064: How to create a school with less testing, less planning & verbal feedback
Flora Barton is Headteacher at Crowmarsh Gifford CE Primary School. We discuss how they are supporting their pupils to become independent learners, while creating a working environment for the teaching team to thrive, inspire and be creative. Less testing changes the focus of how teachers teach and as you will hear the results are remarkable.
They are doing this by:
- Purple learning for the pupils
- Increasing educational visit
- More learning outside of the classroom
- No formal observations
- Verbal feedback
- 2 days a week staff should leave school at 4.15 with nothing in their hands
- Focus on wellbeing
- Less Planning
- No non-statutory testing
- Growth mindset
- Being part of the community
- Broad curriculum
“Learning and leadership are central to the ethos of our school, where both adults and children not only always give their very best but go above and beyond what is expected. We work hard to ensure that the curriculum is exciting and stimulating, where children can utilise all of their talents and inquire about the wider world around them. This is a place where everyone learns, where everyone is challenged and everyone is inspired.”
http://crowmarshgiffordprimary.com/
Links to other topics we discussed
National Association for Primary Education
Carol Dweck – mindset works
Dame Alison Peacock – Chartered College of Teaching
For more podcast episodes and content about how to support children to be happy, creative and inspired please visit www.EducationOnFire.com
063: What to expect from the Education on Fire podcast
Short intro to the new look Education on Fire, pre season 5.
The continuation of themed seasons
Wednesday Wisdom
New interviews with successful people who are living their dreams. How did school help or hinder them? What are the most important lessons they have learnt in their journey? Who did they meet or what did they read/hear that has made a profound affect on them. Full details coming soon.http://www.educationonfire.com/
062: Music and the Arts Season Finale
Mark takes us through the highlights of season 4 ‘Music and the Arts’. We recap some of the great interviews and Mark shares his thoughts on what we have explored.
Check out his personal offer to come and visit your school. Do you want some FREE samba workshops?
061: Season 4 round up with Peter Cansell
Peter Cansell and I discuss what we have learned from the Education on Fire podcast season 4 – Music and the Arts. 20 episodes of great resources.
Peter Cansell is my resident education expert. The person who provides the bigger picture and will tell me that you can’t just play music all day at school other subjects are important too!
Peter has been in education professionally for 35 years, teaching in middle schools in Oxford, doing advisory work, teaching higher education and as a Primary Headteacher at Harwell Primary School. He retired from that post in September 2014, but has continued as Chair of OPHTA (Oxfordshire Primary Headteachers’ Association), was elected to become Chair of the National Network of Chairs of Headteachers’ Groups in June 2014 and was delighted to have become a NAPE council member this year, serving on the editorial board for Primary First. In January of 2015 he co-founded the Oxford School of Thought, an independent education think tank. He is a trustee and chairs the management committee of another charity, Full Circle, which is well regarded for its ground breaking intergenerational work.
- Subscribe to the podcast on your iPhone or iPad at https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/education-on-fire/id1185244875
- On Android http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=126031&refid=stpr
- Listen on the website http://www.educationonfire.com
Season 4 starts here http://www.educationonfire.com/040-season-4-launch-show-music-arts-schools/
060: Sue Nicholls – Primary Music Specialist
Sue Nicholls worked as a music subject leader in many primary settings during her career as a teacher. She has published several music resource books for non-specialists for A&C Black and OUP and contributed material to many other publications. Sue now works as an independent music education consultant leading workshops and courses for schools and music hubs.
Links to information in this podcast:
David Liggins – Ocarina
ISM Webinars – Primary Music
Certificate for Music Educators – Trinity