Heads of department meeting 16th June 2015

1. Excellent teaching bullet points: (ALL)

Appropriate pace
Rapid progress
High expectations
Positive and purposeful atmosphere / mutual respect
Lessons proceed without interruptions
Teachers display excellent subject knowledge
Teachers know the pupils
Plan lessons to include differentiation / stretch / challenge
Relevant material / links to the outside world / cross curricular links
Teachers demonstrate enthusiasm, flair, passion and energy
Clear learning objectives
Assessment clearly linked to prior learning
Opportunities for extension work are exploited
2. Middle leaders inset (MDOD)
Handout discussed
Main points to emphasise are the need for the recognition of the pupil
voice and the value of anonymous feedback. MDOD described RE
lunches where pupils discuss RE matters in a forum and said these have
been a success in encouraging positive dialogue.
ALW reported the results of the pupils survey which had 311 replies and
gave encouraging results. Pupils seemed very positive overall although in
the survey of pupils views, the most negative aspect was that pupils felt
that they were not asked for their views.
Staff interested in the middle leaders course should email ALW as it is
good value for money.
3. Shape of the day (ALW)
Main change is that pupils are back in lessons at 2.15pm to give a longer
break after afternoon lessons.
P10 has been scrapped
P9 on tues and thurs has been swapped from academic teaching to prep for
Y7/8 to allow more time for prep.
Thurs P6 will be shorter to allow VI form lectures to take place.
4. New reporting framework. (ALW)
A new reporting system was presented that replaces the current system of
MAs and end of term reports. End of term reports are to be scrapped and
instead of MAs (but on the same timescale) attitude to learning is
described on a 4 point scale in 8 different areas. Progress is described with
a level and compared to their target and staff are to make a 2/3 sentence
comment.
NMW agreed that the system was much better but raised concerns over
workload, which other staff also echoed

As the stated intention is to have less / no proof reading, CG / MHW raised

concerns over the quality of the sentences. These concerns were also
echoed by other HoDs
ALC/JGW suggested the use of sophisticated statement banks was much
more useful and less time consuming.

5. Library
HoDs to Discuss with their departments how they envisage the library
being used to its best potential and feed back to ALW