Initiatives
There are a number of different initiatives going on within the school, including:
Creative Partnerships
 2006/07 was a busy year for Creative Partnerships projects. We saw the opening of our outdoor classroom, the conclusion of Learning Moves (a geography and dance project) and the continuation of our Talking Drums work in music, as well as the design and construction of our water based mosaic bench by year 7 students.
The school council also presented their visions for the future of Coventry in the Space of Possibilities project, which collated the visions of students from across Coventry and submitted them to city councillors.
2007/08: This year, as Creative Partnerships becomes more embedded in school life, we are trying to involve more staff and students with working alongside artists to explore creative learning approaches.
Double Acts
This year our work with Creative Partnerships is all focussed on creative lesson delivery and challenging the traditional lesson format at year 7 level.
A group of 12 teachers from different subject areas will be working in pairs. Together they will work with an artist from a different discipline to deliver sessions in creative ways. For example, we have Geography and PE teachers working with a circus skills artist and History and English working with a singer/songwriter. These lessons will be filmed and used to compile a school framework for creativity.
Smile
In this project we are working with a comedian to address issues of pupil self esteem and emotional intelligence. A group of ten students from our Pupil Learning Centre will spend a week working with a comedian to write and perform their own comedy material.
Things that make you go WOW!
This project is still in the early stages and is likely to develop over the course of the term. The intention is to empower school council representatives as researchers and policy makers, responsible for establishing the student view of the Finham Park learning environment.
The Buddying Programme
 The buddying programme started in 2006 and is a mentoring programme enabling older pupils to support their younger peers.
Objectives
- Assist with the primary/secondary transition
- Support throughout Year 7
- Provide a safe environment in school by promoting good role models
- Improve responsibility of Year 10 pupils and develop vital 'life skills'
How does it work?
Following the SATs in Year 9, pupils apply to join the buddying programme. Approximately 30 successful pupils then follow a comprehensive training programme to prepare them to mentor Year 7 pupils the following September. The 'buddies' are split into groups and attached to Year 7 tutor groups. They initially meet their tutor group on the Year 6 Transition Day, where the buddies arrive early to welcome the future Finham Park Year 7s and are available throughout the day to show them around the school. In September each tutor group is joined by 3-4 buddies who during the first term introduce themselves to the group through 'buddy' led activities and assist the tutor. In the second and third terms the 'buddying' is more personalised and offers support to Year 7 pupils in a one-to-one format. The buddies are also available at break and lunch times, and are contactable through a buddy box in each tutor room and e.mail.
Breakthrough
 Breakthrough's goal is to raise the level of achievement within Finham Park School, by changing the organisational systems of learning and teaching in order to maximize the potential of all pupils, staff and schools. At the same time, it aims to help people develop a set of practical, transferable skills in quality improvement that they can use in any area of their work.
The Breakthrough team is made up of:
Mr Kiddy - Project Manager
Mr Marfleet - Progress Leader | Mr Hewitt - Science
Miss Page - English |
This programme aims to help schools implement sustainable change to their systems for delivering teaching and supporting learning, so that all pupils, regardless of gender, achieve their potential.
It uses change principles to focus on activity to raise boys' achievement:
- strong leadership creating the environment for change
- creating capacity
- focus on teaching and learning
- use of targeted intervention (including mentoring)
- use of data to drive improvement
Using all five change principles will enable a school to move from its existing system to a new and more successful system.
- It provides staff with access to knowledge about raising boys' achievement (Learning Workshops).
- Measures improvements in English, maths and science but also looks at attendance, behaviour and motivation.
- The opportunity for staff to work together to trial changes in their own schools (action periods, Plan Do Study Act cycles and data collection).
- The opportunity to develop capacity and capability for improvement beyond the chosen topic and thus transform the way that they work.
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