Curious Minds

Creating a Love of Learning

In a midpoint evaluation at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School in Sefton, agent Sarah Simms had some interesting feedback about their first Change School project this year.  The project is called Creating a Love of Learning and the enquiry question is 'How can co-constructed, creative approaches to writing increase enthusiasm and impact on attainment?'  Hilary Keating is supporting staff and children to explore a diverse range of opportunities to write, moving away from frames and worksheets and letting children lead with their ideas.  Already teachers have observed that pupils are more motivated to write in their creative books and that children usually reluctant to write are achieving higher standards.  Video footage of lessons shows a huge increase in enjoyment and achievement across the curriculum.  Children love the new activities and strategies, which are drawing them into writing tasks that are reaping a higher general standard of writing.

This is what the children said:

'I used to hate starting off a story because my mind goes blank. We have made the start of the story and I can see it in my head. This is helping me write about it.' (Year 2 girl)

'Mrs Hodge doesn't tell us what we are doing. Our groups pick what we are going to find out and make. Then we have to show the rest of the class our project in the Dragon's Den.'  (Year 6 pupil)

'The Lost Boy only had dirty water. I knew that water goes through the pipes to make it clean. We tried it out with Mrs Fish and wrote an e-mail back to the Lost Boy.' (Year 2 pupil)

Staff planning allows time for pupils to generate their own lines of enquiry around a topic. Teachers are changing their practice in response to pupil interests or misconceptions.  They might use PowerPoint to show images as a stimulus but pupils gain their own knowledge through independent research, presentations and questions. Teacher as well as pupil enjoyment and motivation is increasing: 'Because the class are picking the direction of their projects I am learning with them. I know everything there is to know about the Solar System!' (Year 6 teacher).

Teachers don't mind admitting it's a challenging process: 'It is hard when you have to change the way you teach. I worry sometimes that I'm not prepared and I won't be able to answer their questions if I haven't picked the focus. I need to start asking the questions and not giving the answers.'