Mayfield Primary SchoolADAPTING A CURRICULUM
ADAPTING A CURRICULUM & 'LEARNER'S EYE' EXPERIENCE AT MAYFIELD
Aim High - Yet Shape According to the Learner - An Innovative Journey
We have a very diverse local community. Children arrive at Mayfield with many differing qualities, strengths and areas that they need to develop to move their learning forward. We know we cannot be static and offer an age old approved model of learning and teaching. In fact we know that is never a good idea. Strong teaching must come from huge awareness of learner need and the learner eye. So we ask: What do the children see when learning? What do they need to be more successful learners? What is missing from their own learner tool bag?
Some of these elements may be social, emotional, knowledge based or skill based but the key is that we then shape and build from there. We have a clear 'I Dream of Being' curriculum which fully delivers the National Curriculum. We call it 'Curriculum Craft' at Mayfield. But what we also have is a 'Classroom Craft' and this is the key to adaptation of learning and teaching at Mayfield. It takes account of the responses to the questions above and it allows us to shape and re-shape our learning experience accordingly. Some strategies consistently work well and can be deployed successfully over long periods but some methods require changes, alterations and new thinking to hit learner starting point need. School leaders and class teachers in any setting and at any level should not rest on laurels, instead we should search for teaching adaptations that fit the starting position of the learners in front of them. It is not about moving goalposts or lowering targets or expectations - our final outcomes at the end of our learning journey in Year 6 tell you that. It is about the personal 'active purpose' learning experience in-between the starting point and the end point. That is where adaptation sits at Mayfield.
What we feel we do particularly well is to trial and test ideas and monitor the impact of this. We are not scared to test an idea that may make a difference no matter how small. If it doesn't work then we will work from there. 1% or 2% for specific children and groups really counts. We should innovate and adapt in search of this. We want our teachers to embrace this and be brave in their teaching.
Here are some of the key Classroom Craft adaptation strategies you will currently find at Mayfield.
* The Classroom Craft (Teaching & Learning Policy) document is available to download at the base of the page.
LET'S TALK
A feature that we push at all times during learning projects, but particularly during the earlier stages as we are getting to know and establishing ideas and new concepts.
REVISIT & REPEAT
Gaining confidence through familiarity, improves our children's independence belief and ability to grow from a sound basis. This often means revisiting and repeating key messages and even activities (which we present in different formats and styles). Progression comes from a basis of understanding. Learners progress when they are confident and possess a clarity about learning. Moving on endlessly will not necessarily transfer to progress for our children.
LET'S SHOW
Not every project, nor every subject needs to be driven by outcomes in books as the only way to show a learner has understood key knowledge and can demonstrate key skills. If we believe one way fits all learners then we would do it, but we do not believe this for our learners. A single way to gather and gauge knowledge and skill level is very limited and creates barriers. So we break these down by using 'Let's Show' strategies. These appear towards the end of projects and terms as we harvest the new knowledge and skills from our children. It involves performance, discussion, talks, pictures, film, presentations. More than just looking at work in a book.
TIME FOR LEARNING
So how long does effective learning and teaching last for? Does it have a set time? Is there a clock ticking on the timescale? No. In truth, learning's optimum time is related to the children concerned, the kind of task, the subject, the objectives and aims, the stage in a project. We could go on...
We plan sessions with a timeframe that is responsive to each of the above. Adapting this both in our planning and at the point of teaching. When is enough actually enough? Finding when the learning has hit saturation point and it becomes redundant time and making that adaptation when we observe learner changes.
FEEDBACK TO BREAK A CYCLE
Marking for who and with what message. Futile and without impact if seemingly just done. So we have a Bronze, Silver & Gold methodology that we employ. We have constantly been learning and tweaking this over many years (and will always review its effectiveness). Ultimately how we mark has to come down to time for learners to respond, asking for a response in the right channels and moments and then seeing a resonating change in our children's work and methods. Breaking the cycle of marking that looks ok and fits a policy but doesn't actually fit a style of learning that we see in our children.
MEMORABLE MOMENTS
Always a feature of our work, dating from our first curriculum work as a new team in 2019. Memorable episodes, stunning starts, characters, stimuli for projects, theme days. A way in for learners that sparks our children's interests and let's teacher hang learning upon them.
FAMILIAR & ACCESSIBLE LEARNING SPACE
Muscle memory. Repeated actions that can aid accuracy and support for learning. We have observed our learners closely over many years and crafted several variations of our classroom settings that attempt to deliver progressive consistency through layout, wording and accessibility. A comfortable space that is familiar can, for our children, generate a more confident learner. Every 1% counts. The classroom setting is absolutely paramount and every element matters.
BEYOND A CURRICULUM
A learner's day is more than just traditional learning minutes. A whole package of thought, honing what we feel our learner's need to be best prepared for the next experience or moment. A combination of excitement, motivation, head space, calm time and thoughtful actions are brought together in many of the non-class based spaces, environments and opportunities we have developed. A school adapting every possible moment and space into hitting that learner need or that learner message. Lunchtime Play Zones, Boot Room, Brain Breaks, Aspects of Nurture Provision, Curriculum Enrichment Clubs/Offer these are all examples of this.