Mearns Castle Cluster Case Study
SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT
Mearns Castle Cluster
The first in Scotland to take a full-cluster approach to Gen+, the Mearns Castle cluster have shown that collaboration and communication are key to ensuring smooth transition and continuity of delivery for learners.
Meta-Skills fit seamlessly within the Mearns Castle High School overall strategic journey, wherein their mission to is for pupils to be their best; in terms of the strongest outcomes for qualifications, development of skills, enjoyment of learning, understanding of progress and an overall excellent experience.
Within the cluster, an opportunity was identified to deliver meta-skills in an overarching format, allowing the schools to plan opportunities to explicitly develop these skills through interlinked teaching in line with Gen+, and then reflect and profile their development – while impacting their futures in a positive way.
Overview of programme delivery
A core benefit to a cluster-wide approach – for the Mearns Castle collective – has been that nobody is starting with a blank page; they already know the learners arriving at the school through transition, and they have an understanding of their progress, and the continuation planned for this.
Mearns Castle High School Headteacher, Stuart Clark, believes that the emotional side of learners knowing that their own teachers and primary school has contributed to their learning at a higher stage is important.
“There’s a huge sense of pride because of the way we’ve planned the use of Gen+, and there are real-world tangible outcomes in our school community as a result of this.”
At a primary level, for Mearns Primary students, learners develop their Meta-Skills through the Mearns Masters Programme as outlined by Principal Teacher, Megan Greer:
“It’s really nice to know that everyone’s on the same page, we all have the same goal of wanting what’s best for the kids – and having a continuous programme in terms of Meta-Skills means we know it’s beneficial for High School, it won’t be forgotten about.”
In working alongside colleagues at Mearns Castle, Megan credits the developing relationship with supporting greater impact within learners and the ability to exemplify the learning being demonstrated.
Depute Headteacher at Mearns Castle High School, Nichola Mortimer praises the transitional format as it ensures that Meta-Skills aren’t new to learners:
“They’re used to the language and the terminology – and the resources. It’s so engaging for pupils and they just hit the ground running with it. The skills are so well linked alongside Skills Development Scotland, so even at P6 and P7, equipping them with that, and how we help them develop that and build upon it.”
Testimonials
Cohesive and consistent
Stuart Clark, Head Teacher
“Learners are genuinely articulating, understanding and working on the development of those skills and can absolutely see the relevance for their future, but understand the impact that those skills are having on their progress. Now we have a cohesive and coherent P6-S2 meta-skills framework that really ties in very well with national development.”
Testimonials
Continuous provision
Megan Greer, Principal Teacher
“It’s really nice to know that everyone’s on the same page, we all have the same goal of wanting what’s best for the kids – and having a continuous programme in terms of Meta-Skills means we know it’s beneficial for High School, it won’t be forgotten about..”
Testimonials
Confident use of language
Nichola Mortimer, Depute Head Teacher
“Pupils are very naturally and very confidently using that language that we know has come through from the delivery of Gen+ and thinking about how they can demonstrate and develop these skills. Project Based Learning is a really great context for that to be coming from them without any prompting. It’s great to see.”
Impacts and metrics
In terms of the school’s pedagogy and expectations, Stuart finds that the cluster approach means they are more able to meet the needs of learners – particularly at the point of transition as they’re aware of prior learning and development; and has seen increased impact due to this approach:
“We’re definitely seeing a higher level of impact each year, and part of the reason for that is because we have taken the crucial step of linking the Gen+ program into the wider curriculum. So learners in other aspects of their week are explicitly making those connections; between the development of the meta-skills that are planned and profiled as part of Gen+, but also in those other curriculum opportunities.
“For example, we’ve got a project based learning program in citizenship, that is planned to tie in with the Gen+ program. With learners working on Gen+ in PSE, they’re making those explicit links with other aspects of the curriculum
“As a programme it has built and built, across the curriculum. That means it’s very relevant to our learners and we can see they’ve got the context now to reference those meta-skills beyond the learning that’s taking place in Gen+. It has been progressive, we’re seeing more impact as a result of that.”
Due to the collaborative approach used by each setting, it ensures that learners arrive at Mearns Castle with a universal understanding of what meta-skills are, and have utilised the tools provided by the Gen+ programme to aid transition.
613 learners participating in Gen+
14staff members developing their own Meta-Skills in supporting learners
Lessons learned & advice
The Gen+ programme has really aided the collaborative approach as a cluster, we work really well together and it’s a fundamental part of our success. At the same time we were looking to develop those broader approaches to meta-skills across the cluster, we had a sense that the Gen+ programme would be an important tool for developing a consistent approach.
The cluster as a whole were already incredibly successful in building skills frameworks; but this overall meta-skills programme gave us the opportunity to work together to help influence the national picture. Se undertaking the pilot programme, testing things out, giving feedback and being part of the development and creation of the primary programme, and embedding the secondary programme.
With both schools having been early adopters of the Gen+ programme, they’ve delivered the content in its various formats and have credited the developments made to reach the current iteration with progressing impact for learners.
Barriers were identified around access to tech, and the time taken to get learners online whilst accessing the platform individually, Mearns Primary School have praised the Web App format and are now getting more from the content:
“It’s all hands-on, with more communication, lots more talking, getting the kids involved in that dialogue in a better way; because they’re not just sitting at their computers.”
Integration across the school
The Mearns Masters programme within Mearns Primary School has been an opportunity for learners to develop their Meta-Skills and demonstrate their skills, including communication and leadership. Megan has seen real growth in her primary learners through this, with more understanding of their skills development and ability to use these skills appropriately through active participation.
With embedding the Gen+ fully into the curriculum, the students used their Makaton communication skills they’d developed and incorporated them into a Project Based Learning activity around Scottish culture, learning and performing traditional Scots songs in Makaton.
Within Mearns Castle High School’s HMI (His Majesty’s Inspectorate) Review, inspectors acknowledge young people’s mature and confident learning approach; with the ability to ask questions readily, contribute constructively, support one another and “take increasing ownership of their progress and participate actively in shaping their learning.”
Future plans & what’s next
Mearns Primary School states that they find the Gen+ programme to be highly beneficial to the school and regret not having implemented it earlier:
“It’s something that will continue to grow, this is the first year with the cluster programme; having the regular meetings and keeping each other on track. We just need to make sure that everyone’s doing it as a collective and working together, because at the end of the day we’re all working together. I think this programme is a really good way to enable transition and really push our learners further.”
The Gen+ programme and meta-skills were an important part of learners being able to articulate their own autonomy, their own sense of ownership over their learning journey. And of course, when discussing that with anyone – in a recent case this was the HMI Inspectors – being able to discuss their learning journey, and know their next steps; with Stuart stating that these abilities are “absolutely essential for any learner.”
Interested in learning more about how the Mearns Castle cluster implemented Gen+?
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