Exploring perceptions of school amalgamation – Megan Jenkins

Exploring perceptions of school amalgamation – Megan Jenkins FLARE Residential 2010 The Enquiring School: Witnessing enquiry/research sessions Exploring perceptions of school amalgamation – Megan Jenkins Next steps…..future How would Megan The feeling of being taken over Does need to be long term plans to ensure school do it different maybe cannot be avoided – only and to tie in with an analysis team professionalism next ? time and change will ameliorate of attainment. Also – continues. that? interesting to know governor to parent perceptions. Really interested to explore emotions associated with an amalgamation and it will be really helpful to gain insight into how to handle such At the participation and situations in the future. consultation ensure openness and Are emotions or amalgamations ever likely to be exactly the same in two inclusive practices. different situations? How do you plan to bring the staff together? Shared Working with another colleague to reflect and take forward staffroom? Mixing up of KS1 “change management” is a powerful and helpful tool. and KS2 teams? INTERESTED – the methodology discussion is very Distinctive: dealing with staff; pertinent regarding coding of themes and interview Provocative: learn during process; effect. Transferable: dealing with staff. Interesting research that Distinctive: could assist other Provocative: its surprising that there is not already a “blueprint” or guidelines in schools/LA?s/communities in existence. Situation must have happened many times before; the future – challenge is to Transferable: so important for heads to share their experience and for others make process transferable. (LAs? National College?) to facilitate this. Emotional disability As well as providing an interesting case Distinctive: focus on emotional response of affect punctuality – study to support / inform future staff to amalgamation; how give space and amalgamations, how might the outcomes Provocative: difficulties of changing room for emotions on of the research support the next phase practice – constraint re-visiting same a day to day basis within school, i.e. support the staff? issues; and really capture Transferable: importance of anonymity of process to access feelings/perspectives. and respond. When schools are in times of great change how can / does all members of the school community There are also some set perceptions that KS2 engaging in their own research (in small staff have of KS1 staff and vice versa, representative groups) impact the process / especially in terms of what can/can?t be outcomes? perceived to be achieved in each phase. Getting to know how phases work is vital for all staff. Further research on pupil perceptions of this shift would be interesting including how this might influence all – through schools as an option under financially challenging times. FLARE Residential 2010 The Enquiring School: Witnessing enquiry/research sessions Enquiring within – Rajvinder Singh Gill Quite fascinating! Would very much like to see end results to whether it Completely agree with assessing the child as a whole picture and can translate into common practice this works well at Foundation Stage level. Therefore, as a across Essex. professional, you know the child very well as a person – not just academic ability. This means that you are constantly taking into A challenge to try and ensure that account emotional needs and how they impact on how they learn. secondary teachers understand the What a shame this form of assessment is lost as they get older need for a different approach. Is this and that the assumption is that their needs and learning styles more difficult in a secondary school change with age. At 11, we know their SATs score but no idea where a child goes from room to room about who they are. and teacher to teacher? If curriculum is not working what can be done…by the teacher, school, LA?? Psychology Is it curriculum or is difficult! culture of school that is Very insightful. Scope of the issue? Do such children need to be project could include dissapplied from the curriculum, to teachers further to Having been involved with nurture groups have something uniquely designed ensure outcomes are (at primary level), whilst I support the for them? possible. intentions, I found that it did little to east the conflict between expectations What kind of research „methods/tools? would support the adults/CYP at school / home felt by pupils. It in seeing through different „lenses?? almost felt like an attempt to “re- parent”, but, also you commented, for such a small portion of the day / child?s How do we as reflective practitioners enable others to see the experience. benefits of reflection and want to discover the stories, taking time and valuing relationship as well / more than coverage. We don?t do that here Contruct Your research is very important to teachers in I was very interested in every day classrooms – how will it be the engagement with But why not!! What does disseminated to them? being a possible „antidote? it say about „valuing?. to the affect wheel. Transferable: recognising that EBSD is a continuum of need, Distinctive: so focused on individual child; The many doors or how will the BSF process Provocative: huge scope do investigation! Is it too avenues young children / support the development of a big to question? people have to cope with curriculum, with a range of Transferable: so importance to consider external in relation to school, self, partner agencies for pupils / internal influences beyond teacher?s agenda. home peers, etc… with these needs Distinctive: integration of emotional responses to Distinctive: ownership / theology; cognitive ones; Provocative: children need to be prepared for work; Provocative: deep thinking about discontect Transferable: curriculum change between home and school; Transferable: this can be our experience for any / all children at some time. FLARE Residential 2010 The Enquiring School: Witnessing enquiry/research sessions BSF ICT Initial Teacher Training Research – Jonathan Sly E-safety is a big topic - Thought provoking video; this session only - Interesting to hear about different approaches with different addressed one part – love age groups; to explore more. - Would be very interested in unpicking point made by Raj and Lorraine – what makes girls feel the need to feel special? How are parents Good partnership project challenge is – are the materials up to the educated and does it mark, what is the research on, so emotive – but what outcomes? work? – just got handout – answered part of query! If providing a walled Are experiences in other sectors garden is pointless, are useful in schools? Would it be a good idea you suggesting the to train parents? removal of all filtering? How will you ensure your research conclusions / outcomes reach all schools? Have used cybercafé – one off lesson – but does this have impact. Needs drip, drip approach to be effective looking How can we best support young at my Year 6 girls. researchers who may encounter child protection issues in their own Transferable: the need to consider environments where pupils research? i.e. as researchers they are feel: required to reflect confidentiality or - safe; - encourage discussion; - allow all parties to be part of anonymity yet does this leave them planning in something that doesn?t resemble a classroom that is vulnerable? associated with „academic? learning. Encouraged: I am encouraged that this research is Distinctive: wide range of staff involved – will be happening. AS a dad of two girls the prospect of interesting to see how experience etc influences anything like this frightens me senseless. their reactions. Ease of access to young Distinctive: analysing the training process; and exploitation of that Provocative: do we make the behaviour we are trying to discourage contact / abuse. attractive by focusing on it; Transferable: need to consider problem of adult access to young people. Distinctive: resources; Provocative: subject; Transferable: suggestion.