Appendix3_EducationService_BriefingNote_Oct2024_EducationalBenefits2-18Campus
Argyll and Bute Council · 20 December 2024
Back to Argyll and Bute Council — 20 December 2024 and its agenda
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Appendix 3 ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL EDUCATION SERVICE BRIEFING NOTE Educational Benefits of 2-18 Campus Model on Mull Introduction A key purpose of the joint campus 2-18 is to promote the development in children and young people in Argyll and Bute of the attributes, skills and knowledge they require to be successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors. This integrated approach facilitates continuity, community and collaboration bringing a range of educational benefits. The Education Service considers that the provision of a new joint school campus will make the most modern of standards and resources available to pupils to support the delivery of Curriculum for Excellence. It believes that the new building will be a significant, more efficient improvement on the current establishment, these improvements include: better-quality accommodation, more attractive learning environment, access to modern technology and improved disability access. The Education Service also believes that the new building will provide excellent facilities for use outwith school hours that could be used to help meet the learning, leisure and social needs of the children and young people and the community. The key principles underpinning the delivering of the learning continuum 2-18 concept include: ▪ Providing a Curriculum for Excellence where all children and young people are happy, safe and achieving their potential. ▪ Continuing to raise standards of attainment for all learners. ▪ Promoting, facilitating, recognising and accrediting broader achievement ▪ Ensuring that learning is planned effectively and that children and young people progress seamlessly from age 2 to 18. ▪ Maximising the achievement of our most vulnerable learners ensuring that issues of equality and diversity are addressed. ▪ Commitment to the protection, care and welfare of children and young people, nurturing their emotional and social development. ▪ Establishing a culture of enterprise and developing citizenship and the young workforce. ▪ Engaging, planning and consulting at all levels within the learning community including children, young people and parents. ▪ Developing a strong sense of community. ▪ Integrating the planning and resourcing of services. ▪ Securing effective partnership working across children’s services. ▪ Promoting shared professional development to achieve shared priorities. ▪ Building capacity for leadership at all levels. ▪ Promoting effective leadership which is creative, aspirational and unstinting in the pursuit of quality. Academic Benefits Argyll and Bute Council Comhairle Earra Ghàidheal agus Bhòid Executive Director: Douglas Hendry
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2 Some of the academic benefits of a 2-18 campus model include a consistent approach to children’s education for the entire length of their time within education, an environment where pastoral support and processes are embedded and maintained. Following a pupil’s learning journey from 2 years old to 18 allows the school to positively support a child with staff knowing them well as learners and as individuals. Early intervention and tracking are enhanced by the all-through establishment and transition to all sectors within the campus model of the school is an established progressive experience. In addition to this teachers can create a unified curriculum that progresses smoothly across all stages of development, avoiding duplication of content and reinforcing key skills year after year. There are many benefits to 2-18 education for primary children. One of the main advantages is that because some teachers work across both the primary and secondary elements, younger children get access to the sort of specialist teaching that they don’t usually get in primary schools. A campus model allows primary classes to have a class teacher who delivers their core subjects, while subjects like PE, Music, Art, Science and Languages can be taught by teachers who specialise in those areas. The primary aged children also benefit from using secondary school facilities which primary schools rarely have, such as Sports Centres, Music rooms, Science Laboratories, Craft and Design workshops and Dance / Drama studios. There is also a huge potential for the 2-18 campus to facilitate the sharing of staffing and resources for specific subject areas to enhance the delivery of the curriculum. Equally, there are benefits for secondary aged young people. Among these are curriculum advantages where a young person can complete a Foundation Apprenticeship within the campus site, as they could access practical experience required for their course onsite within the nursery sector of the establishment. In addition to this the campus model allows opportunities for aspiring teachers to gain invaluable experience within the primary classrooms with teaching staff that they know well and have existing relationships with. Further benefits include the promotion and facilitation of intergenerational learning and greater opportunities for interdisciplinary projects that encourage younger and older students to work together. This collaboration enriches learning by providing pupils with different perspectives and builds a deeper understanding of the curriculum. From the perspective of sharing resources there is benefit for the campus structure which allows children with mild to moderate additional support needs from the primary and the secondary to access specialist facilities like life skills rooms and high and low sensory rooms when required whilst still integrating with the mainstream curriculum where appropriate. In addition to this, the specialist Learning Support teachers and Additional Support Needs Assistants can share their expertise with all staff across the campus more easily which supports all children across the campus with additional support needs. The Leadership and Mentoring Benefits There are a number of strong examples of the leadership and mentoring benefits provided by the campus model, which are already evident in our 2-18 campuses throughout Argyll and Bute. These include Secondary pupils given opportunities to read with children, provide peer mentoring and run clubs and activities, and the younger children love being nurtured by them and learning from them. Secondary pupils benefit from being involved with the younger children as well. They are able to use and enhance their skills when they are given these opportunities to support the primary children and help with their clubs. This gives them time to develop real life leadership skills, allows them to develop communication, empathy and responsibility. By taking on mentoring or leadership roles, older pupils develop essential soft
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3 skills such as teamwork, conflict resolution and problem solving. These experiences can increase their self-confidence and give them experiences to incorporate into their applications for work, college and universities. The structured inclusive community encourages pupils to develop a sense of belonging and pride in their campus. This often leads to younger pupils aspiring to become mentors, reinforcing the culture of leadership and contribution that benefits the entire school community. Transition benefits Within the campus model there are improved transitions for children and young people at key points in their learning journey. There are a number of key transitions that each child makes throughout the course of their school journey. The school journey is made up of a series of important transitions: from Nursery to P1 class; from P7 to S1; and then from S3 into S4, to the senior phase, when they complete qualifications. From the age of 2-3 years old when our learners start to attend nursery right through to S6, each step and new phase is really significant for each child. It is important to ensure transitions are managed carefully, so that they can be made as smoothly as possible. These transitions mark out significant social and intellectual landmarks in a child’s education and are made much easier if they are negotiated within the same school, on the same familiar site. One of the advantages for secondary pupils is that they don’t have to go through such a challenging period of physical transition at P7, they go into secondary school with an established group of friends, and are familiar with the environment and many of the teachers. They’re also accustomed to being taught by a number of different teachers, so there’s less of a jump from having one primary school teacher to having a different person for every subject. From the educator’s perspective, academic tracking and monitoring, departmental curriculum and syllabus planning and pastoral care all bridge the gap from nursery to primary and primary to secondary, ensuring in this model that each child receives close, well-informed care and consideration. Pastoral care is a priority for all schools, particularly for children with special educational needs. One of the advantages of a campus model for pastoral support is that when a child is identified at an early age with a specific educational need, by the time they progress to the secondary sector they and their needs are well known and understood as an individual, and that knowledge can be passed on easily to their new teachers. Parents benefit from engaging with a single campus throughout their child’s entire school experience, as it allows for closer relationships with staff and better understanding of their child’s progression. This consistency supports a stronger partnership between parents and schools staff, strengthening the pupils’ support networks. Sharing Good Practice benefits For staff, there are opportunities to share best practice, participate in cross sector lesson observations and to create opportunities to collaborate and learn from one another. This presents openings for curricula to be discussed and reviewed with skills-based learning considered, in addition to knowledge and content. The implementation of a unified assessment process across all learning stages throughout primary and secondary would enhance the quality of data collected, offering improved tracking and monitoring for all children and young
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4 people. This creates a shared educational ethos that supports children from age 2 to 18 and provides consistently high expectations for all. With teachers from all stages working closely together, there is a unified approach to classroom climate and educational expectations. Consistency in standards and boundaries helps pupils understand what is expected of them at all times, which reinforces a positive learning environment. The 2-18 campus model of education also provides greater opportunities for staff development, encouraging different sectors to work together through collaboration to raise standards, allowing easier and wider continuing professional development opportunities such as cooperative teaching and job shadowing. If there was a separate site for the primary as a stand-alone site this would mean the management structure would be different than for the joint campus. For the stand alone primary the Head Teacher post would have a teaching commitment and the Principal teacher would also have a teaching commitment, which would impact on the time they would have available for nurturing leadership within the staff in the school. Conclusion The development of a single site new campus on Mull will see children and young people benefit from a well-resourced single site which retains capacity to meet any future needs as they arise. The single site offers more effective use of resources and reduces duplication. Opportunities for senior young people to take on leadership and mentoring roles across the whole campus will be improved. The model also gives the opportunity for a culture of shared practice and collaboration which enriches both teaching quality and pupil outcomes, creating a supportive learning environment across all age groups. The advantages of this model, for pupils and parents, are clear. Children can make secure and long-lasting friendships, enjoy a familiar environment and facilities, and feel well known and supported by their teachers, as well as benefiting from a continuity of approach, ethos and community. By reducing the number of physical transitions, a 2-18 campus provides an emotionally supportive environment that allows pupils to focus on learning rather than adjusting to new systems. By providing a cohesive, consistent learning environment, a 2-18 campus helps pupils to reach their academic potential, develop social skills and maintain a strong support network. On a practical level, the morning school-run is simpler if siblings can be dropped off at the same place; there is a single school calendar to deal with rather than several sets of dates and events; and one set of teaching staff to get to know, over a longer period of time. The 2-18 campus model thus represents an educational approach that not only supports academic achievement but also prioritises the holistic development of every child. Written by Jen Crocket Job title Lifelong Learning and Support; and Chief Education Officer Date October 2024