1. ag Alps Berkshire Mid-Year Conference 3rd February 2006

2. ag VISION/ETHOSSTANDARDSFLEXIBILITYRESPONSIBILITYREWARDS TEAMWORK & MUTUAL SUPPORT Six Key Elements for Success

3. ag What is your shared Vision? What standards have you set yourselves? Do you act as a team or a set of individuals?

4. ag Teaching/Learning Quality = Challenge Student Mentoring = SupportLeadership

5. ag Vision, Ethos & Philosophy

6. ag The Philosophy underpinning Alps ALPS aims to create a positive atmosphere that creates happy, socially confident young people who have experienced personal growth and success in what they set out to do The key to achieving this atmosphere is High Levels of Respect & of Feeling Valued High Quality Leadership at All Levels High Quality Teaching & Learning High Quality Target-Setting, Monitoring, Guidance & Support

7. ag Basic Principles An individual An exception To be valued Everyone is:

8. ag Academic Success + Personal Achievement Self Confidence + Self Worth = ag Basic Principles

9. ag High Expectations Twinned With Powerful Support Compassionate Rigour Basic Principles

10. ag Demanding Quality Quality in everything is key Quality is not a certificate Quality is about continuous incremental improvement every day by everyone

11. ag Teaching/Learning Quality = Challenge Student Mentoring = SupportLeadership

12. ag Data & National Benchmarking Target-Setting

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14. Alps Target-Setting

15. ag What an Alps Score of 1.00 means

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17. Minimum A level grade expectation

18. ag Minimum AS level grade expectation

19. ag Student Support

20. ag Personal Tutoring -Mentoring Students What is the vision for mentoring? What are the guidance objectives? Does the structure meet these? The programme – Is there one? How much quality time with each student?

21. ag Aims and Objectives of a Personal Tutor Philosophical Background Everyone is to be treated as: an individual an exception a person to be valued The Key Aims of a Personal Tutor are: To promote personal and social development To promote academic achievement To build, continuously, self esteem and self- confidence to each individual student

22. ag Aims and Objectives of a Personal Tutor Objectives To provide a support system: by, initially, getting to know our students by facilitating the transitions from school to college and beyond by functioning as an intermediary by providing a friendly point of contact by regularly monitoring student progress by keeping appropriate records by providing accessible advice and counselling by working as a team and supporting each other Method The tutor will use a student-centred approach based on weekly tutorial sessions and regular individual interviews. By using a positive approach to encourage self-belief and self- confidence based on reality.

23. ag This can not be carried out effectively on a full timetable Ideal? 2 hours/group per week, one for a group tutorial, one for one-to-one work and administration e.g.references, UCAS forms, Reports Head of 6th form/deputy Head of 6th Form for 120 to 180 students with 8-10 hours /week each? A smaller number of dedicated Personal Tutors Each responsible for 64-92 students in 3/4 groups

24. ag Teamwork - Key Teams Team of Staff teaching the level Class Teacher & Class Student, 3/4teachers, personal tutor

25. ag Each Team has to have – Strong Leadership Clear consistent agreed values Clear agreed objectives and targets understood by all Clear responsibilities &flexibilities

26. ag THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

27. ag Setting the Standards in the first 10 weeks defines what happens in the next two years.

28. ag Student Experience (The first few weeks) September 1 st to September 24th Day 2 Assemblies Ice breakers Individual interviews Student agreement assemblies New parents evenings Student Monitoring - termly

29. ag On Course – Week 1. 1st Day (Tuesday) - Half day for Administration – a key job is to assign a few staff to gather GCSE data and compile Scores. New Alps software for Target-setting. 2 nd Day (Wednesday) Assemblies, Leader – Vision & Values, Rights & Duties as Sixth Formers, Community Values, Calculating GCSE Scores, Given Minimum Targets with explanation, Teamwork. 4 th Day (Friday) Teaching starts – Class lists, GCSE Scores, Target Grades to Staff.

30. ag 2nd Day Assemblies - Leadership *Vision & Values, *Rights & Duties as Sixth Formers, *Community Values, *Calculating GCSE Scores, *Given Minimum Targets and explanation.

31. ag Entry Qualifications of September 2003 leavers

32. ag Entry Qualifications of September 2003 Arrivals

33. ag A-Level pass-rate199419961998200020012002 2003 2004 2005 Grades A - E 93%95%97% 96%97%99% 98% 99.5% 99.2% Grades A - C 60%67%72% 74%74%75% 80% 87% 85% Grades A - B 40%47%48% 53%54%66% 61% 69% 67% GCSE passes Grades A - C 74%75%88% 90%90%91% 90% 90% 91% Greenhead College AS Assembly - September 2005 A-level Results

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35. Student Agreement & New Parents’ Evening – around 22 nd September Invitation to Parents out on first day of term 3 rd Tuesday in September – New Parents’ Evening Student Agreement Assemblies – late September Key Points 30 Hours per week for classwork & private study All Homework of quality of target grade Commitment to attend Freedoms & responsibilities Teamwork – Valuing each other.

36. ag Student Agreement

37. ag Student Agreement Understood by – All staff – staff meeting All students – assembly & tutor group Parents – New Parents’ Evening + Newsletter/Letter

38. ag Ethos – Simple elements understood & practised by all staff

39. ag Respect for Students as emerging Young Adults - 26yo’s, not 6yo’s

40. ag Above all: I want to feel accepted as I am, especially by my peers and as an emerging Adult.

41. ag ADULT PARENT CHILD ADULT Use This with Students

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43. STUDENT TARGET-SETTING MONITORING GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT

44. ag Student Guidance and Support Initial Interviews with Personal tutors – Early September Progress Reporting – Nov, March, June, student – teacher one-to-one 8 min. interviews Formal 20min. Personal tutor interviews termly Star & P Forms Informal one-to one work at subject and tutor levels.

45. ag Student Experience (The first ten weeks) Subject teachers’ monitoring- First two weeks in November

46. ag MONITORING What are we trying to do? Establish personal contact Raise self-esteem Value achievement now Communicate potential in the best possible way Explore student’s approach to subject work outside class Evaluate our teaching & feelings in the class Point out actions for further improvement

47. ag MONITORING How to conduct the interview It is part of an ongoing process: prepare the student beforehand (questionnaire?) Find a suitable quiet spot and adequate time for each student, using mutual non-contact time if necessary Listen to the student : use questions to prompt them. No sarcasm or cynicism! Focus on achievement of potential : avoid inappropriate reference to GCSE grades

48. ag MONITORING How to conduct the interview – 2 Negotiate the grade - be prepared to explain clearly how you have come to your estimation – use a wide range of evidence Negotiate achievable short term targets for progress and discuss how to achieve them Give encouragement, reassurance Encourage feedbackon your lessons/teaching style Explore the student’s study skills It is useful to keep records

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51. "the impression I have at this moment of this student’s work, attitude, ability skills and knowledge from all the evidence she/he has produced in class and out of class, leads me to say at this stage that I would expect her/him to gain a grade B/C in her/his A- levels at the end of the A2 year." Arriving at a Progress Grade

52. ag Student Experience (The first ten weeks) Tutor monitoring interviews Report to parents

53. ag PROGRESS REPORT FOR PERIOD 30 /08 /96 to 15 /11 /96 Student's Name:SHEIK DC3 14 (4.8) SubjectLevelStaffGrade Attendance ChemistryA-levelMrs BarberB/C 40/40 EconomicsA-levelMr HepworthB/C 40/40 Business StudiesA-levelMr CrozierD/E 40/40 Comment: You have settled into college and feel to now be making a smooth transition to A-level work. In Chemistry and Economics you have increased your background reading and independent study time. The grades here are very good, but you intend to aim for As. The recent test in Business Studies reflects this grade and you are now more aware of the level of answer required, so you expect the grade to improve next time. Overall this is a very good start - well done, keep working. Overall Position:4 3

54. ag PROGRESS REPORT FOR PERIOD 29 /08 /97 to 13 /11 /97 Student's Name:SHEIK DC3 14 (4.8) SubjectLevelStaffGrade Attendance EconomicsA-levelMr HepworthA/B A 38/40 Business StudiesA-levelMr MitchellA/B A 38/40 ChemistryA-levelDr BarberB/C B 46/40 Comment: You are continuing to work very hard and improve. These grades are excellent. Your teachers are impressed with your achievement. Well done Sheik. In your module exam results you are secure in Economics having re-sat one. In Business Studies your results were outstanding - hence this improved grade. In Chemistry, as indicated, your overall average is a B which is good. Hopefully you will receive some positive response to your UCAS application soon. This is an excellent report. Congratulations. Overall Position:4 1

55. ag Monitoring Process repeated termly

56. ag Star Form

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58. Leadership Issues Are students properly qualified to take the course in the subject? Are the right staff being assigned to teach advanced work - capability, not ‘buggin’s turn? Is the department properly resourced to teach the subject at this level? Are students each in receipt of the necessary texts to study the subject? Is their a departmental introductory booklet with the course outline and dates included, as well as homework, marking and other policies available to each student at the course start? Is progress monitored against set targets by senior staff and heads of Department at least each mid-term? Does each member of staff have a desk and filing cabinet in office space, open to students? What are reprographic facilities like? Do all Staff understand & implement the same systems for quality? Do teams of staff support each other in formal meetings on good practice? What are the issues for success in a sixth form?

59. ag Teaching and learning issues Is every teacher positive from day 1? Does teaching get off to a brisk start at the start of term? Do teachers have one-to-one interviews in the first few weeks to get to know students personally? Does the department have a policy where students can freely call on teachers in non-contact time? Are teachers selected in a dept. to teach advanced work because of their abilities to teach at this level? Are extra sessions arranged especially in the spring term to (1) stretch the most able and (2) help the lesser able to understand concepts? Do teachers have an adult-young adult relationship with their students rather than a parent-child relationship, a crucial question? Do teachers have one-to-one sessions termly with each of their students to discuss progress against targets and to set targets for the following term? Do teachers act in concert with personal tutors in a supportive way when things are not going well for a student? Does each teacher treat each student as an individual with dignity and value? Do teachers in departments share good practice with each other and work together on resources for students and themselves? What are the issues for success in a sixth form?

60. ag Valued Challenged Confident Supported Happy Successful As I leave I have felt & feel

61. ag TEAM WORK The fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon goals

62. ag Excellence can be attained if you….. Care more than others think is wise Risk more than others think is safe Dream more than others think is practical Expect more than others think is possible

63. ag Every job is a self portrait of those who did it. AUTOGRAPH your work with quality.

64. ag Minimum A level grade expectation

65. ag Minimum AS level grade expectation