If, as the research suggests, learning is ‘state dependent’ - that the way we feel and the environment we are in will determine how well we learn more than anything else - what can we do to make sure that we have the best possible climate for learning in our schools?
The answer to this challenge is something that Julie Duckworth has been working on for many years (even when she was Worcester City Football Club’s Under 11s football coach) and with ‘Values Education’ it looks like she has found what she has been looking for.
Julie, in her second headship, is at Ledbury Primary School, her first post leading a primary school facing all the challenges of a deprived rural area. The Values Education approach she has brought to both schools, something that originated in Oxfordshire, has radically transformed the quality of life for all children and staff.
Even former HMCI David Bell couldn’t help but notice when he visited, commenting:
“I would pay particular tribute to the staff for creating such a positive atmosphere in which the children can flourish and learn.”
For a month at a time the school focuses on one of a range of 22 distinct values such as trust, responsibility, courage and, yes, even love, in a way that goes far beyond the normal lip service we give these important factors, where an assembly and a ‘Thought for the Day’ on the school newsletter means we can tick ‘Tolerance’ off our list and whose turn is it to do ‘Humility’ this year…? .
(For a full run down of these values please see the article below for a copy of the school’s Policy Statement’.)
Through this approach, Julie’s school ensures that these values are embodied in word and deed by children and all staff – including dinner ladies and the receptionist – and in a way that is real, tangible and transformational. In fact, three key elements of Values Education are modelling, leadership and what is called 'The Art of Personal Consistency', so these values are demonstrated daily, consistently and throughout the school.
One added benefit of her work is that she only had one day of staff absence for illness throughout the entire school year last year!
She is regularly asked to speak to other LAs, Heads and teachers about her work and also advises secondary schools, where her work has been shown to help create that all elusive ideal learning climate. This is what a recent group of teaching assistants made of Julie's input:
"Good morning, we recently enjoyed Julie Duckworth as a speaker at our conference for Teaching Assistants and she was amazing. Please see below the wonderful comments about her taken from our evaluation form:
- An excellent speaker. Passionate about what she does and believes in. An example to us all – she made me cry
- An inspiration to us all. Made me remember about positivity and having fun – Learning should be fun
- A joy – empowering to listen to
- Very interesting and inspiring. Much information taken away for discussion
- Excellent. What brilliant ideas and leadership
- Fabulous. Wanted to go back to school straight away and implement her ideas
- An uplifting and motivational presentation. Plenty to think about
- Excellent presentation. Felt empowered by her – so much so that I bought her book
- So many ideas to take back to school. Enjoyed her refreshing teaching methods and active information on her school’s daily life – wish I was there!
- Inspirational – very positive outlook on the learning environment.
- What an amazing lady
- Brilliant – lovely sense of humour and lots of affection.
- Good to hear her talk about treating everybody as equals.
- Absolutely fabulous – would have liked more"
This is Ed Balls being given a copy of Julie's wonderful Little Book of Values by a colleague recently. Let's hope he reads it.
There’s a poster in Julie’s school that sums up very simply why it is so important for all schools to work towards what that school has achieved and why we are so pleased to have her working with us as an Independent Thinking Associate. It says, quite simply:
‘The School is a microcosm of the world. What is created in our School today can provide a glimpse of how our world can be tomorrow.’
Julie's CRB number is 001192969812 issued 5th April 2008.
- For Julie's prices click here
- People who benefited from Julie have also enjoyed Roy Leighton
To make contact with Julie and explore how she may be able to help you in this important work please call the Independent Thinking office on 0844 589 0490 or e-mail us at learn@independentthinking.co.uk
The future of the world depends on it.
Articles by Julie Duckworth:
Books by Julie Duckworth