Learning Portfolio Pilot Study
The Learning Portfolio Pilot Programme was conducted over a period of 7 months, starting in September 2009 and concluding in February 2010. Four (*) ULT Academies were involved in the programme, namely Accrington Academy, North Oxfordshire Academy, Stockport Academy and Swindon Academy. In each of these academies the Learning Portfolio pilot materials were used to help teachers evidence how they could influence learning by focusing on twelve key aspects that are related to learning.Results show, in all four institutions, that there are significant positives relating to the pilot work conducted. Most notably, teachers involved in the study at all four schools stated that the Learning Portfolio provided a flexible, yet highly focused, way of evidencing what worked as well as ways in which to improve. Teachers also noted that the cooperative nature of working with a professional from outside their establishment made the work feel ‘non-judgemental’ whilst aiding self-reflection and professional development on a highly personalised level.
In addition to the positives, teachers also stated that there needed to be a shortening of the documentation’s length, an increase in the amount of support materials and a clarification of the evidence needed for accreditation at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels. It was the intention of the pilot for such questions to be raised and the next stage in the development of the model will be to ensure that these suggestions and recommendations are acted upon.
The Learning Portfolio is based on the principle that teachers do not just make a difference to students’ learning, they make the difference. The message that ‘proximity to the child’ is key when making a difference to young people’s learning has been reinforced in recent years by the work of Professor John Hattie of Auckland University, New Zealand. Hattie’s work has shown that of the 138 factors he has identified of having an impact on learning, the ones that have most impact are those that are student, teacher and classroom based – i.e. those that involve high-quality teacher-student interaction on a daily basis. Hattie’s work, conducted over 15 years and involving over 50 million students and teachers across the world, is the most important educational research that has ever been conducted; we ignore it at our peril.
(*) Kettering Buccleuch Academy joined the pilot at a later stage, providing data for the study but not at the same time as the four other academies mentioned.
