"Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much"
Helen Keller

School Improvement Strategy and Offer

In our Trust, School Improvement is seen as everyone's responsibility based upon our shared vision ‘To provide an exceptional education that is inclusive and challenging for all, and which provides wider opportunities for the children within the Epping Forest Trust to flourish.’

Vision

We have an uncompromising ambition to use (The) Power of Collaboration to provide outstanding provision through:

  • An inclusive, unrelenting focus on high quality first teaching
  • A rich, broad and stimulating curriculum 
  • A high aspiration for all children regardless of their background to achieve their best possible outcomes
  • A wide range of experiences to develop the whole child
  • An environment where good mental health and wellbeing is nurtured
  • A safeguarding culture to respond to our local context and the needs of our pupils
  • Strong foundations for the next stage of education or employment

 

Aspirations

To achieve our vision, we will endeavour to:

  • Ensure schools retain their distinct character and are integrated into their local community 
  • Enable schools to be autonomous in their day-to-day operations
  • Recruit and develop high calibre staff
  • Deliver a programme of high quality professional development
  • Offer a range of leadership opportunities
  • Use an operating model that encourages contributions from all staff
  • Use evidence-based, forward-thinking approaches to education
  • Work with external partners
  • Listen to parents and the wider community
  • Promote positive staff health and wellbeing
  • Run financially efficient schools
  • Ensure fair allocation of opportunities and resources
  • Have strong governance to support and challenge
  • Maintain safe and stimulating premises
  • Nurture a diverse network of faith and non-faith schools that promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. 

 

As such our strategy is split into two halves:

1. Teaching and Learning 

Operations and Growth 

  • Great Teaching 
  • Great Curriculum 
  • Great Culture 
  • Finance 
  • HR
  • Wellbeing
  • Technology 
  • Governance 
  • Growth 

 Our 2023 to 2026 Strategy for teaching and learning is

Area

2023 to 2026 Strategy 

Priorities for 2023 to 2024



Teaching

  • To ensure that the quality of teaching and learning across the Trust is exceptional. 

  • To ensure that teaching across the Trust has fidelity to evidence informed research and pedagogy, forward-thinking and outward-looking.
  • To ensure Teaching is adaptive and responsive, and teachers feel confident and are skilled to teach all pupils

  • The school uses evidence informed assessment and teaching practises to improve teaching for all pupils 

Curriculum

  • To ensure the curriculum is broad, balanced and responsive to the needs, interests and experiences of the children of the Epping Forest Trust.
  • The Trust has clearly defined, shared curriculum principles that are reflected in the school’s individual curriculum intent.

  • There is a wide and engaging enrichment curriculum across all schools, and most pupils participate. with special efforts made to ensure that those pupils who don’t get these opportunities at home participate and benefit.

Culture

  • To ensure an exceptional personal development offer that achieves an inclusive, diverse and mentally healthy approach to learning and education. 
  • There is a strong Personal Development Curriculum in place that aspires to exceed statutory requirements.

  • Behaviour and attitude is at least good or better. 

 

Our 2023 to 2024 priorities are included in the development plans of all our schools to ensure we have joined up focus on school improvement and can utilise the power of collaboration. 

Our School Improvement Team

The school improvement team consists of:

School Improvement Director

School Improvement Manager 

Two Assistant CEOs 

SCITT Director 

Subject Leader Experts 

External Providers

 

Our school improvement offer includes:

  • Internal Quality Assurance Visits throughout the year
  • An extensive CPD Offer for all staff CPLD-offers-from-EFSPT 
  • Peer to Peer Review System 
  • A clear focus on career development for teachers using our Leadership Development Pathway
  • A comprehensive and embedded Wellbeing Service for children and staff Annual Wellbeing Newsletter 
  • Headteacher Performance Management Process aligned to Trust and School Strategy 
  • Opportunities for systems leadership and school to school support
  • Development of a coaching culture
  • Trust-wide areas for development which in turn feed into well-sourced CPD
  • Planned use of one data management system (Arbor) to ensure consistency of data analysis across the Trust and clear areas for improvement including where schools can support each other
  • Half Termly Leadership Conferences supported by fortnightly virtual operational meetings led by the CEO
  • Half Termly Deputy and Assistant Head Meetings led by the CEO 
  • Expert external moderation to verify standards
  • Termly Subject Leader Network Meetings
  • Biannual Year Group Meetings
  • Biannual Trust-wide moderation
  • Harnessing external Trust wide offers such as those from LGfL and the local authority ECC
  • An indepth Trust-wide staff and pupil survey which is rigorously examined and analysed
  • A monthly update / newsletter which celebrates success and shares information
  • Opportunities to come together and showcase student and staff work, eg Christmas singing/ Art showcase at Copped Hall/ Trust calendars

Central Team

 Our Schools are supported by our Central Team and the opportunity to contribute to the wider trust and to influence strategy for all stakeholders is available by joining one of our hubs and networks. 

Quality Assurance Overview

Our school improvement offer is strategically planned to ensure the optimum level of support is provided to each school.  Quality assurance focuses on specific aspects of school improvement and aligns with the Trust and Schools priorities. 

 

*2023 to 2024 Provisional QAO – to be confirmed at the 22nd September Leadership Mtg

 

 

 

Term 1

School Development Plan and SEF Review 

CPD Needs 

Term 2

Data Review 

Quality of Education Visit or Peer to Peer Review

Trust Inset Day

Monday 30th October 2023

Year Group Meetings supported by LGFL

Wellbeing 

Term 3

Staff Professional Development Review 

Term 4

Mid Year Review 

Term 5

Quality of Education or Peer to Peer Review 

Term 6

New Draft Trust Priorities Agreed 

Headteacher PMR

There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they're falling in. 

Desmond Tutu.