Doon Academy Case Study
SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT
Doon academy
In East Ayrshire, meta-skills are embedded into all aspects of learning at Doon Academy; throughout transition to S3, delivering real impact.
Overview of programme delivery
Through embedding the Gen+ programme alongside other initiatives, Doon Academy has created an engaging environment where meta-skills are second nature, and learners see these demonstrated right across the school.
Through IDL projects and supplementary initiatives, young people are able to apply what they’re learning in real terms, and gain a deeper understanding of the tools they’re developing; with our Communication module really resonating with the learners, and how they can use our BFG tool.
Student journey spotlight
Student Spotlight
“Gen+ is fantastic, and I think it’s fantastic because you get to do a lot of moving about, and a lot of active learning – and it’s really fun. I definitely learned a lot about organisation, because when we learned about it I thought ‘I really need to organise my bag; and as soon as I got home, the first thing I did was take everything out and organise it. I felt happy after being stressed when I realised how messy it was!” says an S1 pupil.
Within Doon Academy, learners are both developing skills and applying them in real-world contexts, making learning meaningful and memorable .
Testimonials
It’s fully embedded.
Stephanie Black, Principal Teacher of Expressive Arts
It’s not an add-on, it’s how we live our lives, how we teach our lessons, how our pupils do the work in class. It’s fully embedded in there.
Testimonials
Cross-curricular approach.
Kirsten Fletcher, Deputy Head Teacher
“It’s really about having that sort of collaborative approach to IDL, but project-based learning. And I think that’s what the pupils enjoy the most, they’re active participants, they are being leaders and they’ve got different roles within the project that they’re taking forward.”
Impacts and metrics
Doon Academy has seen real impact through modelling Meta-Skills across their school, learners see staff displaying this through their communication and body language and using the language every day.
The school’s ethos really supports Meta-Skills learning through their nurturing environment, and it’s only the first step in their journey.
108 lessons delivered to learners
144 young people developing key Meta-Skills
Lessons learned & advice
Gen+ has given Doon Academy the opportunity to have more open conversations, and share understanding that sometimes things don’t work out – and that you don’t have to be great at everything.
“It’s about finding the skills that actually you’re really confident in and acknowledging the ones that we’re weaker in and who can help us with that skill or what we can do to build capacity in ourselves to make that skill a bit easier for ourselves.”
Integration across the school
Doon Academy developed a strategy of encouraging staff members to highlight which meta-skills they’d be delivering alongside their Learning Intentions and Success Criteria. Meta-skills are discussed in learning conversations, and by having every department in the school, and every practitioner embedding these within the conversation each day, it becomes natural.
It’s not an add-on, it’s the start of every lesson.
Future plans & what’s next
Through the school’s Learner Conversations, young people reflect on their own progress and areas where they can improve, but each year look at the meta-skills they’ve focused on and where they’ve used them across the curriculum.
Each year when they add the next set of meta-skills, this gives them more opportunities to reflect on how they embed their skills and give practical examples of how they’re building on this learning.
Interested in learning more about how Doon Academy implemented Gen+?
Contact us to schedule a chat with our team.