Mastering the Dragon by Teaching Learning

Key Note Speaker

Professor Sir Steve Smith, BSc MSc PhD The Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Exeter University Professor Sir Steve Smith has been Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Exeter since October 2002. He was previously Senior Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) and Professor of International Politics at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, as well as Head of the Department of International Politics, and Director of the Centre for Public Choice Studies at the University of East Anglia. Sir Steve is a graduate of the University of Southampton and holds a BSc in Politics and International Studies, an MSc in International Studies and a PhD in International Relations. He was made an Honorary DSc of the University of Southampton in 2004, was awarded an Honorary Professorship by Jilin University in 2007, in 2010 was made an Honorary DEd of the University of the West of England and an Honorary Fellow of Aberystwyth University, and in 2011 he was awarded on Honorary Fellowship by the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff. In 2009 he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and in 2012 he was awarded the University of South Florida’s Global Leadership Award. He has written or edited 17 books, published well over 100 academic papers and has given over 170 academic presentations in 22 countries. In 2001 he became only the second UK academic to be elected President of the International Studies Association in the USA. In 2000 he was elected Academician of the Academy of the Learned Societies in the Social Sciences and in 1999 was the recipient of the Susan Strange Award of the International Studies Association for the person who has most challenged the received wisdom in the profession. Sir Steve is currently Chair of the UCAS Board; Board member of the Russell Group; Member of the Times Higher Education (THE) Editorial Board; Board member of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership; a Trustee of the Education and Employers Task Force, and of the Eden Project. He was President of Universities UK (UUK) - the representative body for the executive heads of UK universities - from 2009-2011, and remains a member of the UUK International Policy Network. From June 2007 until May 2010, he led for higher education on the Prime Minister’s National Council of Excellence in Education, which provided advice to Government about strategy and measures to achieve world-class education performance for all children and young people. He was also a member of the Institute for Public Policy Research’s Commission on the Future of Higher Education. Sir Steve was knighted in the 2011 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to higher education locally and nationally.

Mastering the Dragon | A Teaching and Learning Conference

Key Note Speaker

Tom Sherrington Headteacher KEGS Chelmsford My name is Tom Sherrington. I am a Headteacher and a teacher. I am interested in developing new ideas in teaching and learning and regularly contribute to conferences and CPD sessions locally and nationally. Most of what I think about and what I do has been documented and in my headguruteacher.com/ blog where I share my thoughts about teaching and learning and school leadership. It has developed quite a following! Blogging has taken over from music as my main diversion from real life. It’s been quite a journey; recent work with John Tomsett on the Headteachers’ Roundtable Education Manifesto (@HeadsRoundtable) is just one of many amazing opportunities that have come my way since this all started. I’ve even written a book. I didn’t think that would happen – but writing about education has become a big part of what I do these days. I’ve been a teacher since 1987 and owe a great deal to all the schools I’ve worked in. Each of them has been extraordinary in some special way; from the Winstanley College in Wigan where I started my career; onto Holland Park School Notting Hill, seven extraordinary years from Teacher, Head of Year to Assistant Head; then Alexandra Park School Haringey, joining Headteacher Roz Hudson as Deputy Head to open the school in 1999; to being the Headteacher at the British International School in Jakarta, which was a fabulous unforgettable three-year adventure. ‘Saya Guru’ means ‘I am a teacher’ in Bahasa Indonesia. I am only a guru in the sense that it means ‘teacher’; all teachers are gurus! Follow me on twitter @headguruteacher. I currently work at @KEGS_Chelmsford, a Grammar school in Essex where I have seen learning activities that I’ve never seen anywhere else; these ideas would work anywhere and I am on a mission to encourage and challenge teachers to take more risks and release the full creative potential of the learning process. KEGS is an extraordinary school – and, having been a committed comprehensive teacher for many years, it was an unusual career move. Although it is a highly selective school, I regard KEGS as a genuine beacon, illustrating what is possible in learning if we have enough courage and confidence. Every day at KEGS is a joy and I feel genuinely privileged to work here with such extraordinary students and members of staff. Most of the best lessons I have ever seen, I have seen at KEGS. Being a Headteacher suits me. Schools are huge projects with a moral purpose; intellectually challenging; personally demanding; always changing. From September 2014, I will be the Headteacher of Highbury Grove School in Islington. Although I feel very attached to the staff and students at KEGS, the time has come to move on, to return to London and take on a new challenge.

Workshop Choices Please choose ONE from each of the following FOUR SECTIONS. We appreciate that some workshops will be oversubscribed and will do our utmost to meet your needs.

WORKSHOP A - COLLABORATION The 3 C’s - Creating cohesion in the classroom - Andrew Malcolm A practical session designed to share good practice regarding the challenging issue of getting groups of teenagers to work effectively together. So come along with your strategies that get classes humming along together and share this great practice with other eager practitioners!

Accountability vs Personal Development – Can we do both well? - Andy Baker Schools often bemoan the impact of OFSTED and the ‘target culture’ for crowding out the broader educational objectives that many of us consider the mark of a good school. As a school leader and OFSTED inspector, I will be looking at strategies for developing happy and rounded young people while satisfying the external pressure for ‘results’. This session will be particularly suitable for Senior/Middle leaders.

Reviewing and renewing a Homework Policy in collaboration with students, parents and teachers Rex Stidwell Aimed at middle and senior leaders. A workshop to explore the issues surrounding homework and whole school strategies aimed to improve this important aspect of learning.

Improving teaching through reflection - Sarah Colombini I have been working alongside the Teaching and Learning Academy to increase internal CPD through the use of action research ‘Recognition’ projects within school. These projects provide national accreditation, allow staff to focus on their practice as well as enhancing their CV and providing evidence for new areas of the Teaching Standards. TLA projects can enable staff to develop themselves outside the realms of their classroom and share good practice using whole school forums and is now in the process of being tied into Performance Management criteria at TGGS. If you would like to find out how to carry out a project yourself or share ideas on how to develop staff in the classroom and beyond, this workshop is for you.

Triads to improve Teaching and Learning - Rachael Green Observations in triads to improve feedback and to share good practice; initially a project started within my department, but now rolled out to other departments so a true cross-curricular theme.

Collaboration through The Regio Project - Sharon Davidson This workshop will explore the challenges of working with local and international schools through a British Council sponsored Regio project. The schools involved are Tavistock College and Newton Abbott College, with Bromangymnasiet and Bergsjo in Hudiksvall Sweden alongside RIO (the Real ideas Organisation) and UMU ( Umea University) .

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WORKSHOP B - INNOVATION Step outside your comfort zone. How to facilitate learning without letting them know it’s happening - Sarah Niemann Looking at theories of learning and acquisition tailored to suit the idea that students learn better if they are not being told. Cognitive dissonance holds that by introducing new and conflicting information and being able to discuss it, students are forced to react to resolve that conflict; so learning takes place. The idea comes out of cognitive psychology, and intermingles with ideas of meta-learning and dialogic teaching in order to develop ways of cracking into concepts and understanding complexity.

Getting writing right - David Didau Students are asked to write every day of their school lives, but why do we ask students to write? Lesson after lesson, day after day, well-intentioned teachers are actually teaching their students that writing doesn’t matter. This sessions will present a simple theory about writing and offer a range of practical strategies for modelling, scaffolding and practising effective writing.

Data can be an early intervention tool - Daniel Greaves Using internal and external baseline data to better support year 7 students in the first term; focusing on the identification of both Gifted and Talented students and those may who require early intervention support.

Use of technology in Teaching and Learning - Emily Slade, Lyall Dew, Ashley Bakewell We will explore using the Interactive Whiteboard Interactively with Open Sankore, use of movie maker and QR codes to enhance learning. Ever had that embarrassing moment when the Internet is down or you spend 5 minutes trying to find your clip on YouTube only to find that it has been taken down? This session will show you how to download and edit videos straight from the web, ready to snazz-up your presentations with embedded clips. No experience of video editing necessary. Using QR codes and mobile technology to enhance learning, this session shows you how to use the Interactive Whiteboard interactively with animated elements, how to annotate over other programs and how to create interactive worksheets.

Use of iPads in the Classroom - Sharon Jenkin We will be looking at a range of apps to support the use of iPads as a learning tool for students and, support for staff. The apps considered may include, Sock Puppets, TeacherKit, Educreations and Flipboard. The session will be hands on with access to iPads.

Cognition and Brain Chemistry - Andrew Farbridge We will be drawing on the latest research into interpersonal neurobiology to consider how learning occurs in the brain and how the developing adolescent brain affects behaviour and learning. We will also consider the role of Dopamine in learning before considering some practical strategies to use what we now know about the brain to improve teaching and learning.

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WORKSHOP C - ASPIRATION An introduction to Study Abroad - Sally Armstrong The options and opportunities for students to study outside of the UK at undergraduate level.

Sharing good practice in delivering work related learning - Anthony Fitzgerald Suitable for 11-16 and and 11-18 schools. Looking at opportunities for students to undertake work related learning and the positive benefits.

Increasing the uptake of STEM subjects at Post 16 - Dr. Stuart Maudling A shortfall in the numbers of well-qualified STEM graduates entering the jobs market has been identified and traced back to a lack of students choosing to study these subjects after their GCSEs. Previous research has identified that schools where there is a high uptake of STEM subjects post-GCSE have six common attributes. The current study was conducted in a school which has the six identified attributes and assesses which the students feel most strongly influences their decisions to study STEM subjects post-GCSE. A mixed-method case-study approach was used, combining data from a questionnaire issued to all pupils in years 9, 10 and 11 and follow up interviews of pupils selected on the basis of their questionnaire results. Questionnaire results indicated a trend for increasingly positive attitudes towards STEM subjects with increasing school age. Interview results show that experience-based selection strategies, particularly those relating to student-teacher relationships were considered most influential by students. Aspiration-driven and tactical strategies were also commonly employed by students.

In search of more exciting and effective ways to learn vocabulary - Sam Banks Delivered by a teacher of MFL but featuring activities that will be transferable to other subject areas, this practical session will explore creative approaches to teaching and learning new words.

Running a coherent programme of Careers, Advice and Guidance that remains independent for KS 4&5 - Jane Mackay With Ofsted snapping at our heels and the promise of including CEIAG during any inspection - are you ready? Last year at South Wilts we were part of the Ofsted Careers Consultation. Using our KS4 & 5 programme as a start point please come and share best practices with each other so that we are ready and waiting for Ofsted and of course giving our students a brilliant programme of CEIAG.

Making the most of ‘Seven years at Churston’ - David Lewis This workshop will allow you to review the inclusiveness of your current enrichment programme for students and staff. It will make you consider ways to strategically design a seven year trip calendar that positively impacts on the whole school commitment to create independent learners and to develop your staff Questions you will need to reflect on: What enrichment trip opportunities currently exist in your school? How accessible is this for all students and staff? What are the barriers restricting participation? Do you use Pupil Premium money to support enrichment in any way?

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WORKSHOP D - MOTIVATION Putting your head in the dragon’s mouth (or top tips for running a training session for colleagues) - Jo Sibley We have all experienced highs and lows when it comes to peer-delivered training sessions. This meta-session will look at some top tips from those who have delivered successful (well rated) training session(s) to colleagues and consider some of the potential pitfalls too. The session will contain audience participation in spades so don’t select this one expecting to be able to snooze…

Motivating Year 9 - Valerie Bailey Students decide on the language they will continue with to GCSE level 6 months into year 9. Hence for the second part of that year, teachers find themselves with 50-70% of students having decided that they will not continue with French the following year. For years, apathy, low attainment and disruptive behaviours became the daily portion of teachers in the French department at that time. We therefore decided to introduce a competition and the award of a language certificate in order to attempt to raise interest and end-of-year grades while communicating enthusiasm within the French lessons for year 9s. My presentation will outline how we delivered this and the inherent analysis of results.

Art across the curriculum - Sarah Harris Aimed at any teacher with even the smallest interest in Art, this session will seek to explore the benefits of and practical strategies associated with an artistic approach to learning. The session will operate on two levels: firstly, it will consider how all subjects can help to nurture artistic skills that might otherwise be lost and, secondly, it will demonstrate how Art can in turn be used to enhance learning in all curriculum areas.

Keeping up with the Khan Academy - Richard Vine An exploration of the implications of new Apps and online schools.

Introducing rewards to Inspire older students - James Gregory This will not be the answer to all your prayers on this difficult area, but a sharing of good/bad practice. I will take you through a new initiative we have done with our Year 11 at Torquay Girls’ Grammar School which seems to have worked well for the first part of the session, and for the second part delegates will be asked to share experiences of good reward systems for key stage 4 and 5 that they have seen/implemented.

Motivating both high ability and Low achieving girls. Everyone matters - Prue Bendell Do we really know how to engage girls in the same way as we do with boys? Is it the same for all subjects and abilities? What strategies work best for teaching girls well? Come along to this session to find out current research in this area and also how schools are tackling this issue. We will also be brainstorming some practical solutions for getting girls more involved in lessons, looking at the idea of ‘flipped learning’ in particular.

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SWAT Mastering the Dragon event 3rd July 2014 Programme for the Day Timing

Length (mins)

Detail

9.45 am onwards

Registration & Coffee

10.20 am

Introduction I Anderson

10.30 am - Keynote 1

Keynote Address 1 - Sir Steve Smith Vice Chancellor Exeter University

11.10 am

Questions - Chaired by Andy Baker Headteacher Poole Grammar School

11.30 am

12.10 pm

First round of workshops Workshop A Coffee

12.20 pm

Second round of workshops Workshop B

1.00 pm

Buffet lunch

1.40 pm - Keynote 2

2.20 pm

2.35 pm

Keynote Address 2 - Tom Sherrington Headteacher KEGS Questions - Chaired by Bob Owers Headteacher Churston Ferrers Grammar School Third round of workshops Workshop C

3.15 pm

Comfort Break

3.20 pm

4. 00 pm

Fourth round of workshops Workshop D Refreshments, Networking & Departure

To book use this web address http://tinyurl.com/mdteachinglearning

Mastering the Dragon | A Teaching and Learning Conference