Background

Lilian Baylis School (LBS) is a small inner city secondary school located in Kennington, London. At KS4 we have created the LBS Academy which leads on a range of study support activities including mentoring, Saturday school, masterclasses and peer support. As part of this each class has a LBS Academy representative who through a fortnightly meeting provides staff with ideas, feedback and support.

As part of a LBS Academy meeting students reported that they found working at home difficult due to noise and family demands. They were also keen to learn study skills and to receive subject tutoring. Although the existing programme helped, the long travel times and conflicting demands of different staff made it hard for students to feel they were making real progress.

Approach

The school introduced a programme of residential study weekends after running and thoroughly evaluating a pilot. Students spend from Friday lunchtime until late Sunday at a Field Study Centre.

Each Y11 and KS3 SATS subject was given 1 weekend to lead. Team Leaders were able to agree their own selection criteria with the Head. These were monitored to ensure underachieving ethnic groups were well represented.

The programme consists of 3 small groups of 10 students carrying out a number of subject based activities throughout the residential. The sessions are broken up by short self affirmation and confidence building activities. These have ranged from salsa dancing to students telling the group about their hopes and ambitions.

Funding is through local trusts, London Challenge, Standards Fund and the school's ordinary budget allocation. As the majority of students claim FSM no charges were made. Staff are paid overtime at the LEA rate.

Outcome

Motivation amongst Y11 has improved dramatically. Exclusions have fallen to almost zero and today (20 May 2004) attendance is at 91%. Students are also happy about the school stopping all study leave and keeping the Y11 timetable going until 11 June.

We do not know the impact on results but we do know that we still think we might meet our targets whereas in previous years we have usually started to adjust it during mid-May as students either disappear or become disaffected.

Gary Phillips, Headteacher

Lilian Baylis School, Lollard Street, London SE11 6PY

Tel: 0207 735 3105, Fax: 0207 820 0159, gary.phillips@lilianbaylis.com 

Lilian Baylis School:

1. Is an "effective school. It does well by its students." OfSTED 2003.

2. Was rated in the top 5% for value added at KS4 in 2002 and 2003.

3. Will move into a brand new building in December 2004.

4. Works in partnership to raise achievement and aspirations with The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists, City of London Mercers', London South Bank University, King's College, Lambeth College, Lloyds TSB and EDF Energy.

5. Has obtained Investors in People, Artsmark Gold and Sportsmark and is affiliated to the Specialist School Trust.