During Monitoring Week I met with Mrs Albone who was appointed last term to lead developments in KS2 and work alongside Miss Dickens and Ms Atherton who lead KS1 and Early Years. Mrs Albone is new to post and she gave me a very thorough plan showing how she is going to work with the KS2 team and how she will further improve teaching and learning and also progress of children in the year groups.

Mrs Albone had quite rightly focused this term on gaining an understanding of the issues she has to address. We discussed the following areas:

• Supporting teachers new to Mellers and in particular newly qualified teachers and ensuring that they become familiar with the ways of working and the standards expected. She had observed teachers and was creating opportunities for them to observe more experienced colleagues.
• Working down into KS 1 to ensure that transition between the key stages supports the learning of all pupils.
• Meeting with subject leaders across the school to ensure that there is a collaborative approach to learning. This included children’s books with a particular emphasis on children taking pride in the work produced.
• Mrs Albone is also working alongside Mrs Patel so that she will be able to conduct progress interviews with teachers and TAs. This will ensure that children are making the correct amount of progress for their age and when any gaps appear in their learning that there is a plan in place to address the gaps. These interviews take place termly.
• Mrs Albone has also been sharpening up her own leadership skills to help her in her new role and has been meeting with Assistant Heads Mrs Buttress and Miss Dermody