Citywest ETNS Strategy Plan

Introduction

This is an overview of what is happening in our school - projects we are ready to start, projects we are continuing to work on and projects that are already embedded in our culture. An operational plan is being developed based on this overview and we hope that Board of Management, senior school management, staff, parents, pupils and the wider community will work together on implementing that operational plan. As we move out of the development phase of our school's life and into the early years of being an established school, this plan will help to keep us all grounded, focussed and working together towards a shared vision. This is a great opportunity for parents and pupils, in particular, to find an area of school life that they are excited by and to help lead that in our school and in our community.

Plan

The Strategic Plan takes a three-phase approach:
  1. Programmes in the ‘Pilot’ phase are new initiatives that are being developed between 2019 and 2021. When a programme moves to the implementation phase, another new initiative can take its place.
  2. Programmes in the ‘Implement’ phase are those that have proven through the Pilot phase to bring benefit to the school community. They can be further refined and developed in the Implement phase. When a programme has been satisfactorily implemented across the whole school, it moves to the Embed phase.
  3. The Embed phase is where the programme becomes part of the culture of the school.
Each phase will have a review stage built in to its lifecycle.

How items are added to this plan via the Pilot phase:
Some items are mandated by DES or other body.
Some items are recommended e.g. by school inspector.
Some items are chosen via consultation of various groups in our school community, which may include pupils, staff, parents and/or Board of Management.

Past the Pilot Stage:
Each year, projects in Implementation and Embed Stages are reviewed annually against key indicators.

Pilot 
Leading Teaching and Learning
  • Achieving Green Flag status 
  • Developing our EAL (English as an Additional Language) programme
  • Becoming a Nurture School
  • The Yard Games programme

Managing the Organisation
  • Moving to our permanent building
  • Cultivating our new garden

Leading School Development
  • Enhancing parental involvement
    • Multiple languages being visible throughout the school
  • School Self Evaluation
  • Populating this plan with the following for each point, following which the team develop an operational plan for that project:
    • Vision statement
    • Key indicators
    • Name of champion 
    • Names of team members
    • Plan for review of the project against the agreed indicators

Developing Leadership Capacity
  • School teams
  • Active Board Membership

Implement
Leading Teaching and Learning
  • Digital and ICT Learning:
    • Educate Together Digital Cluster 
    • Digital Framework
    • Camara Google Sponsorship 
  • Wellbeing/Mindfulness programme
  • ISL (Irish Sign Language)
  • Active Flag
  • Droichead
  • Co-Teaching
  • Handwriting improvement plan
  • New language curriculum
  • Cross-curricular language lists per class, subject and strand unit
  • Rote-learning and recitation of poems and songs in Gaeilge
  • Indoor Play Space

Managing the Organisation
  • Administration Support
  • SPHE reporting
    • RSE
    • Stay Safe
  • Child Protection procedures
  • Anti-bullying procedures
  • Demonstration of equality and anti-discrimination
  • GDPR procedures
    • Staff training

Leading School Development
  • Being ready for a WSE (Whole school evaluation)
    • Plean scoile
    • If the school has not already been notified of a WSE by Summer 2021, we will then apply for permanent recognition, triggering WSE 
  • Secondary school transition plan

Developing Leadership Capacity
  • PA (Parents Association)
    • Drop-Off Programme
  • World Peace Games
  • Management development Plan
    • Coaching

Embed
Leading Teaching and Learning
  • Academic Performance
  • Quality of Support Teaching
  • Themed weeks and whole-school events
  • Whole-School Assemblies
  • School Visits
    • Visits to Places of Worship
    • Swimming
    • School tours
    • Guest speakers 

Managing the Organisation
  • Emergency evacuation procedure
  • Compliance with Regulation
  • Organisational Infrastructure
  • First Responders
  • Well Resourced
    • Financial – Income Streams
    • Maximise Staff Resources
    • Technology
    • Teaching Resources

Leading School Development
  • Employer of Choice
  • School of Choice
  • Community Involvement
  • After-School Programme

Developing Leadership Capacity
  • Induction of new staff
  • Distributed leadership
    • Curricular areas
    • Projects e.g. flags
    • Themed weeks and whole-school events
    • Chairing staff meetings
    • Coordinators
    • Senior School Management
    • Droichead
    • Year Heads
  • Student Council
  • CPD for Staff
    • External
    • Staff-led CPD
    • Sharing of expertise within the school including classroom visits
  • Professional networks with other school leaders
    • Shared campus
    • Local principals
    • Educate Together Board of Directors
    • Educate Together clusters
    • Educate Together schools incl selection panels
    • Expertise sharing with other schools
    • CSL and mentoring with IPPN