Pedex Issue 12

This issue‌

Issue 12.

June 2017

The CHALLENGE issue How can we share ideas and support our more able students?

NACE

RESOURCES

A valuable resource and network that enables teachers to attain the best from able learners.

Ideas, materials and techniques that will allow you to put strategies into practice within your own classroom.

Pedagogy exchange - steeped in practice

Challenge Jacqui Fowkes

Introduction to challenge

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FSTED produced a report in 2015 that claimed a number of schools were not doing enough to support their most able students and that students at some non-selective secondary schools were failing to achieve their potential.

However, in March 2017 All Hallows’ provision for our Higher Achieving students was celebrated as we achieved the NACE Challenge Award.

NACE (National Association for Able Children in Education) is an organisation recognised both nationally and internationally providing support, guidance and training for schools. “The NACE Challenge Award is a recognised tool for more able school self-review and improvement for all.”

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The NACE Challenge Award is a recognised tool for more able school selfreview and improvement for all

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The assessors praised the college for “demonstrating high ambition and aspiration for all students” and that “provision for MAT students is continually improving.” During the assessment they visited a number of lessons and commented on the “extremely positive climate within the classrooms which is conducive to good learning and hard work.” We were praised on many aspects of teaching and learning including: High expectations for all students, engaging, challenging and varied differentiation of activities which promote in-depth learning, innovative approaches to learning (e.g. flipped classroom), flexible groupings in the classroom, questions which challenge and develop students thinking and a consistent marking and feedback policy which supports the students in making progress.

In this issue you will see examples of these and hopefully find some useful ideas and strategies that you can take back to your own classroom!

Links www.nace.co.uk (email Jacqui Fowkes for login to access member resources) www.pixl.org.uk (huddle – A* resources) Twitter:

@naceuk

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enables students to extend their knowledge on the subject

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Sarah Davies-McCumaskey

English

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he English department approach challenge across KS3 and KS4 through a range of stimulating strategies that promote independence and critical thinking.

Could you integrate these into your practice?

Edmodo Share high mark answers with sixth form and Yr.11 students. Wider reading links and shared research projects can be accessed by students independently as well as providing links to blogs and podcasts which can enable students to extend their knowledge on the subject.

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share their knowledge and understanding and at the same time allowing for a deeper understanding

Patricia Lockwood

Business Studies

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ne of the strategies we use within the Business department is to use high achieving students as lead learners. We have found that using lead learners to help explain tasks and disseminate information gives the lead learners the opportunity to share their knowledge and understanding and at the same time allow for a deeper understanding as they do so.

It’s often the case that the other students within the group will ask the lead learners questions, making them think on their feet and more critically.

We have also found that if the lead learners are used to speak to the whole group they gain in confidence, not just in their knowledge but in their ability and willingness to speak in front of the group.

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Lucy Gowing

PE: The RED ZONE

PE

have been trailing what we call RED ZONE with all of the pupils across KS4 and KS5. This activity is designed to help them improve the quality and structuring of longer questions with higher marks. We will set a focus on a particular topic within the lesson and then give students a set period of time to work on a question to answer independently.

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helps students to make a staged approach to remembering key information or processes in science

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Jenni Needham

Science

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n the Science department we have been using Foldables as great way to help students with their learning. Many high achievers find them an interesting way to revise as they are developing their own questions and they allow them to be creative in their revision by producing clues that are personal to them.

The basic principle is to use a sheet of paper which is folded to produce a flap, the best examples will have two flaps. On the outer flap students should write out a question, on the second flap students should then write a clue, this helps students to make a staged approach to remembering key information or processes in science. I always allow students to choose their own questions but will often provide question stems to encourage higher level thinking and avoid simple recall questions.

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‘‘ Jacqui Fowkes

Challenge in Maths

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ear 8 Buddies Every Thursday morning during form time a group of our HA Year 8 students take part in problem solving style maths questions with the help of year 13 Further Mathematicians. The year 8 students work through maths problems requiring them to problem solve and think outside of the box!

Questions on the new GCSE specification combine multiple topics together and have a larger problem solving element, so the skills students develop during these sessions are vital in achieving the highest grades!

The year 8 students also gain an insight into studying Maths at A-Level and get support and advice from older students. The year 13’s also learn important skills in coaching and often find it challenging to explain seemingly simple (to year 13 Further Mathematicians anyway!)

Mathematical concepts.

The year 8 students gain an insight into studying Maths at A-Level

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C

onvince Me Rather than matching together ‘Question and Answer’ cards, in a ‘Convince Me’ task the cards are already matched except that there are errors for students to find.

Students must find a given number of errors by checking through the matched cards carefully. You can design the errors to target key misconceptions and really challenge students thinking. Students must then explain WHAT error has been and HOW it can be corrected.

As an extension task you can ask students to write a hint sheet for the person who completed this piece of work and made the errors. Or, you can ask students to design their own ‘Convince Me’ and test the rest of the class with it!

A score chart is updated every session as students complete problems and prizes are given out at the end of each half term.

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gaining knowledge from an industry expert acting as a mentor.

Katherine Lee

Art, Design and Technology

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he ADT department combines a range of strategies and ideas to help students to stretch themselves and access new opportunities and ideas. Experiential learning helps students to gain confidence in their ideas and develop their understanding

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A recent visit to Yorkshire Sculpture Park excited students and provided context for the work they were investigating. By taking students on visits to museums and Galleries students can experience Art outside the classroom.

Where possible workshops are arranged at the galleries to allow students an alternative learning environment.

In Design Technology tasks involving computer software are set with extra tools and techniques introduced to add more challenge for high achieving students.

Industry links

Design Technology students have taken part in the Siemens Rollercoaster challenge which allows them an opportunity to compete with other schools and gain knowledge from an industry expert acting as a mentor.

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Jo Pridding

Performing Arts What could you use tomorrow? Next week?

Next Term?

Image taken from the NACE 2015 photography competition for Primary and Secondary pupils

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