Developing Positive Attitudes to Learning - The Doncaster Infant School Network Achieves its Aims
Fri, Jan 1st 2010
(The following report is an update on an important networking project. We have previously reported progress of this project in a news item in 2007 and in a newsletter in 2008 but we would like to add this in as a reminder at this time to us all of the benefits of networking.)
The Infant School Network in Doncaster was formed in 2005 as a support framework for the introduction of the government’s learning network strategy. After a successful application for Government funding, the network took a good look at how a negative attitude to learning can present a barrier to achievement for some children. A focus on fostering positive attitudes to learning in all groups of pupils was then agreed. Jenny Mosley’s advice was sought on pioneering an approach that would identify children at risk of negative attitudes. Intervention and monitoring was then to be used to help children’s developing attitudes.
Jenny Mosley was asked to lead a successful launch conference network day in October 2005 as guest speaker, with staff from all nine schools of the network. Recognising that all members of the school community have a role to play in ensuring that children feel positive about learning, staff of all levels attended the day.
Following the conference, Jenny spent an additional action-planning day with leaders from each school. Part of Jenny’s model uses ‘Tiny Achievable Tickable Targets (TATTS) with children who use small, regular targets to help them achieve their goals. Well, TATTS in this case were used with the school leaders, who each came away from the day with a list of action-planning TATTS. The network has since produced a report of the actions taken, outcomes and advice to other schools setting out on a similar journey.
Eighteen months later, it is clear that everyone involved in the Network can congratulate themselves on having had a significant positive impact upon attitudes within schools and an increased achievement for some pupils.
Achievements have been accredited to the profound learning experience of working within a network of highly skilled practitioners, and the fact that all the work was tailored to the individual needs of each school. Jenny was also thanked for her contribution to the achievements and successes of the project so far – described as giving the project drive, momentum and a golden glow!
Since then, all the schools within the Infant School Network, serving a variety of socio-economic areas, developed a primary aim for themselves towards developing a more positive attitude towards learning and increased self-esteem for children. The aims varied between schools, and included ideas such as implementing the Golden Rules system, improving attainment across all areas of pupil development and fostering positive attitudes to learning through academic and social interaction.
The outcomes of the project have been immense. An effective network has been established that share good practice through regular newsletters. With actions tailored to meet the needs of each school community, a culture of cooperation and trust has developed between the network schools.
In addition to this, it is clear that these projects are working well, and that children’s attitudes and motivation are improving. The academic and social achievements for many children are also growing. All in all, a very successful pioneering story that we hope to hear more from in the future.
Below is one school in the network’s success story
The Doncaster Infant Network – One School’s Journey Towards Positivity and Achievement
Background to the school and project
HatfieldTravisSchool has 206 children on role, including 72 part-time nursery children. The school, serving a diverse socio-economic community on the outskirts of Doncaster, has a proportion of children coming from areas in line with the most deprived 10% in the country.
Whilst aiming for every child to fulfil his or her full potential, it was clear that a small number of pupils each year had a negative attitude to learning, presenting a barrier to achieving their full potential. The school wanted to find ways of identifying pupils early on who were at risk of this outcome.
Project aims
The aims for this project (in brief) were therefore:
- to encourage positive attitudes to learning and life throughout the whole school community;
- to ensure pupils have a strong voice thus communicating the value of individual opinion;
- to secure a whole school commitment to the Golden Rules for promoting positive behaviour including a sanction and reward policy;
- to develop a tracking system to identify those at risk of negative attitudes;
- to continue to raise standards across the curriculum through the development of effective learning behaviour in all children.
Starting off
After the Infant Network Launch conference day, led by Jenny Mosley, the school revisited their Golden Rules and held discussions with all the children about them. They developed new pictorial representations of them and ensured that they were displayed prominently all round the school. In addition, the rewards and sanctions systems were revisited to ensure that they were applied consistently. The school chose a Golden Ticket reward system where children were given golden tickets for following the Golden Rules. Every single member of staff could award a ticket and tell the child why. All tickets were then posted into a golden post, with two tickets being drawn out every week in celebration assembly. The winners could choose a reward from a children-chosen reward catalogue, mostly supporting staff in their duties around the school, from headteacher’s PA to caretaker’s assistant. The system was adapted slightly for the nursery setting.
Tracking change
In order to explore how to track the impact of any changes on children, the staff identified common observable behaviours that potentially indicated a negative attitude, these included; time wasting, frequent trips to the toilet in class time, daydreaming, lack of involvement, inability to select the correct tools, invading personal space of others, inability to remain on task.
Common themes within these behaviours were then identified as: motivation, personal organisation, self control, relationships, respect for the learning environment. For each negative behaviour, the opposite behaviour was used to form the basis of a new attitude and motivation tracking document.
Staff then assessed each child against the positive learning profile using a four-point scale of development
i.e. The child:
- almost always exhibits positive behaviour;
- with occasional prompting exhibits positive behaviour;
- with structured support exhibits positive behaviour;
- rarely or never exhibits positive behaviour.
For each developmental stage i.e. foundation or key stage one, the amount of ‘allowable’ support was adjusted. For instance, in the Foundation stage, it was acceptable for a child to need structured support in developing good learning behaviour, whereas in Key Stage one this could be seen as a cause for concern.
Strong role models were identified from the tracker, along with areas for class development and individual children who require intervention to improve their attitude to school and develop positive learning behaviours. The latter were offered nurture group support, language and communication support, star time and counselling. Class development was supported through circle time, feeling trees and using whole class targets.
Outcomes and impact
A tracking document was completed for each child at the start and towards the end of the school year. The results showed that the intervention with individuals and the class group work had a significant impact on children’s attitudes. Children with low baseline scores had typically reduced their negative indicators by 70% or more and class areas for development had improved on average from less than 75% of the class above a given intervention line to over 86% above the line.
In Key Stage 1 the data was compared with predicted and actual end of year academic achievement scores. This information confirmed that children who had an improved attitude to learning from a low baseline generally exceeded expected targets.
The Golden Rules scheme were also identified as having a significant impact on daily life in school and emotional literacy now drives the curriculum and all staff. Parents were very much in support of the changes made, with the following comments about the golden ticket reward scheme:
“I think its is an excellent reward scheme”
“…very encouraging, teachers the children to respect themselves and others”
“…makes children innovative and thoughtful”
“…very good idea and encourages the values everyone should hold in high esteem.”
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