Doon Academy

Social & Economic background – Dalmellington in top 4% most deprived communities in Scotland: unemployment, health, education, income, as well as being geographically isolated and far from cultural and higher/further education centres. It has been long recognised that our pupils suffer from low self-esteem, low self-confidence, low aspirations and ambition and many of them are generally disengaged.

Meeting Needs

Contexts:

• National Priorities

• EA Priority to Improvement (The Vision)

• School of Ambition• Teaching and Learning

• Vocational Education

• Enriched Curriculum

• Emotional & Mental Health

• ICT

• Leadership• 2020 Vision• Better use of resources

• Integrated Service delivery

• Health & Well being

• Physical activity

• Employability

• Attainment• A Curriculum for Excellence

Highlighted need for greater flexibility

33 Period week models

• Lothian model

• Asymmetric week

• Maintain strengths of present curriculum structure

• Streamline number of pupil/teacher contacts

• Sharpen focus

• Reduce clutter

• Increase personalisation and choice

• Facilitate mentoring

Doon Model

• 32 periods of 50 minutes

• 1 period of 25 minutes for mentoring

• 5 minute “registration” at start of day

8.50-8.55 8.55-9.45 9.45-10.35 10.35-10.50 10.50-11.40 11.40-12.30 12.30-1.10 1.10-2.00 2.00-2.50 2.50-3.40

Reg 1 2 Interval 3 4 Lunch 5 6 7

Monday

Tuesday

8.50-8.55 8.55-9.45 9.45-10.35 10.35-10.50 10.50-11.40 11.40-12.30 12.30-1.05 1.05-1.55 1.55-2.45

Wednesday

Thursday

8.50-8.55 8.55-9.45 9.45-10.35 10.35-10.50 10.50-11.40 11.40-12.30 12.30-1.05 1.05-1.30 1.30-2.20 2.20-3.10

Friday

Allows

• Increased PE provision

• More/better choice

• Electives S1-S4• studied for enjoyment & enrichment

• opportunities for cross-subject collaboration

• Timetable efficiency (teacher contact 27 x 50 minutes = 22.5 hrs)

• Extra periods give flexibility to timetable double periods for HE,Technical &

Vocational courses without imposing doubles on other subjects

• Parity of time for all subjects in S5/6

• Greater opportunity for out-of-hours learning and extra-curricular activities

• Collegiate activities & CPD

Flexibility

• Fewer students are unhappy with choices available in some of the option columns in S3-6.

• Greater awareness of the different opportunities available in FE after leaving school and changed attitude towards the opportunities available in FE.

• These extra courses are being included in EMA Learning agreements and hopefully this will provide an added incentive for the students to complete these courses.

• Some students are showing an increasing commitment to the FE courses and this can on occasion have a negative impact on attainment in SQA school courses, but have a very positive impact on destinations.

• All S1-S4 (and some S5) students have 25 minute mentoring period which was introduced as part of our timetable changes. This period provides more support to students and leads to more in depth discussions with students about their educational and career choices. This has also resulted in changes to the structure of our parents’ evenings, and is impacting on staff/pupil relationships.

• Elective periods used to break up the 7 period days.

• Attempts made to avoid any staff teaching all 7 periods on Monday/Tuesday.

• Electives involve some teachers teaching outwith their usual subject boundaries-English teacher taking Music class (guitar).

Our aspiration is to provide a curriculum which will give our pupils the opportunity to develop to their full potential, to become successful

learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors to society and at

work.