Diary Entry - March

March has been another really busy month. We began on the 1st with a Rolls-Royce Science meeting where Rosie and Adam explained the Year 9 Crime Week unit to staff.

Another great assembly from Chris May meant that Year 9 pupils were engaged and enthusiastic about their Crime Week. They watched an excellent mock ‘Crimewatch UK’ video that had been performed and directed by members of the Science faculty.

Armed with their various suspicions of the likely suspects, lessons involved piecing together evidence to uncover who stole the missing drugs. Pupils learned how to use gel electrophoresis to determine which sample matched the DNA gathered from the scene of the crime.

On the 15th March I attended further coaching training for next year. Along with another county AST, I have been asked to be a coach for Leicester University’s new Masters in Teaching and Learning. This professional development opportunity has arisen directly out of the coaching programme we have set up this year at Moulton. Next year, I am hoping to work with one or two NQTs across the county to support their individual research projects.

On the 18th March, Jin Shang (our mentor) visited us. He spent time observing lessons, talking to students and helping pupils to collect and analyse data. It was a really useful afternoon and gave us time to plan how to proceed with the next video.

Last month, as a team, we focused on refining our coaching skills. This month we have all begun coaching a new member of staff. Also, we have started to analyse the pupil questionnaires that were completed at the end of each Crime Week. There are over two hundred children in each year so we need to decide how to represent the data clearly. The results have been really positive and the students have provided us with some excellent feedback about the quality of their learning and the way in which we can develop aspects of the project next year.

On March 22nd Jo Hanson, a ‘real-life’ Forensic Scientist visited Moulton for the day. We chose ten Year 7 students who were outstanding learners in their Crime Week to participate in Jo’s workshop. Pupils were taught how to analyse a burglary scene and carry out enhancement and recovery techniques. The pupils thoroughly enjoyed the experience and learnt a great deal; they have been given a real insight into forensic science using the creative vehicle of English. This will definitely be a project we would like to continue and develop further next year.

On 31st March, Harry Hart (P.E teacher) took some Year 9 boys to Twickenham. They also gained a great deal and were inspired by some of the first class performances they watched on the day. For me, this was another opportunity to work with a different faculty. Again, this is something that would not have occurred without the Rolls-Royce project but has provided the impetus to continue to develop cross-curricula links next year.

We have now completed Crime Week for Years 7, 8 and 9. April will be devoted to coaching and our ‘Sherlock Bones’ Forensic Day. We need to decide on twenty overall winners from Key Stage 3 who will be selected to attend the next Forensic workshop.

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