I N N OVAT I O N G R A N T S S P E C I A L E D I T I O N 2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 6
Leading Change The Leading Edge Network Journal Autumn 2016
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Welcome to the first edition of Leading Change for this school year and the second innovation grant special edition.
national recognition for your work. Please do take a look and get in touch if you would like to know more about it.
This edition of the journal showcases the projects that Leading Edge supported through innovation grants last year. Once again the projects cover a wide range of focus areas and are a reflection of the exceptional work going on within schools in our network. We have thoroughly enjoyed reading them and hope that you do too.
We are looking forward to seeing many of you at the Leading Edge conference in October – the conference is a great opportunity to meet colleagues in the network and to explore issues that are particularly relevant to high-performing schools.
Please note that contact details are provided at the end of each case study – do take the opportunity to connect further with any projects that are of particular interest to you. We hope that this publication is just the start of further conversations across the network. We hope that you have managed to have a look at the information about the Framework for Exceptional Education (FfEE). FfEE has been codeveloped with a number of Leading Edge schools and the feedback from schools that have engaged with the framework is extremely positive. The framework offers you an invaluable tool to review your current practice, a means of connecting with other schools in a meaningful way and achieving
As ever, do get in touch if you have any queries, or if there is anything that we can help with. We’re always keen to hear from you. Best wishes The Leading Edge team
CONTACT THE LEADING EDGE TEAM We are always at the end of the phone and available by email if you want some ideas about which schools to contact or support with getting in touch with others in the network. You can reach us on 020 7802 2300 (ask for the Leading Edge team) or on
[email protected]
CONTENTS 2
Using EAL Learners to improve academic literacy for all students Jack Hunt School
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Does a daily session of sensory integration have a measurable impact on the levels of engagement of children on the autism spectrum? Oak Lodge Special School
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LEARN – Loreto Engineering and Robotics Network: our journey into promoting STEM careers to girls Loreto Grammar School
18 Using spaced repetition and
interleaved learning to improve long-term memory in students Sacred Heart Catholic High School
32 Grade 1-athon makes teachers
and learners swap places – to excellent effect St Bede’s Catholic College, Bristol
24 Work smarter, reduce time and
36 What’s another word for nice? improve impact on learners by Langley Park School for Girls using audio to digital feedback Horndean Technology College 42 Adventure learning increases engagement and independent 28 Action, emotion and narrative: learning skills improving learning retention Mounts Bay Academy through three key experience Bluecoat Beechdale Academy 46 The White British Achievement Project Parliament Hill School
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School Name
Using EAL Learners to improve academic literacy for all students Jack Hunt School
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Themes EAL Literacy Maths
W
e were concerned that, in a school where 71 different languages are spoken, our students were not performing as well as they might in examinations, because they did not have an adequate command of ‘academic’ English. We suspected that, in many lessons, staff were not prioritising its development, nor acting as models of academic English. We were also looking for a way to better equip staff to teach all of our students – from the 57% EAL to those who are native English speakers – how to ‘write like a mathematician/scientist/ geographer etc.’ In addition, it became clear that in some subjects, staff were not regularly allowing students time to talk and work collaboratively
as a preparation for written work. This was, we felt, a problem not only for EAL learners, but for all our students who were primarily speaking a colloquial version of English and rarely talking and writing in an academic form or register.
In some subjects, staff were not regularly allowing students time to talk and work collaboratively It was through reviewing examination scripts from past years that we realised that, across the curriculum, both EAL learners and those with English as their first language were losing marks because they were illequipped to express themselves
on paper. It was frustrating to see our young people fail to achieve their potential, not because they lacked the knowledge or understanding, but because they lacked the skill to write in an appropriate way. This was something that we recognised was likely to become more of a problem as examinations change over the next few years. So we set out to achieve the following: ›› Equip staff to understand and talk about academic English explicitly in their subject area and act as models of academic language in every lesson. ›› Highlight in all lessons the importance of presenting knowledge in an academic manner, both in talk and writing. 3
Jack Hunt School
›› Improve students’ ability to engage with challenging texts and then produce academic written answers, particularly under examination conditions. ›› Equip staff to use group work as a teaching strategy to enhance academic language through talk and allow students time to talk through work as a preparation for writing. ›› Find a way to support all staff in improving their own academic language skills; make this a priority for everyone in school. ›› Do something that staff would respond to – we have already noticed that if a student rather than a colleague makes a
three local primary schools before they undertook joint observations of year 7 maths lessons, completed a work scrutiny and then reviewed what they had seen. This quickly led to the identification of key areas to improve to in enhancing the teaching of academic language in maths: increase the amount of pupil talk, reduce the amount of teacher talk, train staff in academic language for maths, and develop resources that would support students’ language during maths lessons. Involving year 4 students made this a particularly interesting process as they had plenty of ideas for how we could improve secondary maths lessons!
Students were also trained to work with staff to produce subject specific resources, particularly for EAL learners suggestion to a teacher, they are much more likely to act on it and change their practice. We hoped that, by using students as communication leaders, we could alter teachers’ default practice.
THE PROJECT
We began by training a group of year 7s as communication leaders: these are students who are able to co-plan, observe and provide feedback on lessons. Some students were multilingual, but we also included young people with English as their first language. Students were also trained to work with staff to produce subject specific resources, particularly for EAL learners. These students then trained a group of year 4s from 4
The communication leaders were then trained by an EAL consultant to become academic language ‘experts’. After this training students felt better equipped to start designing resources that teachers could use in maths and also to develop a training session for maths staff, which we then delivered to a small group of interested teachers.
different in everyday language (eg positive, even…) and the way that many tasks required the unpacking of densely packed paragraphs of information and instructions before students could begin to determine the actual mathematics required. The training not only took teachers outside their comfort zone in engaging with the linguistic features of maths, but also involved them experiencing what it was like to struggle to understand a written problem. We gave them a Romanian maths exam paper to answer, which generated some excellent discussions. It also demonstrated how working in small groups or pairs can give another way into problem solving for students who are struggling to understand the language. For teachers who were initially reluctant to have students regularly working collaboratively during lessons, this was very revealing and encouraged them to engage positively with the rest of our suggestions. Crucially, we were able to provide these teachers with time to work together, alongside students. They planned where and when they could use the new materials and how they could start to adapt their lessons to highlight explicit language features of
During the training we explored the particular challenges of language in maths which could make the subject especially problematic for both EAL learners and students whose grasp of academic English was not secure. This included exploring words which mean one thing in maths and something ssatuk.co.uk/leadingedge
Jack Hunt School
Resources developed by the students included: A definitions booklet of common maths terms, including those used elsewhere in English with very different meanings. A connectives mat to sit on desks, which students could use in linking their ideas and understanding texts. A talking mat that provided sentence starters to support group discussions in maths, to be used with a ‘steps in problem solving’ resource that encouraged students to engage with problems themselves before asking an adult for help. A piggy bank sticker in each exercise book for new subject specific vocabulary, with students directed to write each word out, identify prefix/suffix features, write the word as a plural and then in a sentence to demonstrate that they knew what it meant. A script for staff to use when introducing domain-specific terms, reminding them to engage students with the words, ask the class to say the word aloud and then deposit it in their ‘piggy bank’ ready to withdraw and use at an appropriate time. mathematical problems, new subject terminology and so forth. Students and staff therefore developed resources together and students were better able to feed
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back in detail about the features they felt would improve maths lessons for year 7. Maths teachers then introduced the resources students had developed into their lessons and, after a short period of time, we revisited their lessons and observed what had happened. All students in year 7 completed a questionnaire before and after their teachers had been trained. We were lucky enough to have a group of 18 maths PGCE students visit the school and observe year 7 maths lessons; they gave us their observations about what they noticed about the teaching in our school compared to their experiences in a number of other schools across Cambridgeshire.
during a one-hour lesson. These findings were supported by the student questionnaires, with students commenting on how much more time they had to work together to solve problems, which was, as one girl wrote, “much more fun.” The visiting PGCE students also noticed this: “teachers spoke a lot less than I am used to seeing,” said one. All the evidence indicated that teachers were explaining words more clearly and ensuring that they introduced new terms in greater detail – ‘talking in brackets’ was a phrase used when high level and lower level vocabulary was used to ensure that everyone understood the terms. In observations, we
All the evidence indicated that teachers were explaining words more clearly and ensuring that they introduced new terms in greater detail REVIEWING IMPACT
The evidence from observations and work scrutiny demonstrated that the amount of group and pair work in maths lessons had increased dramatically. Before the training, lessons had on average consisted of 85% teacher talk; afterwards this had reduced to an average of 27% teacher talk and 73% student talk
noticed that students were asking for help less often, using the resources or asking one another for support before they asked a teacher. This was also noted by the visiting PGCE students, one of whom reported: “students were collaborating more than I have seen anywhere else and were not asking for help before using the materials, or just asking a friend.” 5
Jack Hunt School
The ‘piggy bank’ and definitions booklet were particularly popular with year 7, with one boy saying, “I know where to look now if I don’t know a word.” Work scrutiny after the training also suggested that students were problem-solving well and using academic vocabulary and connectives to explain their
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thinking much more than we had seen before. “There was a greater focus on language than I have seen in any other maths lesson,” reported one PGCE student.
WHERE NEXT?
With such positive feedback from staff, students and visitors, we now plan to use our trained maths teachers to share these resources and strategies with the rest of the maths team. They will then, along with our student communication leaders, train science staff to see if we can generate the same impact there. The aim is to then develop these strategies across the curriculum to make academic language development in both talk and writing a key priority for all subject areas. This will involve teams of communication
leaders becoming experts in the academic language demands of different subject areas to ensure that staff are being appropriately trained. They will also seek to ensure that staff feel that students are adding value to their practice.
We noticed students were asking for help less often, using resources or asking one another for support We aim to make more explicit the links that exist across different disciplines in terms of academic language. This will ensure that students are equipped to talk and write accurately in each subject area and that all staff ssatuk.co.uk/leadingedge
Jack Hunt School
in our school are models for the academic use of English, consistently making this explicit for all our learners. We want to keep learning from our primary colleagues, so have observations planned with year 4 at our primary schools to explore how teachers there support students’ language development. Finally, we aim to use a group of communication leaders as expert supporters for each curriculum area – a team of students to whom staff can turn for honest feedback, co-planning and resource development in the future. Maths staff have already said how much they value the suggestions made by their young experts. As one said, “I didn’t think I would, but I liked being trained by students. They knew
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what they were talking about and answered my questions really thoroughly.” We think that every subject area deserves to have the same support!
Want to know more? Contact Kate Simpson-Holley, Deputy Headteacher
[email protected]
IN A NUTSHELL Use students as experts to convince staff to change their practice – it works. Take the time to review all the evidence first – lesson observations, work scrutiny, student voice – so that your suggestions are well justified. Provide time and space for staff to process and plan for new materials or strategies.
Start with a few ambassadors and then use them to convince more reluctant members of a team. Be subject-specific in all training – maths teachers responded well to us having learned about their subject area and this led to really useful discussions and a feeling that we were all sharing expertise to improve lessons.
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School Name
Does a daily session of sensory integration have a measurable impact on the levels of engagement of children on the autism spectrum? Oak Lodge Special School
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ssatuk.co.uk/leadingedge
Themes Students on the autism spectrum Sensory circuits Emotional regulation Engagement Meeting students’ sensory needs Sensory profile
C
hildren on the autistic spectrum often find the period immediately after their arrival at school particularly difficult. Many of our students travel on buses provided by the local authority and they can have quite long journeys in heavy traffic, with little to help them regulate themselves during this time. We have tried, as a school, to enable the bus escorts to help students regulate themselves while travelling. However, high staff turnover with the local authority transport system meant that this was not very effective or economical. Children on the autism spectrum can have very complex needs, including sensory needs. Sensory or play-based activities, including sensory diets and sensory
integration can be very helpful in delivering curriculum content, but some of our teachers were less confident with this area of practice, partly due to the change in our intake over the past few years. We have noticed that many students who now come to the school have a significantly more complex profile than in past years. This includes their sensory needs, which has obviously had an impact on the curriculum content and style of delivery. This project provided an opportunity for training classroom staff about sensory processing and meeting the needs of our students – recognising that we are seeing an increasing number of children on the autistic spectrum. It was agreed that we would try
a whole-school intervention that might help all students with their levels of regulation at the beginning of the day. If the intervention was delivered effectively we believed that we would see an improvement in student regulation and engagement during the lessons at the start of the day. I also expected to see a reduction in negative behaviours recorded on the platform SchoolPod, which we use to track student behaviour, communications about students and physical interventions.
THE PROJECT
Working with an occupational therapist and using the book Sensory Circuits (J. Horwood 2008, LDA Publishing) we designed an intervention as a starting point for a whole school programme 9
Oak Lodge Special School
of sensory integration focusing on proprioception, vestibular and motor planning. Sensory circuits are physical activities that help to alert, organise and then relax children’s senses so that they are ready to take part in group activities and one-to-one work (http://www.tracks-autism. org.uk/working-with-children/ sensory-circuits). Class teachers can use the programme in their form rooms as students arrive at school from their transport each morning.
collected in this study should be comparable to that. The project aim was to establish whether there is a correlation between students participating in the sensory circuit and a decrease in recorded incidents related to dysregulation among the students on the autism spectrum. The circuit had been running across the whole school already but we had not collected specific data relating to its impact, so this article looks at the impact
Sensory circuits are physical activities that help to alert, organise and then relax children’s senses The project focused on the impact of the sensory circuit on the children on the autism spectrum, not its design or content, although I will describe what takes place to add context to the collected data. I also examined the correlation between records we keep as a school already and a small case study of new intake students who are all on the autism spectrum. The project concluded by examining the views of participating teachers, in particular about their confidence to deliver and monitor the impact of the intervention. The secondary school SEND teachers recorded data on students in their form groups. It is important in this pressurised environment to design a method of collecting the data that is as streamlined as possible but that will still generate a meaningful set of data. We have proprietary systems in place to collect data on students and the dataset 10
on a select group of new intake students. I asked class teachers to record the impact of the circuit upon these students. A tracking sheet enabled form tutors and their class teams delivering the sensory circuit to the year 7 children on the autism spectrum to generate quantitative data. It will therefore be possible to compare the intervention’s impact on the new intake students to those students who have had data on their behaviour recorded for the first lesson, for the last three years. There was also a qualitative element to the research, as teachers reviewed their experiences of the processes involved in the project. Staff in key stage 3 tracked one student from their form, so the dataset was quite small, five students in total. However it was still useful for us. By using a simple tracking form that could be completed alongside the register, staff could either complete the form
electronically, or print it out and complete it manually. I compared this data to the information held online which we use to track student behaviour and staff interventions.
REVIEWING IMPACT
The following graphs show the data collected and the comparisons across different datasets. Figure 1 shows the distribution of file notes in SchoolPod during period 1 over the last three academic years. For the purposes of understanding this data a file note represents a record of a negative behaviour or student dysregulation generally. The general trend is for a reduction of file notes over the years. This is over the period that the sensory circuits were introduced. Figure 2 more clearly shows the trend described in the previous bar graph for a reduction in file notes during period one over the last three academic years. Figure 3 shows a reduced trend for physical interventions (PI) over the same period as the previously discussed reduction in file notes during period one immediately after sensory circuits. Overall, there was not a discernible impact from the intervention. In part this was because of the small group of participants. We would need to examine tracking data from a larger group of participants over a longer period of time. There does seem to be a visible trend in the whole school data, as recorded in SchoolPod, for ssatuk.co.uk/leadingedge
Oak Lodge Special School
Figure 1
Figure2
Figure 3
fewer interventions over time for period one. It is also possible that the recent decline in evidence of impact is a result of staff enthusiasm when using a new system to record interventions dropping off over time.
WHERE NEXT?
It would have been much easier to discern any correlation between the SchoolPod data and the data collected from the intervention with a larger dataset to examine. Overall the data collected shows no clear relationship with the data already collected through SchoolPod on students and the effectiveness of the sensory circuits approach. However, if we were to broaden the group of participants and conduct the study over a longer time scale it might be more possible to draw conclusions from such sets of data. I believe it has been a valid exercise, and I will continue to work on the implementation
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of the sensory circuits as, anecdotally, it is effective for individuals. The collection of data on its effectiveness has been an issue from its inception; unfortunately this project has not proven nor disproven its worth as an intervention in this school.
including the sensory circuit. This would have the benefit of increasing the cohort size for further analysis. Want to know more? Contact David Baxter, Head of Upper School
[email protected]
As a school, we are looking into a new online system to record student progress and attainment. Alongside this work it may be possible to record student participation and regulation as a result of sensory interventions,
IN A NUTSHELL We recommend getting a copy of the book ‘Sensory Circuits’. Baseline students using a screen widely accepted by occupational therapists. Commit to whole-school training.
Speak to your occupational therapist, or if you do not have one contact one for advice. Be prepared to adapt the circuit to meet the needs of your students.
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School Name
LEARN – Loreto Engineering and Robotics Network: our journey into promoting STEM careers to girls Loreto Grammar School
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Themes Engineering Robotics Girls into STEM Innovation International collaborations eTwinning Erasmus plus STEM Hubs Careers
T
here has been a major push in attracting students to careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) in recent years by government, major employers and professional engineering institutions. According to a recent report by The Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE) The UK STEM Education Landscape, the UK is facing a well-documented engineering skills crisis. An ageing workforce means that hundreds of thousands of skilled technicians and professional engineering roles will need replacing in the next 10 years. A positive STEM learning experience for students is essential if we want them to develop the knowledge and skills
that can make a real difference to their lives and our society. STEM club began at Loreto Grammar School four years ago with the intention of raising the profile of the future skills gap in STEM careers; and stimulating the students’ curiosity in engineering with fun, practical activities that would otherwise be missed in the curriculum. We wanted students to explore their true potential in this diverse field and the real opportunities that are available in the contemporary STEM workplace. We wanted to draw their attention to the gender imbalance in the UK’s STEM workforce and highlight the push to increase the presence of female employees from 13%, as it stands now, to 30% by 2020 (a vision of campaign group WISE).
Robotics integrates knowledge and skills from science, technology, engineering and maths, and prepares students both for life and the labour market. Following a whole school STEM day last year which involved over 700 students and 85 activities, where some STEM ambassadors ran robotics workshops with students, it became apparent that there is a lack of robotics skill and provision in school but we realised we had a huge interest from students. With our innovation grant we decided to work with Manchester University and industry representatives for staff development, to introduce engineering and robotics to extra-curricular clubs and, in the long term, to embed robotics into the STEM curriculum in future years. We would also be 13
Loreto Grammar School
So STEM club was rebranded as LEARN, The Loreto Engineering and Robotics Network strengthening our relationships with feeder primary schools and our international partners.
hugely successful model for local STEM teachers to collaborate together:
So STEM club was rebranded as LEARN, The Loreto Engineering and Robotics Network, with the aim of engaging as many of our students as we could with different STEM and robotics activities; but also to reach out and share best practice with partner schools.
›› A team of enthusiastic STEM professionals met from many different schools
THE PROJECT
›› A huge variety of CPD sessions covered all STEM subjects
The Greater Manchester STEM Hub was set up around the time that STEM began to be promoted at Loreto Grammar School. It met half termly and through this a successful network of local STEM teachers was developed. It was a 14
›› Regular contact between collaborators was maintained ›› Events were promoted effectively
›› Free resources were given to teachers, who could then evaluate them and adapt to suit their own classes.
This hub was generously supported by the RAE and its ‘Connecting STEM Teachers programme’. The aim of this programme is to help teachers engage with a greater number and a wider spectrum of students with STEM, by providing giving teachers with ideas for great STEM learning through free training, all led by teacher coordinators. We worked closely with the Museum of Science and Industry, who are Greater Manchester’s STEMNET contract holder. Through them we had access to over 1000 STEM ambassador volunteers in Greater Manchester. STEM ambassadors had been involved with school before, but we wanted more hands-on activities and more opportunities to collaborate ssatuk.co.uk/leadingedge
Loreto Grammar School
with local teachers on what had worked well for them. As a result of these meetings and embedding STEM into the curriculum at key stage 3, in years 8-9 300 students now study STEM within the curriculum at Loreto Grammar School. The RAE resources feature heavily within this new key stage 3 curriculum, covering a variety of STEM areas. The students really enjoy the practical activities, the crosscurricular links and relating the work in the classroom to real life and the world of work. We wanted to increase collaboration with our local primary feeder and international partner schools through STEM activities. This would enable us to raise students’ awareness of engineering and robotics with
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regard to their future careers, and drive opportunities for student leadership within our own school, by delivering workshops, via LEARN, to our partner schools. Through an Erasmus+ student mobility grant, we had a group of 50 UK and Spanish students involved in a project called ‘Engaging students: STEM clubs and citizen science’. We met twice this academic year, in Spain and here in the UK. We worked on 10 projects: five practical STEM club and five Citizen Science activities. One of these activities was how we would launch LEARN at Loreto Grammar School. We planned the activities and tailored them to our needs. Mixed groups of Spanish and UK students worked together, and outcomes were produced in both languages. The mixed teams delivered the two
activities to local feeder primary schools during a morning of STEM activities.
We wanted students to explore their true potential in this diverse field We chose to start with a project called Deployable Structures from RAE. These resources allowed for the learning of mathematics within the engineering context of deployable structures. There are a range of key stage 3 mathematics topics covered including density, nets, transformations, scale, conversions, circles, area, compound shapes and problem solving. We focused on two areas of deployable structures: mosquito nets and rolling 15
Loreto Grammar School
bridges. Two teams worked on these activities and another group worked on how to begin to introduce a robotics club to Loreto Grammar School. The latter group looked at
across all key stages, which is allowing many opportunities to develop student leadership, particularly an increase in STEM leaders.
There has been a huge increase in the involvement of students in extra-curricular STEM clubs across all key stages the suitability of a number of commercially available robots for the curriculum, both in terms of links and engagement of secondary and primary students. They chose Dash and Dot, Sphero, Ollie and Lego Mindstorm EV3s.
More students have been successful in STEM competitions through which they have developed their problem solving, research and entrepreneurial skills through rich research projects, working independently.
During the morning of primary school visits, we delivered two activities and showed the primary schools how they could develop student leadership with these resources. During the break the group delivering robotics demonstrated a variety of activities with robots. The primary school enjoyed them so much they are buying their own; we will continue to support them in the next academic year.
All schools involved in LEARN felt that students improved their problem-solving and teamwork skills, particularly with respect to real life engineering examples and cross-curricular skills associated with the STEM activities.
REVIEWING IMPACT
There has been a huge increase in the involvement of students in extra-curricular STEM clubs
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The project strengthened further Loreto Grammar School’s links with our primary feeder and international schools and has led to the desire to further develop collaboration in the future, particularly in the field of robotics.
on our International School Award bid and achieved full reaccreditation. Working with the Greater Manchester STEM Hub continues to have a positive impact on STEM delivery at Loreto Grammar School and we have benefited from the range of free CPD opportunities and free teaching resources. Further resources will be integrated into STEM curriculum in the next academic year, particularly Drones: Friends or Foe? Through working with STEM ambassadors, all students now have a better understanding of the range of diverse career paths available, the interdisciplinary nature of many STEM careers and the combined application of STEM subjects in real-world situations.
More Loreto students are now applying for engineering work experience placements and internships WHERE NEXT?
More Loreto students are now applying for engineering work experience placements and internships.
We want to continue to increase our collaboration with industry, academics and researchers at universities to improve students’ confidence and understanding in learning about STEM careers.
Through international collaboration we have improved the use of inquiry-based learning and use of online labs and simulations in lessons. Due to these collaborations and development of global learning we received excellent feedback
As complete beginners in the field of robotics we wish to increase the number of challenges and competitions open to students, particularly international competitions such as FLL (First Lego League) and Vex IQ. These encourage students ssatuk.co.uk/leadingedge
Loreto Grammar School
to solve problems by thinking like scientists and engineers, while cultivating digital intelligence grounded in human values. This is essential for our students if they are to become masters of technology instead of being mastered by it. We will continue to develop our primary school and international school links via the e-twinning platform, which allows for safe collaboration of students and teachers. We will: ›› Strengthen the core group of key stage 4/5 students to further promote engineering and robotics extra-curricular activities while developing their leadership skills. ›› Give students responsibility for specific competitions so they can mentor groups of key stage
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2 and 3 students and learn how to project manage a team. ›› Continue to regularly attend local STEM Hub and Teachmeets and eTwinning online courses as well as working collaboratively with students to further develop
staff and students’ digital skills further, with particular reference to the Internet of Things. Want to know more? Contact Elaine Manton, STEM Coordinator
[email protected]
IN A NUTSHELL Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone #LEARN together! Collaborate with experts to #LEARN new skills, work with STEM ambassadors, industry representatives and academics and if possible internationally.
Enter competitions: they offer structure and support, often with industry support and ultimately relevant careers guidance. Let students run and plan the activities (more for extracurricular clubs) #LEARN together
Attend Teachmeets, join Twitter and share your experiences
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School Name
Using spaced repetition and interleaved learning to improve long-term memory in students Sacred Heart Catholic High School
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ssatuk.co.uk/leadingedge
Themes Neuroscience Evidence based Linear assessment Long-term memory Spaced repetition
R
ecent changes to the examination system, with the introduction of linear assessment at both GCSE and A-level, have posed a new set of challenges for both students and teachers. Instead of modular assessment, where students were able to concentrate on blocks of information which could be revised using ‘massed practice’ techniques and which often result in information being quickly forgotten after an exam, they are now confronted with building long-term memory over a two-year course. As teachers, we felt that a change of focus was required in the way we taught students and, in particular, how we enabled them to master a core of knowledge which could be more easily
recalled from memory. We wanted to redesign the way we approached lesson delivery and revision for exams by rooting our practice in evidencebased research, instead of just continuing to do what we have always done. In the past decade there has been a huge amount of work in the field of neuroscience with respect to our understanding of the human brain and how it learns new information. Unfortunately teaching has not typically kept up with this new research and many of us continue to use techniques which are built around learning new information in a linear format, with a period of repetitive massed practice at the end of this process. At Sacred Heart, we wanted to use the new research to take a more evidence-based
approach to building long-term memory and the mastery of new information. We were introduced to this newly published research in cognitive science and our understanding of learning and memory in 2015. Much of this work was carried out by Henry Roedinger and Mark McDaniel, who later published a book, Make it Stick – The science of successful learning. This applied the findings of peer-reviewed studies in the US to learning in an educational setting. Two main principles emerged from the book: spaced repetition of key ideas, and interleaved learning of different but related topics. Spaced repetition involves spreading out the study of a topic and returning to it periodically over time. Interleaving is the study of different topics out of 19
Sacred Heart Catholic High School
sequence, so that they are not covered in a linear format. At around the same time our teaching and learning team discovered a new piece of educational software called
cards with which students have less confidence at more regular intervals. As their confidence increases, the information is repeated less regularly.
Spaced repetition involves spreading out the study of a topic and returning to it periodically over time Brainscape, which was developed by a team of computer scientists at MIT. This new app took the principles of spaced repetition and packaged it into an easy to use programme which sits on mobile devices. Students and teachers are able to create decks of digital flashcards. Students self-test and indicate their level of confidence in understanding each card. An algorithm works in the background to repeat 20
Along with some other simple teaching and learning techniques such as quick quizzes, we have built an interleaved, low stakes testing regime into lesson starters and plenaries. Students study this key information for short but regular periods over the course of the year. The result should be to build long-term memory and easy recall of their learning.
THE PROJECT
Spaced repetition and interleaved learning have been trialled with students in a number of departments across the school. Before staff started to use the process in lessons, we organised a programme of whole-school CPD. This was embedded into the training programme in September 2015 and aimed to educate staff about the theoretical principles and their implementation in the classroom. Staff were also given the opportunity to learn how to use ‘Brainscape’ in15-minute after-school sessions.
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Sacred Heart Catholic High School
Outlined below are the details of several action research case studies which give a flavour of the type of work carried out: In year 12 geography, a deck of over 130 ‘Brainscape’ digital flashcards was created. These cards focused on the core content of a whole unit. They included case study facts, subject-specific terminology and other content which repeatedly appears in examinations. Spaced repetition was used as a five-minute starter at the beginning of each lesson, with students accessing the app on their mobile devices and testing their level of confidence with the digital flashcards. The main objective was to use the principles of interleaving topics to build long-term memory. This involves forcing the brain to retrieve information previously studied, out of sequence with the current topic. As the brain has to work harder to retrieve this material, it makes stronger neural connections and so builds long-term memory. Maths used interleaved learning in general lessons through starters with basic number skills such as Corbett Maths sheets (five random higher, foundation or numeracy GCSE questions), and a ‘10 quick questions’ programme where students were able to select the topic and other general activities. The aim was to constantly keep previous topics in the forefront of their minds as students progressed throughout the year. In a year 10 maths class they were given four pages of questions from topics taught previously in the year. The students had three weeks to complete an interleaved homework, while questioning and reviews took place in the lessons to support them. In the final lesson they were given sight of the solutions so that they could mark their work and see where they needed to focus. In a year 11 religious studies GCSE class, the students had a wide range of specific key words to learn. To make sure they understood the meanings and explanations of their key words, students were tested on up to three key words per lesson these were mixed up so both new and previously studied key words were tested. This process was
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undertaken both verbally and in written tests (which were either self or peer-assessed). Once a wide range of topics was covered, the class was asked to do multiple exam questions in timed conditions. These had a specific focus on multiple key words and were then peer assessed, to make sure that the students had the correct spellings and had used and explained the meanings. Another GCSE geography project in year 10 focused on longer six and eightmark exam questions, using interleaved learning with two classes of mixed ability for a half term in preparation for the end of year mock exam. Without any prior warning, they sat a baseline test of 50 questions which tested very specific knowledge of the course. As expected, students across both classes performed poorly. Both classes were given the correct answers and then each class took a different approach to interleaved learning. One class created flash cards, which were shared out at the beginning of every other lesson for five minutes. Students would either revise them quietly or test each other. The other class revisited the test questions repeatedly at random. Students were expected to use interleaved learning as part of their revision strategies at home. In year 10 biology the students were encouraged to use ‘Brainscape’ throughout the year with digital flash cards created by the teacher at the start of the GCSE course. At the end of this process the teacher conducted 10-question quizzes over five lessons. These quizzes focused on the questions from the flashcards and covered the entire year 10 course. In the sixth lesson the students took all of the questions, randomised in a 50-question quiz.
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Sacred Heart Catholic High School
REVIEWING IMPACT
All teachers who took part in the research project claimed to have observed improvement in the students who had engaged with the techniques described above. Below is detail of the results of each project: Geography Although the students reported that the process was difficult at first, it became increasingly evident through teacher-led questioning that the level of confidence in verbalising core knowledge grew quickly. End of year testing prior to the terminal examination showed promising results with an average of 0.7 of a grade being added to the class based on their target grade at the start of the year. Maths The class were given a 30-minute test on six topics from the list. The marks ranged from 8% to 72% . The papers were not returned to the class but they were told that they were going to be retested the following week on a similar paper. The topics were 22
highlighted on their homework sheet which had been marked and corrected by the teacher. The class were later retested with the same paper. There was an average increase of 17% in performance across the class. Religious studies A revision lesson took place once all the topics were covered, involving quick-fire key word tests. By the end of the module students reported increased levels of confidence in using their key words and answering challenging exam questions.
All teachers who took part in the research project claimed to have observed improvement In both classes the outcomes on the mock were similar. On the whole, 74% of students accessed level two answers and achieved either their target grade or above. More diligent students who tried interleaved learning at home
achieved well above their target grade, in some cases by three whole grades. When retested in the 50-question quiz at the end of the interleaving period, students performed better (on average by six marks out of 50) than they did when answering the same questions in 10-question batches. It must be noted that we see this as only the start of a larger project which will see spaced repetition and interleaved learning becoming more fully embedded across the whole school in 2016-17 as part of the school development plan.
WHERE NEXT?
From March 2016, ‘Brainscape’ was no longer available as a free app. It can still be downloaded free of charge but does not allow the same functionality as for those able to pay. At Sacred Heart we have invested in accounts for all of our key stage 4 and 5 students so that they can benefit from using the digital flash cards outside of school on their ssatuk.co.uk/leadingedge
Sacred Heart Catholic High School
mobile devices. We were able to negotiate a reduced fee for the use of this service.
On the whole 74% of students accessed level two answers and achieved either their target grade or above Our intention is to embed spaced repetition into the starters or plenaries of most lessons, with the aim of building the long-term retention of core information. This also complements one of the main strands of ‘life without levels’ in key stage 3, where other simple strategies are used. The vast majority of the work will focus on the use of low stakes quizzes where the questions are continually repeated but mixed up from lesson to lesson so that they are revealed out of sequence. Software will be used but PowerPoint and verbal quizzes form the basis of the project. It is not important for the teacher to record the results of each starter
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quiz. It is, however, important that the quizzes are carried out on a regular basis and that each student takes part by giving it their best effort. In order to ensure that the project is followed across the school, we have appointed a member of staff to the teaching and learning team with this as a responsibility. Interleaved learning will be a major focus of the CPD programme for the next year and there will be action research projects in every department. The
teaching and learning team will liaise with heads of department to quality-assure the process. Want to know more? Contact Ian Bradley, Assistant Headteacher
[email protected]
IN A NUTSHELL Build staff training/CPD into your offer from the start of the year.
Encourage students to use software such as ‘Brainscape’ or ‘Memrise’ outside school.
Emphasise to students that they will think that this is difficult and that they are not making any gains. This is normal.
Small amounts of spaced repetition (five minutes) over long periods of time work best.
Staff must be consistent in conducting the quizzes at the start and end of most lessons.
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School Name
Work smarter, reduce time and improve impact on learners by using audio to digital feedback Horndean Technology College
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Themes Marking and feedback SMART assessment Audio to sticker feedback
O
ver the years I have become very frustrated, as I am sure many of my colleagues have, that the verbal feedback I have given to students seems to have had little or no effect on their outcomes. The students cannot remember what information has been given to them (or claim they can’t) and therefore no improvement or changes occur. Giving the same information over and over again wastes valuable time in lessons and has little impact on the outcomes for students. In addition, over the years I have spent endless hours giving feedback to students in a written format, which has been time consuming and lacks the impact of instant verbal feedback.
Written feedback solves one of the problems by ensuring any feedback that has been given is there in their books or folders – but the teacher still has to spend time explaining the feedback that they have given, and it lacks immediacy. For many years I have wanted to create a method to alter this status quo in order to save time and improve the process of feeding back to students. I hoped that this would result in improved impact on learning in the classroom and the teachers feeling more empowered. A new method was needed to make feedback easier to create, reduce the time it takes to produce and have an instant impact in the classroom.
In the past I had used voice recognition software to record written feedback. The problem with this system was that although it was much quicker than written feedback it was time-consuming and clumsy to get the dictated script from the saved file to a printed format. I have searched for some time and attended various educational IT events for a product that could solve my problem, but to no avail.
THE PROJECT
We wanted to be able to covert verbal feedback into tangible written feedback. The project involves developing software for a hand-held device or laptop/ netbook that can convert verbal feedback into written feedback directly onto a sticker. We wanted to be able to dictate into any mobile device that will store the 25
Horndean Technology College
data and then print the feedback directly onto a sticker. The sticker would then be put immediately into students’ workbooks/folders giving them feedback that can be referred to again and again but instantly.
We wanted to be able to convert verbal feedback into tangible written feedback I worked very closely with one of our IT technicians, allocating dedicated time to come up with a system that could solve the feedback problem. The first issue was to decide on the type of label sticker that would be fit for purpose. This was not any easy task, as there is such a wide choice in the market place. The idea was to have a printer that was easy to maintain, cheap to run, robust and simple to set up. We chose a DYMO label writer 450 as it ticked all the boxes and does not have any cartridges to 26
change: the output is thermal, which ensures good quality yet is maintenance free. The initial design of the label system consisted of a small web application which users could talk into and then print the label to a chosen label printer in a dedicated room. Due to the limitations of Windows being able to print the labels in the format they used (on the server a scheduled task would check for labels waiting to print and print them to the chosen printer). This worked, however the system was unreliable and unstable. We wanted to aim for a system that was low maintenance and, once set up, would require no technician interaction to keep it running. A separate java application was developed to directly print a label to the chosen printer. This sped up printing time, increased reliability and decreased the need for technician troubleshooting. Feedback from teachers was used
to further develop and expand on the initial system. Some of the feedback included: Labels to be saved and printed at a later date Better organisation of labels External access to be able to create labels while marking work A warning when a label was going to overflow when printed Copy feature to duplicate labels when needing to print for multiple students. This teacher feedback enabled us to extensively develop the web application from its initial design. Today it is a functioning stable output device from an audio input that can come from ssatuk.co.uk/leadingedge
Horndean Technology College
a mobile/laptop or netbook. The mobile device can be either an Android or Apple platform, which provides for the vast majority of our current users. There are printers in 10 rooms, which any teacher can access and print to. Teachers have the ability to take the printers home and work remotely if they wish, which further enhances the usability of this product.
REVIEWING IMPACT
›› Teachers are saving hours of written time creating feedback at home, allowing more time for developing and planning lessons. ›› During lessons the teachers are not wasting time repeating the same feedback over and over again: instead they are focused on moving students onto the next step. ›› Students are developing their independence as the feedback is instant and enables them to progress as they use the feedback stickers to refer to the next step or improve their current practice. In the past some students have had to wait for marking feedback sessions. Now they can act upon instant feedback, which has dramatically changed the practice in some curriculum areas. In PE, the feedback given to students on the field in the gym or sports hall could not be recorded or referred. Now the teacher gives the feedback to the student standing next to them and at the same time the system is printing a label for the
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student to refer back to. The PE staff feel the system has really helped, especially with lower ability students retaining the information from feedback.
In essence the system saves time, and gives instant feedback In fashion/art the feedback system has really enabled the high achieving students to move on independently. The system gives instant feedback for them to move onto the next step or improve a current piece of work, immediately rather than waiting for it the work to go through the normal routine of marking, which may take several days. The weaker students have found the system helpful for them to retain the information rather than just having to remember feedback. In essence the system saves time, and gives instant feedback enabling students to work smarter in lessons.
roll out the printers in all relevant subject areas. The system that has been set up enables anyone to choose whichever room they want to print to: once the new label printers are in situ, staff will be able to print a label in the nearest available class. The label system continues to be in constant development to ensure any feedback from users is investigated. The teaching and learning group will embed the practice of audio to sticker feedback across the college so that it becomes accepted practice. Students will be shown how to use the printers to incorporate peer assessment into this system. The college will attempt to develop the system further so that a viable product can be constructed. Want to know more? Contact Andrew Gray, Assistant Headteacher
[email protected]
WHERE NEXT?
Currently we have 10 rooms with dedicated sticker machines that have been set up for them to use the audio feedback system. Over the next two years we intend to
IN A NUTSHELL Do not rush the initial project setup.
Have a long enough trial to find all errors.
Do not promise any deadlines that are too optimistic.
Start with one test machine and only expand when you know the system works.
Listen carefully to any feedback from end users and act upon it as soon as possible.
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School Name
Action, emotion and narrative: improving learning retention through three key experiences Bluecoat Beechdale Academy
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Themes Teaching Retention Neuroscience Action Emotion Narrative Literacy
H
aving taught for 11 years, I’d become increasingly confused as to why certain lessons or lesson content seemed to have greater long-term impact than others. Also, the fact that we are moving towards exam-only courses means that finding potential sources for greater learning retention becomes increasingly important. Whatever the answer, I was conscious that it cannot simply be for staff to work harder, given that the NUT workload research suggests that teachers work an average of 60-hour weeks. It was my hope that exploring what helps students retain learning would help us ensure that preparation and teaching hours are spent productively in preparing students for the challenges ahead.
Reading Dr Debra Kidd’s Notes from the Front Line (and later, meeting her) highlighted research suggesting that lessons rich with action (A), emotion (E) or narrative (N) – collectively, AEN – helped students both to engage and to retain learning – a suggestion that rang true when reflecting on my own classroom practice and my experiences as a child. In 1992, as a fresh-faced year 7, I remember vividly a science lesson called ‘Rainbow Fizz’. Faced with a row of test tubes I began to pour and mix substances to create a smallbut-impressive rainbow, while simultaneously coming to understand the principle that liquids can change properties when mixed with others. Now, as an English teacher of 35, there
is little reason to remember this. Nor was there in 1997 when I concluded my science education with a rather unremarkable C at GCSE (and was disappointed to find that ‘Rainbow Fizz’ did not feature in either paper). So why? Could it be that the active (A) nature of the lesson, coupled with the slightly narrative (N) aspect of wearing lab coats and goggles, had ensured that this lesson – rather than any of my undergraduate degree for example – was retained with such strength that I remember it 24 years later? To answer some of these questions and explore the significance of AEN I had to challenge my own weaknesses. Neuroscience has the potential to help teachers understand and explain why these more 29
Bluecoat Beechdale Academy
successful learning experiences occur – but it is certainly beyond the reaches of either my C grade or Rainbow Fizz. If I was going to convince staff to channel their efforts in this way, then exploring the emerging (and sometimes conflicting) world of neuroscience was something I had to do.
a Bluecoat Beechdale Academy Inset. Having observed a lesson at a local primary school about an escaped monster (with an original focus on literacy which, very quickly, turned into exploring AEN further) I began to explore ways in which AEN
90% of students recognised improvements in confidence THE PROJECT
Using a range of students from key stage 3 and key stage 4, I surveyed their most memorable learning experiences. Crucially, I did not want this to be a list of lessons that they enjoyed but ones where they could clearly state the learning and lesson content that they have retained. I attended Bluecoat Academy MAT’s Festival of Learning and spoke to Debra Kidd about ways in which AEN triggers could result in successful learning retention. Debra was quick to emphasise the types of learning achieved at primary, linking with much of the feedback I’d gathered from students. David Didau presented ideas about “tier two vocabulary” and the dangers of students having insecurities in using/understanding these terms for academic (and personal) achievement. This later became factored into future plans for AEN. As part of the Festival of Learning I was given the opportunity to share my findings. I offered several staff members the chance to join me in exploring the AEN role in retaining learning across the MAT. This was repeated in 30
could be better incorporated in a secondary environment (given the challenges of changing classrooms, etc.). This resulted in the purchase of three green screens and iPad apps. I also undertook regular research reading of neuroscience articles about learning retention. We demonstrated green screen devices at a Bluecoat Beechdale Academy CPD session to expose students to AEN triggers while offering the opportunity to digitally record students performing/recounting their learning. Staff were then supported in its application with tasks such as election speeches. SLT conducted lesson observations about explicit AEN planning and what this could look like through class performance of a mock trial, as part of their exploration of the theme of ‘justice’ (tier two vocab) in the novel Holes. AEN was used to plan revision sessions for GCSE English students in the hope of their retaining key messages for the exam. One example was the use of an autopsy as a central metaphor for exploring
character convincingly in English Literature, using sound and visual media to strengthen the narrative. This also included the use of Styrofoam heads as a prop to further enhance the central metaphor and encourage active analysis. Student feedback from revision session was gathered a month later. Ninety percent of students recognised improvements in confidence and understanding when analysing characters. Their positive comments covered engagement with action and emotional triggers (an achievement when considered alongside the neurological inconsistencies experienced by 14-15 year olds due to frontal lobe development). We revisited 2016/17 plans for literacy ’word of the week’ to ensure that David Didau’s tier two vocabulary” became the focus, allowing for an emotional (E) aspect to whole-school learning and literacy. In order to firmly establish opportunities for AEL triggers to be used whole-school, planning began in creating a school radio station. Justification for this comes in the form of the narrative (N) aspect a radio station offers. Students acquire and operate in professional roles. Each broadcast will be themed around a tier two word of the week, allowing an emotional (E) and literacy aspect to each show. An example would be the first week’s show themed on ’belong/ belonging’, which offered a platform for students’ own work, ideas and beliefs. These themes could then be planned into ssatuk.co.uk/leadingedge
Bluecoat Beechdale Academy
subject areas during the week or as contributions to future shows.
REVIEWING EVIDENCE
The whole school has gained an appreciation for AEN and its role in helping students retain learning through Inset and CPD sessions. Resources like green screen technology and the development of a radio station have allowed staff to engage with these learning triggers far more. Analysis of student feedback and its links to cognitive research has given staff confidence in planning lessons. For example, recognition of AEN triggers seems to diminish as a student gets older, with year 11 students typically only recognising ‘action’ as a source of learning retention. Therefore lessons with more active content are likely to be perceived as successful. Brain imaging studies from the California Institute of Technology show the reorganisation and development of the adolescent brain causes inconsistencies in behaviour and lack of receptiveness to certain stimuli. Action is also the most widely appreciated and retained learning hook across all key stages at Bluecoat Beechdale Academy, spanning the lowest to the highest reading ages and also accounting for all SEN students’ feedback. However, narrative learning experiences can be incredibly successful. Brown, Roediger and McDaniel claim that the brain’s “Google-like algorithm” means that the more associations you make to a memory, including a “larger story”, helps you to find and retrieve the memory
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again later. Student feedback suggests that Bluecoat Beechdale Academy does not engage enough in narrative learning experiences, hence establishing a radio station could enhance this effective learning hook. Retained narrative learning seems to be limited to those with the highest reading ages, so the development of literacy is crucial in increasing students’ range of retrieval techniques.
WHERE NEXT?
I am beginning to recruit a team of staff and students to help plan, promote and produce the radio station for next academic year. The show’s themes are already known and shared with staff/students, and content is being gathered. These themes are deliberately emotive and are selected from the tier two vocabulary promoted by David Didau in helping support literacy
and emotional awareness. Equipment has been purchased for the first few broadcasts and a bid is in with the YMCA to enhance the equipment further, to allow for a licence and live broadcasting to the school’s community. Training will also be provided by experienced broadcasters for staff and students. All of this will help increase the ‘narrative’ context of a radio station to allow lesson content and links to crosscurricular learning be made. Want to know more? Contact Colin Sisson, Associate Assistant Principal
[email protected]
IN A NUTSHELL Ask students about their own retained learning and explore links to AEN. Staff are more responsive to new ideas if coming from their own students. Make use of the flexibility of key stage 3. These students are more responsive to the AEN triggers and therefore can recall/retrieve these experiences easily. Read and research the developments in cognitive science: @newscientist @AceThatTest @C_Hendrick are good places to start.
Plan for more key stage 4 lessons based around ‘action’ as developments in the frontal lobe can mean that other stimuli have limited impact. Appreciate the role narratives can have in learning. It may seem that students are too mature for role play (etc.) but it is important to remember that these same students are likely to ‘be’ many more characters and perform in many different worlds when they turn on their computers at home.
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School Name
Grade 1-athon makes teachers and learners swap places – to excellent effect St Bede’s Catholic College, Bristol
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Themes Flipped learning Teaching and learning Role reversal
I
initially launched the ‘Grade 1-athon’ initiative at St Bede’s in September 2012, having considered ways in which music could be developed on a whole-school scale, while at the same time enhancing teaching and learning. The notion of flipping the teaching and learning experience – not between school and home, but between teacher and student – resonated powerfully as a way of creating a unique opportunity that would bring pleasure, enhance staff/student relationships and meet the aspirational developments of the music department. Interest grew markedly following the launch of the initiative, and staff were soon vocalising their ‘secret’ passion for learning a
musical instrument. I was then able to share the idea with the students, keen to volunteer themselves as the new ‘pupil peris’ (peripatetic teachers). The reality of this project was that these young people were going to be giving of their own time, with no reward other than the excitement of sharing their skills, and meeting the challenge of teaching teachers a new skill. In the first year, 56 teachers signed up to meet the challenge of learning an instrument from scratch, with a view to getting to a competent standard by Christmas. This involved approximately 840 hours of teaching and learning, where the desire of the staff to be involved in lifelong learning was matched by the students’ passion for the instruments they play.
It was amazing for me to observe the initial stages of this initiative unfold – the Grade 1-athon continued to grow but what became apparent was the effect that reversing the role of ‘teacher’ and ‘learner’ had on all involved. Both learning an instrument, and teaching it, demand significant levels of commitment and perseverance, and this soon became a shared endeavour between staff and students. There is now a teacher band and staff choir – but most importantly, new dimensions to the learning dialogues and relationships across the school. The scope of the Grade 1-athon is that it has the ability to evolve in a way suited to the facilities and resources available in individual schools. The reality of this idea is that it started from a thought in the imagination and 33
St Bede’s Catholic College, Bristol
has developed thanks to human connection and the enthusiasm and creativity of all those who take part. With the support of the Leading Edge innovation grant it was my wish to continue the development of this project at St Bede’s, and to share the innovation with others; further facilitating the development of secondary music education both within the local area and nationally.
Both learning an instrument, and teaching it, demand significant levels of commitment and perseverance It is too often reported by Ofsted that there is ‘persistently wide variation of music education within schools’, with ‘much being inadequate’ and ‘too little being expected from pupils’. I am incredibly fortunate that St Bede’s has a vast number of talented musicians who, through the development of this project, are now extremely keen to share their instrumental skills. I have however, also experienced the challenges of building a department and creating a culture where collaborative 34
learning and hard work is essential to raising standards.
THE PROJECT
Since being awarded the innovation grant I have shared and led the development of the Grade 1-athon initiative in a variety of forums. In October 2015 I attended the Southampton Teaching and Learning Takeover and presented at the ‘Genius Bar’. This is an area in which teachers from across the country are able to share pedagogical ideas, resources and techniques and it is an invaluable networking opportunity. Schools from a variety of locations including London, Southampton and Nottingham contacted me afterwards to discuss ways in which specific departments could benefit from reversing the role of teacher and learner. Indeed, the Grade 1-athon scheme encouraged collaboration not only among music teachers, but also those from other subject areas. The notion of ‘flipped learning’ to engage and raise standards, further developing relationships within schools clearly has wide relevance: teachers from a variety of creative and language subject specialisms and from varying school contexts are collaborating
and discussing similar projects. A meeting of the Bristol heads of music hub then encouraged local schools to participate and to produce resources specific to their own school needs, developing ways to enhance music, and teaching and learning, on a whole-school level. Teachers were keen to visit our department and see the project in action’, facilitating not only collaboration between schools but a forum to discuss areas of development in our school and others. There is huge demand within schools to not only raise the profile and outcomes of music departments, but also to enhance and innovate the whole-school teaching and learning experience and I have used the Bristol subject hub throughout the year as a way of developing new strategies and collaborating with others. While developing the initiative in a variety of contexts, the Grade 1-athon has continued to have a huge impact in St Bede’s school. The arts faculty has continued to go from strength to strength, with the notion of pupils taking on teaching roles being developed across the faculty. Having been promoted from the role of head of music to head of music, art and design I have led the implementation of ‘Music, art and design (MAD!) ambassadors’, a new leadership role designed to develop pupil resilience through a similar initiative. As ambassadors for the arts, selected pupils are expected to mentor others, lead extra-curricular provision and take a ‘teacher’ role in curriculum events and options evenings. Participation across the faculty has grown markedly, with 327 pupils currently receiving ssatuk.co.uk/leadingedge
St Bede’s Catholic College, Bristol
Staff continue to learn to play an instrument through the scheme, as well as regularly performing in all college events instrumental tuition and a 100% pass rate in all external music exams.
and belonging as a result of the role that they play within the faculty.
REVIEWING IMPACT
An unexpected outcome of the project has been the development of high levels of resilience and tenacity in teachers and pupil teachers alike. This has prompted a wider dialogue within the college on the development of resilience and the transfer of resilience within a learning context that extends beyond the staff and pupil teacher context of the Grade 1-athon.
The Grade 1-athon initiative has led to greater collaboration between schools, the development of innovative teaching and learning strategies in a variety of contexts, and new dimensions to the learning dialogues and staff/pupil relationships. Resources for the initiative have been developed across the faculty at St Bede’s and innovative teaching methods used to raise the profile of the arts across the school. The impact of the Grade 1-athon can be see in the growth of pupil participation: numbers of pupils opting to study key stage 4 music and art have remained high (despite recent government and curriculum changes): 327 pupils now receive instrumental tuition; 102 pupils applied and interviewed to be pupil ambassadors for the music, art and design faculty; and participation in extra-curricular provision shows high levels of engagement. Staff continue to learn to play an instrument through the scheme, as well as regularly performing in all college events and services, alongside their pupil teachers. Through external inspection and pupil voice, it is evident that the arts are achieving highly and set high aspirations for all involved. Pupils have a great sense of pride
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WHERE NEXT?
Having recently been appointed assistant headteacher (teaching and learning) in a school in London, I will unfortunately no longer be developing the Grade 1-athon initiative. I have been amazed by the impact that this idea has had on transforming a music department and later, an arts faculty, and would encourage others to do the same. Want to know more? Contact Jessica Lobbett
[email protected]
I am passionate about music and find the impact that it can have at an academic, social and emotional level to be quite empowering. It has been thrilling to share this passion and to both nurture and ignite it in others. I believe that the impact of the project within St Bede’s will be seen for many years to come.
IN A NUTSHELL Persevere! I have learnt that enthusiasm and perseverance are fundamental to the success of any initiative. Share ideas/collaborate with others: initially it was unclear how this project could be applied in other school contexts, but such concerns were happily overcome. Music departments are notorious for varying standards and resources, so flexibility is key.
Allow pupils to take ownership. Demonstrate yourself as a good learner: have the humility to learn from pupils more skilled in an instrument, even as head of music! Enjoy it! Share the belief that mistakes are essential to successful learning experiences.
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School Name
What’s another word for nice? Langley Park School for Girls
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Themes Vocabulary acquisition Literacy Raising achievement Ambitious writing
W
hy vocabulary acquisition? At first sight the overhaul of the key stage 4 curriculum sparked panic. But once the pandemonium in my department had died down, we could identify opportunities to focus on an area which is inextricably linked to our pupils’ lack of cultural capital. This prompted the question, “how do I enable my pupils to have an array of vocabulary at their fingertips during reading and writing?” Among the plethora of changes to the curriculum and assessment system, the introduction of VSPaG (vocabulary, spelling and grammar) marks in GCSE examinations and an emphasis on more complex fiction and non-fiction texts in English
brought about anxiety. Many pupils I come across in the English classroom rely on bland words such as ‘good’ and ‘bad’ or ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ to explain the nuances of Shakespeare or Adichie’s use of language. With many pupils it can be an uphill struggle to entice them to read challenging texts, especially girls who remain loyal to ‘girl meets boy’ plot lines. Data suggests that a child’s socio-economic status and vocabulary bank can help to predict their academic achievement (The 30 Million Word Gap, Hart and Risley, 2003). With these concerns in mind, we set out to use a combination of a computer programme dedicated to vocabulary acquisition and old-fashioned teaching strategies to widen pupils’ vocabulary and make the leap to actually using
all this new vocabulary in their writing. Aims: ›› Increase vocabulary retention across key stage 4 (as VSPaG constitutes 20% of the GCSE English language grade). ›› Increase lexical breadth of students in a key stage 3 mixed ability group, preparing them for the rigours of the new GCSE curriculum.
THE PROJECT
We used two strategies: one was classroom based where words were generated organically throughout the lesson; the second invested money in a vocabulary programme where pupils were tested and assigned tiers of words according to their ability. 37
Langley Park School for Girls
Key stage 4 – year 10 cohort We used a programme from Bedrock Learning, which moves the school teacher away from a focus on reading age and instead differentiates pupils according to their vocabulary range. Once in their tier, pupils undertake lessons where they learn new words, read non-fiction texts and complete activities in a vocabulary notebook.
Excel sheet. The vocabulary list created then enabled teachers to adopt strategies to reinforce the words during lessons. For example, a starter activity would ask pupils to act out one of their new words for their partner to guess; this encouraged pupils to consider synonyms. During writing tasks, the teacher would have a printout of the words they had covered in their
The vocabulary list created then enabled teachers to adopt strategies to reinforce the words during lessons How did we utilise it? Two nurture groups had a weekly lesson in the computer room with their teacher. The rest of the year 10 cohort completed lessons as part of their homework and completed at least two activities in their vocabulary booklet, for example drawing an image which denotes the meaning of the word or finding three synonyms. One of the main activities asked pupils to use the new words from the lesson in a creative writing piece to be emailed to me, or their parents. All classes had a vocabulary monitor for each tier of vocabulary; it was their job to upload the new words into an
homework and each time they used one of their focus words they would highlight it in order to help monitor its use. The pupils needed constant reminders of the words they had learnt – which supports research suggesting one needs to experience a word eight times before it goes into the memory. The vocabulary programme that we were using sent each teacher a weekly update on the online lessons that had been completed by each pupil, their percentage score, how many new words they had retained and the percentage by which their understanding of these words had improved. This
Figure 1 11.01.16 Honed Perma-jams Rickshaws Tuk-tuks Superfluous
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18.01.16 Calamity Villainies Levities Debaucheries Multitude Stout Lamentations Thronged
25.01.16 Apalled Connoting Alludes
01.02.16 scorn nihilism transcience
was an invaluable tool, helping us to track who was doing their homework, and acted as a source of summative assessment. Alongside this, four girls from a class were chosen as vocabulary ambassadors: they went into a year 8 lesson to teach the girls some of their new vocabulary. Pupils had already delivered mini 15-minute lessons on GCSE poems, so they knew the purpose of a starter and plenary. The mixed ability year 8 class were learning Richard III, so the vocabulary ambassadors looked through their focus words and identified words which complemented the play, for example manipulative, calculating. Other departments agreed the girls could leave lessons for 15 minutes in order to deliver their starters. Key stage 3 - year 8 mixed ability class Rather than a list of set words geared towards pupils’ abilities, we adopted an approach which allowed vocabulary to be developed naturally within the context of a topic, and through challenging non-fiction extracts. A vocabulary monitor collated all the new words that arose during the week in a spreadsheet which was uploaded onto our VLE system for pupils to view throughout the year (See Figure 1). During the year the teacher went over words again, but always within a context. For example students learned the word nihilism in relation to Robert Frost’s Stopping by the Woods, then came back to this word again in the context of Shakespeare’s Richard III. When the girls did any piece ssatuk.co.uk/leadingedge
Langley Park School for Girls
The Rookeries of London: past, present and prospective by Thomas Beames (1850)
Figure 2
The Rookeries of London: past, present and prospective by
The Rookeries of London is a mid-19th-century report that explores the typical living conditions in London's 'rookeries'. It was written by Thomas Beames, a clergyman who was driven to investigate the subject after witnessing dire living conditions and extreme poverty within inner-city London. Beames draws on his own eye-witness accounts of rookeries and argues that one’s environment has a direct impact on education, lifestyle, and crime.
The Rookeries Thomas of London: by Thomas Beamespast, (1850)present and prospective 1 (a) What does the writer mean by “human masses pent up” in line 1? (b) What does the writer suggest about those living in these houses? Beames (1850) 2
[1] [2]
What do you think and feel about Thomas Beames’ views about housing in London? [10]
You should comment on: • what is said; • how it is said.
What does Beames say? ‘thrust’, ‘huddled’, ‘crammed’
of extended writing, we would always have the spreadsheet of words on the interactive whiteboard. We began to use pink highlighters as our designated vocabulary pen. Whenever the girls used a new vocabulary word in their writing they had to highlight it; when reading a text and coming across a new word, they also highlighted it. If girls saw a V in the margin of a teacher-marked text they knew theyfurther. had to rethink their use of language as they were using a vague adjective (eg ‘nice’, ‘bad’). The key stage 3 curriculum in our department requires us to incorporate non-fiction extracts into all our units of study, whether it be the modern novel or Shakespeare. This gave us the opportunity to choose lots of challenging 19th century extracts that introduced the girls to words such as debauchery and malignant. The extracts were always taught within a context specific to the text
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being studied. For example, a non-fiction extract on housing conditions (See Figure 2) was linked to A Christmas Carol and another extract was linked to
How does he say it? (consider his tone) Verbs suggest …….
analytical writing. The adjective malignant was particularly popular when they were describing Richard III.
A vocabulary monitor collated all the new words that arose during the week in a spreadsheet which was uploaded onto our VLE system interpretations of Twilight as an allegory about slavery and imperialism. Comprehension questions were modelled on the Eduqas WJEC English Language GCSE exam paper, aiming to ensure that our key stage 3 curriculum acts as a springboard for the rigours of key stage 4. While we read an extract, pupils had to highlight any new words for their vocabulary log in pink. In their reading groups, they had to work their way through particular steps to ensure that they were meeting the assessment objectives, as well as discussing vocabulary. They then went on to use the new vocabulary from these extracts in their creative writing as well as
In light of the greater emphasis on grammar teaching in key stage 2, I created worksheets with a focus on the genre of analytical writing. It was a cloze activity which required pupils to focus on all the vocabulary they had come across; however the emphasis was on the conscious crafting of language. The worksheet (See Figure 3) required pupils to consider which words were appropriate when describing the mood or image created in poetry. This proved successful with all pupils and they used their chosen words much later in their end of unit formal assessment. Another strategy required pupils to compartmentalise language in non-fiction extracts (See Figure 39
Langley Park School for Girls
Figure 3 3 with a (add Blake opens the quatrain in stanza of despair is descriptive adjective) image. A sense connoting a created as ‘chimney-sweeper’s cry’ which (add emotive adjective) atmosphere
abstract presents London as a place of (add e ‘black’ning’ noun). Blake’s use of the adjectiv by death and implies that society is overwhelmed of the destruction which alludes to the plague creates a 1700s. The reference to ‘church’ ons in relationship with the religious instituti London.
religion? Is it Evaluate: Why does Blake refer to stanza lose its important or significant? Would the the ‘church’? meaning without the reference to
Figure 4 New vocabulary (Everyone)
Repetition (Group 1)
Interesting verbs (Group 2)
Idling Girding Loins Jihad Tuk-tuks Rickshaws Potholed Manila Saigon Perma-jams Honed Benares Full-metal frenzy Sheer Constituted Veteran
Cars Rickshaws Good Horn Way Sense No Keep going Courtesy Round Clockwise Driver
Nudging Bustling Bumping Idling Girding warming
Descriptive nouns (Group 3) Loins Veteran stampede Flow Inch Yard Split-second
Contrasts and Comparisons (Group 4) Spontaneously Simultaneously Clockwise Anti-clockwise Nudging Bustling Bumping Beside Behind
all the new Task 1: fill in the blanks. Consider . (use pink pen). vocabulary we have come across sure of in pink Also underline words you are not pen.
4). After discussions about a piece they had read, pupils were assigned an area of expertise, eg interesting verbs, and they had to identify and then submit their nominations in a word document left open on the class computer. These were then analysed by the whole class and used in a creative writing piece about travelling on a train in India, using a clip from the BBC series ‘The World’s Busiest Railway.’ Each student had a ‘widening vocabulary log’ stuck at the back of their exercise book. This enabled them to write new vocabulary we came across as a class, as well as words that were new to them or they were unsure about and would look up for homework. This complemented the Excel spreadsheet of vocabulary generated by the vocabulary monitor. In a mixed ability setting there would be many words that were new to some but not others, so a personal log was needed along with the use of the pink highlighter when reading any texts or extracts. During writing or discussions, pupils would 40
often flick to the back of their book as they wanted to use the new words they had noted down. Cross-curricular work Key stage 3 pupils in many subjects are taught in their forms, so it was quite easy to work alongside other departments to test whether pupils would use vocabulary learnt in English in other subject disciplines. Working with a history teacher, for example, we would identify words she could use in that term’s scheme of work. For teaching of the Stuarts: villainy, debauchery, multitude, lamentations, appalled, alludes, scorn, macabre, oppression, demoralise and comply. English networking forum The last piece of the vocabulary acquisition crusade was establishing a network with other English departments in the borough. This proved difficult for many obvious reasons (time constraints, exam pressure etc) but four heads of department and key stage co-ordinators joined an after-school CPD session. Aaron O’Leary from
Bedrock Learning delivered a 15-minute presentation on vocabulary strategies and we then shared what we had been doing with key stage 3 pupils and discussed wider issues in the key stage 4 curriculum in light of the government changes. Our vision now is to create a Dropbox account for the network of schools to upload their lessons or strategies on vocabulary. Figure 5 shows the outline of the planned process taking us into the next academic year.
REVIEWING IMPACT
›› Increased wealth of vocabulary at the pupils’ fingertips, especially those who are not avid readers and are not brought into contact with highlevel vocabulary during their daily interactions. ›› Considering the meaning of a word in their own terms without a stale dictionary definition enables pupils to remember the meaning through a personalised learning style (eg drawing a picture or acting it out). ssatuk.co.uk/leadingedge
Langley Park School for Girls
Return to schools and disseminate ideas and strategies to embed in SoW
Figure 5
Complete Impact Evaluation grid to ascertain needs
Final meeting in June to give mini presentations
Lead teachers or HoFs meet again in late March
Nominate Lead working group candidate
All troubleshoot and share resources on Dropbox
›› Conscious crafting of language as pupils began to consider which new vocabulary was appropriate for the effect they wanted to create. ›› Pupils leading the learning through roles of responsibility and group work where they worked as ‘detectives’, identifying what they believed to be a descriptive noun or interesting verb. ›› Effectiveness of vocabulary teaching can now be monitored through the use of a V (vocabulary) marking code and the pink highlighter. ›› Pupils have built up resilience when they come across complex texts. They no longer fear words, but have a thirst for deducing the meaning so they can use the word in their own writing and add it to their vocabulary log.
WHERE NEXT?
›› Embed the V marking code and pink highlighter throughout the whole English department.
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Identify suitable class (e.g. use reading age)
›› Liaise with the literacy coordinator to see how these strategies can be disseminated across the whole school.
›› Strengthen the ties created with other schools in the borough, creating a systematic sharing of vocabulary strategies.
›› Deepen the cross-curricular link with the history department, through writing activities which require pupils to use the vocabulary in a different genre of writing. Perhaps identify other subject areas we could work with.
›› Involve parents in reinforcing vocabulary from the classroom. Want to know more? Contact Saadia Ali
[email protected]
IN A NUTSHELL Start small – don’t be too ambitious as it takes time to embed just one strategy. Get parents on board – talk to them about your initiative at a parents’ evening; even if you only get five involved, it helps as you can see whether those pupils benefit further. If you are doing research with a whole year group, involve other relevant middle leaders, eg literacy co-ordinator, key stage co-ordinators.
When working with just one class ensure that you make explicit what you will be doing and why. For example, my year 8 class knew that our focus for the year would be vocabulary therefore they were invested in the core objectives. Be flexible and adapt your initial idea or action plan; some strategies outlined in our initial research either did not work or were not necessary.
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School Name
Adventure learning increases engagement and independent learning skills Mounts Bay Academy
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Themes Adventure Curriculum leadership
W
ith the implementation of a new national curriculum came the opportunity to look again at the experience that students have of a curriculum that is very different to their experience of school in year 6. Students often engage in their learning at a shallow level as they are expected to extricate knowledge from a wide range of subjects in order to understand them ‘better’. By redesigning and implementing a year 7 curriculum that embeds an expeditionary-based approach to learning, we believed that we would develop a thirst for knowledge in young people that contributes to a higher level of engagement.
While ensuring that there is still a rigour to assessment, our curriculum model was developed with the end product in mind, taking immersion and audience to a new level. The removal of levels has led us to implement a new approach to assessment in the academy, with ‘I can’ statements becoming the foundations for a mastery approach to the assessment cycle.
THE PROJECT
Staff have undertaken CPD to establish the vision for the planning cycle. This has been developed through an expeditionary learning approach. The planning begins with the premise that students engage in a range of activities that lead
towards the exhibition of their work in some shape or form, but in an authentic way. For example, students have published a series of books culminating in a book launch open to the wider community of parents and authors. A teambased approach to planning aims to give students a set of skills and knowledge that will enable them to begin the project. Teachers carry out the project themselves before delivering it to students, so they understand the students’ experience and develop a stimulating, engaging experience. Students engage in project time for a whole day each week in the year. This is complemented by a series of week-long project weeks, so students can immerse 43
Mounts Bay Academy
Students are assessed at various points throughout the year using a mastery approach to assessment through ‘I can’ statements themselves intensively in the projects. The process begins with a relevant research event or entry point. An example of this is a trip to a historic venue that will be the subject of the students’ book. The proposed outcome is shared with students at the beginning of the project so they are aware of the relevance of all subsequent activities. Students are assessed at various points throughout the year using a mastery approach to assessment through ’I can’ statements. The assessments are designed by subject specialists who ensure that the curriculum skills and understanding are being assessed appropriately, with the expectations of each subject being mapped 44
throughout the year. These are assessed at least eight times across the year, and reported on to parents. Students experience a very different approach to their learning as skills are introduced and students are facilitated in developing their product. Assessments take into account a number of real-life skills such as presentation and development of ideas, and there is much less focus on the recall of subject knowledge. Students are also expected to manage the budget for their product and ensure that marketing and communication is effective for any performance or exhibition. This gives the projects a real purpose and ensures that student engagement is high.
Students identify any skills gaps that they have for the project and subsequently develop their skills in these areas in order to complete the project successfully. This encourages their development as independent learners.
REVIEWING IMPACT
Levels of student engagement have increased. Students have become more independent in their learning, and have engaged in quality work that is celebrated publicly. This has contributed to the development of higher aspirations for the young people at the academy. The creation of a product that will be exhibited to an audience has led to a much higher quality of work and a greater amount of pride in that work, as the students can see a real point to what they are doing. Students have become more independent in their learning, ssatuk.co.uk/leadingedge
Mounts Bay Academy
developing the skills to identify any gaps in their knowledge and skills. They have also developed the skills to be able to fill these gaps. Independent learning also involves students developing skills in peer critique and self assessment. They are now in the habit of drafting and re-drafting work to produce their best work. This is linked to the final exhibition, as they want the work that is displayed and published to be beautifully presented.
Students enjoy their learning in project lessons and identify it as a relevant way to apply their knowledge Students enjoy their learning in project lessons and identify it as a relevant way to apply their knowledge. Student voice surveys have found this is an area of
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major strength in the curriculum.
WHERE NEXT?
The approach is being developed with a new team of staff next year. The approach is also being developed in other year groups to underpin subject delivery. The concept of projects has motivated both staff and students, and the development of a relevant way in which to deliver subject content could have a major impact on student attendance and wellbeing.
We will map this work over the forthcoming months and gather benchmark data to evaluate. Want to know more? Contact: Les Hall
[email protected]
IN A NUTSHELL Ensure that team planning really involves the whole team, otherwise there can be a disjoint in the dynamic. Design an ‘entry point’ for each series of lessons that inspires and engages students.
Use protocols in your lessons to ensure a businesslike approach to learning. Design each project while delivering the previous one, to ensure that you learn from the process.
Provide an authentic exit point for learning, such as a performance or publication.
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School Name
The White British Achievement Project Parliament Hill School
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Themes Communication Literacy Raising achievement Parental engagement
P
arliament Hill School is proud of the diverse nature of its student body. Economically and socially, the student profile reflects the school’s complex inner London environment. Our students achieve well – attainment is within the top 10% of similar schools nationally – and our students from disadvantaged backgrounds achieve well above the national average for all students. Working alongside Camden LA and a family support worker, we have been a pioneering school in the White British Achievement Project: this project aims to understand the reasons for the educational underachievement of children from white British low income families and to develop strategies to prevent this. We
wanted to further this work by having a greater focus on the curriculum. Having worked with the white British family support worker for a year, we already had a large quality of qualitative data to examine in order to identify a targeted cohort. Our work had included interviewing all year 7, 8 and 9 white British working class (WBWC) students, ‘student trails’ (observing student in their lessons) and various parents evenings, informal parents events, parents forum (which had varied success in terms of attendance). Through this research, inquiry and investigation, and with data from our most recent pupil premium review, we highlighted a small sub group of WBWC girls (five per year group) whose progress in the secondary setting was below that of their age-related
peers and whose behaviour and engagement was of concern to us. The overriding barrier to success for these students (noted by staff and students alike) was their significantly lower literacy levels and, with this, severe language deprivation: these children and their families do not have the academic or enhanced language with which to progress. The other main issues affecting these students which we wanted to address were the passivity of girls in lessons and their lack of engagement and confidence; the fact that these students were more likely to display concerning behaviour in the class; and a lack of parental engagement with schooling. Building on the work of the Listen EAR project some years 47
Parliament Hill School
ago, we wanted to renew a focus on communication skills, working particularly with those identified girls in order to develop their speech and language skills in order to raise their attainment and improve their behaviour and engagement. We also wanted to include some work with parents drawing on the expertise of our white British family support worker to coordinate workshops for the parents/families of targeted students and also look at ways of working with the specialist to promote language development in the home, with our support worker coordinating joint sessions with families, daughters and speech and language specialist in school.
or did not want to contribute in class because they ‘didn’t speak as well as the other girls in their class’ or because they feel their answer wouldn’t be as good. As well as interviewing the girls, we also gave them a language screening which was split into four sections: understanding language (which included re-ordering instructions and inferring), vocabulary (looking at synonyms, informal and formal language and word definitions), using sentences (describing something and using connectives) and social communication (looking at who to adapt language according to the situation). Although we
We now have an increased understanding of the specific needs of our underachieving girls THE PROJECT
We started by interviewing all of these girls we had identified (approximately five in each year group) and looked for common threads. Each interview took an hour and was led by the speech and language therapist. The interviews included questions about the girls’ own perceptions of their communication skills, their likes and dislikes at school and an emotional literacy questionnaire. Students talked about enjoying positive feedback, more active subjects, having difficulties with specific teachers, having difficulties studying at home due to lack of space or family issues and becoming frustrated easily. Some reported that they often zoned out in lessons as they were overwhelmed with information, 48
use a screening model aimed at students with a lower age than our cohort, not one of the students had a result of more than average. What surprised us was the lack of basic vocabulary skills of the students. The results of these screening tests were shared with the girls at an individual feedback session. During these sessions, we worked together to create a personalised profile for each student based on the results of the screening test and interview, which outlined their difficulties and provided strategies for both the student and their teachers to support the girls’ understanding and communication in lessons. After meeting with the students, parents were invited in for a session with their daughters and the speech and language
therapist and white British family support worker to discuss ways forward and the type of support they could give at home. Because the sessions were directly related to their daughters, parent turnout was very high. After being shared with the student and their parents, the profiles were shared with staff. With the results of the languages screening and the interviews showing that many of the students struggled with difficult relationships and difficulties staying focused, we ran a series of mindfulness sessions with the cohort in order to teach them a range of strategies to support their emotional literacy. During the process, we were also struck by how many of the girls did not take up – or were not put forward for extra-curricular opportunities. Therefore, we invited all of the girls to take part in a performance poetry event – Slambassadors – which is run by an established performance poet. The girls spent two days writing and performing their own spoken word art and were able to have the space outside the confines of the classroom and the opportunity to express themselves. We also wanted to extend the work that we had completed with these students to the rest of the school and so used our observations to inform the planning of our annual Speak Week event – a week which highlights the importance of good speaking and listening inside and outside of the classroom. As well as giving teachers the resources to support ssatuk.co.uk/leadingedge
Parliament Hill School
high quality communication activities in the classroom, our main focus was on the development of vocabulary. We had special assemblies for each year group, introduced students to a vocabulary website which donates grains of rice through the UN World Food programme for every correct answer and made the school a language rich environment through the use of quiz questions, word webs, facts and posters displayed around the corridors. Each form group also ‘adopted’ an academic word, with prizes for the individuals and form groups who used the word the most throughout the week.
REVIEWING IMPACT
We now have an increased understanding of the specific needs of our underachieving girls and have developed strategies to support the development of their language skills. We have also equipped the girls with a clearer understanding of their personal strengths and weaknesses and given them the tools with which to improve and overcome their challenges. Students feel involved in their own learning and listened to. There is also greater staff awareness of how to teach communication in the classroom and how to adapt teaching where necessary. There have been a number of individual successes, for example one of the students finding she had a real talent for writing and performing poetry in the Slambassadors workshop – something she would never have taken the opportunity to be involved with before. The success of the parental involvement with this project has provided us with a positive
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relationship with parents that we had previously found difficult to engage and given us a formula for future parent events. We will be closely monitoring the girls this year in order to assess the impact of this project on their academic achievement and behaviour. The results of the language screening tests have given us a focus (vocabulary) for literacy development next academic year.
WHERE NEXT?
We will continue to work with our identified students and will replicate the screening process with the new cohort of year 7 students. The student profiles are due to be re-launched at the beginning of the academic year during a teaching and learning morning briefing session in order to remind staff of the students that we have worked with and the strategies that work for them. We will continue to involve our targeted group and give them a voice by co-planning activities with them that focus on language development, which will then be shared with staff. We are also planning further parental workshops so that parents are given the tools to support their
daughters at home. We hope to continue our work with the support of the white British family support worker and the speech and language therapist. We will be monitoring the academic achievements and the involvement in extra-curricular activities of the cohort. On a whole-school level, we will be continuing our focus on vocabulary and communication and have dedicated our first Inset day of the year to literacy training for teaching staff. This will include the launch of our new literacy policy, whole staff Inset on vocabulary and spelling strategies and various literacy and communication-related workshops. Want to know more? Contact Sarah Creasey, Deputy Headteacher
[email protected] or Marie Underwood Literacy Coordinator
[email protected]. sch.uk
IN A NUTSHELL Make feedback personal to students and parents Spend time with the students talking about their needs – don’t just rely on data Make the students feel involved and listened to
Allow students time to talk to adults who are not their teachers – eg white British family support worker, speech and language therapist Allow the time for good quality training for staff
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