Outstanding Primary Schools (Mar 2010)

Outstanding Primary Schools (Mar 2010)

An interesting report from Ofsted (England’s ERO-equivalent), Twenty outstanding primary schools - Excelling against the odds, examines the characteristics of schools that have been turned around and now achieve excellence in value-adding education.

The schools
•    Provide affection, stability and a purposeful and structured experience.
•    Build – and often rebuild – children’s self-belief.
•    Teach children the things they really need to know and show them how to learn for themselves and with others.
•    Give children opportunities, responsibility and trust in an environment which is both stimulating and humanising.
•    Listen to their pupils, value their views and reflect and act on what they say.
•    Build bridges with parents, families and communities, working in partnership with other professionals.
•    Ensure their pupils progress as fast as possible and achieve as much as possible (outperforming both similar schools and many with fewer challenges).

Basically, they ‘put the child at the centre of everything they do, and high aspirations, expectations and achievement underpin the schools’ work.’

These are the characteristics of human rights-based education, including
•    A common sense of purpose based on the child’s right to an education that helps meet individual potential
•    A commitment to human dignity, and rights to development, expression, and safety
•    Respect for the rights and responsibilities of parents and whānau Last Updated (Monday, 31 May 2010 10:23)