Accelerated Learning in English

Building on well-established links between Gladesmore Community School, Robert Clack School and a core partnership of nine primary schools, the project aimed to improve attainment levels in English.

Participating schools thoroughly examined the barriers teachers had to accelerate pupils’ learning in English and how to tackle these. Steps included: re-mapping of programmes of study and assessment, writing new schemes of work accompanied by high quality teaching materials and the provision of frequent training plus direct guidance, exemplar ‘model’ teaching and 1-to-1 coaching to English teachers to ensure outstanding delivery. This was supplemented with targeted intervention in specially set-up classes and out-of-hours sessions for pupils most at risk of not making the required progress.

Teachers’ subject knowledge, lesson delivery skills and confidence all improved. Progress rates were strong and evident across Key Stages 2, 3 and 4. The Key Stage 2 SATs results showed notable improvements, including, for the first time a number of pupils gaining level 6 in writing.

We found that teachers could improve their performance, indeed a leap from 40% to 69% gaining outstanding lesson grading occurred as a consequence of investment in this [project].

Tony Hartney: [email protected]