For Headteachers

Staff, training and ongoing CPD

Priorities for this half-term …

• Observe with the Reading Leader all staff teaching phonics lessons and reading practice sessions.
• Book time to review your Reception/Year 1 Autumn 1 assessment data with your Reading Leader.
• Use the outcome of your review to plan coaching sessions and online CPD.
• Ensure all Year 2 staff are fully trained in the Spelling programme.
• Ensure all KS2 staff have completed the Big Little Wandle INSET ‘Back to basics’ session.
• Book onto ‘Preparing for an Ofsted Deep Dive’ webinar on 26th November.
• Ensure that the three reads and Daily Keep-up are happening every week. If you are in a school with limited adults, read the blog ‘Creative timetabling: Reading practice and Daily Keep-up’.

Assessment

Make sure you …

• Watch the recorded webinar ‘Doing even more with your data’ and read the blog ‘Leaders: Do more with your data!’
• Include data in your report to Governors.
• Ensure that:
  • In Reception/Year 1, everything is in place for the Autumn 2 assessments.
  • All children having Daily Keep-up are being assessed every three weeks and each set of data is uploaded to the Assessment tracker.
  • In Year 2, teachers are using the Phase 5 review assessment to identify gaps, then reteaching gaps before moving on to Bridge to spelling.
  • Children following Rapid Catch-up are being assessed every four weeks and all new data is added to the Rapid Catch-up assessment spreadsheet.

Children not on track

Make sure you …

 Reception/Year 1

• Review all Autumn 1 data with the Reading Leader and make plans for every child who is not keeping up.
  • Who is struggling in Reception?
  • Who was on track in Reception and is now struggling in Year 1? What is in place for them?
• Ensure that all interventions are happening.

Year 2

• Track the progress of any child who did not pass the Phonics Screening Check or who has any red or amber assessments in Year 1.
• Read the blog ‘Supporting children with larger gaps in Year 2’. Make sure there is a plan in place to get these children back on track.
• Review the Year 2 data with the Reading Leader to identify which children are ready to access the Fluency programme.

Budget and resources

Priorities for this half-term …

• Review the Reading for Pleasure books across the school, assess their relevance and decide if any new books need to be purchased.
• Read the blog ‘Balancing the books’ for tips on securing funding.

Engaging parents

Involve families in their child’s learning …

• Arrange classroom visits to observe phonics lessons/group reading lessons.
• Organise family workshops for Reception, Year 1 and Rapid Catch-up, if not already delivered in Autumn 1.
• Ensure up-to-date phonics data is shared with families (particularly those of the lowest-attaining 20%).
• Include details of engagement with families in your report to Governors.

Love of reading

Make sure you …

• Monitor protected read-aloud time across school.
• Make the most of your library. Ensure timetabled library visits for all classes are taking place. Read the blog ‘Love your library’ to find out how to transform your library on a budget.
• Review Reading for Pleasure books in use across the school. Keep your book offer fresh and relevant. Explore the book recommendations in Everybody read!

Staff, training and ongoing CPD

Priorities for this half-term …

• If you missed the BIG Little Wandle INSET, watch these videos for a whole-school refresher:
  • the Keynote sets the scene and will ensure that everyone knows how Little Wandle supports your school to reach every child
  • the Back to basics training looks at the evidence that underpins the Little Wandle pedagogy.
• Direct staff to the most appropriate Refresher training for their role: Foundations, Reception, Year 1, Year 2, Key Stage 2 or SEND.
• Ensure that staff in Year 2 have completed the Spelling training and Fluency training and you have timetabled and staffed for these sessions.
• A late Easter this year means that we have a shorter Summer term. Read the ‘Short term solutions’ blog to help you plan your teaching.

Assessment

Make sure you …

• Secure learning before moving on. Do not ask staff to teach new content before they have secured previous learning. Continuing to teach Spring 1 when Autumn 2 is not secure will confuse children. Make a strategic plan to secure what has been taught first.
• Watch the recorded webinar ‘Doing even more with your data’ and read the blog ‘Leaders: Do more with your data!’
• Ensure that:
  • In Reception/Year 1, everything is in place for the Spring 1 assessments.
  • All children having Daily Keep-up are being assessed every three weeks and each set of data is uploaded to the Assessment tracker.
  • In Year 2, teachers are using the Bridge to spelling assessment to identify gaps, then reteaching gaps before moving on to the Spelling units.
  • Children following Rapid Catch-up are being assessed every four weeks and all new data is added to the Rapid Catch-up assessment spreadsheet.

Children not on track

Make sure you …

• Review your plans to ensure that children who are not on track catch up by the end of the year.
• Review data for Daily Keep-up and Rapid Catch-up to make sure that all children are making progress and to plan any additional support needed.
• Ensure that all interventions are happening.

 Reception

• Review all Autumn 2 data with the Reading Leader and make plans for every child who is not yet blending.

Year 1

• Review all Autumn 2 data with the Reading Leader and make plans for every child who:
  • is not reading words automatically
  • is not retaining Phase 5 GPCs
  • has larger gaps.

• Identify children who who are not reading words automatically and ensure they are receiving Daily Keep-up focused on reading words without overt blending.

Year 2

• Track the progress of any child who did not pass the Phonics Screening Check or who has any red or amber assessments in Year 1.
• Read the blog ‘Supporting children with larger gaps in Year 2’. Make sure there is a plan in place to get these children back on track.

Budget and resources

Priorities for this half-term … (especially if your school financial year starts in April)

• Ensure the staffing model for Little Wandle can be funded, including weekly release time for the Reading Leader.
• Read the blog ‘Creative timetabling’ so that you can be strategic in your staff deployment and make sure that all reading practice and Daily Keep-up sessions happen.

Engaging parents

Involve families in their child’s learning …

• Invite Reception parents and carers into school to talk about what their children will be learning this term. Use the Reception Phase 3 presentation and Reception Spring term handout.
• Remind parents about the For parents section of the website and direct them to/send home the ‘Support for tricky words Reception Spring term’ download.
• Set expectations for books sent home and encourage parents to celebrate their children’s success with their Little Wandle book.
• Direct parents to the ‘Supporting your child with reading’ video, which explains the purpose of the different types of books coming home.

Love of reading

Make sure you …

• Watch the ‘Reading for Pleasure’ recorded webinar and book onto the next live webinar on 29th January.
• Read the latest book recommendations in Everybody read!
• Begin to plan a purposeful event for World Book Day on 6th March. Investigate author visits/joining author webinars and other World Book Day activities and events.
• Read the blogs ‘Balancing the books’ and ‘Love your library’ to find out ways to boost your budget for books.