I am pleased to be presenting at the “Once Upon a Time” festival on Saturday 15 June 2024 at Bristol Beacon, which builds on our partnership work with organiser, Helen Prince. Helen is the author of the most recent Oxford Language Report (2021 – 2022) that looks at the scale of the word gap and the impact of Covid on language developments as an ongoing issue. After sifting through hundreds of school submissions regarding their focus on oracy to boost progress, standing out in their innovative and exemplary practice, Helen and the team included Tor Bridge Primary School as one of nine schools in the report. In my role as Head of School at Tor Bridge Primary, Helen and I presented these findings at the 2022 ASCL conference and since then Helen has supported our school in our fluency training and oracy work. Helen’s passion, pedagogy and relentless focus on improvement has led to huge moves forward for our fabulous school. We were thrilled that Helen remarked how she has rarely encountered schools with such openness and commitment to improving practice at every level. We have overcome - and continue to overcome – the barriers that limited cultural capital and low expectation can present through their focus on an oracy education, cementing the widest, brightest horizons for their pupils; which we like to think is testament to the high aspirational help of myself and our Trust.
Helen's expertise, combined with my leadership, has not only inspired the staff within The Inspire Multi-Academy Trust (South West), but has also had a profound impact on our children. This year, the excitement is palpable as Helen and I eagerly anticipate our collaboration once again, this time at the Once Upon a Time Festival in Bristol. The festival, known for showcasing story-led, creative teaching, aligns perfectly with Tor Bridge Primary School's commitment to oracy education. Helen and I, along with further brilliant keynote speakers, are thrilled to bring oracy to life through the immersive and enchanting world of storytelling, music, and drama. The Once Upon a Time Festival will provide a unique platform for educators to explore and embrace the creative potential of language. Imagine an exhilarating educational oracy festival for teachers, where passion for language and creativity converge. This vibrant event offers a dynamic platform for educators to immerse themselves in innovative teaching methods. From captivating storytelling sessions to interactive workshops, the festival becomes a melting pot of ideas, fostering a community of educators dedicated to enhancing oracy skills in the classroom. Teachers can escape into a world of inspiration, and gain valuable insights and practical tools to elevate their pedagogical practices. The festival's unique blend of story-led, creative teaching serves as a catalyst for professional growth, empowering educators to transform their classrooms into dynamic hubs of communication and expression. This exciting educational festival will not only ignite the spark of creativity in teachers, but will also cultivate a shared commitment to nurturing the language skills of the next generation. This is not only an event. It is an opportunity to imagine what is possible in your classroom, and will leave you inspired and equipped to transform your teaching approach. Join us for an unforgettable experience where the possibilities for enriching oracy education are boundless. By Olivia Bartlett, Head of School, Tor Bridge Primary School
0 Comments
As this half term draws to a close, we are pleased to bring you this February issue in which Associate & Strategic Leader of Teaching & Research Schools | Education South West, Roger Pope CBE contemplates the merits of weighing a pig and of being average:
"We all use athletes in our staff training and assembles as aspirational role models for improvement. We talk of the values of perseverance, hard-work, practice, and coaching. But doctors and teachers share something that athletes do not. If an athlete does not perform well, he loses a competition. If we do not perform well, a patient loses his present life, and a pupil the potential of his future life. Our professions have a moral dimension that athletes do not." Get tuned in on some of the highlights of forthcoming legislative changes addressed by Browne Jacobson at the recent SWIFT School Business Management Professional Community meeting with tips to prepare your school and staff. Deputy Head for Scholarship at Colyton Grammar School, Fiona Harvey is our interviewee and shares her insights into her role as a SWIFT Facilitator for the National Professional Qualifications. Hot on the heels of the Cohort 2a assessment good news. Kingsbridge Research School share their wisdom on implementation and planning to sustain and reflect how, “practices often lose effectiveness when they are scaled up, a phenomenon known as ‘voltage drop.’" Data Protection experts and SWIFT sponsor, SchoolPro TLC bring you guidance on handling freedom of information (FOI) requests. How prepared is your school? We are pleased to introduce our new sponsor, ONVU Learning and their 360-degree video and audio lesson capture solution to help you reflect, collaborate and analyse your teaching and learning process. We are also grateful to our other sponsors for bringing opportunities to enrich and support your work in schools. Find out more about Educatering's food service operations, how Exeter Supply Partnership can support staff absence for your Multi Academy Trust, and join Lyfta for a free webinar on Learning from Life: Unlocking Meaningful Learning through Immersive Human Stories on Wednesday 28 February 2024. Fergus explains how Volt Entrepreneurs has changed his way of thinking about running a business and other life-boosting skills. And, if you are intrigued about our lovely SWIFT artwork, you can enjoy finding out more about this happy design journey. Finally, we wish you a lovely half term break. 10/1/2024 0 Comments If you were wondering what it's like to be a supply teacher with Exeter Supply PartnershipIf you are considering supply teaching to suit your work/life balance or to refresh your skills before taking on a permanent post, it will be helpful for you to read Katie’s experiences of working for Exeter Supply Partnership (ESP). For Katie, education has always played an important role in her life, and after finishing her Master’s in Education and gaining her teaching certificate, she taught fourth grade, and then two years later, second grade in a mountain town in Northern Arizona. After moving from Arizona to England, Katie joined Exeter Supply Partnership in 2018 and was soon offered a temporary contract at a local primary school in Exeter. Katie returned to ESP in 2021 and again was soon snapped up for a short-term contract before returning again in September 2023. Why did you choose to become a supply teacher? After moving to England, I volunteered at a primary school in Exeter to gain experience of working in the classroom over here. The school then advised me to apply to Exeter Supply Partnership so that they could book me for their school as a supply teacher. Why did you choose Exeter Supply Partnership? Because ESP is a not-for-profit organisation and the school, I volunteered with recommended ESP. What is your favourite aspect of being a supply teacher? I have enjoyed working as a primary supply teacher. I love the fact that you can go to different schools and see how they operate, and also gather lots of ideas. I have a note book that I use to record new ideas. I was at a school the other day and the teacher had planned an incredible lesson. I asked the school if I could take the planning sheet with me to use elsewhere as a resource. Supply is also a great way to meet other educators. What are your favourite/most useful resources to use? I have a subscription to Twinkle that I use occasionally and I always take a couple of story books with me that I can use as the basis for a lesson. How do you prepare for your bookings? I always have a look at the school documents ahead of attending such as the behaviour policy, marking policy and safeguarding policy. In my note book I have a section where I ensure I have the start and finish times, the name/s of the Designated Safeguarding Lead and any other useful information. Once I have attended a school, I will add any useful information to my book that could be helpful for my next visit. What approach do you take when you are attending a new school? I will look at the documents and policies for the school. I will also look at the school website, which will often give you a feel for the school and how they operate. Sometimes when you arrive at a school, they may want you to cover a different age group than originally planned, so it is important to always go with a ‘can do’ attitude and an open mind. Would you say supply teaching is an enjoyable/fulfilling experience? Yes, I love it! I like going to new schools and meeting new groups of children. Some people might think that supply teaching is lonely, however I do not find this to be the case as staff in schools are really friendly and I also find that there are very often other ESP teachers working in the same school as me. What advice would you give to a teacher who is new to supply teaching/ considering supply work? I would say that it is different than having your own classroom, so make sure that you are flexible and take every day as a new adventure. If one day does not go so well, give it another go. Always be open for new experiences and your next adventure. How do you manage the uncertainty of supply work and the possibility of not having work on some days? This can be tricky; however, I have been very fortunate in that I have been booked on most of the days that I have wanted to work. On the occasions that I am available for short notice bookings, I get up early so that I am ready for a booking. I always try to have a plan ‘B’ so that if I do not get a booking, I will have something else to do with the rest of my day. Would you recommend ESP to other teachers? If so, why? I could not recommend it highly enough! I am always recommending ESP to others if they are thinking of doing supply teaching. The ESP team have always been the most welcoming and caring people to work with; they take really good care of us and are always so supportive. Exeter Supply Partnership (ESP) is a not-for-profit organisation linking supply teachers and their next job. If you have QTS, a passion for teaching and a desire to move into supply work then ESP are here to help. Perhaps you are newly qualified and looking to gain experience before joining a school full time. Maybe you’re looking to slow down and ease into retirement. Or possibly a parent trying to juggle work with a busy family life. Whatever your reasons may be, supply teaching offers flexibility and variety we we’d be delighted to help match you up with local primary schools. “ESP have become my ‘go to’ first choice for supply be it a last-minute request or planned ahead they couldn’t be easier to contact or more helpful. We can rely on quality teachers at the best rates. I would and regularly do recommend them to teachers and schools alike.” (School) Exeter Supply Partnership is a Community Interest Company set up by the member schools of Exeter Consortium, one of SWIFT's Delivery Partners, who also manage and inform the running of the organisation.
3/1/2024 0 Comments SWIFT Collaborates with the National Institute of Teaching on a Research ProjectWe are pleased to start this new year collaborating with the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) on a research project.
The National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) aims to root their research and programmes in schools. They seek to design research that addresses areas that teachers and leaders care most about and feeds directly back into programmes to strengthen training and development. SWIFT aims to create high-quality opportunities for staff to learn, develop and connect so that all children, especially the disadvantaged, achieve the best educational outcomes. This year, the NIoT and SWIFT are collaborating on a research project to learn more about the Early Career Framework (ECF) programme delivery, and how the ECF can be designed for schools in rural and coastal communities. Purpose of the Study Early evaluations of the ECF have shown that Early Career Teachers (ECTs) hugely value the support from Mentors. However, workload and balancing responsibilities for ECT Mentors remains a challenge (DfE, 2023). In addition, some schools in rural and coastal communities are reporting particular challenges in delivering aspects of the ECF. For example, schools with small staff bodies may find it more challenging to provide adequate time for Mentors off-timetable to meet the demands of the role. For some schools, the distance required for ECTs and Mentors to travel to in-person training may require greater time outside of school. However, little is known across the country, and more evidence is needed in order to understand the types of approaches that might be needed to deliver the ECF in different geographic locations. The Aim of the Study The intention is to support ECF design for schools in rural and coastal communities, with an intention to build towards a larger study to pilot promising strategies in order to:
How will the findings be used? This research will be used to tailor the NIoT’s own ECF design to be suited to different geographic locations, and to make sure that schools, ECTs, ECT Mentors and school leaders have the support they need to deliver the ECF. There is also the intention to build towards a larger study to pilot promising strategies. The NIoT will also use the research to make recommendations to the sector, and for awareness-raising and advocacy to shape future policy revisions. How can I get involved? If this study sounds like something you are interested in, we would like to hear from you! The study will run from January to October 2024 and will involve a national survey, and qualitative research with selected schools in the North East and South West regions of England. Research Interviews The NIoT are currently looking for schools to take part in the qualitative research strand between March to May 2024 and would like to interview six to ten Early Career Teachers (ECTs), ECT Mentors, Induction Tutors and/School Leaders across a range of schools in the North East and South West England. Interviews will last for about 45 minutes, and a member of the NIoT Team will come to your school in person at a time that is convenient to you. There is no obligation for any other member of staff in your school to take part, if only one staff member is interested and each individual who participates will receive a £10 book token as a thank you for their time. Advisory Group In addition, they are also looking for a small number of teachers and leaders to participate in an advisory group for this study. This will involve two to three sessions throughout the year, held remotely and at a time agreed with the group, depending on availability. The group will guide the study team in making sure the findings are useful, and will share them in the most impactful way. We welcome your interest in participating in the research or joining the advisory group. By the National Institute of Teaching and SWIFT Team 1/11/2023 0 Comments Interview with Andy Ogden, Director for CPD and Devon Training School Partnership at Tarka Learning Partnership“Working with SWIFT, I enjoy collaborating and creating high-quality CPD provision that fulfils our desire to do the best for our schools and our children that comes through our programmes.” Proving the benefits of our SWIFT partnership model in motion, Andy Ogden is one of our valued Delivery Partners. Developing people so that they can confidently and expertly carry out their classroom and office roles and benefit from professional and personal fulfilment and ultimately, provide the best education for children is a lifelong passion for Andy. Based at Devon Training School Partnership at Tarka Learning Partnership, Andy has gained nearly 30 years’ expertise and experience in education through a variety of roles, not least - Headteacher, School Improvement Advisor and National Strategy Consultant. He has designed the Subject Leader Apprenticeship for the Tarka Learning Partnership, led the Devon Teaching School Partnership and was previously Director of Devon Primary SCITT. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) at Tarka Learning Partnership is described as providing “inspiration leadership that models and secures outstanding personalised training, professional development and pastoral support.” Working with SWIFT, Andy is hands-on in delivering high-impact CPD training opportunities as a Lead Facilitator for the National Professional Qualifications (NPQs), delivering the Teach First ECT programme and is a key player in the SWIFT Membership Services Team. We asked him to reflect on this positive working relationship. 1. What do you believe to be most important in supporting schools?
Fundamentally, I think it is starting from where schools are and empowering them to do the job that they need to do. Clearly for schools this is making sure that the right environment, the right people, and the right training are in place so that children receive the best education. I believe the role of SWIFT is in supporting schools to do their job in the way that is right for them and their children and communities as a service relationship in understanding the needs of schools, and how best to support them. Schools will then have choices available to them about the way in which they operate and this goes beyond professional development and includes the benefits of collaborative networks. I would also hope that by listening to schools they feel the SWIFT offer is more bespoke to their needs, rather than simply generic training, and they are genuinely supported in their school improvement work. 2. What do you perceive to be the current challenges for schools in North Devon? I think one of the biggest challenges that is probably true of all schools nationally, but particularly for Devon, is our provision for special needs children, and the training of colleagues who work with our most vulnerable children and the need to access services for alternative provision. In North Devon, there is a shortage of specialist provision available exacerbated by funding restrictions and falling roles in some rural areas. Hence, we are having to source a lot of support from within our own schools and settings and make the best of what we have available to us and the importance of working collaboratively. Given our North Devon location, we can feel isolated and sometimes because we are not near some of the major urban centres we need to look and reach outwards to ensure that we are abreast of the best that there is nationally in terms of education. I think we recognise that for a long period of time there has not always been the infrastructure to support North Devon and therefore we have to do a lot of this work ourselves. Therefore, the challenge is how to form partnerships and to create an infrastructure that is sustainable in North Devon and meets our local needs; whilst still recognising that we have a lot to learn beyond North Devon. Linked to this challenge is the recruitment of teachers, Teaching Assistants and support staff to the area; which is clearly another nationwide challenge. But we like to think that North Devon is a lovely place to live and come and work; and although housing is expensive, we have a lot of new housing and would hope that this will bring more children to our schools. In fact, I am sitting in a brand-new school as we speak that has an intake of 60 children a year. So, there are reasons to be hopeful! But in some of the surrounding areas outside Barnstable in particular, the pupil projections are of rolls beginning to fall off. Although I am not quite sure of the reasons. Possibly the increase in second homes common to the Devon area as a whole. 3. How does Tarka Learning Partnership benefit from working with SWIFT? I am pleased to talk about this partnership and I would go back to the history of working with SWIFT when there were previously around ten of the original Teaching Schools across Devon and Torbay and Plymouth. I remember some of these first meetings where it was clear that the educational landscape was going to change. The fundamental wish was that we all needed to work together for the benefit of all schools and children and this became our guiding vision. What we also gained from those meetings was that colleagues had developed their own capacity and specialisms and expertise in certain areas, and together, we were greater than the sum of our parts (the SWIFT symbol!). I think the biggest gain as a Trust is the fact that we have other colleagues who are very willing to collaborate with us and to think through challenges and opportunities, to design training and support that will help us all. For example, we have not all got the capacity to run our own subject networks. But by collaborating with other SWIFT partners, we can deliver this work. We, at Devon Training School Partnership, are now facilitating across most of the primary phase, but our secondary colleagues are leading other work, which becomes more viable because all schools can participate. It also gives us access to the Golden Thread programmes with the Appropriate Body Service, the Early Career Framework, and National Professional Qualifications, which again, we support, but we could not deliver on our own. The other benefit is bringing opportunities for our staff. For example, we have two safeguarding leads who were funded by SWIFT to attend the NSPCC six-day programme to train other staff and are now running those programmes which are very highly evaluated and have brought their own experience and expertise to the NSPCC training and are leading meaningful safeguarding training as trainers in their own right. Similarly, we have another member of staff who is running the Writing Moderations training in North Devon and we are able to link with fellow SWIFT partners, Exeter Consortium Schools’ Alliance and Riviera Training School Alliance who run these sessions in their localities as well; so that every primary school teacher has got access to a moderation group. I think also for our staff, they benefit from a very comprehensive professional development offer, which they would not otherwise enjoy because we are able to tap into and fill the gaps through the entire SWIFT programme, combined with some of our own internal training, and we can additionally signpost to other opportunities. As an employer, we believe that we our staff have a wide ranging CPD offer, and one that we could not necessarily do on our own in magnifying on the biggest scale. 4. What are your hopes for future working between Tarka and SWIFT? Essentially, it is probably doing more of what we have been doing to date so that we are working towards a comprehensive and cohesive offer of training. in addition, considering the educational landscape has become quite fragmented for different reasons - different sorts of schools and approaches, SWIFT can become a democratic voice, in drawing schools together in what we can do together and our commonalities and help to provide a forum that is shaping the landscape. Increasingly, the partnership that is SWIFT is becoming a voice for leaders, staff, and children to have their say in how the education landscape should evolve. 5. What do you find to be most rewarding from working with SWIFT? Above all, I think it gets me outside my own echo chamber by being involved with other people beyond my own Trust, School, and locality, which is always an enriching experience. It obviously increases my knowledge, skills and understanding by being in contact with a wider network of educational professionals and conferences, which I really enjoy. SWIFT procures some excellent national speakers who provide relevant and up-to-date training and thinking as well. Personally, I think that it has given me training and professional development opportunities in the same way as I mentioned previously for our staff. I enjoy being a Facilitator for the NPQs and I have always loved working with the Early Career Teachers and having my own cohorts. Also, there is the enjoyment of working with other colleagues to shape and design programmes that will benefit schools and to play my part in shaping the SWIFT vision. There is a true feeling of togetherness; that we are all responsible for developing our school staff. For instance, I could feel this last term at the Early Careers Teachers induction conference and with the NPQs Facilitation Team. It did not matter which school the Early Career Teachers or NPQ Leaders attended, or their locality; we were all helping to grow the next generation of teachers and leaders and doing it together. It is this common goal in what we are trying to do for all of our schools, children and leaders. I am very proud to be part of SWIFT and I believe that it is a good way forward and we should celebrate what SWIFT has achieved to date in quite a short space of time to support schools. Interview by Jude Owens, PA to the Executive Team and Governance As one of their school improvement services for educational leaders, our sponsor SchoolPro TLC shares an attendance case study that highlights their work in this key area for schools. When we start attendance work with our schools we always talk about the ‘journey’ that we are about to embark on. There a few quick wins when it comes to attendance improvements and it is the robustness of policy and the rigour in which the policy is carried out that makes the lasting impact. The Starting Point When I first met the Attendance Lead at this particular Infant School in Gloucestershire, it was great to see the drive they had in improving the attendance of the children. Our starting position was comparable with the national picture, with whole school attendance sitting at slightly over 94% for the 2021 - 2022 academic year. However, rates of persistent absenteeism and vulnerable group attendance, specifically Free School Meal (FSM) and Pupil Premium children (PP), had been below the national average over the previous years and both of these aspects were raised in the schools IDSR. So where did we start…? The initial attendance audit focused on key areas:
Following this, an Attendance Action Plan was produced that was to be monitored by the Attendance Lead and other members of the leadership team, along with the Governors. Putting the Actions in Place A new policy was launched in line with the Department for Education (DfE) guidance for September 2022, with staff undertaking training to understand their roles and responsibilities in achieving good attendance for all children. The children were spoken to in assemblies and SAM (School Attendance Mascot) was launched, where the best attending class each week got to look after SAM for the following week. Parents and carers were sent an attendance letter signposting them to the new policy and class attendance was reported on each week in the school newsletter. Communicating with all stakeholders in this manner set the benchmark for the expectations of all. The monitoring of attendance was moved from fortnightly to weekly with a key focus on persistent absenteeism and FSM/PP children. The leadership team added this to their weekly agenda and each child was ‘banded’ with specific interventions implemented at each stage. For example, if a child dropped below 95% attendance, a letter was sent home informing parents that their child was now below the national average for attendance and informing them how the school could support them in ensuring their child’s attendance improved. The word ‘support’ changed the thinking of parents as previously, parents looked upon attendance communication as a negative (much like behaviour…but that is a different discussion!). With those systems in place, this led to ‘early intervention’, and positive, supportive attendance discussions took place far earlier and prevented that downward trend continuing. Attendance was now a daily discussion with positive connotations. This enabled the ‘profile’ of attendance to be raised and developed a culture of good attendance, which in turn led to better outcomes for the children. I visited the school termly to meet with the Attendance Lead, to view attendance data, discuss progress and improvements in-line the Action Plan. Impact Due to the comprehensive policy and the robustness that sat behind it, with all stakeholders playing their part, attendance in ALL areas showed an improvement.
So, What Next? You often see the phrase “eat, sleep, repeat.” But when it comes to attendance, it’s “policy, procedure, repeat!” Yes, there will have to be some modifications for certain individuals; but, for the majority of the children under your stewardship, you need to get the basics right when it comes to attendance. How Can SchoolPro TLC Help You? Our Attendance Consultancy Team can help to build capacity in your setting by taking both a strategic and a hands-on approach to attendance. This can include supporting attendance reviews, analysing your data and advising on practices to help identify the best use of your resources and we can also support these plans where necessary. Our main objective is to ensure young people achieve the best outcomes and we offer the assurance that detailed and accurate evidence and logs are maintained at all times, should they be required for the future. By Richard Morley, Director at SchoolPro TLC
We are pleased to introduce an opportunity to be involved in our SWIFT Reference Group as part of our Teaching School Hubs’ responsibility of programme delivery to schools and continued commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). The Reference Group will be founded on inclusion and collaboration and we welcome expressions of interest from all colleagues of all backgrounds and positions within all organisations across our Teaching School Hub region. Participation will not be limited by any of the Protected Characteristics (Equality Act 2010): Age, Disability, Gender Reassignment, Marriage and Civil Partnership, Pregnancy and Maternity, Race, Religion and Belief, Sex, and Sexual Orientation. Principles Membership of the Reference Group is voluntary and staff-led and any member of staff across our schools and partners is eligible to apply to be part of the group. The Group is intended to be a safe space that will build high-trust relationships within a diverse and inclusive setting that will:
Importance We believe that Reference Groups are important because they can: 1. Foster an Inclusive Workplace and a Sense of Belonging and Acceptance 2. Enhance Employee Experience 3. Promote Cultural Awareness 4. Improve Innovation Timeline for the Reference Group We are seeking to launch the Reference Group in November 2023, with the first meeting in January 2024 and it is our intention that the meetings will be half termly. More Information and How to Express your Interest
You can read more about the SWIFT Reference Group by clicking on the link below. If you wish to express your interest to be part of the group, we invite you to complete a short form on the link below by Monday 6 November 2023 at 12 noon. Thank you for your interest in our proposed SWIFT Reference Group as part of our work to promote Diversity, Equality and Inclusion. 20/7/2023 0 Comments SWIFT Character Education Professional Community | Building a Characterful CurriculumLyndsey Bolton of the Alumnis Multi Academy Trust led the final session of the SWIFT Character Education Professional Community looking at how to develop a co curriculum that explicitly develops character, enhanced by enrichment and developed by curriculum offers and opportunities for children as part of Character 'sought'. A class teacher and Character Education Lead across the Trust, Lyndsey has always been passionate about providing children with opportunities to build themselves as strong, courageous, resilient and creative individuals and uses the term “characterful” explicitly and clearly. She started her own character journey building on research work with the Jubilee Centre that provides a useful resource bank for teachers to take the tools back into school and provide creative and innovative ways to teach character through the curriculum. Character needs to be taught. Do not take it for granted that children will soak it up. Or leave it to chance. But provide environments and a culture where they can catch it and seek it. Think about how to message to children and connect it with the curriculum. Why? How? What does it do? Character is an essential part of Personal Development within the Ofsted Framework. Lyndsey reported on a recent Ofsted Outstanding judgement in one of the Trust schools. During Ofsted visits the children have “sung character” throughout the inspection in the way that they spoke, conducted themselves, and demonstrated behaviour for learning in action. Lyndsey is always keen to champion that schools do not work in isolation. But if something is going really well or is in a positive stage of development, to share it in their communities and to learn from one another. Hence the work of this Professional Community. Lyndsey has worked with children and staff to create characterful approaches rooted in the Trust vision of 'Inspiring Changemakers'. Careful consideration is given to the language used in all classrooms and across all the Trust schools that is intentional, explicit and supports each practitioner to weave in impactful opportunities to develop personally and holistically; putting virtues in action. Planned and intentional opportunities to link teaching character through discussion, events, stories in the classroom and assemblies help children to internalise, process and reflect on how to recognise it and then live it. For example, how did they feel when they spoke out? How can they learn for next time? Consider what does it look like across all the year groups and think about the progression. The Alumnis approach is developed from Early Years and throughout the children's educational career. Consider the challenges, but be creative and courageous in shaping your opportunities and enhance what is happening in curriculum time. Map out where children can have multiple opportunities to develop their character throughout the academic year. Confidence is a huge issue and can be difficult for some children. But ultimately, character education and developing a characterful culture within our schools for adults and children can guide them to see the opportunities as positive as they flourish as human beings. As part of the session, there was discussion about the work of the participants and it was agreed that the legacy of Covid is still being felt in changes in character across schools with work to be done.
For instance, Nick Banwell shared the “11 by 11” work of ESW Multi Academy Trust in South Devon in creating opportunities for character development at primary by the time they reach age 11 and for secondary, by the time they reach Year 11. Opportunities are created across key topics, including enrichment, community, careers, forest school, environment, culture, arts, leadership, and mental wellbeing. All the schools are encouraged to connect and learn from each other and to build on their experiences. Given limited funds and pressured curriculum time, ESW is developing a link with the local Rotary Clubs who go into the schools and work alongside the children and provide various support. We thank Lyndsey for leading this session and adding an encouraging and enabling clarity about Character Education that can be bespoke for schools to make their own energy and to feel like they are part of a bigger picture of driving forward school improvement with character development as the foundation. Listening to these sessions always gives me hope. Report by Jude Owens, PA to the SWIFT Executive Team In this final issue for this academic year, ESW Associate & Strategic Leader of Teaching & Research Schools | Education South West, Roger Pope CBE considers in this continued post-pandemic aftermath, “Why is it that our leadership skills are being challenged to such lengths?”
"So, this is when we have to dig deep into our leadership reserves. It’s a time when we have to believe in ourselves, to let go of what we cannot change and focus on those things that we can influence in our own schools." Building on SWIFT's commitment to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI), SWIFT's Professional Community lead, Ruhaina Alford, Executive Headteacher of The Carey Federation gives us an end of term report. At this point of end of term completeness, you can read about SWIFT's Director, Chris Harris's reflections as he ends his tenure with us and an interview with Programme Manager, Fiona McNeile who continues the good work of our programme delivery. And have your say in the Annual Teaching School Hub School Leader Satisfaction Survey. Our sponsor, SchoolPro TLC provides guidance on taking subject access requests seriously and find out some of the latest from Educatering, Exeter Supply Partnership, Lyfta and Praestantia Technology. "Partnership, relationships, collaboration, good practice. You could call it SWIFT-ness." Education is conventionally cyclical. Pupils and young people evolve and progress through their schooling steps before moving on in their life journey. The same is true of our colleagues. At the end of this academic year, we will be saying a sad farewell, but a grateful thank you to Chris Harris as he moves on to his new role as Deputy Headteacher at The King’s School in Ottery St Mary. Based at our Colyton Office at Colyton Grammar School in his role as Director of Teaching School Hubs and Assistant Headteacher; true to the partnership ethos of SWIFT, Chris has counted himself fortunate to work closely with the Colyton team, as well as the other Central Team members and of course, with our wider SWIFT partnership. The SWIFT Central Team counts itself fortunate that Chris has been with us for two years and we have all benefitted from his dedicated and dynamic leadership that has masterfully been modest and yet momentous in leading on the programme delivery of the Appropriate Body Service (AB), Early Career Framework (ECF) and National Professional Qualifications (NPQs). And always with an eye for detail, calm tenacity, pragmatism – and a superb sense of humour. As SWIFT also evolves and progresses it seemed well-timed to share some of Chris’s reflections on his time with SWIFT and as a tribute to his conscientious work. It has been important to me and the SWIFT Team to present our essential values in our core SWIFT business so that we are trusted by our schools. This is true of our delivery on the Hub programmes driven by a desire to support all schools of all types - whether a large Multi Academy Trust or a small standalone primary. We want to support them equally and to facilitate and ensure that they are getting access to the best of national programmes and to deliver a high-quality service for all. This trust and support benefits from our knowledge and relationships that we tailor for the local needs of our schools so that the programmes work for everyone. SWIFT wants to be a listening and responsive Teaching School Hub – whether through the small school NPQs adaptations or additional SEND revision in the ECF that we understand is a priority for Devon and with a particular focus on all students to ensure an inclusive approach and to build a sense of belonging. Rooted in partnership has been elemental for our SWIFT work and has been pivotal to the thinking in my role. I would say that my understanding has evolved in terms of the power of partnerships, as together you are more than the sum of your parts (cue our SWIFT logo!) and this certainly has been the scale that we have been working at on the ECF and NPQs. Moreover, it would be impossible to deliver a high-quality service without our essential partnerships in all that we do in the reciprocal relationship of learning from one another and always striving to improve what you do. Not forgetting, the professional value of partnership in working with like-minded focused people and ultimately, as we understand from teaching, we are all driven by a strong moral purpose, on which I like to think my understanding is founded. Partnerships exist on many layers and to deliver effectively you need to be a partner with the schools and teachers and staff themselves and only then, can you truly achieve based on collaboration and consensus, which makes the partnership all the more convincing and robust. Professionally, my role with SWIFT has benefited me in building on this collaboration in being able to develop with some partners that I hope will stay with me throughout my career and I have truly appreciated seeing in action this power of partnerships and understanding that you have to be outward- looking all the time. I have also been in the privileged position of observing many different practitioners at work and listening to different schools and constantly and absolutely sharing good practice. Finally, a vital professional lesson for me is the reminder that you should never be in glorious isolation in our educational world and value your relationships and connections; as well as understanding the national framework in which we operate so that we can best serve the communities we work with. Partnership, relationships, collaboration, good practice. You could call it SWIFT-ness. We wish Chris every success and fulfilment in his new role and thank him for his legacy to SWIFT. We will miss him. We welcome Jen Knowles, currently Director of West Country Training School Alliance as successor to Chris. I am delighted to be taking on the role of Director of Teaching School Hubs (TSH) from September, building on the excellent foundations laid by Chris and the SWIFT team. It is a privilege to have opportunity to work with 500+ schools across Devon, Plymouth, Torbay and beyond in teacher development at every stage of their career. This next stage of the TSH programme brings openings for further refinement of courses and programmes based on your feedback to further improve the experience of working with us and I look forward to working with you all. And we look forward to working with Jen. Our sponsor SchoolPro TLC provides guidance for schools and MATs following the recent infringements by a primary school in relation to the Article 5 (1)(f), Article 24 (1) and Article 32 of UK GDPR. The unfortunate data breach has emphasised the importance of robust Data Protection practices in schools, colleges and MATs. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) publicly reprimanded Parkside Community Primary School for infringements of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). Whilst this is clearly a concern for the school and data subjects involved, it also provides a valuable opportunity for all schools to reassess their Data Protection strategies. The incident involved the inappropriate disclosure of personal and special category data in a classroom setting, affecting four data subjects including three children. According to the reprimand published, key contributing factors to the breach included insufficient Data Protection policies, inadequate guidance around email security, and a lack of explicit procedures regarding the use of a case management system. SchoolPro TLC delve here into the key lessons to be learned from this unfortunate event, and provide a checklist to ensure that you are adequately protecting the personal data of your pupils and staff. Lessons to Learn The reprimand presents several key lessons that could apply to other schools in the UK: 1. Ensure Adequate Data Protection Policies The reprimand highlighted that the school lacked detailed Data Protection policies, specifically on the safe handling of personal data over emails and the usage of a specific case management system. Policies should clearly outline the procedures for maintaining data security and confidentiality, especially when it involves sensitive or special category data. Schools should have policies specific to high risk software and platforms they use, created in conjunction with risk assessments or Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs). 2. Provide Clear Procedures and Guidance The lack of written guidance for employees was a significant issue. Clear instructions need to be in place for using security and confidentiality classifications on emails, and for the usage of any case management system or software. Guidelines regarding when and where to open sensitive emails, and how to operate electronic devices securely (like electronic whiteboards), should also be clearly provided. 3. Staff Training Regular and thorough training for staff is necessary to ensure compliance with Data Protection regulations. This should include training on the operation of specific software or systems, data breach reporting procedures, operation of electronic devices, and general Data Protection principles. 4. Incident Reporting Mechanisms In this case, staff failed to report the data breach internally. An effective incident reporting mechanism should be in place, and staff should be well aware of the process to follow if a data breach is suspected or has occurred. 5. Sensitive Data Handling Emails or alerts containing sensitive information should be appropriately labelled and only accessed under safe conditions (e.g., not in the presence of children or during teaching hours). Controls should be in place on who can access highly sensitive information and when. 6. Policy Enforcement and Review All staff and stakeholders should be familiar with the school's Data Protection policies. Policies should be reviewed and updated regularly, especially in response to incidents, and staff should be required to affirm their understanding and acceptance of these policies. 7. Testing and Audit of New Processes Any new processes or procedures introduced in response to a data breach should be tested to ensure they are effective and embedded within the organisation. Action Plan / Checklist Taking those lessons into consideration, what key actions can a school, college or MAT take to reduce their data breach risk and improve practice? Policies and Procedures Review your Data Protection policies and procedures, ensuring they cover all aspects of data handling, including specific written guidelines for using software and systems that process sensitive data. Training and Awareness Develop a regular training schedule on Data Protection for all staff. Emphasise what constitutes a data breach, the importance of reporting breaches promptly, and the consequences of failing to do so. As a guide, staff should receive Data Protection training as part of their induction to the organisation, and refresher training should be completed at least biennially if not more frequently. Annual refresher training would be best practice. Email Security Implement security measures for emails that contain sensitive data, such as security classifications or labels. Provide clear guidelines on when and where such emails can be safely opened. Where possible, use alternative methods of communicating sensitive data such as access-controlled, secure, shared folders, or internal secure data transfer systems if available to your school. Software and System Security Review the security measures for all software and systems that process sensitive data. Ensure staff are trained on how to use these systems securely such as the use of strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. Also, include procedures, guidance and training for those systems that could be used to view sensitive data such as electronic whiteboards and screen-sharing from staff members' electronic devices. Monitoring and Review Regularly monitor and review your Data Protection measures to ensure their effectiveness and make improvements where necessary. By following this checklist along with your existing practices, and continually investing in data protection, you can better protect the personal data of your pupils and staff, and ensure compliance with the UK GDPR. The incident highlighted by this ICO reprimand serves as a stark reminder of the potential repercussions of insufficient Data Protection, and the importance of making it a priority in your school, college or MAT. Stay safe and healthy. Report by the SchoolPro TLC Team SchoolPro TLC is led by a committed team of former school and education leaders and Governors with over 60 years combined experience across all stages of education and in a variety of contexts who worked to improve educational provision.
19/6/2023 0 Comments SWIFT Summer Conference | “Quality time to think, challenge, plan and prepare.”We would like to thank everyone for a wonderful 2023 Summer Conference last week: our speakers, sponsors and exhibitors, and of course, our delegates. In the midst of the post-pandemic lockdown aftermath, the teacher recruitment and retention crisis, the cost of living crisis and other pressures on young people today, the conference was memorable time together - with the popular addition of our new "Question Time" feature, showing that educational debate is very much alive and kicking here in the South West. With a purposeful and positive atmosphere the conference was an optimistic collective call to action to create a sense of belonging and support in our school communities, to provide an education in which children and young people can flourish, to work together and for schools to be lighthouses to withstand the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion storms. Things are and will get better. As Nelson Mandela said: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” A more detailed report and pictures will follow soon for you to re-live and enjoy the day.
But in the meantime, you can check out some of the highlights on Twitter. By Jude Owens, PA to the SWIFT Executive Team In this penultimate issue for this academic year, ESW Associate & Strategic Leader of Teaching & Research Schools | Education South West, Roger Pope CBE is in post-Coronation reflective mode, contemplating what we can learn “about narrative, ritual and culture.”
“So, we must work hard to create the rituals that create belonging. How we celebrate key transition points and rites of passage as children grow through the school.” Read about the Early Career Framework Extra! CPD session on Inclusive Practice in all Classrooms with Professor Sonia Blandford and Wendy Casson MBE. If you need any encouragement about Courageous Conversations, you can get some insights with our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training session with Diverse Educators. CEO of Riviera Education Trust Stewart Biddles is this issue’s interviewee commending the value of partnership; which, of course we echo. Find out more about the Phase 1 findings of the independent review of teachers’ professional development by Ofsted (commissioned by the Department for Education) and sign-up the Education Endowment Foundation Early Talk Boost Project. We celebrate Cultural Diversity beyond the classroom with our sponsor Lyfta and keep up-to-date with other sponsors, Educatering and SchoolPro TLC and book your place at Praestantia Technology’s Microsoft event two weeks today. In this issue, ESW Associate & Strategic Leader of Teaching & Research Schools | Education South West, Roger Pope CBE reflects how history can be traced through the evolution of language and the context of the reasons behind the teacher strikes.
"Never have we had such need for sensitive, subtle, nuanced school leadership as now." You can also read about the Spring Term Curriculum Forum, the ECF Extra session on High Expectations and Behaviour and as part of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) work, read an interview with Louise Jaunbocus-Cooper, Co-Founder of MixEd. Have your say in the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) Consultation on Professional Development and catch-up on the Mother of All Pay Gaps 2023 Conference. We introduce our new sponsor Praestantia Technology and their IT services for school and SchoolPro share insights into Marginal Gains impacting attendance and how they could help your school. Discover more about our sponsors' services from Lyfta who celebrate World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development and Atomi who provide engaging curriculum content to to find better ways to make learning fun. Educatering share their healthy food innovations for schools and find out about working as a supply teacher in the nursery/primary sector in Devon and Torbay with Exeter Supply Partnership. We are pleased to welcome our new sponsor, Praestantia Technology who will be working with us to provide a wide range of IT support opportunities to our schools and Trusts. The Praestantia Team have a background in education and offer exceptional IT and audio visual solutions designed exclusively for education settings, including: Praestantia understand the difference the right IT can make to an outstanding learning environment from their own experience as School Governors, consultants and naturally, IT and from working with educational partners. By looking after your tech, you can focus on the learning. Discover how Praestantia made a difference at Preston Primary School and the successful steps taken to co-ordinate all the individual Trust schools. Passionate about technology, find out how Praestantia Technology can help your school with their innovative, forward-thinking approach. It is intended that our SWIFT sponsors bring relevant value to our Schools and Trusts with their products and services and we are pleased to welcome Praestantia Technology.
Sponsors also support and help SWIFT to invest in our CPD programme to bring high-quality and meaningful speakers and programmes. "Our lives are built on and held together by words." Tuesday 20 June 2023 | 0930 to 1600 Broadclyst Community Primary School, School Lane, Broadclyst, Exeter, Devon EX5 3JG Reading roadblocks can be a daily problem for school communities. For many learners, significant roadblocks interrupt the journey to becoming an avid and fluent reader. The Cornerstone English Hub 2023 Conference will explore the various challenges and hurdles faced by pupils as they embark on their reading journeys and will unpick strategies and approaches to make lasting differences to children and teachers. Words help us to discover new information and imagine new worlds, they underpin human creativity and provide us with the foundations of rational thought. When we help children to learn new words and to love using them, we unlock the limitless possibilities offered through the wonderful world of reading. Join like-minded colleagues at the 2023 Cornerstone English Hub Conference and explore these reading roadblocks and learn how to support every child to overcome the hurdles hindering their reading adventures. Be inspired and reflect on the subject of reading. FREE to attend for all educators, the Reading Roadblocks event will be of most interest to primary English / Reading Leads or Senior Leaders.
This next SWIFT Early Career Framework (ECF) Extra session on High Expectations and Behaviour was led by Professor of Social Mobility at Plymouth Marjon University, Sonia Blandford and Retired Headteacher of a PRU and Educational Consultant, Wendy Casson MBE. The “Extras” are free optional sessions available to SWIFT Early Career Teachers and Mentors and their wider school setting to enhance their experience on the ECF and benefit their reflection and practice in their classroom. Founded on 80 years of combined teaching experience and enthusiasm aplenty, Sonia and Wendy’s love of education, teaching and children was palpable and is also rooted in their backgrounds. Wendy comes from a background of a family of six children who were nurtured by their parents according to their different needs and nurturing has been part of Wendy’s practice as a teacher and school leader. Sonia and her twin were part of the Born to Fail study for their first 15 years (which is also the title of one of her books). Financed by a grant from the national Children's Home, the Born to Fail study looked at socially disadvantaged children born in Britain in the week of 3 - 9 March 1958. As children, Sonia and her sister did not care, because those around them did not care; which included failing her English Language O Level five times – although she has made up for it with her prolific 55 published books. There needs to be care and support. Commit, control and inspire pupils and young people to be curious about what they do, about what teachers do, and to be curious about the context and the standards of behaviour. Teaching is a learning journey for everyone. Even when it gets tough, it is a learning experience. Teachers should not always blame themselves. “Embrace the trips and slips.” If a lesson does not work, consider the many other external reasons and events that might be taking place at home. For example, the pupil might be a young carer with family pressures. An understanding of children’s backgrounds can help to support them in school and in addition, an awareness of the cyclical pattern of parents who failed at school and do not know how to parent their own children. The past will affect the present. This needs to be a whole school approach. “Go into the classroom in a positive way and speak to colleagues in a positive way.” Share your good practice and any concerns. Reduce the impact of toxic stress and support children more effectively by helping them to learn emotional self-regulation, show unrelenting positivity and kindness and use language that reduces stress rather than increases it. Relationships are key in school. “You’ve got to give what’s inside you.” Children can work out the frauds and if you do not want to get to know the children in your class, they will not want to get to know you. Maintaining boundaries, of course. Developing strong relationships with parents at home is equally important, and requires the development of skills to enable positive relationships with parents. Involve the parents every step of the way. Consider the six Principles of Nurture: Transitions for children that involve them stepping out of their safe environments can be managed. From home to primary school, then to secondary school and even consider the challenging and sometimes traumatic transitions between lessons. Teachers need to be flexible through the school day. We are all learning. “If we can’t teach to the children, then we can’t teach.” If a child does not (appear to) want to learn, the issue might be that the lesson needs to be pitched in a different way to meet their primary needs. Maintain high standards, and engage with every pupil and know them and understand how they learn. Be aware of misconceptions. If a child will not sit still, it might be that they need a sensory assessment and/or they might have an undiagnosed/ unmet behaviour or learning need. If a teacher is shouting all the time, they have lost control. On-call systems risk disempowering the teacher as the pupil perceives that that teacher does not want them in the class or cannot teach them if, and when, they are withdrawn from their lesson for poor behaviour. Learn from experience. Talk to the child. Confront without confrontation. “Most children love coming to school, some come to school to be loved…” When children feel safe and loved they will thrive and need the following eight things to thrive:
Rather than changing the child, change the support around them, which requires the skills to support the young person. Key Takeaway Action Points
SWIFT thank Sonia and Wendy for leading this insightful and positive session on High Expectations and Behaviour, which was a collaborative effort between Plymouth Place-Based School Improvement, Plymouth Marjon University and SWIFT. The next session in the series will take place on Thursday 18 May 2023 at 1600 and delves into 'inclusive practice' in all classrooms. Look out for more information in the ECF Programme Weekly Newsletter. By Jude Owens, PA to the SWIFT Executive Team Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 March 2023 at 1115 and 1400 We understand that pressure on budgets and staff time is making it increasingly difficult for schools to offer students a broad range of experiences. With school trips and other enrichment activities sometimes seen as expensive and resource-heavy for a regular basis, children can miss out. As part of the countdown to Earth Day, our sponsor, Lyfta would like to invite classes in your school to join them for an exciting FREE live lesson and go on a virtual journey to Ethiopia to explore themes of sustainability, creativity and inventiveness. The live lessons are taking place on Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 March 2023 at 1115 and 1400 (on both days).
As the live lesson is led by Lyfta, there is no teacher prep work required. You only need to sign-up and join with your class on the day via Zoom! There will also be an exciting opportunity for students to be part of the Lyfta Earth Day competition with the chance to win a book bundle worth £100. Exposure to Lyfta’s rich human stories is helping young people across the UK build their cultural capital, curiosity and oracy, as well as develop vital knowledge, skills and understanding. It provides the opportunity for pupils and students to be exposed to people, places and perspectives to whom they might otherwise not have access, in a highly accessible and cost-effective way. “Boys should be happy and successful and able to contribute to society and make it more fulfilling.” Hosted on behalf of SWIFT by Caroline Sherwood, Deputy Headteacher at Pilton Community College, the idea for this professional development programme came from a love of reading and an understanding that the power of a shared text can make anything possible. The programme takes its name from “The Boy Question: How to Teach Boys to Succeed in School” authored by Programme Lead, Mark Roberts, Director of Research and Teacher of English at Carrickfergus Grammar School in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, and is the follow-up to “Boys Don't Try? Rethinking Masculinity in Schools” co-authored with Matt Pinkett. Cognisant of the EEF’s Implementation Guide and based on research and evidence, the five sessions will consider the following key areas to implement change:
The plan is to focus on fewer issues, but meaningfully and deliberately to ensure the highest leverage priority. Delegates are invited to think precisely about characterising challenges in their own schools to work towards achieving positive improvements with the opportunity to revisit and act on ideas discussed in the programme. Mark began with the call to action that the well documented gender gap cannot be allowed to continue. Nationally, boys are underperforming compared to girls. Locally, the percentage of boys attaining strong English and Maths at GCSE is 6% below that of girls in Torbay, 7% in Devon and 10% in Plymouth. This first session looked closer at Expectations, Motivation and Relationships. Myhill and Jones’s study at the University of Exeter on “Troublesome boys' and 'compliant girls': Gender identity and perceptions of achievement and underachievement” (2004) asked teachers whether they thought that boys should do as well as girls at school. The results were significant. 80% of teachers from the collection of primaries, one middle and one secondary schools in the study said yes, boys should do as well as girls; which might, at first, appear to be positive. However, it calls into question the 20% who had clearly “written off” boys before they had even started. Teachers were found to refer to attitudes to girls and boys achieving well or not well at school as “typical” behaviour and if they performed better or less than expected, often noted this as an anomaly. In particular, the interesting disconnect was when teachers said that they believed in boys, yet commented negatively, reflected in how they responded to boys in the classroom. Research found more negative perceptions of boys than girls. Recurring words used to describe boys were “fidgety, immature, lazy, disruptive, noisy and apathetic.” Labels, as we know, can be damaging and become generalisations. Labels do not help boys who are switched off and need to find new motivation. Teachers’ preconceptions were found to impact on student performance. Myall and Jones led a follow-up study a few years later and asked students, “Do you get treated differently depending whether you’re a boy or a girl?” 62% said yes, boys get a “raw” deal from teachers in their school with the following key differences:
The delegates considered ways that this different and detrimental gender treatment might look in the classroom:
Negative messages to boys can lead to low expectations and the risk that the academic potential of boys is side-lined due to the focus on their behaviour, which can cloud the judgement of their academic potential. Jackson’s research at the University of Lancaster on, ‘I have a sense that it's probably quite bad … but because I don't see it, I don't know’: staff perspectives on ‘lad culture’ in higher education” (2021) looked at “laddish” behaviour and listed the following behaviour characteristics:
High expectations from teachers are vital. Mark considered the Pygmalion Effect of the self-fulfilling prophecy, in which situations with high expectations lead to improved performance and low expectations lead to worsened performance. Teachers will not admit that they have low expectations. It is often unconscious. But the good news is when pupils sense that teachers believe that they can do well, they notice and respond to expectations. A study by Green, Martin and Marsh at Western Sydney University on “Academic motivation and engagement: a domain specific approach” (2005) described academic motivation as: “Students’ energy and drive to learn, work effectively, and achieve to their potential at school and the behaviours that follow from this energy and drive.” Motivation can be either extrinsic and intrinsic. Generally, girls are more intrinsically motivated and boys extrinsically motivated. Often, girls do not believe that they are clever and work harder in terms of quality and quantity of work and have better concentration and evaluation skills; whilst boys respond better to external rewards. Success leads to motivation, not engagement and there needs to be more consistency amongst subjects. Mark shared his practical tips on how to motivate boys in the classroom: 1. Feed for fulfilment (scaffolding an answer). 2. Rephrase to amaze (add in extras to make it sound like a great answer). 3. Let them write like you (show what excellence looks like and narrow the gap). 4. Do not focus on grades (relieve the external pressures and obsession on goals, encourage boys to enjoy learning instead to reach the goals). And remember, it takes time! Boys can fall back. As part of considering relationships, Mark presented a series of scenarios of misbehaviour and invited delegates to consider how they might respond. In avoiding a confrontation at the start of the lesson e.g. for a uniform infringement, teachers would avoid a public confrontation, regular shouting and be aware of their body language. Time would be given for boys to cool off and reflect and the teacher would use polite, insistent language (“thank you”). Wherever possible, Mark advised the group to depersonalise boys’ behaviour and to deal with it discreetly. Avoid using individual names. Pluralise, so that one particular boy is not centre stage for a telling off. This can be powerful to remove any theatre /drama from the classroom in front of peers. Another pragmatic tactic in the classroom, instead of speaking, Mark highlighted how boys often respond better to non-verbal gestures (see how many you recognise here): How teachers praise boys can also make a difference. Boys prefer private praise. Mark advised against praising for basic behaviour, as it undermines boys’ confidence, as if teachers do not expect them to do anything more complex. Boys like and respond well to positive contact with home for genuine praise and Mark shared his routine of phoning home to parents on a Friday afternoon to end the school week on a positive note. Importantly, praise ideas and the boys’ work, rather than them, as an individual. Research has found the most effective form of communication in helping boys to behave well is direct, but non-threatening, with honestly articulated thoughts and feelings; not using blame, and considering the other’s needs, and trying to patch things up and being firm, but fair. In conclusion, teachers often have lower expectation of boys’ behaviour and academic potential and in order to support boys’ and build motivation, they need to taste success in a subject. The best way to support boys to behave better is for teachers to adopt a calm and direct teaching persona that is ultimately motivating. Delegates asked questions based on their own experiences of teaching boys. Does research show that boys have a dislike of being taught by female teachers? Reassuringly no! Research shows that boys want kind teachers who know their subject. There may, of course, be some openly misogynistic boys; but this would be a question of deeper issues that need unpacking and guiding boys to understand why this attitude is unacceptable. This would raise potential safeguarding implications and additional support for teachers, particularly female teachers. Similarly, how can teachers deal openly with boys’ views on the controversial Andrew Tate? Mark acknowledged that context is key and individual teachers are not expected to work on their own. Work is required school-wide through dedicated staff professional development training, and assemblies etc to convey a positive ethos and culture that deconstructs and unpacks perceptions of what boys seem to like about these negative role models. Is it genuine or provocative? If, it appears to be a genuine obsession, Senior Leadership and safeguarding input may be needed. Importantly, however, boys need to feel that they have been listened to; otherwise, silencing could belie conspiracy theories. One teacher noted their work on the transition from primary to secondary school and how boys can struggle more than girls. Mark agreed that peer pressure in anti-school attitudes can be a big issue for boys in how they perceive reading and writing to be uncool and complete homework with the bare minimum of effort. Notably, boys tend to be less organised; possibly, in part due to the way that they are raised and socialised and expectations on them and they will need to work harder, which takes longer. Is there research that shows boys respond differently to rewards for good work compared to girls? Research shows that boys are more motivated by rewards than girls. But in the long-run, research shows that extrinsic rewards are not good for boys. The risk is that when these tangible rewards cease, boys might stop working. At Mark’s school, they have removed merits and instead, have introduced a small square card presented to pupils: “A positive note awarded by Mr Roberts…” which they can show their parents. This moves away from the idea that boys need to receive something tangible for working and behaving well and is a healthier nudge towards intrinsic motivation. One teacher asked for guidance on how to manage a disruptive Year 11 “boy heavy” (caution the use of “burdensome” language!) double lesson that boys struggle more with. Mark suggested separating the two hours by building in periods of silence as standard expectations and explaining the reason is to work hard and to focus and to incorporate expectation reminders. In seeking advice in how to fight against laddish culture and counterbalance toxic masculinity, Mark encouraged the group to be kind and gentle and to celebrate the good aspects of being a boy; which needs to be school-wide and revisited constantly in tutor time, PSHE etc. Another delegate asked why boys present their work less well. Clearly, teachers like to see all pupils’ work neatly and well presented. Graffiti on work/books can show a lack of focus and poorly presented work can be an act of rebellion. But to maintain motivation, teachers need to balance priorities and feedback on content and not over-obsess and make presentation the main focus. We thank Mark for this launch session that opened up an encouraging discussion in how to teach boys to succeed in school. The next session is on Wednesday 8 March 2023 from 1545 - 1715 and future sessions will deep dive into the key issues that are the most important for delegates’ own contexts: whether behaviour, motivation, and raising expectations. Report by Jude Owens, PA to the SWIFT Executive Team
SWIFT Summer Conference #SumConf2023 Thursday 15 June 2023 | 0900 - 1545 | Exeter Racecourse We are delighted to launch early details of the SWIFT Summer Conference #SumConf2023 when the following line-up of speakers will be leading the discussion on educational topics of the day:
+ More speakers to be announced soon! New this year! A "Question Time" style session. Watch out for more details. This year's Summer Conference reflects our vision to create world-class opportunities for leaders to learn, develop and connect. We are passionate about enabling schools in the South West to have access to the best of regional, national and research as we know many school leaders experience varying degrees of rural and coastal isolation. We also know your time as leaders is precious and funding limited in schools. Our conference programme will provide choice so that you can select what best meets your interests and priorities. And because SWIFT is not-for-profit, we can offer this high quality experience to members for £80 and £120 for all other colleagues. Great news too if you are one of the 800 leaders currently training on one of our NPQs with LSSW: you are entitled to a 50% discount. A full conference programme will be published in March, but this is an early opportunity to book your place. You can read about our previous SWIFT Summer Conferences HERE Make #SumConf2023 on Thursday 15 June 2023 a date for your diary! Martin Smith, Director of SWIFT This event will be supported by our valued SWIFT sponsors, Goosemoor Educating, Lyfta and others.
31/1/2023 0 Comments SWIFT History Masterclass Session 3 | Revision Strategies in History with Carmel Bones“Revision is for life. Not only for exam time.” The third SWIFT History Masterclass session was led by a popular personality in the History teaching community. Carmel Bones’ credentials testify to her competence and commitment to the profession. But being in the same room as Carmel – albeit virtually – her enthusiasm and passion for teaching, plus her tried and tested experience from a 30-year teaching career (so eagerly shared) were wonderfully apparent. You can read Carmel’s biography at the end of this report. Carmel’s session on revision comes at a point when reinvigorating this fine art is proving to be a challenge in schools. Carmel is clear that students need to get used to revision, that it requires mental effort by them as the learner and that they are responsible. Teachers can only do so much. Fostering independence and autonomy so that students are motivated to do their own revision is essential. “Students, your learning needs you.” Forget the idea of looking through folders and exercise books to recognise information. Take a blank piece of paper and retrieve the information from the forefront of your mind. Clearly, students have different starting points so cues and prompts maybe needed too. But by embarking on revision skills with the younger years it is natural for GCSEs. Get students into good habits of learning and memorising and retrieving - early. Rather than leave revision until Easter or when the exams are imminent, revise as you go along. Teachers need to be ambitious and do what they can do to support students, to get the information into students’ heads… and the best grades will ensue. Try this tested technique by Carmel’s daughter. Ciara felt that she had been “given” her GCSEs as a child of the Covid lockdown and did not know how to revise for her A Levels last year. So, she fast-filmed herself making old fashioned flash cards, and then tried to recall what she could by mind mapping and noting any gaps, before returning to the flash cards or text books as necessary. This method tested her memory and retrieval and enabled her to note her progress. Ciara’s History grade A* endorses her method. Worked for her! But with the obvious cautionary note to put distracting mobile phones and tablets away when revising! Referring to evidenced research. Check out The Great Teaching Toolkit that encourages hard thinking and embeds understanding. Lots of R words! Reinforce the information. Review and revisit as you go along. Retrieve. Revisit. Retain. Rehearse. The most effective revision is practising retrieval and calling the information to mind. Use it or lose it (as they say)! Also see Dough Lemov’s Teach Like a Champion - a study of the craft of teaching with successful outcomes. Memory is the residue of thought. Make it stick. On that sticky note, Carmel recalled her own Geography teacher guiding her to remember how liquid stays hotter for longer than the land. He literally made it sticky with the treacle sponge principle. Perfect (and delicious!). Other personal examples: PG Whips, à la PG Tips… to remember Parker, Grindal and Whitgift Elizabeth I’s three Archbishops of Canterbury. Use mental models that work for the students and ask them to share how they remember. With gusto and glee Carmel shared a plethora of top tips. Invite students to write a song, or a mnemonic to help them remember the material. Choral speaking: sing it back! Try the catchy Pomodoro Technique (for everyone, including Italophiles!). Use a timer for students to recall information. Register Wars. An idea from Lesley-Ann McDermott shared at the Schools History Project 2017. Tee up the students beforehand. Mix up the students’ surnames and when you call out their name for the register, they have to say a word linked to what you have been studying. Keep it live, active and low stakes and it very quickly shows any gaps. An added twist, include a buzz word that places extra emphasis as the golden word. Given the register is a legal document and students have to answer for their name high participation is guaranteed. Dare to devolve the revision sessions to the students. Get them to lead the class and ask questions and summarise learning. Create a supportive environment and motivate students to make them want to revise. Build class camaraderie and collaboration by planting a secret (student) spy who reports back at the end of a lesson on who has worked particularly well. Students look out for each other and it also means the teacher is not always on the case. Check out the technology. Use multiple choice questions with the free card activity plickers or Ankiapp flash card app. Get the students moving. Harking back to her childhood, Carmel suggested taking revision out of the classroom, say to the school hall. A different (novel) location can boost recall. Inspired by the 1970s children’s tv show “Runaround,” invite students to select multiple choice answers by standing on mat 1, 2 or 3. Make their thinking visible. Go deeper and controversial and work up to an essay question or debate. Another game. Bunch of 5ss. Demoed by willing volunteers, Becky, Paul and Andrew, who in a classroom situation would have been out at the front. Model the rules first: One asks the questions. One answers the questions. One counts the bunch of fives. Set the timer and let’s play! Name five types of cake… Fun either verbal and/or written, the game of 5’s creates an element of competition that students love. They see progress, are motivated and can spy any gaps for urgent revision. This can also be a paper-based activity as inspired by Karen Knight. More games. Create a simple fact board, 6x6 grid. If students land on a square they say five things about the topic. Tarsia puzzles that connect topics. The Bermuda triangle to fill in the missing pieces. Summarising pyramids of information with words and phrases visually themed for the time of year. So, lots of ideas to retain information, next to do something with it and look after it as if it is precious. Learning is a reiterative process. Turn it into pictures or diagrams. Encourage students to make it their own. Testing and study are interchangeable and highlights those important gaps. Get the students to mark each other’s own work. They will want to close the gaps in real time and it also stimulates discussion and pride in their work. Look at the derivation of words that can help to remember and embed subject specific terminology. In a lovely supportive way mirroring school and home, students’ families can get on board too as the teaching triangle. The Protégé Principle, of teacher, student + someone on their side at home who supports their revision. Who would have thought that revision could be such fun? Were it not for the confines of our hour session, Carmel would have clearly raced on with even more ideas and insights. But we were grateful for the time and thank Carmel Bones for being an uplifting and enriching History Masterclass session 3 speaker. We thank Becky Bailey, Executive Director of History of Westcountry Schools Trust for organising the SWIFT History Masterclass Series and of course, our delegates for their whole-hearted participation. Report by Jude Owens, PA to the SWIFT Executive Team Carmel Bones | Biography
Carmel Bones is an Honorary Fellow of the Historical Association. A regular conference contributor she spoke at the Historical Association National Conference in Bristol May 2022. During the lockdown, Carmel formed part of the national BBC Daily Bitesize lockdown team producing tailored content for home learning used by millions of families and collaborates extensively in schools across the UK and Europe focusing on all aspects of learning and teaching; real and remote. 2023 Sees the launch of the ReTeach History Podcast series with Carmel as host and two new BBC Bitesize GCSE History series focusing on USA in the 20th Century and Crime and Punishment Through Time. These followed her highly acclaimed ‘Explain This’ and ‘Cluetubers’ Series’ for BBC Teach. In 2020 she was listed in the prestigious Edtech50 for her innovative work bringing the historic environment to life through virtual visits as part of teacher and student webinars and was a finalist in the Teach Secondary Awards Best CPD Category 2022. Carmel’s secondary content work with Clickview and Hodder was nominated for the Bett Awards 2020 and Teach Secondary Awards 2020. Her work on curriculum design was published in Teaching History Magazine in December 2021 and she was appointed to the ReTeach Content Board. She has co-authored two Amazon best-selling Hodder books in the ‘My Revision Notes’ series for GCSE History. Carmel is proud to be a long-standing trainer and team leader for the Osiris Teaching Intervention leading the first secondary and whole school cohorts in Scotland. It was a lovely and uplifting way to end the penultimate Monday in November. The Character Education Professional Community is designed for all Primary (and Secondary) School Leads who wish to develop the ethos, culture, curriculum and personal development of pupils within their own school setting. At the heart of Character Education is teaching character and embracing a characterful approach to teaching and learning. This second session in the series followed the inaugural event that explored ‘why’ we should teach character and embrace a characterful approach to learning and teaching, and now explores the next step of ‘How?’ Andy Ogden, Director of Tarka CPD & Director of Devon Training School Partnership welcomed delegates to the session and introduced session lead, Lyndsey Bolton, Character Education Lead at Alumnis Multi Academy Trust. For Alumnis, it was their new CEO Neil Moir who gave leaders and teams the opportunity to “refresh” the direction of travel and Trust identity after the Covid lockdown, which led to a reframed a holistic curriculum, termed the “C360.” Alumnis is passionate about and committed to personal development for their pupils and young people and has developed a character led way of working across the Trust. The Mission at Alumnis is a commitment “to providing an education that is unsurpassed: developing in students the academic skills, intellectual habits, character virtues and wellbeing that enable each unique individual to flourish as a global citizen” and the C360 is based on four essential cornerstones:
We all colloquially use the phrase, s/he/they is a “character” to describe our students and fellow human beings. But if you are wondering how to define character, here are some helpful pointers:
Character Education allows learners to understand who they are and how they impact people and the world around them and supports learners to develop positive personal strengths As Character Lead, Lyndsey Bolton developed a Character Education approach for two – 11-year olds, which was rolled out across all the Trust schools in 2020/2021 This approach is rooted in Aristotle virtues and based on the work of The Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues (part of the University of Birmingham) Across the Trust character is taught explicitly as well as caught and taught as part of a 'flourishing for all' curriculum. The heart and soul of Alumnis Character Education is that the children become inspiring changemakers. With Character as the foundation, children are encouraged to seek to put a wide range of virtues into action. They “live the virtues” (rather than laminate the virtues). Change is inspired through a layered approach. Consistent language is used throughout all the schools and feeds directly into the Conduct Policy, and is the basis for behaviour and all relationships – both between pupils and staff; but also, in how adults talk to each other. This way, the children know and increasingly understand the language of virtue in every situation and the whole school learns, discovers and acts out the same virtue and ultimately reflects on it. Hence, the Alumnis logo of the tree with character at the core; nourishing all learners at the roots and encouraging them to seek to put virtues into action as the fruit. And the best bit? The children are proud of their character virtues and proud of the differences they can make, no matter the size. They can talk about how they develop their character. They even delight in spotting when characters in a story are not showing good character virtues. Putting virtues into action includes the children engaging in adventures, research projects, preparing their own TED talks, using the UN goals on sustainable development for research talks and fundraising as they work towards a certificate and celebratory badge at the end of the year. Small and big successes are all rewarded and recognised. Characterful approaches are explored that go beyond the ‘taught,’ which shape the culture and ethos of schools, and impact on curriculum evolution, and have positive effects on pupil attainment and radiate out to impact on parents and the wider community. St Helen's Church of England (one school within the Alumnis Trust) can vouch for the value of the Character Education approach that has been developed. Headteacher, Bex Northcott is also the Character and Curriculum Lead and shared how St Helen’s is explicitly and effectively implementing Character Education with a positive impact on school improvement. Pupils at St Helen’s engage in an enquiry-based curriculum from the moment they arrive, which is underpinned by the Church of England Christian, as well as civic and moral values. For example, at the moment, the whole school is currently investigating what it means to show courage. Bex had countless moving and motivating examples. To name but a few, Year 4 are leading an enquiry into why people move, migrate to/ from the UK through the context (lens) of courage. Year 6 are looking at why people live where they live, and are inspiring inclusive, character-driven researchers looking at what is necessary within 20-minute community. As well as in the classroom collective worship is an important vehicle to reiterating the termly and in-the-moment virtues. Genuine opportunities are sought for the children to practise and access a character virtue every half term, enhanced across curriculum areas, looking to what is happening in the world. Keen volunteers and fundraisers, the children have recently taken the initiative to create Christmas boxes to donate to the local Ukraine refugee point. The children are inspired changemakers. But of equal value, it is when the best character is not shown that the children learn the most. One story should be retold. A Year 6 pupil was a committed and able sportsperson, but was unhappy about what she perceived to be an injustice in how women’s sport was portrayed in the media. She took it upon herself to write to the England Rugby CEO. A well-structured and thoughtful letter. But she warned not to expect a reply. However, she received a reply from the CEO and CFO who asked to visit her rugby club and invited her to be a young ambassador. This characterful pupil is now in Year 8 and she and the English Rugby CEO have kept in contact and there are currently 21 rugby girls playing in her team. Another must tell. A Year 5 boy read a news article about the risk of cardiac arrest and was concerned that the nearest defibrillator in the village was in the local pub. He put his mind to raising money and reached out to crowdfunding. He raised £1700 that was match-funded and there are now three open access defibs in the village. So many uplifting stories thanks to the value of Character Education. Cake sales run by the little ones donating toys and clothes. An inspiration across the whole Trust to so many children. A recent Ofsted inspection in a local school looked deeply into personal development and noted that the children were living the vision of virtues. The Behaviour Policy is now called Attitudes to Learning Character Development and demonstrates that it is powerful to praise children for having the confidence to be honest, and for having a sense of justice. Even when there are challenging conversations around forgiveness and restoration, to be able to praise children when things have gone well is life-enhancing. SWIFT sponsor, Lyfta presented on how they bring Character Education into school through an immersive digital platform. Director of Education and Impact, Harriet Marshall explained how Lyfta provides a platform for young people to explore and understand the world and themselves better. They can develop their own character through storyworlds and connect across the world in a social and interpersonal sense. Meaning to “lift up” from the Nordic word, Lyfta attempts to lift the world into view for students. The platform uses carefully curated short documentary films that support character and values through a connection with real-life stories. Schools across all the phases use Lyfta storyworlds as educational resources linked to their curriculum, working with teachers to develop into subject and PSHE Schemes of Work to support lessons and help boost an all-important sense of belonging. Lyfta shows how it is powerful for young people to feel included. At a West London Primary School with 49 different languages, one pupil was moved from watching the storyworld about Deenpal, a young football-loving Sikh growing up in Denmark who tells his own story about striving to be a famous goalkeeper and finding the courage to dive after the ball. It is perhaps the words of a Year 10 student at Upton Court Grammar School who wonderfully encapsulates the work of Lyfta: “I think what you're doing is brilliant… I love that you can learn about people. Because there's a word, it's called sonder. It means, the realisation that everyone has their own story, and everyone has their own life as complex as your own. And that we are all like ants crawling around an anthill, trying to figure out where to go, without looking at other people. And some people, they look at other people and dismiss them, some people look at other people and want to know the story behind them, and Lyfta makes all of us the second kind of person.” Find out more about trying Lyfta for free and benefit from training and access to all the storyworlds for a trial month. Director of Schools Engagement and Partnership, Andrew Pettit from the Association for Character Education (part of The Jubilee Centre) provided an insight into their bespoke consultation work supporting schools, based on the unwavering belief that character development is essential from nursery to Post-16. Andy Ogden concluded the session by acknowledging schools are often so busy in curriculum development that they need to pull out the core themselves and focus on the internal character of the child and how they see themselves. It is a useful exercise in pushing the reset button after Covid with essential links to identify and a sense of belonging. “It’s not what you put on the plate, but the plate itself.” Schools are re-evaluating and starting a powerful conversation. The SWIFT Character Education Professional Community will continue to build a network of leaders and practitioners across the Southwest who are passionate about designing and implementing holistic educational provision that acknowledges the importance of personal development as well as the importance of academic attainment. Report by Jude Owens, PA to the SWIFT Executive Team Our sponsor Lyfta recently presented at our SWIFT Character Education Professional Development Community on the topic of "Flourishing for All – Implementing and Embedding." Character Education is one of the core Lyfta focus areas, and is at the heart of education - and it could be said to be our true legacy as teachers. Lyfta considers here how character and values-based learning can be made part of the curriculum. When you were at school, who was your favourite teacher and why? When I ask teachers this question, they often focus on those who were kind or caring or passionate. Qualities and values that went well beyond knowing their subject well. As teachers, we want to help young people realise the best version of themselves, particularly in our ever-changing world. Character and values-based learning equips students for the future and sits at the heart of what we do as educators, but it's not always easy to embed it into classroom practice. When I was working as a secondary teacher, my Headteacher used to encourage us to ‘teach the children in front of us’. Sounds obvious doesn’t it? But ultimately, we often teach to our own style, our own tastes and preferences. What we have to do is consider every individual we have in front of us and what they need, based on their experiences. “Books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds that may be real or imagined, familiar or strange. These windows are also sliding glass doors, and readers have only to walk through in imagination to become part of whatever world has been created or recreated by the author.” RUDINE SIMS BISHOP Academic, Rudine Sims Bishop, explored children’s literature and the extent to which children's literature is written by African American authors and represents African American characters. In her work, she advocated for books to become more than simply windows, allowing us to look in at other people. Instead, she suggested that stories should act as mirrors, allowing children to see themselves reflected back at them and even better is when they act as sliding glass doors, allowing us to step into another's life – to experience what they do, and learn to empathise with them. As teachers, we can develop values and character in our children by giving the opportunities to both see themselves reflected and experience the lives of others. Beyond our own moral obligation to support students to become the best version of themselves, there are also statutory requirements that every school must adhere to. For example, the Ofsted framework expects students to behave respectfully and courteously, as well as the school providing lots of opportunity for personal development. The newest RSE statutory guidance, released in 2019 and updated in 2021, outlines the ways in which schools must teach and support students to develop healthy and respectful relationships. There is also an expectation for all schools to provide spiritual, moral, social and cultural education, which includes moral and social skills and values. Lyfta gives teachers the opportunity to nurture the whole child, build character and embed values, including resilience and service. Its immersive platform can help you to embed positive values in your classroom and equip your students for the future through its world of positive human stories. Each story has its own 360 degree environments, unique soundscapes and powerful short films to immerse students fully in a world beyond their own. Students meet with individuals from communities across the globe, connect with their inspiring stories, and reflect on their values. Our Kids’ Cup storyworld, which features the journeys of five young people competing in an international children’s football tournament, is one of many that helps teachers introduce values including perseverance, resilience and leadership to students. Independent research conducted by the University of Tampere has also shown that Lyfta’s immersive human stories help students to develop empathy and understanding for those who are different from themselves. By Anna Szpakowska, Lyfta Professional Development Lead Explore Lyfta for FREE when you register for the Lyfta starter, no-obligation trial. You may wish to explore the Department of Education’s Character Education Framework Guidance. Whilst it is not mandatory, it provides a possible starting point for schools considering how they embed character education into their curriculum and wider school life. The countdown has begun for the Men’s Football World Cup 2022. As excitement grows about the competition, teachers can leverage this exciting opportunity to harness the power of sport to nurture positive values in the classroom. Join Lyfta for a FREE live lesson, delivered by their team beamed directly into your classroom via Zoom.
Your students will enjoy an immersive story from the Lyfta Kids' Cup series as a collective experience with other schools across the UK. Sessions are running on: Wednesday 30 November 2022 at 1130 and 1415 Friday 2 December 2022 at 1130 and 1415 (with separate sessions available for older and younger learners). No preparation or account is required. Simply sign-up and join via the Zoom link on the day. To find out more and secure your place click on the link below. Lyfta looks forward to sharing a powerful storyworld experience with your class. 31/10/2022 0 Comments Sport England Programme Findings | Insights for Schools and Sector Partners + FREE Top Tips and ResourcesSport England, in association with Sheffield Hallam University, Youth Sport Trust, Activity Alliance and Association for Physical Education, has shared key insights from its Secondary Teacher Training (STT) programme. Research explored how Secondary Schools can adopt inclusive practices and incorporate student voice to provide a better P.E., school sport and physical activity (PESSPA) environment for students. Inclusivity, increased participation and student voice were the dominating topics brought to life through pupil-focused research. Giving young people, especially those who are less active, the chance to shape their P.E. lessons created a happier environment. Getting to know and understand students’ motivations and barriers can help to encourage enjoyment and engagement, and that the least active students do not recognise opportunities to be active at school, as easily as their active peers. To showcase the findings, Sport England has created five infographics detailing key outputs from the STT programme to be shared far and wide across the teaching community. Teachers can access tips that answer questions about why P.E. matters and why P.E. makes a happy school; as well as insight on how to make P.E. great and accessible for all students. In addition, Sport England has also developed 10 short films that feature case studies of teachers and students positively impacted by the programme. The films highlight the easy-to-adopt ways secondary school teachers have implemented new approaches having completed the STT programme. The films focus on themes such as; why an inclusive approach is key to increasing participation, why a changing approach to P.E. makes students think differently, and easy ways to incorporate student voice. The research also talks about the importance of activity in schools, with a view to the following benefits it has on the mental health of young people:
The STT programme was created in 2018 to support secondary schools with access to professional development opportunities that support teachers in placing pupils' enjoyment at the heart of PESSPA participation. The research was conducted throughout the £13.5 million Lottery Funded programme that impacted more than 2,500 secondary schools across England.
|
SWIFT News
|
SPONSORED BY
Join us, be a part of our SWIFT community |
© COPYRIGHT 2022 SOUTH WEST INSTITUTE FOR TEACHING SWIFT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | Website by brightblueC
VIEW OUR PRIVACY NOTICES | VIEW OUR COURSE T&CS
VIEW OUR PRIVACY NOTICES | VIEW OUR COURSE T&CS