Headlines By James Saunders 16th October 2020
Business as usual
I am sure that you will all be feeling anxious about the ever changing rules about how we are to live our lives. When I heard about Essex becoming a Tier 2 zone I started to think back to lockdown in the summer. However, I was comforted by the supportive way that we navigated that period together and feel just as confident we can all do it again. So what are the implications for schools? Very little is the short answer. We will continue to work as we have done this term: carefully and as a community. With just one week to go to half term I would like to thank you for your tremendous support in getting our school back to normal. If we continue to work together I am confident the next half term will be just as enjoyable as this one. Improving memory with Dual Coding/Visual note making I have found that on my tours around school this week there have been many classes preparing for end of unit assessments to consolidate the learning from the last seven weeks. Tests are an important part of learning. Tests help learners to practice recalling what they have learnt from their long term memory and they help teachers to identify misconceptions and areas that By using a dual coding approach to record information need to be re-covered. and to recall it we strengthen our ability to remember. By providing this type of structure to the information we Our C11 learners are a week into their mock are recording it helps us to build our own mental maps exams. Mock exams are no different to end of unit and schemata more effectively. tests. Every test counts and every test should be approached with the same focus. One way to help Schemata are mental structures that we create and use develop our memories and the learning process is to to organise and categorise our knowledge. By using a develop our ability to organise our learning notes to dual coding approach to organise, and in some make recall easier. One such technique to support this instances connect, knowledge we are helping to create is a topic I have spoken about before: the cognitive these mental knowledge maps. Here are some key theory of dual coding. Dual Coding was introduced into takeaways regarding dual coding: psychology theory in the 70’s by Allan Paivio. Put simply, it is a cognitive theory about how we think. It is  Visuals are powerful for communicating complex based around the idea that the creation of mental ideas in an efficient way; it takes a great many words images supports the learning process by using a to describe the simplest of images combination of visual and verbal information.
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Images, if chosen correctly for their clarity, enable pupils to get a rapid gist of meaning; leaving them with more cognitive resources to engage in higher order thinking
Cut the amount of content we intend to include on a slide or resource; chunk the information into headings that stand out; line up information neatly to give the reader confidence in its order; use fonts and colour with restraint
Want to know more? Here are a couple of useful links: Great little blog on lots of learning related stuff https://www.learningscientists.org/blog/2016/9/1-1 Here is a great site to see dual coding in action: https://lovetoteach87.com/2019/05/02/examples-ofdual-coding-in-the-classroom/ I will also be completing an end of unit test next week with my own class and as we revise for the next couple of lessons I intend to explore the technique of dual coding to further strengthen their memories. Ready to learn? It’s all well and good talking about effective note making but that can only be achieved if learners are prepared with the equipment they need for their learning. I would like to remind learners and families that it is essential that all learners arrive to their lessons ready to learn. Ready to learn also means having the correct equipment (pens etc.) and books for the lesson. Ready to learn also means being on time; punctuality is an essential part of being ready to learn. I wish you all a safe weekend James Saunders
Thanks to:
Lead Learners: Jude Battersby, Lily Blute, Issie Brewer, Hannah Pyatt and Hannah Read for supporting our Year 6 tours this week. And to C10 learners: Layla Al-Riyami,
Beth Chapman, Rose Forster, Fern Hazell-Young, Daniel Jones, Thomas Last, Melissa Lemin, Charlie Long, Nicholas McKeown, Zac Potter, Hadley Quattrucci, Jake Ring, Basant Sherif, Marcia Swain, Lienke Viljoen, Rosie Waine, Emily Watts, Ena Watts, Isabel Willis who also took tours this week, filling in for our Lead Learners during Mocks. Well done everyone, wonderful ambassadors for our school!
Reminder to families: Please could you ensure that your child has everything they need for their day in school (ipads, lunch, water bottles etc). We are trying to limit the number of visitors into reception during this time and have seen an increase in the number of parents dropping off forgotten items. Thank you for your support in keeping our community safe.
Dates for the diary Monday 19th October
C11 mocks week 2
Monday 26th October
Half term
Monday 2nd November
Return to school C11 mocks week 3
Monday 9th November
C11 mock practicals
Thursday 12th November
Alternative Tie Day fundraiser
Friday 13th November
Non learner day, staff only in school
Tuesday 17th November
Mop up school photos
Friday 11th December
Christmas Jumper Day for Save the children
Thursday 17th December
C11 Mock results day
Friday 18th December
Last day of Autumn Term
Monday 21st December to Monday 4th January 2021
Christmas break
Alternative Tie Day Thursday 12th November We are fund raising to support a parent in our school community who requires urgent treatment in the USA for a Thoracic Sarcoma. Our Lead Learners are launching this event through LS5 this coming week.
You can wear an alternative tie and donate £1.00
You can choose to wear no tie for the day and donate £1.00
You could do neither and donate if you wish!
Learners will be asked to bring £1.00 cash in on the day, this is not available through Parentpay. House points will be awarded to every learner who takes part and there will be prizes for the best “alternative tie”. The House that raises the most money will result in every learner in the House receiving extra House points!
Parents’ Time Members of the Leadership Team will be available to see parents without appointment:
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Monday
7:15am—8:00am
Wednesday
3.00pm—3.45pm
Friday
7.15am—8.00am
Tours for current and prospective parents are available on Wednesdays , 9:15am—10:15am.