As one school year ends, another begins – a prompt to take action

With the end of the academic year approaching, you’ll want to ensure that the right policies, working practices and general operational arrangements are in place – keeping on top of it all can be quite a challenge. So, we’ve collated this list in one place to try and make your task more manageable.

There are some policies and practices you must have in place, some that it is good to have in place, and some arrangements that will simply suit your individual school setting or satisfy a long-standing tradition or custom. You’ll need to determine what works for your school.

Planner

To consider termly:

1. pupil progress meetings
2. pupil voice
3. data drop
4. data analysis
5. safeguarding audit review and ‘single central record’ with safeguarding governor
6. fire evacuation practice.

To consider ahead of the autumn term:

1. assembly rota
2. performance management timetable for year
3. assessment timetable for year
4. staff meeting timetable
5. safeguarding audit and policy review
6. pupil progress meetings
7. plan and book in INSETS – (summer term INSET: review of SEF and SIP)
8. open days for following year’s reception intake
9. sports day
10. appraisal report for teachers – target setting
11. computer screen use audit.

To consider for the summer term:

1. review PPA cover
2. headteacher’s declaration for KS1 and KS2 SATs
3. headteacher’s declaration for phonics
4. sports day
5. performance management observations
6. asbestos report update
7. reports out to parents
8. class allocations out to parents
9. evaluate pupil premium report
10. new pupil premium report for website
11. evaluate sports grant report
12. new sports grant report for website
13. list of policies for review: medicines, safeguarding, health and safety, etc
14. staffing for September
15. TA timetable for the next year
16. INSET – topic mapping/SEF/SIP/Visits/TA timetable/allocation of TAs
17. class lists for 2019-20
18. leavers’ service
19. update staff handbook
20. update supply staff handbook
21. review on-site and curriculum risk assessments
22. website review.

No planner is going to be perfect, but a planner is as good a way as any to ensure that no one or no one event is overlooked, and it therefore provides a measure of protection for you and other school leaders.