Big Picture Doncaster offers bespoke learning packages for children in key stages 2 and 3 who have so far struggled to meaningfully engage with a more traditional offer, or need support with the transition to secondary school. This is delivered through a relational approach that enables us to devise a curriculum that is relevant to the learner, and in doing so build in challenge and rigour. Wellbeing and self confidence grows through self determination (Ryan & Deci, 2000) so that the young person is able to see education as something that they can succeed in, and as such will enable them to continue this success in full time mainstream education
Big Picture Doncaster has both an in house and an outreach offer
Our Outreach Offer is a term long programme of one to one sessions delivered in school in either the Spring or Summer term, and designed primarily to support year 6 children with the transition to secondary school. These may be children with anxiety issues that are displaying worries, or children for whom the concerns around transition are starting to manifest as behavioural challenges. There are 40 places a term in Spring and Summer as part of this offer. Referrals are made via the Doncaster Inclusion Panel and we would recommend aiming to do this at least a month before the end of the preceeding term to allow for this process. Our lead advisor for outreach can be contacted to discuss any potential referrals
Caroline Wild (Lead Advisor Outreach) – [email protected]
Our On Site Offer is a twelve week programme for children in years 5 and 6, or 7 and 8, with some year 9 access if appropriate. Learners spend two and a half days a week on site with us at our base in Denaby, following a programme of personal and social development, as well as devising and creating an Inter Disciplinary Learning Enquiry based on their interests and aspirations. This is a Wave 1 intervention so designed as an early opportunity to support children who may otherwise be on a path to suspension and ultimately expulsion. Placements run termly and we have 24 places each term, for each key stage. Referrals are made via the Doncaster Inclusion Panel and we would recommend aiming to do this at least a month before the end of the preceeding term to allow for this process. Our lead advisors for each key stage can be contacted for discussions around any potential referrals
Luke Edwards (Lead Advisor KS2) – [email protected]
Lesa Williams (Lead Advisor KS3) – [email protected]
We work from three design principles that we have in common with our Big Picture colleagues in the United States and around the globe:
- Learning must be based on each individual’s interests and needs.
- The curriculum must be relevant to the learners and allow them to do real work in the real world.
- Learners’ growth and abilities must be measured by the quality of their work and how it changes them.
This approach and ethos has seen Big Picture learners in the US approach education differently and yet still enter into post secondary learning paths and careers at a rate 12% higher than the national average, and has been lauded by Bill and Melinda Gates as well as former President Barrack Obama.
The exact nature of each package will be personalised to the individual learner but will feature a combination of; face to face coaching and mentoring; access to online and other flipped learning resources; support for personal and social development; development of learning attributes and skills; and the acquisition of new knowledge. Central to our work is the idea of One Student at a Time – as no two learners are the same, no two packages will be.
Individual learning programmes will be set out in a personalised learning plan constructed with the learner, parent, and home school. This will be followed over a fixed period of time; generally twelve weeks but with contingency for extension to eighteen if circumstances demand, delivered over three days a week at our site in Bentley or through a blended learning approach using a platform we have specifically developed for the work.
For reintegration to be successful it is essential that integration happens throughout the placement with us. To support this we have developed accredited qualifications for staff in home schools devised by Big Picture UK and a learning partner and linking into the global community of Big Picture Learning. As well as supporting workforce development in schools this will provide vital tools and understanding so that learners can be supported for their school based time during placements, and then following their return to full time.
We offer…
- A highly personalised learning experience, defined by a personalised learning plan, with daily advisory driven by the learner’s interests in combination with the experience and expertise of our staff
- A learning platform devised with and specifically designed for Big Picture Doncaster to support learners in different learning environments that can also be access in school during and beyond the placement
- A guiding partnership among learners, parents, advisors, mentors,local businesses and the community where appropriate to learners interest.
- A supportive learning environment, where learners are known and know one another well.
- A culture of learning, where young people learn in collaboration with advisors, families, professionals and mentors.
- Learners work independently on interest-based projects daily in addition to advisory work around personal and social development to support them in mainstream school
- Opportunities for all learners to present their work at exhibitions attended by family, schools, and other professionals and guests
- A programme devised in conjunction with global leaders in personalised learning and learning through interests
- The potential for learners to join global networks with other young people pursuing shared interests
- As they progress and as it is appropriate our learners will have the opportunity to work off-site learning alongside advisors and mentors.
- A vibrant, flexible learning environment that provides equal access to all by adjusting instruction to address learner passions, abilities, and interests
- Accredited workforce development for staff in schools as well as access to local and wider networks of advisors to discuss and refine best practice in supporting the cohort
