Training School Status

As a result of our full contribution to and excellent practice in Initial Teacher Training (ITT), Holyhead was in the first cohort of schools to be awarded Training School status in 2000.

In the coming years, Training School status will enable us to focus on a number of different projects to enhance our role as a training provider, research and develop innovative practices and share this good practice with other institutions.

All projects aim to develop and enhance the quality of ITT and professional development for teaching and support staff.

The generic aims of Training School status are:

Annual DfES funding for Training School status enables us to develop effective training opportunities for trainees, teachers and associate staff, through developing our own expertise and sharing good practice in innovative teaching methodology.

• To demonstrate excellent practice in ITT
• To develop innovative approaches to training teachers and other school staff
• To develop a range and quality of mentor training
• To carry out teacher research
• To demonstrate innovative use of ICT

The specific aims of Holyhead Training School are:

1. To extend the use of ICT as a tool for teaching and learning
2. To extend the use of lesson observation as a tool for CPD
3. To increase awareness of inclusive practices and their implications for teaching and learning

The competence of trainees has been greatly enhanced by direct experience of the most up-to-date and innovative teaching methods.

Training School status has also enabled us to develop our resources and accommodation as a training venue. One of Holyhead School’s greatest strengths as a Training School is the contribution all members of staff make to ITT – formally and informally - and the high number of trained and experienced mentors, who work

Teacher Learning Academy –

Lead School Status

• To provide training for Teaching Assistants and other Associate Staff in effectively working with pupils with particular learning difficulties
• To provide Anger Management Techniques training for Learning Mentors and other Pastoral Support Staff
• To provide ‘Managing Diversity’ training

• To disseminate best practice re “Thinking Skills and How Pupils Learn”
• To research and disseminate best practice re ‘Assessment for Learning’
• To develop a programme across the Titan Partnership, focusing on an aspect of teaching and learning

• Successful in bid to become a Teacher Learning Academy lead school, as a result of the master’s level work being organised through Training School activities for staff in own and partner schools
• TLA – a GTC initiative which will be a national programme from Sept 2006 (following a 2 year pilot)
• We are one of only 2 schools in Birmingham with TLA lead school status and this will bring further funding to the school annually
• Collaborative projects are being organised with other partner secondary and primary feeder schools across Birmingham
• Research focus and work will be based on master’s level work and Initial Teacher Training. This will enable teachers to gain professional recognition at different levels for work currently being undertaken (in addition to academic accreditation)

European Award for Languages

Students collecting French prize for European Award for Languages, as a result of our successful KS2 - KS3 transition French project.

Partnership Development School status

• Successful in bid to become a Partnership Development School – a TDA initiative, which builds on the previous status we held of Partnership Promotion School status
• We are one of very few secondary schools selected from the West Midlands to be given PDS status, due to training school and Initial Teacher Training work
• Collaborative project with other Training Schools, primary schools, the OU and Wolverhampton University and are being organised and will bring additional funding annually
• Research focus will be on designing standards for school-based mentors involved in Initial Teacher Training and will be disseminated nationally in April 2007

PDS Training Plan Regional Priority 2006-07

Completed training

Case Study: Camera Phone Training

Video: Camera Phone Training

Case Study

Transition from primary to secondary school is a key focus of Training School work at Holyhead.

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