What is the most effective way of taking below-average students up a grade in four GCSE subjects?

Of course there is a vital bit of information missing in that question. It is the information about time.

The point is that given enough time it is probably possible to take most students up a grade in a GCSE subject. But the notion is irrelevant because we don’t have that extra time.

So I am going to add in a time limitation here and talk about taking below-average students up a grade in each of four GCSE subjects, using just two hours a week for one term.

And now I am going to go even further. For rather than just make that claim, I am going to insist that the answer is validated through significant research over a number of years, undertaken by a major independent education research institute.

What’s more, I want this rise in grades to have been replicated time and time again with the lowest 20% of students in terms of achievement, year after year after year.

Now you might feel I have gone over the top, adding all these extra demands, but I am going to continue further. I want all this to be achieved not just by two hours of work a week, but I want there to be no insistence on when and where those two hours were spent.

They could be totted up at home, or at school, during lunch breaks or an after school club, or indeed at any other time at any other location.

Quite how these remarkable improvements in GCSE grades were achieved is revealed in the FFT report, “Impact of e-Learning”.

Indeed, independent research from the FFT has shown time and time again that using the techniques and approach explored in this survey results in the student gaining the extra marks that are required to enhance grades.

You can read the full free report by clicking here.

Alternatively if you would like to discuss implementing this approach which really does take two hours a week over ten weeks, to generate a rise of four GCSE grades among below average students, please do call us on 0845 130 4160.

Dear Colleague

At Anchor, many of our care homes and retirement housing developments have strong links with local schools, creating great connections across the generations.

Those links inspired us to work with education specialists to develop tools to help others do the same.

Our Life Histories teaching guide has been designed to deliver many of the key National Curriculum learning outcomes for children in years five and six, while breaking down the barriers between the young and old.

Anchor Life Histories is a unit of work which fits comfortably within strands for Speaking and Listening and Writing.

It provides opportunities for developing questioning skills, planning and chronological writing within a real context of talking to and learning from an older person who may not be known to the children.

This unit is planned in four developmental phases, from examining and interrogating texts, planning for an interview and then developing and improving writing.

It could take from two to four weeks, depending on how many of the speaking and grammar activities teachers wish to include.

Teaching Notes outline the possible teaching strands and activities for each phase and highlight the end of Key stage learning outcomes for years 5 and 6 that are met by these lessons.

Anchor Life Histories teaching notes, writing scaffolds and curriculum planning document can be downloaded free of charge here.

We hope you and your pupils enjoy using these materials.

The team at Anchor

What is the most cost effective way of passing a message across the school to colleagues, as well as handling emergencies and incidents?

Nearly 70% of school office staff who deal with parents have been on the receiving end of abuse during the past year. But only a quarter of schools have a system that allows them to call for help immediately.

However, such a system can be very inexpensive (far less expensive than anything based on using mobile phones) and can also be used to pass on routine messages across the school as well as to deal with non-emergency incidents.

The solution comes through the use of simple radio-based communication solutions. They can be used for keeping lunchtime staff in touch with reception, as well as being integrated with alarm panels.

They can also provide ‘telephone style’ private calling.

Our new Opus T2-PRO radio is a highly cost-effective solution, suitable for many establishments. Rugged enough to survive daily use, yet light and simple-to-use, it’s designed with schools in mind.

Until 30 November 2014 you can save £20 on every Opus T2-PRO with our exclusive launch offer. Ordering is simple – by fax, email or online (visit www.nationwide-radio-supplies.co.uk/opus-t2pro) – just quote HHMAIL1 to save £20 per radio.

You’ll get a 30 day credit account (bona fide educational establishments only) and a 30 day risk-free trial, just return the radios (in resaleable condition) if they don’t meet your requirements for a full refund.

If you need more information or wish to discuss your schools requirements in detail, call us now on 0800 084 27 99 or email sales@nrsupplies.co.uk and we’ll get straight back to you.

Let our experts solve your communication problems!