Case study relating the conceptual framework to teaching
last updated:14 Jun 2010
Row 4 Institutional Context: How does the school promote a common vision to extend educational experiences and inspire learners?
Everyone is a learner at Castle Hill. Pupils, parents and staff are all part of the team and shared ownership of learning is a key element of the school’s vision. Evidence from pupils and parents suggests that Castle Hill is achieving positive outcomes for its learners, and six years ago the school went from good to outstanding, a status it still retains.
In this case study we explore how Castle Hill promotes a common vision to extend educational experiences and inspire learners (row 4 of the conceptual framework for pedagogy).
Follow the links below to find out about their approaches to:
- the curriculum (including Philosophy for Children and Mantle of the Expert)
- pedagogy (including the use of de Bono’s six thinking hats, context embedded learning and Costa's Habits of Mind and pupil voice)
- assessment (including self assessment)
If you would like to learn more, click the following links for:
Approaches to the curriculum
Coherence: is there clarity in the purposes context and orgnisation of the curriculum and does it provide holistic learning experiences?
‘Every pupil should leave the school as a caring, confident learner, achieving to the best of their ability and able to have a voice in the community in which they live.’
- In their lessons, teachers seek to make links across the curriculum and repeatedly ask the question: ‘How are we linking our learning?’ The language they use is shared with pupils and parents.
- Both long term and short term gains are taken into account. Primary strategy objectives are taught but with frequent breaks to this structure to develop flexible approaches by observing patterns in learning.
- Philosophy for Children is used to develop children’s thinking skills, confidence in their own opinions, and their ability to build on others’ arguments. See for example: P4C: Philosophy4Children
- Helpfulness, concern and understanding, and questioning and active participation are displayed in all relationships in the school, as the development of these interpersonal skills builds confidence and academic ability. The school has a culture of embracing diversity.
Cross curricular topics are supported by children’s own interests, and focus on developing creativity.
‘Pupils and adults are active participants reflecting on their own learning.’
- thinking skill tools such as their adaptation of the KWFL grids; top six thinking hats (after de Bono); thinking bubbles and mind mapping
- pupil led initiatives in the school improvement plan: Pupils are encouraged to consider larger issues in the wider community in order to learn the skills of socialising and discussion
- children are taught to recognise the dispositions and habits of mind they need to become learners for life
- families are encouraged to be partners in learning and understand what learning is. Personal and paired learning opportunities for parents are offered; fathers are encouraged to come and work with their sons in after school clubs; grandparents are invited in to support learning
- research informed practice and action research to support developments
- teachers, pupils and parents are developing a common language based on a common understanding of the ‘linking our learning’ mantra.
Approaches to assessment
Expectation: does the school support high staff and student expectations and aspire for excellence?
‘Pupils take responsibility for planning and assessing their own learning’
- a small number of core cross curricular targets are discussed with the pupils which are based on skills or ‘habits of mind’ – dispositions
- the question ‘how is she smart?’ rather than ‘how smart is she?’ emphasises the approach taken to learning and the creation of new knowledge
- formative assessment and immediate feedback is given; and the approach ‘answering a question with a question ‘is used to encourage independence. Post-it notes are used during the lesson to record in-the-moment learning breakthroughs
- the school environment provides a learning stimulus with interactive displays being of the highest quality
- a key outcome of the school’s approaches is that pupils can identify their targets, know what they want to do to find out more and where to go to find out.
- How have you developed a ‘common vision’ in your school? How do you know it is understood and shared by everyone?
- How would you describe your learning culture?
- Head teacher Sheri Wilks has confidence that there is no gap between what the school says they do and what they actually do. She enables the team to research and uphold their common vision and values thus allowing a deeper shared learning culture. What do you do to demonstrate your high standards throughout your school?
Castle Hill Infants, Ipswich
Castle Hill is a mixed community infant school situated in the north of Ipswich with nearly 150 pupils. The school has a larger than average percentage of children who have learning difficulties, most children are white British and very few speak English as an additional language.
To contact the school about their work email:
ad.castlehill.i@talk21.com
Further reading
Online sources
Six thinking hats
A brief history of the Habits of Mind
Art Costa Centre for Thinking
Mantle of the Expert
Edward de Bono
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi on flow
The GTCE’s Research for Teachers summary on Vygotsky
Print sources
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1998). Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement With Everyday Life. Basic Books
Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind. New York: Basic Books
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence. New York: Bantam Books
Gardner, Howard, Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly, and Damon, William (2002).
Good Business: Leadership, Flow, and the Making of Meaning. Basic Books.
