Good Practice Case Study

Curriculum Initiatives at Turnford School

Context

Turnford School is a mixed 11-18 comprehensive of approximately 1,000 students. It is situated near Waltham Cross just off the M25 at junction 25.

For some time the school had been ‘coasting’. Most people were happy enough working there, as were the majority of students, but a new Headteacher arrived determined to raise the aspirations and achievements of all stakeholders. The bold aim, as written on their summary document is to develop ‘…a modern, world class curriculum that will inspire, challenge and support all learners…’ In this it is clear that Turnford School is ahead of the game in many respects having moved, for example, to truncate its KS3 curriculum for the most able in 2006, before it became quite as fashionable as it is today.

The goal is to create a seamless curriculum model from year 6 to, if appropriate, year 13, a genuine, personalised experience for all students.

The School is quietly optimistic that results this year will be the best that they have achieved.

For the sake of clarity this Case Study will examine the following areas to explain what it is that Turnford School has done:

1. Creating a vision
2. Student Voice and Mentoring
3. Overcoming obstacles

Implementing the Vision

Staff and students were consulted about the new direction of the school and what it should look and feel like. The question was asked of staff, ‘What do we want our ethos to be?’

An analysis of the school’s SEF and OFSTED reports highlighted the need for a new approach. A one size fits all curriculum simply set the students up to fail. What was needed were students who were flexible and independent in their learning, students who knew where to go to find answers or how to approach difficulties. Key Stage 5 students were relatively well catered for, so it was agreed that Key Stage 4 should be the initial focus of whatever changes were to be introduced.

So, Turnford School looked outward and began to build links with other providers, especially other local schools, Connexions and the Herts Regional College (HRC) in an attempt to be able to offer whatever students should want to follow. Today there are opportunities for student’s to study anything from Engineering to Hair and Beauty at the schools own salon and, of course, a more traditional GCSE pathway. Some students will now begin their day at 10.00am and finish at 6.00pm. Being able to offer such flexibility is down to the strong links forged with HRC and other providers. Turnford increasingly sees itself as a community resource and works in partnership to support staffing in the other institutions with which it has links.

The results of such initiatives were soon apparent. Behaviour and attendance improved, as have results. The students voted with their feet and stayed in lessons, focussing on their learning.

When it was decided in 2006 to have a truncated KS3 experience for some students, staff were given the option to participate in designing new courses and a pilot group of volunteers was established. The temptation might have been to simply state that all staff must be on board, but for the changes to be implemented effectively staff had to be convinced of their value. As the benefits of a fast track system became clear more and more staff asked to be involved in designing or introducing new courses such as the RSA ‘Open Minds’ programme which has been adopted by the Humanities department.

Developments are now being introduced at Key Stage 5, which have already impacted on retention and recruitment. Indeed there is a sense of constant review and innovation at Turnford, of people being empowered, even encouraged, to take risks and just try things. The curriculum changes all the time as departments or individuals have new ideas and want to try things out, Tamsin Poulter, Deputy in charge of Curriculum describes the curriculum, ‘…it’s never finished. It constantly evolves.’

It is one thing to begin this process with staff and students but in some ways it was the parent body who really needed (and in some cases still need) to be convinced that change was required. Many students simply followed their parents’ line of work or were introduced to someone their father knew who perhaps needed an apprentice. Not that there is anything wrong with this per se, just that many students could have achieved more than they were doing. Ongoing discussions across all years between Tutors, students and their parents are beginning to change perceptions, but it is an ongoing process.

Student Voice and Mentoring

Much work has been done with the student body. The rationale is simple; schools don’t exist simply to give teachers a job, but to prepare students for life in the 21st century. The curriculum changes are about doing what is right for the students, indeed to an extent it could be said that the students run the school because they design their own curriculum.

Students have been consulted more effectively about when they feel challenged in lessons and how staff can better do this. Staff in turn have responded to the feedback and have reviewed their lessons. Tamsin Poulter stresses the very positive effect of SEAL in helping students develop the skills to work in small groups, independently or even, on occasion, in classes of 60. She is also passionate about the impact of mentoring across the school. A system whereby tutors meet regularly with their students is being updated, so that four new non-teaching mentors are appointed to help oversee and train mentors throughout the school. Currently, mentors are trained through a combination of Senior Leadership Team and County CPD. Tamsin describes mentoring as ‘The icing on the cake’. Mentoring makes the curriculum work because of the conversations that take place throughout a student’s time at school. Every student has his or her own mentor and the conversations about a child’s future and what might be appropriate curriculum pathways for them to follow will have taken place for years before they make their options.

Obstacles to Success

Running such a wide variety of pathways and such a flexible curriculum makes timetabling a real challenge and the school brings in outside expertise to construct it. Planning the next year’s timetable begins in September! It is also a very expensive curriculum to offer and does mean that budgets are tight throughout the year. Some staff felt threatened by the changes that had been introduced, despite the dialogue, and moved on, but this allowed the school to appoint new staff more in the mould of what is now required.

On the day of my meeting Tamsin Year 10 students were just leaving their English Mock exam. For many of them it will be their final experience before sitting the real GCSE this summer. There is a vibrancy and excitement about the school, with teachers talking to teachers about teaching; one of the pre-requisites of any successful school.

The success of Turnford School then could be ascribed to:

• A risk taking Headteacher
• A strong Student Voice
• Staff being empowered
• Accountability
• A strong Mentoring system

But the school does not pretend to be perfect. Tamsin stresses that she would love to hear what other schools are doing with their curriculum and would welcome other visitors and the opportunity to share ideas.

Martin Lavelle
Adviser for Leadership
School Workforce Development Team
01438 844871