Leadership in education: promoting the active participation of students in the school environment.

Why do we want to promote the active participation of pupils in the school environment?

1. Pupils are more motivated and want to learn.

2. They become independent learners.

3. The school environment is a more pleasant and positive place to be.

4. Develops and promotes proactive citizens.

The contextKey information● Junior school – Pupils aged between 7 and 11.● Four Year groups.● Three classes in each year group.● 30 pupils per class.● Approximately 360 pupils.● 14 teachers● One head teacher.● One deputy head.

The English inspection system.• Ofsted (government department).• Groups of inspections.• Inspectors evaluate the school in different areas, e.g. teaching.• Categories - 1 outstanding

2 good

3 satisfactory

4 unsatisfactory

• Schools rated ‘good’ are visited every 3 to 5 years, ‘satisfactory’ schools every 3 years, ‘unsatisfactory’ schools are monitored termly and ‘outstanding’ schools complete paper audits.

Areas in which we involve pupils in their own learning.• Curriculum• Assessment• Behaviour• General life of the school

Curriculum

1. Learning walls

2. Kagan structures

Curriculum.

• 1. Learning walls• Themes, e.g. the Ancient Egyptians, the Vikings, India. • Subjects, e.g. Numeracy, Literacy.• Pupils discuss the topic before starting and formulate questions.• The teacher displays the questions on a special display which

wall we call a ‘learning wall’.• The teacher uses the questions to plan lessons.• At the end of each lesson, pupils stick up answers to the

questions.• There are variations on the walls and no ‘right or wrong’ way. It’s

whatever develops over time.

1. Learning walls.

Examples

1. Learning walls.

Examples

1. Learning walls.

Examples

1. Learning walls.

Examples

1. Learning walls.

Examples

1. Learning walls

Advantages

•These are displays of pupils’ learning.

•The pupils feel they have decided on their own learning journey.

•It shows progress as each question is answered.

2. Kagan structures.

● Pupils sit in groups of four.● The teacher has to sit the children by ability (these are their places for all lessons except Numeracy).● During the lesson the teacher uses the structures to ensure that all pupils are interacting with one another.

Lower ability pupil

High-ability pupil

Higher-middle ability pupil

Lower-middle ability pupil

2. Kagan structures.

● Rally Robin – pupils go round making an oral list.● Timed pair share – pupils have one minute to answer a question or talk about a topic while their partner listens, then they swap.● Rally Coach – pupils work in a pair on a task, taking turns to complete tasks and supporting each other.● Quiz-quiz-trade – pupils walk around the room with a fact to teach someone else. Each time they stop they teach one another their facts, then move on.

Lower ability pupil

High-ability pupil

Higher-middle ability pupil

Lower-middle ability pupil

2. Kagan structures.

Advantages•The majority of structures are designed to increase the participation of pupils and the degree to which they cooperate.•Time saving.•It promotes teamwork and pupils feel as though they are ‘in the same boat’.•Each pupil is responsible for his or her contribution as an individual..•All pupils participate regardless of ability.•Many pupils involve themeselves simutaneously.

Assessment

1. Learning cheques.

2. Effective marking – ‘green pen questions’

1. Learning cheques

• Learning cheques can be used anytime during a lesson.

• They are used to explain what a child has learnt that session.

• Children also write an example of their learning and they think about their next steps in learning.

What have I learnt today?

Example of my learning:

What is my next step in this learning?

Assessment

What have I learnt today? Explain.

Example of my learning.

What should I do next?

2. Effective marking – ‘green pen questions’

• Traditional marking involved putting a tick or a cross and a comment e.g. well done.

• With effective marking, teachers leave the child a question in their exercise book to answer next lesson.

• We do this using stickers but it can be a written comment.

2. Effective marking – ‘green pen questions’

Well done on your letter about Ancient Egyptian food! Which food have you never tried? Would you like to?

Well done finding fact families! Which X and ÷ facts do you know from 7 X 4?

Finish this simile: The monster was as green as…

2. Effective marking – ‘green pen questions’

2. Effective marking – ‘green pen questions’

Behaviour.

1. Behaviour policy.● We talked to our pupils about different types of behaviour.

● Pupils put these types of behaviour into the following categories: low, medium and high.

● Pupils decided on what the appropriate sanction should be, depending on the level of the behaviour.

2. Behaviour policy.

Advantages•When using the behaviour system, teachers can remind children it was they who designed it.•This is the same when dealing with parents. •Children know exactly where they stand and what the consequences are for poor behaviour. •It is fair and consistent.

2. Class contract.

Class ContractIn 3Z we promise to: 1. be kind to each other.2. work hard.3. try to get to school on time.4. wear the correct uniform.5. always tell the truth.6. keep our classroom tidy.7. read for 5 minutes each night, Monday to Friday.8. hand our homework in on time (Wednesday).9. practise our spellings.10.respect other people’s property.11. use good manners.12. try and listen to each other and our teachers. Mr Harrison promises to:1. treat everyone equally and fairly.2. try and make lessons interesting.3. mark our books in time for the next lesson.4. reward good behaviour and follow the behaviour policy if children misbehave.

• At the start of the year, pupils think of what they should put in their class contract.

• They do this in their Kagan groups.

• The teacher then types up the sugestions they want to include.

• The teacher puts what they will try to do.

• Everyone signs it.

2. Tree of positive

and negative

adjectives.

• At the start of the year, pupils think positive and negative adjectives to describe people.

• They do this in their Kagan groups.

• The teacher can refer to this throughout the year.

General life of the school1. School council

2. Jobs

3. School newspaper

4. Houses

5. Gardening club

6. Ofsted – pupil questionnaires.

General life of the school

1. School council• At the start of the

year, each class elects a school council representative.

• Children nominate themselves and then the class votes in secret.

• Each week the school councillors meet with the head teacher to discuss how we can improve our school.

General life of the school

1. Jobs• Pupils at Light Oaks

are encouraged to volunteer to do jobs around school.

• This instils in them a sense of responsibility and self esteem.

• These jobs are considered to be very prestigious by our pupils and they take great care in carrying them out.

General life of the school

3. School newspaper

• Pupils joined a special ‘newspaper’ club run by one of our teachers.

• They wrote articles and interviewed people in our community.

• The newspaper was then sent out to parents.

General life of the school

4. Houses

• Each child is a member of one of our houses: leopards, cheetahs, tigers and panthers.

• Each house has two house captains – they are older children.

• Children earn house points as a positive means to reward good behaviour and good work.

General life of the school

4. Houses

General life of the school

5. Gardening club

General life of the school5. Ofsted – pupil questionnaires.

• When Ofsted visit schools, they give the children a questionnaire.

• Questions include: ‘Do you feel safe?’, ‘Do you know how you can improve your learning?’, ‘Do adults listen to you?’

• The inspectors use this to help write their report.

Opportunity for questions.