This project has been designed to strengthen teaching and learning through the delivery of the foundation subjects. In recent years, we have found that the teaching of these subjects has been undervalued within the curriculum. This project will embed a deeper subject knowledge for the individual subjects whilst supporting teachers to deliver high quality cross curricular lessons which promote pupil engagement in a range of innovative approaches. Through sharing good practice from across Europe, the sixteen teaching professionals will obtain a range of strategies to increase their confidence and competence in teaching subjects, which they may have only had minimal training in. Out of the classroom learning and visiting venues which will add to the confidence in identifying explicit cross curricular links and provide teachers with opportunities to deliver pupil led activities. The common focus for our project is to engage cities which have hosted the Olympic and Paralympic games. This allows the opportunity for pupils to learn about their own heritage whilst benefiting from the wider values that the Olympic and Paralympic games promotes. We feel that this provides a perfect combination of delivering cross curricular lessons, instilling intrinsic motivation and providing a purposeful theme as a platform for learning. If the objectives of this project are successfully met, then over 200 teaching and support staff will have the confidence to deliver high quality cross-curricular lessons which are engaging and provides a stimulating environment for pupils to thrive in. From the quantitative and qualitative data collected, this will provide evidence-based examples of the extent to which the objectives have been met. Through these findings we will have obtained evidence of teaching and support staff innovative teaching approaches which have been developed by a range of professional collaboration. The findings of this project will support a long-term action plan which will support other professionals in the schools and local areas. This dissemination plan will allow other schools to improve their teaching of the foundation subjects and cross curricular links, thus embedding a restored passion for pupil learning within these important but sometimes under-valued subjects.
This project strengthened teaching and learning through the delivery of the foundation subjects. All staff leading foundation subjects, stated that the project added value in their area of the curriculum. The mobility activities which included the host countries pupils, had the greatest impact on pupil enjoyment and engagement in these subjects. This project improved staff’s subject knowledge, in their own subject and others, this supported teachers to deliver high quality cross-curricular lessons. The teaching and learning activities between all partners at the mobility, were imperative in sharing knowledge and skills, critiquing practices and documents, and identifying areas of improvement. Teacher reflection was key to the progress throughout the project. Teachers are now more confident having explored innovative approaches, using talk more effectively, questioning more and have a deeper knowledge of pupils understanding and progress, thus being more competent in assessment for learning. Through sharing good practice, we excelled in including more staff in the mobilities than we originally suggested. More teaching professionals obtained a substantial bank of strategies which increased their confidence and competence in teaching subjects and making cross-curricular links. The visits to important landmarks and venues, proved positive in improving the ability for staff to identify key learning opportunities outside of the classroom. They considered subject descriptors and how to enhance learning experiences. Explicit cross-curricular links were identified and shared. Having had experienced authentic visits, learning opportunities came to life and the recognition that different methodologies were possible from one stimulus was apparent. The stimulus of the Olympic and Paralympic Games offered ample opportunities for cross-curricular links. The common focus for our project was to engage cities which had previously hosted the Olympic and Paralympic games. This allowed opportunities for pupils to learn about their own heritage whilst benefiting from the wider values of the Games. This stimulus was key for each country to uniquely combine their own heritage with the learning taken place within the project, and therefore resulted in high level of engagement within the delivery of high quality lessons. The development of pupils’ interpersonal skills, that were identified and evidenced, was significant, at the application stage we had not anticipated this success. Quantitative and qualitative data gathered demonstrates evidence-based examples of the extent to which the projects aims and objectives have been met. Through these findings, evidence supports the development and adoption of a range of innovative teaching approaches, which were shared within the planned activities and meetings. Professional collaboration has been a success of this project. Regular communication between partners was key to meeting our objectives. The communication was twofold, formal and informal. The latter was key to developing relationships and creating a sense of belonging. This was aided by the school who had previously participated in Erasmus projects. The main challenge was Covid-19, the solution focus communication between partners was essential. All partners were faced with uncertainty and teaching remotely. Relationships, which were formed at the beginning of the project, proved crucial, the need to work remotely and collaboratively was essential to overcome changing barriers. The final two mobilities were delivered remotely. These required partners to communicate via ICT. The observations of teaching and learning were completed by pre-recorded lessons. Partners exchanged their critique of the lessons, and identified good practice. These, along with those from the physical mobilities, enabled professionals to reflect upon child-centered approaches, learning from exploration, and teacher questioning and use of talk. From this, staff were then able to revisit their practices and planning to make changes and adaptions. Over 150 staff are now more confident and competent to deliver high quality cross-curricular lessons. These have been engaging and have provided a stimulating environment for pupils to thrive in. We plan to continue to increase this. Covid-19 did inhibited our second year of the project. However our longer term benefits include holding a Curriculum Enrichment Week, the annual Virtual Olympic and Paralympic Games, staff delivering high quality lessons and increased pupil engagement within the foundation subjects, sharing of excellent teaching practices through a shared approach in training activities, use of ICT in all lessons and remote activities such as pre-recorded lessons, and leaders using cross-curricular approaches within the recovery curriculum plan as a result of loss of learning through Covid-19. Pupil communication will continue, embedding meaningful interactions through a range of writing genres.