Teachers travel from Australia to see scheme in action
TEACHERS FROM Australia have flown thousands of miles to see how a learning programme has improved behaviour, confidence and exam results at a Bradford primary school.
The visit has been planned by TLO, the learning organisation behind the Building Learning Power (BLP) programme, which has awarded Wibsey Primary School with a Gold Award following an extensive assessment.
TLO is hosting four teachers from the Norwest Christian College, Sydney, and today they will visit Wibsey, as well as fellow BLP Gold Award, Miriam Lord Primary, to see for themselves what a difference the scheme makes.
The programme teaches children how to become better learners, with techniques including collaboration and managing distractions.
In the last three years, it has made a significant difference to Key Stage 2 results for seven and 11-year-olds at the school and predictions for 2017 are continuing to show a rise.
Assistant headteacher Christina Atherton, who leads on the scheme, said: “We implemented BLP three years ago. We heard how effective it was from Bryan Harrison, executive headteacher at Miriam Lord Primary School. Since then, it has made a significant difference to pupil behaviour, pupil confidence and exam results.”
In a report by TLO assessor Steve Watson, he described Wibsey Primary School as “an outstanding example of how to adopt a consistent and forensic approach to building better learners”.
He continued: “That this has been achieved in under three years is remarkable – in my experience, many schools take much longer, and achieve much less.”
The report also praises teaching practices, the breadth of the curriculum and pupils’ attitude to learning.
Headteacher Nigel Cooper said: “Building Learning Power has enabled the whole school to change dramatically. Whereas previously, our pupils were more “spoon-fed”, they have now become learners who can think and learn for themselves, and reflect on their own learning.”