Comments on: Student-led inspections? http://flux.futurelab.org.uk/2007/06/08/young_learners_the_real_voice_of_education/ a blog hosted by Futurelab Wed, 11 Aug 2010 13:06:10 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Blogging on leadership » Blog Archive » In a Class of Their Own http://flux.futurelab.org.uk/2007/06/08/young_learners_the_real_voice_of_education/comment-page-1/#comment-44829 Blogging on leadership » Blog Archive » In a Class of Their Own Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:58:04 +0000 http://flux.futurelab.org.uk/2007/06/08/young_learners_the_real_voice_of_education/#comment-44829 [...] Pupils in South Camden Community School have conducted their own alternative, student-led Ofsted inspection that goes by the name ‘Instead’. The initiative was founded by Edge Learner Forum, an enterprising group of 13 to 21-year-olds, uniting pupils from schools across London - along with 7 other areas around the country - to discuss issues concerning their own education. Samia Meah writes here about the idea and how it came about: The idea of a ‘Teenage OFSTED‘ surfaced while fellow learner forum member Huda Al Bander and I were brainstorming for our article in VISION. It came from our thought of using young people to solve problems which are about education and an example of this is school and its OFSTED inspections. The idea is simple, to bring young inspectors into a school to interview pupils for their opinions and to find the truth. [...] [...] Pupils in South Camden Community School have conducted their own alternative, student-led Ofsted inspection that goes by the name ‘Instead’. The initiative was founded by Edge Learner Forum, an enterprising group of 13 to 21-year-olds, uniting pupils from schools across London – along with 7 other areas around the country – to discuss issues concerning their own education. Samia Meah writes here about the idea and how it came about: The idea of a ‘Teenage OFSTED‘ surfaced while fellow learner forum member Huda Al Bander and I were brainstorming for our article in VISION. It came from our thought of using young people to solve problems which are about education and an example of this is school and its OFSTED inspections. The idea is simple, to bring young inspectors into a school to interview pupils for their opinions and to find the truth. [...]

]]> By: Timbo http://flux.futurelab.org.uk/2007/06/08/young_learners_the_real_voice_of_education/comment-page-1/#comment-5061 Timbo Thu, 21 Jun 2007 13:44:40 +0000 http://flux.futurelab.org.uk/2007/06/08/young_learners_the_real_voice_of_education/#comment-5061 @Ingrid - best advice is to contact Rose Dowling at Edge Learner forums: http://www.edge.co.uk/docs/listens/forum/ (her email address at the bottom of the page) Thanks for dropping by. Tim @Ingrid – best advice is to contact Rose Dowling at Edge Learner forums:
http://www.edge.co.uk/docs/listens/forum/
(her email address at the bottom of the page)
Thanks for dropping by.
Tim

]]> By: Bob Deed http://flux.futurelab.org.uk/2007/06/08/young_learners_the_real_voice_of_education/comment-page-1/#comment-4870 Bob Deed Mon, 18 Jun 2007 13:01:33 +0000 http://flux.futurelab.org.uk/2007/06/08/young_learners_the_real_voice_of_education/#comment-4870 What a great idea! It has parallels with thinking in social housing in having tenant-led inspection of social landlords. What a great idea!

It has parallels with thinking in social housing in having tenant-led inspection of social landlords.

]]> By: Dan Buckley http://flux.futurelab.org.uk/2007/06/08/young_learners_the_real_voice_of_education/comment-page-1/#comment-4574 Dan Buckley Tue, 12 Jun 2007 23:34:08 +0000 http://flux.futurelab.org.uk/2007/06/08/young_learners_the_real_voice_of_education/#comment-4574 In my experience, if student leadership is built up slowly by students having genuine ownership of smaller projects and the budgets that go with them, they then can qualify with in-house leadership qualifications that enable them to take on larger challenges and greater qualification over time. This approach means that not only do you have students in important positions that are capable of delivering quality but also you have an understanding and respect for their position from others. Our leadership teams developed in-house OFSTED style inspections after four years of development. They found the challenge of this was greater than all the projects they had managed previously including curriculum design, managing facilities, running businesses, peer teaching and bidding for capital projects. I firmly believe that shared ownership of decision making in schools is vital but would urge that students be trained appropriately beforehand so they can have a greater chance of shared ownership of the procedure. The real issue with student leadership is in the micromanagement of the power relationships between students and teachers, I would argue that you need to make it extremely clear what areas are up for shared ownership and which are not before embarking on student inspections - what happens for example if students feel a teacher's practice is consistently unacceptable? I think we have much to learn from the Danish system in which students have their active involvement in the governing body protected by legislation and regularly have control over parts of the school budget. In my experience, if student leadership is built up slowly by students having genuine ownership of smaller projects and the budgets that go with them, they then can qualify with in-house leadership qualifications that enable them to take on larger challenges and greater qualification over time. This approach means that not only do you have students in important positions that are capable of delivering quality but also you have an understanding and respect for their position from others. Our leadership teams developed in-house OFSTED style inspections after four years of development. They found the challenge of this was greater than all the projects they had managed previously including curriculum design, managing facilities, running businesses, peer teaching and bidding for capital projects. I firmly believe that shared ownership of decision making in schools is vital but would urge that students be trained appropriately beforehand so they can have a greater chance of shared ownership of the procedure. The real issue with student leadership is in the micromanagement of the power relationships between students and teachers, I would argue that you need to make it extremely clear what areas are up for shared ownership and which are not before embarking on student inspections – what happens for example if students feel a teacher’s practice is consistently unacceptable?
I think we have much to learn from the Danish system in which students have their active involvement in the governing body protected by legislation and regularly have control over parts of the school budget.

]]> By: Ingrid Cox http://flux.futurelab.org.uk/2007/06/08/young_learners_the_real_voice_of_education/comment-page-1/#comment-4566 Ingrid Cox Tue, 12 Jun 2007 16:54:04 +0000 http://flux.futurelab.org.uk/2007/06/08/young_learners_the_real_voice_of_education/#comment-4566 So.... how do we motivate staff? I believe the tipping point is now being reached when adults know they cannot do all this alone. There are more young people out there in schools who want to be developed in school improvement. Another tool being explored is the UNICEF UK model of "Join It All Up" with the work on Rights Respecting Schools (recently developed in Hampshire) This places United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child at the heart of a school's ethos. The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust in the North West have just brought 250 young people together to explore how RRS might enhance young people's "voice" agenda. It's not just in voice (that can be ignored) but it is in rights - everyone's rights. Perhaps a school with an existing ethos of real particiaption for all its members would see student led inspections as the natural next step.... obviously we need to prepare for this though. So…. how do we motivate staff? I believe the tipping point is now being reached when adults know they cannot do all this alone. There are more young people out there in schools who want to be developed in school improvement.

Another tool being explored is the UNICEF UK model of “Join It All Up” with the work on Rights Respecting Schools (recently developed in Hampshire) This places United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child at the heart of a school’s ethos.

The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust in the North West have just brought 250 young people together to explore how RRS might enhance young people’s “voice” agenda. It’s not just in voice (that can be ignored) but it is in rights – everyone’s rights.

Perhaps a school with an existing ethos of real particiaption for all its members would see student led inspections as the natural next step…. obviously we need to prepare for this though.

]]> By: Ingrid Cox http://flux.futurelab.org.uk/2007/06/08/young_learners_the_real_voice_of_education/comment-page-1/#comment-4565 Ingrid Cox Tue, 12 Jun 2007 16:48:05 +0000 http://flux.futurelab.org.uk/2007/06/08/young_learners_the_real_voice_of_education/#comment-4565 It's always good to link with like-minded people. I work in Bolton at a large 11-18 high school and have, for several years, brought together Bolton's young people to look at how they can be engaged in real leadership roles within their schools and wider communities. Bolton has its own participation standards and I have adopted them to meet school self evaluation on Voice and Participation ready for Ofsted visits. With Ofsted in mind, we have also considered how to use the capacity of our young people - we have SIPs (School Improvement Partners) but want to develop PIPs (Pupil Improvement Partners). We have also looked at how young people can be used in a role of validating schools in their healthy schools accreditation. The Healthy Schools Team is currently exploring this. If you check on the Innovation Unit website you will see how Bolton is involved in a field trial looking at next practice on personalisation. We are keen to learn from anyone who is already moving towards real leadership roles for young people. How do we link to your developments on student-led inspections? It’s always good to link with like-minded people. I work in Bolton at a large 11-18 high school and have, for several years, brought together Bolton’s young people to look at how they can be engaged in real leadership roles within their schools and wider communities.

Bolton has its own participation standards and I have adopted them to meet school self evaluation on Voice and Participation ready for Ofsted visits.

With Ofsted in mind, we have also considered how to use the capacity of our young people – we have SIPs (School Improvement Partners) but want to develop PIPs (Pupil Improvement Partners). We have also looked at how young people can be used in a role of validating schools in their healthy schools accreditation. The Healthy Schools Team is currently exploring this.

If you check on the Innovation Unit website you will see how Bolton is involved in a field trial looking at next practice on personalisation. We are keen to learn from anyone who is already moving towards real leadership roles for young people. How do we link to your developments on student-led inspections?

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