RGS High Performance Learning

RGS HIGH PERFORMANCE LEARNING A WORLD CLASS SCHOOL

REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL A WORLD CLASS SCHOOL At RGS, we continually develop the curriculum and teaching methods to provide the very best educational experience for our students.

That is why we have joined a select group of schools from across the world on a programme called High Performance Learning with leading educationalist Professor Deborah Eyre.

The High Performance Learning philosophy is based on research into learning, neuroscience and cognitive psychology which aims to foster high performance for all in a world class school environment.

“We believe high performance is attainable for all students. They may be taught systematically how to develop intelligence and how to succeed. These principles are central to the philosophy of the HPL programme so it felt a natural fit for us to adopt it.”

Shaun Fenton, RGS Headmaster

“World class schools such as RGS enable students to be intellectually and socially confident, workplace and life-ready with a global outlook and a concern for others.”

Professor Deborah Eyre

WHAT IS HIGH PERFORMANCE LEARNING?

WORLD CLASS THINKING SKILLS

High Performance Learning (HPL) is an innovative, world-class education profile that helps students become enterprising learners, advanced performers and global citizens.

Research shows that to become successful academically, students must acquire a repertoire of thinking skills that enable them to make sense of information, create new thoughts and know how to approach and unscramble complex ideas.

The HPL framework covers five thinking skills – or Advanced Cognitive Performance Characteristics: • Meta-Thinking – thinking about how to think to help solve problems and be effective • Linking – linking single events together to make a pattern or schema helps construct meaning • Analysing – analysing information to master understanding before manipulating it • Creating – thinking creatively to find different possibilities • Realising – working out how to use different thinking skills to optimal advantage

ADVANCED PERFORMERS who win places in world-class universities and make a leading contribution

GLOBAL LEADERS who are responsible and confident improving things locally and globally

ENTERPRISING LEARNERS who are creative, innovative and well placed to enjoy future success

HPL is based on scientific research into the common features of successful, lifelong learners. It fosters these common characteristics by providing opportunities, both in and out of the classroom, for students to develop the characteristics.

Research shows that it is possible to grow intelligence in all students leading to strong academic results; well-motivated, engaged and life-ready students; and community confidence in practice.

It has three interconnected elements: 1. How to think – a set of thinking skills called Advanced Cognitive Performance Characteristics 2. How to behave – a set of behaviours called Values, Attitudes and Attributes 3. How to create a world class school – a set of cultural factors that school leaders can use to transform learning

Advanced Cognitive Performance Characteristics HOW TO THINK

Values Attitudes and Attributes HOW TO BEHAVE

• Intellectual playfulness • Flexible thinking • Fluent thinking • Originality • Evolutionary or revolutionary thinking

• Meta-cognition • Self-regulation • Strategy planning • Intellectual confidence

• Connection finding • Generalisation • Imagination • ‘Big picture’ thinking • Seeing alternative perspectives • Abstraction

Creating

Meta-thinking

Linking

• Critical or logical thinking • Precision • Complex and multistep problem solving

• Automaticity • Speed and accuracy

Analysing

Realising

“Creativity involves looking at familiar things with fresh eyes” Education Scotland “Our brain is more plastic than we think.” Dr Susanne Jaeggi “You can be working hard and not necessarily be improving.

So you need to be clever about what you do.” Michael Johnson

WORLD CLASS WELLBEING LEARNING BEHAVIOURS Learning for high performance is more than academic success, it also supports student wellbeing and personal development. HPL creates enterprising learners who exhibit leadership attributes as well as the ability to perform well in school assessments and exams.

If children develop strong and secure values, attitudes and attributes they will feel able to tackle the challenges of day-to-day life with confidence. Their academic progress will be underpinned by personal characteristics of resilience, risk-taking, collaboration and care for each other.

The HPL framework covers three behaviours – or Values, Attitudes and Attributes: • Empathy – how to collaborate and develop concern for society and confidence • Agility – how to be nimble using knowledge to maximize its impact or relevance • Hard-working – how to master subjects and experiences “It takes 10,000 hours to make an expert.” Daniel Levitin “Consistently and overwhelmingly, the evidence shows that experts are always made, not born” Anders Ericsson • Collaborative • Concerned for society • Confident

• Enquiring • Creative and enterprising • Risk-taking

• Practice • Perseverance • Resilience

Empathetic

Agile

Hard-working

“In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work – brains and talent are just the starting point.”

Dweck, 2007.

WORLD CLASS PILLARS OF EXCELLENCE To embed High Performance Learning into the culture and operation of the school, RGS is pursuing eight pillars of excellence: • Mindset Shift – recognising that the brain is capable of growth and thus all children have the potential to excel • Enquiry Based Learning – ensuring a learner-centred approach that emphasises high-order thinking skills • Expertise Development – developing habits and behaviours associated with a particular area • Feedback – giving formative, timely and appropriate feedback as this has been identified as the single most influential factor in helping individuals to progress • Practice and Training – providing ways for students to progress through a series of developmental processes • Engagement of Parents – involving parents as this has been shown to be a powerful force in attainment • With Students – encouraging students to take control of their own learning journey • Wellbeing – students who engage with their own learning and develop attributes such as resilience will enjoy a sense of balance and wellbeing

Values, Attitudes and Attributes Advanced Cognitive Performance Characteristics

Reigate Grammar School, Reigate Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 0QS 01737 222231 info@reigategrammar.org

reigategrammar.org  /reigategrammarschool |  @rgsheadmaster

Wellbeing

With Students not to them

Engagement of Parents

Feedback

Practice and Training

Expertise Development

Enquiry Based Learning

Mindset Shift

Global Citizens Advanced Performers Enterprising Learners