Page 27 - ELG1801 Jan Issue 453

FEATURES & COMMENT

but that doesn’t transfer itself to the written at age 15/16? Driver says the system is more
word.’ All these concerns led to the school ‘bespoke’ and centres around helping pupils
launching its full ‘support curriculum’ for pass must-have subjects.
EALs – led by Driver. Under the system, all Students go to at least their four core GCSE
EAL pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9 who need help (national exam) subjects of English, maths,
with English follow a dual curriculum – which science and PE, and then can take up to four
amounts to 29 per cent of all pupils in Years ‘support options’ depending on their needs.
7 to 9. For half of the time – fifteen periods EAL students are encouraged to study
a week – they are in mainstream classes and for modern foreign language GCSEs if they
study maths, science, performing arts, PE, can find one they are likely to pass. Many Peterborough
design technology and art. But for the other Portugese-speaking students take Spanish, for Population:
half, they attend classes focusing on English example, and some Romanians take Italian. 2004-163,500
language, reading and basic IT. While they The focus on English and maths though, is 2015- 194,000
move around the school for mainstream vital, says Driver. Schools in the UK are judged Percentage of population
classes, their support curriculum work is on their headline figures of pupils passing now born abroad 20%
taught by just one or two teachers in a single these subjects at age sixteen, and can be taken
classroom with a support worker. over or closed down if they are deemed to be
‘We wanted to take some of that primary underperforming.
pedagogy. Teachers in primary classrooms The excuse that a school has a very mobile
know their students inside out, and their population or a high number of EALs is not
depth of knowledge of those students’ needs is generally accepted by inspectors, who expect
completely different to secondary where you the school to be doing well with pupils from all
see your students for fifty minutes a week,’ says backgrounds.
Driver. This in-depth knowledge would allow Recent reforms to GCSE exams have also
The school has found made good-quality, accurate English use to be
more important across the subject range.
‘With league tables, too, there’s no hiding –
itself at the forefront of your results as a school are very, very public,’ Source: Centre for Cities
receiving children who Driver says. This transformation of the school Queen Katherine
Academy
have recently arrived in has relied on the good will and enthusiasm  61% of the school population in
of its staff. The school only has one Delta-
the area qualified teacher and no extra funding, so Years 7 to 11 are classi ed as
twelve subject teachers had to be ‘repurposed’
EAL learners
for part of their timetables to teach the support
teachers to know exactly when pupils are curriculum. Many volunteered to do it because 68% of EAL students in Year
ready to enter the full mainstream curriculum, they could see that the school needed to 7 have little or no English.
she says. But it was key that students did not change its approach. 29% of pupils in Years 7 to
feel that spending a significant proportion ‘It’s a massive learning curve for everybody,’ 9 are following the full Sup-
of their time in ‘primary style’ classes was says Driver. ‘These are teachers who have just port Curriculum.
remedial or babyish. The school has addressed come from different subjects, so we’ve got
this by ensuring pupils use resources intended dance teachers, PE teachers, music teachers,
tandem with their teaching assistants.
for young people and adults – including EFL health and social care, PSHE teachers. tandem with their teaching assistants.
textbooks and graded readers. ‘We’ve got a real mix of staff who are Funding from Erasmus Plus will also allow
Once teachers are confident that pupils are now having to redevelop their skills with a group of staff to visit schools in Europe to
ready to move into the mainstream, they make a completely different focus. A couple of gain an understanding of the educational
sure students are supported as they transition. teachers have found it more difficult than background of some of their students.
The first small wave of graduates from the others.’ The teachers underwent training In Slovakia, for example, teachers will visit
scheme was expected to transfer in November. during the summer looking at approaches the special schools where Roma pupils are
But what of pupils who arrive at the school such as phonics. They also went into primary educated. In Poland, teachers hope to gain an
in later years, such as in the crucial exam years schools to look at how teachers work in understanding of the school system and the
expectations parents might have of a school.
‘We will gain a better understanding of
where the students are coming from,’ says
Driver. For headteacher Scott Hudson, the
support curriculum is a vital part of overall
school improvement. But he is keen to stress
that his aim is to ensure the school helps all
pupils with ‘significant linguistic and literacy
barriers’, both EAL and native English
speakers.
Hudson says, ‘Whilst it is very early days,
we are seeing real benefits in engagement and
behaviours for learning, which are resulting in
better progress.’

IRENA BARKER
Commissioning editor
Jane Driver is @IrenaBarker
hopeful for the future
editorial@elgazette.com 45