Volume 2          Issue 2

Contents

Teaching Thinking Gets Two Votes of Confidence!

thinking for learning SLA - Subscription Rates

Teaching thinking gets two votes of confidence!

One of Robin Casson’s first decisions on starting his job as Director of
Schools and Family Support was to reaffirm the importance of teaching
thinking and of learning through enquiry.
As some of you may know, the Thinking for Learning Unit had been
preparing to establish itself as a not-for-profit company, but it has now
been given a crucial role in a reshaped Children’s Services Directorate.
Robin said “I want to encourage action research not just within schools,
but as a way of operating as a Local Authority. I believe that in order
to harness and develop peoples’ potential in an organisation, you need
to give them responsibility– in other words distribute the leadership.”
He continues “I want to promote the Unit’s ideas about contructivist
learning, not just within our schools, but in other organisations and
within the Local Authority itself.”
Robin compared the way in which an understanding of emotional
intelligence had begun in the Educational Psychology team at Southampton
LEA and spread to become a whole LEA focus with the way in which
thinking for learning could grow within Northumberland LA.
The teaching of thinking and of philosophy for children has long been
recognized as contributing to children’s success, both in examinations and
in the development of positive dispositions and attitudes (see Hanneke
Jones’ major research for the Unit n 2004). New, as yet unpublished,
research by the University of Newcastle suggests that at KS1, schools
which received support from the Unit were found to have ‘done very
much better than expected in SATs’. A similar pattern emerged at KS2,
especially where support had been sustained over more than one year.
At GCSE, the only High School to have sustained input from the Unit
gained results ‘significantly higher than predicted’.
These findings are testament to the commitment of those teachers and
Heads who have stuck by their principles and resisted the temptation
to ‘force-feed’ children. Deep, meaningful learning happens when learners
are in control, motivated and having fun. It is reassuring to know that this
way of working has support from the top!


thinking for learning SLA - subscription rates

The Thinking for Learning Unit is now recognised nationally for its ability
to help schools and teachers focus on thinking and learning.
We are proud that this emphasis on thinking and learning began in
Northumberland schools by virtue of the enthusiasm of individual teachers
and proud that the work of the Unit is still rooted in classroom practice.
We are developing an association of schools and Local Authorities across
the country who share our priority of classroom-based action research.
Entering into this SLA is more than buying the ‘products’, although that is
important. It’s about belonging to a group of schools that are reflective
learning organisations and want to continue that process with like-minded
schools.
It’s also about benefiting from the Unit’s national contacts and experience
and maintaining the Unit’s influence in Northumberland schools and
within the local authority itself.


Current and revised arrangements

Current Arrangements
The 2005-06 SLA was set at £460 per school, irrespective of size.
For this fee, members received 25% discount on course bookings.

Revised Arrangements
The revised model has a fee which is based on the number of pupils
attending the school. By keeping the cost of the SLA very low
(£50 for our smallest schools), we anticipate that most schools will
want to be associated with the principles
and practice represented by the Unit. This in turn will produce a
thriving network of learning schools that can be mutually supportive.

NB These terms replace those circulated in schools’ budget information
on p.4 of ‘School Services Charges for 2006-7’.


                           

Benefits of membership

Affiliated Membership (Level A)
- 25% discount on all courses (both centrally provided and in
school).

Full Membership (Level B)
- 25% discount on all courses (both centrally provided
and in school) plus up to half a day’s free consultancy.


Wherever possible, we encourage schools to subscribe as a
partnership, either a full phase partnership or a mini partnership,
eg a Middle School and its feeders.
We are particularly interested is exploring learning throughout a
child’s experience of school and would welcome action research
commissions from partnerships and schools on this, or on other
aspects.
Please contact the Unit directly to explore these options.

As the table below clearly shows, the vast majority of schools
will pay a great deal less for this year’s SLA than the current fee of £460.

         

Special arrangements for 06-07

A working group of Headteachers has been looking at the operation of
SLAs and has decided that, from Sept 06, SLAs should run on an a
cademic rather than financial year.
In the light of this, there will be a special price for the 06-07 SLA
which will run for four terms from April 06 until August 07.

Level A - 25% discount on all courses (both centrally provided and in school).
Level B - 25% discount on all courses (both centrally provided and in school)
plus upto half a day’s free consultancy,


Why is our SLA so reasonably priced?

Three of the Unit’s ten members earn their own salaries. They do this by
offering high quality training in Northumberland and around the country.
Such is the demand for these services that this aspect of our business
makes money above that needed for salaries. This money is ploughed
back into Northumberland schools—this year the Unit has supported
four £2000 research bursaries for schools (visit workshops at our
national conference) and seconded two teachers for a day a week
to develop T4L approaches.
In the next financial year our Development Group has chosen to
support not

just a few schools but all our schools by subsidising the SLA. Why?
In order to encourage as many schools as possible to see this
SLA as a networking opportunity which will improve children’s
life skills and raise standards.

Benefits of membership of the thinking for learning SLA

Thinking creatively’—Our national conference
25, 26 May, 2006

 Two days of creativity, fun and new ideas at Longhirst Hall

                 

Key facilitators

Classroom practitioners from Northumberland
Lex McKeE
Roy Leighton

The workshops are interactive so that you will be able to
self-construct your understanding. All workshop facilitators
are current practitioners who have practical insights and
experience to offer you which can be put into immediate
practice in the classroom.

Our guarantee - a conference where you will not be sitting
                        all day listening to talking heads!