Foxford School & Community Arts College: ‘From Paper To Practice’
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Date:2009 - 2010
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Introduction:
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Article:
Our Achievement
Ofsted visited the school in November 2010 and reported that:
- 'Variability in the quality of teaching has been reduced and a growing proportion is good or better'
- 'Partnerships with organisations that support them [the students] in developing their imagination are successful and contribute greatly to their enjoyment of learning.'
The Feedback
"We get to say what we'd like to do more in the lessons." (Amanpreet - Year 9)
"I work better in miss's class than I do in others as we do things that are more interesting."
"It doesn't do my head in, in those lessons anymore." (Braydon - Year 8)
"Students have been involved in developing the content for schemes of work and shape direction within lessons. They have been much more responsive to their learning as they have had an element of control with it." (Ms. O - Geography teacher)
"The students have become much more reflective about their work, able to discuss their progress, their learning, what next steps they can take to achieve more and be able to reflect on where they have become distracted and why and what they can do to get themselves back on track." (Ms. W - English teacher)
"I knew I was meant to be helping students to become 'Independent Enquirers'...but I came to realise that I hadn't really thought about what this meant. I didn't realise what I didn't know and therefore was operationg at a level I came to describe as unconscious incompetence. Now I'm doing it without thinking about it, which I now describe as being at the level of unconscious competence." (Ms. J - History teacher)
The Cre8us Effect...at Foxford School & Community Arts College: 'From Paper To Practice'
Foxford implemented the project with strategic support from two Cre8us Creative Agents, one in the role of Creative Practitioner, who worked with six members of staff from across the school, each of whom was considered to be both strong in their field with regard to the evolving curriculum.
At the heart of the change at Foxford lies creativity. Initially three teachers worked intensively with creative practitioners to approach the curriculum in a completely new way and kick start the transition to creative, engaging and interactive teaching. These teachers have now taken the best practices and techniques out to the whole of the school's teaching community, adapting and implementing the aspects that best fit with the school and the pupils within it.
This in turn led to an Inset Day being dedicated to sharing techniques for integrating into lessons.
More recently the Teacher Learning Community has been formed. Comprising a range of subject leaders, this forum tries out new approaches, filters out the ones that don't work and then shares the good ones across each of the faculties in school. This group, combined with the already well established School Improvement Group - a forum where teachers meet twice a term to discuss and share new ideas and practices - are a powerful force for improving teaching and sharing best practice throughout the school and ultimately improving the results and outcomes for pupils.
Creative Agent: Claire Marshall
Creative Practitioner (and Agent): Michael Supple
School: Foxford School & Community Arts College, Coventry
If you are interested in this project and would like to find out more, please visit the Creative Partnerships' Project Database where you will be able to view Foxford's Project Planning Form and Project End Form for their 2009-10 programme.