This document summarizes the transition project between Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 at Avonbourne College, an 1150-student school for girls ages 11-18 with specialisms in business, thinking skills, and internationalism. The project aimed to train Year 11 students and staff to adopt a more self-directed, problem-solving approach to learning aligned with the school's core purpose. Staff underwent training to facilitate learning through design and conversations rather than didactic teaching. Initial results found that establishing core teams, leadership support, and flexibility were essential, and student self-directed learning capacities showed promising signs of growth.

1. Transition Project KS4-KS5
Avonbourne College

2. • Size – 1150
• Ages – 11-18
• Specialisms – Business and enterprise, Thinking Skills,
Internationalism
• Sex – Girls (Mixed 6th form)
Introduction to Avonbourne and the context

3. Core purpose
• Self-directed learners
• Less didactic approach
• Teachers as facilitators & coaches
• Teaching as ‘learning design’
• Learning as problem solving, not information
retention

4. Action
• Transition Project Yr11 students
– Training
– ELLI profiles
– Learning conversations
• Staff training
– Whole-staff training day BLP
– Establish cross-college learning communities
• Research, develop and deliver BLP
• Whole-college approach (less 11y)
• Harmonisation
– T&L initiatives under BLP banner
– Lesson planning/observation has BLP focus
– SofW amended to include explicit reference to BLP

5. PDSA – Challenges encountered / what
did we learn?
• Semi-structured interviews
• Engagement
• Training
• Curriculum pressures
• Logistics – all in different classes
• Counter initiatives

6. PDSA – what did we learn?
• Core team essential
• Support form Headteacher
• Time
• Buy in
• Timetable of events
• Flexibility/ adaptability/ resilience

7. Measuring Student Outcomes
• ELLI profiles
– Start, middle, on transition
• Students’ capacities as self-directed learners
– Significant stories of change
• Reflective diaries
• Semi-structured interviews
• Student progress
– Working at grades (captured on SIMS)
– Learning profile score (contribution to own learning)
– Cf cohort
• Surveys
– Staff
– Students

8. Achievements to date
• ELLI group
• Staffing and logistics – KLH, KWT, HPH
• Support and backing
• BLP culture
• Training
• Lesson observation form
• Learning Communities

9. Extract from Semi-structured Interview

10. How will we share our learning?
• All staff taking part in Learning Communities
• Share knowledge and ideas
• Programme evaluation
• ELLI Focus group evaluation
• Share results with Harewood College
• Inform curriculum planning for Avonwood
Primary
• BLP introduced for 6th Form Sep 2014
• Parental engagement

11. Our next steps
• Data analysis from SIMS
• Developing a language for learning
• Further staff training
– BLP
– NQT/new staff
• Student group

12. Any questions?