The Basildon Education Services Trust’s Annual Conference on 31st October will explore successful strategies to raise the achievements of working class pupils and will engage in practical workshop activities to tackle the underachievement of working class pupils.
Headteachers Eileen Heaphy, Glenys Jones, Jude Gibbon and Tracy Evans have master-minded the design and development of this conference, working with BEST Director, Patrick White, and Tracy Slater. It’s all a part of BEST’s vision for a Basildon Challenge – a challenge that will improve achievement in local schools.
The conference aims to examine the achievements of BEST pupils and to look at the research evidence around this; to identify barriers to learning and reasons for underachievement; and to share strategies for raising achievement.
Key speakers include:
- Brenda Bigland CBE, recently retired headteacher of Lent Rise Primary School. Brenda will report on the journey she went through to transform achievement in her school.
- Professor Denis Mongon, Visiting Professorial Fellow at the London Centre for Leadership in Learning at the Institute of Education.
- Christopher Nye HMI will offer Ofsted’s views on what works in raising the achievement of working class pupils.
The conference includes 15 related workshops: Targeted Support for Working Class Children (Alan Jacobs): Raising Self-Esteem (Dr Dave Anderson); Focussing on Underachievement and low aspirations in numeracy (Sharon Victory); Engaging ways to teach writing (Theresa Mullane)…the full programme is at the foot of this page.
The conference has been many months in the making, and is the fruits of a successful collaboration between the 21st Century Learning Alliance and BEST.
Click here to link to the conference papers and background research on raising achievements of working class pupils.
The full programme for the day is as follows.
| 9.00 | Welcome and Opening Remarks Iris Cerny, Chair of BEST |
| 9.05 | How my School Made the Difference – A Success Story Brenda Bigland, CBE |
| 9.45 | The Ofsted View on What Makes A Difference in Raising Achievement of Working Class Pupils Christopher Nye HMI, Ofsted. |
| 11:00 | Workshop Sessions
1A. Leadership and vision and working class achievement. How to create the same hymn sheet! (Brenda Bigland) 2. Whole school strategies for raising achievement in working class students (Denis Mongon) 3. Targeted support for working class children (Alan Jacobs) 4. Strategies for engaging with working class parents (Maria Coles) 5. Engaging ways to teach writing to working class pupils in Primary School (Theresa Mullane) 6. The use of a relevant Primary curriculum (Marianne Harris) 7. Transition (Alex Bedford) 8. Raising self esteem (Dr Dave Anderson) 9. Focussing on underachievement and low aspirations in numeracy (Sharon Victory) 10. Whole school Literacy? Whole school Responsibility! (Sue Goldsmith) 11. AfL – Reinforcing aspiration and achievement through positive assessment methods (Kim McWilliams) 12. Attendance – Impact on under-achieving pupils (School Home Support – SHS) 13. Working with students to raise self esteem and aspiration in Primary Schools (Rosemary Linton) |
| 12.05 | Lunch and networking opportunities |
| 1.00 | High Leverage Leadership – Improving Outcomes for Working Class Pupils Professor Denis Mongon |
| 2.00 | Workshop Sessions
Workshops 2 – 12 as per morning session. In addition, alternative afternoon workshops include:- 1B. Leadership and vision and working class achievement – international collaboration and its impact on standards (Brenda Bigland) 14. Working with students to raise self esteem and aspiration in Secondary Schools (Rosemary Linton) |
| 3.05 | Reflections on the Key Themes
Panel session |
| 3.15 | Closing Remarks
Patrick White, Director of BEST |
This should be a really illuminating day. I’m looking forward to the workshops and to hearing the many ideas & strategies that will be discussed and debated at this event. I’m sure the learnings will have far reaching benefits to Basildon & potentially for communities all over the UK.
A really inspiring and thought-provoking day. Confident that the energy and commitment of the staff I met and heard during the day will help BEST deliver on this challenge!