On Saturday mornings, Year 9 pupils undertake
a ‘learning skills’ enrichment programme which supplements the rounded
education they receive throughout the week. Programme coordinator Mr Liam
Morgan has recently introduced a new slot dedicated to learning useful,
creative skills which will help the pupils throughout their time at school.
Learning skills is delivered in a weekly
hour-long slot, with pupils rotating onto a new topic every 4-5 weeks. Under
the broad umbrella, each staff member focuses on different ways to develop a
specific set of skills, including teamwork, problem-solving, presentation,
communication and IT skills.
Philosophy teacher Mr Jon Brownley, who is
involved in the programme, explains the purpose of his sessions on academic
reflection: ‘I am a big believer that time spent reflecting on one’s day is
vitally important to progression and improvement. I ask the pupils to write a
diary style entry which details the week just gone. They reflect on what has
gone well, what they could have improved, what they learned that they did not
previously know and what they hope to learn in coming lessons.’
Mr Brownley continues: ‘This feeds into
learning concepts like meta-cognition, growth mindset, independent working
and revision. The main aim is for the pupils to be quiet and to use the
time to focus on their own thinking. Developing good habits and an
understanding of how they can learn successfully will be extremely helpful in
future years as they prepare for important external examinations’
With his group, Music teacher Mr Chris Ham is
challenging pupils to explore how they can use technology to solve a problem.
The group have been asked to create a promo video for the John Turner Building,
using the state-of-the-art Apple Mac facilities in the Music Department. This
is an engaging project which enhances pupils’ confidence and proficiency on the
iMovie software, and requires them to work together in a small group. One clip
which stood out from the rest was produced by Bertie Whitfield (Orchard) and
Jack Parrott (Skipwith). Their video can be viewed below:
Mr Ham commented: ‘I was particularly
impressed by Bertie and Jack’s piece of work, as it had a very professional
finish having been edited beautifully. There are some great shots in there
which showcase the incredible resources we have here for prospective students
and parents.’