what the head teachers think
Mrs Davis, Neston's Head Teacher, on school visits:
Part of the bid to NESTA to enable us to build the moon base was that we’d share our good fortune, so we’re happy to have visits.
It’s not often you actually get feedback on your work in school, it used to be only when Ofsted came calling, but now it’s nice to see what other teachers and children think.
It’s really good for a school to be on show every now and again, it gives you a focus, and makes you stop to reflect on how you’re doing.
We’ve instigated a project in school here called Building Learning Power, which we first got to know of through Wiltshire's Vibrant Schools' Project.
It’s an educational idea from Professor Guy Claxton, it’s working really well here. In the early stages we also visited schools in Cardiff, now other schools visit us, even from as far away as Australia. You do say you’re gong to keep in touch, but actually it’s hard to find the time, but never mind – I know they’re there and we can make contact again if we want to!
visiting teachers
Mr Borrie, Shaw School's Head Teacher
You just don’t get to go on visits often enough, logistically it’s really tough, and we wouldn’t have managed this but for a friend of the school with a minibus, and we’re only a few miles away. The opportunities for schools to work together is terribly underused.
You do really learn from other schools, it’s always a valuable experience, and it’s good for the kids interpersonal skills, they really understand the work and take the experience and the knowledge back to Shaw School with them. The other half of the class are gagging to come now! I’m going to twist Mr Heal’s arm to get them along.
I know Mrs Davies and Mr Heal quite well, so that was helpful of course. What’s great about a trip like this is they get to use the technology first hand, they really assimilate the learning. We’ve found that small groups work much better. A lot of learning comes through play of course, and experience, Mozart wrote his symphonies whilst walking didn’t he? Not sitting at a desk!
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