No, You Sir, Are Wrong!

So this is the article

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-57178473

A study based on 1200 pupils; representative of a wider impact?

For me no; the efficacy of such findings bring into question the professionalism of our education staff. A group of academic professionals who work immersed alongside these young people want what is best for them, not how to hit markers or show bias. Even intimating unconscious bias is an affront to what we are trained to do. I feel that the BBC presenting this need to clearly signpost the sample size used, the country of origin and what, if any, causal links they are drawing from it in relation to the current KS4 outcome arrangements.

Case and pointis

The findings, although based on a sample of 14 to 18 year olds in Russia, have a relevance in all education systems, says Dr Papageorgiou.

“Bias is universal, it’s part of all of us,” warned Dr Papageorgiou. “I don’t see any reason why this sort of bias wouldn’t apply here.”

I do

I really do

We are looking to encourage equity within our education system, a chance for them to all succeed no matter what starting point. That has been the mandate for all education staff and will continue to be. The didactic edicts dealt out in relation to KS4 outcomes have increased the workload for staff, have increased the stakes and pressure on them.

And why are these stakes and pressures increased?

Because we want to get it right!!

Not decide on a whim what we feel a pupil should get based on arbitrary personality traits in situ. We have the added pressure of recognising the sustainable impact of our decisions and choices here. Of how in the long term these young people will be affected. Personality does not factor into this, it’s about evidence, clear portfolio of evidence to ensure that that pupil receives the correct grade for the learning they have consistently displayed. Pupils are neophytes in this situation, they are relying upon those trusted professionals to do what is right by them, to show the integrity and moral fortitude to gather the right and relevant information in making grade choices. We don’t want exam boards to be inundated with appeals, we know that pupils will value our judgements and articles like this denigrate the hard work and time staff are devoting to this most important of jobs.

Time for Aphorisms on a Con$tant Battl£

I have read the article, I’m sure we all have as educators.

I’m sure we all have our own indicative views that will range from outrage in the accusatory tone to the paper thin approach to solutions but ultimately this is where the powers that be feel we are as a profession. 

This is why campaigns like @WorthLessFF are so important in raising not only awareness to a hierarchy that is trying to do its best, (but glacially slowly and sometimes polluted by politics), but to those in our community who may not know the strategic wider issues.

So to summarise (I have tried to be a pupils focused in both summary and solution, not sure the article was…);

1. For SEND to move forward more joined up thinking is needed. This will lead to better decisions for the pupils

2. Curriculum breath and quality is impacted when funding pressures pervade and compromise decisions about the learning of pupils

3. Staff cuts are leading to a dearth of expertise in the profession and good teachers leaving before they can have a real impact on a pupil’s learning

4. Greater strain on workload leads to instability in the learning for pupils.

 5. Attainment whilst remaining stable, is not creating a sustainable system for those  working within it to remain so for future pupils

6. Not all schools/SATs/MATs/Empires        are making positive financial decisions that benefit the academic and non-academic outcomes for their pupils 

Potential solutions?

1. Increase the higher needs funding so staff pressures can be alleviated and better choices for those pupils are made

2. Increase funding to schools so they can offer a wider range of curriculum options so no pupil loses out (A scholarship approach)

3. Increase funding to schools for CPD to ensure staff are able to provide high quality T&L and have lighter timetables allowing them to plan effective learning experiences  for pupils that go beyond the external assessment requirements

4. Recognise that whilst the funding figure of 14% higher in real terms is consistently trawled out by those in power, these are different times, different pupils, a completely different word to that 17 years ago, (I mean I was still at bloody university then!!!).

5. Summative Attainment is not an encompassing, measurable framework that can be used to gauge success of an establishment over a prolonged period of time. There needs to be a focus on those late developers, those non-academic achievements of our young adults. This will build the cultural capital that is intimated in 99% of documentation at the moment.

6. A created system, fractious and fragmented at best, has allowed for perpetual mis-use of finance that is leading to empire building and nest feathering. Enforcing MAT membership can in no way lead to positive impacts on those forced into it. Leadership needs to be research and evidence informed and have the over-arching morals of pupil achievement.  

I am not saying that an increase in funding is a catch all-fix all situation, far from it. 

But what it can do is free up that part of leaders working memory that is being eroded away by constant ‘do-or-die’ situational decisions they are having to make.

Written on the wall of our office is the cliché but morally important axiom ‘Before you decide, how will this affect the experience and achievement of the pupils’. 

Maybe this needs to be the maxim of those who govern our profession; maybe it already is but they are not seeing it in situ

Come in and see, we are always open to visitors

Travelling to be a Master!

We realised early on that adapting KS3 assessment would prove challenging, but also exciting. A chance to create a school specific method of recording attainment and that is what it actually is, a method of recording attainment. The way we help the pupils learn through assessment, formative discussions, summative next step targets doesn’t change. Pupils still want to know how they can learn more, improve on application of that learning, and ultimately come out the other side better for it, thus meaning the primary focus of our job does not change.

The attainment graph our humanities faculty is using allows pupils to plot their own flight paths, so they can see which areas of the curriculum they are succeeding in and areas they need to develop, our role is to sign post those sills that will transform areas for development into success.

Combining the language of assessment with a KS3 to 4 system is a great way of improving transitions for the pupils, and will help us to increase the focus on ‘effort’ leading to attainment.

The stickers are a visual representation of the pupils effort and link to the next step targets.

Next Step Targets: Oakfield Humanities Faculty

1. Keep my exercise book more organised
2. Take care with my presentation
3. Ensure that my effort is at a high level to complete the task set
4. Listen to all verbal instructions and explanations
5. Make a plan of all the key points before I start my written work
6. P.E.E., Point, Evidence, Explain
7. Respond to the challenges set in my work and lessons
8. Complete my homework
9. Contribute to class discussions
10. S.P.A.G.: Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar
11. Increase my participation in group tasks
12. Have you used the correct locations?
13. Apply the key words and tricky terms from your learning