Case Study - Withywood Community School

Aims and Outcomes

The Activity

About 80 students from years 10 and 11 have environment based opportunities in the community as part of the disapplied curriculum. Strongly guided by a special school with the relevant experience, equipment and expertise, students are moving towards the enterprise culture, with developments in landscaping, concrete manufacture, plant propagation, painting and decorating and an environmental "hit squad".

Intentions

The plan was to promote positive, work-related learning and community environmental awareness. The aim was to improve key skills, community wide responsibility and employability. It was hoped that a sense of citizenship would develop as students significantly help to enhance the locality from within. From the initial partnerships would arise a shared ethos of co-operation which could lead to other endeavours.

Developments

1. The students have developed a range of skills.
2. Students have worked with several agencies to explore ideas for joint working -Community Service Volunteers, the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers and a special school, Florence Brown, with whom we now run parallel curriculum time.
3. Students regularly work with community carpenters, community workers and the school groundsman.
4. Hairdressing, carpentry and painting and decorating have been added.

Spin-offs

1. The initial relationship with the special school is set to continue and deepen; it has become apparent that the special school NEEDS a mainstream partner and one that is sufficiently open minded to try things out and recognise the benefits to mainstream students.
2. Using SRB funding the two schools plan to buy 2 redundant caretakers houses on primary school sites. Students will restore them for use as workshops operating as 'semi- PRU's' which will thus have been created by their future users.

Further Potential

1. An extended 1 day per week work placement with local employers.
2. A "very large" allotment has been acquired. With help from CSV and the special school it is hoped to form a self managed mini-enterprise company.

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Methods

Time-tabling

About 80 students from years 10 and 11 have environment based opportunities in the community as part of the disapplied curriculum. Strongly guided by a special school with the relevant experience, equipment and expertise, students are moving towards the enterprise culture, with developments in landscaping, concrete manufacture, plant propagation, painting and decorating and an environmental "hit squad".

Nature of the activity
Students have:

1. Built block walls, made and laid concrete slabs for customers, designed, built and installed benches and picnic tables, pruned hedges, collected, composted and packaged bark for distribution and built an indoor plant propagation unit with plumbing, drainage and electricity.
2. Produced their own plants and concrete products for local gardens.
3. Created a "hit squad" to tackle a variety of community enhancement tasks as required.
4. Systematically studied the new skills as part of their curriculum, with accreditation.

Logistics

1. This approach demands freedom of movement for staff - time to explore new opportunities and to try them out.
2. Adult helpers include a 3 day per week LSA for the building work, another existing LSA doing hairdressing and a sessional FE instructor.
3. The SENCO is creating 1 day per week placements for all the students involved.
4. It is important that demonstrations of skilled work are done with small groups. Students must accept being off task for part of the time.
5. The strong partnership with the special school provided staff mentoring, support, expertise, equipment and students with skills.
6. Parallel curriculum time now eases arrangements to share projects, expertise and ideas.

Funding

1. Barclays New Futures £3K was the only funding specific to the project.
2. The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers supplied about £2K worth of time and help.
3. About £1500 of New Opportunities Fund (NOF) money provided work tools and materials to make 12 benches and tables for the school grounds ("after school activities").

Reflection

1. Every lesson in the school ends with a few minutes of reflection, including new skills and attitudes.
2. As Y10s start the work the emphasis is put very strongly on teamwork and what constitutes team behaviour.
3. A next step may be to organise some sort of detailed review process, possibly using an appropriate AOT such as a Connexions officer, to look back at significant periods of work eg a term.

Evaluation

1. A BNF self evaluation questionnaire was completed at the outset of the funding period.
2. Termly discussions with Barclays New Futures adviser.
3. A final "project impact" questionnaire for BNF.

Recording

1. Photographs.
2. Written report.

Accreditation

1. Certificate of Achievement in Land studies.
2. Project work contributes to ASDAN Youth Award.

Role Modelling

1. Y11s now working as peer tutors with Y10s especially for the more advanced skills.
2. Primary age children witness responsible work by students from their local secondary.
3. Team members work with experts from the community/world of work.

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Impact On

Students

1. Much greater environmental awareness.
2. A high degree of community involvement.
3. "A real feeling of being part of a productive, co-operative and supportive enterprise" (lead teacher).
4. Gains in community responsibility, social awareness and pride in environmental improvements.
5. Development of key skills - communication, application of number, working with others, taking responsibility for their own learning and problem solving.

Staff Involved

1. Better rapport with students.
2. A new LSA has been appointed to help make products and offer services.
3. Support from the special school to introduce new ways of working.

Other Staff

1. "Most of my colleagues think I'm mad - they work in classrooms" (lead teacher).
2. Relief that these students have been disapplied in order to do more suitable work.
3. More staff are showing active support and interest - even buying products.

Whole School

1. Less disruption to mainstream work.
2. A living example of active citizenship.
3. Recognition of these students' worth.
4. School capacity built through collaboration with special school.
5. School reputation built through positive publicity and community benefits.
6. A brighter, greener campus and a "softer" playground area.
7. Lots of enthusiasm for future projects including in holiday periods.

Wider Community

1. "Fantastic support from the parent/volunteer group who are now working with students as part of the school day".
2. Many requests for the environmental hit squad service - particularly painting and decorating.
3. Environmental enhancements.

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