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Dairy Meadow is committed to supporting children's essential skills for every stage of their life and promoting them to flourish. By investing in the Skills Builder Framework we are able to provide support for every child by building upon these skills as a core part of their learning and development. We strongly believe that children who are able to master the essential skills can make the most of their time in school, and thrive in their wider lives.
Overall impact
Overall, the Accelerator+ programme has allowed our children to understand the world of work through the use of essential skills. With the use of Skills Builder, we can ensure that our children are gaining an insight and building on their cultural capital, which is furthered with the use of trips and other explorations that we take part in in Dairy Meadow Primary School. A particular highlight has been show casing our wonderful school to visitors from abroad who came to see Skills Builder in action. I believe that having gained flagship status has really been a huge highlight for us this year, as it shows our commitment to the programme and the excellent provisions that we have to support our children's next steps in life.
Keep it simple
The essential skills are embedded within teaching and learning policies and curriculum plans across the school, resulting in the language of essential skills being used extensively across all areas of school life and among all members. Policies are linked to essential skills and Project weeks (x3 a year) are centred around essential skills. Skills logos are displayed in every classroom and certificates are rewarded each half term. Theme of the week assemblies reflect some skills and parents are kept informed of skills development via curriculum letters and a central board which displays skills, home learning and projects at the front of our school.
Start early, keep going
All year groups and classes have regular and planned opportunities for their learning and practising of essential skills. All year groups (Nursery to year 6) take part in project weeks 3 times a year. Children are encouraged to use the language of essential skills throughout their daily learning e.g. during core and non core subjects, as well, as during social times. This key language is also displayed across the school through adult conversations and skill logos on lesson slides.
Measure it
All teachers regularly use formative assessment to prioritise and inform the teaching of essential skills. Teachers update and manage assessment at the end of each project week. This can be seen on our Hub report.
Focus tightly
Teachers engage in focused and explicit teaching of essential skills. Timetables and planning show that teachers dedicate time to the teaching of skills and pitch teaching at an appropriate level. Skills are taught via projects 3 times a year with some teachers making use of short lesson prompt cards for Oracy linking to Listening and Speaking - children have these in front of them when learning. Here at Dairy Meadow we know that to have a real impact the skills must be developed with consistency and focus. This is why the Framework is not only touched upon during the project weeks but throughout our daily teaching. The eight essential skills are displayed in every classroom and referred to consistently in order to raise learners' awareness and understanding. These skills are included on our lesson slides to encourage pupils to independently use a skill throughout their learning. During playtime, adults on duty use the essential skills to help solve any dilemmas that may arise.
Keep practising
Teachers provide regular opportunities for students to practise essential skills in the wider curriculum, crossing into different subject areas. The school's written curriculum makes reference to opportunities for practising essential skills across all subjects. Teachers add skills icons to lesson plans as well as letters to parents. Essential skills language is used in curriculum lessons and links to extra curricular activities. Home learning projects have been created using the skills challenges for each key stage to complete over the course of the academic year.
Bring it to life
The school makes provision for all students to have experiences to apply essential skills. These might include project-based learning, off-timetable days, employer encounters, workplace visits and enterprise challenges. Many students use opportunities to apply and develop their essential skills outside school, for example during 'home learning projects'. In recent months our KS2 children have had the opportunity to witness the success of essential skills being used in the world of work. This was through a careers day called 'Local Heroes' with the intention for children to see individuals who were similar to themselves and have excelled in a chosen career regardless of race or gender. The guests included people from Amazon, Sky TV, Gunnersbury park museum and Border Force. This day was a great success and gave the children high aspirations and a fearlessness to dream big!
What's next
Moving forward, we will continue to commit to a consistent approach and focus on the development of skills across the school for all children. Building upon our success of the 'home learning projects', we would like to continue establishing a solid link between essential skills development and parental input.
