SDP & ASSESSMENT RATIONALE

 

School Development Plan 2026-27

The School Development Plan (SDP) is the school's strategic plan for improvement. It sets out the key areas we will focus on to ensure every child achieves their full potential, receives an excellent education and thrives both academically and personally.

Thameside Primary School's strengths

We are proud of the many strengths of our school, including:

• Strong outcomes in reading and positive progress in reading and mathematics despite increasing levels of SEND and additional need.
• A highly inclusive school with specialist provision, a strong Family Hub and a commitment to ensuring every child belongs, achieves and thrives.
• A broad, ambitious and enriched curriculum that provides meaningful learning experiences for all pupils.
• Highly effective Additional Resource Provisions (ARPs) and The Nest, enabling pupils with a wide range of needs to succeed within their local community.
• Strong safeguarding, pastoral care and wellbeing support that ensures pupils feel safe, supported and valued.
• Strong progress from children's starting points, particularly in the Early Years.
• High-quality professional development that invests in the growth and expertise of our staff.
• Positive relationships with pupils, families and the wider community.

Our Priorities for 2026-27

Attendance and Inclusion

We will continue to improve attendance and punctuality for all pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, have SEND, or are at risk of persistent absence. Through strong partnerships with families, early intervention and targeted support, we aim to ensure every child benefits from being in school every day.

Adaptive Teaching, Challenge and Firm Foundations

We will further develop highly effective classroom practice so that all pupils receive the right level of support and challenge. This includes strengthening adaptive teaching, securing firm foundations in reading, writing and mathematics, identifying gaps in learning at the earliest opportunity and ensuring pupils are able to access increasingly ambitious learning as they progress through the school. We will also continue to develop pupil independence and ensure that higher-attaining pupils are consistently challenged to achieve their very best across the curriculum.

SEND and Inclusive Provision

We will continue to strengthen our inclusive practice and SEND provision, ensuring that all pupils with additional needs receive the support they need to succeed. This includes further developing our specialist Additional Resource Provisions (ARPs), increasing staff expertise, strengthening inclusive practice across all classrooms and ensuring pupils with SEND are supported to achieve ambitious outcomes.

Curriculum Assessment and Impact

We will continue to develop robust assessment systems that help teachers and leaders understand what pupils know, remember and can do across the curriculum. Assessment information will be used to identify gaps in learning, strengthen curriculum delivery and ensure all pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, make strong progress from their starting points.

Oracy, Communication and Learning Behaviours

We will develop confident communicators who can explain their thinking clearly, use ambitious vocabulary and engage positively in their learning. Building on our existing work, we will strengthen opportunities for speaking, listening, discussion and reasoning across the curriculum because we believe that every interaction with children is a teaching opportunity or a chance to build a connection.

Early Years and Early Foundations

We will place particular emphasis on developing strong foundations in early reading, communication and mathematics within EYFS and Key Stage 1, ensuring children are well prepared for future learning. This includes strengthening number sense, mathematical language, reasoning and problem-solving through high-quality teaching, purposeful provision and effective adult interactions.

Parent Partnership and Community Engagement

We will continue to strengthen relationships between home and school through effective communication, meaningful engagement and shared responsibility for children's success. By working closely with families and the wider community, we can provide the very best support for every child. We will also continue to promote equitable access to enrichment opportunities, ensuring that disadvantaged, SEND and vulnerable pupils can participate fully in the wider life of the school.

Find Out More

Please download our School Development Plan 2026-27 below for more information about our improvement priorities and how we will continue to ensure that all children make progress from their individual starting points, access our full curriculum offer and flourish as learners and members of our school community.

Thank you for your continued support.