Recognising Achievement
Learning Community Groups of enquiry
Final Case study report
Composition of Learning Community Group: This is a Cross sectoral, cross establishment
and cross departmental group.
Name of Learning Community Group: Scottish Borders Achievement Group.
Introduction
The Key purposes of our Case Study were to consider:
o The focus must be on learning and reflection, not activities
o Learners must have ownership of their achievements and what they choose
to include
o Recognition of achievement must involve talking with and supporting young
people
o There is a need to develop common understandings and language across
wider learning communities
All three pilot projects aimed at ensuring young people were able to recognise their
achievement and had ways of recording achievement in a meaningful way. Three primary
schools worked with pupils in developing a language to describe achievement through the four
capacities – nursery pupils used pictures and simplified language to recognise achievement
and primary 4-7 pupils developed language to interpret achievement through the four
capacities. Kelso High School developed a language for achievement in learning which was
implemented across three subject areas and regular inter-disciplinary planning meetings to
develop this were held. Peebles High School produced a electronic portfolio for students to
record achievement.
Three primary schools worked with pupils in being able to recognise achievement within and
outwith the curriculum through the four capacities. A major focus was to encourage pupils to
reflect on their achievements and to record this in a meaningful way:
(1) Pupils recorded their achievements in a portfolio which made up a part of the PLP. (2)
Central to recognition of achievement was to encourage pupil dialogue which used child
friendly language for understanding achievement through the four capacities (3) & (4). Parents
contributed to the achievement portfolio by sharing their child’s achievement outwith the school
(3). Teachers involved in this project are contributing to a working party on recognising
achievement.
Kelso High School
Kelso High School had all S1 students participate in Feuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment (IE)
programme following a successful SBC pilot project which demonstrated that IE improved
pupils’ self-confidence and learning (1). S1 pupils developed a common language for their
learning across three curriculum areas; Maths, English and RMPS (3) & (4). Pupils were asked
to reflect on how to use the skills for learning in a wide range of contexts and two focus pupil
group were interviewed for a more in-depth reflection on how IE impacted on wider learning (1)
& (2).
Peebles High School
Peebles High School are working with their associated primary schools preparing to use an
electronic means from August 2009, for recording achievements for P7/S1 pupils who will have
an ownership of achievement (1&2). This session has involved a collaborative project to
produce a short DVD which outlines the views of young people within the Learning Community
on what achievement means to them.
Links to Curriculum for Excellence
The three primary schools had a focus on ensuring that pupils understand how their
achievements related to the four capacities and to develop a common language for describing
this. The achievements covered a wide range of contexts as outlined in BtC3 and these were
recorded through personal learning planning. Pupils were able to assess and evaluate
achievements through a reflective journal which was completed weekly. Parents were able to
contribute to the folio of pupil achievement and receive information on achievement via PLPs.
The level of pupil dialogue demonstrated a high level of understanding about achievement.
Kelso High School used Feuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment following on from a successful
pilot project, to develop S1 pupils as successful learners and confident individuals who
developed a language for their learning and thinking skills which were transferable across
three subject departments. Impact of IE on pupils was gauged using pupil focus groups where
pupils engaged in dialogue about how they were using a language for learning (recorded on
CD). Pupils improved in 11 out of 20 areas relating to the perception as a learner after IE
intervention. Teachers from 3 subject areas worked to focus on inter-disciplinary learning
which is a central focus of Curriculum for Excellence.
Peebles High School
PHS have begun the development work associated with recording pupil achievement through
P7 and S1 pupils creating their own electronic portfolio of achievement which has promoted a
sense of ownership. This has involved primary and secondary pupils working together to
produce a DVD on what achievement means to them. This DVD will be used as part of the
launch of the electronic portfolio next session to help emphasise the links between the aims of
CfE and achievement. Those involved in the DVD production have focused on the effective
contributors element within CfE, with the individual elements of work in each school being
brought together into one common view on achievement.
Research methods
Kelso High School used ‘mediated learning’ as a source of information on teaching
methodologies. Research evidence about the impact of Instrumental Enrichment on student
learning was used to inform practice. A range of Instrumental Enrichment materials were used
to develop the language for learning. In order to evaluate the impact of IE on pupils’
perceptions of themselves as learners, ’Myself as a Learner Scale’ by R Burden was used.
The S1 pupils participated in an INSET for staff where they shared what impact IE had on their
learning.
The three primary schools used Building the Curriculum 3: A framework for learning and
teaching, and Scottish Borders Council guidance on recognising achievement as a basis for
developing their work and also the Scottish Borders Council pupil statements on the four
capacities. The focus on how to recognise achievement as outlined in BtC3 impacted on
teacher practice by linking achievement to a number of contexts and also being recorded
through personal learning plans.
Peebles High School utilised a commercial electronic package ‘Pebblepad’ as the electronic
package for recording achievement. All P7 teachers and representatives from each subject
department in Pebbles High School completed a training day with ‘Pebblepad’ staff.
All staff in the learning communities were made aware of the aims of the project during a joint
primary /secondary CfE in-set.
Peebles High School S6 pupils worked with P7 pupils from each of the 9 associated primary
schools to share their understanding of achievement (DVD produced).
Impact on Young People
Peebles High School have given pupils a complete sense of ownership of the achievement
DVD. P7 were trained in video techniques by S6 students and recorded footage in their own
schools. S6 students edited the footage their own schools. S6 students edited the footage as
part of their Intermediate 2 media class. Those involved have shown enthusiasm and
motivation. In addition, the reflections of the young people involved in achievement add to their
collective understanding. The PHS Parent Council have seen a rough cut of the DVD and the
plans for the electronic portfolio launch next session includes sharing the DVD with all staff and
pupils involved.
Kelso High School S1 pupils have demonstrated that through interviews that they are using a
common language for learning for thinking skills which are being transferred across the
curriculum. A questionnaire has demonstrated an improvement in pupils’ self confidence after
this intervention.
The three primary schools have gauged through pupil dialogue that there has been an impact
of a deeper understanding of achievement in relation to the four capacities. Also the reflective
journals demonstrated that pupils have a deeper understanding of their achievement. One
school has an achievement wall; one school has a folio of achievement which is added to the
PLP.
Inclusiveness
Peebles High School plan to sustain the project aims through incorporating lessons learned
into our planned approach to Glow and through building on our current approach to personal
learning planning.
The three primary schools have developed pupils’ understanding of the four capacities and
used this to recognise achievement. This work will impact on the culture of understanding
achievement within the schools. Other SBC primary schools are using the materials for
recording achievement as part of their PLPs. Two of the three teachers involved in the pilot
project are now part of an authority working party which is looking at producing achievement
for schools and multi-agency partners.
Kelso High School will sustain this work on developing a common language for learning
because it is part of CfE development where all teachers will be trained in mediated learning
which involves teachers planning thinking skills into lesson planning.
Strengths
Peebles High School worked with both S6 and P7 pupils from all their associated primary
schools in encouraging pupils to reflect on what they thought achievement is. The introduction
of the electronic portfolio proved challenging due to ICT issues between the schools and the
commercial company. This resulted in a postponement of the launch until the beginning of the
2009-2010 session.
The strengths of the work in Kelso High School has been to develop interdisciplinary work
directly related to helping pupils develop transferable thinking skills. The gains of this work can
be sustained through all departments using a common language for learning. The work will
require all staff to be trained in mediated learning which is planned as part of Curriculum for
Excellence. Pupils have presented workshops to both teachers and parents on what they have
learned through participating in IE and this should continue with all year groups.
The three primary schools have developed practioner expertise across learning communities
and also have ensured that pupils record achievement in a meaningful way. The teachers in
this group are involved in the authority working party on achievement.