(Student ID: 201122240)
This section will look at how School A use and adapt the National Curriculum to suit their vision, any extra curricular activities, and the materials staff use to design their lessons.
Curriculum
School A focus their education around the requirements of students. They look at what is necessary post-compulsory education and ensure their students are taught the relevant skills. School A has previously held mock interview sessions, held careers fairs and has played host to numerous assemblies teaching their students the importance of collaboration and community (School A Website, 2020). This helps students prepare for life after School A.
Content
Key stage three study for 50 hours per week with the majority of their week consisting of English, Mathematics, and Science lessons (School A Website, 2020). These subjects are seen as the most important as they provide students with basic skills and knowledge that can be applied elsewhere. They also study humanities, a language, and art allowing them to study in a range of different areas before they begin to focus their studies towards a specific direction. Subjects for students in KS4 and older are split into compulsory and optional subjects. The compulsory subjects include English Literature, English Language, Mathematics, Combined Science, PE and Citizenship. These subjects provide students with the basic academic knowledge required before leaving school as well as an understanding of relationships, society and culture through studies in citizenship. Post-16 at School A does not only consist of studying within one school, but the students are able to study at a choice of two other schools due to a partnership all three schools hold. This ensures students are able to study the subject they desire. Therefore, School A ensure their students are not only academically prepared to leave school, but socially prepared as well.
Student Learning Opportunities
One of the key resources all students and teachers use in their lessons at School A are the school planners. The planner includes a diary where students keep track of assigned tasks, a timetable so students know when and where to go, and a whiteboard which can be used in lessons (shown below). The whiteboards are used in every lesson and students are granted permission to write on tables if they come ill-equipped. Although this is peculiar, it shows that teachers see their student’s participation and involvement in the lesson as more important than punishing children for not possessing all the required materials.
Students at School A also use two separate books in their mathematics lessons. A red book is used to complete all class work and homework while a blue book is used to write notes about the lessons being taught. This allowed students to use both books together something which would have supported me as a student. Writing all my notes in one book would have come in handy for revision purposes as well as making it easier to look at my notes while completing set tasks.
Blue book for Notes 
Red book for class work
The school also offers health and well-being sessions which are sometimes targeted at particular year groups such as a session of exploitation and grooming as that is more suitable for KS4 students. Sessions such as the ‘self-esteem’ is suitable for all students and therefore widely available at School A (School Website, 2020). These sessions raise questions and allow students to think about topics which they may not have considered previously. It creates a conversation to ensure all students are not only academically prepared but also socially prepared for leaving school.
Students at school A are also encouraged to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Award. The DofE allows students to create bonds with friends but also establish new bonds of friendships through skill development, volunteering, planning and completing an expedition. This experience also helps develop skills necessary in everyday life such as organisation, communication and team work. As a graduate of the Bronze DofE, I know this experience can be mentally and physically challenging but in the end, all participants are proud of what they have achieved. To learnt that students now receive more support assures me that the students of today are provided and lead towards becoming the best version of themselves.
Although, many of the opportunities available require the student to give up extra time they may have, this may not be possible for students who struggle with a home-school balance. Activities like the DfE require a small fee, something all student may not be able to afford. Also, due to cultural restrictions, some student’s may not be allowed to participate in extra-curricular activities such as the over-night expedition as they may not be allowed to stay away from home. This results in the accidental exclusion of some students resulting in unfair opportunities, so it is important to ensure there is something available for everyone.
Staff Support Materials
Staff at school A utilise a range of different online platforms to help their students develop and solidify their mathematical knowledge. With technology becoming more popular, it makes it easier for teachers to assign and check on student’s progress. It also helps student as they are able to complete their assigned homework on a computer, iPad or even their personal mobile devices.
ActivInspire studio:
At school A the Mathematics department have a lead staff member for KS3 and KS4. These members of staff are in-charge of creating a skeleton of a slideshow for teaching staff to use in their lessons. These slides are created on ActivInspire Studio. Teaching staff use these already created slides and change them to suit their students. I understand that in order to ensure all students complete the necessary work required a structure needs to be put in place, but one staff member creating and deciding what all the other staff will teach is not fair. Teachers have different methods of teaching and they understand their students’ progress, so it only seems right to allow each teacher to be provided with a criteria for their lesson but create their lessons independently.
Hegarty Maths:
Hegarty Maths is a video platform where the creator uploads videos that teach the viewer a particular mathematical topic and tests their understanding. Teacher can see what students have watched, whether they completed the task or not, how many tries it took the student to get above 70% and which questions they struggled on. A space is also provided under each question for the student and teacher to write comments and communicate to each other about that topic. Hegarty maths makes it easier for the teacher to see the progress of their student as well as address areas the whole class might be struggling in. It ensures all students have the opportunity to complete their work anywhere and at any time. An online mathematics homework platform similar to Hegarty Maths is what supported me with my studies which is why I see this resource as effective and efficient.
*All images used are screengrabs from the official website and not from a staff account at School A*
Class Charts:
Class charts is an application used to record students’ progress. It is linked to all staff computers at School A and provide the details of all students. Access to class charts is available to staff, students and their parents through the school website allowing parents to see their child’s progress and raise queries directly to the teacher if they deem a comment inappropriate. The behaviour policy in School A consists of three verbal warning which results in a negative. These negatives can be applied onto Class Charts. Teachers can also fill in positives which is positive feedback due to good behaviour or anything else a teacher deems appropriate enough to reward. Class charts is also linked to Hegarty Maths so a teacher can see the progress of a student in school compared to the Maths work they conduct out of school.
I believe class charts to be particularly helpful especially since parents are provided with access to the same information shared by teaching staff. Parental involvement is really important to me so to learn School A has a platform that connects the teacher, student and parent together is effective. Furthermore, as ClassCharts links the whole school, it ensures all teachers are able to check up on students who they may be concerned about but do not teach. this helps with safeguarding as well as ensuring all students are comfortable within the school.
Student Restrictions
Many of the resources discussed are accessed through a computer using the internet, something which all students may not have access to. Some teachers ensure that alternatives are provided to students, but this could lead to them feeling excluded. It is important to ensure all students have the same opportunities to participate in the activities or alternatives must be provided for all students rather than the few concerned. This will ensure all children, no matter what their socio-economic background, culture, or access to technology, are all provided with equal learning opportunities.
All staff support materials discussed above are very important in the running of a standard day in the mathematical department in School A. ActivInspire provides the slides, Hegarty Maths has videos and corresponding homework, and Class Charts provides a documentation of a student’s progress. While all four have different purposes, I believe Hegarty Maths is the most useful as online revision is what allowed me to excel in my mathematical knowledge at GCSE and at A-level so it will provide students at School A with a key resource to enhance their knowledge.
Annotated Bibliography
Teaching and Learning Aids
Class Charts. 2020. Home Page. [Online]. [Accessed: 10/03/2020]. Available From: https://www.classcharts.com/
This website provided me with an insight into what class charts can be used for. Despite exploring it earlier at School A, I was unable to see the full extent of the website due to student’s personal information being recorded on it. The images and the videos on this provided on this site allowed me to see all the ways the site would be useful in a school without having to look at student’s private information. I was able to gain a better idea of how to operate class Charts and the different section it has to support student development.
Hegarty maths. 2020. Built to make independent learners. [Online]. [Accessed: 10/03/2020]. Available From: https://hegartymaths.com/
Hegarty Maths is a programme used by the whole Mathematics department at school A to help them understand the progress of their students and support them in the areas they may be struggling in. It provides up-to-date information about the homework completed by students allowing teachers to instantly see which students have and have not completed the designated tasks. This website helped me see the different sections of Hegarty Maths with images and video demonstration on how to use it.
Promethean World. 2020. ActivInspire. [Online]. [Accessed: 10/03/2020]. Available From: https://www.prometheanworld.com/gb/products/lesson-delivery-software/activinspire/
This website provided me with background information about ActivInspire, the programme used by School A to operate class Smart Boards. The website included the way ActivInspire can be used with a video to show its usefulness. While I already understood how ActivInspire can work, the website allowed me to independently explore and enhance my understanding of the programme.
Richard Byrne. 2014. Core Features of ClassCharts. [Online]. [Accessed: 13/05/2020]. Available From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsXQxjSfXpk
This video demonstrates how Class Charts could be useful. It provides a tutorial for new users allowing the viewer to understand the various features available. this video helped me understand the different uses for Class Charts and how it could be used to enhance a students learning and a teachers teaching.
School Information
School A. 2020. About our School. [Online]. [Accessed: 10/12/2019]. Available From: http://www.SchoolA.co.uk/about-our-school/
This website provides further information about the school and the various opportunities available for the students who study there. There are also many external links on the website making it easier to access public records of the school such as the previous Ofsted Report, Government records about the school and also the twitter account where up-to-date information is posted for parents and students to see. The use of the website allowed me to gain a broader understanding of how school A is and how it may differ to other school I have worked in. The website, due to the many external links, was very useful and very informative for students, parents and the public.
Images Used
Class Charts. 2020. Home Page. [Online]. [Accessed: 10/03/2020]. Available From: https://www.classcharts.com/
Corbettmaths. 2020. Welcome. [Online]. [Accessed: 10/03/2020]. Available From: https://corbettmaths.com/
Hegarty maths. 2020. Built to make independent learners. [Online]. [Accessed: 10/03/2020]. Available From: https://hegartymaths.com/
Marta. 2017. School Subjects. [Online]. [Accessed: 22/04/2020]. Available From: https://www.icbeltrami.edu.it/mycaelab/2017/03/11/school-subjects/
Mrbartonmaths1. 2018. Bernie Westacott – Part 6 – Beginning of Numbers. [Online]. [Accessed: 02/04/2020]. Available From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfQ3kGz5sMY
Promethean World. 2020. ActivInspire. [Online]. [Accessed: 10/03/2020]. Available From: https://www.prometheanworld.com/gb/products/lesson-delivery-software/activinspire/
Students into Education 