The Bridge Building Bridges to Better Learning in Numeracy & Literacy Issue 2 KS2-KS3 CPD Transition Project

New Look CPD Project’s Training Days Fronter Fill Within Two Hours Website The Literacy and Numeracy CPD Project Fronter website has been streamlined to make it even easier for teachers to access hundreds of teaching resources within a few clicks!

The new look also includes an updated Fronter icon for the project, click on the Fronter icon as shown above and select the TPL units pictured below.

More than 46,000 teachers and educationalists now have access to resources, videos and information relating to the CPD Transition Project. All teachers cross-phase and across the curriculum have access to the Fronter website.

Teachers attending training sessions can locate the TPL Units, which include all PowerPoint presentations, videos and resources, used on the days, in the Fronter website. The TPL unit training materials can then be downloaded and The Wallace High School, Lisburn pupils Rebecca and Sarah with their character saved for use in staff and departmental jars inspired by the CPD project training days. cascading sessions following the training days. The demand for the CPD Transition teams’ Literacy and Numeracy cross-phase training days has been so high, the courses became oversubscribed within two hours of the dates being released. The training events were held in six venues located all over Northern Ireland. However, many teachers unable to secure a place in a centre closest to their schools opted to travel long distances to attend the two Teacher Professional Learning Units.

A waiting list of 178 teachers for the training has led to two extra days being released per unit. Additional days will be held in Newry and Antrim in February and March.

The first TPL Unit in October focused on Thinking Skills and Oracy. It was then followed by the second TPL Unit on Differentiation. The resources and PowerPoints for both of these training days are available on the CPD Project’s Fronter website.

Mrs Tracy Morrissey, Numeracy Co-ordinator at Carnmoney Primary School attended the recent training. “The CPD Transition Project training has greatly helped in developing the teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy within our school,” she said.

Mrs Gillian Weir, Head of English at The Wallace High School, Lisburn also commented on the impact of the literacy training in her classroom. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the CPD Project as it’s encouraged me to be much more creative in my classroom. My Year 9 pupils have produced some amazing personal writing using visual stimuli and Year 10 have been working on iMovies based on Heaney’s ‘Mid Term Break’.”

Contact: Mrs Pat Delaney The third TPL Unit focuses on teacher peer observation and will take place in January Newry Teachers’ Centre and early February. It is aimed at Heads of English and Mathematics in post-primary Email: [email protected] schools and Literacy and Numeracy Co-ordinators in primary schools. This will be Tel: 028 3026 2357 followed in March by the fourth TPL Unit which looks at gender in the classroom based around encouraging resilience and improving attainment. a C 1 23 The Bridge - 1 Limavady’s Digital Literacy Focus on Workhouse

Woes! Craig Graham, Flynn Harrison & Jamie Craig of Limavady Central PS

Limavady pupils stepped back in time to recreate the lives The pupils worked in pairs, on newspaper clippings from the of their Victorian ancestors on film, as part of the transition Victorian era followed by a Moving Image Art exercise which partnership between Limavady High School and Limavady incorporated a Hiring Fair role play inspired by the actual Central Primary School. fair that used to take place in the town.

The teachers involved were inspired by the digital literacy Mrs Caskie explained that channels of communication that strategies they saw at the CPD Transition Project training didn’t exist previously have now been opened for the two events last year. schools because of the CPD Transition Project. “For year one a central benefit has been communication,” she said. Mrs Jennifer Given, P7 teacher at Limavady Central Primary School and her colleague Mrs Joy Caskie, a P5 teacher She added that any weaknesses found by Year 8 teachers explained that film was a popular focus for their partnership with regard to literacy, can now be communicated and could as they had used one from The Literacy Shed selection be addressed in the partnership’s new Action Plan for 2016- successfully with accompanying support resources from the 2017. Project’s training days. Mrs Devine is keen to develop consistency in literacy cross- “We taught fairy tales through digital literacy to add that phase throughout the range of subjects on offer in Limavady little bit of extra impact in the classroom and the film High School. Staff training days on consistency in report and resources we discovered at the training days really helped newspaper writing etc are planned, events that her primary with story boarding,” Mrs Given said. school partnership colleagues are keen to share in.

Mrs Shauna Devine, Head of English at Limavady High School Mrs Devine found watching the exemplar lessons from the also attended the CPD Project training events and agreed primary school teachers very informative when she attended that the close proximity of the town’s workhouse would be the CPD Project training. an inspiring focal point for their pupils. “When I watched the primary lessons my expectations of “Limavady is steeped in Victorian heritage, as the old pupils entering Year 8 were immediately raised. If that’s Limavady workhouse has been preserved as part of the what teachers are doing in primary school then we are not town’s heritage trail,” Mrs Devine explained. doing enough with pupils in Year 8,” she added.

Mrs Caskie and Mrs Given gave schemes of work and other Prior to contacting the Limavady Central Primary School, useful information to the Limavady High School teachers to Mrs Devine carried out a whole staff audit which revealed inform the planning for the transition day activities. that teachers of all subjects were keen to know more about what the pupils did in primary school. “Our initial focus will Mrs Given attended the transition day with her pupils. be on literacy and numeracy and then it will widen out to “The pupils enjoyed the day enormously and it was most incorporate other subjects,” Mrs Devine added. educationally beneficial,” she added. The P7 pupils enjoyed the event so much that they all wrote thank you The Limavady teachers are planning to extend their letters to the transition day organisers at Limavady High transition partnership events with a focus on Victorian School. poetry next time. Mrs Devine has also commenced on the Teacher Placement Bursary Scheme with the Transition The partnership teachers were synonymous in their Project which will enable her to expand and develop her praise for Mr George Dallas, Head of History and Religious knowledge of learning cross-phase. Studies who brought the historical aspect of the Victorian experience to life on the day.

2 - The Bridge Newcastle Schools’ Transition Partnership Adds Up!

Shimna Integrated College students are inspiring and She added that working with her Primary 7 colleagues encouraging pupils in local primary schools by sharing in local primary schools has enabled her to improve the their mathematical expertise in the classroom. planning of teaching and to set higher, yet achievable expectations for Shimna Integrated College students. Mrs Pamela McDade, P7 teacher at Cumran Primary School in Clough said that the visit from the Year 9 pupils had “Being afforded time to work collaboratively cross-phase is created a great deal of excitement last term. invaluable and enriching to both the staff and students in the primary and post-primary settings,” Mrs Samuel added. “The use of KS3 pupils as teaching experts in a P7 class, has been an exciting development of our transition “As a P7 teacher, it has been interesting to see the maths partnership,” she said. content and activities carried out in a KS3 classroom. This has been important in setting goals and targets for the Mrs McDade was impressed by the Year 9 mathematicians’ class.” Mrs McDade said. contributions to her classroom. “These could be our maths teachers of the future,” she added. “Staff training has also enabled sharing of good practice and this has been an excellent way of developing ideas and Mrs Sarah Samuel, the Numeracy Co-ordinator at Shimna activities that create a continuum between the two key Integrated College explained that more innovative cross- stages,” Mrs McDade added. phase classroom initiatives are planned as part of the partnership schools’ new Action Plan.

“Year 8 students at Shimna will use iPads to record themselves teaching a mathematics topic to the rest of their class, this will then be used in the partner primary schools to teach lessons. The P7 pupils will then record their own videos to teach Year 8 classes in the form of a flipped classroom,” Mrs Samuel explained.

The other schools involved in the CPD Transition Project partnership include All Children’s Integrated Primary School and St. Mary’s Primary School. Newcastle Primary School has also joined the cluster recently.

The partnership schools have created a shared notice boards system, where they display what is happening in mathematics classes in each other’s schools.

“The sharing of resources and events means that the new Year 8 students joining each September arrive with drive, confidence and a more positive attitude to mathematics. They recognise the links between their learning in Shimra Integrated College students in teacher role at Cumran primary school and that in Year 8,” Mrs Samuel said. Primary School.

The Bridge - 3 Parent Cullybackey College Teachers’ Workshop Superhero Transition Challenge! With armfuls of graphic novels and picture books, Proves Cullybackey teachers certainly created the wow factor in Broughshane Primary School delivering lessons on how to Partnership write superhero graphic novels.

Success Mrs Paula Stronge, Head of English and Mrs Rachael Armstrong, Literacy Co-ordinator from Cullybackey College A successful cross-phase workshop for Primary 7 parents and carers taught P6 and 7 pupils about graphic novels, as part of the has grown out of the conversations that took place between schools schools’ transition partnership focus. participating in the CPD Transition Project partnership. The ‘Positive Endings and New Beginnings’ evening was hosted by St Joseph’s Discussions with Miss Carol Neill, P7 teacher at Broughshane Primary School, Carryduff. The event created an opportunity for Primary School led to the graphic novel focus. Miss Neill parents and teachers to interact in an informal way and to relay agreed that her pupils were really engaged and had enjoyed hopes and concerns regarding the transfer. The event was welcomed the process. by parents and carers experiencing transfer for the first time. The Cullybackey College teachers attended the CPD The partnership schools which include St Colman’s High School and Transition Project training last year and particularly Sixth Form College, St Patrick’s PS, Ballynahinch and Christ the King, enjoyed the picture book sections of the days. “We liked Drumaness, were delighted by the glowing comments received from the strategies and we were keen to try them out within a parents in their evaluation of the event. As a result of the positive primary context,” Mrs Armstrong explained. feedback provided, St Colman’s will host a similar event in the next academic term. The competitive Broughshane Primary School pupils vied with each other to win prizes for the best graphic novel idea. “The CPD Project allowed us to strengthen our relationships beyond The Cullybackey teachers were impressed by the pupils’ the periphery of the classroom,” Mrs Paula Clarke the Literacy Co- existing knowledge of superheroes. “We used the discussion ordinator at St Colman’s explained. “The Parenting Workshop enabled cubes from the training sessions to look at the positives and us to communicate to parents the expectations we as teachers have negatives about having super powers.” The teachers then of post-primary students,” she added. taught the classes about the structure of a graphic novel.

Other innovative cross-phase events are also planned. A joint P7/ The idea had also been inspired by Year 9 pupils in Y8 ‘Poetry Slam’ for Term 3 under the theme of friendship has been Cullybackey College and their enthusiasm for graphic novels. scheduled. “In this second year of the partnership, our focus will be The teachers adapted work from the Year 9 Scheme of Work on Speaking and Listening. It is anticipated that this joint approach to for graphic novels which was condensed into two hours in developing oracy in our schools will embed skills in KS2 that we can Broughshane Primary School. build on in KS3,” Mrs Clarke added. Mrs Armstrong found the dynamic of the KS2 classroom very Mrs Mary Early, Vice-Principal of St Joseph’s Primary School, Carryduff informative and plans to incorporate some of Miss Neill’s is delighted with the results of the partnership so far. “We thoroughly ideas into the KS3 classroom. In particular, aspects of Miss enjoyed our work in literacy with the link primary schools and St. Neill’s approach to teaching spelling will be incorporated Colman’s. The discussions have been open, with lots of sharing of ideas and experiences. We have followed through on our action into a cross-curricular review of spelling accuracy at KS3 planning and we are looking forward to our next joint venture linked in Cullybackey College. “We are really looking forward to to Speaking and Listening,” she said. collaborating again,” Miss Neill added.

The schools are eager to work together again on the ‘Poetry Slam’ The Cullybackey College teachers plan to extend their which is planned for the summer term where P7 and Year 8 pupils will partnership focus to poetry this year. Miss Neill was inspired recite poems about friendship, one of the biggest anxiety areas P7 by the recent CPD Project training on Creating Cognitive pupils have regarding the transition period. Challenge which she attended in October, and this prompted her decision to teach the Year 8 pupils in Cullybackey Another of the partnership school’s foci has been to standardise College the “Image to Text” activity from the training day. writing forms according to the Levels of Progression. “As part of our “I have taught this lesson to my own P7 pupils and they cross-phase partnership we worked collaboratively at samples of L3, loved it.” Miss Neill added. L4 and L5 writing from P7 and Year 8 pupils,” Mrs Clarke explained.

In keeping with the Levels of Progression for Communication the schools say they continue to closely monitor writing samples so that bridging units for KS2 and KS3 can be developed. Joint training was also offered for teaching assistants cross-phase when they explored how to use and integrate iPads into teaching and learning effectively for KS2/KS3. The teaching assistants linked apps to develop literacy and numeracy in their own school setting. “The training will be offered again as the second year of the CPD Project funding has allowed us to continue to build on last year’s actions,” she added.

Exciting developments are also evident across the curriculum because of the schools’ partnership. “Cross-curricular literacy was developed in science lessons. Primary schools were invited in to make use of the science apparatus and carry out experiments with St Colman’s science teachers. We looked at the way P7 pupils write up scientific experiments and compared them to our own Year 8 pupils. This Miss Neill adapted the ‘Image to Text’ training session to element of our Action Plan was very informative for post-primary have a Victorian focus. This was part of the Transition Project’s Thinking Skills TPL days held in October. cross-curricular literacy,” Mrs Clarke said.

4 - The Bridge Teacher Placements Extending and Enriching Cross-Phase Classrooms Across Northern Ireland

A group of 45 teachers from schools all over Northern Ireland have embarked upon the CPD Transition Project’s Cross- Phase Placement Bursary Scheme. The scheme is aimed at Key Stage 2 teachers and teachers of English and Maths at Key Stage 3.

The bursary will provide an opportunity for teachers to nurture and build on cross-phase partnerships in a primary or post-primary school setting; thereby supporting the exploration of learning and teaching in English and Mathematics at KS2 and KS3.

The placement scheme teachers gathered together for the first time in the Fortwilliam Resource Centre, as detailed planning got underway. The teachers involved will have an opportunity to focus on cross-phase transition over a five day period. The initial three days will be spent in a partnership school to learn more about the host school’s approach to literacy and numeracy. The teachers will then have one day “You could choose to observe learning and teaching or opt to write a report on their experience and the fifth and final for a team teaching activity. This might include teaching a day will involve sharing the outcome of the placement with lesson or part of a lesson,” he added. teachers and other interested parties. Dr Lennon proposed that one-to-one meetings with Regional Manager of the CPD Transition Project, Dr Aidan the Literacy or Numeracy Co-ordinator or the Head of Lennon hopes the placement scheme will develop primary Department may also prove enlightening. and post-primary school partnerships in order to improve understanding and address issues in literacy and numeracy at He advised that placement scheme teachers could request transition between KS2 and KS3. to sit in on Key Stage meetings, department meetings or planning meetings. He stressed the point that the scheme was an opportunity to enhance professionalism through engaging in dialogue In terms of gathering evidence for writing the final report and sharing strategies and resources between KS2 and KS3. of the placement which is due in March 2017, Dr Lennon Dr Lennon suggested that the placement scheme could also suggested the incorporation of formal interviews with help to develop effective collaborative learning approaches, teachers and or students at the end of KS3 or the beginning including the use of ICT. of Year 8.

“English and Mathematics resources could be shared through He also stressed to the teachers that a range of approaches the Project’s virtual learning hub on Fronter, as there will be can be used when gathering evidence, including samples of a dedicated space created there for the Placement Bursary work, using video footage, classroom displays, photographs Scheme teachers to share the results of their partnership and pupil questionnaires. work,” Dr Lennon explained. Highlights of the outcome of the Placement Bursary Scheme A range of ideas on how to use the placement time to the will be available through the CPD Transition Project website. greatest advantage was suggested by Dr Lennon to the teachers.

The Bridge - 5 Teachers from Carnmoney Primary School Share the Impact of the CPD Project Transition Training

“Empowering teachers in our school to actively plan and deliver open-ended maths investigations that include all learners”

“The CPD Transition Project training has greatly helped that are listed in the curriculum for their specific age group, in developing the teaching and learning of literacy and rather I have been challenging pupils to take numeracy as far numeracy within our school,” Mrs Tracy Morrissey, Numeracy as they can without limiting their success. My class have been Co-ordinator at Carnmoney Primary School explains. online shopping, budgeting, measuring force and velocity, discussing pricing strategies and constantly evaluating “The numeracy training led by Kathryn Taylor and Janet their own success. It has maybe taken longer than a usual Goodall, has directly influenced our Numeracy Action Plan numeracy lesson, but these approaches have made my pupils with Thinking and Talking Maths at its core,” she added. so much more interested in mathematics as they see how it has a direct impact on their lives!” Mrs Morrissey said that the CPD Project training is being disseminated within Carnmoney PS through a series of staff Mrs Caroline Phelan, a P7 teacher at the school attended meetings, the first of which outlined theory and practice, the literacy strand of the training which has led to increased highlighting the importance of pupils’ mathematical collaboration and the sharing of resources and differentiation language for problem solving and reasoning. practice within the school.

“As a school we are now able to raise the profile of Mrs Stephanie Kenny, P6 teacher at Carnmoney PS received mathematical language in our classroom,” she explained. the CPD Transition training during a cascading session.

Mrs Morrissey added that Carnmoney Primary school is “I find that through teaching open-ended maths investigations working to ensure commonality of maths language across we can focus on real life contexts and my pupils have the key stages, with curriculum planning being set aside to ownership of how far they go to solve the problem. It’s facilitate this collaborative effort. encouraged greater mathematical dialogue and I can observe my pupils using a range of skills such as collecting, She said the biggest influence of the training had been in interpreting, organising and presenting information,” she empowering Carnmoney PS teachers to actively plan and said. to deliver open-ended maths investigations that include all learners.

Miss Janine Black, a P3 teacher at Carnmoney PS added: “As a teacher, I have become so aware of the importance of open-ended questioning within literacy. However, I did not apply these same thoughts to numeracy. Watching Dr Small’s video on how we question children within numeracy helped me to develop my questioning style. Asking the children to prove how they have reached an answer gives them the chance to explain their thinking and by asking a friend to back them up, shows the children another possible way of reaching the same answer.”

She went on to say: “Dan Meyers’ Ted Talk on the importance of asking the shortest question and being less helpful when investigating was very inspiring, if not daunting and a challenge I look forward to when creating investigations in the future!”

Mr. Pete Davies, a P4 teacher at Carnmoney PS commented: “Since discussing ways to integrate more open-ended maths talk and incorporate investigatory real life skills into the classroom, I have been focusing on ‘no-limits’ learning, Pupils from Carnmoney Primary School enjoy their maths where pupils are not constrained to numeracy concepts lesson.

“My class have been online shopping, budgeting, measuring force and velocity, discussing pricing strategies and constantly evaluating their own success. It

has maybe taken longer than a usual numeracy lesson, but these approaches have made my pupils so much more interested in mathematics as they see “ how it has a direct impact on their lives! Mr Pete Davies, P4 teacher

6 - The Bridge Transition Project Belfast Teachers and Pupils Create Training in Practice Digital Picture of Learning Needs A Belfast partnership of schools has created The CPD Transition team were delighted to a new digital channel of communication to hear how colleagues attending the first two help track and support the learning needs TPL Units have incorporated and adapted the of pupils as they move cross-phase. strategies for their own context. Forge Integrated Primary School, Millennium Mrs Gillian Weir, Head of English at The Integrated Primary School and Loughview Wallace High School, Lisburn tweeted the Integrated Primary School have worked with project@cpdproject to share the results Lagan College in the development of an of the day she attended the Thinking Skills innovative e-learning passport to help their training in October. P7 students to transfer.

‘I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the CPD project Mrs Una Walters, Senior Leader and Head as it’s encouraged me to be much more of AEN at Lagan College initiated the creative in my classroom. My Year 9 pupils development of the interactive passport have produced some amazing personal in Lagan College which started as a paper writing using visual stimuli and Year 10 have resource originally. “The e-learning been working on iMovies based on Heaney’s passport was an idea that I had which ‘Mid Term Break’,” Mrs Weir said. built upon our transition work with enhancements for newcomer students and Belfast partnership schools focus on making She added that the strategies could be children with social and emotional needs,” transition as smooth and positive as possible. adapted for use beyond KS3. Mrs Walters explained.

“Whilst the project is aimed at KS3, I’ve “This new interactive feature enhances Lagan College’s already well-established transition taken some of the ideas and used them in my programme. Feedback from students, parent and guardians has been significant in A Level classes, for example, Year 13 pupils improving the passport which includes information on the curriculum and pastoral issues,” have made character jars to help them she said. explore Hawthorne’s use of symbolism in ‘The Scarlet Letter’,” she said. “The input of primary students has enabled Lagan College to appreciate further what young people and their families require to make the move to ‘big school’ as smooth and as Mrs Weir has had a lot of interest from other positive as possible, ” Mrs Walters added. teachers in the character jars, which are pictured on the front cover of ‘The Bridge’. The four schools have engaged in a number of other cross-phase initiatives also.Training has been led by Lagan College in the use of modelled language frameworks. Loughview “It’s been fantastic meeting colleagues from IPS teacher, Mrs Jennifer Fuller (CPD link teacher) and Mrs Walker in her role as Numeracy other schools and gleaning an insight into co-ordinator, have collaborated on KS2 Functional Maths delivery and transferrable pupils’ experiences in Literacy at KS2. I’ve skills development cross-phase, using Dienies and Numicom to support Mental Maths loved sharing good practice on twitter too!” development.

Mrs Fuller explained that the partnership work had really broken down barriers between the primary and post-primary worlds. “We have created an avenue of communication that is open and honest. Being a reflective practitioner and helping each other to explore learning and teaching in a trusted colleague network has been of great benefit. This link ensures that students know there is a real and tangible link between their learning cross- phase. Students can see that their learning is purposeful as they move on,” she said.

“At the end of the first year of the Cross-Phase CPD Literacy and Numeracy Project, we noted that the CPD project had further enhanced the already excellent relationships and shared good practice which had previously existed between the schools in an informal manner,” Mrs Walters explained.

“Lagan College is also sharing the Accelerated Reader programme with primary colleagues Sharing on Twitter @cpdteam. who in turn have happily supported a bespoke electronic transfer of KS2 data sharing and the provision of extended personal/creative writing pieces in order to benchmark students upon post-primary entry, which the children are immensely proud of,” Mrs Walters added.

Mrs McNamee, Principal of Lagan College expressed her appreciation to all the staff from across the four schools involved in the partnership, who are working successfully together in this critical transition point in a child’s learning. “All aspects of our KS2/KS3 CPD project have proved extremely beneficial to date. We know this from staff self-evaluation, feedback and the number of teachers who have offered to open their classrooms for learning walks and sharing good practice sessions, as well as the pupil voice,” Mrs McNamee said.

The Lagan College Principal also commented that her fellow Principals: Mr Watson (Forge IPS), Mr McKnight (Loughview IPS) and Mrs Mary Roulston (Millennium IPS) endorsed this comment. “We are delighted that Miss Colleen Haughian has also secured a place on the CPD Project’s Teacher Placement Bursary Scheme to undertake good practice building ‘Curriculum Bridges’ in conjunction with Forge IPS. We are also eagerly awaiting the Junior pupils Zac and Ellie, The Wallace arrival of Mr Sean Spillane, who will be taking up the opportunity to work on his three day High School, Lisburn produced iMovies inspired by the CPD Project training. placement, from Glencraig Primary here within Lagan’s English department in the New Year,” Mrs McNamee added.

The Bridge - 7 A Focus on Five Placement Bursary Scheme Teachers

Teachers involved in the Placement Bursary Scheme gave us an insight into their decisions to expand their experience of working cross-phase. Not to mention revealing a few Name: Pauline Burgess surprising facts too! In the midst of their busy lives, these five teachers took the time to share some of the moments School: St Malachy’s High School, that make teaching so worthwhile. Castlewellan

Placement school: St Malachy’s Name: Kenny Baldrick Primary School, Castlewellan

School: Newbuildings PS, Londonderry One surprising fact about you! I went to primary school at the foot of ‘Narnia’ – or Placement school: Lisneal more precisely, Rostrevor Forest, which inspired C.S. College, Londonderry Lewis’s imaginary world. One day our teacher was reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to us and it started to snow outside. She told us to look out at the magical world behind us and I will never forget that moment because that was the day I decided I One surprising fact about you! wanted to become a writer. And I did! Today, as well I played Senior rugby for City of Derry for several as teaching, I am a published author and I write years. Before this I played rugby for Foyle and mainly (though not exclusively) for children. I am still Londonderry College, and in 1987 we reached the trying to capture that perfect moment and recreate it semi-finals of the Schools Cup. As the school last won in my writing; to inspire a new generation of children the Schools Cup in 1914 this was a great achievement in the way that Lewis did. If I come even close, then I for a school our size. Four of the players from the will be very, very happy. team went on to play for Ulster. The funniest/most memorable moment in The funniest/most memorable moment in your classroom your classroom There have been so many funny moments I really Many years ago my class joined Film Club. We got the should have kept a log! Apart from regularly being DVD ‘Big’ starring Tom Hanks. We had only recently called Mummy, or having my surname written replaced the video recorders within the school with down as something that would resemble fast food, new DVD players so the technology was new. Having one that sticks in my memory is when I took a trip watched the film first to ensure there wasn’t anything to Stratford Upon Avon. There was a very flash inappropriate I noted a time when an innocent red Porsche parked near Shakespeare’s birthplace enough exchange took place between the two main which prompted one of my students to ask ‘Is that characters. When I got to the scene I thought I was Shakespeare’s car?’ At no point in the build-up to our fast-forwarding, but put the film in slow motion and trip had she clocked the fact that he had died 400 when I frantically started pressing buttons the film years before our visit! froze at the scene I wanted to skip. Why did you apply for a placement? Why did you apply for a placement? As a teacher and a parent I am genuinely curious As a Primary 7 teacher I have always wondered about how much joined-up learning the children what the first year of post-primary school was like actually face at KS2 and KS3. Having taught in for the children who left my class. I wanted to work the secondary sector for 25 years, I feel that I am closely with a post-primary school to see what skills lacking in knowledge about learning and teaching and strategies they thought the children should have experiences within the primary model. The coming into their Year 8. I also wanted to look at collaboration with teachers at KS2 will hopefully help how they use data in post-primary school and what me to promote curriculum continuity between the strategies they use for underachievers and what type two key stages. I really wish to drive forward literacy of assessment and data they would find beneficial strategies in my own school as Literacy Co-ordinator, coming from primary school. and develop better practices to reflect the needs of pupils at transition. What are you looking forward to most about the placement? What are you looking forward to most about Underachievement in Protestant boys is one area that the placement? has continually been highlighted as a major issue, Working with children of a younger age and tapping not only within Londonderry, but across the whole into their learning potential and enthusiasm which of Northern Ireland. I would like to ensure that we sometimes diminishes at secondary level. I’m also use data effectively and that we can share this data looking forward to experiencing the joined-up and the strategies that we use, to jointly address the learning approach which is prevalent in primary area of underachievement in boys as well as girls. As schools, where Numeracy, Literacy, PDMU and The well as being Numeracy Co-ordinator I am also ICT World Around Us can all coalesce under one topic Co-ordinator within the school and I would like to such as ‘The Titanic Story.’ explore how we could develop the use of ICT within Numeracy across both schools, as possibly a means of addressing this underachievement by promoting Numeracy through ICT.

8 - The Bridge A Focus on Five Placement Bursary Scheme Teachers Name: Susan McCullough School: Ballyclare Secondary School

Placement school Name: Colin Devine Primary School : Templepatrick

School: Strandtown Primary School One surprising fact about you! Placement school: Ashfield Boys In my spare time I like to relax by doing scrapbooking. The funniest/most memorable moment in your classroom Year 9 Geography class singing “The Water Cycle Song” with great gusto! One surprising fact about you! As a 6 year old, I was in the video for ‘Mull of Why did you apply for a placement? Kintyre’ by Wings. Can’t remember a thing about it As Literacy Co-ordinator I am very interested in and still can’t pick myself out in the video but my the delivery of literacy at primary school level and parents assure me I’m in there somewhere. how this can be continued and further developed in the post-primary setting. Also, to further develop The funniest/most memorable moment in links with one of our feeder schools and to have an your classroom opportunity to see literacy in action via classroom There is always something that will make you laugh observation. (or cry!) on a daily basis. Perhaps the funniest moment was actually during an after school club. What are you looking forward to most about First week of rugby practice and the boys are the placement? getting warmed up. I’m making my way around I am looking forward to collaborating with the group asking if they play for certain clubs at Templepatrick Primary School and putting into weekends. One kid holds up a sheep puppet and practice literacy techniques and strategies that will says, ‘Can I come to rugby too? Baaa!’ As I looked at develop the literacy capabilities of pupils. him in a state of bewilderment, the kid beside him mutters: ‘The sheep can stay, but you can clear off!’ He said what I was thinking. Very funny! Name: Caroline Smyth Why did you apply for a placement? This was the perfect opportunity to strengthen School: St. Louise’s College, Belfast links with one of our nearest post-primary schools. We already have a cluster group with a focus on extending children’s writing so this was a natural Placement school: St Joseph’s, opportunity to move the project forwards. We, as a Slate Street, Belfast school, are keen to see how well we prepare boys for the transition from P7 to Year 8 both within literacy (especially writing) and pastorally. The placement will also allow us to share resources and expertise which we hope will open up new and exciting One surprising fact about you! opportunities for both schools within literacy. During my first year of university, my flatmates and I starred in an Irish reality TV show! What are you looking forward to most about the placement? The funniest/most memorable moment in I’m looking forward to talking to past pupils in focus your classroom groups to see how we as a primary school have As an enthusiastic young teacher in my first year of prepared them for the transition. I’m sure I’ll be teaching, I thought I would teach a particularly difficult reminded of a few stories from their Strandtown topic to my GCSE students through a catchy rap. days. Needless to say, I wasn’t as ‘hip’ as I first thought, and we all ended up in fits of laughter during the lesson! (I am still convinced it helped them learn how to estimate the mean from a frequency table though!) Why did you apply for a placement? I am eager to see the strategies applied by our primary schools in teaching numeracy, which will enable my department to implement them into our Year 8 and KS3 teaching. This will ultimately smooth the transition from primary to post-primary for our students. What are you looking forward to most about the placement? Having recently been named as the 6th best country in the world for maths skills in primary pupils, I cannot wait to see the fantastic work that is being done by primary schools in teaching numeracy, in particular how they foster a positive attitude to the subject.

The Bridge - 9 Irish Medium Schools Gather to Cruinniú na nGaelscoileanna Hone Their Transition Focus agus aistriú mar aidhm

Irish Medium Schools from the North Dhoire outlined the school’s partnership Tháinig Gaelscoileanna ón Iarthuaisceart West and Belfast met at Fortwilliam approach to developing a bridging agus ó Bhéal Feirste le chéile ag Dún Liam recently to share good practice in unit between the two stages. She also ar na mallaibh le dea-chleachtas a roinnt transition between KS2 and KS3. referenced the importance of reviewing maidir le haistriú idir EC 2 agus EC 3. schemes of work and seeing samples of Many of the teachers from the Derry, pupils’ work cross-phase so that planning Bhí go leor de na múinteoirí ó na scoileanna Strabane and Belfast schools have for the continuum can take place, which i nDoire, an Srath Bán agus Béal Feirste attended the CPD Transition Project’s reduces overlap. i láthair ag na laethanta traenála FPG a training days over the past two years. chuireadh ar fáil ag an Tionscnamh Aistrithe Representatives from Gaelcholáiste Mr Ó Coinn said that Growth Mindset and le dhá bhliain anuas. Rinne ionadaithe ó Dhoire, Susan Ui Mhianáin and Connla the use of the power of ‘Yet’ from the CPD Ghaelcholáiste Dhoire, Susan Uí Mhianáin Ó Coinn gave presentations on their Project training days had been adopted agus Connla Ó Coinn, cur i láthair ar an obair transition work with partnership into classroom practice in his school. aistrithe atá idir lámha acu le scoileanna schools. comhpháirtíochta. The Vice-Principal of Coláiste Feirste, Connla Ó Coinn, Numeracy Co- Belfast Mr Micheal Mac Giolla Ghunna is Chuir Connla Ó Coinn, Comhordaitheoir ordinator at Gaelcholáiste Dhoire, eager to build on the benefits of transition Uimhearthachta ag Gaelcholáiste Dhoire, Dungiven stressed the importance partnerships between Irish medium Dún Geimhin, an-bhéim ar an tábhacht a of differentiation in the classroom. schools. bhaineann le difreáil sa seomra ranga. “Ní “The pupils need to have different mór spriocanna éagsúla a bheith ag na daltaí goals, and we need to have established Primary pupils in the Belfast area will have agus tá gá le spriocanna curaclaim aontaithe curricular goals cross-phase,” he said. an annual opportunity to experience what trasna na n-eochairchéimeanna,” ar sé. life is like in a post-primary setting at Mr Ó Coinn highlighted the importance Blas den Choláiste on the 14 December Chuir an tUasal Ó Coinn béim, fosta, ar an of sharing schemes of work with at Coláiste Feirste. “This will be a good luach a bhaineann le scéimeanna oibre a partner primary schools which would opportunity for teachers to develop their roinnt le bunscoileanna comhpháirtíochta help to avoid re-teaching. “This is transition partnerships further,” Mr Mac le go seachnófar ateagasc. “Tá sé seo particularly important for the more Giolla Ghunna said. tábhachtach ach go háirithe do na daltaí is able students who get bored if this cumasaí a éiríonn dubh dóite má tharlaíonn happens. Differentiation is key to The Principals and teachers worked in sin. Is í an difreáil an eochair a chinntíonn ensuring that students are experiencing three numeracy and five literacy focus go mbeidh na daltaí ag dul i dtaithí ar a continuum in their learning,” he said groups at the Fortwilliam day. It was chontanam ina bhfoghlaim,” ar sé agus stressing this would have a positive agreed that working on transition would bhéimnigh sé go n-imreodh sé seo tionchar impact on standards. offer opportunities to share currently dearfach ar chaighdeáin. limited resources and to observe Mr Ó Coinn emphasised the value of colleagues in the classroom. It was Chuir an tUasal Ó Coinn béim ar an luach using common mathematical terms also thought that the practice of social a bhaineann le téarmaíocht mhatamaitice cross-phase. “There are limited conversation could be discussed and choiteann trasna na gcéimeanna a úsáid. chances of using mathematical planned further to ensure continuity “Is teoranta na deiseanna a bhíonn language outside the classroom,” he between the key stages. ann le teanga na Matamaitice a úsáid said. A dictionary of key mathematical taobh amuigh den seomra ranga,” ar sé. terms operating cross-phase would Including parents in the transition process Chinnteodh foclóir ina mbeadh chroí- ensure that the students were using was seen as important by the groups, a théarmaí matamaitice agus a bheadh ag the correct version in Irish. This suggestion was made that PTE and PTM feidhmiú thar na heochairchéimeanna go dictionary could also be taken home results should be shared with parents with mbeadh na daltaí ag baint úsáid as an leagan to parents. “This would ensure that an accompanying booklet, to assist in cruinn i nGaeilge. Thiocfadh an foclóir a the correct mathematical language understanding the data. thabhairt abhaile chuig tuismitheoirí fosta. is being used, which will minimise “Dhéanfadh sé seo cinnte de go bhfuil an misunderstanding,” he added. The creation of bridging units to ensure teanga mhatamaitice chruinn in úsáid, rud a that learning is retained over the summer laghdódh míthuiscint,” a lean sé. Susan Ui Mhianáin, Senior Teacher and months was a popular idea in many of the Literacy Co-ordinator at Gaelcholáiste focus groups. Mhínigh Susan Uí Mhianáin, Múinteoir Sinsearach agus Comhordaitheoir

Irish Medium teachers meeting at Fortwilliam, Belfast. Connla Ó Coinn

10 - The Bridge Cruinniú na nGaelscoileanna Enniskillen Schools Strive for agus aistriú mar aidhm Seamless Transition

Litearthachta ag Gaelcholáiste Dhoire cur Through Joint chuige comhpháirtíochta na scoile chun nascaonad a fhorbairt idir an dá eochairchéim. Data Focus Rinne sí trácht fosta ar an tábhacht a bhaineann le hathbhreithniú ar scéimeanna oibre agus le breathnú ar shamplaí oibre na ndaltaí trasna na n-eochairchéimeanna, ionas gur féidir go mbeidh pleanáil ann le haghaidh an chontanaim, rud a laghdaíonn forluí.

Dúirt an tUasal Ó Coinn gur glacadh le Meon an Fháis (Growth Mindset) agus úsáid ‘The power of ‘Yet’, ó na laethanta traenála Thionscnamh CPD, i gcleachtas seomraí ranga ina scoil.

Bhí fonn ar Leas-Phríomhoide Choláiste Feirste, Béal Feirste, Micheál Mac Giolla Ghunna, tógáil ar na buntáistí a bhaineann Cross-phase teachers work on data. Louie Burns and Dylon Webb P7 le comhpháirtíochtaí aistrithe idir pupils at Enniskillen Integrated Gaelscoileanna. Primary School.

Beidh deis bhliantúil ag páistí bunscoile i Enniskillen Integrated Primary School and Erne Integrated College placed data gceantar Bhéal Feirste dul i dtaithí saol i exchange at the core of their transition action planning so successfully that suíomh meánscoile ag Blas den Choláiste ar measures are underway to expand the information being transferred between the an 14 Mí na Nollag. “Deis iontach a bheidh two schools. ann do mhúinteoirí a gcuid comhpháirtíochtaí aistrithe a fhorbairt níos mó,” arsa an tUasal The schools identified data sharing as a means to inform and reinforce teacher Mac Giolla Ghunna. planning to ensure each child’s transition is as smooth as possible, thereby accommodating the learning continuum. D’oibrigh na príomhoidí agus na múinteoirí i dtrí fhócasghrúpaí uimhearthachta agus Enniskillen Integrated Primary School‘s Principal, Mrs Adele Kerr explained cúig fhócasghrúpa litearthachta ag an lá i that the objective of the schools’ transition planning in 2015-2016 was for the nDún Liam. Comhaontaíodh go gcuirfeadh GL Digital assessment pack to be implemented in both schools, to facilitate an comhoibriú ar aistriú deiseanna ar fáil le information transfer and collaborative planning. háiseanna a roinnt agus le bheith ag breathnú ar chomhghleacaithe sna seomraí ranga. Mrs Kerr had already invested in the GL Digital Assessment pack, which uses Pléadh fosta go dtiocfadh nós an chomhrá CAT4, PTM, PTE, Baseline, Baseline Progress and PASS attitudinal measure to shóisialta a phlé agus pleanáladh a thuilleadh provide a detailed profile of each pupil’s learning needs and strengths. le leanúnachas idir na heochairchéimeanna a chinntiú. Her decision to incorporate the GL Digital Assessment measures followed a process of self-evaluation at her school, which identified the need for a more Ba é tuairim na ngrúpaí go raibh tábhacht ag coherent picture to be extracted from the data so that planning could be more baint le tuismitheoirí sa phróiseas aistrithe, specifically aligned to pupils’ learning needs. rinneadh moladh gur chóir torthaí PTE agus PTM a roinnt le tuismitheoirí mar aon le bileog The data is used by class teachers to collaboratively review each teaching in éineacht leo, le cuidiú leo na sonraí a group; prioritising pupils’ learning deficits and providing evidence of the need thuiscint. for further testing and intervention. This monitoring of pupils’ needs facilitates ‘Precision Planning’ where the planning is targeted directly at topics where the Smaoineamh coitianta i measc na pupils need help. bhfócasghrúpaí ná cruthú nascaonad lena chinntiú go gcaomhnaítear an fhoghlaim i Erne Integrated College’s, successful implementation of GL Digital Assessment míonna an tsamhraidh. was led by Senior Teacher, Mr Andrew Kerr. “The PTM and PTE scores of the current Year 8 students were successfully transferred and their new teachers began working on planning for their needs in Key Stage 3 prior to their arrival,” he said.

“The mathematics subject area has requested more information and the transition Action Plan for this year is focused on transferring the complete PTM and PTE profiles for next year,” Mr Kerr added.

Erne Integrated College has incorporated the data into SIMS Assessment Manager which facilitates the sharing of data with all teachers and is now an integral part of their target setting and review process.

Principal of Erne Integrated College, Jimmy Jackson-Ware commented that the use of PTM and PTE for precision teaching will have an impact across the entire curriculum as all subject teachers will have a greater understanding of their students and will be able to model support strategies to meet the individual Susan Ui Mhianáin needs of students.

The Bridge - 11 Electronic Transfer of Pupil Information Explains Everything in North West Our Schools’ Partnership Fronter Eager to provide even more academic teaching and learning experiences for our information about their pupils, a CPD pupils,” Mr Michael Allen the Lisneal College Transition partnership school in the North Principal explained. Angel! West is developing innovative approaches to creating a complete picture of pupils’ abilities The other partnership schools involved in prior to joining their new school. this CPD Transition Project are Ebrington PS, Cumber Claudy PS, Lisnagelvin PS and Mr Kenny Baldrick, P7 teacher at Newbuildings Fountain PS. Primary School in Londonderry has extended the school’s pupil profile to incorporate the Mr Baldrick plans to use the CPD iPad app ‘Explain Everything’. Images of Transition Project’s Teacher Placement pupils’ work, current attainment and targets Bursary to evaluate the impact and use are all included. Mr Baldrick adapted the of the information he provides to Lisneal pupil profile for iPad to reflect the content of College. He has a particular interest in how the data profile contained in the GL Digital underachieving boys and pupils in receipt of Assessment. Which alongside PASS Attitudinal free school meals, can be helped through the Data informs teaching and learning and information being transferred cross-phase. monitors the impact of interventions in the school. As part of last year’s CPD Transition Project’s Action Plan, Mr Baldrick observed Year 8 The CPD Project team have Videos of each pupil’s talking and listening lessons at Lisneal College. He found this really enjoyed compiling the tasks are also included in the information informative and was impressed with how Fronter room website full being passed along, as well as samples much effective group work took place in a 35 of teacher resources. As it of writing. This creates a real sense of minute lesson. has evolved and then been the individual transferring, providing an “I also wanted to look at how they use data streamlined recently, Miss invaluable insight into the pupil and supplying in Lisneal College and the strategies adopted Esther Woodhouse of C2K has an additional layer of information to assist for underachievers. Understanding the types been our guiding light. the new school in planning for how that pupil of assessment and data they would find will learn best. This is provided alongside the beneficial coming from primary school has As well as understanding the levels they were achieving leaving P7. also been an objective,” Mr Baldrick added. intricacies of new technologies Miss Woodhouse speaks French Lisneal College, Londonderry was very keen He is planning to produce a Virtual Learning and Spanish, which she taught to build on the existing academic profiles of Environment (VLE) for Year 8 pupils using for nine years in a post-primary their new pupils and share pedagogy cross- iPads. “This would promote ICT links setting. phase. and possibly be a means of addressing underachievement by encouraging pupil The endlessly patient Miss “The KS2- KS3 transition work we are doing interaction,” Mr Baldrick explained. Woodhouse says she thoroughly with our partner schools is a key element enjoys supporting teachers with of our long-term strategy to raise standards The outcome of this extended focus will be integrating new technologies to in literacy and numeracy. Through sharing shared in the Spring/Summer term with the enhance learning, teaching and expertise, observing lessons and engaging in partnership schools and other interested their own professional learning. meaningful self-evaluation, we have already parties in the community. identified ways in which we can improve “While the ever-increasing opportunities available can be somewhat daunting, we have seen teachers in short timescales, often working together within and between schools, use new technologies effectively, engaging students with relevant, real-world, collaborative learning experiences and seeing improved learning outcomes,” Miss Woodhouse said.

She added : “The Literacy and Numeracy KS2 & 3 CPD Fronter course room created by the project team provides a wealth of fantastic resources, online links and ideas and is available Mr Baldrick is part of a numeracy transition cluster group with colleagues from Fountain Primary to all teachers across Northern School, Lisnagelvin Primary School and Ebrington Primary School. He reported that his pupils had benefitted from this group through the development of problem solving tasks like Tarsia and using Ireland.” ‘Follow me’ activities. Mr Baldrick has attended the CPD Project training days, incorporating the QR codes he discovered at these events into his planning for differentiated lessons which pupils can access as extension tasks using their iPads. He has also incorporated QR codes for the children in his class to access ‘help videos’ on different aspects of numeracy, available through a VLE he had created. These QR codes can be seen on the display above.

12 - The Bridge Online Survey of Action Plans June 2016

These are the results of an online survey sent to all 553 schools, in June. They submitted Action Plans in the 2015-16 academic year to work on cross-phase collaboration between KS2 and KS3.

Better Communication Better Communication (Before) (After)

Please rate cross-phase communication on Please rate cross-phase communication on Literacy and Numeracy before this project. Literacy and Numeracy as a result of this Please rate from low to high on a 4 point project. Please rate from low to high on a 4 scale - 4 being the highest rating point scale - 4 being the highest rating (226 responses) (226 responses)

19% 1 1 31.6% 11.6% 2 2 3.1% 7.1% 3 3 4 57.5% 4 20.4% 49.8%

Barriers to Progress?

ETI 2%

Contact/Communication 13%

Lack of Proactivity 4%

Money/Funding 3%

No Barriers 10%

Sub-cover 2%

Time 66%

The Bridge - 13 Benefits to Improving Literacy and Numeracy Cross-Phase?

Improved Transfer of data and understanding tracking 4% across the key stages 15% Opportunity to share good practice and Opportunity to inform colleagues develop Fronter 23% 2%

Re-assess schemes to avoid repetition of work 8% Too early to comment Avail of high quality 12% training generating new ideas 6% Joint marking, annotation and common approach Plan joint literacy 4% and numeracy Opportunity to strategies meet more 4% 22%

Benefits to Improving Transition?

14 - The Bridge Improving School Partnerships Between Primary and Post-Primary?

No Benefit CPD/Fronter Yet 2% 5%

Communication 16%

Shared Practice/ pedagogy/upskilling/ examples of work 29% Staff/Pupils better prepared for transition 15%

Data/Levels/ Observations Assessment 11% 10% Planning/Sharing Curricula 12%

How Teachers Evaluated the Training Oct - Nov 2016

Unit 1 Mathematics/Numeracy - Thinking & Talking Unit 2 Mathematics/Numeracy - Differentiation

Number of teachers attended: 176 Number of teachers attended: 173

Teacher evalua+on of effec+veness of Unit 1 Mathema+cs 1(low) Teacher evalua+on of effec+veness of Unit 2 Mathema+cs 1(low) 2 2

3 3

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 4(high) 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 4(high)

Unit 1 English/Literacy - Thinking Skills Unit 2 English/Literacy - Differentiation

Number of teachers attended: 177 Number of teachers attended: 170

Teacher evalua+on of effec+veness of Unit 1 English 1(low) Teacher evalua+on of effec+veness of Unit 2 English 1(low)

2 2

3 3

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 4(high) 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 4(high)

The Bridge - 15 Summary of Comments from Teachers Involved in Cross-Phase Development Last Year

Allowed us to develop a student passport data analysis form to be used by the 2 schools - transferable data to be passed from the primary to the post-primary school (Use of Qualitative and Quantitative data to identify and track the learning needs of the pupils). This project has been exceptionally beneficial as the education links have been enhanced through the 2 schools.

Having time off timetable to discuss ideas and meet face to face with other schools was very useful. Sharing good practice, including mark schemes, allowed schools to see how others work and to evaluate their own methods. The cross community aspect meant that all needs were taken into consideration. It was also useful to be able to compare a student’s work that had been completed in primary school to what they were producing in a post-primary setting. It was good for primary schools to know what would be asked on the day they met post-primary teachers and for post-primary teachers to have genuine feedback on what worked.

This is a great project and will help smooth the transition of pupils to post-primary. It also allows schools to action some of the points that were brought up in the review of ESAGS.

The project has been extremely useful and has cemented relationships and facilitated much easier communication between schools. The provision of time and money set aside for this was invaluable and I would also like to strongly highlight the excellent training provided - this was highly motivational and informative. The training also provided a wealth of useful resources for schools - this was most appreciated in the current climate where training and resources have been cut back.

This has been a very useful project which needs to continue. We have already adapted schemes of work and taken on a slightly different approach to spelling and writing skills as a result of this project.

All participants would agree that participation in the CPD Cross-Phase Project has provided a wonderful opportunity to share good practice, afforded the teachers involved time to discuss pedagogy in depth and to forge professional relationships which can only, as the CPD evolves have a very positive impact on our transitioning students. We all agree that we see the CPD project as a stepping stone to sustained and improved inter and intra school relationships and improved transition experience for all our students, for a significant period beyond the CPD Project lifespan.

Thank you so much for the training, my KS2 teachers were very quick to share what they have learned and look forward to seeing it further impact on practice.

A really good programme with excellent support materials which were incorporated into Learning and Teaching and Year 8 Schemes of Work. Availability on FRONTER super. Please keep this going.

There are many opportunities that have been developed by the links we have created this year- the project has allowed us to have meaningful conversations to the benefit of our children.

The training offered was excellent as we got the opportunity to discuss primary schemes and to see first‐hand the wonderful work completed by our primary colleagues. The resources provided and support on Fronter are also excellent.

16 - The Bridge Designed & printed at Dungannon Teachers’ Centre 028 8772 4379 Teachers’ Designed & printed at Dungannon