 | | | | | | Calderdale College - Halifax
Learning to Learn
Brain Friendly Learning Pilot The brief Since the Ofsted inspection of 2001 Calderdale College’s new management has worked tirelessly with all staff to pull the college out of the unsatisfactory category and into the satisfactory. Through a combination of organisational and staffing re-modelling, re-focusing, and re-structuring, this has been successfully achieved and the college’s new mission is to become a top quartile player. Through discussion with the college it is clear that all of the basic relationships with the local community, local bodies and other FE and HE colleges are in place or developing, and that the colleges desire to become a brain friendly hub for the area is realistic. The goal is to begin a process during this financial year that will start to shift the achievement levels of the college as a whole in a dramatically positive direction, and that this will then form the spring board from which the college can begin to become a centre of excellence for the community as a whole. Three existing projects with funding have been identified as areas where the engagement with The Learning Partnership can begin; The AST project, AIM Higher, and the engagements with the Standards Unit. Whilst budgets are tight this year, and our goal will be more tactical in its design, we will aim to engage the college as a whole in a process of brain friendly re-configuration over the coming years working with leaders and teachers alike. Brain Friendly Learning – Evaluation Report Summary The achievement for the control group was good, but there were no learners achieving at the higher levels. They provided enough evidence for the pass criteria, but not the merit or distinction. In comparison the brain friendly learning group achieved a high level of merit and distinction grades. Interestingly the SPOC results show that the learners in the brain friendly learning group say that the teaching was good or better, interesting and the course contained different activities. However the SPOC results for the control group shows that they disagree that the teaching has been good or better, that they have done different activities and that they would recommend the college to friends or relatives. Achievement Brain Friendly Learning Group:
25% achieved a pass grade, 25% achieved a Merit grade and 25% achieved a Distinction grade. Control Group:
80% achieved a pass grade, there were no merit or distinction grades SPOC results Brain Friendly Learning Group:
Strengths:
- Teaching on this course has been good or better (85% agree)
- Tutors on this course have made it interesting (85% agree)
- I have done different activities on this course (71% agree)
- I have received regular feedback and support (100% agree)
- I have been treated with dignity and respect (100% agree)
Weaknesses:
No significant weaknesses
Control Group Strengths:
- Received good feedback (75% agree)
- Encouraged to discuss progress with tutor (75% agree)
- Advice given on further study (66% agree)
- I have been treated with dignity and respect (83% agree)
Weaknesses:
- Teaching on this course has been good or better (66% disagree)
- We have done different activities on this course (41% disagree)
- I would recommend this college to friends and family (58% disagree)
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