Kowloon Learning Campus Consultation
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KOWLOON LEARNING CAMPUS CONSULTATION BACKGROUND The ESF follows a traditional school structure of separate primary and secondary schools with the exception of Renaissance College and Discovery College which are all-through schools. An all- through school has one principal who leads and manages both the primary and secondary schools within the same building or groups of buildings. New approaches to learning and technological advances are moving learning beyond the classroom. Having 21 schools in Hong Kong puts ESF in a unique position to develop models of learning focused on greater personalisation to meet the individual needs of students. This means that we will increasingly look for opportunities to work across our schools and to develop further partnerships with colleges. We need to adapt our school structures to meet our students’ learning needs as opposed to adapting students’ learning to fit in with school structures. An opportunity to develop closer working across three schools has arisen. Kowloon Junior School (KJS), King George V School (KGV) and Jockey Club Sarah Roe School (JCSRS) occupy adjoining sites in Kowloon. The proposal is that they work much more closely together across their shared campus to enhance the learning experience of all students from August 2015. This is what is meant by a learning campus. The schools will retain their own name and core identity. The campus development will build on the strengths of each of the schools by aligning values, learning priorities and resource use. The learning campus will establish a new way of working across the three schools and the impact of this on students’ learning experiences will be kept under review. There will be no change made to the schools that would prevent us reverting back to three separate schools if the outcomes are not as expected. The opportunity to develop a learning campus across the three schools presents itself with the departure of the principal of KJS. The principal of KGV will become the executive principal of the learning campus and JCSRS will retain their principal. New appointments, head of primary and head of secondary will be made to the leadership and management structure across the three schools. The new leadership arrangements will be in place for the new school year (2015/16). To begin with, it is unlikely that much will change for the youngest students in KJS and the oldest year groups in KGV as we concentrate on the progression of students from primary to secondary and on developing integration of students from JCSRS. In time the links will deepen and extend so that all students benefit. Although the links between KJS and KGV will strengthen there will still be space for new students to join KGV in Y7 from Clearwater Bay School (CWBS) and Beacon Hill School (BHS) in similar patterns of admission to recent years. We are confident that these schools will also benefit from the development of best practice in Kowloon. THE CONSULTATION PROCESS We want to hear your views so please come to one of our Conferences (open to people from across the ESF community). Please go to http://goo.gl/forms/oBXgaZQR9x to submit a question and confirm which Conference you will attend. 6.00pm – 7.00pm on Monday 2nd March in Kowloon Junior School 8.00am – 9.00am on Tuesday 3rd March in Clearwater Bay School 7.30pm – 8.30pm on Tuesday 3rd March in King George V School 6.00pm – 7.00pm on Wednesday 4th March in Jockey Club Sarah Roe School 6.00pm – 7.00pm on Thursday 5th March in Beacon Hill School Or email your views to [email protected] The Consultation Period ends on Thursday 12th March so please do not delay ! 1. TO improVE Further the learning EXperience and outcomes For all students on the Kowloon Learning Campus... WHAT THIS MAY KEY AIMS MEAN... Developing curriculum continuity KGV Maths, Science and Chinese across the three schools in all subjects teachers working with Y5/6 KJS students and teachers. KJS teachers actively contributing to the KGV Middle School Curriculum planning. Design flexible curriculum choices for all students that allows for movement in and between campus facilities eg. primary to secondary, Learning Support Centre (LSC) to mainstream, JCSRS to LSC, LSC to JCSRS. Informing teaching through an Teams of teachers working improved understanding of student collaboratively across the three schools experiences in the other schools developing professional learning on, for example, progression, pedagogy, and assessment. Flexible staffing arrangements to facilitate teachers working across more than one school. Development of student voice to inform learning across the schools. Increasing opportunities for the JCSRS teachers acting as partners in inclusion of all students in appropriate promoting inclusive values across the activities campus. KGV students completing appropriate service activities (CAS) in KJS and JCSRS. Coordinating strategies for student KJS teachers working with Y7 KGV individual support across the schools students and their Tutors in term 1 to support transition. Individual Needs / LSC / JCSRS teachers working together on best practice integrated student support systems. 2. WHAT THIS MAY KEY AIMS MEAN... Increasing student use of specialist Providing timetabled access for resources (people and facilities) such all students to specialist facilities as in Science, Technology, Sport, Music (eg Science laboratories, Design Technology workshops, Drama Studios) and outdoor spaces. Coaches working across the three schools accessing facilities across the campus and developing a Centre of Excellence in sport and other opportunities for gifted and talented students. Music concerts including students from all three schools. Developing learning technology Building a campus wide virtual learning solutions across the campus environment and an inclusive learning technology support service. Encouraging lifelong learning through Become a centre for educational deepening links with Universities and research and initial teacher education the wider Hong Kong community through formal links with local Universities. Develop innovative ways of learning for adults and young people including parent university programmes. WE will breakdown barriers BETWEEN SCHOOLS to focus on the learning experience andoutcomes of all students on the kowloon campus 3. QUESTIONS, WORRIES & CONCERNS QUESTION ANSWER Does it mean that CWBS and BHS No, we expect patterns of admission to students will miss out on places? be similar to current patterns. How will it affect the transition of It will improve the transition for all students from CWBS and BHS? students entering KGV as we develop best practice in transition through the deepening links between KGV and KJS Why don’t you have all the answers We believe that this provides an now? opportunity to develop innovative solutions in a collaborative way. We want to work together on world class strategies, this takes time. Will teachers have to work in different Not necessarily, we think some schools? teachers will want to work across different schools. We also want to provide opportunities for teachers to work developmentally in teams across the schools for mutual benefit. Will it mean more work for teachers There will be investment of energy and and support staff? skill in the changes. We believe this investment will be willingly made and the benefits will be well worth it. Do similar models of learning exist There are many very successful elsewhere? international through schools in ESF (eg Renaissance College) in Hong Kong (eg Chinese International School) and across the world. The Kowloon Learning Campus will learn from these successful models in developing an innovative campus wide approach. Why Kowloon? Why now? Kowloon is a perfect site with three such successful schools on adjoining plots, the opportunity presented itself with the departure of one Principal. We believe it is an opportunity not to be missed. What if it doesn’t work? The planning will include risk management work and ESF will be watching carefully. If the benefits do not become apparent in the first two years it will be possible to unpick the Kowloon Learning Campus links Isn’t it all about saving money? No, there will be very few savings initially and any money that may be saved through economies of scale eventually will be used to enhance learning in the Kowloon Learning Campus. The Kowloon Learning Campus Project Team (Belinda Greer ESF CEO, David Fitzgerald, Chris Durbin, Sandra Hite ESF Advisers, Ed Wickins KGV, Karin Wetselaar JCSRS, Mark Cripps KJS, Chris Hamilton CWBS, James Harrison BHS) 4..