Headteachers make fact-finding visit to the Island

AN 18-strong party of teachers from schools in Dudley is visiting the Island next week to find out how the freedoms of the education system are benefiting young people.

Primary and secondary heads, deputy heads and assistant heads from the West Midlands town will tour schools of various sizes all over the Island to learn how creatively they use the Island’s unique curriculum.

The visit comes as the UK prepares for the introduction, next year, of a new primary curriculum, which provides a more cross-curricular way of working, developing themes and links between subjects.

The Isle of Man Department of Education’s Curriculum for Learning and Achievement, with its six Rs approach, allows schools to meet local needs, create bespoke lessons and personalise learning. The Island has opted for a system of School Self-Review and Evaluation (SSRE) rather than external inspection.

Under SSRE, schools effectively ‘mark’ themselves and their judgments are then considered and adjusted by an external validator, who works with them. The visiting teachers will speak with local counterparts about how they gather evidence for this self-evaluation.

There is also a different attitude to assessing and testing children, which the Dudley teachers are keen to learn about.

The teachers, who will be in the Island from Monday to Wednesday, are members of the North Dudley Learning Partnership (NDLP), a community of 18 schools in the town that work together to raise educational standards and develop their own expertise.

Its members have previously visited America and Sweden on similar fact-finding trips.

Sammy O’Gorman, Headteacher of Foxyards Primary School in Dudley and NDLP coordinator, said:

‘We are delighted to be visiting schools in the Isle of Man, which has developed some exciting approaches to curriculum work and has an excellent reputation for creativity and innovation. We are sure we will learn a lot during our three days there.’

During their visit, the teachers will be shown around the Tynwald building by Education Minister Anne Craine MHK.

The Minister said:

‘It reflects well on our Island schools and the education that we deliver that we have this group of teachers from Dudley visiting to look at the way in which we work.

‘The Isle of Man is a source of inspiration for educationalists, who see us trailblazing in many areas and setting a standard that others aspire to. For those involved in education elsewhere, the difference in our curriculum and the way it is delivered is often a surprise.

‘A robust system of independently assessed self-review instead of the Ofsted process, our investment in IT and programmes such as Roots of Empathy are all examples of areas where we step away from what is on offer in the UK and can proudly tailor our service to our Island’s needs.

‘I welcome the visit of the Dudley teachers and the fact that, in addition to our education system, they will have the opportunity to look at a little of the Island and visit Tynwald.’