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Saint Francis is a smaller than average inner city primary school with over 230 children on roll. As a school we have been involved with Skills Builder since 2017. We want our pupils to be excited about coming to school and excited about their learning. We want them to be curious about the world they live in and ask lots of questions. Most importantly we want our pupils to see themselves as learners who put no limit on what they can achieve. We believe the 8 skills underpin success for children for life but are also integrated every day throughout our school and help us achieve our vision. The links with businesses bring an extra element that nothing else could provide, it has really supported our aspirational drive for our children. Every half term we have an extra focus on one of the 8 skills to help support its development and raise the profile of the Skills Builder work.
Overall impact
It has been good to continue to have the Skills builder strand of our curriculum ticking over despite a turbulent 18 months. Involvement in the Accelerator programme has kept it in the forefront.
Keep it simple
We have continued to build whole school awareness of the essential skills. They are up on the walls of each classroom and in the main hall. We have had staff training on how to define and to build them but have had an ever changing staff due to maternities and COVID. Students have been formally introduced to the Skills Builder Framework with a new skill each half term and the step by step approach shown. The language of the skills have been used across the curriculum and matched to our virtues. Every week the children are given a merit for one of the skills.
Start early, keep going
Most year groups or classes have increasingly regular and planned opportunities for the learning and practising of essential
skills. We used the steps to guide expectation and build these up. These are started in Year 1 with just lip service paid in EYFS. Classes tend to focus on either the skill of the half term or a skill that has been raised as a particular weakness for the cohort.
Measure it
We have had staff training on making judgements and time given to base lining children. However all assessment has taken a side step this year with the focus on getting children into school and settled into routine.
Focus tightly
More dedicated time has been available to teach essential skills with focus on a specific step of progress in the essential
skills. PE for example has one clear skill per topic to develop. The teachers have been equipped to build skills directly and have the tools and resources from the Hub to support them.
Keep practising
More and more teachers provide opportunities for students to practise essential skills in the wider curriculum, crossing into different subject areas.
Bring it to life
Every identified class has had at least 1 virtual employer visit this year where they have been able to see the essential skills in life. We have also held a whole school aspirations week with the essential skills embedded in.
What's next
We need a year in school and some timetable consistency to continue to build. New staff need time to be acquainted with our work.
