Improving Teaching and Learning
- Improving English, Maths and Science
- Teaching Resistant Materials, Design and Food Technology
- Supporting Media and Arts
- Focusing on studies - new LRCs
- Creating social spaces
- Professional development
Improving English, Maths and Science
A key part of the BSF programme is to support schools as they work to raise standards in the core subjects:
- English,
- Maths and
- Science
The programme is seeking to achieve this by providing schools with modern, flexible and ICT rich learning spaces.
In Haringey the number of students achieving 5A* to C grades at GCSE continues to rise. In 2010 a total of 72% of students were awarded five or more GCSEs; with 48% of students achieving these higher grades in subjects including English and Maths.
There is clear evidence that in our secondary schools the quality of teaching spaces for these subjects is now being significantly enhanced. Dedicated spaces, such as the new Maths block at Gladesmore (PDF, 42KB), and the new improved spaces for English and Science at Park View and Woodside (PDF, 85KB) respectively, demonstrate that students now have access to some of the best facilities for learning the core subjects.
These spaces are also offering teachers the opportunity to educate schoolchildren in different sized groups, and in new, interactive and engaging ways. In addition, students are also enjoying a more personalised experience of English, Maths and Science.
All this means that our secondary schools are well placed to continue improving attainment levels in English, Maths and Science. Our schools are also equipped to respond to changes (such as those outlined in The Wolf Report to the national curriculum that mean that attainment in the core subjects will increasingly be seen as key indicators of success. Read the report in the external links section below).
|Back to topTeaching Resistant Materials, Design and Food Technology
Improving Design and Technology spaces was identified as a key priority for a number of schools looking to broaden their curriculum. BSF investment is now giving students a better experience and ability to explore resistant materials in a richer environment. New spaces equipped with the right tools and machinery is enabling students to gain valuable and practical knowledge. This is in evidence at The Octagon where young people can be seen making; testing and evaluating with many of the modern materials so important to hands-on lessons.
The teaching of Food Technology puts an equal emphasis on practical, hands-on skills. Spacious food technology rooms and high quality equipment can now be seen at a number of our schools, such as John Loughborough School where budding chefs and caterers are now working in dedicated food tech classrooms in the school’s new extension.
At Northumberland Park Community School (PDF, 75KB) students and staff agree that the impressive new food technology space is already having a huge and positive impact. You can see a film of how food technology is benefiting Northumberland Park Community School on our YouthSpace page.
|Back to topSupporting Media and the Arts
The creativity of Haringey’s young people is being supported by BSF.
In particular a number of schools are experiencing vastly enhanced spaces and resources for music, drama and performance. In some cases these improvements have supported specific school specialisms.
Changes to the way that schools can support performance and music are evident at schools such as Highgate Wood (PDF, 36KB), Fortismere (PDF, 109KB) and Northumberland Park.
While at Gladesmore Community School an impressive new auditorium is providing an inspiring space for young people. The 244 seater space is a flexible environment which is being used for performance, film clubs, and whole year group teaching. The new auditorium features state of the art lighting and sound equipment, and has given the school the potential to offer more facilities for community use outside of school hours.
|Back to topFocusing on studies - new LRCs
Traditional school libraries have been transformed into vibrant spaces for independent study, equipped with invaluable learning resources, and with connectivity to the wider world. Our young people are experiencing a revolution in the way that schools enable them to think and find answers for themselves.
Across our secondary schools Learning Resource Centres (LRCs) are now enabling young people to have more personalised experience. That said, LRCs also provide great opportunities for collaborative learning, all this supported by effective, modern resources and materials. By making the most of the space available and through intelligent use of natural light, there has been a palpable change in the atmosphere within LRCs such as those at St Thomas More (PDF, 61KB), Hornsey School for Girls (PDF, 99KB), John Loughborough. The remodelling and extension of the library at John Loughborough has successfully increased its area by almost 50%.
Across all our schools the improvements have been supported with new fixtures, flexible shelving spaces, and vastly improved technology.
|Back to topCreating social spaces
There are changes taking place beyond classroom and teaching spaces.
Improving the social spaces for students has become a key way of enhancing the overall school environment. Young people identified ‘better social spaces’ as being an important part of the role the programme needed to play in supporting their learning. This extends to dining spaces and areas around the school that students can make their own outside of lessons.
Read case studies about the dining space at Highgate Wood (PDF, 84KB) and the new recreational spaces at Gladesmore Community Schools (PDF, 123KB).
|Back to topProfessional development
The professional development of our teacher training is very important to the progression of our staff. Funding through the BSF programme has enabled new facilities to emerge at two schools: one in the east and one in the west of the borough. Each school has a special brief to provide opportunities for lesson observation, and teacher training.
Alexandra Park now has a new training centre located on the ground floor of its Sixth Form Centre. The school has been a dedicated and respected training school, supporting schools in the west of the borough. The new space now gives the school greater capacity to extend graduate teacher training across the borough, to work even more closely with secondary schools to identify and address training needs, and to develop cutting edge programmes sharing best practice and the latest innovations in teaching and learning.
Schools in the west of the borough are working together to build capacity, improve skills and develop a collegiate spirit among staff. We are already seeing the benefits of this facility.
Paul Short, Assistant Headteacher, teaching and learning, Alexandra Park.
Northumberland Park School has an impressive reputation as a training school. Senior staff attach great importance to staff development across the entire school workforce. For example: Northumberland Park School helps local people employed in support staff roles to have opportunities to gain further training and career progression. BSF has enabled the school to substantially increase its teacher training resource.
|Back to topUseful External Links
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