United Learning: Bringing out the best in everyone in best the out Bringing Learning: United United Learning: Bringing out the best in everyone www .unitedlearning.org.uk United Learning t 01832 864444 Fairline House f 01832 864455 Nene Valley Business Park e [email protected] Oundle www.unitedlearning.org.uk Peterborough PE8 4HN United Learning comprises: UCST (Registered in England No: 2780748. Charity No. 1016538) and ULT (Registered in England No. 4439859. An Exempt Charity). Companies limited by guarantee. G N INTRODUCTION I RN LEA D Welcome to the second edition of ‘Bringing Out the Best in meeting the knowledge management challenge. However, Everyone’. These case studies illustrate the range of ideas there has been growing awareness of the benefits of joint and experience to be found in United Learning schools. practice development and school-to-school collaboration As an organisation, we are unique in our composition: in order to improve the quality of schools. Increasingly UNITE embracing a range of independent schools and academies; capturing the results of innovative development work, and unusual too in seeking to develop and share practice and connecting teachers together to refine and develop across schools working in very different contexts. practice has become a priority for all those interested in the success and progress of young people. At the heart of our shared approach is a sharp focus on the progress, achievement and welfare of every child and This publication is therefore at once celebration and young person. We believe that every one of the students in tool. In highlighting the schools and individuals who our schools is capable of progressing and making a success have developed new and effective practice, it provides of their life, and we seek to provide an excellent education recognition for that innovation and developing practice. to them all as the basis for this. We aim to offer more to In writing up what they have done, those concerned have young people through working together than any one of taken the opportunity to reflect on developments so far us could alone. and on what they might do next. This publication also provides an opportunity for others to identify the practice We aim to leave no stone unturned in our efforts to and get in touch with its originators. improve the education and opportunities we offer. These case studies outline just a few of the pieces of work All the case studies within this publication are a proven which have emerged as a result. Their range is great: from success. Whether they have been praised by school supporting the very youngest children through to entry to inspectors, validated by excellent exam results or simply university; from use of technology as a pedagogical tool, to welcomed by students and their parents, these initiatives involving parents and using student voice; and in teaching are working and are improving our children’s school basic literacy and numeracy, the most able young people experiences. and those with special educational needs. Each area of practice has been tested and examined by colleagues, with What a learning organisation needs most of all, of course, new ideas developed and implemented. is individuals who are willing and able to learn and develop and to share with others. I am hugely grateful Any learning organisation must (amongst other things) to colleagues who have been prepared to contribute to capture its knowledge, reflect on its practice thoughtfully, this publication; they exemplify both the determination to refine and develop its work in the light of the evidence, improve practice and the willingness to share it. I hope that connect colleagues together and provide opportunities this publication will help to create further opportunities for feedback. It is not straightforward to do any of these for colleagues to share in these developments and to take things effectively. This publication provides a contribution them further. to all of them. Capturing your knowledge as an organisation is important because if you do not, you are doomed to make the same and new mistakes on the way to re-discovering the things you already knew. Yet, it can be difficult in a complex organisation if people who may never have met and who may work in different parts of the world are tackling similar problems without necessarily being aware of that. In education, we have been less used to the sorts of Jon Coles knowledge management systems and approaches which Group Chief Executive have become the norm in other parts of the economy in United Learning 3 G N LEADING PRIMARY SUBJECT TEACHING I CONTENTS SCHOOLS n Inspiring Future RN n Using the Pupil Premium at Mathematicians at Southway Primary School ...6 Shoreham Academy ..........34 n Outstanding Nursery Care at n Achieving Ofsted LEA Ashford Friars Prep School ..8 ‘Outstanding’ English at D n Lambeth Academy ............36 Learning Outside the TE Classroom at Bournemouth n Nurturing Linguists I Collegiate Prep School at Bournemouth and Hanwell Fields Collegiate School .............38 UN Community School ...........10 n Raising Literacy Levels at n Subject Specialist The Regis School ..............40 Teaching at Guildford n Creativity in Art and Design High Junior School ...........13 at Ashford School .............42 n Internet Safety at Hampshire n Foreign Language Collegiate Prep School .....15 Leader Award at n Outstanding Early Years Barnsley Academy ............44 Foundation Stage at n Textiles at Surbiton High School ........17 The Regis School ..............45 n Accelerated Reader at TRANSITION Ashford Friars Prep School ..47 n Transition at North n Achieving English and Oxfordshire Academy ........20 Maths at William Hulme’s n Year 7 Graduation Days at Grammar School...............49 Barnsley Academy ............23 n A Solid Foundation in Art at n Transition at The Regis Lincoln Minster School ......51 School and Southway n ‘L’ is for Literacy at Primary School .................25 Walthamstow Academy ....53 BEHAVIOUR AND ATTENDANCE n Paddington 10 at Paddington Academy ........28 n Improving Attendance at Southway Primary School ..30 n Improving Attendance at Sheffield Park Academy ....32 U N LEA R 4 G PEDAGOGY AND PRACTICE UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATING N I n Assertive Mentoring at AND ONWARD DEVELOPMENT OUR VISION PROGRESSION Northampton Academy .....54 n Leadership Development at n Best in Everyone RN n n Building Confidence through UCAS Preparation at Walthamstow Academy ..116 Induction Conference .....134 Performing Arts at Ashford Guildford High School ......84 n Teacher Learning n Paddington 10 Plus 3 Friars Prep School .............56 n Preparing EAL Students Communities at William for Staff at Paddington LEA n Partnership with for University at Hulme’s Grammar School ..118 Academy ........................136 D Marlborough College Ashford School .................86 n Middle Leaders Programme n Using Twitter at at Swindon Academy ........58 at United Learning .........120 Barnsley Academy and n Parent-Friendly Pupil ENRICHMENT n Professional Development Surbiton High School ......138 Tracking at Hull n Debate Mate at Pathways at Kettering n Promoting Equality UNITE Collegiate Prep School .....60 Walthamstow Academy ....88 Buccleuch Academy ........122 at William Hulme’s Grammar School ............139 n Tracking Student Progress at n Combined Cadet Force at n Coaching Programme at Midhurst Rother College ...61 AKS and Army Cadet Force at Salford City Academy .....124 n Articulating Ethos at n Study Buddy at Manchester Academy .......90 n Developing Talented Teachers Sunderland High School ..141 Caterham School ..............63 n Sports Academy at at William Hulme’s Grammar n Local Authority Scrutiny n Inclusion Unit at Bournemouth School ...........................126 Committee at Paddington Academy ........64 Collegiate School .............92 n Masters Courses Stockport Academy ........142 n Mentoring at n Internationalism at at United Learning .........128 n ‘Big Voice’ at Hull Collegiate School ......66 Lambeth Academy ............94 n Leading Edge at The Accrington Academy .......143 n Roma Youth Project at n Eco Awareness Project at Regis School ..................129 n Foundation Day at Sheffield Park Academy ....68 Rowan Preparatory The Regis School ............145 n Independent Learning at School .............................96 GREAT BUILDINGS FOR Surbiton High School ........69 n Extending the School Day at TEACHING AND LEARNING n New Technologies at Midhurst Rother College ..97 n Building Expertise Accrington Academy ........71 n Malawi Expeditions at across Capital n Sixth Form Literary Society at Sunderland High School ...99 Construction Projects .....130 Lincoln Minster School .....73 n Achieving Youth Sport Trust n Re-investing in n Parent Workshops at Gold Partnership Status at our Schools ....................132 Shoreham Academy ..........75 Salford City Academy ......101 n E-Learning across n Model United Nations at the Group ........................76 Surbiton High School ......103 n Extr acurricular Programme at William Hulme’s CURRICULUM INNOVATION Grammar School ............105 n Year 7 Competency n Nepal Expedition at Curriculum at Bournemouth Shoreham Academy ..........77 Collegiate School ...........108 n Advanced Performance n Celebrating Making Music Baccalaureate at Together – the King James Barnsley Academy ............79 Bible Oratorio ................110 n Thinking Skills Curriculum n Employer Engagement at at Hull Collegiate