Brighton & Hove Local Authority subsidised the introduction of the Working With Others approach into 10 of their primary schools across the two academic years Sept 2009 - July 2011.
For each school I worked with the headteacher and senior management team to formulate the most effective staff training programme for them which was tailored around the following in-school elements:
Further out of school components included:
- participation in the WWO Essentials Course at the Thistle Hotel, Brighton, which included one full day of training in the first half of each term and a follow up half day of training in the second half of each term.
- creating an important and valuable inter-school and teacher network for exchanging ideas, interaction across schools and building relationships.
Each of the 10 primary schools sent at least one teacher onto the course, but most sent more, including both teachers and teaching assistants - an ideal way to build an expert team who can then go back to the school, motivate, inspire and implement programme with the children.
For the coming academic year 2010-2011:
- WWO co-ordinators from each school will meet half termly for further support and training, in support of their own ongoing support of their own staff team, during the maintainence and further embedding of the Working With Others approach.
Information about the course and the impact that is has had in the classrooms will be presented at the forthcoming Brighton & Hove Festival of Learning at the end of June 2010.
Quotes and feedback from the course:
- "Surprised at how important a skill I’ve come to feel WWO is and how it has helped me to improve my own skills"
- "More confidence in my own ability and also the abilities of the children"
- "Improved my classroom groupwork"
- "I get my children to be calm and accept and work with each other"
- "My children are expanding their friendship groups"
- "Children more confident to succeed"
To find out more about how Working With Others could be having a dramatic impact on your pupils, staff and whole school, or to book a place on the 2010 WWO Essentials Course, please email me on cathy@cathyota.com or call me on 07817 363193 for an informal chat.
