Monday 4 October 2010

LAWNS PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

I visited Lawns Park Primary School this afternoon...

It was great to visit this little school and talk to Rebecca Ford, the school's talented headteacher, about the approach the school has developed using Guy Claxton's work which is based on the principle that all students can develop their learning power.Rebecca and her team don't see children's ability as fixed at birth but something that can be continually expanded by developing their 'learning muscles'. These 'learning power' capacities need, as mentioned, to be part of all learning and they permeate the culture of this great little school. I was taken around the school by two great examples of the effectiveness of the work the school is doing. Katrina and George were wonderful ambassadors for the school and talked passionately about their wonderful Magic Garden, the Foundation Stage provision, the allotment, the classrooms, the displays, the buddying system, the gymnastics club, the gardening club, the cookery club and much, much more. Rebecca, George, Katrina and I had tea with the Year 5 group who were cooking pizzas using some of the vegetables they had grown in the school allotment... the puff pastry pizza was fantastic and I was given one to take away for my supper!

This is a great primary school where Rebecca and her team are releasing a real magic. They have created a wonderful learning environment for their little learners and are modelling how the children can develop their learning muscles.
Chris

No comments: