Cross and

Passion College Ballycastle

Tackling Barriers to Learning through

Sports Specialism

School Context

• 11-18 All Ability Catholic Maintained School

• Almost Normal Distribution of pupils in terms of ability and social groups

• Co-educational

• Specialist School for Sport

Evidence of Improvement

GCSE2000-04 % 5A* to C fluctuated around 50%

A significant gap in boys and girls achievement

2005 %5A* to C reached 63%

Gap between boys and girls starts to narrow

2006 68% Gender gap continues to narrow

2007 73% 5A* to C – girls and boys perform equally well

2008 69% % A* to C – Gender gap reappears

WORK IN PROGRESS……………

Room for Improvement

• The Gender Gap

• Boys and Girls in the 3rd and 4th quartiles

• Improving percentage of top grades in the first and second quartiles

Barriers to Learning

• Levels of Intrinsic Motivation

• Lack of Self Belief and self confidence

• Poorly developed learning skills

• Attendance issues

• Language and Communication Skills

A Specialist School for Sport

• Values and Philosophy of Sport

• The Pedagogy

• Specific expertise of teachers involved

• Involvement of Parents and the wider Community

Success in Sport

Skills

• Specific to the sport

• Self Management

• Target Setting

• Reviewing Progress

• Improving Performance

Attitudes

• Determination to Succeed

• Take Personal Responsibility for Success

• Perseverance

• Commitment

• Resilience

Successful Learners

• All young people can become more successful learners

• Defined the skills

• Attitudes

• Set this in the context of Values of Sport

Successful Learners

Independent Learning Skills

Independent Learning Skills

Classroom skillsClassroom skills

LiteracyAnd

Communication

LiteracyAnd

Communication

OrganisationalOrganisational

The SkillsThe Skills

Successful Learners

Committed Committed

Self BeliefAnd

Confidence

Self BeliefAnd

ConfidenceResilienceResilience

DedicatedDedicated

Self MotivatedSelf Motivated

AttitudesAttitudes

Using the Pedagogy

• Model Success

• Break down the skill into its component parts

• Share success criteria

• Use of Peer Assessment (WILF)

Using the Pedagogy

• Develop the language of evaluation – feedback

• Playing to strengths and taking corrective action

• Tracking progress

Pastoral Support for Learning‘Learning to Learn’

• Enabling young people to become successful learners

• Learning to Learn Programme – focused on Skills and Attitudes

• Personalised Learning Journal• Coaching and Mentoring• Setting Targets and Tracking

Progress

Creating the Climate for Success

• Departmental Identity – Loyalty - Pride

• Departmental Mission Statement

• Pupils Charter

• Setting the challenge

• Achieving ‘Personal Best’

A Sports Specialist College

Determination to succeed

“Stickability”

Drive

Self belief

Challenge to achieve personal best

Commitment