Year One Undergraduates were able to spend a morning in one of our Partnership High schools to begin to see how the school makes sure that all pupils make progress.
The morning at Lathom High School began with Trevor Hodson, Assistant Headteacher for teaching and learning, describing how RE had moved away from its former identity as the ‘Cinderella Subject’ and was now as rigorous and challenging as any other subject. He showed how serving teachers are expected to make sure that all pupils are making progress throughout the lesson, by using an example year 8 RE lesson that he had recently taught.
Following Trevor, was Jenny Clarke, a Graduate of Edge Hill’s Undergraduate RE teaching course, who in four years has progressed to be leading the teaching of RE in the school as well as fulfilling a challenging pastoral role as the head of Year 10. She encouraged students to put all of their efforts into being successful, overcoming the hardships of the course and going on to be Outstanding teachers of RE.
Finally students were able to explore the Every Child Matters Centre in order to gain a better understanding of the support structures which a high school can put in place to care for every child. Through the support and guidance of Mentors, Counsellors and SEN specialists conflicts can be resolved, relationships restored and progress made.
These sort of visits to school based practitioners are essential in challenging the preconceptions of students and enabling them to reflect on their experiences in order to go on and be outstanding practitioners themselves.