Case study: Falinge
Park High School
F
ALINGE PARK High School in Rochdale
has made extensive use of the Progressing to
Level Six and Beyond in Science materials.
Around two-thirds of the school’s 1,174
pupils are English as an additional language (EAL)
learners, who, although they have profi ciency in English
‘
We wanted to encourage them
to talk about science in a very
comfortable environment

verbally, sometimes fi nd written work more diffi cult. and build their motivation up
Keen to build their confi dence, engagement and
attainment in science lessons, science teacher Jennifer attainment of science. A lot of them weren’t confi dent
Richmond hit on the idea of developing structured about writing the science down, in comparison to their
lesson activities using group-talk in her classes. oral work which was of a much higher standard.”
“Jennifer realised that a very good way of getting Th e year 7 cohort was selected based on prior
better written outcomes in science was to allow the attainment and language levels in order to deploy an
pupils the opportunity to rehearse the arguments approach of early intervention. Th e class of 27 pupils
orally,” explained Ed Walsh, senior advisor, science, was initially divided into three groups and one of their
at the National Strategies. “By developing the fi rst tasks was to set their own ground rules. ’
pupils’ understanding through group-talk and then “Each of the three groups came up with their own
interweaving it with written tasks, she came up with rules about listening to people, raising their hands
practical strategies that have been very eff ective.” and valuing other people’s comments. Th e list was
Falinge Park was part of the original Progressing to basically everything you would expect in the classroom
Level Six and Beyond in Science pilot study and found but it was great because the pupils came up with it
the resource “very easy and useful”. themselves. Th ey have a strong sense of ownership of
Th en in 2009, Ms Richmond and EAL co-ordinator their rules and adhere to them, reminding each other if
Linda Sandler decided to use the group-talk approach anyone gets over-enthusiastic and forgets them. So even
with a mixed-ability class of year 7 science pupils. though I was the teacher at the front, I was really more
Th ey believed that it would encourage the use of a facilitator. If there was a pupil who didn’t quite get
of more academic language in science, help the something, the others would put it into diff erent words
pupils’ confi dence in the subject, and tackle and you would then see the light-bulb moment.
key misconceptions. “Th e pupils absolutely loved group-talk. Th ere was
“A lot of our pupils are highly intelligent and know a noticeable and signifi cant impact in terms of their
the science but aren’t necessarily confi dent enough to motivation and confi dence, their language skills were
talk about it in a large group,” said Ms Richmond, more specifi cally honed to using science terminology,
who as well as being second in the science faculty is a and their engagement with science increased hugely.
lead teacher and Rochdale’s secondary strategy project Th e pupils were going to EAL homework classes
consultant for science (she was seconded from Falinge wanting to do their science and they were very keen to
Park one day a week to share eff ective practice with show me their written work. One girl in particular went
other schools). “We wanted to encourage them to talk from a Level 4 to a high Level 6 in a few weeks.”
about science in a very comfortable environment and Ms Richmond and her colleagues are now rolling out
build their motivation up. Getting them to transcribe the techniques and approaches, which promote equality
their knowledge on to paper was the bridge we wanted of opportunity and inclusion for all, across the whole of
to cross. Th e aim of our project, therefore, was to put the science faculty.
group-talk at the centre of everything we did – in See further information on page 8 for a link to more
order to build their confi dence and engagement in the information on Falinge Park’s group-talk work.
SecEd 9
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