When the penny drops.
What does decolonising the curriculum actually mean? Trans-formative assessment; Jobs with We Are In Beta members.
Hello everyone,
Chris Edwards, Headteacher at Brighton Hill Community School, said it best this week:
“Whether you’re keeping face coverings or losing them on Monday, can we just all agree that young people have been sensational in dutifully wearing them for so long? They never fail to amaze me with how resilient, versatile and fantastic they are. Heroes, all of them.”
We - schools - Are In Beta - always learning.
This week:
🎧 When the penny drops.
🎥 How to transform outcomes and reduce workload with formative assessment.
💼 Jobs with We Are In Beta Community members.
🎧 When the penny drops.
There have been people working on decolonising the curriculum for a very long time now.
In early 2020, after George Floyd’s death (almost exactly 12 months ago), decolonising the curriculum came to the forefront of the discussion.
People who had never considered it, or even understood what it meant, had to grapple with its implications.
This whole episode is about exactly that.
Havelock Primary School was by no means behind the curve in this regard but when they decided to start decolonising their curriculum in late 2019 they realised just how deep-rooted the problem was.
Tune in to learn what decolonising the curriculum really means, why it’s important and how you can go about doing it.
This is final episode of Series 4. It’s been a blast. Thank you for listening. Thank you to all our guests.
If you want to tell your story on the podcast click here to read about how to get involved.
🎥 How to transform outcomes and reduce workload with formative assessment.
In 2011 the English Department at Forest Gate Community School was underperforming - poor curriculum design, little rigour and low expectations.
Now, the school (and the Tes award-winning English department) are among the highest performing in the country.
“I have been here for 10 years. This aspect of pedagogy has transformed our ability to assess students… It’s also one of our biggest recruitment factors - we do not take books home to mark.” (Stacey Goyan, AHT).
Join us to hear from the team at Forest Gate Community School who will share:
What the most influential formative assessment practices at FGCS English department are
How to plan and prepare for live marking successfully
What planning, preparation and implementation looks like in their long term plans, medium term plans and independent tasks.
How formative assessment is used to update the key objectives on the school's central assessment and reporting system - DPR.
What the benefits and limitations of the DPR are.
📅 Wed 18th May
🕕 6.00-7.15pm
💼 Jobs with We Are In Beta Community members.
Senior leadership
Chief Executive Officer - Skylark Partnership Trust (known nationally for its best practice in the education of young people with medical needs). DM CEO, Cath Kitchen.
Business Manager/CFO - Solihull Academy (Birmingham). DM Principal, Stephen Steinhaus.
Headteacher - The Knights Templar School (North Hertfordshire). DM Assistant Headteacher, Joseph Sherry.
Assistant Principal (Ethos and Culture) - Priory Community School (North Somerset). DM Deputy Headteacher, Richard Uffendell.
Middle leadership
Deputy Head of English - Melksham Oak Community School (Wiltshire). DM Assistant Headteacher, Emma Cave.
Assistant Curriculum Leader for English - Atherton High (Wigan). DM Headteacher, Ben Layzell.
Curriculum Director of Science & Curriculum Director of Languages - Reach Academy Feltham (Hounslow, west London). DM Associate Assistant Headteacher and Director of Science, Claire Couves.
Head of Maths - Phoenix Academy (Hammersmith, west London). DM Vice Principal, Louis Everett.
2i/c Maths - Northampton Academy (Northampton). DM Principal, Chris Clyne.
Head of Year (and be a teacher of Maths or Science) - Coleridge Community College (Cambridgeshire). DM Headteacher, Ele Stoneham.
Teaching
Y6 specialist English teacher and KS2 teacher - Ark John Keats (Enfield, London). DM Primary Vice Principal, Mide Ola-Said.
MFL- Chosen Hill School (Gloucester). DM Head of MFL, Katie Lockett.
MFL - SET Saxmundham School (Suffolk). DM Lead Practitioner MFL, Louise Ramsey.
Science - John Mason School (Oxfordshire). DM Head of Science, Andrew Stanger.
Science - Reach Academy Feltham (Hounslow, London). DM Associate Assistant Headteacher and Director of Science, Claire Couves.
Science - Northampton Academy (Northampton). DM Principal, Chris Clyne.
Design, Technology and Construction - Forest Academy (Hainault, North East London). DM Headteacher, Will Mackintosh.
AP, English, Drama & Maths - The Wells Academy (Nottingham). DM Principal, Marcus Shepherd.
Interested in these roles? Looking for your next team member?
The 11,106 strong We Are In Beta community can help…
Thanks for reading.
Speak soon.
@NiallAlcock and the We Are In Beta team
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