Alps Berkshire Mid-Year Conference 3rd February 2006

1. ag Alps Berkshire Mid-Year Conference 3rd February 2006

2. ag Six Key Elements for Success VISION/ETHOS STANDARDS FLEXIBILITY RESPONSIBILITY REWARDS TEAMWORK & MUTUAL SUPPORT

3. ag What is your shared Vision? What standards have you set yourselves? Do you act as a team or a set of individuals?

4. ag Leadership

5. ag Vision, Ethos & Philosophy

6. The Philosophy underpinning Alps • ALPS aims to create a positive atmosphere that creates happy, socially confident young people who have experienced personal growth and success in what they set out to do • The key to achieving this atmosphere is • High Levels of Respect & of Feeling Valued • High Quality Leadership at All Levels • High Quality Teaching & Learning • High Quality Target-Setting, Monitoring, Guidance & Support ag

7. An individual An exception To be valued Basic Principles Everyone is:

8. ag Basic Principles Academic Success + Personal Achievement = Self Confidence + Self Worth

9. ag Basic Principles High Expectations TwinnedWith Powerful Support Compassionate Rigour

10. Quality in everything is key Quality is not a certificate Quality is about continuous incremental improvement every day by everyone Demanding Quality

11. ag Leadership

12. Data & National Benchmarking Target-Setting

14. Alps Target-Setting

15. What an Alps Score of 1.00 means

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17. Minimum A level grade expectation

18. Minimum AS level grade expectation

19. Student Support

20. Personal Tutoring -Mentoring Students • What is the vision for mentoring? • What are the guidance objectives? • Does the structure meet these? • The programme – Is there one? • How much quality time with each student?

21. Philosophical Background Everyone is to be treated as: an individual an exception a person to be valued The Key Aims of a Personal Tutor are: To promote personal and social development To promote academic achievement To build, continuously, self esteem and self-confidence to each individual student Aims and Objectives of a Personal Tutor

22. ObjectivesTo provide a support system: by, initially, getting to know our students by facilitating the transitions from school to college and beyond by functioning as an intermediary by providing a friendly point of contact by regularly monitoring student progress by keeping appropriate records by providing accessible advice and counselling by working as a team and supporting each other Method The tutor will use a student-centred approach based on weekly tutorial sessions and regular individual interviews. By using a positive approach to encourage self-belief and self-confidence based on reality. Aims and Objectives of a Personal Tutor

23. This can not be carried out effectively on a full timetable • Ideal? • 2 hours/group per week, one for a group tutorial, one for one-to-one work and administration e.g.references, UCAS forms, Reports • Head of 6th form/deputy Head of 6th Form for 120 to 180 students with 8-10 hours /week each? • A smaller number of dedicated Personal Tutors • Each responsible for 64-92 students in 3/4 groups

24. ag • Teamwork - Key Teams • Team of Staff teaching the level • Class Teacher & Class • Student, 3/4teachers, personal tutor

25. ag • Each Team has to have – • Strong Leadership • Clear consistent agreed values • Clear agreed objectives and targets understood by all • Clear responsibilities &flexibilities

26. THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

27. ag Setting the Standards in the first 10 weeks defines what happens in the next two years.

28. September 1st to September 24th Day 2 Assemblies Ice breakers Individual interviews Student agreement assemblies New parents evenings Student Monitoring - termly Student Experience(The first few weeks)

29. ag • On Course – Week 1. • 1st Day (Tuesday) - Half day for Administration – a key job is to assign a few staff to gather GCSE data and compile Scores. New Alps software for Target-setting. • 2nd Day (Wednesday) Assemblies, Leader – Vision & Values, Rights & Duties as Sixth Formers, Community Values, Calculating GCSE Scores, Given Minimum Targets with explanation, Teamwork. • 4th Day (Friday) Teaching starts – Class lists, GCSE Scores, Target Grades to Staff.

30. ag 2nd Day Assemblies - Leadership *Vision & Values, *Rights & Duties as Sixth Formers, *Community Values, *Calculating GCSE Scores, *Given Minimum Targets and explanation.

31. Entry Qualifications ofSeptember 2003 leavers

32. Entry Qualifications ofSeptember 2003 Arrivals

33. Greenhead CollegeAS Assembly - September 2005A-level Results A-Level pass-rate19941996199820002001200220032004 2005 Grades A - E 93% 95% 97% 96% 97% 99% 98% 99.5% 99.2% Grades A - C 60% 67% 72% 74% 74% 75% 80% 87% 85% Grades A - B 40% 47% 48% 53% 54% 66% 61% 69% 67% GCSE passes Grades A - C 74% 75% 88% 90% 90% 91% 90% 90% 91%

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35. ag • Student Agreement & New Parents’ Evening – around 22nd September • Invitation to Parents out on first day of term • 3rd Tuesday in September – New Parents’ Evening • Student Agreement Assemblies – late September • Key Points • 30 Hours per week for classwork & private study • All Homework of quality of target grade • Commitment to attend • Freedoms & responsibilities • Teamwork – Valuing each other.

36. Student Agreement

37. Student Agreement Understood by – All staff – staff meeting All students –assembly &tutor group Parents – New Parents’Evening + Newsletter/Letter ag

38. ag Ethos – Simple elements understood & practised by all staff

39. ag Respect for Students as emerging Young Adults - 26yo’s, not 6yo’s

40. ag Above all: I want to feel accepted as I am, especially by my peers and as an emerging Adult.

41. ag ADULT PARENTCHILD ADULT Use This with Students

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43. STUDENT TARGET-SETTINGMONITORINGGUIDANCE AND SUPPORT

44. ag • Student Guidance and Support • Initial Interviews with Personal tutors – Early September • Progress Reporting – Nov, March, June, student – teacher one-to-one 8 min. interviews • Formal 20min. Personal tutor interviews termly • Star & P Forms • Informal one-to one work at subject and tutor levels.

45. Subject teachers’ monitoring- First two weeks in November Student Experience(The first ten weeks)

46. MONITORING • What are we trying to do? • Establish personal contact • Raise self-esteem • Value achievement now • Communicate potential in the best possible way • Explore student’s approach to subject work outside class • Evaluate our teaching & feelings in the class • Point out actions for further improvement

47. MONITORING • How to conduct the interview • It is part of an ongoing process: prepare the student beforehand (questionnaire?) • Find a suitable quiet spot and adequate time for each student, using mutual non-contact time if necessary • Listen to the student : use questions to prompt them. No sarcasm or cynicism! • Focus on achievement of potential : avoid inappropriate reference to GCSE grades

48. MONITORING • How to conduct the interview – 2 • Negotiate the grade - be prepared to explain clearly how you have come to your estimation – use a wide range of evidence • Negotiate achievable short term targets for progress and discuss how to achieve them • Give encouragement, reassurance • Encourage feedbackon your lessons/teaching style • Explore the student’s study skills • It is useful to keep records