Pedagogical newsletter issue 7 february 13

Hill West Primary School Issue 7, February 2013

Pedagogical Newsletter – February 2013 Learning Profiles Thank you for recently completing the learning profile with your child and returning it to school. We want to involve you in the setting and checking on your child’s learning targets so that we work in partnership to ensure rapid progress across the curriculum.

In this issue: Learning Profiles Mathletics ATLP KS2 Tests School Direct Elongating Learning Outstanding Teaching BLP – 17 Capacities Leading Through Values

Mathletics Children in Hedgehogs have been enjoying a free trial of an interactive ICT Mathematics programme called Mathletics. Using this programme teachers can set assignments for the class or groups within the class that they need to complete before moving on to a new feature.

The children can work to achieve a bronze, silver and gold certificate and bonus points are awarded when

children challenge themselves on harder levels. The live feature of this programme allows children to compete against children all over the world. This feature develops ‘quick fire’ basic number knowledge. Children can access the programme at home or in school and Hedgehogs have been extremely enthusiastic. As such we have decided to purchase the programme whole school and will be measuring increased levels of mental arithmetic.

ATLP

Reminders: We break up for half term on Friday 15th February and all children return on Monday 25th February

The ATLP (Arthur Terry Learning Partnership) had its first staff training day on 7th January 2013 where approximately 500 teachers and support staff members from across our six schools joined together to hear from our Executive Head Teacher, Sir Chris Stone and then take part in a variety of workshops / seminars designed to improve pupil achievement.

The workshops / seminars were

delivered by staff from across the partnership and our staff led on the following. Mr George – understanding pupil data; Mrs Munro – Art in the Primary Classroom; Mrs Hull – An Entitlement for All, activities for pupils across the partnership; Mrs Leeson – coaching and mentoring as a tool for staff development; Mrs Page and Mrs Patter - encouraging reluctant writers in EYFS and KS1.

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Glossary of Terms Pedagogy – the craft of teaching ATLP – Arthur Terry Learning Partnership BLP – Building Learning Power EYFS – Early Years Foundation Stage BCU – Birmingham City University Elongating making longer, extending Equality concentrating on removing discrimination, creating a fairer society Diversity Recognising and valuing difference.

About creating a culture that recognises, respects, values and harnesses difference for the benefit of our school.

KS2 Tests A new statutory test of English grammar, punctuation and spelling will be introduced for children in Year 6 this year. This implements a recommendation of Lord Bew’s independent review that writing composition should be subject to teacher assessment only, with the more technical aspects of English being externally marked via a test.

The introduction of this new test reflects the Government’s beliefs that children should have mastered these important aspects of English by the time they leave primary school, and that appropriate recognition should be given to good use of English throughout their schooling.

The test will assess levels 3-5 of the current KS2 English National Curriculum programmes of study for English. A separate Level 6 test will be available for schools that wish to enter children who are expected to be working above level 5 in May this year. The tests will assess children’s abilities in the following technical aspects of English:  grammar;  punctuation;  spelling;  vocabulary; and  handwriting Although grammar, punctuation and spelling skills will be assessed using a statutory test, this doesn’t mean that we will teach it separately from composition. Good teaching ensures that children are not only able to learn the rules of grammar and punctuation, but are able to apply them in meaningful contexts. For children with dyslexia or other special educational needs we have the ability to issue a scribe or additional time.

School Direct Primary PGCE We are really excited that inLP time will be spend partnership with the Arthur Terry Teaching School Alliance and BCU we are recruiting and training 8 primary teachers.

The recruitment is already underway and 5 of the 8 trainees have been identified. The programme will begin in September 2013 and participants will finish their training at the end of the summer term 2014. This training route gives the trainees an additional 30 days in school meaning participants will spend a minimum of 120 days in a school setting. Some of their

in BCU and their assignments will be accredited by the University.

The training programme is currently being tailored by a group of staff from each of the schools involved.

It is anticipated however that the participants will have two long term teaching practices in two different schools; will spend some time in Arthur Terry focusing on transition from KS2 – KS3; spend time at Springfield Special School understanding more about children with complex behavioural needs; and join together for weekly CPD sessions in each of our schools.

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Building Learning Power The 17 Capacities Absorption – being engrossed.

Managing Distractions

– reducing interruptions. Noticing – sensing what's out there. Perseverance – not giving up.

Questioning – asking questions of yourself and others. Making Links – making connections. Imagining – using the mind’s eye.

Reasoning –logical and rational skills Capitalising – use of a full range of resources. Planning – working out learning in advance. Revising – being flexible, changing your plans.

Distilling – drawing out the lessons from experience.

Meta learning – knowing yourself as a learner.

Interdependence – learning on your own or with others Collaboration – the skills of learning with others.

Empathy and Listening –

contributing to others’ experiences Imitation –picking up

habits and values from other people.

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Elongating Learning In a recent edition of the TES (February 8th, 2013), I was drawn to an article by Mike Gershon that explored the importance of stretching and challenging all pupils.

In much of the outstanding teaching I have seen in school the teacher has sophisticatedly stretched and challenged every pupil so that their learning is deep and sustained. For Gershon there are three key areas through which teachers can make this happen. Planning - is the content sufficiently challenging for all pupils?

How close is it to what they already know? Does it include conceptual and concrete material? Lesson Structure and Pace - Gershon asks us to think about the worst training session we have ever attended. It is likely that time dragged and there was no sense of purpose. This is what teachers need to avoid and some simple questions help them to do this. Why are we doing this? What am I expecting pupils to do at each point in the lesson? What is the optimum amount of time for each activity?

High Expectations - this means expecting all pupils to be able to make good or better progress in each lesson. This can happen by encouraging children to reason; to share an opinion and justify it.

Encouraging them to think critically; this involves analysing the issue and reflecting on the best way to tackle it.

Outstanding Teaching

A balance between motivating and inspiring and ensuring every child makes good or better progress

Leading Through Values As part of our leading through values project in conjunction with Oxfam Governors and Staff have been exploring issues of equality and diversity.

Take a minute to think about a footballer; a catwalk model, an athlete; a doctor; a construction worker; an engineer; a beauty therapist; Did you see any of the following?

Stereotyping - the way we view others can often be determined by stereotypes that we have gained through our own experience.