Leadership

Crossing The Minefield To Secondary School

The transition between primary and secondary school is a major educational rite of passage. For many pupils though, it marks the point where they start to fall behind. Martina Veale explores ways in which schools can foster a smooth transition – and why it’s so important.

For many of us, thinking back to our first few days at secondary school can evoke pretty strong emotions – whether that’s worry at meeting the higher expectations of new teachers, or the daunting prospect of suddenly being among the smallest and youngest pupils in a much bigger school environment.

Create an account to read this article

£7.00+ VAT

One-off purchase

Purchase and Download today

Register for free

No Credit Card required

Register for free
Access to 3 free articles
Free TeachingTimes Report every month

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#44038"
  ["title"]=>
  string(46) "A team approach to closing the achievement gap"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(13) "Special Needs"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(47) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/ecjateamapproach/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1523874078)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-44038-0"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(206) "An innovative new programme is aiming to break the link between poverty and poor outcomes by bringing together heads, teachers and TAs from a trio of schools to share best practice. Mariella Wilson reports."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(344) "... the period of a school year. The threestaff are part of a Challenge the Gap Trio – a trio of schools, one of whom, the ‘Lead’school, has been successful in closing the attainment gap between pupil premium andnon-pupil premium students. The other two are ‘Accelerator’ schools committed toclosing the ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(55) "A team approach to closing the achievement gap"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(1) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "crossing"
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(206) "An innovative new programme is aiming to break the link between poverty and poor outcomes by bringing together heads, teachers and TAs from a trio of schools to share best practice. Mariella Wilson reports."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5762) "48Vol 6.3School Leadership Todaywww.teachingtimes.comSchool ImprovementAchievementgapAn innovative new programme isaiming to break the link betweenpoverty and poor outcomes bybringing together heads, teachersand TAs from a trio of schoolsto share best practice. MariellaWilson reports.A teamapproach toclosing theachievementgapThe hunched shoulders and heads of three school leaders are fixed intentlyround a table – they are animatedly discussing 45 small dots plotted on amatrix. They then compare this with a similar matrix completed by the samegroup some three months earlier and challenge each other on why the dotshave moved around the graph.The dots represent 45 pupils who have all been part of a target group of 15 pupilpremium students in three different schools over the period of a school year. The threestaff are part of a Challenge the Gap Trio – a trio of schools, one of whom, the ‘Lead’school, has been successful in closing the attainment gap between pupil premium andnon-pupil premium students. The other two are ‘Accelerator’ schools committed toclosing the attainment gap that exists in their institutions but also have a strong trackrecord of partnership working.What is Challenge the Gap?The aim of Challenge the Gap is to provide schools with practical tools and strategiesto break the link between poverty and poor outcomes and to drive long-termperformance improvement. Working collaboratively, Challenge the Gap is aboutthinking big, starting small and scaling fast to have a far reaching impact and make alasting difference.The programme began in June 2012 when 15 pilot schools across the UK – allpart of the Challenge Partners school improvement network – started to lead triosof schools working in partnership to share what they had learnt about successfully‘closing the gap’.49Vol 6.3School Leadership Todaywww.teachingtimes.comSchool ImprovementAchievementgapThe Lead schooldrives thepartnership with thetwo other schools,identified asAccelerator schools,working togetherover the period ofan academic year.“” At the core of this innovative programme, developed with funding from the Educational Endowment Foundation (EEF), is a layered approach to learning more about why there is a gap and crucially, how that gap can be closed. This is done through a triune of school leaders, teachers and paraprofessionals. The mechanism of how this works in practice has been set out below.The Lead school drives the partnership with the two other schools,identified as Accelerator schools, working together over the period ofan academic year. Each school identifies a target cohort of 15 studentswho are eligible for free school meals (FSM) – now pupil premium.One of the ground-breaking elements of this programme is thatit works on three levels. The first layer involves a senior leader fromeach school who leads on sharing and implementing whole-schoolstrategies that raise attainment and, perhaps most importantly,awareness among all staff. The next level consists of between oneand three teachers – depending on whether the school is primaryor secondary – trialling, evaluating and sharing the most effectivepedagogies that make a difference. Finally, there is the invaluable inputof one or two paraprofessionals. This term has been used by Challengethe Gap to describe an adult working within a school as a teachingassistant (TA), pastoral or learning mentor or perhaps as a librarian orsimilar.50Vol 6.3School Leadership Todaywww.teachingtimes.comSchool ImprovementAchievementgap Central to Challenge the Gap is the workshop programme where six workshopstake place, catering for the range of staff, covering identified themes. These includethe importance of ‘The starting line’, sharing what the research is about the learningcharacteristics of disadvantaged learners, ‘A deep dive into data’ and the ‘Metacognitivelearner’.At the teacher level, workshops are facilitated for half a day and the afternoonsession is organised so that teachers carry out school-based activities including JointPractice Development or Learning Walks, to identify good and emerging practice. Thelearning from this is then developed and enhanced by the Trio to have an impact on all45 students.The third layer is the role of the paraprofessional. These staff have a unique insightinto the complexities of these children’s lives and have the skills, time and relationshipswith the children and their families to support the work of the teachers and leaders inclosing the gap.The paraprofessionals work with some key Challenge the Gap programme toolsthat enable them to track progress on the softer skills for these children.Crucially, inter workshop contact with the staff involved on the programme,whether face-to-face or through email or telephone, continues between the sessions.Key programme tools such as the Pupil Impact Tracker which gathers soft and harddata on the cohort as well as the Plan, Progress and Outcome tool (PPO) enables staffinvolved to have a clear vision and strategy for how they will impact upon this group ofstudents.The pupil premium – Challenges for school leaders1. Allocating pupil premium spend can be problematic – school leaders struggle to balance funds betweenidentified FSM students and other equally disadvantaged students who, for the sake of as little as £20, maynot be eligible for pupil premium. Honing in on making the spend explicit and linked to pupil progress isparamount.2. Understanding the complexities of the different ‘types’ of children receiving pupil premium is a minefield – theissues"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(4) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "crossing"
        [1]=>
        string(9) "minefield"
        [2]=>
        string(9) "secondary"
        [3]=>
        string(6) "school"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(13) "Special Needs"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Special Needs

A team approach to closing the achievement gap

16 Apr 2018

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#42046"
  ["title"]=>
  string(24) "Dyspraxia in adolescence"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(13) "Special Needs"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(55) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/dyspraxia-in-adolescence/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1418303722)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-42046-2"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(246) "Dyspraxia is one of the most missed and misunderstood of all disorders, yet it affects up to ten per cent of all school children. So what do secondary school staff need to know about the condition? Sally Payne explains."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(411) "... other professionals andteenagers themselves so that good practice and strategiesare shared to enable teenagers to reach their potential academically, emotionally andsocially.Supporting teenagers with dyspraxiaSecondary school staff have a key role to play in ensuring that a student’s coordinationand organisational difficulties are recognised, assessed and addressed. When reviewinga student ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(24) "Dyspraxia in adolescence"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(246) "Dyspraxia is one of the most missed and misunderstood of all disorders, yet it affects up to ten per cent of all school children. So what do secondary school staff need to know about the condition? Sally Payne explains."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(2) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "secondary"
        [1]=>
        string(6) "school"
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5619) "primaryschool are no longer effective may find it hard to accesshelp, because younger children are typically prioritised byspecialist health services. There is a lack of clear pathwaysfor assessment, diagnosis and support for teenagers withdyspraxia and many professionals, including GPs, whomight facilitate access to such services are unsure howand where to refer for specialist advice. Even when anassessment and diagnosis is made, resource limitationsmay mean that health professionals cannot offer directintervention. It is vital therefore that information is madeavailable to parents, teachers, other professionals andteenagers themselves so that good practice and strategiesare shared to enable teenagers to reach their potential academically, emotionally andsocially.Supporting teenagers with dyspraxiaSecondary school staff have a key role to play in ensuring that a student’s coordinationand organisational difficulties are recognised, assessed and addressed. When reviewinga student who appears to be underperforming, staff should consider whether theirdifficulties might be caused by an underlying motor problem or difficulties associatedwith verbal dyspraxia. If this is the case then onward referrals should be made for furtherassessment by an occupational therapist, physiotherapist, speech and language therapistor psychologist as per local pathways.As with all students with additional needs, a graduated approach for studentswith dyspraxia is recommended. Quality first teaching strategies can and should beimplemented even before the condition is diagnosed or a young person assessed bya specialist professional. These might include reducing the requirement for writtenoutput without reducing cognitive task expectations, reinforcing verbal instructions withhttp://www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/http://www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/downloads/FactSheets/Provision_of_laptops.pdfhttp://www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/downloads/FactSheets/Provision_of_laptops.pdfwww.teachingtimes.com n Vol 4.6Conditions Every Child Journal45additional written cues to help students with poor short term memory, and considering astudent’s position in the classroom to minimise distractions such as shadows falling acrossthe page or being jostled by people passing behind.Many students with dyspraxia will benefit from targeted support to develop thefunctional motor skills required to safely and effectively use equipment for design andtechnology and science lessons. Being shown how to measure accurately, use a saw orhandle a sharp knife will result in a better outcome which will improve both a student’sgrades and their self-esteem. Many students will benefit from alternative equipment anddifferent ways of doing things. However, it is vital that teenagers are involved in discussionsabout which accommodations are acceptable to them as adolescence is a time whenyoung people are very keen to fit in rather than stand out. Enabling teenagers to analyseand monitor the effectiveness of support strategies is a skill that will be of use to them infurther education and the workplace in the future. If alternative equipment or strategieshave been identified, it is important that the student is able to access these without fuss.This requires good communication between the SEN department, other teachers andstudents themselves.Teenagers with dyspraxia often benefit from targeted help for their organisation andplanning skills. A common accommodation is to provide extra time for assessment andexams, but this is of little benefit if students are not taught how to use this time effectively.In some cases, extra time (and the logistical arrangements that come with it) may not berequired if students with dyspraxia are taught essay planning and time-management skills.Some teenagers with dyspraxia complain that the specific support offered by SENdepartments is not appropriately differentiated for their needs as it is more appropriatefor students with autism or dyslexia. Specific support that may be of benefit to studentswith dyspraxia include teaching touch-typing, memory strategies, self-calming techniquesto better manage frustration and anxiety, and being taught how to handle specialistequipment.Teenagers with dyspraxia are at risk of social isolation because their poor coordinationand slow processing speed make it difficult for them to participate in socially-valuedactivities. Some teenagers are vulnerable to bullying and manipulation by peers who enjoyhighlighting and taking advantage of their weaknesses. Teachers can help by encouragingteenagers with dyspraxia to participate in organised activities at lunchtimes and at break,by supporting a buddy friendship scheme and by offering interventions to help developsocial skills.Case Study: JoeJoe is a 15 year old boy. Alongside his motor difficulties, he has huge issues processing language and following conversations.He cannot remember or follow instructions and misses social cues meaning that he often reacts inappropriately. He also hasperceptual difficulties which results in the world being an unstable and confusing environment.Something seemingly simple to most other people like crossing the road poses major problems for him as he cannotestimate the speed or distance of oncoming vehicles. As a consequence, Joe has a tendency to avoid social outings that arearranged by the school as he finds them extremely anxiety-provoking.A member of staff recognised that Joe was choosing not to be involved in social functions and decided to speak to anotherstudent and ask if he would act as a ‘ buddy’ for"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(2) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "crossing"
        [1]=>
        string(6) "school"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(13) "Special Needs"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Special Needs

Dyspraxia in adolescence

11 Dec 2014

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#38074"
  ["title"]=>
  string(46) "Professional development to improve transition"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(24) "Professional Development"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(66) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/primary-secondary-school-transition/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1279803938)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-38074-0"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(214) "Jane Jones describes a professional development research project to bring about better cross-phase understanding between primary and secondary teachers and improve transition arrangements for their pupils."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(411) "... manytransitions: home to school, infantto junior, play methods to morestructured learning, observation tomore formal assessment and fromthe child’s glorious independence atthe very beginning of school to thedependence that formal schoolingimposes on the children as they grow up. Among thesetransitions, the one from primary to secondary school iscertainly the most ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(46) "Professional development to improve transition"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(214) "Jane Jones describes a professional development research project to bring about better cross-phase understanding between primary and secondary teachers and improve transition arrangements for their pupils."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(1) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "secondary"
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(4717) "34……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Crossing Bridges: professional development to improve transition ■■■■■Jane Jones describes a professional development research project to bring about bettercross-phase understanding between primary and secondary teachers and improvetransition arrangements for their pupils.■■■ IntroductionThis article is about some 20 primary and secondarylanguage teachers coming together to plan evermore effective transition for pupils in one LA. What,however, we are really looking at is about how theteachers developed a better cross-phase understandingfor themselves in a year long project in the schoolyear of 2008-9. This came about as a result of a needexpressed by the LA to improve languages provisionand an invitation to subject leaders to volunteer tobe part of a project. Transition is a well known issue,indeed, primary to secondary transition has been thesubject of debate for some 50 years as teachers andothers in the educational community have been awareof the problems caused by the artificial divide betweenphases at this period of transition for children. In thisinstance of practitioner research, primary and secondaryteachers who met in one school cluster constantly talkedabout the need to ‘bridge the gap’ and ‘cross the divide’.Whilst important for all subjects, continuity is crucial forthe success of cross-phase language learning given thecumulative nature of learning a language and, indeed,its relatively fragile curriculum status.Once the teachers had decided in discussion to movefrom a culture of blaming to a culture of cooperation,the idea of ‘crossing bridges’ was chosen as a metaphorfor their year long project. This developed into a centralstrategic plank in their exploratory research. Whilstthere was an initial element of executive direction andsupport from the LA, e.g. to release funding for coverand to ensure the cooperation of school leadership, theteachers undertook the investigation for themselves. In➜Crossing Bridges:professional developmentto improve transition35……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Research“Secondary teacherstalked of the problemof having to respondto different primaryexperiences and theunknown quality ofthe primary languagesprovision ”the project group of teachers, some were chosen fortheir leadership skills and others volunteered to takepart. My role, as critical friend, was to help frame andmonitor the project, to ask questions and to witnessultimately an agreement to which the teachers wouldcommit themselves for the time after the project hadfinished.■■■ Sharing experiences, ideas andmisconceptionsIn the first phase of the project, the teachers discussedvery openly their own views and, most importantly,experiences on transition, coveringall subjects as well as for languages. Inthis discussion, one primary teacherpointed out that a pupil’s schoollife is punctuated by a great manytransitions: home to school, infantto junior, play methods to morestructured learning, observation tomore formal assessment and fromthe child’s glorious independence atthe very beginning of school to thedependence that formal schoolingimposes on the children as they grow up. Among thesetransitions, the one from primary to secondary school iscertainly the most disturbing since many developmentshappen in the child’s life in this short period of time(including the change of school, leaving friends, theonset of puberty and all that is involved in emotionalchange). For this reason, the primary-secondary divideseems to dominate the agenda transition. A teachervisiting from Sweden, who was part of the discussion,mentioned that there is a transition at a later stagein her country and thus pupils are able to continuetheir schooling in much the same way in the sameenvironment. This was a reminder that transition andits complexities transcend cultures and, indeed, theinternational"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(3) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "crossing"
        [1]=>
        string(9) "secondary"
        [2]=>
        string(6) "school"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(24) "Professional Development"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Professional Development

Professional development to improve transition

22 Jul 2010

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#43957"
  ["title"]=>
  string(24) "New Year’s Resolutions"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(8) {
    [0]=>
    string(19) "ECO Friendly Design"
    [1]=>
    string(24) "Innovative School Design"
    [2]=>
    string(15) "Learning Spaces"
    [3]=>
    string(9) "Materials"
    [4]=>
    string(24) "Rethinking the Classroom"
    [5]=>
    string(23) "Secondary School Design"
    [6]=>
    string(13) "Special Needs"
    [7]=>
    string(10) "Technology"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(54) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/ls41newyearsresolutions/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1517489111)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-43957-1"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(62) "Ten things you should give up in 2018 for the sake of learning"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(359) "... spent on any other activity” he pointed out before chastising the platitudes of inspirational quotes, the potential dependency of subject-specific words and phrases and minefield of selecting students’ work to celebrate.8 The school bell“Bells create the conditions of control and reinforce that students and their learning are ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(5) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(24) "New Year’s Resolutions"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["author"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(15) "Stephen Heppell"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(62) "Ten things you should give up in 2018 for the sake of learning"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5695) "continued, “We live in a device-agnostic world so we should be teaching our learners to be confident across multiple-platforms and should promote a strong BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) culture”. Gary argues that this should be done, “while providing our young people with access to the professional tools such as 3D printing and AI that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. By moving away from ICT Suites, a school will instantly improve the conditions for learning and promote a stronger, more collaborative approach to using technology to aid learning” he argues.6 Small class sizes and grouping by abilityIt sounds so plausible doesn’t it? Small class sizes mean more attention from the teacher. Grouping by ability means those who are struggling get targeted support whilst those who aren’t, are stretched without fear of leaving anyone behind. But the research simply doesn’t support either premise. Indeed when the Institute of Education based at University College London carried out research recently, they struggled to find schools who taught in mixed-ability groups to take part as they didn’t want to be seen as “quirky” or “alternative” by parents. Even The Education Endowment Foundation, the organisation set up by the UK government to promote evidence-based teaching, the practice of “setting or streaming” is listed as likely to have a “negative impact”, on balance, on pupils. The site says: “Overall, setting or streaming appears to benefit higher attaining pupils and be detrimental to the learning of mid-range and lower attaining learners. On average, it does not appear to be an effective strategy for raising the attainment of disadvantaged pupils, who may be assigned to lower groups.”So why do we continue to do it?7 Pinboards Before his trip to Malawi, former Headteacher Mike Barnes took down most of the pinboards in his school. They were really only ever changed when there was an upcoming parents’ evening or school inspection, and they had to be filled meaning some work was there for the simple reason a teacher had a corner to fill. The time taken to create the display, he felt could be much better spent doing something else. By painting the walls white, he used repurposed projectors left over from when they upgraded to interactive ones, and projected a rolling display of work instead. They could be changed in an instant ensuring they remained relevant, and which meant too that learners actually looked at them. David Didau, author of the blog “The Learning Spy” agrees, dedicating a whole piece about classroom display in May 2016: “Time spent gluing things to walls is time which cannot be spent on any other activity” he pointed out before chastising the platitudes of inspirational quotes, the potential dependency of subject-specific words and phrases and minefield of selecting students’ work to celebrate.8 The school bell“Bells create the conditions of control and reinforce that students and their learning are directed by extrinsic forces and can neatly fit into a ‘box’ of time” suggested education consultant, Anne Knock. “Students, and teachers, may be deep in thought, in flow with their thinking and are then jarred into reality when the bell goes. What if they just missed that Eureka moment?” Given that most electronic devices have inbuilt clocks, do we really need obtrusive bells carving the learning day up into bite-size chunks? “Imagine the difference” continued Anne “when the teacher may simply gently remind students of that there are a few minutes remaining”9 Gender-specific, student-only toiletsSurveys across Europe reveal that two-thirds of students do not use school toilet facilities every day and a whopping 80% of them have never gone for a poo at school. Students end up fidgety and distracted whilst the dehydration they’re suffering impacts on cognition. And it’s hardly difficult to work out why. Toilets are traditionally unsupervised due to safeguarding concerns, frequently becoming the school bully’s personal fiefdom. With the advent of smart phone cameras and social media, cubicles and doors that touch neither the ceiling nor floor make it the perfect place for that inopportune photograph to be taken and shared. Students identifying as LGBTQ+ meanwhile give gender-specific school loos a wide berth for a completely different but equally valid reason. “Only crazy people and perverts would build a toilet where the door doesn’t fit” commented Stephen Heppell at ILETC’s Transitions Europe Syposium last September.The answer is unisex fully enclosed cubicles with wash facilities as well as loos and fully fitting doors – just as you’d find on an aircraft. Arranging them in pairs enables friends to still pop to the loo together, whilst the removal of the common wash area means there’s nowhere for troublemakers to hide. Smaller in number but more frequently distributed around the school, they can be nearer learning spaces and with no safeguarding issues, you don’t need them to be staff/student segregated either. What’s not to like?10 Mass-feeding lunchtimeAnd so, at the end too, it comes back to food and drink, control and independence. “As an adult, I make choices about when I’m hungry, when I need a break, or to stretch my legs during my working day” commented Anne Knock. “This makes me think about the conditioning of students’ minds and stomachs at school, when we say ‘everybody must eat now’. I wonder how we can consider enabling choice: it really is an important part of"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(2) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "minefield"
        [1]=>
        string(6) "school"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(8) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(19) "ECO Friendly Design"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [1]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(33) "Innovative School Design"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(false)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(1) {
          [0]=>
          string(6) "school"
        }
      }
      [2]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(15) "Learning Spaces"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [3]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(9) "Materials"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [4]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(24) "Rethinking the Classroom"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [5]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(41) "Secondary School Design"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(false)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(2) {
          [0]=>
          string(9) "secondary"
          [1]=>
          string(6) "school"
        }
      }
      [6]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(13) "Special Needs"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [7]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(10) "Technology"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

ECO Friendly Design

New Year’s Resolutions

1 Feb 2018