Secondary

Using Assertive Mentoring to counter laddishness

Aim: The study set out to explore the effects of a particular style of mentoring that aims to tackle issues of laddishness and macho image. It set out to provide ways for the students to opt out of laddish behaviour (prevalent amongst some girls as well as lads) without threatening their status in the eyes of their peers.

Use of Two-Dimensional Pepresentations to aid the Transition from Arithmetic to Algebra

Aim: To investigate the extent to which use of a teaching approach based on the concept of area would help students overcome key difficulties in the transition from arithmetic to algebra.

Debriefing: Pupils' Learning and Teacher Planning

Aim: To investigate what and how pupils learn from debriefed lessons and how teachers plan and support such lessons.

Improving science achievement by raising self-esteem

Aim: To assess whether students' performance in science could be improved by increasing their self-esteem and generating positive support and feedback from their follow students.

Developing student leadership in a networked learning community

Aim: This summary first reports on the pilot work undertaken as ESRC Project Breaking New Ground in the Geography, History and Religious Studies departments at Rivington and Blackrod High Schools with KS4 students. The initial research prepared the way for what has now become a borough-wide student voice movement entitled B.L.A.S.T. (Bolton Listens As Students Talk) under the Networked Learning Community banner. The schools subsequent involvement in this project is also reported.

How mentoring can raise standards of achievement

Aim: To increase the level of achievement among Year 7 and Year 12 pupils in a girls comprehensive school through regular mentoring interviews between pupils and teachers.

Developing Individual Education Plan Targets within Whole School Assessment Procedures

Aim: To investigate the nature of the demands arising from the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators' (SENCO) involvement in setting, communicating and reviewing Individual Education Plan (IEP) targets in a High School, and to consider possible ways in which effective target setting for students with IEPs in a High School can help to maximise achievement through becoming an integral part of school assessment procedures.