The ethos culture at John Taylor Free School means that our teaching centres around developing the learning journey beyond its walls, with the long-term value of each lesson a priority over a simple transaction of information. Whilst obviously our subject curriculum is vital, our approach is intended to enable our students to become self-managers, to be team-players, reflective and resilient, innovative and creative, to participate and to enquire in order to give them the tools necessary to successfully navigate the world.
Rather than teachers informing students and parents of progress, we encourage students take agency by reflecting on and recording their targets and lead in these conversations. In using DIRT time, preparation documents and reflective journals, students will become more able to articulate and therefore understand their successes and next steps.
“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.” Plutarch
Our school system organises students according to their age, but through the vertical structure of our tutor groups as well as our whole school, cross-phase learning conferences, this learning is extended across this artificial barrier as we take to time to allow students to share successes, support each other in identifying targets and explore their ideas from the classroom and beyond. Our driving questions aim to forge links in learning that sparks engagement, excitement and enquiry at all levels and spurs the debate and discussion so integral to our curriculum.
Both of these structures are unique to our school; both have the capacity to enable our young people to prosper.
In our seventh year as a school, we are in our first year at what is called ‘steady state’, with all seven year-groups present. In December, we held our first ‘proper’ learning conference with every year group participating, each student in the school actively engaging in conversations around their learning behaviours, reflecting and setting targets for the coming term, debating and discussing our driving questions, taking responsibility for their learning journey all the while collaborating on a project to physically reflect this.
Looking back through photos from this 70 minute session, the reason for our unique culture has once more been confirmed: 18 year olds advising year 9 students about which might be the best pathway for them at GCSE; key stage four students thanking year 7s for helping them each morning by testing them on their flashcards; year 11 and 13 students reflecting on what they have learned about themself through their recent trial exams; students sharing with their personal tutors what an impact they have had on them. Students do not improve simply by being told what their next steps are; it is these conversations that hold that key.
I have seen the power that can be created through this metacognitive approach in the confidence that we are building in our young people. I have also spoken with staff telling me that though they had initially felt unsure about this process and were nervous, that they had enjoyed the time having conversations with students that they see every day and that they had learnt new things about them, seeing some in an entirely new light.
Metacognition is not a quick fix. It is not something which can be easily implemented. By fully utilising the resources we have such as reflective journals to record and reflect on learning, student-led consultation to identify strengths and areas for development, learning organisers to organise and reflect on the learning journey, our students will not only succeed and thrive, but we will kindle a fire that will help them to become lifelong learners.
I would like to thank Mrs Massey for being guest writer on the Headteacher’s blog! She has been working hard on developing STRIPE skills and metacognition with our students across the school. The STRIPE Journal plays an important role in this work – here, Mrs Massey explains why.
I would like to thank Mrs Massey for being guest writer on the Headteacher’s blog! She has been working hard on developing STRIPE skills and metacognition with our students across the school. The STRIPE Journal plays an important role in this work – here, Mrs Massey explains why.
As a teacher in a secondary school these underpin many of the struggles that I see in the classroom and beyond
Website Designed by MacMartin.
A partner within John Taylor Multi Academy Trust
