Transcript The John Locke Academy

The John Locke Academy
Opening Minds to Success
Darrell Butler BMus PGCE
John Locke Academy
Sharing our vision
John Locke Academy
A teacher’s past has a direct influence on how they
want their classroom to be run; a principal’s past has a
direct influence on how they want their school to be
run...
Experiences as a pupil that have stayed with me
Experiences as a teacher
Leading a school
John Locke Academy
Vision for the school:
John Locke (1632-1704) was a British philosopher who
developed theories about education that are still relevant today
Tabula rasa – blank slate people are able to control their own
lives through education
Reading furnishes the mind only with the materials of
knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours
There is frequently more to be learnt from the unexpected
questions of a child than the discourses of men
John Locke Academy
A curriculum and classroom that are irresistible to
children - so they want to achieve their best
All areas of the classroom and outdoors are planned
to maximise their potential for learning
A school and classroom that makes children feel safe
and welcome - where routines are established
A place where children can take risks and learn from
their mistakes; where success is celebrated, whatever
that success is
John Locke Academy
A place where language and communication are
highly valued - children will learn to communicate their
ideas, opinions and thoughts and these will be valued
– confidence through public performance
Resilience, resourcefulness, risk taking and
reflectiveness have equal value to high standards of
learning in reading, writing, maths - control, choice
A school that invites imagination and creativity children need to ‘mess about’ with things, take them
apart, rebuild, tinker - curiosity
High quality technology is the norm
In practice
• Classroom indoors and outdoors
• Using area to create their own learning spaces – dens,
self-designed climbing frames
• Blocks
• Gardening
• Easy wipe boards/chalks so mistakes can be
corrected quickly
Mind set
• Fixed mind set/growth mind set
• Challenge – embrace
• Obstacles – fortitude
• Effort – work hard
• Criticism – learns
• Success of others - celebrate
In nursery and reception, your child is working in line
with The Early Years Foundation Stage
Characteristics of Effective Learning
Does the child play and explore?
Are they willing to have a go?
Are they involved in play?
Can they concentrate?
Can they think of their own ideas?
Can they make decisions themselves?
Can they make connections between things?
Assessment
• Early Years Profile (Government document)
• Characteristics of effective learning
• Leuven scale of Well Being and Involvement
• Child conferences – talking to the children!
• Observations of play
• Field notes – long observations, on going
observations
• Photographs
John Locke Academy
A school that meets the needs of its pupils and serves
its community
This includes breakfast club, afterschool club and
afterschool
Breakfast club – £2 a day if booked ahead (£2.50 on
the day) 7.30am – 9.00am
Afterschool – arrangements depending on staffing, run
by staff until 6pm.
Holiday clubs- to be arranged and dependent on
interest – link to other schools
John Locke Academy
High quality staff who will have ownership of the
vision for the school - induction, range of experiences,
desire to get stuck in, opportunity to shape a school
An inclusion manager - role is to champion children
with special educational needs, more able pupils,
pupils whose first language is not English
Looking at a way for children to meet each other
John Locke Academy
Uniform
Website www.johnlockeacademy.co.uk
School to home communication - Scholarpack
Access
• 3 approved vehicular and pedestrian accesses – two
from Hillingdon Road and one from Park Road
• Hillingdon Road/Greenway
• Park Road/Chippendale Waye
• Pedestrian access from Vine Lane via St. Andrew’s
Road
• Vehicular access from Vine Lane to serve houses
being built on St. Andrew’s Road – residents only
• The gate at the end of St. Andrew’s Road will
eventually be opened to pedestrians only