Developing practice through collaboration: Cross-phase Inset

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Developing practice through collaboration: Cross-phase Inset

Olympus Academy Trust

Bethan Owen: Assistant Headteacher Bradley Stoke Community School

Carolyn Tipler: Assistant Headteacher Abbeywood Community School

Mel Willcox: Deputy Headteacher Meadowbrook Primary School

Aims of this session: To share ways we as a MAT collaborate to raise standards

and outcomes, using our recent Cross-phase Inset as a

case study

To share ways of working through the challenges of

collaborative approaches

To give you time to think about and discuss your own

academy perspectives and where you are with

collaborative approaches

To answer any questions you have about all of the above!

The Olympus Academy Trust

Bradley Stoke Community School

All-through Academy. NOR. approx 1130+

2005: Opened as an 11-16 school, Y7 entry only, filling up year by

year. Innovative practice and flexibility

2009: Full section 5 Ofsted: Outstanding

2010: P16 centre opened on site, accommodating 200+ students

2012: Academy Conversion, joined OAT.

2013: Full section 5 Ofsted: Good

2015: Primary phase was opened and we became an All-through

academy. Currently have reception class only, filling up year by year.

Ongoing challenge of maintaining momentum and driving up

standards and outcomes

Meadowbrook Primary School Large primary (470+ children) in centre of Bradley

Stoke Categorised as a leafy suburban school Demographic shifting Were previously an RI school (based on historical

data) judgment & data wiped on conversion Joined OAT in January 2015 - to build strength in

school, strengthen community links, support development beyond Y6

PresenterPresentation Notes2 form entry breach in numbers in 2013 & 2014 (so have 3 classes in Y1 & 2)Not really leafy suburb pockets of deprivationDemographic shift -> increase in EAL, autistic (or traits), drop in PP due to universal FSM

Charborough Road Primary School

NOR: approx 235 Mixed catchment area in Filton 2010: Full section 5 Ofsted: Good 2014: Interim assessment: Good 2015: Academy Conversion, joined OAT to build strength in

school, strengthen community links, support development beyond Y6

AbbeywoodCommunity School

11-18 Academy. NOR: approx 900

Truly comprehensive intake

2010: closure of Filton High School . Move into new

building: opening of Abbeywood Community School

Special Measures

2012: Academy Conversion, joined OAT. The poor

relative? Collaborative approaches essential in supporting

school improvement

2014: Full section 5 Ofsted: Good judgement in all areas

Ongoing challenge of maintaining momentum and driving

up standards and outcomes

Methods of collaboration

SLT pairingsRegular 1-1 meetings

Joint leadership meetings

Peer learning walks

Common themes and approaches to ensure parity, whilst retaining uniqueness and individual autonomy

Joint CPDInset/Twilight/ Meetings days

alignedJoint faculty meetings

TeachmeetsLeadership programmes

ModerationConcorde partnership meetings

Big speakers for Inset

OAT Lead PractitionersEnglish (ACS/MPS)Maths (BSCS/MPS)

Science (MPS)Developing assessment across

the primaries/secondaries

Year 5/6/7 Moderation

Cross-phase InsetMore to follow..!

PresenterPresentation NotesSharing best practiceBuilding capacitySupport

Table Discussion:Share with delegates from a different school to you:

The ways in which you currently collaborate with other schools

The impact this currently has

The ways in which you would ideally like to collaborate

The impact you predict this would have

Impact so far ACS: dramatic improvement in quality of L&T and student outcomes since

joining OAT: Rigour and accountability

Greater pool of best practice

Deploying practitioners with specific skills across schools has supported

improvement of weaker teaching

Having an opposite yields more ideas than working alone: great source of

support

Healthy competition!

NEXT CRUCIAL STEP: we now have primary partners. What can we learn from

them? How can we strengthen transition? How can we ensure we dont crush

independence and a curiosity for learning? What is a students primary

experience actually like?!?

PresenterPresentation NotesLast bullet point, to be discussed later!!

Cross-phase Inset

Two back to back Inset days:

Meadowbrook and Charborough Road

on the 4th October

ACS and BSCS on the 5th October

To ideally include lesson drop ins, book

look, student voice

Where to begin?!?

Identify the RationaleMeadowbrook: to better understand what happens to our students

(majority go to BSCS) in KS3+ how are they doing?

did we adequately equip them for high school?

what skills do they use/need?

what can we/BSCS do to improve their educational journey?

to build knowledge of alternative key stages curriculum,

delivery, expectations

to understand changes to the curriculum and assessment

& how it might affect us

Identify the RationaleACS:

Literacy/Numeracy: gaining an understanding of new KS2

curriculum. Understanding how grammar is taught and

what students are expected to understand

What level of independence is apparent? How is this

fostered?

How are high expectations promoted and achieved?

What approaches to pedagogy could inform the way we

teach?

How can we better prepare out students for transition?

PresenterPresentation NotesTalk about Charborough Road focus

Identify the RationaleBSCS:

What is covered in the new KS2 curriculum, literacy and

numeracy in particular, and how does this impact us at

Secondary?

How are high expectations promoted and achieved?

How do we address the Y7 dip and ensure that we are

pitching our lessons appropriately?

What approaches to pedagogy could inform the way we

teach?

What does learning look like over a longer period of time?

Identify the Rationale

Table discussion:

What myths/stereotypes do

primary/secondary schools have of each

other? Why might these exist?

Debunking the myths: a key part of the rationale!

Logistics: It made us go arrrgh initially!

Initial meeting: Executive headteacherPrimary headeachers/deputiesL&T leadsLead practitioners

PairingsPossible fociLogisticsIdentifying next stepsCarving up responsibility!

Paired meeting: Primary headeacher/deputyL&T leadLead practitioner

Establishing specific fociDetails of logisticsIdentifying next steps

Planning at individual schools TimetableGroupingsBook LookStudent VoiceCapturing next steps

PresenterPresentation NotesShare inforamtion packs

Organisation

Primaries

asked to see English, Mathematics (all staff) and the range of subjects

taught in primary.

Vulnerable groups & SEN were also observed.

Primary Head & Deputy spoke with ex-students from every year group

(including post-16)

All staff looked at ex-Mbk books

Secondaries

came in three groups (staggered over morning)

looked at primary books

Spent time in classes across the school to see a range of ages/provision

Timetable9.00 - 9.30

9.30 - 10.00 (follow the teacher, rather than the class) 10.00 - 10.30

Teacher Subject Class Room Teacher Subject Class Room Teacher Subject Class Room

1Mr Bragg Maths 8MY2 G36 Mrs Murphy English Y13 Eng Lit PF8Miss Colquhoun Art Y13 F30

2Mr Jones Maths Y12 PF9 Miss CavillDrama/English 9X/11B3 G15/G59 Miss Nattress Ethics Y12 F40

3Miss Peacock Maths 8MY1 G70Miss Ricketts English 10B1/11B2 G57 Mr Davies Geog 7R F29

4Mrs Murphy EnglishY13 Eng Lit PF8 Mr Bragg Maths 8MY2/7S4 G36 Mr Marshall Science 10FAR F47

5Miss Nowik English 10B2 G69 Mr Jones Maths Y12 PF9 Mr Moir History 7Y F51

6Miss Ricketts English 10B1 G57Miss Hopkins Music 9Z/9B F18/F12 Mr Bent Maths 7MS1 G60

7Work scrutiny N/A N/A Mr Craig English 10B4 8B3 F22/G75 Mr Bragg Maths 7S2 G368Mr Burnell PE 10PX2 PE Mrs Benson English 10B3/8B1 G67 Mr Jones Maths Y12 PF99Mrs Hyslop CRS 9G F29 Miss Lane English 11B1/8B2 G59/G37 Mr Smith Maths 7MS3 G5810Mr Sharp PD 8BRE G43

Miss Field (NQT) Maths 8MY3/7MS2 G68 Miss Cavill English 11B3 G59

11Mrs Morgan Maths 8MY4 G58 VariousVG meeting None G2 Mrs Partridge English 8B4 (SEN)F24

12

Miss Field (NQT) Maths 8MY3 G68 Mr Hill Science 10 Ein F37

Mrs Wolstenholme English

11B4 (SEN) F22

13Duncan Craig IT 7O G39Miss Peacock Maths

8MY1/Y11 (SEN) G70/F28 Miss Lane English 8B2 G37

Table discussion How well do you think your staff currently

understand how children learn in their feeder primary/secondary schools?

What do you think the benefits of cross phase inset could be for your school?

What would need to happen to make it logistically possible?

What did Meadowbrook learn?

Staff increased their awareness of KS3/4 provision and were impressed with many elements lots of myths were busted!!

Questions were raised about:how we support children to build general

independence (self-management & organisation, homework, coping with changes yearly!)

how to maintain expectations.ways to better share practice displays,

questioning, skills, use of mobile tech, expectations & breadth of vocabulary.

curriculum content need to develop better understanding at all levels

PresenterPresentation NotesNote childrens responses about timetable changes simple fixes in primary (possibly)Use of skills how can we help secondaries so what we have achieved is not wasted (hard given number of feeder schools)

What did BSCS Learn? That we sometimes underestimate what our

Y7 pupils are capable of That we could use our TAs more effectively

for intervention Even our most cynical members of staff

loved going in to primary schools and seeing the enthusiasm of learners

What has surprised you most about your visit?

What practice have you seen that you

would like to try with your own classes?

How might this INSET be linked to your

own priority areas for development?

Can you think of any ways we can work more effectively in

partnership?

What do BSCS want to find out more about?

Phonics Teaching writing and grammar, Kung Fu

punctuation Hot and cold writing, using whiteboards to improve

writing Handwriting software Extended starters including modelling Project learning Scaffolded and chunked group work Effective use of learning environments Use of devices, QR codes Effective use of TAs in lessons

What did ACS Learn?That the Guided approach could be a crucial classroom intervention strategy

PresenterPresentation NotesBroad themes: each faculty has reflected on implications for their planning/practice (give examples?)

What did ACS Learn?A consistent approach in providing students with resources and training

them with how to use these resources will foster greater independence

PresenterPresentation NotesLinks back to Guided approach

What did ACS Learn?

That we currently pitch Year 7 Science too high in terms of the

practical experience we assume they have

PresenterPresentation NotesPicture has nothing to do with Science but I like it

What did ACS Learn?

That lots of our displays are a bit rubbish

What did ACS Learn?That staff absolutely LOVED going into a

primary school!

That providing engaging and meaningful stimuli for CPD generates fruitful discussion that

motivates and re-energises staff

What did ACS Learn? That communicating with each other across

faculties about key students could facilitate high expectations and consistency across all subjects

That some anxiety around transition comes from logistical issues: money, buses etc

That we need to be clearer about the rational with teams

That we need to establish how feedback will be shared across schools

PresenterPresentation NotesIdeally all, but underperforming at Yr 7 as a starting point

What now?De-brief meeting held between all those present at initial meeting

This is Cross-phase Inset part 1!

Keep momentum going staff were keen to keep visiting, share

practice, SWAP!

Use primary & secondary leads to continue to strengthen

practice & knowledge, following up from key themes arising

Teachmeet

Another INSET -> visit other primary/Secondary schools

Make simple changes in Y6 & Y7

Review faculty pledges: what has been achieved? What is the

impact?

Questions

Have we addressed your post its?!?

bethan.owen@bradleystokecs.org.uk

Carolyn.Tipler@abbeywoodschool.com

mel.willcox@meadowbrookprimary.co.uk

mailto:mel.willcox@meadowbrookprimary.co.ukmailto:mel.willcox@meadowbrookprimary.co.ukmailto:mel.willcox@meadowbrookprimary.co.uk

Developing practice through collaboration: Cross-phase InsetDeveloping practice through collaboration: Cross-phase InsetAims of this session:Slide Number 4Bradley Stoke Community SchoolMeadowbrook Primary SchoolCharborough Road Primary SchoolAbbeywood Community SchoolMethods of collaborationTable Discussion:Impact so farCross-phase InsetIdentify the RationaleIdentify the RationaleIdentify the RationaleIdentify the RationaleLogistics: It made us go arrrgh initially!OrganisationTimetableTable discussionWhat did Meadowbrook learn?What did BSCS Learn?What do BSCS want to find out more about?What did ACS Learn?What did ACS Learn?What did ACS Learn?What did ACS Learn?What did ACS Learn?What did ACS Learn?What now?QuestionsHave we addressed your post its?!?