Promoting Independence through Student Leadership

Gordano School

Gavin Ball

Sophie Francis

Gordano – the context

Personalisation and a changing curriculum

• 2 Year Development Stage – SATs taken in Year 8

• 3 Year Personalisation Stage – GCSEs in Year 10 or 11

• My PM – enrichment programme – Wednesday afternoons

• 2007-8 Year 7 following My PM course

• 2008-9 Year 7 and 8 involved

My PM

• Gordano Learning Language – Leading your life; Making a contribution

– Thinking skills– Learning skills– Global citizenship– International Links– Team Building skills– Independent

research– Creative activities– Enquiring Minds

– Communication skills

– PSHE– Wider language

experience– Music– JSLA– Cross curricular

challenges

Leading Edge – The Way Forward

• Move away from micro-projects

• Work towards embedding innovative LE practice into classrooms throughout the school

• Creation of a ‘Thinking School’

National Programme 8:

Developing staff and student leadership to raise achievement

Student Leadership

Year 7• YLA (Young Leader’s Award) - 3 week course – 1 theory

and 2 practical lessons• Leadership qualities explored• Pupils to lead a small group of younger children in a

sports festival in July   Year 8

• Pupils will take a coaching course Year 9

• JSLA (Junior Sport’s Leader Award) will become an option in core PE (nationally accredited to allow pupils to coach 5-11 yr olds in certain activities)

 

What the pupils say

• ‘I really enjoyed Sports Leadership. It was one of my favourites.’

• ‘I was really excited about being involved with the award.’

• ‘I think it will benefit me by showing me how to be a leader and how to lead people.’

Student Leadership Teams

The ethos

• Students to take a lead role in initiating, organising and managing whole school development

• Increase students’ abilities to work independently and think for themselves

• Prepare students for future

Student Leadership Teams

•Technology

•Teaching and Learning

•Student Welfare

•Environment

Technology

• Vodcast revision materials

• Organisation for independent film company to produce online video prospectus

• Gaming Software

Progress and Development

Teaching and Learning

• Learning Detective team trained by county advisor

• QCA Student Voice Panel

• G&T students working with G&T coordinators and staff

Progress and Development

Student Welfare• Health and Fitness Team – reduced rates

for students at leisure centre• Climbing Team - received funding for new

climbing wall• Counselling Team – counselling system

for all year groups• Mercury Newspaper Team – material for

local press

Progress and Development

Environment

Recycling Team

Solar Panel Project

Eco-School Status Team – aim for Eco School’s Bronze Award by Aug 2008 and Green Flag by 2009/10

Progress and Development

Involvement

• 11 teams involving students from four different year groups

• Team leaders and deputies have run meetings; organised teams; made formal presentations to governors and senior members of staff

Student Leadership Teams

What the pupils say

sfrancis@gordano.n-somerset.sch.uk

www.gordanoslt.t83.net