Abbs Cross School and Arts College.

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Abbs Cross School and Arts College
commitment to opportunity and excellence
Abbs Cross School and Arts College
Charting New Territory National Conference
Birmingham 2007
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Abbs Cross School and Arts College
School Background
commitment to opportunity and excellence

• 850 11-16 co-ed comp. LBH East London
• Arts college on fourth attempt!
• GCSE 5 A - C grades
• 02 50 03 60 04 75 05 76
  06 70 07 75 (42)
  (48) (56) (58) (57)
  (57)
• IiP, CharterMark, ArtsMark Gold, SportMark
• SSAT clubs 70, most improved, value-added
• Ofsted Nov 04
• very good school with many excellent features
• Associate Head and Mentor School

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Abbs Cross School and Arts College
commitment to opportunity and excellence
Personalised Learning gateways

Learning to learn
Curriculum
AfLearning
Workforce

Organisation
New technologies
Student voice
Adviceguidance
Mentoring
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Abbs Cross School and Arts College
DEEP LEARNING
commitment to opportunity and excellence

DEEP EXPERIENCE
Mentoring and Coaching Advice and Guidance

Design and Organisation Workforce reform
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Student Voice - Aims

• Aims
• To provide a method of encouraging students,
  irrespective of their gender, ability,
  background, or ethnicity to become actively
  involved in decisions about their own learning
  and empowering them with appropriate ways to do
  so.
• To ensure that the learners themselves are
  involved in decisions about how, what and when
  they learn, with whom and the type of environment
  in which this occurs.

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First Steps

• It was recognised that we wanted a consistent
  approach to teaching, learning and the learning
  environment.
• Students to be involved in school improvement
  strategies and co-construction of policy making
  with teachers.
• Organisation based around existing good practice
  where students and staff were already
  successfully involved in school improvement
  together.

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Organisation of Student Voice
Students will engage with teachers in pursuit of
personalising learning through an analysis of
effective teaching Championed by Mr Franceschi
Progress and Development Voice
Teaching and Learning Voice
Students will explore their role in effective
learning and develop strategies to support
progress and development, addressing their
responsibility in dealing with transgression from
an accepted code of conduct. Championed by Miss
Barnes
Students will recognise and contribute to
developing a 21st Century Learning
Environment Championed by Miss Pilling
Environmental Voice
Student Voice Executive
Each focus group will have 3 representatives plus
Head Boy and Head Girl. They will meet regularly
with HM, LT and Governors. Championed by Mrs
Washington
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Student Training

• If students are to have such a real impact and
  direct involvement in policy making, then they
  need to be properly prepared and trained.
• A student voice of 92 students must be truly
  representative of the 840 diverse student
  population. They therefore needed to be trained
  in research skills as well as other generic
  transferable skills. These skills are useful
  across the whole curriculum and for lifelong
  learning.

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University of East London
We approached UEL for training and a
collaborative project is now in place.

• 92 students from Abbs Cross visited UEL for the
  day.
• Introductory session on research and ethics.
• 3 voices linked with 3 different UEL tutors to
  listen to students experiences.
• The Best Learning Experience environment,
  behaviour, teaching and learning.
• How can the students discover what is needed and
  what is going on in their own school?
• What do the students want to achieve out of this?
  

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Blue Voice Teaching and Learning
Since our trip to the University of East London
Blue Voice have

• Using the skills learnt at UEL we were invited
  to chair a discussion at a Teaching and Learning
  meeting. We wanted to ask our teachers the same
  question What makes a successful lesson?
• We collected all their ideas on to a mind map and
  discussed the different teaching methods with the
  teachers in the meeting.
• Executives met with Mrs Washington and Mr
  Franceschi and looked for common themes that
  arose in the work that the students did at the
  university and the teachers contributed to in
  school. We devised a lesson charter In all
  lessons at Abbs Cross teachers will aim to

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Lesson CharterIn lessons at Abbs Cross, teachers
will aim to

• Build a relationship with the students in the
  school that is based on mutual trust and respect.
• Include a variety of creative and practical
  activities.
• Challenge students according to their individual
  needs.
• Use the unexpected to the lessons advantage be
  prepared to be flexible and use humour where
  appropriate.
• Keep teacher talk to a minimum. Break up long
  explanations with opportunities for students to
  contribute.

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Lesson CharterIn lesson in Abbs Cross, teachers
aim to

• Make a considered judgement about seating
  arrangements and group dynamics.
• Share the point of the lesson and the assessment
  criteria with the students.
• Start with an activity that encourages students
  to think.
• Provide students with a variety of learning
  techniques in order to cater for different
  learning styles.
• Involve everyone in the lesson and speak to them
  by name.

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Skills we used

• How to think critically about what makes a good
  lesson.
• Reflect on the range of views of both students
  and teachers.
• Interpretations of our own lesson experiences to
  identify good teaching strategies.
• Develop empathy skills views of teachers.
• To see issues from the teachers perspectives.
• To engage in informed discussion and debate.

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Green Voice-Environment
Since our trip to the University of East London
Green Voice have

• Using some of the skills that we learnt at UEL
  we devised a questionnaire for every student in
  the school to complete. We wanted to seek student
  opinion on the learning environments that they
  visited throughout the week.
• They were asked to rate the room according to
  whether the environment helped them learn, had no
  effect or actually hindered their learning.
• They then had to identify any aspects of the
  environment that they found had a positive effect
  on their learning.
• We analysed the data from the questionnaire. We
  compiled a Learning Environments charter. We
  work best in an environment that has

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Learning Environments CharterWe work best in an
environment that

• Has interesting displays - Posters, pictures,
  notices and student work that are freshly
  updated, colourful, relevant, fun and helpful.
• Has fresh cool air We feel comfortable when not
  too hot or too cold. Classrooms that smell can
  make us feel uncomfortable.
• Has blinds on the windows Blinds should work so
  that we can see the interactive whiteboard,
  monitors and televisions.
• Is free from clutter A tidy, well organised
  classroom, where we can find the resources we
  need to have space to work.
• Has fresh, brightly coloured walls We like a
  variety of colours around the school and clean
  classrooms.

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Learning Environments CharterWe work best in an
environment that

• Has modern, comfortable furniture Classroom
  layouts that can be changed, and chairs and
  stools that are comfortable.
• Has ICT facilities Interactive whiteboards that
  can be seen and computers for our own use.
• Has a clock An accurate clock that we can see
  helps us pace our work.
• Is free from interruptions We can be disturbed
  by noise from corridors or on the fields or from
  other staff coming into our lessons.
• Has clear lighting If natural sunlight isnt
  available, then artificial light should be bright
  and bulbs should work.

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Skills we used

• How to think critically about what makes a good
  lesson.
• Interpretations of our own lesson experiences to
  identify elements of the learning environment
  that help our learning.
• To examine issues of bias and opinion.
• To learn that compromise is sometimes needed.
• How to carry out an investigation using a
  questionnaire.
• How to make sense of data.
• How to disseminate information to others.
• How to formulate proposals for action.

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Red Voice
Since our trip to the University of East London
Red Voice have

• Each red voice form representative recorded all
  incidents of learning behaviour that had occurred
  in one week that had helped students learn.
• Red voice executive members met with Mrs
  Washington and Miss Barnes and identified common
  examples of student behaviour that helped
  learning. They then compiled a Behaviour Charter
  At Abbs Cross, students will aim to

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Behaviour CharterAt Abbs Cross, students will
aim to

• Build a relationship with the adults in the
  school that is based on mutual trust and respect.
• Treat each other in the way that they would wish
  to be treated themselves.
• Accept responsibility for their conduct,
  contribution and response to learning.
• Listen carefully.
• Follow the instructions of the teacher.

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Behaviour CharterAt Abbs Cross, students will
aim to

• Ask questions at an appropriate time and in an
  appropriate manner to aid their understanding.
• Make a positive contribution in every lesson.
• Help other students where possible and if it is
  appropriate.
• Use time effectively make every moment count.
• Avoid causing or being influenced by any
  distractions.

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Skills we used

• How to think critically about what makes a good
  lesson.
• Interpretations of our own lesson experiences to
  identify elements of student behaviour that help
  our learning.
• To examine issues of bias and opinion.
• Responsibility.
• How to listen to others.
• How to relate to other students.
• Issues connected with the ethics involved in
  discussing other students behaviour.
• How to disseminate information to others.
• How to formulate proposals for action.

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The Debrief

• Meeting with Head Master, Leadership Team,
  Chairman of Governors, School Bursar, UEL
• Other students are kept updated through
  assemblies and form times.

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SUCCESS!! Our Student voice has already made a
difference.

• Our former School Council was unpopular few
  students wanted to be a member. However Student
  Voice has really changed this. Our forms are
  really interested in what we do.
• We now understand about different styles of
  teaching and learning we recognise what a fully
  personalised school will mean.
• We feel our teachers respect our suggestions and
  ideas.
• We feel we can work co-operatively with everyone
  throughout the school.

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SUCCESS!! Our Student voice has already made a
difference.

• We have become closer to our peers of different
  age groups.
• We have interacted and shared views with the
  school governors and the bursar.
• We have had a more important role in the
  decision-making around the school.We have
  composed three Charters which will be in our
  pupil diaries and visible in every classroom, as
  well as on the school website.

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Where the school goes now

• Charters displayed around school, diaries, web
  site. Staff meeting and letters home. Student
  Voice to monitor and evaluate the success of
  their implementation.
• Blue School lesson observation form changed.
  TL group continue their work.
• Red e-behaviour introduced. Student behaviour
  judged against red charter, then recorded and
  monitored electronically. Student suggested
  rewards and sanctions.
• Green All school maintenance and new building
  works decided with reference to green charter.
  Classroom paint colours, blinds, air
  conditioning, location of stock cupboards,
  clocks, furniture and even colour of patio
  bricks!