Abingdon Fitzharrys Teaching and Learning Partnership
The aim of the partnership is for staff to observe one another over the course of 3 half terms, reflect on and apply improvements to their practice using Action Based Research before testing out whether there has been any progress in teaching and learning. At the end of the first year staff from both schools presented their 'learning journey' in the form of displays, posters and verbal feedback to colleagues, SLT and governors from both schools. Topics included:
Essay writing skills (cross curricular)
Differentiated learning strategies (SEND)
Personalised learning in MFL
Literacy strategies in History
Differentiation in Maths
Formative assessment in science and humanities.
Student collaboration
Academic mentoring
In the second year, the partnership involved 9 members of Abingdon staff and 8 from Fitzharrys. Teachers chose a range of areas of focus with subjects including economics, drama, history, science, geography, RS and PE. We also involved students from both schools in a drama production covering some PSCHE topics. In Year 3, four groups from both schools were involved with nine members of staff exploring ideas such as: authentic intellectual challenge in science, peer coaching in PE, independent learning in DT and solo taxonomy and the use of GIS in geography. In the 4th year the project very much focussed on student collaboration and evolved into a 6th form academic mentoring project in maths and science.
Aims
· To develop a mutually beneficial partnership between the two schools with a particular focus on teaching and learning.
Background
The project came about when a teacher from Abingdon outlined a need to develop partnerships with local schools to ensure we fulfil a positive role in our local community and to forge an effective working partnership with local state schools. He approached Fitzharrys in May 2013 and with support from both SLTs and in particular with the help of Assistant Head of Fitzharrys Will Speke initial ideas about a partnership were explored.
Resources
The resources that are critical for success in first and foremost a dedicated role within each school where time and financial support is set aside to ensure the partnership runs smoothly. There needs to be high level buy in from both school and staff who get involved need to be supported in terms of providing cover as and when necessary but also using the partnership with the current CPD programme. Time commitments can include a few hours over the course of a few weeks where observations are done and meetings held as well as 'thinking and reflecting' time.
Impact
We are using Zoe Elder's Action Based Research to try and get staff members to explore an area of teaching and learning and to collaboratively explore best practice in each school as part of continued professional development. Some projects have involved an element of assessment such as student surveys but I would have to say the main impact has been by focussing on the benefits of reflective practice. In the 4th year the project focussed on student collaboration and evolved into a 6th form academic mentoring project in maths and science.
Pupil Involvement
In our first year we had a 6th form class from Abingdon help a year 9 class from Fitzharrys interpret Homer's Illiad as part of a drama workshop, in the second year we involved year 7/8 students in a collective drama production of some PSCHE topics. We also plan in future to try and exploit our new science facilities to do a joint science project but this is has yet to get off the ground.
Frequency
Teachers from both schools meet formally 3 times a year and then organise individual lesson observations and 1 to 1 meetings when focussing on their areas of practice to work on. We then have a presentation evening at the end of the year where pairings or groups show their learning journey and how their practice has changed/improved. This is presented to colleagues, SLT and governors. The project has since evolved to include two other local secondary schools, Larkmead and John Mason.