JUNE 2004 : ISSUE NO. 4
    
 
    
      
 

A NEW DEVELOPMENT

  
  

One unexpected spin-off from our Network Learning Community has been a Leadership Conference for staff from the Senior Teams at De La Salle, Sweyne Park and Woodlands to consider KS4 Curriculum.

Fourteen senior staff met to discuss 14—19 issues and how each of the schools might tackle the changing KS4 Curriculum.

It was a very successful twilight event. We all felt that we had extended our thinking and really begun some collaborative learning.

We are all agreed that this is a stimulating way to tackle new initiatives that arrive on the national agenda. We think that we may use the groups as a basis from which to create a national college collaborative learning group in the future.

<KATE SPILLER- SPS>

 

<KATE SPILLER- SPS>

   
SENLC To Redbridge  

  

It all started at one of the King’s College Learning how to Learn project co-ordinator’s meetings. I was teamed up with Tracy Smith, deputy headteacher of Seven Kings, Redbridge to reflect on what we’d done so far and what our next steps would be. It quickly became very apparent that two different schools in two very different areas were focusing in very similar ways on promoting learning. Our school structures were different but the capacity both set-ups created was very similar. Interesting parallels could be drawn and ideas shared readily. Seven Kings is a highly successful 11-18 school in the London borough of Redbridge. The 1100 pupils are drawn from the local catchment and are predominantly Asian. The school is a Science Specialist and is also has Leading Edge status.

<ANDY SAMWAYS - SPS>

    
Later in the year it was on to the NCSL Research Based Lesson Project at Cranfield. Corina Seal and I arrived and got settled into our work group for the morning. Just after we sat down who else turned up, none other than Seven Kings, Redbridge, represented by Tracy Smith and a representative from their science department. So, this time, two days were spent discussing how we might develop our focus together, share outcomes and promote collaboration across networks. We took self and peer assessment as our focus and decided to try to tie it in with emotional intelligence in group work. Corina has really taken this project forward in the last year and has shared outcomes so far with colleagues in school, with Tracy and is set to present at the annual NCSL Network Conference in July.

Given our shared understanding of school priorities and learning focus, Tracy and I have been able to reflect on what priorities we are all pushing forward. Ideas have been ‘bounced’, resources shared and visits arranged. In March of this year Tracy invited me to present at their network’s Assessment for Learning Conference; after a keynote speech from Bethan Marshall from Cambridge I delivered two sessions on Embedding AfL at Sweyne Park School: Futures thinking and CPD.

Tracy has just spent a very interesting day at Sweyne Park and through several informal meetings with a variety of staff involved in Pupils’ Learning and the Training School we were able to plan future collaborations and our next steps to involve pupils from the very different catchments in exciting ventures where they will reflect on their own learning, their immediate environments and cultural backgrounds.

It has been enormously helpful to be able to share ideas, compare processes and reflect on contrasting situations; on the way we’ve been able to suggest short cuts, offer suggestions and provide valuable encouragement!

<ANDY SAMWAYS - SPS>

  
    

Essex Networks Pilot Project

  
  

At the end of February 2004 we held the second meeting of the three Essex Networks pilot project.

  • Billericay Consortium NLC
  • Consortium for Improving Schools NLC
  • South Essex NLC

We met at The Holiday Inn and the aim of the meeting was to develop the national pilot project for NCSL leaders headed by Pete Dudley. The beginning of the project was reported in SENLC Bulletin 3, the article can be found here.

Doug Rowe who is the administrator for CIS accepted the role of administrator for the new pilot project and he will be helping the three groups to develop further liaison. Doug who has an admin office at KEGS in Chelmsford was previously Deputy Head at Chelmer Valley School in Chelmsford.

One of Doug’s key roles within this pilot project will be to produce an extensive evaluation report . We hope that our evaluation will be impressive enough to initiate another years funding for 2005.

<KATE SPILLER- SPS>

 

Doug Rowe spent time with SENLC on 30th April interviewing staff from all schools to evaluate our work so far. This report will be summarised in NLC Issue 5 - next term.