Case Study
Why an already ‘outstanding’ academy adopted the OLEVI Teaching and Learning programmes to ensure a lasting legacy
Paul Day, Director of Teaching and Learning, Royal Wootton Bassett Academy, shares how his school has used the OLEVI suite of programmes to consistently move this excellent school forward.
Why were you drawn to OLEVI?
At the time of our initial engagement with OLEVI our school had achieved an Outstanding rating in all categories from OFSTED in 2010, but we wanted to ensure that we had a lasting legacy beyond their opinion. The challenge was to become an excellent school, ensuring that we consistently moved forward irrespective of the validation of external agencies and their own agendas.
OLEVI gave us the necessary tools to achieve this in the short term, but to also ensure that we had a lasting legacy within our Teaching and Learning and Leadership. The OLEVI suite of programmes allowed us to also focus on our coaching provision and imbue this as an ethos for all of our CPD provision, alongside developing and using a common language for what excellence is in all areas of our school.
How did you use the programmes to achieve this?
We have continued to use the ITP as a second year teacher entitlement programme, with a strategic selection of staff for the OTP to ensure that at least two members of every faculty area have attended the programme.
Our programmes are offered to all schools in our TSA (currently over 34 schools) adding to the richness of the delegates we work with. This has allowed us to share best practice and use the OLEVI approach in shaping our CPD.
DR ICE is used as a planning tool in our learning three professional learning model. Within this, OTP graduates and POC trained staff are our learning coaches to help continue to drive standards up.
“We will offer the ITP and OTP as tools for improving teaching and learning throughout our North Wiltshire Teaching Alliance. We have seen them work in our own school and value the impact they have made. We recognise that the professional development of all staff needs to be of the highest quality, equally important, and focused on student outcomes.”
Deputy Headteacher, Royal Wootton Bassett Academy
“Honestly, without doubt, the biggest impact on my teaching career.”
ITP Delegate, Royal Wootton Bassett Academy
“The Improving Teacher Programme gave me a valuable opportunity to meet other teachers from different schools and backgrounds and share ideas that I could immediately embed and develop in my day-to-day teaching. In a busy school day it gave me time to reflect on my teaching and without doubt improved my classes outcomes.”
ITP Delegate, Royal Wootton Bassett Academy
“Quite simply, the best CPD I have received in 20 years within teaching.”
OTP Delegate, Royal Wootton Bassett Academy