Year 9 pupils to produce an anthology of writing on the environment following workshops to develop writing skills; raising awareness of the impact of environment on writers; developing a range of literary responses to surroundings

Department research and planning undertaken; purchase of resources; 'writer-in-residence' worked with department.

All Year 9 cohort involved in pilot project.

Pilot project reviewed, refined and repeated in summer term. Incorporated into Scheme of Work; website pages underway.

• Project provided stimulus for range of work and to be developed as integral part of Year 9 curriculum.
• Need for increased support staffing to be costed for workshops, to enable these to be developed fully.

To set up a Maths Trail to be undertaken by Years 6 & 7 pupils as a transition activity.

Department investigation into use of the local environment to develop skills of orienteering, measuring, symmetry and puzzle solving.

Cross-school liaison to plan activities; Maths Trail pilot project undertaken by pupils and evaluated.

Pilot project reviewed, refined and repeated in summer term; developed as part of KS3 Scheme of Work; website pages completed.

• Very positive link between schools as a transition activity with pupils working together.
• Excellent use of the school site and heritage features.

• Changes in staffing and time made it difficult to complete the sculptures; currently awaiting production for permanent site in grounds.

Developments of units of work in the lower school and upper school on safety.

Pilot projects on 'Keeping Safe at School (lower school Y3)' and 'Taking Responsibility for my own Safety (upper school Y6).

Pilot projects on 'Keeping Safe Outside School (lower school Y4)' and 'Being Involved in my Community (upper school Y5)'.

Year One projects reviewed, refined and repeated.

• Development of 2 year cycle of PSHE curriculum.

Arts Week; use of amphitheatre.

Development of units of work on drawing and printing flowers and leaves; painting a Greek mural on the old swimming pool boiler house.

'Take One Picture' activity, linking to Priestlands' Noah's Ark sculpture; stones and colour in the environment; willow weaving; tree painting; using the school grounds as inspiration for painting and paper collage; drawing / textiles using the environment.

Drawing and printing flowers.

• Very successful Arts Week linked to 'Take One Picture' and staff development training at the National Gallery.
• Units of work fully embedded into the curriculum.
• Use of the amphitheatre and production of the mural enhancing school grounds.

To develop upper school units of work to celebrate anniversaries.

Upper school topic, 'Britain since 1930s' developed.

150th Anniversary celebrations, including Victorian Day (making sense of our past, Victorian costume, toys and school).

Upper school topic 'Britain since 1930s' reviewed, refined and repeated.

• Units of work have provided opportunities to incorporate the history of the grounds into the activities and this will be built into ongoing curriculum.

Development of lower school unit of work on painting with sound.

Pilot project to develop unit of work.

 

Use of new amphitheatre for musical events.

 

Fieldwork and mini-research project undertaken by Year 7 cohort on different types of environment and foodchains.

Department research and planning undertaken; research and purchase of resources and data-loggers; staff training on equipment.

All Year 7 cohort involved in pilot project; Powerpoint presentations produced in groups; pupils presented work at Heritage Conference 12/03.

Pilot project reviewed, refined and repeated; website pages completed; liaison with the Forestry Commission to develop the project.

• Project has become integral part of Year 7 Environment Module.
• Use of the data-loggers to be developed to analyse findings in greater detail.

Year 9 pupils to produce a poem in target language following "a walk in the woods" activity, based in woodlands area of site.

Department planning undertaken and resources prepared; two Year 9 groups involved in pilot project and review undertaken.

All Year 9 cohort involved in pilot project; developed to include use of digital camera to illustrate work.

Pilot project reviewed, refined and repeated; website pages completed.

• Project provided stimulus for range of creative work and developed vocabulary.
• Need to build in more time for "a walk in the woods" follow up and production of final piece.
• Need for increased support staffing to be costed for woodlands activity.

To undertake a modern census with all Year 7 cohort on the Priestlands Community; census data to by analysed, displayed and compared to earlier records.

 Department research undertaken and member of staff identified to lead the activity and liaise with Maths department.

Development of census document, lesson plans for activity and department training set up.

All Year 7 cohort completed census questionnaire; analysis undertaken in Maths lessons; publication of findings and comparison to earlier records of site; website pages underway.

• Valuable opportunity to engage pupils in a 'living history' experience.
• Worked well to nominate member of department to lead.
• Delivery and analysis of census needs more lesson time built into Year 7 Scheme of Work.

To study traditional patterns and designs for reworking using new technology; to use the heritage of the site as a stimulus for design patterns.

Department planning and research undertaken; purchase of Husquarna designer sewing machine and software; staff training completed. 

Launch of Year 10 / 11 GCSE project to pilot use of equipment linked to heritage design themes.

GCSE projects developed and reviewed - on line in all Schemes of Work; website pages underway.

• Heritage of the site provided inspiration for design patterns, which can be developed using software.
• GCSE grades raised in Textiles.
• Full capacity of equipment still being developed.

Production of stained glass window murals based on the heritage of the site as a Year 10 extra-curricular activity.

Development of project idea and research into designs and costings; reworking of original bid due to change in staffing. 

Year 10 group involved in researching and designing window templates using Historical Survey and Heritage Archive; testing of designs on glass.

Completion of stained glass plates and installation in Main Building window; website pages underway.

• Opportunity for pupils to research and illustrate the site's history through medium of art design.
• Permanent display for visitors.
• Development of skills to produce stained glass windows.

To undertake an enquiry with Year 8 pupils into the local ecosystems and produce a study on environmental management of the site.

 Department research and planning undertaken; purchase of resources

All Year 8 cohort involved in pilot project.

Pilot project reviewed, refined and repeated in spring term; incorporated into Scheme of Work; website pages underway.

To develop a fitness trail through the woodland areas to be used by all year groups in PE lessons.

Department investigation into route of fitness trail, costings and planning for use in lessons.

Appointment of contractor to set up fitness trail with marker posts; activities planned for lessons to include the fitness trail as warm-up session.

Department planning, teaching resources and guidelines produced; website pages completed.