Speaking and listening at Argyle… a work in progress.

1. Speaking and listening at Argyle…a work in progress.

2. Context • 2 form entry community school, King’s Cross • 97% EAL (56% Bengali/ Syhleti; 18 % Somali) • 60% overcrowding, 42% FSM, 30% SEND • 42% of SEND Sp and L issues • 90% ch entering nursery in 2009-10 with little or no English. • …% had mixed with children other than immediate family

3. Our curriculum • Values based with speaking and listening objectives embedded throughout the curriculum. Children are encouraged to make links between PHSE, humanities, RE and literacy by seeking to answer a ‘Big Question’ in which they summarise and explain their learning. Eg. Year 4 - Study of Roman Britain The focus is on aspects of the Roman invasion and Roman society, particularly the reasons why the Romans came to Britain, and the how their society was organized. This links to PSHE work on why Britain has been and continues to be an attractive destination for people from around the world and concludes with in class and year group debates on an issue of inequality linked to an area of interest to the children.

4. Despite this, ongoing school evaluation showed… • Teachers’ subject knowledge in S and L and progression within was inconsistent • Teachers’ skills to develop children’s articulated reasoning was inconsistent • Persuasive writing and much non-fiction writing was poor in year 5 and 6 (lacked a language “capital”/ breadth/ experience on which to draw) • Literacy outcomes (writing) variable overall over 3 years

5. So what did we do … • Began work in partnership with the LA through the Primary Lead Learning Authority (PLLA) project • PLLA project aims to work with schools to find ways to make the curriculum both more innovative and more inclusive whilst sustaining (and improving) gains in literacy and maths outcomes • An action research project into how to embed key practices that continue to ensure best possible outcomes for all pupils • To support class teachers (under guidance of school PLLA lead) in embedding key pedagogies of Quality First Teaching

6. Strategy • Whole school INSET • First Steps continuum in speaking and listening • MRAF (modelling, rehearsing, applying, frames) • Key language • On going support and evaluation • Focus class • Targeted children • Identified the key issues holding speaking and listening and therefore writing back (use continuum or APP) • Developed MRAF across the curriculum (Humanities) • Meta language (APP Sp and list Af 4 ) became focus • Outcomes: • 32% on track autumn 64% on track summer (writing) • Focus children 30% acceleration 60% met challenging targets – all now “on track” • Teacher identified whole set of skills and areas she needed to improve in her own teaching – evaluated herself and meaningfully set about improving her teaching

7. The DVD clips • The task • Children asked to say who they would invite to dinner and why • To chose within the group, persuading others that their own choice should count • Give substantiated reason for choice • cohort all EAL; average or above; no SEN; all had EMA support in EYFS and KS1; keen & hardworking with supportive families, “head down and get on” children!

8. This year’s School Improvement focus Undertake detailed ‘action research’ type work with every class teacher in Key Stages 1 & 2 – which will enable teachers to develop a greater understanding of where their children are on the First Steps Speaking and Listening map of Development –and therefore of how they can plan for their development in speaking and listening. Gather more accurate data about progression/lack of progression in speaking and listening across the school – which will enable us to develop our curriculum/ offer interventions where change is most needed.

9. Enable each class teacher to develop a speaking and listening strategy for their class which can be shared with children and which will enable teachers to incorporate A4 of APP (Talking about Talk) into their existing planning – so that children understand that they are working on developing their S & L skills and what their next steps are. Intensive 10 week course offered to all support staff by Bernie Barry/Maria Nowak –focussing upon how to support the development of Speaking and Listening for children learning EAL.

10. Workshops with parents in key year groups (3 and 5 in first instance) looking at how they can develop talk with their children – be it in the home language or in English.

11. AS you can see it is a work in progress… watch this space!