The Prince's Teaching Institute

In the English Department at Pensby High School for Girls, we have introduced a more challenging, interesting and varied programme of learning for Years 7, 8 and 9, inspired by our membership of the Schools’ programme of The Prince’s Teaching Institute.

We have introduced more challenging texts into our curriculum provision and have taken a full and active part in planning and delivering stimulating and thought provoking sessions for our Dimension Days, introduced in September 2008.

Dimension Days aim to organise cross-curricular activities in which all years participate, which are exciting, fun and valuable learning experiences. Last year, our Year 7s worked on a project to produce a DVD to advertise the school to prospective pupils in Year 6 at local primary schools. The idea for a Year 7 competition to find the best filming team culminated in a Dragon’s Den format at the end of the day to choose the winning team. They then went on to film a ‘typical school day’ and with the help of The Learning Lighthouse CLC, produced a DVD called “Life @ Pensby” which was given out at the new parents meeting in June, 2009.

Membership of the Schools’ Programme has encouraged our Department to focus on challenge, pace and intellectual rigour. This focus has led us to be adventurous in planning a Year 8 unit on Tudor Poetry which has stretched not only the pupils, but the teachers too. We have also become more focused on skills and have introduced skills homework tasks to improve spelling, punctuation, grammar and sentence construction at Key Stage 3.

We are delighted to be involved with the Prince’s Teaching Institute and are looking forward to the year ahead.

Pensby High School for Girls is a secondary school for students aged 11-18, located in Wirral, Merseyside. Pupils number about 800 and the school holds Specialist Status in Business & Enterprise, and Science.

www.princes-ti.org.uk

The Prince's Teaching Institute