Meet the Teacher Jonathan Reeves

qualifications has aided us in developing this to fit within criteria for what students have to submit.

Steyning Grammar School, West Sussex

What external partnerships have you built for your department? Musical Futures predominantly, and also Rock School in terms of hosting many visiting staff. We also regularly host student teachers from Sussex University. Is there consistency of approach within your teaching staff? We have two full time music teachers and a team of 10 visiting instrumental teachers. We are also graced with two technicians and strong admin support. Both of us teach in the same way and both are fully happy with MF ethos, and thoroughly value the Music Practitioner suite of qualifications.

  What motivates you? Student progress and engagement, meeting a variety of needs from students rather than shoe-horning them into a square box, having curriculum models than stimulate students to be creative rather than prescriptive models – especially at KS4 and KS5. Why do you feel that your approach is effective? It meets the needs of a spectrum of students by delivering vocational and academic routes in tandem with each other. Offering both routes gives us greater access to student voice and they are engaged in which routes they take, and then what group of units they choose within qualifications. We access students’ strengths rather than trying to modify the areas they are less strong in. How is student voice valued in your department? Open house at all breaks, lunchtimes and afterschool. Students discuss best routes through learning with staff and we have open conversations in relation to progressing onto next key stage of learning – especially vocational versus academic. How do you ensure your senior leadership team is on board with what you do? I keep them aware of what is going on, and keep them involved in our work with Musical Futures and Rock School. They are supportive of the arts, and there is no feeling of it being squeezed out of the curriculum (yet!). How do you assess students’ learning? At KS3 with trackers over time and linked with whole school assessment of learning characteristics like ‘grit’, ‘self control’ etc. This is a new route for the school. At KS4 and KS5 against exam criteria. We use Google docs to share assessment, both teacher and student, and to close feedback loops. These documents include video evidence of student progress and teacher and peer feedback. Using the structure of the Rock School Music Practitioner

How do you engage with specialist musicians? We hire instrumental and vocal teachers to run ensembles for us through a separate school budget – this was negotiated after a shrinking of pay through a staff restructure. Give an example of a challenge you have faced recently, and how you have overcome it? Being realistic about the scope and demand of music teaching where we have responsibility over three key stages, four qualifications, and then finding time to run an extra-curricular programme without an impact on attainment for students. We have 50 each year opting for music at KS4 and have 30 students doing either A level Music or Level 3 Music Practitioner. We have the largest sixth form school music department for many miles. What ongoing professional development do you and your team have? Musical Futures training, and inschool training with Google classroom has been fundamental recently. We also benefit from training through our work with Sussex PGCE. Do you play music outside of school? Yes, from time to time in a Ceilidh band, and weekly playing church organ Can you summarise your approach to teaching and learning? Learning is about change, and teaching for much of the time is also about change – a culture of continuous development and finding best routes and outcomes for students is central to our work. Fundamentally, a belief in finding the best style of learning for individuals and then working out a way for this to fit within exam routes. A belief in the value of small group working and coaching from staff in all areas – we deliver most set work learning to small groups of 6-8 at a time so that the process is not static for students, but thoroughly engaging. It takes more time to plan this approach but student progress is better. www.sgs.uk.net/creative--performing-arts/74.html