The Bridge newsletter 2 180117

Electronic Transfer of Pupil Information
Explains Everything in North West
Schools’ Partnership
Eager to provide even more academic
information about their pupils, a CPD
Transition partnership school in the North
West is developing innovative approaches to
creating a complete picture of pupils’ abilities
prior to joining their new school.
Mr Kenny Baldrick, P7 teacher at Newbuildings
Primary School in Londonderry has extended
the school’s pupil profile to incorporate the
iPad app ‘Explain Everything’. Images of
pupils’ work, current attainment and targets
are all included. Mr Baldrick adapted the
pupil profile for iPad to reflect the content of
the data profile contained in the GL Digital
Assessment. Which alongside PASS Attitudinal
Data informs teaching and learning and
monitors the impact of interventions in the
school.
Videos of each pupil’s talking and listening
tasks are also included in the information
being passed along, as well as samples
of writing. This creates a real sense of
the individual transferring, providing an
invaluable insight into the pupil and supplying
an additional layer of information to assist
the new school in planning for how that pupil
will learn best. This is provided alongside the
levels they were achieving leaving P7.
Lisneal College, Londonderry was very keen
to build on the existing academic profiles of
their new pupils and share pedagogy crossphase.
“The KS2- KS3 transition work we are doing
with our partner schools is a key element
of our long-term strategy to raise standards
in literacy and numeracy. Through sharing
expertise, observing lessons and engaging in
meaningful self-evaluation, we have already
identified ways in which we can improve
teaching and learning experiences for our
pupils,” Mr Michael Allen the Lisneal College
Principal explained.
The other partnership schools involved in
this CPD Transition Project are Ebrington
PS, Cumber Claudy PS, Lisnagelvin PS and
Fountain PS.
Mr Baldrick plans to use the CPD
Transition Project’s Teacher Placement
Bursary to evaluate the impact and use
of the information he provides to Lisneal
College. He has a particular interest in how
underachieving boys and pupils in receipt of
free school meals, can be helped through the
information being transferred cross-phase.
As part of last year’s CPD Transition Project’s
Action Plan, Mr Baldrick observed Year 8
lessons at Lisneal College. He found this
informative and was impressed with how
much effective group work took place in a 35
minute lesson.
“I also wanted to look at how they use data
in Lisneal College and the strategies adopted
for underachievers. Understanding the types
of assessment and data they would find
beneficial coming from primary school has
also been an objective,” Mr Baldrick added.
He is planning to produce a Virtual Learning
Environment (VLE) for Year 8 pupils using
iPads. “This would promote ICT links
and possibly be a means of addressing
underachievement by encouraging pupil
interaction,” Mr Baldrick explained.
The outcome of this extended focus will be
shared in the Spring/Summer term with the
partnership schools and other interested
parties in the community.
Mr Baldrick is part of a numeracy transition cluster group with colleagues from Fountain Primary
School, Lisnagelvin Primary School and Ebrington Primary School. He reported that his pupils had
benefitted from this group through the development of problem solving tasks like Tarsia and using
‘Follow me’ activities. Mr Baldrick has attended the CPD Project training days, incorporating the QR
codes he discovered at these events into his planning for differentiated lessons which pupils can access
as extension tasks using their iPads. He has also incorporated QR codes for the children in his class to
access ‘help videos’ on different aspects of numeracy, available through a VLE he had created. These
QR codes can be seen on the display above.
Our
Fronter
Angel!
The CPD Project team have
really enjoyed compiling the
Fronter room website full
of teacher resources. As it
has evolved and then been
streamlined recently, Miss
Esther Woodhouse of C2K has
been our guiding light.
As well as understanding the
intricacies of new technologies
Miss Woodhouse speaks French
and Spanish, which she taught
for nine years in a post-primary
setting.
The endlessly patient Miss
Woodhouse says she thoroughly
enjoys supporting teachers with
integrating new technologies to
enhance learning, teaching and
their own professional learning.
“While the ever-increasing
opportunities available can
be somewhat daunting, we
have seen teachers in short
timescales, often working
together within and between
schools, use new technologies
effectively, engaging students
with relevant, real-world,
collaborative learning
experiences and seeing
improved learning outcomes,”
Miss Woodhouse said.
She added : “The Literacy and
Numeracy KS2 & 3 CPD Fronter
course room created by the
project team provides a wealth
of fantastic resources, online
links and ideas and is available
to all teachers across Northern
Ireland.”
12 - The Bridge