Subtitles
Associated Teachers TV programme
The Innovation Challenge: The Planning
0001 10:00:11:13 10:00:15:00
(narrator) A challenge has been
issued to schools - be daring,
0002 10:00:15:00 10:00:17:23
be different, be innovative.
0003 10:00:17:23 10:00:23:07
But don't forget - balance budgets,
meet targets, please inspectors.
0004 10:00:23:07 10:00:26:12
The reality of the pressures
on schools and staff
0005 10:00:26:12 10:00:30:14
means there's little opportunity
or encouragement for innovation.
0006 10:00:30:14 10:00:34:07
In this series of three programmes,
we follow two heads of department
0007 10:00:34:07 10:00:37:17
who are challenged to implement
new approaches in their schools.
0008 10:00:37:17 10:00:40:15
We find out what they need
to make change a reality.
0009 10:00:40:15 10:00:44:02
Is it a clear focus?
The right support?
0010 10:00:44:02 10:00:46:01
Or just the cash?
0011 10:00:46:01 10:00:49:04
And we see the problems they have
to deal with along the way.
0012 10:00:49:04 10:00:52:15
We've also invited education
and innovation consultant
0013 10:00:52:15 10:00:57:04
Dr Paul Sternberg to cast
his expert eye over the projects.
0014 10:00:57:04 10:01:01:05
I think what's needed is a new
approach to the school timetable
0015 10:01:01:05 10:01:03:17
and to being imaginative
about the timetable.
0016 10:01:03:17 10:01:06:06
(narrator) This is East Manchester,
0017 10:01:06:06 10:01:08:12
where it's recognised
that regeneration
0018 10:01:08:12 10:01:11:13
means more than just the economy
and infrastructure.
0019 10:01:11:13 10:01:16:11
It also involves raising aspiration
and attainment in schools.
0020 10:01:16:11 10:01:20:02
Russell Cormack, from the
New East Manchester Education Team,
0021 10:01:20:02 10:01:24:07
wants to give a further boost to
the area's three secondary schools.
0022 10:01:24:07 10:01:26:11
He's offering £2,500
0023 10:01:26:11 10:01:30:18
to each of the schools' English,
maths and science departments.
0024 10:01:30:18 10:01:33:16
They have to target the money
at GCSE achievement,
0025 10:01:33:16 10:01:36:20
and they need to come up with
innovative ideas.
0026 10:01:36:20 10:01:40:23
The catch is, with only five weeks
left before the end of spring term,
0027 10:01:40:23 10:01:45:09
they must implement these quickly
if they're to make a difference.
0028 10:01:45:23 10:01:48:10
Today, Russell is visiting
each of the schools
0029 10:01:48:10 10:01:51:01
as a follow-up to his letter
offering the cash,
0030 10:01:51:01 10:01:55:17
which he's managed to find through
the Excellence in Cities programme.
0031 10:01:55:17 10:01:58:11
It doesn't have to be
focused entirely
0032 10:01:58:11 10:02:01:18
on your subject-content material.
0033 10:02:01:18 10:02:06:13
If you feel as though the best way
to raise attainment in this
0034 10:02:06:13 10:02:10:19
is to look at aspirations and
motivation and things like that
0035 10:02:10:19 10:02:13:03
with the run-up to these exams,
that's great.
0036 10:02:18:11 10:02:22:04
I know this is a little bit
different and a little rushed,
0037 10:02:22:04 10:02:26:04
but I found the funds and I can't
not let you have it now.
0038 10:02:26:04 10:02:31:00
I'm sure you, as department heads,
can think of ways to use that funds
0039 10:02:31:00 10:02:34:22
in terms of the way that
you think's best for your pupils.
0040 10:02:40:07 10:02:43:09
I know all of you
in this school are running
0041 10:02:43:09 10:02:46:05
innovative and creative things
to raise attainment,
0042 10:02:46:05 10:02:50:05
but this is hopefully
going to boost the year 11s
0043 10:02:50:05 10:02:54:16
and those ideas you possibly wanted
to run but haven't had the funding.
0044 10:02:54:16 10:02:57:03
(narrator) The headteachers
are supportive,
0045 10:02:57:03 10:03:00:04
but they know the extra money
for English, maths and science
0046 10:03:00:04 10:03:02:12
could come at
a cost to other subjects.
0047 10:03:02:12 10:03:07:10
I suspect there will be some
jealousy from other departments
0048 10:03:07:10 10:03:11:08
who see English, maths and science
may be getting additional funding,
0049 10:03:11:08 10:03:14:00
some additional resourcing,
timetabling issues.
0050 10:03:14:00 10:03:16:20
But as all heads of faculty
in this school know,
0051 10:03:16:20 10:03:21:07
the government agenda is critically
focused on English and maths now.
0052 10:03:21:07 10:03:25:11
Science is part of that focus cos
we aspire to be a science college.
0053 10:03:25:11 10:03:28:00
We won't get it
absolutely right first time,
0054 10:03:28:00 10:03:32:24
but I'm quite happy to lead from the
front and say to staff, all staff:
0055 10:03:32:24 10:03:36:24
"This is important," and try to
minimise impact on other subjects
0056 10:03:36:24 10:03:38:21
and try and keep everyone on board.
0057 10:03:38:21 10:03:41:19
I think everyone knows
these are the core subjects
0058 10:03:41:19 10:03:44:04
and these are the ones
that are our priority.
0059 10:03:44:04 10:03:47:24
(narrator) The heads of department
have thought how to spend the money.
0060 10:03:47:24 10:03:50:19
In most cases, they're ideas
they've had for some time
0061 10:03:50:19 10:03:53:03
but haven't been able to fund.
0062 10:03:53:03 10:03:57:02
One of the biggest challenges
we have is that the children...
0063 10:03:57:02 10:04:01:21
getting them motivated and taking
responsibility for their own grade,
0064 10:04:01:21 10:04:03:16
and getting the parents onside.
0065 10:04:03:16 10:04:05:24
Very often,
you speak to parents and they say:
0066 10:04:05:24 10:04:08:10
"But I was rubbish at maths.
I couldn't do it."
0067 10:04:08:10 10:04:12:11
And trying to provide support for
parents at home to help children.
0068 10:04:12:11 10:04:17:17
Would you be running any revision
sessions in school for parents?
0069 10:04:17:17 10:04:21:05
Possibly, yeah. I think, you know,
to get them on board.
0070 10:04:21:05 10:04:24:20
Perhaps we could do
a collaborative session for parents
0071 10:04:24:20 10:04:27:00
for English, maths and science.
0072 10:04:27:00 10:04:30:15
(narrator) The most ambitious idea
comes from Paul Barker-Matthews,
0073 10:04:30:15 10:04:32:24
head of English and media
at Cedar Mount.
0074 10:04:32:24 10:04:35:18
He wants to take pupils
out of school for three days
0075 10:04:35:18 10:04:38:06
for a series of seminars
at a local college,
0076 10:04:38:06 10:04:42:00
despite the obvious implications
for the timetable and staffing.
0077 10:04:42:00 10:04:47:02
We're gonna have to be given more more time, staffing, resources 0078 10:04:47:02 10:04:50:23
and we'll have to go up the pecking
order when schools are prioritising
0079 10:04:50:23 10:04:54:19
cos the boss will to say to me in
September, "You failed to deliver."
0080 10:04:54:19 10:04:57:24
(narrator) Back at his desk,
Russell reflects on the ideas
0081 10:04:57:24 10:05:00:01
that have been put forward so far.
0082 10:05:00:01 10:05:02:13
Do you think teachers,
by their nature,
0083 10:05:02:13 10:05:05:12
are quite conservative
or cautious creatures?
0084 10:05:05:12 10:05:07:17
I don't think
they are very cautious.
0085 10:05:07:17 10:05:11:10
I think teachers will definitely do
what they feel is best
0086 10:05:11:10 10:05:15:06
for their pupils that they have
in front of them in their class,
0087 10:05:15:06 10:05:21:14
and they'll learn
from trying things out.
0088 10:05:21:14 10:05:24:15
But, invariably,
we need new stimuluses,
0089 10:05:24:15 10:05:29:00
we need new opportunities to think
about what we're doing at the moment
0090 10:05:29:00 10:05:31:10
and is there anything different?
0091 10:05:31:10 10:05:34:10
(narrator) The two departments
we're highlighting
0092 10:05:34:10 10:05:37:24
want to get their projects under way
before the end of the spring term.
0093 10:05:37:24 10:05:41:05
That gives them just four weeks
after getting the money.
0094 10:05:41:05 10:05:43:05
In Fiona McGarvey's case,
0095 10:05:43:05 10:05:45:24
the need for urgency
has been showing for some time
0096 10:05:45:24 10:05:49:04
and could mean a sudden departure
from her role as head of maths
0097 10:05:49:04 10:05:50:24
at St Peter's.
0098 10:05:50:24 10:05:55:00
Her policy is for pupils to take
their GCSE at the end of year 10.
0099 10:05:55:00 10:05:59:15
She finds it works because
they don't have any other exams.
0100 10:05:59:15 10:06:04:03
She decides to ask the pupils what
sort of additional help they'd like.
0101 10:06:04:03 10:06:10:01
Joshua, have you any ideas on what
could help you improve your grade?
0102 10:06:10:01 10:06:11:16
- Revise.
- (Fiona) Revise.
0103 10:06:11:16 10:06:14:18
To teach us how to remember
all the things that you teach us.
0104 10:06:14:18 10:06:17:16
(Fiona) OK. So how can I do that?
0105 10:06:17:16 10:06:19:06
- I don't know.
- You don't know.
0106 10:06:19:06 10:06:22:03
We could tell you
what we're struggling with
0107 10:06:22:03 10:06:24:03
and you could teach it us
as a lesson.
0108 10:06:24:03 10:06:27:16
(Fiona) OK. So you are identifying
what you can't do
0109 10:06:27:16 10:06:30:08
and bringing that to me
or whoever's teaching you
0110 10:06:30:08 10:06:32:12
as to what it is
you need to be done?
0111 10:06:32:12 10:06:36:09
(narrator) Quite a positive feedback
from the pupils. They wanted help.
0112 10:06:36:09 10:06:42:00
They want help and their ideas are
different to what we'd normally do,
0113 10:06:42:00 10:06:45:10
which would just be
after-school lessons for them.
0114 10:06:45:10 10:06:50:00
Many of them are involved in sport
so can't do after-school lessons,
0115 10:06:50:00 10:06:52:14
or have other reasons
why they can't stay behind.
0116 10:06:52:14 10:06:55:01
- They want help but on their terms?
- Yeah.
0117 10:06:55:01 10:06:58:03
(narrator) At Cedar Mount,
there's no need to consult pupils
0118 10:06:58:03 10:07:00:09
about the extra help
they need with English.
0119 10:07:00:09 10:07:03:13
The head of department Paul
has already decided to press ahead
0120 10:07:03:13 10:07:05:09
with his three days of seminars,
0121 10:07:05:09 10:07:08:00
an event he calls "the conference".
0122 10:07:09:20 10:07:12:01
Paul does, however,
discuss his plans
0123 10:07:12:01 10:07:15:05
with the year 11 prefects
in their common room.
0124 10:07:15:05 10:07:19:09
All right, guys, can we, uh...?
Can we gather round?
0125 10:07:19:09 10:07:22:23
(narrator) At the same time as he's
supposed to meet his department.
0126 10:07:22:23 10:07:26:23
But we don't just want it to be
all work. We want to have some play.
0127 10:07:26:23 10:07:29:18
What activities
do you want us to be offering?
0128 10:07:29:18 10:07:33:02
- (both) Relaxation.
- (Paul) Relaxation sessions?
0129 10:07:33:02 10:07:37:15
- I'll note that.
- (girl) What was the massage thing?
0130 10:07:37:15 10:07:41:01
Well, I think they do... Hey, don't
make it sound as dodgy as that!
0131 10:07:41:01 10:07:43:13
"That massaging thing
you think I wanna do."
0132 10:07:43:13 10:07:46:02
(narrator) The three-day conference
will be held
0133 10:07:46:02 10:07:48:23
at Manchester College of Art
and Technology, or MANCAT.
0134 10:07:48:23 10:07:50:18
It has a sixth form college
0135 10:07:50:18 10:07:53:14
which attracts a large number
of pupils from the school.
0136 10:07:53:14 10:07:57:21
Paul wants to build on the success
of a one-day conference last year.
0137 10:07:57:21 10:07:59:22
(phone rings)
0138 10:07:59:22 10:08:01:15
(Paul) It's Mr Hughes.
0139 10:08:01:15 10:08:05:19
He'll be wondering where we are
cos I'm meeting with the team next
0140 10:08:05:19 10:08:09:07
just to firm up some data and say,
"This is what the prefects want."
0141 10:08:09:07 10:08:11:10
Do we have to be in uniform?
0142 10:08:11:10 10:08:14:02
(Paul) I would say it's non-uniform.
0143 10:08:14:02 10:08:17:20
If you're asking me
to make it non-uniform,
0144 10:08:17:20 10:08:21:19
it gives me more power to go back to
Mr Hutchence and Miss Hill and say:
0145 10:08:21:19 10:08:23:21
"They want to be treated
like students."
0146 10:08:23:21 10:08:27:06
- Me and Ashley have an art exam.
- (Paul) What date's that?
0147 10:08:27:06 10:08:29:24
- I think it's...
- Do not worry about art.
0148 10:08:29:24 10:08:33:21
(narrator) The clash with the art
exam is one of a number of problems
0149 10:08:33:21 10:08:35:07
that have to be solved.
0150 10:08:35:07 10:08:38:03
So far, three teachers
have been to see me.
0151 10:08:38:03 10:08:40:16
Three teachers left satisfied 0152 10:08:40:16 10:08:44:22
two very positive
and one I don't know about.
0153 10:08:44:22 10:08:47:01
So we'll have to see about that one.
0154 10:08:47:01 10:08:50:15
We'll see if a head of faculty
comes back to me.
0155 10:08:50:15 10:08:53:13
- (narrator) You won't tell me who?
- No, I won't.
0156 10:08:55:06 10:08:58:08
(narrator) Paul finally
reaches his departmental meeting
0157 10:08:58:08 10:09:00:08
and makes a significant discovery.
0158 10:09:00:08 10:09:03:19
A key member of staff won't be able
to help out with his project.
0159 10:09:03:19 10:09:06:18
He's going to South Africa instead.
0160 10:09:06:18 10:09:09:12
Despite this staffing hiccup
to his plans,
0161 10:09:09:12 10:09:11:24
Paul moves on
with the business in hand.
0162 10:09:11:24 10:09:14:02
They're targeting around 80 pupils
0163 10:09:14:02 10:09:18:00
who they believe are capable of
moving up a grade if given a push.
0164 10:09:18:00 10:09:21:08
I've got 12 kids
who I think deserve to go.
0165 10:09:21:08 10:09:25:04
Potential...
certainly potential D candidates.
0166 10:09:25:04 10:09:28:20
I think my class are very much
in the same situation as Sophie's.
0167 10:09:28:20 10:09:30:24
It would really boost them.
0168 10:09:30:24 10:09:33:19
What about your class, Ben?
0169 10:09:33:19 10:09:39:18
There's five or six of the lads
that I think maybe would benefit.
0170 10:09:39:18 10:09:44:04
(narrator) When Fiona brings her
colleagues together at St Peter's,
0171 10:09:44:04 10:09:46:16
they quickly decide
they're not going to hold
0172 10:09:46:16 10:09:49:07
formal after-school
revision classes.
0173 10:09:49:07 10:09:52:20
It starts off well, but then it just
fizzles out, that's the problem.
0174 10:09:52:20 10:09:56:11
It starts off in large numbers
and then it decreases all the time,
0175 10:09:56:11 10:09:58:20
so then it doesn't work.
0176 10:09:58:20 10:10:01:24
Is this when you're actually
teaching a proper subject?
0177 10:10:01:24 10:10:06:10
You're planning an activity?
So it's a bit of a waste of time.
0178 10:10:06:10 10:10:11:00
We can say, "We'll be available on
a certain night for a drop-in."
0179 10:10:11:00 10:10:13:11
I don't mind being available
on a certain night
0180 10:10:13:11 10:10:15:09
cos I do other things at lunchtimes.
0181 10:10:15:09 10:10:19:19
Or even before school. Some children
come in and sit in the canteen.
0182 10:10:19:19 10:10:22:24
(narrator) That's settled.
They'll hold drop-in sessions.
0183 10:10:22:24 10:10:27:18
They also decide to use their funds
on study packs for revision at home,
0184 10:10:27:18 10:10:30:11
where they hope parents
become actively involved.
0185 10:10:30:11 10:10:33:21
It becomes clear, however, that
Fiona is having second thoughts
0186 10:10:33:21 10:10:36:11
about bringing parents into school.
0187 10:10:36:11 10:10:39:17
Do you think revision packs is
really going to excite parents?
0188 10:10:39:17 10:10:44:11
I don't know, but I think it's going
to give them a security blanket.
0189 10:10:44:11 10:10:46:14
One of the things they say a lot is:
0190 10:10:46:14 10:10:49:16
"But I couldn't do maths at school.
I don't understand."
0191 10:10:49:16 10:10:54:18
They do ask, "Is there anything I
could use to help me help my child?"
0192 10:10:54:18 10:10:59:00
I think this, it's giving them it
so they don't have to go and find...
0193 10:10:59:00 10:11:01:24
Cos all the revision books
are for particular exam boards.
0194 10:11:01:24 10:11:05:05
They wouldn't have to find which
exam board or which book to get,
0195 10:11:05:05 10:11:07:05
and it's going to be sent home
0196 10:11:07:05 10:11:11:10
and linked all up with all the work
that's going to be coming home.
0197 10:11:11:10 10:11:14:23
It's whether or not we get the
parents in and explain it to them,
0198 10:11:14:23 10:11:17:01
or whether or not
we do it by letter.
0199 10:11:17:01 10:11:19:00
(narrator) As planning continues,
0200 10:11:19:00 10:11:22:14
our innovation expert Dr Paul
Sternberg arrives in East Manchester
0201 10:11:22:14 10:11:25:13
to talk through progress
with Russell Cormack.
0202 10:11:25:13 10:11:30:11
Are you satisfied it's been creative
and innovative in the use of money?
0203 10:11:30:11 10:11:33:19
Well, the whole process
is very innovative.
0204 10:11:33:19 10:11:37:17
For a head of department
or a whole department,
0205 10:11:37:17 10:11:41:07
to say that
they're going to have £2,500
0206 10:11:41:07 10:11:45:03
for them to use as they decide fit
for their department
0207 10:11:45:03 10:11:48:13
and the pupils in their school,
that's quite innovative.
0208 10:11:48:13 10:11:50:23
What have been
the risks and pitfalls?
0209 10:11:50:23 10:11:56:12
We're in a situation with education
where there's so many initiatives
0210 10:11:56:12 10:11:58:08
and so many strategies.
0211 10:11:58:08 10:12:02:03
We've got National Secondary
Strategies, extra initiatives,
0212 10:12:02:03 10:12:06:17
all trying to do the same thing,
which is raise attainment.
0213 10:12:06:17 10:12:11:19
So I didn't want this
to be yet another thing,
0214 10:12:11:19 10:12:16:14
so I had to think quite carefully
about how to word that in terms of:
0215 10:12:16:14 10:12:21:02
"This is some money. What have you
been really thinking about doing?"
0216 10:12:21:02 10:12:27:05
Risks for schools was that in terms
of capacity to deliver this.
0217 10:12:27:05 10:12:31:23
I had to make sure the departments
realised it was their funds.
0218 10:12:31:23 10:12:34:19
It wasn't going
to the school budget,
0219 10:12:34:19 10:12:37:02
it was their funds for them to use.
0220 10:12:37:02 10:12:40:13
(narrator) Coming up in episode two,
we find out how our two projects
0221 10:12:40:13 10:12:42:23
move from planning
to implementation.
0222 10:12:42:23 10:12:46:09
Do any pupils drop in
to the drop-in sessions?
0223 10:12:46:09 10:12:50:03
And does the English department get
everything it wants from the head?
0224 10:12:50:03 10:12:52:15
(Paul) Hi, mate. It's only me.
0225 10:12:58:19 10:13:01:06
Visiontext Subtitles:
Chris Wallace
0226 10:13:01:06 10:13:03:06
www.visiontext.co.uk