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138. At Castle View Primary School pupils are involved in the coaching process, with
selected older pupils observing lessons and offering feedback alongside
teachers and classroom assistants. In preparation for this, they are provided
with a prompt list of questions such as ‘What did the children learn?’; ‘What did
you most enjoy about the lesson?’; ‘Would you change anything about the
lesson?’ In one observed lesson, the pupil said that the teacher was ‘happy and
smiling and always helping the children’. She liked the way the teacher ‘helped
them by coming over and helping them and giving them ideas’. At St Thomas of
Canterbury Primary School, because the school is trying to establish a
curriculum that engages all its pupils, topics are chosen that will appeal to
them. Pupils are told about the topic before the work starts and have
opportunities to influence study: ‘What would you like to find out?’ Teachers
report that children go home full of excitement and talk about the topic with
parents, sometimes doing work or research beforehand. Teachers explain to
pupils why the topic is important and why it deserves study. The appeal of this
curriculum, supported by strengths in teaching, goes some way to explain the
excellent progress made by pupils.
Outstanding English teams never stand still
139. The previous Ofsted reports on what makes an outstanding school identified
the importance of a constant search for improvement and better practice. This
was also evident in this subject survey. An interesting example of this
continuous search for even higher achievement was the response of schools to
the initial subject inspection. Although most of the schools had been judged to
be outstanding, the subject inspector often suggested an area for further
improvement or consideration. The search for even greater effectiveness in the
survey schools was often exemplary.
140. At Moor End Technology College, the department is continually seeking to
extend and improve its provision and is extremely self-critical where things do
not go well. The initial subject inspection in 2008 suggested weaknesses in
promoting students’ wider independent reading. The department’s response
was characteristically thoughtful. A member of the team was appointed to drive
through developments. She started by eliciting students’ views through
questionnaires and discovered that interest in reading dipped alarmingly as
students got older, even between Year 7 and Year 8. The department judged
that it was using some texts that were outdated and failing to stimulate
students. It bought new books that focused particularly on good-quality
contemporary fiction that would motivate all students, including texts such as
About a boy and a recent Carnegie Prize winner, The graveyard book.
141. A fortnightly independent reading lesson was established and library stock was
improved. This session gives students the chance to read quietly but also to
talk about books and share ideas and recommendations. Teachers monitor
closely what students are reading and talk with individual students where help
is required. Numerous other actions have been taken to raise the profile of
reading, including a popular ‘Extreme Reading’ event over the summer.
Excellence in English: what we can learn from 12 outstanding schools
May 2011, No. 100229
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