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Guidance, ideas and examples to support schools in developing their curriculum, pedagogy, enrichment and support for more able learners, within a whole-school context of cognitively challenging learning for all. Includes ideas to support curriculum development, and practical examples, resources and ideas to try in the classroom. Popular topics include: curriculum development, enrichment, independent learning, questioning, oracy, resilience, aspirations, assessment, feedback, metacognition, and critical thinking.

 

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Perfectionism in more able learners: what do we know and what next?

Posted By York St John University, 30 January 2020

NACE is collaborating with York St John University on research and resources to help schools support more able learners with high levels of perfectionism. In this blog post, the university’s Luke F. Olsson, Michael C. Grugan and Andrew P. Hill outline the current research in this field and how growing awareness of the problem can be used to reshape classroom climates for the better.

The need to be or appear perfect pervades all aspects of society. In education, this is evident in that the experiences of many students appear to be underpinned by irrational beliefs that they need to perform perfectly. Perfectionism – an aspect of people’s personality that involves unrealistically high standards and overly critical evaluation – is therefore a particularly important characteristic to examine when considering the experiences of students.

Recent research suggests that perfectionism has become a hidden epidemic among students over the last 30 years, with students now more perfectionistic than ever before. In addition, this complex characteristic has been found to explain a wide range of outcomes among students. On one hand, some aspects of being perfectionistic are related to better academic performance. But, on the other hand, other aspects of perfectionism have been found to be significant sources of psychological distress for students, including burnout and depression.

Regarding more able learners, one interesting study of 10 samples including over 4,000 students found that intellectually gifted students tend to display higher levels of aspects of perfectionism than non-gifted students. One implication is that more able students are potentially at greater risk for mental health and wellbeing issues. This is evident in other research which has found that while more able students perform better academically, they can also be unhappier, lonelier, and have lower self-esteem. Tellingly, this may also be why more able students often respond to failure and setbacks more negatively.

As a consequence of what we have learned from research, it is apparent that more may need to be done to better support perfectionistic more able learners. Critically, if more able learners display signs of mental health difficulties, they need to be referred to a mental health professional. As such, those who work with more able students will need to be able to recognise when this might be the case. Improving mental health literacy among teachers is one way to do so.

There is also a great deal that can be done in regard to preventing mental health difficulties before they arise. We believe that prevention efforts aimed at reducing perfectionism are particularly important in this regard. One new area of research focuses on understanding how the environment created in achievement contexts such as the classroom can be designed in a way to discourage perfectionistic thinking among students. Our work in this area suggests that perfectionistic environments can involve a number of features including unrealistic standards (e.g. demanding extremely high standards regardless of ability), harsh criticism (e.g. fixating on minor mistakes and errors), manipulation and control (e.g. public punishments and rewards to motivate students), and anxiousness (e.g. signalling excessive concern over mistakes).

As awareness of the negative effects of perfectionism for more able learners students increases, there will be a greater emphasis on what teachers can do to support students. We believe that reshaping the classroom climate and making it less perfectionistic is one way teachers can help do so, and combat the hidden epidemic of perfectionism in young students.

NACE, York St John University and Haybridge High School (a NACE R&D Hub leading school) are currently trialling new resources to help schools raise awareness about perfectionism and support students with high levels of perfectionism. Watch out for updates in our monthly email newsfeed.

Tags:  collaboration  mindset  perfectionism  research  resilience  wellbeing 

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7 ideas to enrich your curriculum for more able learners

Posted By NACE team, 08 January 2020
Our summer term member meetup in Cardiff and autumn term meetup in Oxford both focused on curriculum enrichment for the more able – bringing NACE members together to share their schools’ approaches to extending and enriching provision within the classroom, across school and beyond.
 
For an overview of key ideas discussed at the events:
 
 

1. Maths masterclasses 

At Chelmsford County High School, five off-timetable days are spread throughout the year, offering opportunities to participate in excursions and activities such as Model United Nations events, newspaper production and themed days. The programme incorporates subject-specific “masterclasses”, including a GCSE Maths Masterclass comprising a morning of off-site lectures, followed by an afternoon of tailored workshops.
 
This initiative gives all students the opportunity to extend their learning and experience new styles of teaching, says Jo Cross, Faculty Leader for Mathematics, Computing and Economics. She adds that it has been particularly effective in supporting highly able learners, with the bespoke workshops allowing for extension beyond the curriculum.
 
Top tips for implementation: “Positivity! Surprisingly, a day of maths is not everybody’s favourite activity… We balance this by segmenting the lectures with (maths-related) video clips and keeping the lectures relevant, to the point and easy to access for all, with differentiated questions in the workbooks.”

2. Peer mentoring 

Sticking with maths, at Ormiston Sandwell Community Academy, a successful peer-to-peer maths mentoring programme is now being extended to other subject areas, including science and modern foreign languages. More Able Coordinator Alexia Binard says the scheme has challenged students to take ownership of their learning, stretching mentors to plan and deliver “lessons” to peers. She adds that participants on both sides have made good progress as a result, developing a range of additional skills alongside growing expertise in the area being covered.
 
Similarly, The Cotswold School’s Abigail Newby has been running a peer coaching scheme for several years, in which more able learners in Years 10 and 12 have the chance to academically coach a peer in Years 8 or 10 respectively. The impact on learners has been very positive, she says: “They report rises in confidence, ability to cope better in lessons, and the high ability pupils say it has deepened their own knowledge through having to explain something to a pupil who finds it difficult.”
 
Top tips for implementation:  “Plan in advance how the scheme will be run. Decide which year groups will mentor others – for example, Year 10s mentoring Year 9s.” – Alexia Binard. “Have a dedicated venue, time and member of staff. Keep it distinct from more pastoral mentoring schemes (which we also have in school) – this is purely academic.” – Abigail Newby.

3. KS2-3 collaboration

Amy Clark, Assistant Headteacher at The Bromfords School and Sixth Form College, highlights collaboration between primary and secondary schools as key to extending learning and maintaining a high level of challenge throughout KS2-3 transition. Members of the school’s English and maths departments worked alongside primary school colleagues to plan and deliver a scheme of work which started in Year 6 and continued into Year 7, maintaining high expectations throughout. The initiative has resulted in higher standards and more effective provision on both sides, Amy says. “We were able to set students more quickly and efficiently, while Year 6 teachers were able to start to deliver skills needed for KS3.”
 
Top tips for implementation: “Get as many primary feeder schools involved as possible and plan ‘summer holiday’ work for learners at primary schools which don’t engage. Get other secondary schools in the catchment area involved.”
 

4. The Scholars Programme

Like a number of NACE members, Ysgol Gyfun Garth Olwg participates in The Brilliant Club’s Scholars Programme. Open to students from Years 5 to 12, the programme offers the opportunity to participate in a university-style scheme of learning, including small-group tutorials led by a PhD tutor, support to work on and submit an extended project, and events at partner universities.
 
“There is no doubt that the programme widens pupils’ horizons,” say the school’s Nia Griffiths and Carys Amos. “They visit two universities and participate in very challenging tutorials. They discuss subjects they wouldn’t have considered, and it promotes their oral skills while enhancing their vocabulary. It also raises aspirations, including for learners from disadvantaged backgrounds or whose parents didn’t go to university.”
 
Top tips for implementation: “Take care when scheduling. The scheme involves writing an extended assignment, which is quite time-consuming. It’s therefore best to avoid busy revision periods.”

5. Community Skills Week

At Pencoed Primary School, an annual Community Skills Week offers a range of enrichment activities linked to the world of work, delivered by parents, other family members and experts from the community. Deputy Headteacher Adam Raymond says the initiative has led to “improved knowledge and understanding of careers and the world of work, improved engagement and enjoyment of the curriculum as a whole, and the development of an ambitious attitude to lifelong learning.” In particular, he says, the scheme has supported more able learners’ development as “ambitious, capable learners”.
 
Top tips for implementation: “Align your community skills with your content curriculum offer. Delve into the expertise within your local community to support and extend the curriculum diet and ensure the logistical planning is tight – give as many different pupils as many different opportunities as possible.”

6. External speakers

The Hertfordshire and Essex High School runs a series of talks on areas outside of the curriculum, bringing in external speakers to give students access to a breadth of knowledge and experience. “Students are interested in attending the talks and it is easy for them to do so,” says Challenge Coordinator Peter Clayton. He adds, “Speakers will often come for free, which means it is manageable to run.”
 
Top tips for implementation: “Allowing students the change to discuss the talks afterwards might be beneficial. Perseverance in getting external speakers is worth it. Local universities will often help.”

7. Big Board Games Day

Last but not least, a special event originally run to raise money for the NSPCC has become an annual occurrence at St Francis RC Primary School. The school’s Big Board Games Day is a school-wide event, with more able learners assigned as board game “gurus” who move around the school teaching and playing games with pupils of all ages. They are also tasked with ensuring everyone has a group to play with. 
 
MAT Coordinator David Boyd says the initiative has resulted in “improved self-esteem; improved organisational skills; developing thinking skills in a new way – to teach the game rather than just play it; developing social skills with peers and younger pupils; and a range of problem-solving skills in the games being played.”
 
Top tips for implementation: “Train ‘gurus’ beforehand (we do this in our weekly after-school Board Games Club). Set clear rules for all pupils to follow – no sore losers, no gloating, treat games and others with respect, and so on. Contact game publishers and distributors for donations to help start a school games collection.”
 
 
How does your school enrich the curriculum? Share your experience in the comments below, or get in touch to request additional information about the initiatives detailed above.
 

Tags:  aspirations  CEIAG  collaboration  enrichment  transition 

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Challenge for all: 8 key issues for discussion

Posted By Southend High School for Boys, 10 December 2019

Laura March, Hub Lead of the NACE R&D Hub at Southend High School for Boys, shares eight key issues discussed at the Hub’s inaugural meeting earlier this term.

Our inaugural NACE R&D Hub meeting was attended by colleagues from 12 schools, spanning a range of phases and subject areas. Ensuring the Hub meetings are focused on evidence and research allows us to respond to the masses of misinformation presented to us. A collaborative approach to understanding the needs of more able and talented (MAT) learners, and how to support them, enables colleagues to become more open and reflective in their discussions.

We started the meeting by sharing our own experience at Southend High School for Boys (SHSB), exploring our work towards gaining and maintaining the NACE Challenge Award over the last 15 years, and what strategies have had the biggest impact.

In the following discussion, it was interesting to explore what ‘differentiation’ means to different colleagues and key issues raised about what constitutes ‘good’ practice. It was also useful for colleagues from different fields – science, MFL, primary, physics, English and RE – to share approaches to developing writing skills, such as using ‘structure strips’, visualisers to model work, or tiered approaches to subject vocabulary. Finally, some questions were raised about communicating more able needs with parents; what should be included in the school’s more able policy; and how to monitor the impact of strategies on more able learners.

Here are eight key areas discussed during the meeting:

1. Strengthening monitoring and evaluation

This had been identified as an area for development at SHSB. MAT Coordinators and Subject Leaders are responsible for completing an audit to review their previous targets for more able learners and to outline opportunities, trips, competitions, resources and targets for the new academic year. This enables the MAT Lead to identify areas for pedagogical development so that targeted support can be put in place, as well as any budget requirements to purchase new resources.

2. Engaging with parents and carers

We shared the example of our parent support sheet. Not only are we bridging the gap between academic research and classroom practice, we aim to encourage a positive dialogue with parents by sharing the latest research on memory and strategies of how to stretch and challenge their sons and daughters at home. This has been very positive during parents’ evenings, with departments recommending extended reading; apps for effective revision such as Quizlet and Seneca; and You Tube videos for specific topics.

3. The zone of proximal development

As part of the Department for Education Teachers’ Standards, teachers must adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils. This includes knowing when and how to differentiate appropriately and using approaches which enable pupils to be taught effectively (Department for Education, 2011). We looked at the Zone of Proximal Development (Vygotsky) and how we ensure pupils avoid the ‘panic zone’.

As Martin Robinson (2013) says: “We are empowered by knowing things and this cannot be left to chance”. We cannot assume that more able learners know it all and simply leave them to their own devices in lessons. In contrast, we must avoid providing work that they are too comfortable with, resulting in easy learning and limited progress.

4. Myths and misconceptions

We looked at common myths surrounding more able learners and agreed that many of these are unfounded and untrue. Not all more able pupils are easy to identify because the opportunities are not always provided for talents to emerge. Likewise, SEN can mask multi-exceptionalities and we should ensure we have measures in place to identify these. We are also aware that the more able learners are not always the most popular or confident; many will suffer from ‘tall poppy syndrome’ or ‘imposter syndrome’.

5. High expectations for all

The key message is ensuring all learners have high aspirations and expectations and are provided with different routes to meet these. The research indicates that good differentiation is setting high-challenge learning objectives defined in detail with steps to success mapped out. It includes looking at the variety of ways teachers support and scaffold students to reach ambitious goals over time. We should avoid using language that sends a message to students that this part of the curriculum is not for them and that high expectations are only for ‘some’. We know that teaching to the top will raise aspirations for all learners.

“Effective differentiation is about ensuring every pupil, no matter their background and starting point, is headed towards the same destination, albeit their route and pace may differ. In other words, we should not ‘dumb down’ and expect less of some pupils, but should have high expectations of every pupil.” – Matt Bromley (SecEd, April 2019)

6. Developing literacy and writing skills

As part of our School Improvement Plan, we have a renewed focus on disciplinary literacy. Embedding this in lessons is a key way to ensure all pupils are able to express themselves within their subject domain.

“The limits of my language are the limits of my mind.” – Ludwig Wittgenstein

The range of writing we ask students to do is broad: analytical, evaluative, descriptive, explanatory, persuasive. Expecting them to shift between these without a clear structure is understandably going to create problems, so good modelling is essential. To support this, our MAT Coordinators have been using visualisers to model how to use key words in writing and to close the ‘knowing and doing gap’.

7. Metacognition

Externalising our thinking aloud enables pupils to improve metacognition. This is an essential skill in critical thinking and self-regulated, lifelong learning. It is important for learners to have skills in metacognition because they are used to monitor and regulate reasoning, comprehension, and problem-solving, which are fundamental components of effective learning.

8. Curriculum planning

We finished our meeting by looking at the new education inspection framework, specifically the guidance on subject curriculum content. Does it emphasise ‘enabling knowledge’ to ensure that it is remembered? Is the subject content sequenced so pupils build useful and increasingly complex schemata?

Our next Hub meeting will focus on the most effective ways to build up pupils’ store of knowledge in long-term memory.

References:

 

Before you buy… For discounts of up to 30% from a range of education publishers, view the list of current NACE member offers (login required).

Join your nearest NACE R&D Hub

NACE’s Research and Development (R&D) Hubs offer regional opportunities for NACE members to exchange effective practice, develop in-school research skills and collaborate on enquiry-based projects. Each Hub is led by a Challenge Award-accredited school, bringing together members from all phases, sectors and contexts. Participation is free for staff at NACE member schools. Find out more.

Tags:  collaboration  curriculum  differentiation  literacy  metacognition  myths and misconceptions  parents and carers  research 

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8 ways to develop independent learning skills

Posted By NACE, 17 April 2019
Updated: 03 June 2019
At our spring term meetup, hosted by Jesus College Oxford, NACE members from all phases and sectors joined to discuss and share approaches to developing independent learning skills. Read on for a selection of ideas to try out in your own school…

1. Extended research projects

Extended research projects are widely used across the NACE community, including Extended Project Qualifications (EPQs) as well as a range of other initiatives. At Birchensale Middle School, for example, Year 8 students undertake an independent research project in which points are collected by completing different tasks – the more challenging the task, the more points available. Learners have a choice of topics, presentation methods and supporting materials of different levels.

Meanwhile at Impington Village College, groups of more able learners in Years 8 to 10 from each faculty area meet fortnightly to support each other on an independent research project of their choice. With support from peers and their “faculty champion”, they develop higher-level research skills based on IB coursework models and the A-level EPQ.  

2. Flipped learning

Alongside extended projects, members highlighted flipped learning as effective in developing independence. At Sarah Bonnell School (KS3-4) learners are provided with a bank of resources and reading for each topic, to work through independently ahead of lessons. Students’ response to this approach has been very positive, says the school’s Sabrina Sahebdin. “It allows them to come to the lesson prepared with questions and a chance to query areas where they need further clarification. Time is not wasted in fact finding during lessons; instead we apply knowledge, analyse and evaluate. It has stretched and challenged them further in aiding them with further research for peer teaching.”

3. Presenting to peers

Building on independent learning and research tasks, members highlighted the benefits of asking learners to present their findings to peers – digesting and sharing information in an accessible, engaging and/or persuasive way. Jamie Kisiel, Teaching and Learning Coordinator at Langley School (KS2-5), shared her use of a “knockout debate” competition, which she says has led to students providing more in-depth evaluation in essays and developing more thought-provoking questions, while also ensuring they have a strong foundation in the subject.

At Pangbourne College (KS3-5), learners are challenged to present as experts on a topic they have researched independently. G&T Coordinator Ellie Calver explains that while the whole class explores the same general topic, more able learners are tasked with presenting on the more open-ended and challenging aspects. She comments, “There is a sense of pride in being able to pull others forwards, a real interest in making the material interactive, and a drive to find out more in order to work out what is most significant.”

4. TIF tasks

At Caludon Castle School (KS3-5), each lesson and home-learning task includes a Take It Further or TIF activity – an opportunity to go deeper through independent learning. Assistant Headteacher Steff Hutchison explains, “The TIFs are usually fun, challenging, quirky, a little bit off the wall, so students want to engage with them.” Having come to expect and enjoy these tasks, more able learners now ask for additional TIFs or – even better – devise their own. Steff adds, “Doing the TIF is considered to be cool, so the majority of students of all abilities strive to complete at least one TIF in an average week.”

5. Student-run revision quizzes

At The Commonweal School (KS3-5), students take a leading role by running their own maths revision quizzes. Work in pairs or small groups, they develop questions on the topic being revisited, create a PowerPoint presentation and decide how points will be awarded. “The competitive element is a cause for great excitement – it’s good to see them having so much fun,” says G&T Coordinator Genny Williams. She adds that the initiative has helped learners develop a deeper understanding through working at the top of Bloom’s Taxonomy, given them a strong motivation to take learning further, and has contributed to improved attainment in termly tests.

6. Super-curricular activities

At Hydesville Tower School, learners in Years 3 to 6 are invited to join the Problem-Solving Club – offering opportunities to work with peers on practical and engaging problem-solving activities. Assistant Headteacher Manjit Chand says participants are more inclined to take risks and use metacognitive strategies, and have developed their self-confidence, independence and resilience.

Shrewsbury High School’s Super Curriculum features a range of opportunities for stretch and challenge, including an Art Scholars club and Sixth Form Feminist Society. Each brings together students and staff with a shared interest, providing opportunities to engage with external partners (such as Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery, which hosted an exhibition of students’ work) and to explore the subject from multiple perspectives – including relevant research and personal experiences. “Ultimately,” says the school’s Natalie Thomas, “these initiatives work as a result of inspiring a love of learning.”

Learners at Malvern St James (EYFS-KS5) also benefit from opportunities to think and discuss ideas beyond the curriculum, at “discussion suppers” – small-group events at which selected students and staff discuss a topic over supper. Participants are asked to research the theme of the evening beforehand and to come prepared to share their ideas, listen to others, challenge and be challenged in turn. Learning Support and Enrichment Coordinator Rebecca Jones comments, “Pupils admit that it is quite a daunting experience, but feel pleased that they have taken part afterwards.”

7. Building blocks for discussion

While food helps to fuel debate at Malvern St James, at Shipston High School structure is provided with the help of Duplo or Lego bricks. Working in small groups, learners take turns to contribute to the conversation, adding a brick to a shared construction each time they speak. The colour of brick determines the nature of their contribution – for example, red bricks to accept, yellow to build, blue to challenge. Jordan Whitworth, Head of Religion, Ethics and Philosophy and the school’s lead NACE coordinator, says this simple activity has helped learners develop a range of skills for critical and independent thinking.

8. Access to other students’ solutions

At King Edwin Primary School, pupils have opportunities to learn from peers not just within their own school, but across the country. Having participated in the NACE/NRICH ambassadors scheme, Assistant Headteacher Anthony Bandy shared his experience of using the low-threshold, high-ceiling maths resources provided by Cambridge University’s NRICH. In particular, he highlighted the impact of sharing the solutions published on the NRICH website – which allow learners to see how other students, from different phases and schools, have solved each problem. This can inspire more able learners to seek out different approaches, to grasp new strategies and skills independently – including those covered at later key stages – and to apply this learning in different contexts.

Find out more…

For additional ideas and guidance to help your more able students develop as independent learners, join our upcoming members’ webinar on this topic. The webinar will take place on 25 April 2019, led by Dr Matthew Williams, Access Fellow at Jesus College Oxford.

For full details and to reserve your place, log in to our members’ site.

Tags:  collaboration  enrichment  free resources  independent learning  problem-solving  project-based learning  questioning 

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6 top tips to develop collaborative problem-solving skills

Posted By King Edwin Primary School, 12 March 2019
Updated: 06 August 2019
Helping learners develop collaborative problem-solving skills requires careful planning to ensure all are engaged and challenged. In this blog post, Anthony Bandy, Assistant Head Teacher at King Edwin Primary School, shares six top tips drawn from his experience of participating in the NACE/NRICH ambassador scheme.

Inspired by research highlighting key skills and attributes for the next generation of citizens and employees, NRICH has created free resources to help learners develop mathematical “habits of mind” at primary and secondary levels – focusing on resilience, curiosity, thinking and collaboration. Each of these four key areas is broken down into different strands of maths, making it easy for activities to be delivered as part of regular maths sessions.

When using these resources to help learners develop collaborative problem-solving (CPS) skills, here are six top tips for effective implementation…

1. Explore perspectives on collaboration

When conducting research on effective approaches to developing collaborative problem-solving skills, the NRICH team discovered something they hadn’t even thought of. When asked about working with numbers, one in three surveyed learners said they felt working together was actually cheating! This is useful to bear in mind. Spend some time exploring existing perspectives on collaboration in your class and school – you may need to work on changing learners’ (and possibly teachers’) attitudes to collaborative learning.

2. Use “think, pair, share”

Before some collaborative activities, some learners will need a bit of time to get their head around the problem. “Think, pair, share” is a great way to facilitate this, allowing time for independent thinking as well as collaboration. Learners start by working independently, thinking about the problem for themselves and making notes if they wish. They then discuss the problem in pairs and/or as a group, working around a shared large sheet of paper to discuss their answers, reasoning and strategies as they go along – great for developing maths talk.

3. Consider group size

Some learners do not like working in large groups. In addition, the smaller the group, the higher the participation level of each child; larger groups could initiate passive learning. Consider group sizes before delivering the session – perhaps offer the option to work in twos, threes or fours.

4. Allocate roles and responsibilities

One strategy for developing collaboration is to give learners allocated roles and responsibilities. This can be used in all teaching and learning sessions, giving learners a chance to try out different roles, and increasing participation levels. For example, you could have a Chief Noticer, tasked with noting down ideas using a whiteboard. Your Chief Questioner could be asking questions, such as “What do we notice? How do you know?” You could also have Chief Explainers, Chief Justifyers and so on…

5. Choose activities with different learners in mind

A common concern when planning collaborative activities: how are you going to stop one learner taking over? To ensure all learners are motivated and empowered to participate, try to choose activities that will appeal to different interests and strengths. For instance, in NRICH’s Olympic measures activity, learners who are not usually highly engaged with maths, but who love and know about sports, can become the most important people in the room.

6. Encourage learners to reflect

At the end of each session, ask learners to rate themselves and their partner in terms of collaborative skills. If not a five out of five, what was missing? Why? Build in time to discuss collaboration and what skills are needed to be successful.

Tags:  collaboration  free resources  maths  problem-solving 

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5 steps to develop collaborative problem-solving in maths

Posted By Ems Lord, 05 March 2019
Updated: 08 April 2019
Ems Lord, Director of the University of Cambridge-based NRICH project, shares five key factors to consider when planning collaborative problem-solving (CPS) sessions using low-threshold, high-ceiling maths resources.

Have you ever attempted assembling flat-pack furniture with a friend or family member? How did it go? And are you still talking to one another?

Being able to work with others is a key life skill, but not always as straightforward as we might like. Whether we’re assembling furniture, putting up an extension or navigating our way to a holiday rental, we need to be able to work together towards a common goal and recognise our own responsibilities in achieving that goal. Moreover, developments such as driverless cars and drones signpost an increasingly automated environment in which those with strong group-working and problem-solving skills will thrive.

It is essential that we understand how to help learners develop collaborative problem-solving (CPS) skills alongside a sufficient level of challenge – planning lessons that will stretch more able learners while being accessible to all.

To this end, NRICH worked with 10 Cambridgeshire schools and the Cambridgeshire Maths Team in a project sponsored by Nesta. We shared existing low-threshold, high-ceiling NRICH resources with participants, who then adapted these to develop CPS in their own classes. After visiting each school, talking with teachers and running focus groups with learners, we identified five key aspects of CPS to consider when planning maths lessons:

1. Use low-threshold, high-ceiling activities

First and foremost is the importance of low-threshold, high-ceiling (LTHC) activities and resources. These enable all learners to get started on a problem while also offering sufficient challenge. One of NRICH’s most popular LTHC activities is the Factors and Multiples Game, which challenges learners to work together to build as long a chain as possible. Be warned: it’s hopelessly addictive for adults too!

When choosing LTHC tasks, explore our free curriculum mapping documents for primary, secondary and post-16 provision.

2. Get learners hooked

Engaging tasks are key for CPS sessions; learners must want to solve the problem. At NRICH, we aim to engage learners by designing activities which have a clear “hook” – such as the interactive challenge Got It! and the sports-themed activity Olympic Records.

Got It! requires learners to pit themselves against the NRICH computer to be the first to reach 23. This challenging activity draws learners in and they often make multiple attempts at the problem. Several of our focus group participants said they later taught the game to older siblings and family members because they thought they could outwit them.

The group activity Olympic Records is particularly appealing to learners with an interest in sports, who can draw on their knowledge to support others to match sports to their graphs. It demands effective group work and a willingness to adjust initial responses once learners realise that gender is also an important factor.

3. Model individual roles and responsibilities

A group is only as good as its individual members. Every member of the group must know what is expected of them during the task, and which roles belong to others. Individual learners should not dominate the session but should focus on filling their own roles while supporting others.

Card activities often work well in developing these skills; for example Shape Draw. Be clear about roles; which individual is responsible for recording the activity, suggesting the next shape or rolling the die? Make sure everyone knows their role and consider rotating different roles around the group. Teachers participating in our CPS project stressed the importance of modelling different roles for group members before embarking on the actual group work.

4. Develop skills for group communication

While knowing their own role is important, learners also need to be aware of the overall aims of the group. This changes the level of challenge for any task from merely cooperating to fully collaborating. In particular, all learners should be prepared to feedback to the wider class about their task.

Useful activities which offer a high level of challenge for older learners and the opportunity to feedback and explore different approaches include Steel Cables and Kite in a Square. Younger learners might enjoy the challenge of Jig Shapes and Quad Match.

5. Build in time for reflection

CPS skills need time to develop. Timetables should allow for regular CPS teaching sessions, including time allocated for reflection. Building in this reflection time can be a challenge, as time is also needed to focus on developing the required mathematics and group-working skills – but the teachers in our project stressed that it was highly worthwhile.

Ask learners about how well they worked in a group. If they awarded themselves a score from 1 to 5, what would it be and why? Which areas of their group work do they need to develop further? From a teaching perspective, when will they get their next opportunity to work on those areas?

And for your own reflection… If your class attempted one of our tasks, how do you think they might cope? Which aspects do you anticipate offering the most challenges? More importantly, when are you planning to lead the next CPS session with your class?

Further reading

Ems Lord has been Director of NRICH since 2015, following a previous role leading one of the country's largest Mathematics Specialist Teacher Programmes. Ems has taught mathematics across the key stages, from early years to A-level Further Mathematics, and has worked in a variety of settings, including a hospital school. She’s supported schools as a leading mathematics teacher, local authority consultant and Chartered Mathematics Teacher, and has taught mathematics education on both BEd and PGCE teacher programmes. She is currently working on her PhD thesis, which explores approaches to improve support for those learning calculation skills, and is President-Elect of the Mathematical Association for 2019-2020.

Tags:  collaboration  free resources  maths  problem-solving 

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Unlocking the toolbox of character education

Posted By Jon Murphy, 11 February 2019
Updated: 22 December 2020

NACE member and Challenge Award holder Llanfoist Fawr Primary School has developed a whole-school approach to character education, drawing on its use of the NACE Challenge Framework alongside the SkillForce Prince William Award. Headteacher Jon Murphy explains why the school believes so strongly in character education as a prerequisite for both wellbeing and academic success.

Why focus on character education?

Character education is not an add-on: it is essential for all young people, and the remit of all educators. Schools have a crucial role in preparing young people to withstand the pressures that life presents, to respond resiliently to setbacks and challenges, and to make informed decisions to shape their future lives. Character education provides the toolbox that will allow them to do so.

At Llanfoist Fawr Primary School, we also firmly believe that nurturing non-academic attributes such as resilience, determination and teamwork is a prerequisite to sound learning. Learning only takes place if the conditions are right and children can cope with the pressures and challenges thrown up by school and life beyond school. And until an individual knows themselves and feels happy in their own skin, they cannot fully realise what they are capable of.

Developing a whole-school approach to character education has unequivocally proved to us that this kind of holistic development is essential in preparing children to become effective learners in all areas, be it academic, sporting, artistic, cultural, spiritual, musical or social. 

This goes hand in hand with our use of the NACE Challenge Framework – recognising the importance of character education as a foundation for all learners to develop and achieve at the highest levels of which they are capable.

What does character education look like at Llanfoist Fawr?

There is no single method for developing character-based curriculum provision. At Llanfoist we have aligned our character education work with the NACE Challenge Framework and with the SkillForce Prince William Award (PWA), for which we were selected as a pilot school. The PWA and NACE Challenge Framework complement and enhance each other perfectly, ensuring challenge for all.

External PWA instructors provide whole-class sessions, each exploring a character attribute or “guiding principle” such as reliance, courage or passion. The PWA explores 28 guiding principles through five key themes – personal development, relationships, working, community and environment – using experiential learning. Children engage in practical skills-based activities and are encouraged to review their actions and behaviour in accordance with the guiding principles.

How is this integrated with other areas of learning?

Character development is not a standalone programme and will not succeed as such; it will only succeed in developing productive character traits if it is an integral part of everything we do and everything we believe in. 

Once a guiding principle and its associated behaviours have been taught in a PWA session, children are encouraged to use and apply that character skill across the curriculum. At every opportunity the class teacher reinforces the principles and applies them to other areas of learning. 

The impact can be seen in every lesson; we see children become more resilient, self-regulating and develop self-belief. The guiding principles and associated behaviours become second nature as learners assimilate, value and live them.

What has been the impact for more able learners, and all learners?

Developing character has transformed the life chances of many of our pupils, including the more able, helping to equip them with the social, emotional and academic skills needed to succeed.

As with many of the most effective influencers in education, the impact cannot be measured in a number or score. The results have been seen in the children’s improved emotional health, wellbeing and view of themselves; the happiness they gain through productive learning; the self-belief and confidence that positively radiates from young people who are comfortable in their own skins and daring to be their “best selves”. 

Character development allows learners to discover previously untapped inner strength, skills, talents and self-belief. It has empowered children in our school to understand how best to lead their own learning, to make strong moral choices and to be confident, independent decision makers. Our more able realise what potential they have and are enthusiastic engaged leaders and learners who thrive on the challenges and opportunities afforded them.

As a school we seek innovative, creative and fun approaches to curriculum delivery with guaranteed high-impact learner outcomes. Developing character education has delivered on all fronts. 

Tags:  character  collaboration  confidence  metacognition  mindset  personal development  resilience  wellbeing 

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Selling 3D shapes: challenge through enterprise

Posted By Gail Roberts, 15 January 2019
Updated: 23 December 2020

Gail Roberts, More Able and Talented Coordinator at Llanfoist Fawr Primary School, shares a simple but effective activity to engage and challenge all learners – combining mathematics, oracy, collaborative working and more…

Facilitating learning, rather than directional teaching, not only ensures children take ownership, it also opens the floodgates to more able learners. Obviously it is vital to choose an effective challenging task and teach the skills they need beforehand, in order for learners to access the experience fully and develop it further through ongoing evaluation.
 
In the past at school, children may have brought cakes in from home to sell as an enterprise activity. Although this is usually an enjoyable experience, it isn’t a true representation of the profit and loss of running a business, and fails to optimise on additional opportunities for learning.
 
In this alternative activity, I ask learners to work in teams to make 3D shapes and then come up with a plan to sell them. This gives them a tangible experience, a determination for gaining information about shapes, and a chance to make choices which they can then witness the effects of at first-hand.

Develop key skills and understanding

From two weeks before the planned “sale day”, I encourage learners to consider the skills they will need and provide opportunities for them to develop these. Identified skills include:

  • Persuasive language – learners are challenged to think of sentences that will entice people to stop at their stall, come up with a catchy jingle or slogan, etc.
  • Negotiation – bartering on prices for the shapes.
  • Understand profit and loss and interest.
  • How to keep a record of the accounts, on paper or electronically.
  • Elect leaders of the group and allocate team members.
  • Sell using at least two languages.
  • Working effectively as a team toward a shared aim.

Teaching the children how to formulate the boxes on a spreadsheet is easy, if you have previously taught coordinates. When spoken about in simple terms, profit and loss can be seen by every child. Allowing more able learners to formulate the spreadsheet gives them the opportunity to make it as complex as they want, while the opportunity to develop a business plan allows more able business minds to shine.
 
Giving learners time to think and plan for the sale day ensures that ideas can be evaluated and developed, and allows the group to come together as a team.

Replicate real-life challenges

The activity can also be used to help learners develop their understanding of real-life business processes and challenges, including:

  • Premises to rent – every 15 minutes learners must pay rent for their stall; if late, they incur a fine.
  • Property maintenance – fines incurred for untidy stalls.  
  • Marketing – stalls decorated to attract customers.
  • Interest rates – opportunity to start business with a loan, which must be paid back with interest.

Allow learners to shape the activity

The learning can be further enriched by inviting learners to suggest rules for the running of the activity. For example:

  • When buying, be willing to pay more if learners can answer questions on the properties and names of the shapes, and if well-made or decorated.
  • If someone in the group is not working efficiently, allow the team leader to give a warning or sanction.

Over many years of facilitating this kind of learning, the outcome has never been the same twice. Learners think of things that I would never have come up with. For example, this year they discussed ideas to test individual skills and allocate jobs based on ability, rather than simply getting every team member to cut, decorate, stick and sell. They discussed ideas about firing those who weren’t working hard enough, buying other teams’ products and selling them on at a profit, buying another table to expand their company, and researching language patterns and properties of shapes in order to sell to a broader audience knowledgeably.

What learners say…

While the summary above is hopefully sufficient to allow you to run a similar activity in your school, the impact is best expressed in the words of learners themselves:
 
“I thought this was an excellent idea for learning. Without realising it, we were making many cross-curriculum links, especially between maths and oracy. We were using strategies for problem solving and working as a team. We were having fun but learning at the same time.”
 
“I think learning in this way makes it easier to learn, because we are learning important things, but at the same time having fun. I prefer learning this way. I like being in charge of my own learning, thinking outside of the box, rather than being told.”
 
“This was a fun, challenging and exciting learning environment. This made it easier to remember the skills we needed and to use them effectively.”
 
“At the start of the challenge I didn’t have a clue what a spreadsheet was, but I enjoyed the challenge and felt proud that I could format the whole sheet myself and code new boxes when I needed to.”
 
“Communicating in a different language was challenging. However, it helped me to appreciate other people’s struggles to speak English. Our group worked cooperatively, making the most of individual talents.”
 
“It didn’t feel like we were learning. However, reflecting back on what we did, I realise I learnt and used a vast range of new skills.”
 
“It took me a matter of minutes to learn the properties and names of a massive amount of different 3D shapes. This was because I had a real purpose to learn. I was so proud when a visitor asked me questions on the properties and I blew him away with my knowledge and how confidently I was able to answer his questions.” 
 
“It helped me to understand the importance of working as a team. We all had a job to do. These were selected, because we could do that particular thing really well. It made me feel like it was an actual place of work and we were actually doing a ‘job’. Real-life situations like these help me to realise the importance of everyone’s unique abilities.” 


Gail Roberts is the MAT Coordinator, Maths Coordinator and Year 5 teacher at Llanfoist Fawr Primary School in Monmouthshire. She has worked in education since 1980, starting out as an NNEB with children with severe difficulties in basic life skills, and gaining her NPQH in 2007. Llanfoist Fawr gained the NACE Challenge Award in 2017, in recognition of school-wide commitment to high-quality provision for MAT learners within a context of challenge for all.

Tags:  collaboration  entrepreneurship  independent learning  KS1  KS2  maths  student voice 

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10 ideas to improve your use of questioning in science

Posted By NACE, 15 January 2019
Updated: 12 July 2019

At last term’s NACE member meetup, hosted by The Science Museum, attendees shared tried-and-tested approaches to using questioning effectively to challenge all learners in science. Spanning all phases, and applicable across other subject areas, here are 10 ideas to try in your own classroom…

1. “Tinker time”

Rhian Roberts, Science Lead at Thomson House School, outlined the use of “tinker time” – time for learners to explore the question: “What do you know already?” As well as allowing teachers to assess current understanding and misconceptions to inform future planning, Rhian notes that this also allows pupils to take ownership of their learning, share knowledge with peers, and ask their own questions to move their learning forward.

A similar approach is used at Hydesville Tower School, where learners are prompted to list questions at the start of a new unit. Questions are then shared with peers for up-levelling using Bloom’s Taxonomy, and displayed to be addressed as the unit progresses. The impact, says Science Leader David Burnham, has included “increased ownership of learning, greater engagement, higher thought processes and a raised awareness of the broader scientific field.”

2. Question starters

At Ysgol Gyfun Garth Olwg, sentence stems are used to help learners develop increasingly challenging questions. For example, they might work as group to generate questions based on a photograph, using the following stems:

  • Why do you think…?
  • Can you explain why…?
  • What evidence can you find…?
  • Are there any other ways you could…?
  • How successful was…?

Groups then swap questions and suggest answers to those posed by their peers. Dr Nia Griffiths, Head of Science, says this approach has led to higher engagement and longer-lasting focus on the task, as well as developing independent learning skills.

3. Solo exploration, double-up, present

At Invicta Grammar School, a three-stage process is used to answer a set of questions, shared out across the class. First, learners work independently on the questions they’ve been given, with support and resources available to develop a detailed response and identify potential discrepancies. They then pair up, collaborating to develop responses further. Finally, they present their work to the whole class, speaking as the “expert” on the questions they have investigated.

“Having worked on two sets of questions, students are doing almost twice as much work in the time available,” says Assistant Director of Science Charlotte McGivern. “They also develop skills to support one another, and the ability to articulate their answers fully.” She recommends jotting down prompters on post-it notes to share with learners during the first stage, helping them to fully explore each question.

4. “Phone a friend”

Peer support is also used at Bardfield Academy, where learners are encouraged to “phone a friend” to help them answer a question in more depth. Science Coordinator Heather Weston says this has meant learners feel more confident about asking for support, as well as providing opportunities for more able learners to share and develop their understanding by explaining difficult concepts to their peers.

To implement this effectively, Heather recommends encouraging learners to attempt to answer the question themselves first, using the “phone” option as a secondary measure to add depth and detail. She also suggests discussing the approach with more able learners separately to ensure they are ready and willing to be the “friend” at the end of the line.

5. Pose, pause, pounce, bounce

This four-stage approach to questioning was shared by Louise Mayhook, a member of the science department at The Bromfords School and Sixth Form College. First, pose a question to the class. Next: pause. Ask students to think, think again, write down and refine their response. Once the tension has mounted… pounce! Choose a student to share his/her answer and pause again to allow time for this. Finally, bounce: ask another student to comment on the first response.

Louise explains that this strategy embeds the effective use of thinking time, encourages learners to make notes (freeing up working memory), extends thinking, and challenges learners to listen closely to peers in order to build upon others’ ideas and develop a shared response.

6. Bouncing questions

Returning to Invicta Grammar School, here again questions are “bounced” from learner to learner – starting with a fairly simple question, and moving up through increasing levels of challenge towards synoptic questions that link with other areas of study. Biology teacher Hannah Gorski explains that this approach helps to build confidence and teamwork, while allowing the more able to develop and verbally consolidate their understanding of challenging concepts and links between them.

In a similar approach, Burton Borough School also “bounces” questions around the class. This time, learners prepare their own questions to ask peers. The first student chooses another to respond, who answers and in turn chooses the next. The school’s Jeremy Price notes that this approach has supported the development of strong subject knowledge and enjoyment, with learners motivated to come up with challenging questions for their classmates.

7. What happened first?

At Charterhouse Square School, learners are challenged to identify the correct order of events in science-related timelines. Given a set of milestone scientific achievements, discoveries and inventions, learners discuss their ideas about which happened first, providing arguments to back up their chronology. For an example of this, the school’s Amie Dickinson recommends the electrical inventions timeline game available via The Ogden Trust website.

In a similar vein, Science Coordinator Damian Cook shared an example from Oliver House School in which learners are challenged to analyse the elements of a food chain, answering the following questions:

  • Why do you think this animal has been so successful at being at the top of the chain?
  • What would it take for this animal to lose its position at the top?

For an additional challenge, learners are asked to consider which animal the top predator had evolved from, providing evidence to support their answer. Damian notes that once learners become accustomed to this approach, “they start to think like scientists and stretch their minds, which benefits their other studies – I hope!”

8. Visual prompts

The use of visual prompts alongside challenging questioning was a recurrent theme at the meetup. Shona Butler, Science Lead at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, shared the Explorify website as a useful source of engaging images and videos to prompt questions and discussion. She says this approach has helped learners develop confidence in considering a range of ideas, explaining their ideas and justifying their responses.

The Basildon Academies’ Michael Frempong and Hayley Richards – Heads of Science for the Lower and Upper Academies respectively – also advocated the use of pictures or objects to stimulate thinking and discussion. They noted that this allows all learners to contribute, while providing ample scope for learners to ask their own questions – of the objects, the teacher and each other.

9. “Fact first” questioning

To challenge learners to think in more depth about a subject, Drapers’ Academy’s Luxy Thanabalasingham shared the “fact first” approach – starting by giving learners a fact and challenging them to investigate further by generating “how” and “why” questions. Learners may work independently or in pairs, progressing to share their questions and ideas with the wider group. This is an effective way to move on from simple factual questions, Luxy says, encouraging learners to develop their higher-order thinking skills.

10. Write your own exam question

Finally, Weston Favell Academy’s Charlotte Heffernan shared her use of an activity in which learners are challenged to create their own exam questions and accompanying mark schemes. To get started, she suggests providing an answer and asking learners to suggest the question, or providing a question and asking learners to create the mark scheme.

Learners could also be challenged to create questions appropriate for different ability levels, considering what the examiner would be looking for and how key skills and knowledge could be assessed. This approach allows for self-differentiation, Charlotte notes, and has improved learners’ independence in answering questions.

Member resources

  • Webinar: Effective questioning in science
  • Webinar: Science capital: putting the research into practice
  • NACE Essentials: Realising the potential of more able learners in GCSE science
  • NACE Essentials: Using SOLO Taxonomy to increase challenge in the classroom

To access these resources, log in to our members’ site.

Tags:  collaboration  free resources  independent learning  questioning  science 

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5 stages of the “Learning Pit” for more able learners

Posted By Catherine Metcalf, 08 October 2018
Updated: 15 July 2019
We all know learning is impossible without mistakes, but how do you help your students understand the process of learning? Cathy Metcalf, Year 5 teacher at St Mary's RC Primary School, outlines the five stages of the “Learning Pit” approach – highlighting particular benefits and challenges for more able learners along the way…

“It is better to know how to learn than to know.” – Dr Seuss

As part of my own professional learning, I recently completed the Masters in Educational Practice at Cardiff University. We were challenged to consider an aspect of our teaching which we felt needed development, and devise an action research project to carry out with our own classes.

My research focused on developing the reasoning skills required for a child to “get started” with a mathematical problem. I designed a series of six lessons which would focus specifically on reasoning questions, and allow learners to progress relatively quickly from solving simple sums to tackling complex, multi-step algebraic problems. The main teaching strategies were based on bar modelling (Singapore Maths) and there would be a scaffold in place for metacognitive thinking and talk as the learners worked.

As I began to implement this intervention, I realised that the children struggled to articulate their thinking, or the progress they had or had not made towards solving a problem. The previous year I had been part of a metacognition professional learning community (PLC), and I returned to the reading I had completed on the “Learning Pit” approach developed by James Nottingham. Could this pictorial representation of the process of learning help my pupils to better understand their own thinking? Could we devise a shared language around metacognitive skills which could be applied to all learners, particularly our highest-achieving more able pupils? Furthermore, would learners begin to recognise the emotions which we experience as we move through a process of deep learning?

Stage 1: Challenge

Providing opportunities within our teaching for the children to feel challenged, puzzled, intrigued and even confused is the initial starting point for a Learning Pit lesson. Nottingham refers to the “cognitive conflict” or “wobble” that we experience when two conflicting pieces of information or experiences meet in our minds. We are forced to wonder and question, and where for some learners this can be intimidating, more able learners are usually excited by the prospect – particularly if it could include proving their teacher wrong! Open-ended tasks and questions are an essential part of the classroom culture.

Stage 2: Struggle

The “fall” into the pit is the most challenging part of learning. When faced with a seemingly impossible task, our pupils often feel like giving up, that the task is just too big or too difficult. However, the wise teacher will have pitched the task right at the edge of the learners’ zone of proximal development (ZPD). The Learning Pit helps children to recognise these emotions as a difficult but essential part of the process, to accept them, even embrace them… and then start digging. For more able learners, this can be the most challenging stage to get through, as many will have had little experience of academic struggle throughout their school lives. It can also be useful for teachers to model the process of “failing”, and even express the emotions of despair and annoyance at becoming “stuck” in the pit.

Stage 3: Deep learning

Once the learners begin to move, the process of deep learning can begin. Drawing upon their prior knowledge, making links to a similar situation and choosing and using classroom resources effectively are all metacognitive skills which come into play during this process. It can be useful for more able learners to articulate the progress they have made through mini plenaries or jottings in a learning journal. This also allows the teacher to revisit the learning process with pupils after completing a task, and reflect upon the success of their learning journey, rather than just the academic output.

Stage 4: Resilience and cooperation

Although the process of deep learning has now begun, learners will begin to understand that the journey out of the pit can be long, difficult and may even involve a few slides back down! It is here that they live out the qualities of a growth mindset, learning to “dig in”, persevere, learn and adapt from their mistakes. It is also through this stage that learners can help each other – offering advice to peers, asking questions or seeking support from each other as they make progress towards a solution. This crucial social constructivism (Vygotsky) can be especially beneficial for more able learners, some of who struggle to relate to their peers on an academic level.

Stage 5: Eureka!

The moment a problem clicks into place and a solution appears is a success that all children (and adults) want to feel. This success, whether individual or as a shared experience with a friend or classmate, is felt at a much deeper level when the struggle of learning has been truly experienced. A memory of a boy in my maths lesson who leapt out of his seat, punched the air and shouted “Yes!!!” as he solved a tricky reasoning problem exemplifies for me the power and success of the Learning Pit. Ultimately, this “eureka” moment acts as the catalyst to spur a learner on into their next “pit” of learning and challenge.

Have you used the Learning Pit approach? What other strategies do you use to ensure learners are challenged? Contact us to share your experience. 

Tags:  collaboration  metacognition  mindset  problem-solving  questioning  resilience 

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