I have listened to the ‘transition’ debate, the current area of development in terms of early years education with interest. Of course ‘what we teach’ to different age groups will differ according to their needs, stages of development and levels of attainment, but there are fundamental principles that should guide ‘how we teach’, and that these principles are not age specific. This belief stems from a teaching background based in mixed age classes and a passionate belief in the key principles underpinning the Foundation Stage Curriculum.

Like many of my colleagues I have always firmly believed that if children are to understand what is being taught they need to be provided with time to use and apply their growing knowledge and skills in a range of purposeful contexts. We recognise that one tiny piece of knowledge can be used to complete a wide range of different jigsaws, that children’s knowledge and understanding should not be tied to familiar and recognisable contexts. Children need to develop the confidence required to use and apply all that they know until they hit upon the piece of information that will solve the current project or task they have set themselves.

In 2002 while delivering a Child Initiated course in Dudley I threw down the gauntlet to a group of delegates, offering my services for free to any school who would be willing to allow me to extend and develop a whole school approach to Child Initiated Learning. To my complete surprise by the time I got home the answer machine was bleeping madly with lots of willing volunteers. The first message was from Greenfield Primary School in Stourbridge and a really enthusiastic Headteacher on the other end of the phone was inviting me to drop in for a chat. This was Jeanette the most amazing Head I have ever had the privilege to work with and a kindred spirit. We both believed that there was a need to provide more creative and active opportunities for all children to learn where they were given increased ownership and responsibility... and so the CIL project was born.

Over several months the environment changed, doors were moved or removed from corridors, walls were taken away and areas zoned and redefined, resources were then gathered and reorganised accordingly. Systems were put in place to enable the children to book the use of the kitchen and computers, hacksaws, glue guns etc. were placed in DT zones that were manned by at least one member of staff, but the children were given the opportunity to work in the area of their choice and to gather any resources and equipment needed from the central resource areas around the school. There were at times large amounts of soul searching that took place, for example when a group of year two children wanted to use the Roman and Egyptian artefacts which were mapped out for use by the Year five class in the Autumn term of 2007. But, we all felt it was important that children were, wherever possible, given the opportunity to pursue their current interests. It took varying degrees of time for everyone to feel confident with the idea of giving the children complete ownership and control of both the environment and contexts for learning, as well as time to train the children, in particular the independence and confidence of children at in year 5 and 6. Some were concerned about the impact this approach may have on the SATs results at Key Stage 2. We reassured the staff that the impact could only be positive, that results would improve, and that attainment and achievement would rise, nurturing children who believe in themselves as learners and who can use and apply their knowledge, skills and understanding with confidence. To our delight SATs results at Key Stage 2 have risen steadily over the past three years with this years results surpassing all others! 100% achieved Level 4 in Science with 79% achieving Level 5, in Mathematics 100% achieved Level 4, 58% achieved Level 5.

Enlisting the help of parents
We enlisted the support of parents, carers and grandparents etc., who, fired by their opportunity to take part, joined us for a training session where we shared with them our belief and ways of working, enabling them to become what we call ‘Work time buddies’. The parents are assigned to a project group to support and share their expertise. The projects children chose to set themselves vary, initially many children chose to take part in creative and design based projects reflecting the lack of opportunity available within the taught curriculum, but this soon changed. We have had everything from the cooking of snails and then writing information books about France, writing a website to show others how to build their own websites, a highly successful business selling school charity bands where the children put together an extremely professional business plan that they presented, via PowerPoint, to the head in order to secure a loan from her, through to the making of a multi-sensory book by a group of children in year one for a sibling who was visually impaired.

Although the children lead in terms of the context for learning we have systems and strategies in place that ensure that all children operate in a way that is compatible with their level of attainment and achievement. The systems and scaffolding techniques provide a way of working that promotes and encourages thinking and problem-solving skills. I have a number of developmentally appropriate frames that support children from nursery through to year six. These frames identify the intended skills and ways of working, in terms of how they will plan a task, initiate their work and evaluate and modify the projects and tasks they set for themselves. These stages include a range of differentiated planning and working methods which incorporate opportunities for children to plan and record verbally, using mind maps (concrete maps for the youngest children) and written plans.

So what next?
Well, introducing CIL was only the beginning, it’s a bit like dropping a pebble in a pool of water, this way of working cannot be contained, the skills and confidence of the children and the creative way in which the children learn spills over into the taught curriculum. So the team are in the process of reorganising the content and delivery of the planned curriculum. Having seen the incredible impact that CIL has had in the primary phase we feel it is time to move onwards and upwards. So yes, you’ve guessed it! If there are any Comprehensive schools interested in piloting this way of working please contact me at the address below!