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Case study 11: Using mentors from universities
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Case study 11: Using mentors from universities
This case study shows how a school stretched its gifted and talented students by using tutors from local universities as mentors.
mixed comprehensive (11 to 18)
setting up a mentoring scheme, involving tutors from local universities working with gifted and talented students in years 11 and 13
higher grades at GCSE and A level/AVCE
more motivated students
better links with the local universities
Background
The school is a mixed comprehensive for 11- to 18-year-olds. Comparative analysis of school data (for A levels/AVCE results, GCSE/GNVQ results and NFER raw scores) suggested to senior staff that the brightest students were not being stretched sufficiently. Academic tutoring was established on a twice-yearly basis in the school and the whole staff took part in INSET on SMART targets.
However, there seemed to be 'not much to do' with the most able students, whose grades and reports indicated few obvious areas for improvement. The senior management team decided to take a completely new approach and to employ experts from outside the school as part-time mentors for gifted and talented students.
Implementation
The school targeted two local universities and approached tutors in different subject areas to find out whether they were interested in building links with the school. A retired inspector was also invited to become a mentor in her subject area. Very quickly, the school had a visiting academic mentor in most key subject areas.
The most able students in years 11 and 13 (including some who were underachieving) were asked to choose two subjects in which they would be interested in extension work. About once a term, they had a 20-minute academic review with mentors in these subjects. At the meetings, the mentors explored the students' current work in the subject and checked their depth of understanding, while the students found out about the mentors' current research or work interests. Action points for the students' progress were identified (often new areas to research or internet sources to investigate). These were openly shared with subject teachers, who also found them a helpful indication of new directions of thought and study.
Impact
Most students found the mentoring experience stimulating and became more interested in their work as a result. Underachieving students in particular gained motivation from the experience.
The school's proportion of highest grades at GCSE and A level/AVCE rose as a result of the scheme. Subject teachers have now incorporated some of the suggestions for research into their schemes of work.
The scheme has also had benefits for the universities involved. More students from the school applied to the two universities as a result of the mentor network. The mentors found the reviews interesting and sometimes gained new insights into learning processes in their subject area. Word has spread around the universities of the value of the link and the scheme now covers all of the school's subjects.