LEAP INTO LEARNING - A Conference for Teachers and Pupils
Plus the launch of the Young Gifted and Talented North West Excellence Hub
Lancaster University’s Department of Continuing Education (DCE) is hosting a conference for pupils and teachers in the Conference Centre on Friday, 29 February.
The event, brings together gifted and talented pupils and teachers from across the north west to take part in a series of workshops and lectures focusing on bridging the gap between primary and secondary education.
The conference is being organised jointly with North West Gifted and Talented, the partnership of local authorities which provides the link between Government and schools. North West Gifted and Talented ensures that Government strategy on gifted and talented education is managed at a regional level. It focuses on professional development for leading teachers in schools, sharing good practice and is the key to communication with all those involved in the field.
Following a welcome from Lancaster University Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Trevor McMillan, the day will begin with a Royal Institution lecture and demonstration by Dr Alan Goodwin. Dr Goodwin, previously the Head of Sciences Education at Manchester Metropolitan University and a member of the Council of the Royal Society of Chemistry, aims to inspire pupils and teachers alike to engage in the process of finding evidence and encourage our human capability to think creatively.
Next pupils in Years 6 and 7 from schools across the north west will take part in art, dance, music, theatre studies, Mandarin, Chinese, maths and creative writing workshops.
Meanwhile teachers, and other professionals working in the field of gifted and talented education, will have their own workshops which include:
Trevor Foley from the National Strategies who will focus on issues relating to supporting the transition from primary to secondary education for gifted and talented children.
Teacher Helen Ross will use Edward de Bono’s Thinking Hats to develop Thinking Skills in the classroom
Ian Warwick from London Gifted and Talented will describe their work on developing resources to improve the overall quality of gifted and talented education or students from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with English as an additional language and other underachieving groups.
Over lunch delegates of all ages will be able to attend a conference given by members of the Junior Royal Northern College of Music Orchestra.
In the afternoon the ‘grown ups’ will have an opportunity to hear from teacher colleagues who have undertaken research in their own schools, a project administered by Fiona Frank, DCE.
Alternatively, there is an apportunity to hear more about the NW Excellence Hub, from June Watson, DCE, the organiser of the conference and manager of the NW Excellence Hub.
The day will also mark the launch of the Young Gifted & Talented North West (Excellence Hub)
Lancaster University is the lead partner in the newly created Young Gifted & Talented North West, the Excellence Hub for the North West. Excellence Hubs are part of the Department for Children Schools and Families’ Strategy for Young Gifted and Talented Education.
The North West Excellence Hub was created in April 2007 and is a consortium of three research-excellent universities: Lancaster University, The University of Liverpool and The University of Manchester. The Hub aims to bring together and utilise the intellectual and other resources of higher education institutions throughout the north west and will be inviting new partners to join the consortium in 2008.
The Hub works closely with the North West Gifted and Talented Regional Partnership, which works with local authorities to develop and co-ordinate activities for learners and professional development for teachers. The Hub will ensure that higher education plays a part in enriching, extending and challenging the abilities of gifted and talented young people and, in particular, to target those who are socially or otherwise disadvantaged.
For further information about the NW Excellence Hub contact June Watson Tel: 01524 592646.
For further information about activities for gifted and talented young people organised by Lancaster University contact Mary Candler Tel: 01524 594894.