Presentation from 'Key Stages' breakout session at the Whole Education 'Designing an impact curriculum conference'

1. Independent Learning at
KS5 at Cramlington
Learning Village

2. “..innovative and relentless
drive towards maximising the
learning of every student…..”
OFSTED

3. Cramlington Learning Village
Definition: What is IL?
Independent Learning is
study which encourages students
to be:
• responsible learners
• resilient learners
• resourceful learners
• reflective learners
• reasoning learners

4. Underpinning Principle
• It should focus on the
experiences necessary for
students to become capable,
self reliant, self motivated life
long learners.
• Students need to be explicitly
taught these skills and have the
opportunity to practice these and
receive feedback on skill
development.
• We believe it should be subject
to the scrutiny and rigour of
taught lessons- share the same
framework

5. Timetabled subject independent
learning lessons
AS/A2 subject
students have 2 x 75
minutes and 6 taught
lessons a cycle in a
purpose built ‘ILC’

7. Staffing the ILC
• A full time members of
staff works with students
in the ILC registering and
supervising students,
supported by a full time
learning mentor.

8. What makes a good IL
lesson?
• It builds on prior knowledge
• It should be clear on how it
links to taught lessons
• Clear learning outcomes
• A variety of activities
• opportunity to develop,
skills and knowledge as
well a opportunities for
collaboration
• Build in milestone lessons
to bring it back to the
classroom

9. Independent tutor work
• Vertical tutor group
• Self programmes tutor
work
• Manage their own
profiles
• Opportunity for
enrichment

12. Select – self study tutor
programme

13. Profiles

16. Evaluative process-staff
viewpointPositive feedback Areas of concern
Students much less reliant on
staff
Encourages students to develop
life skills
Makes students think about
their learning
Prepares students for university
Students collaborate
Accesses different learning
preference
Monitoring completion and
quality
Marking and assessing work =
workload issues
Time taken out of teaching
time
Finding meaningful activities
What do students do if they
are stuck?
How do we measure the
benefit?

17. What makes good IL?
• Time to think

18. Questions?
GROUP WORK TABLE