C U R R I C U L U M
C O G S
M O D E L L I N G
G O L D E N
T E A C H E R A W A R D S
Q U E E R
T H E O R Y
Q U E S T I O N
L I K E
A
B O S S !
A N D
M U C H
M O R E !
contents Hello FROM OUR HEAD I am pleased to introduce another cracking edition of the TLC newsletter. It's hard to capture all the excellence that goes on at FGCS but our Easter edition gives a pretty good flavour. Enjoy articles from our brilliant trainees all the way to our senior leaders - you are in for a real FGCS treat!
Thahmina
The Curriculum Cogs
3
Shofiquez Zaman
Modelling in Science
5
Hapsa Firthous
Queer Theory
6
George Hayward
SLANT, Covid and Headless Chickens
7
Toby Holloway
Question Like A Boss
8
Marzan Ahmed
BETT Awards 2021
10
Professional Development Project
11
Michelle Smiley
Lesson Wowsers
12
Bouncing Over Barriers
13
Syed Abbas
JP Leader Award
14
Igniting Aspirations Virtually
15
Iman Mahmud
Golden Teacher Award
16
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The Curriculum Cogs Shofiquez Zaman, Deputy CEO ‘I used to love studying Design and Technology at secondary school. So much so, I chose it as part of my GCSE Options. One topic I thoroughly enjoyed was learning about the gear system (I know, it’s sad…), which probably explained why I also loved playing with Lego Technic. It was then that I first came across the concept of the ‘driver’ gear, the ‘idler’ gear and the ‘driven’ gear. The next time I used this knowledge was when I studied for my Engineering degree and today I’d like to use it to explain to you how we approach our curriculum design and delivery. Stay with me here – I promise I’m going somewhere with it…
In the pursuit of improving ‘teaching and learning’ For far too long we have heard educators talk about ‘improving teaching and learning’. But if we dissect the terms ‘teaching’ and ‘learning’, they imply WHAT is being ‘taught’ and ‘learnt’ is standards-aligned, it is content-rich and it supports effective research-based
The Driver gear represents the Intent: ‘the matter
pedagogy. That is how the John Hopkins School of
meant’ the ‘what’ & the ‘whys’.
Education has defined ‘quality curriculum’. As school leaders, we must come to the realisation that ‘what’
The Idler gear represents the Delivery: ‘the matter
is taught is as important as ‘how’ its taught. They
taught’ and ‘how’
both need to be given its due importance and be treated as an inseparable whole. But ultimately, it is
The Driven gear represents the Achieved or impact:
the ‘what’ that should come before the ‘how’.
‘the matter learnt’
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THE DRIVER GEAR
THE 'DRIVEN' GEAR
The ‘driver’ gear is responsible for imparting motion. It
The driven gear represents the desired output; it is the
is usually connected to a power source that transmits
product of the power from the idler and the driver. In
power to the other gears connected to it. In our
our analogy, it becomes ‘the matter learnt’.
analogy, the driver gear epitomises our curriculum ‘intent’; ‘the matter meant’ -the ‘what’ and the ‘whys’. In
In the context of CST, the ‘driven’ gear would mean the
the context of Community Schools Trust, we can place
following:
the following in this category: 1. All the ‘assessment for learning’ strategies that we 1. Whole school overarching curriculum principles: this drives our whole school curriculum design and how its implemented. 2. Subject-specific curriculum rationale: outlining why
employ to check for understanding throughout a lesson. 2. In-school summative assessments assess students’ learning on the basis of expanding domains.
subjects have taken decisions to sequence their
Students are not only assessed on what they have
curriculum in a particular way. I have provided an
just covered but what they have previously covered.
example of our Maths rationale here. 3. A strategic long term plan (LTP): five year
3. This would be cumulative in nature. 4. Through the DPR, our reporting is real-time and
sequenced maps of what students will learn in each
formative in nature. Students and parents are able
pathway (X, A, B, C, D and S). Read here to
to know exactly the extent of their learning and
understand more on our approach. 4. A mid term plan (MTP). Our MTPs are essentially a detailed unit plan, which typically lasts between two to six weeks.
exactly what they need to do to progress. 5. GCSE results achieved at the end key stage 4 START WITH THE CURRICULUM This is our main driver and has enabled us to make
THE IDLER GEAR One of the main functions of the ‘idler’ gear is to help the connected ‘driven’ gear to rotate in the same direction of the driver gear. In our case, the idler represents our curriculum implementation: ‘the matter taught’ and ‘how’ it is taught. The idler therefore becomes the following: 1. Our Dynamic Progress Reporting (DPR) online system. The aid of technology has allowed us to make our curriculum intent transparent and practically accessible to teachers, students and
rapid progress in raising standards across the schools in our trust. This is also one of the reasons why we have been successful in our approach to remote learning. We ensure our teaching and learning continues to be aligned with our curriculum plan. We have not deviated from our original intent, despite the challenges. As a result, on average over 86% (and improving) of our students across the trust have attended their virtual lessons, with over 90% logging into their DPR more than 5 times a week. It is a real testament to the incredible job our teachers are doing.
parents. This has taken our curriculum and assessment delivery to a whole new level. 2. Our CST lesson framework, based on the work of Rosenshine, Hattie and others. 3. Our curriculum booklets allow us to standardise the content identified in our long term plans. 4. Our home learning is explicitly linked to key objectives within long term plans.
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MODELLING IN SCIENCE Hapsa Firthous, Science Teacher
Much of the content in science cannot be physically seen and so models are a significant tool in the science classroom that help represent, describe, explain and reason about the material world. There are so many different ways to model. 'Scale' modelling I usually ‘scale model’ which is part of dualcoding and it's all about presenting work with visuals or diagrams to support written learning material. Scaffolds For me, when I deliver through live modelling, it gives a scaffold which ensures my explanation is accurate and concise. I have found drawing material helps embed it in the short term memory for easier later retrieval and doing so not only avoids cognitive overload, but helps avoid a wall of words and reassures students that content can be accessed.
It’s also been great in OneNote to be able to live model exam questions. This allows students to see how to formulate a paragraph or a mathematical response as shown in the images. It also allows teachers to question students and get their input. There is nothing more empowering for a class than seeing their teacher do what is expected of them. Application to new task Modelling is about showing and applying. One mistake that I first made is that I simply made students copy the model without allowing students to apply the learning from the model in a suitable context. I now know to always give an opportunity to apply the modelled ideas in a separate task. Overall, a model helps to clarify thinking and resolve understanding. To check if your modelling has been a success, pupils should be able to describe the model in their own words, identify limitations of the model if there are any, create and evaluate their model and apply the model to tasks. Page 5
QUEERoryy r o e h e T h T
George Hayward, English Teacher
George Hayward, an Early Career Teacher in the English department, lead a virtual lecture this month which intertwined his passion for literature, Queer Theory and Teaching and Learning. Here George shares his interest on Queer Theory and its importance in the curriculum.
During my time as a student, I often felt a lack of inclusivity in the curriculum I was studying. Reading great classics and beloved page turners such as To Kill A Mockingbird and Lord of the Flies, I found myself wondering why none of these stories were about people like me. When I reached university, I discovered Queer Theory and I was mindblown. Not only were there stories about people like me, but there were academics studying and rereading the texts I grew up with and held dear through a lens of queer understanding. One such text was Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde so when the opportunity arose to deliver a lecture on it at Forest Gate Community School, I was overjoyed.
Queer Theory aims principally to challenge heteronormativity: the assumption that heterosexuality is the default state of being. It digs into the structures of understanding within art, literature and society and dismantles them. This is an important area of theory as it provides visibility. It allows students of all backgrounds and identities to see themselves in the curriculum they study. It shows them that they are seen and that different people exist. There is a lot of talk about ‘acceptance’ of LGBTQ+ peoples and while acceptance is a great first step, what we need is celebration and understanding. The teaching of Queer Theory and narratives provides this understanding and promotes the celebration of all our students and their identities. The session was received well by staff and students alike. I was able to offer the session twice, firstly to the staff of the English department and secondly to our year 10 students. Staff were engaged with the topic and felt that Queer Theory provides another framework of understanding to utilise in our classrooms. It provides another tool in our analysis toolbox to dig deep into language and encourage our students to be critical thinkers. Similarly, students in my year 10 class that attended the session found the subject “refreshing and interesting!”
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SLANT, C OVID AND HEADLESS C HI C KENS REFLE C TION OF AN NQT. TOBY HOLLOWAY, GEOGRAPHY TEACHER While this last year has been a tumultuous and strange one for most people, it was certainly no different for me. From finishing my PGCE, to enduring the first lockdown, moving to London and beginning my NQT year, the last twelve months certainly haven’t spared any big life events. Here are my reflections on an NQT year like no other…
I shouldn't have got my hopes up. Back into another lockdown and another round of remote teaching, I felt frustrated that the progress I had made could be stalling as we all adapted to the latest school closure. A focus on refining my explanations proved very valuable, as giving explicit and direct instruction became even more important when delivering a lesson through a screen.
To say I was a bit apprehensive before embarking on my NQT is probably an understatement. A new city, six months since I stood in a classroom, and a completely unprecedented set of circumstances meant that what limited experience I had gathered during my disrupted PGCE year would probably be of little use. Nonetheless, I was genuinely excited as the start of the new school year represented (without sounding too cringey) the start of a new journey. The first few weeks of September were spent in the same way most NQTs probably spend them running around like a headless chicken just trying to hold things together. The constant feeling that I was doing many things terribly was balanced out by the feeling that I was learning quickly, each day survived another small victory. As the weeks sped by in a blur of one-way systems and SLANTing, the headless chicken feeling reduced, and I began to feel that I was making real progress. Under the brilliant guidance of my mentor, Eloise, I focussed on improving one thing at a time: first my behaviour management, then my questioning, then my explanations, and so on. This approach was incredibly valuable to me, as it helped me narrow my focus and worry less about being brilliant at everything straight away. As I sat on the train back to Cornwall for Christmas, I had a vague feeling of satisfaction buoyed by the thank you cards and gifts received from some of my students and a much stronger feeling of exhaustion. While I was certainly ready for a break, the autumn term had been full of positives, and I was already looking forward to spring term...
I am now so glad to be back at school, although that feeling of apprehension that I had at the start of September is there again as we get ready to welcome our students back. There is one main difference this time though. The relationships I have made with students and staff and the experiences I’ve had during my NQT year so far have given me confidence, resilience and adaptability that mean I’m ready for the next challenge. #WeAreFGCS Page 7
QUESTION LIKE A BOSS! Marzan Ahmed, Assistant Headteacher Questioning is, without a doubt, an essential aspect of the teaching method. However, if you're going to ask three million questions in your career, it's probably worthwhile to ensure you're asking the right ones in the right way. This article will focus on "real-time" acts taken from the work of Doug Lemov and “Teach Like a Champion” that teachers should take "before the bell rings." After the class, teachers will use a range of summative assessments, to assess how much their students have learned. But, before the students leave the classroom and the lesson is done, what strategies can be used to figure things out sooner? This is critical because misconceptions don't just persist; they also snowball, becoming more ingrained. Recognising and addressing them as soon as possible prevents them from worsening.
REJECT SELF REPORT Replace functionally rhetorical questions with more objective forms of impromptu assessment. Common teacher errors “Who doesn’t understand?” “Everyone know what you're supposed to be doing?” “Any questions? - Ok, moving on…”
Highly unreliable A formality - whether students understand it or not, they almost always say they do, particularly in groups. Result is we get little if any data when our instincts are telling us we should be assessing. If our questions are not directive, they have no reason to draw students’ attention to the many things they should know.
Finally, the way we often pose these questions—with a fraction of a second's notice; a willingness to embrace silent acceptance without testing; even a look of relief when we get silent assent because we really just want the green light to continue—indicates that we aren't expecting an answer. Students learn not to speak up.
TARGETTED QUESTIONING Ask a quick series of carefully chosen, open ended questions directed at a strategic sample of the class and executed in a short time period. Common teacher errors "OK, now that we’ve reviewed plate tectonics, is everyone clear on the differences between the various plate margins?"
Effective questioning OK, so let’s make sure we’re clear on the differences between the various plate margins. Gary, what does a subduction zone tell me about the plate i’m looking at?...Good, and why does the oceanic plate subduct, Ali? … And what hazards may occur at this plate margin, Hanna? Good; it sounds like we’re ready to move on.
You may choose a few key points of transition in your lesson and plan in advance to insert a round of questions. Plan in advance for key points of transition Take less than a minute or two Gauge mastery accurately with speed Sample strategically
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Delivering targeted questions should take less than a minute or two. The main objective is to accurately assess mastery, but pace is important because teachers who will assess mastery quickly can search for understanding regularly during their lessons. Sample strategically - by being deliberate about who you guide questions to, you can optimise how much you learn when you ask targeted questions. Ideally, you'd call on your best approximation of a statistical sample by asking 5 or 6 questions - 2 students who are typically in the middle, two who take a little longer, and one high flyer. When you call on a group of students who more broadly reflect the range of ability in the class, you get a sense of not just what the students you call on know, but also what the students you didn't call on are likely know.
COLD CALL Selecting and calling on less-forthcoming students Students who volunteer to answer a question are more likely than those who don't know the answer. If you only use volunteers to check for understanding, the results will still show that the news is better than it is. You'll need to normalise the concept of selecting and calling on lessforthcoming students - cold calling - to see what they know. Predictable: Since students are aware that a cold call is possible, cold calling will help to foster a culture of committed responsibility. The possibility of it happening creates anticipation, and the more likely it is that students will be Cold Called, the more they will expect and be engaged. Systematic: Cold call all types of students, not just those whose interest may be called into question, and pepper the questions throughout the class.
Positive: You want students to get the answer correct when you make a cold call. You must be rooting for success in your heart; if you aren't, your cold might be a "gotcha" - summoning a student when you know they are tuned out in order to chasten them. One of the advantages of Cold Call is that students are occasionally surprised by their own skills. They refuse to volunteer because they do not believe they are capable. Unbundle: Unbundling questions, or breaking up larger questions into a series of smaller questions and distributing them to different students, is one way to increase the participation ratio in Cold Call. If you choose it, you can have a fast-paced, energetic environment. Hands up or hands down? - Specify no hands up when you want to cold call. Or it confuses your attention as the teacher.
NO OPT-OUT A sequence that begins with a student unable (or unwilling) to answer a question should end with the student answering that question as often as possible.
3 - Teacher calls on another student, or an entire class, to answer the question 4 - Teacher calls on the original student to repeat the original answer
1 - Teacher asks a question and calls on a student
3 - Teacher rewords the question 4 - Student answers the question. Repeat steps 3 and 4 as needed.
2 - Students doesn't answer, or answers incorrectly.
Related reading Teach Like A Champion, Doug Lemov
3 - Teacher provides a hint to guide the student towards the answer 4 - Student answers the question. Repeat steps 3 and 4 as needed. 3 - Teacher breaks down the question into smaller parts 4 - Student answers the smaller parts Page 9
DYNAMIC PROGRESS REPORT
The Dynamic Progress Report (DPR) has been shortlisted
The DPR not only empowers teachers and school leaders
for the BETT 2021 learning, teaching and assessment
during the ordinary school day, it has also been
award that helped students remain on track with their
instrumental in Forest Gate Community School during the
studies during school closures and lockdown has been
lockdown.
nominated for a prestigious award. It has allowed teachers to continue teaching the school During school closures, the online platform has been
curriculum, carry out high quality teaching and learning
particularly useful because it monitors student progress in
and, in return, achieve a high level of student
real time to ensure that they are keeping up with their
engagement and motivation.
learning and assignments. Student attendance has been above 80 per cent which is In 2019, DPR was nominated in the Innovators of the Year,
significantly higher than both the private and the state
and Leadership and Management Solutions categories at
school average. Over 90 per cent of our students across
the BETT awards, which recognise excellence in school
the Community Schools Trust log into DPR more than five
ICT.
times a week. It's been nothing short of a game changer.
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT To develop teachers' ability to independently manage their own continuing professional development, teachers undertake a termly project embedding strategies from their own research and whole school CPD program to reflect and improve their practice. Here
Michelle Smiley, Deputy Headteacher, reflects on her PD Project on student engagement.
GOAL
STRATEGY & RESEARCH
MEASURE OF IMPACT
To front-load means of
Teach like a champion strategies:
There is not any calling out
participation and scaffolding to
Means of Participation
DPR reflect progress for all
discourage pupils shouting out and
Ratio
pupils
to ensure every voice is heard
Wait time
All pupils know what is
Cold Call
expected of them All pupils join in
REFLECTIONS WEEK 1-3 For years,I have been throwing my questions out like a shooting star which has led to many voices overlapping in my lessons and therefore, the need to SLANT the class again. Unfortunately, virtual learning meant this bad habit did not have the same chaotic effect. However, I used this as an opportunity to embed front loading means of participation on my slides and through my verbal instructions. Cold calling was an issue in the first few weeks so I decided more scaffolding and positive praise was needed to get more pupils involved
WEEK 4-8 In the 4th week of virtual learning, I introduced the quickest finger for a merit with the frontloading of “in the DPR chat” or “on the google slide” or “on jam board”. The merit reward encouraged higher participation. Also, I built up to the task they were being asked to do. For example, I would get the whole class to highlight a quote they felt was appropriate for the question
but
also
added
that
they
MUST
be
able
to
justify
why.
By
having
this
as
a
whole
class
activity,
pupils
became
models for other pupils and this then enabled me to be able to cold call anyone. I also instructed everyone to type why in the chat without pressing enter during the thinking time. I then cold called pupils and the responses were much better. Having made a lot of progress virtually, I started to think about how I could be better in the classroom. Since the start of the lesson sets the tone, I decided I wanted to focus on cold calling after my starter
WEEK 10-16 Moving back into the classroom, made me feel like I was back at square 1 again. Again, I fell into the habit of asking a question without stating the means of participation. So I decided to challenge myself with bite size steps: Firstly, I zoomed in on my starter. With a memory focus, it is expected that all pupils should attempt all of the questions. At the start, I decided to front-load my instructions and also be clear that ANYONE could be asked to respond. Since enforcing this, my starters have had very few pupils calling out. Having felt success with my starter, I moved onto quote explosions with the aim to scaffold before I ask questions. I delivered the information in small chunks. The first task would be a quote finder with a clear time. After slanting, I would randomly call with no opt out. If a pupil did not have a quote and had not asked me for help, their name would go on the board. The key message being, I am here to help so you can’t opt out of participating. The next step would be me modelling with the class (we do) how to explode and then moving onto you do, followed by questions. The next area I would like to work on is my questioning when I feel there has been a whole class misunderstanding or misconception
IMPACT
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, I have found my transitions better as
I need to rehearse otherwise my target does
front loading has become habitual and it has
not become habitual
led to clear expectations between tasks.
When challenging myself to change bad
Also, the clarity of instructions has helped
habits, I need time to practise these habit
improve my pace. I still need to consider
changes.
questions which allow me to go off topic with my class. I have started scripting myself to say “please come and speak to me after school and we can have this discussion” or “I will be addressing this after this activity”.
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L E S S O N
WOWsers Mr Hutchinson Modelling - clear use of Mark scheme to support students metacognition through the modelling process.
Ms Liukineviciute Excellent focus on independent writing, guided by specific modelling of material and key prompts
Ms S Begum Very clear modelling of a difficult concept broken down into steps. I love how you regularly checked for understanding.
Ms Chowdhury Excellent routines, front loading instructions and good use of timers.
Ms Mehsana
Ms Sheth You cold called on students to answer every part of the teacher and student example - this eliminated misconceptions and it meant that you were able to confirm prior knowledge of the topic.
Mr M Ahmed Your use of the visualiser to present student work, providing them with live feedback which also acted as a fix it for the rest of the class.
Mr Firthous Really good engagement and AFL with the class. Great use of cold calling
Ms Tariq
Ms Bergin Such clear instructions were given at each step of the lesson. Routines have clearly been established as each student knew exactly what was expected of them as they entered the classroom.
Mr Bray Excellent "no-opt out" strategies with students that may have not known the answer by coming back to them after peppering questions across the class to check for understanding.
Mr Shanmugav Excellent engagement in lesson and use of scaffolding sheets to help students understand difficult concepts.
Ms S Ali
Excellent SLANT seen. Great use of front loading; instructions were very clear and students got on with the work immediately.
When you spot a common error you insist on 100% undivided attention.
Ms Costello
Ms Bateman
Questioning was challenging but you Excellent projection of voice and broke down the grade 9 topic to exaggerated performance. All eyes make everyone feel it is achievable, are on you! there was a buzz and your links to the real world gave context.
Your explanation was clear which was evidenced by a student being able to explain clearly what to do when asked.
Mr R Price
Ms Swartz
Instructions are precise and concise and you reiterate expectations and you check for understanding. You encourage students to SHAPE their responses.
Ms Smiley Questioning was fast paced and effective and the whole class was encouraged to participate in the discussion. Pupils responses were valued.
Superb use of the visualiser to model and chunk information into small steps. Well done for pre-empting misconceptions and checking for understanding. Page 12
BOUNCING
OVER BARRIERS "We saw the situation at hand, we taught outstanding lessons and we conquered the hearts and minds of our students!" SYED ABBAS, PE TEACHER Our motivation Research suggests that there are numerous benefits of exercise on the mental and physical well being of an individual. Especially during lockdowns, what we have faced as a nation, it is even more important that we are exercising and staying healthy. So what are the benefits? To name a few they include the following: exercise has been proven to reduce stress levels, reduces anxiety as when you exercise your body releases endorphins which lift your mood , reduces the risk of depression, improves social wellbeing, it increases one's self esteem and finally it boosts brain power to be more specific it improves the cognitive functions which include decision making and learning. These were just some of the benefits, but you can clearly see the direct advantages of exercising, and how it can impact all other aspects of a student's learning. Therefore keeping students active during the lockdown has been a huge motivation for us in the PE department. Variety and engagement As a department we all rose up to the challenge and approached it head on. Firstly we created a wide variety of different lesson topics. No two lessons were the same. These ranged from a tough Spartan workout to our most recent Snakes and Ladders workout. All the lessons were designed to try and engage our students to join and be active during such a difficult time. As a team we designated ourselves to lead different lessons each week, which meant students were continuously refreshed with a new face and style of teaching as well. If you were lucky enough to drop into one of our lessons you would have witnessed an energy driven, highly enthusiastic teacher leading out students not only in the workout itself but also the theory part of the lesson. We asked a lot of questions and got pupils to turn their mics on to answer, as well as using the DPR class chat. We used DPR polls, Jamboads and Kahoot to give students exciting and meaningful tasks to complete. The essence was to use a lot of praise and encouragement.
#StayAtHomeChallenge Each week a member of the department set a 'Stay at home challenge' which students had the option of completing using everyday household items. This made it very competitive amongst the different halves of the year groups in the form of a leader board as well as students wanting to beat the score of the teacher who set the challenge to begin with! The effort and engagement of the students did not go unnoticed; we gave out prizes for active participation and submitting outstanding work. The prizes ranged from footballs, basketballs, volleyballs to table tennis bats and balls. This made students very competitive as they raced to get their names on the 'athlete of the week' announcement - the winner of which would receive the prize. Keeping in touch The ability to collaborate with staff members on Google Meet and keeping in contact with our students via the DPR really helped to keep the community connected during this lockdown. As a department, I do not believe we have ever done so much team teaching but it has been really fun and inspiring as we all bounced ideas off each other and grew as a team. I would like to point out that the PE department made the most phone calls home from any department in the school! These included calling home to get students to join the lesson, as well as lots of positive phone calls home. We found parents and students really appreciated this, as we took out time to ensure that our students were engaging as well as staying on track with their learning. It was also a great opportunity to check up on students and see how they were doing in regards to the lockdown and their lessons across the board. Continuous improvement Every lesson was recorded, giving us the opportunity to reflect and continuously find ways to improve. The PE department had an excellent rate of attendance and submissions and the stay at home challenges were a fun, engaging way to keep pupils active at home. However all of this would not have been possible without the shared support and enthusiasm from all members of the PE department. #WeAreTeamPE! Page 13
J
D
HEY LEADER A C T E WA P K R AC
Julie Burman Facilities Manager Everyone knows Julie and Julie knows everyone. Everyone needs Julie but Julie doesn’t need anyone because she is SuperWoman. She is a wonderful and treasured member of staff here at FGCS who our Student Council nominated as School Leader last term. Read her nomination below.
Julie has worked in many roles at Forest Gate Community School over a number of years. She deserves this very special award because she always goes above and beyond her role to ensure the safety and happiness of all students in our large secondary school that is growing in capacity.
Julie attends countless meetings and works very closely with all stakeholders to ensure the safety of our students. This is particular credit this year due to her management of a huge extension to the school that was completed this year.
Students feel safe and this gives them the opportunity to flourish and reach their potential. One Student Councillor recently commented ‘Miss Burman has acted on all of our feedback in relation to improving the school and the new build. This makes us feel that we are valued members of the school community’.
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When I took over the Prestigious Colleges applications in November 2019, I planned out a comprehensive scheme that would include trips to prestigious institutions and visits from representatives. In November, I had a group of 30 Pathway 2 Excellence (P2X) students who were unsure about what they wanted from the next two years. So I started speaking to them in groups and individually; I gave them personal statement masterclasses and explained what they could get out of the programme. I planned to sit down with each of them and figure out what their dream was and how they could achieve it. And then we went into lockdown.
IGNITING ASPIRATIONS Iman Mahmud Pathway 2 Excellence Lead
Like many schools across the country, we have had to adapt quickly in the face of unprecedented change. Leading the Prestigious Colleges programme at FGCS, I had to think about how I could continue to raise student aspirations and expose them to the vast and multifaceted world of opportunity within their reach without actually seeing the students face to face. So I adapted our meeting structure and we started to have weekly or fortnightly meetings as a group. However, this was not enough. The students still did not have a clear enough idea about what they wanted from a potential college. That is when I came up with the idea for Prestigious College Q&As. So far, we have had three virtual Q&A sessions - one with NCS, one with Westminster School and one with Eton. I made a point of taking notes during each session and encouraging the students to do the same. The students prepared questions in advance and had meaningful discussions with heads, deputy heads and past students about the benefits of each institution. We had debrief sessions after each Q&A where we weighed up the opportunities offered at each school and students expressed their interest and concerns. Through these discussions, I had the pleasure of watching the students go from being unaware of the opportunities at their feet to seeing them become vocal in the demands and preferences from institutions. It is now March 2021 and I no longer view lockdown as an obstacle to my plans. By adapting my approach, I have seen the students grow and thrive. I have always known that our students are exceptional. They are blisteringly smart, articulate and relentlessly curious. But now they are also able to scrutinise their options with pinpoint accuracy. They know what is out there for them. They know what they want. It gives me great pleasure to know that in September 2021 four of our students will have been offered paid places to fee-paying sixth forms Chigwell School, Essex, and City of London College, with fees of £38,000 and £36,000 respectively, over two years. Both took two students. Each had to come through a rigorous selection process including N Oentrance M A D I C exams | 24 and interviews – often taking place online because of Covid.
Bright future: Farzana, Adam, Michael and Dhruv
Page 15
GOLDEN TEACHER AWARD Some of the nominations Ms Ajayi
Ms S Ali (Sci)
Mr P Collins
Ms Ajayi always gives in depth feedback which always helps me improve my work. I feel like I am constantly learning during her lessons.
Her courage and determination is an inspiration to us all.
Ms M Davies
He has been our cover teacher for most of the year so far and has made the lessons feel as if he is our teacher.
Mr Collins is always willing to help us no matter what and during the toughest of times, he always reminds us that in life, “pain is inevitable, suffering is optional”. These wise words have always and will always stay with me.
With the days short and moody, it's really hard to stay motivated with my work but Miss M Davies always makes the lesson fun and an enjoyable interaction.
Mr Denny
He is very good at explaining things with great examples.
She always ensures we understand something before we do it. She is always such a positive person.
Ms A Ahmed
Ms Sergeant
Her lessons are really fun as well as informative. She also encourages us try our best no matter what our pathways are to excel our/her expectations.
Helps me and other to understand and help us improve our writing skills
Mr Batasi
Mr Grant He always makes lessons fun but engaging by encouraging interesting discussions in the classroom.
Mr Hamid He always helps us and whenever someone felt sad he always made us feel better and everyone knows that people can talk to him.
Ms Czakman She always encourages us to do our best in art and to always try our best. She is very supportive of our work and she always loves our art even if we don't.
Ms Shah
Mr Turpin So patient and always calm and fun, his way of teaching makes me really intrigued into the lesson.
Ms Lloyd
Ms M Ali She is an amazing teacher that helps no matter how many times she explains it.
Ms Byrne She is incredibly hard working and she always pushes our class to do their best.
They always help me when I am stuck and take me for a walk when I get stressed.
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WE'RE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE
GOLDEN TEACHER AWARD
AS VOTED BY THE STUDENTS
Hapsa firthous Winner of our Golden Teacher Award. The student body overwhelmingly voted for Ms Firthous to win the Golden Teacher Award. Ms Firthous has been busy going above and beyond for her students and it has not gone unnoticed, as one stated “Miss demonstrates a high level of commitment and dedication towards educating her students”. Teaching like a real champion, Ms Fithous’ students felt confident in their teacher’s ability to ensure no student gets left behind, as another student can attest that Ms Firthous is ’...very happy to explain things again and is always kind to us”. Lastly, Ms Firthous’ passion and dedication to her students even translated to their online learning as she ‘...always keeps up a positive energy within her and spreads it to us as well, she makes the lessons at school fun and manages to make the lessons online fun and exciting as well.’
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