The Delivering Social Change Signature Project Planning effective intervention

Objectives: To reflect on lessons learned from the pilot Signature Project. To share the strategies that led to effective intervention. To suggest means to adopt this practice in other school settings.

Just do it! Change often starts with just one person. As Head of Department, I believed in: - the objectives of the Signature Project, - the potential for real social change and - the importance of GCSE English and Mathematics as essential qualifications for our students. This was, in part, a product of experiencing the success of intervention strategies and the impact on tangible results in GCSE English Language : from 33.8% (2012) to 60.2% (2013) A*-C

Support from senior management The principal, vice principal and senior management must: -be involved in and support the Signature Project. -share belief that intervention will be effective and communicate the message that students just need to push that little bit further to achieve GCSE English Language and GCSE Mathematics.

The Head of Department must: -plan departmental meetings to launch guidelines for the department’s involvement in the Signature Project. -ensure that the teachers in the department are informed about the objectives of the Signature Project, with emphasis on measurable improvement in GCSE results. A leadership model What?

A leadership model The Head of Department must: -take account of the aptitudes of the teachers in the department to allocate specific roles. -select the Signature teacher because he/he will be effective in this role. -ask all Year 11 and 12 teachers to provide targeted support for selected students. What?

A leadership model The Head of Department must: -involve the whole department in the selection of students as early as possible (for example, June of Year 10). -know the students, the school context and the needs of the children – this was a core strength. -pitch the Signature Project as a reward, a privilege, a sign that we believe in these students. What?

The Head of Department must ask the teachers in the department, ‘Have we selected the appropriate students?’ -review the selection of students -ask the Signature teacher to reflect on her observation of the selected students in the whole class context before final decisions are confirmed -review the selection process, ‘Do these students have realistic potential to achieve Grade C with teacher support?’ ‘Do the selected students need support? Really? Selection of students

The Head of Department must plan the Signature teacher’s timetable to: -maximise intervention -ensure targeted support: GCSE English students or GCSE Mathematics students or balance the needs of both subjects (as appropriate to the needs). -provide sustained support or rotational support -allocate planning and preparation periods to the Signature teacher’s timetable. -consider the learning environment.

The Head of Department must be prepared to review: -the Signature teacher’s timetable, for example, which students require sustained support and which students just require rotational support. -the selection process (in departmental meetings). -to ensure potential for movement in (rather than movement out of the group, which would have crushed children’s self-esteem).

Suggested model The Signature teacher will provide: -sustained support for at least one group of GCSE English/English Language students and one group of GCSE Mathematics students throughout Year 11 and 12; withdrawn from the wider class on a permanent basis. -rotational support, in addition, for students who need some support to address specific weaknesses.

Relationships The Signature teacher and the Head of Department must: -build positive relationships with students. -ensure open dialogue about learning. -ensure that students feel genuine care for their well-being as well as performance. High levels of students’ enthusiasm, engagement and appreciation (Adji’s response).

The Signature teacher must: -develop secure knowledge of the requirements of each unit: examination, controlled assessment. -avail of a range of resources, including the examination mark scheme, controlled assessment mark scheme, examiner’s reports, up-to-date guidance from the examination board, moderator’s reports -plan effective teaching strategies.

Monitoring students’ progress The Signature Teacher must: - monitor students’ progress in relation to the development of specific skills, for example, skills required in the Writing section of Unit 1. - plan lessons to focus on the development of specific skills, for example, questions about the writer’s use of language. - use data to highlight strengths and weaknesses. - provide formative feedback in line with the mark scheme.

The Head of Department must have regular meetings with the Signature teacher to monitor students’ progress, to request predicted Grades, to ask questions if students are still predicted Grade D, to ask about parental contact, students’ attendance at after-school classes and/or Saturday School, identify individuals who are not working hard. Action must be taken to ensure that as many students as possible achieve the intended outcome: Grade C. Monitoring students’ progress

The Signature teacher and the Head of Department must have regular discussion with the students. In discussion with students, I found that most students were enthusiastic, appreciated the additional support, were focused on the goal to achieve Grade C. In discussion with students, I was also able to identify problems, for example, a specific student who had started with a positive attitude but had not maintained the level of work required. Monitoring students’ progress

Target Setting: Unit 3 The Head of Department led the Signature teacher to work towards a target for students’ achievement in Unit 3, using the previous cohort’s unit performance and ultimate achievement of Grades as a guide: , Year 12s who achieved Grade C achieved at least 50/80 in Unit 3, i.e. Band 4 as an overall target for their controlled assessment tasks. Some students who achieved 48-49/80 also achieved Grade C but required higher achievement in Unit 1 or 2 to compensate for this mark.

Target Setting: Unit 2 The Head of Department led the Signature teacher to set a target for students’ achievement in Unit 2, using the previous cohort’s Unit 2 performance and ultimate achievement of Grades as a guide: Year 12s who achieved Grade C achieved at least 32/45 in Unit 2, i.e. Band 4 as an overall target for their Speaking and Listening tasks.

The Groundwork: Parents Parental support must be encouraged. Letter for parents. Parental involvement – how to support your child. Review: Training provided in St Joseph’s College.

Additional factors Strategic long-term planning. Positive relationship between the Signature teacher and the Head of Department. Additional support classes after school. Saturday School. Review (thorough, honest, constructive review with the onus on the Signature teacher taking further responsibility for managing the programme from ).

Review The Head of Department managed the pilot programme and initiated strategies which the Signature teacher put in place. The review highlights the need for the Signature teacher to: take the Head of Department’s lead and manage the Signature Project. make earlier contact with parents (via telephone to identify the Signature teacher to parents). make regular contact with parents. The Head of Department and the Signature teacher will provide training for parents.