On this publish I believed it could be helpful to share a number of the start-of-year routines and initiatives that now we have in place in my division – be happy to borrow something that you simply discover helpful.
1. Classroom Routines
It is necessary to set behaviour expectations at first of the yr with each class, not simply with new 12 months 7s. Everybody in my workforce goes via their very own classroom routines and guidelines of their first classes. Typically routines may take a little bit of observe – for instance, to make sure books are at all times handed out and in with most effectivity.
2. Hall Etiquette
The format of our maths division (a comparatively slim hall with school rooms on either side) implies that now we have to maintain up to the mark within the hall to make sure it flows nicely in lesson changeovers. This yr I’ve launched the poster under. I made a decision to attend a few weeks to launch this as a result of college students already expertise data overload at first of the yr. Subsequent week we’ll discuss via it in our maths classes, and following that we’ll put these posters up within the hall and by our classroom doorways. Clearly the posters alone will not make a distinction – workers might want to work collectively to assist be certain that college students do the fitting factor – however I believe written reminders of what we wish to obtain is useful for everybody.
3. Launching Homework Platforms
This looks as if an apparent factor to say, however I do know that many colleges do not do it: I believe it is important to relaunch your homework platform yearly. We use Sparx, however the identical goes for all on-line platforms, in all topics: it is not going for use nicely should you do not inform college students tips on how to use it.
For 12 months 7 we do a full lesson launching Sparx. We enthusiastically discuss them via the way it works and why it issues, we present them movies, and we do a stay demo (as a result of the entire division launches Sparx with all courses on the identical day, it is not doable for us to take them to laptop rooms). For 12 months 8 – 11, we remind them of tips on how to log in, remind them tips on how to get the very best out of the platform, and inform them what has modified from final yr. Sparx has made some wonderful updates over summer season which we had been excited to share with college students final week, plus now we have switched on mother or father emails for the primary time.
4. Scholar Assist
I’ve blogged earlier than in regards to the scholar help we provide so I will not go into element right here, however I’ll describe how we launch our supply. All the pieces begins subsequent week – we’re hopeful for the same turnout to final yr, after we frequently had over 100 12 months 11s at Papers Society.
- Posters are put up within the maths hall and school rooms
- Maths lecturers are given slides to point out in classes within the week main as much as the launch
- The identical slides are put into tutor time notices, and proven on the show screens round faculty
- Mother and father are knowledgeable in a letter house (see under)
- I inform 12 months 11 mother and father in particular person throughout my presentation at Elevating Achievement Night
- All year long, lecturers routinely remind college students of what is on supply and encourage attendance
5. Communication
Final week I wrote to all mother and father in Key Stage 3 and 4 (I do that yearly), and for the primary time I additionally wrote to 12 months 12 mother and father. Admittedly these letters are somewhat lengthy so I do know that some mother and father will not learn them, however I do at all times get some mother and father thanking me for offering the data upfront so I believe they’re value sending. The letters cowl all of the ceaselessly requested questions – e.g. on UKMT challenges, setting, gear, homework and so forth, which is able to (hopefully) cut back workload for my workforce all year long as a result of lecturers will not get particular person emails from mother and father asking about these items.
All the pieces talked about on this weblog publish will be downloaded right here – be happy to borrow and adapt! Hope this helps.
