LIPSS Presentation - Bad Goisern 2002 Dorcan Catchment Area Mentoring Project Presented by Bryan Jackson (Assistant Headteacher, Dorcan Technology College)

Swindon Where are we in the UK?

Dorcan Technology College

The Schools

Dorcan Technology College

About Dorcan: opened in 1970 serves South East Swindon 1350 students 270 pupils in a year group average class size 28 (24 in practical subjects) Specialist School for Technology

Specialist School: Dorcan Technology College from September 1999 Centre of Excellence/Specialism for Swindon Maths Sciences Design Technology Information Communications Technology (ICT) Lucent Technologies Centre for KS2 Swindon Pressings (BMW) Partnership Centre for engineering & manufacture

Covingham Park Junior School

Opened in late 60’s 60’s. 226 pupils in 7 classes with 8.5 teachers teachers. 5 education support staff. 2 pupils with statements of special educational needs needs. 62 pupils on school’s register of special educational needs. Infant school adjacent to junior school on same site.

Aims of our Project To ease the transition between the primary and secondary phases. To provide realistic information for pupils prior to transition. To promote liaison between the secondary and primary phases.

The Project Year 6 primary pupils (11yrs) are mentored by Year 8 (13yrs) secondary pupils. One Y8 pupil mentors 2-3 Y6 pupils, with life at the secondary school being the focus. Parallel project with Y11 (16yrs) and Y13(18+) students at the local tertiary college. All mentors are volunteers and all five partner primary schools are involved.

The Project in Operation Mentors meet with mentees 3-5 times between April and July in the primary school school. One complete day is spent at DTC in July, when DTC staff take lessons for the Y6 pupils after an initial tour of the school by the mentor with their mentees. Mentors are linked to mentees according to information provided by the primary teachers, for example a group of “naughty” boys may be given a positive role model as a mentor - this could be male or female.

Sometimes mentors are given individual pupils to work with.

Meetings can take place in a hall or in a classroom.

Examples of work are often used to instigate discussion.

Sometimes two mentoring groups come together Sometimes two mentoring groups come together.

This was their second meeting - they were straight into discussions without any hesitation and absolutely no teacher prompting.

Notice the mentor’s missing tie - it is around the primary pupil’s neck! Mentor

The mentor’s Linkbook (School Diary) was often used to stimulate questions.

Notice the tie tying demonstration in the background!

Boys mentoring two groups of girls

Mentor In the hall. In the classroom.

Factors worth noting The initial meetings were always on “home” ground - the primary school. Apart from a greeting at the start of the first meeting there was no teacher input, although a teacher was always in attendance in the room. Mentors were given a brief input as to the subjects that they may not have considered, they also had access to a list of subjects that they could talk about if they got stuck (most mentors did not use the list).

Mentors were given the focus of life at the secondary school but were told that they could talk about whatever they wanted in order to develop the relationship. Sessions lasted for about 30 minutes. The real worries began to emerge towards the end of the 2nd or start of the 3rd session - tying a tie, bullying, strict teachers, BCG inoculations,getting lost, homework, strict teachers,….. All mentors were volunteers from the top mathematics groups - out of 64 offered the opportunity, 60 took up the challenge.

Successes Both internal and external evaluations found the primary pupils to be less anxious of the transition. Mentors became more self aware and were more motivated, shy individuals showed and admitted to more confidence. The close links between the schools became even closer. Fewer anxious pupils have been in evidence since the project. Parents of both mentors and mentees have responded favorably to the scheme, many commenting upon an improved attitude shown by their children.

Developments Video conferencing will be added to the project with a designated computer in each primary school. This will allow increased contact during lunch-time, after school, etc. This year’s mentors will have been mentored themselves, so will have first hand experience to draw upon. Covingham have extended the project and have refined a mentor scheme between Y2 and Y5 pupils to now become “Play Agents”. Covingham have extended the project and have refined a mentor scheme between Y2 and Y5 pupils to now become “Play Agents”.

1. Discuss your idea with your Headteacher and enlist his/her support. (Share your idea and ask the Headteacher to contact the Headteacher of the partner school and enlist their support also. Ask for a named member of staff to act as the co-ordinator in the partner school.) 2. Contact the named teacher and arrange to meet to discuss your idea. (Share your idea with the named contact and use their experience of the partner school to develop the idea – some things may not be possible while other things you may have not considered are!) 3. Agree deadlines and responsibilities. (Plan the stages you need to go through to begin to make your idea work and the resources you will need. Put a deadline date against each task or decision and the person who is responsible. )

4. 4. Select the target groups. (Decide on a small number of pupils to mentor at first as a pilot so that you find out the pit-falls gently! Decide on how you will choose the mentors.) 5. Train the participants and inform parents and other staff. (Mentors (Mentors will need to be trained or to be given guidance, mentees will need to have the system explained, parents of both mentors and mentees need to be informed) 6. Begin the project. (Start the mentoring according to the plan you have set out. Note down things that go well or those that need changing.)

7. 7. Evaluate what you have done. (Design a questionnaire to see how the mentees and mentors felt the project went. Ask staff if mentees appear less anxious – has the project made a difference.) 8. Amend the project and expand the numbers taking part. (Make any changes necessary to how the project will operate and begin the process again from stage 3 but with more mentees and mentors.)