Creating a Culture for Learning to Learn Learning in Schools School is where we have our first experience of formal learning, and how things go for us here can affect how we learn throughout our lives. When school is exciting and involving, it gives us confidence in ourselves as learners, but when it isn’t, we can be turned off and think we can’t learn or that learning is boring. To make sure children today and tomorrow have good school experiences to sustain their learning in future, the Campaign works with schools and teachers to develop good practice. 

‘Learning to Learn in Schools’ project The ‘Learning to Learn in Schools’ project, explores differing approaches to creating confident, effective lifelong learners, working with pioneering schools across England which are trying out new approaches to classroom management, teaching & learning and assessment.

What does this mean? It is to further understand the role of enquiry in teachers’ and pupils’ learning; To look at the potential influence of the family and the community on the development of pupils as lifelong learners; and To look at the relative importance of different learning to learn approaches in raising standards.

How has the school implemented this strategy? Year seven pupils are taken off their normal timetable and are given the opportunity to work in a cross curricular environment for one morning a week. They work in teams, and develop roles within the team, in readiness to explore their own team potential .

Pupils are given the opportunity to develop: a language for learning; be part of innovation and change within ‘learning and teaching’; they will explore the role of technology ; finally, they will use these skills in the world beyond the school gates.

The first week – pupils begin with a learning styles audit What is your learning style? Are you a visual, auditory or kinaesthetic worker? (VAK)

Learning Styles and Strategies: People smart; Word smart; Number smart; Sound smart; Self smart; Body smart; Nature smart;

The Diary Room During the L2L experience Pupils are invited to record their experiences throughout the lesson using the style of ‘Big Brother’s’ diary room.

From week to week Pupils enter into a journey that explores the qualities of each learning style; they move from one subject area to another; they do this in a fun and action packed lesson situation; they explore their own preferred learning strengths; how they can motivate themselves and have the self-confidence to succeed; some of the specific strategies they can use, for example to improve their memory or make sense of complex information;  some of the habits they should develop, such as reflecting on their learning so that they improve next time.

Development within a team role. The first Design Brief is to build the tallest tower using only three materials spaghetti, sellotape and scissors. They are grouped in teams. One is the leader and has the task of organising the rest of the group.

Year seven - building as a team

Working in harmony

Concentration matters

week two – your second ‘Design Brief’ You need to work as a team and produce a musical performance by the end of the morning

‘Sound Smart’

The Orchestra performs

Improving student engagement and wellbeing enhancing student achievement revisiting teacher professionalism and pedagogy building system-wide learning.