doors etc.Mathematical Trails will be used outdoors to help teach mathematical concepts to children and make them aware of mathematics in their environment. Children display their mathematical work in their classrooms.

Attainment of curricular objectives in relation to attitudes: an increase in the number of pupils with positive attitudes to maths

Maths Station Teaching- In Class Support Professional Development-Class Teacher Training in Maths Recovery: Parental Involvement Maths for fun + parents association. To support

parents in their role as partners in education in the teaching and application of Maths. Enabling the parents to support the children’s numeracy development.

To work with the PDST team in developing our own understanding as teachers of new methodologies which would enrich our teaching of one strand area (fractions)

Measure Target Group

Lead Responsibility

When? Measure Undertak

School Improvement Plan 2014-2015St Paul’s CBS

enYes/No

Numeracy Link teacher

One teacher to be trained

Principal-Allocated teacher

Term 1 This term

Parental Involvement

Parents HSCL-Maths For fun

Term 3(2014) +Term 1

Yes and to begin again in OCT

Maths Recovery Classroom teacher training

Apply for a 2nd class teacher to be trained

Ms Coghlan- Principal

Term 3 2014

YES

Sigma T Analysis

All teachers All Teachers and Support team

Term 1 YES

Team Teaching

6th Class Support Team All year Yes 5th & 6th Class

Mental Maths(10 Minutes Daily)

All Classes All Teachers 10 minutes per day

YES

Concrete Materials

All Classes Post Holder Ms Ui Laoghóg

September

Maths Displays

All Classes All Teachers All year-updated regularly

YES

Maths Trails All Classes Post Holder -Ms Murphy

All year Yes

Maths in the Environment Booklet

School Community

HSCL Cluster All yearYES

School Improvement Plan 2014-2015St Paul’s CBS

Agreed Language of Maths operations

All teachers Post holders Term 1

Pupil Focus group

Pupils Input Principal- Ms Coghlan

Term 1 2014

Initiatives to improve Numeracy

School Improvement Plan 2014-2015St Paul’s CBS

Pupils’ engagement in learning: more structured reinforcement across all classes in the

Implementation of Problem Solving approach Developing Language of Maths Making maths more enjoyable for children Parental involvement

To develop a whole school approach to problem solving – Purchased Prim Ed books and E books.

To develop RUDE as the problem solving procedure at each class level

Strategies Make a Model Draw a Picture Find a Pattern Guess &

Check Work Backwards Thoughtful Lists Logical Reasoning Number Sentences

To introduce a “Problem Solving Time” 40 minutes weekly30% of parents surveyed outlined problem solving as an area of difficulty for their child

Use of Non Routine Problems Use of Contextualised Problems Reflect in Classroom timetable Source and purchase Problem Solving Kits for Middle and

Senior Classes EDCO & Prim Ed Through teacher modelling, pupils will learn problem solving

strategies –

School Improvement Plan 2014-2015St Paul’s CBS

Picture Models Lists Check and Guess Working Backwards

To help pupils will develop Higher Order Mathematical Thinking Skills

To maintain the pupils’ average score in standardised testing over the next three years

That a whole school approach to the language of number operations be introduced.

That concrete materials are available for and used for teaching and learning in each area of Mathematics

That problem solving will be an integral part of each mathematical lesson

That each class grouping will focus on oral mathematics as integral part of lesson

Mini Whiteboards will be purchased to allow promotion of estimation and computation operations

Brain Box / Problem of the week / Manga High websites will be used in senior classes

Parental Involvement a priority to promote and outline numeracy strategies / Booklet (Numeracy Learning Activities) distributed to respective class grouping parents.

Maths for Fun - Following the parents questionnaires some parents suggested making maths more fun for children so ‘Maths for Fun’ to be introduced again in 2nd class with a view to developing the initiative into senior classes.

Dedicated problem solving resources organised and arranged by class teacher for their respective classes

Mathematics Trail; each class grouping will follow appropriate mathematics trail in school environs

Analysis of Sigma T Testing tracking core class group as recommended following our Deis review in November 2012.