Development Plan 2011-2012

Summary Development Plan

Background       

The future of the School may be affected by a number of factors, some beyond the immediate control of the Council of Governors. For instance, government initiatives in the maintained sector or local planning decisions could all influence plans for the future.  It is expected that this development plan will need at least annual revision. It is not prescriptive, but provides a flexible framework. Its publication allows all parties interested in St Cedd’s School to gain a glimpse of its likely future direction.

Aim       

The School’s broad aim is that it should be recognised as the pre-eminent school of its type in the area through the quality of its academic achievements, curricular and pastoral provision, and extra-curricular activities.  Its agreed mission statement, aims and objectives are published in the Prospectus.

Premises            

The Council of Governors at St Cedd’s School purchased a four-acre site in New London Road in 2008. This was formerly St Philip’s Priory School. For eighteen months St Cedd’s School operated on two sites; Maltese Road, its home for eighty years, and New London Road. On 3 May 2011, the School relocated all pupils to New London Road following an extensive refurbishment programme and completion of the state of the art purpose-built Upper School for delivery of specialist lessons, and spacious classrooms for our Years 3-6 pupils. Construction of the astroturf and all-weather games court in 2011 are additions to our excellent facilities for Sports and enhance our playgrounds, quiet recreation areas and gardens. New outdoor activity play equipment scheduled to be completed in 2012 will extend children’s opportunities for creative play.

Nursery               

Our Nursery offers children the opportunity to join the St Cedd’s School community in the term of their third birthday. In 2011, an additional classroom was added to the already spacious Nursery facilities and the interior was beautifully refurbished to further enhance the excellent accommodation for our youngest pupils. The three large, outdoor Nursery play and activities zones were landscaped to create a soft play area, a garden and all-weather environment. Further development of the Nursery playground will extend the facility towards the Upper School. Lunch for our Nursery children is now served in the comfort of their own learning environment, and new canopies cover sections of the outside classrooms for all year round development of children’s physical, social and intellectual development. Continuity in the curriculum and a focus on high standards of achievement starts in the Nursery with delivery of the EYFS curriculum.

Numbers            

The merger with St Philip’s Priory School in 2008 resulted in an increase in the school roll.  This will return to a maximum of 48 children in two parallel forms over the next three years. From September 2012, starting with the 2011 Reception intake, classes will be mixed annually and remain mixed ability classes of 24 pupils in a class from Reception - Year 6, with the exception of ability streaming which creates an additional class in English and Mathematics in Year 5 and Year 6.

Income                

The aim is to attract and retain good staff and to fund the best possible curricular provision in terms of facilities and resources. Governors will be mindful of these needs when setting future budgets, but also, when determining fee levels, and remaining competitive in the market and making the School financially accessible to the greatest number of parents.

Security              

Procedures for ensuring the safety and well-being of pupils and staff are given uppermost priority and all policies and practices are regularly reviewed and amended to maintain regulatory compliance and the highest standards of health and safety. Security measures were reviewed and updated when the whole school relocated to New London Road in 2011 and a school-initiated health and safety audit, by Health and Safety inspectors, confirmed that all aspects of safety, including fire, are good. Stringent criminal background checking procedures are carried out for all employees.

Curriculum        

There is now an annual curriculum audit to ensure that our provision meets the needs and aspirations of pupils, parents and staff. New features are evaluated during the annual audit, which informs the whole school development plan incorporating the following aspects: pastoral care, standards of education provided, leadership and management, premises and resources. Development in 2011 included a greater focus on Assessment for Learning and publication of individual pupil and mean average standardised test results to parents. Educational trips are used to enhance children’s learning, as are on-site workshops and presentations by outside providers. A new, broader activities and clubs programme and introduction of Breakfast Club supplement our after-school club, known as TLC (Two Leagues Club) to provide wrap-around care and flexible drop-off and collection times. Our membership of the Choral Schools Association and International School Award are aspects of our curricula provision valued by the school community.  

Information & Communication Technology       

2011 saw the introduction of class sets of laptops in Upper School and Lower School, and installation of interactive whiteboards and workstations in all classrooms. Greater access to ICT as a means of teaching and learning will benefit all areas of the curriculum, as awareness and skills’ levels increase. There is greater emphasis on embedding the development of ICT skills in the curriculum. Electronic mail will, to an increasing extent, replace paper communication both internally and between home and school. ClarionCall supplements other forms of communication with parents. A new website was launched in May 2011 providing up-to-date information and news.

Staff Recruitment & Development         

There is likely to be a natural turnover of teaching staff through career moves, retirements, family relocations and other reasons. As the school wishes to benefit both from staff stability and the welcome influx of ‘new blood’, we will continue to recruit and retain good teachers. Annual staff reviews and appraisals identify each individual teacher’s strengths and areas for professional development. The teaching deployment and the allocation of responsibilities will continue to reflect the specialist skills of the individual teacher. 

Public Relations, Publicity & Marketing               

We shall continue to strengthen our links with the wider school community and secondary schools, and become known through charitable projects, visits and the sharing of facilities. Our new website provides prospective parents with marketing information and news. A new prospectus will be published this academic year and school events and articles are regularly represented in the local press and national publications. The eightieth anniversary of the School’s founding was celebrated and reported on in the press, together with the opening of our new Upper School building.                                                                                                                                                                

    September 2011