All City of York Council's secondary schools will be closed for a day next month as part of a city-wide programme of teacher training.

The event, on Friday, March 22, will be a unique opportunity for all secondary school teachers in York to join together in a programme of activities both inside their own schools and at four centres across the city focussed on 'teaching and learning'.

The 'Teaching and Learning' day is being organised as part of the Key Stage Three Strategy which aims to raise standards by strengthening teaching and learning across the curriculum for all 11 to 14-year-olds. The strategy began in most City of York secondary schools in September 2000 with the introduction of two of its strands, English and mathematics. Three other strands - science, information and communication technology (ICT), and teaching and learning in the foundation subjects (TLF) - were introduced a year later.

The strategy is a flexible programme of continuing professional development that can be adapted to fit the circumstances of any school. It provides training and materials to support teaching and learning and to strengthen teachers' subject knowledge, backed up by in-school support from consultants.

As part of the strategy secondary schools have been developing expertise in one or more areas of teaching and learning skills. For example, a school may have explored and developed ways in which questioning can be used to develop pupils' understanding whilst another may have looked at teaching higher level 'thinking skills' in order to accelerate learning.

This work has been undertaken by 'teaching and learning groups' within the school and will be brought together on March 22 when teachers and non-teaching staff will have the opportunity to attend one of over sixty workshops run by teachers, LEA consultants, LEA advisers and speakers from the Department for Education and Skills.

The workshops will cover the full range of subject areas as well as more general teaching skill areas such as assessment, progression and thinking skills.

Key Stage Three Strategy manager Peter Dawson said, "The strategy has been working wonderfully well and we have had lots of positive feedback from schools.

"However, it has only been successful because of the recognition of the part good teaching plays in pupils learning and the commitment from teachers in the city to make it work.

"Good teachers are learning teachers and this 'teaching and learning' day is a fantastic opportunity for good practice to be shared, something new to be learned and for teachers to meet colleagues from other schools. As a school closure day, it also minimizes the disruption to pupils education that other forms of training sometimes bring."

The 'Teaching and Learning' day was conceived, developed and managed by a team of secondary school teachers lead by the council's LEA consultant Alison Wilcock

Alison said, "The day is a refreshing opportunity to turn the spotlight on to the foundation subjects and the contribution they make to both developing independent and motivated learners and providing a broad and balanced curriculum.

"Teachers of art, design technology, geography, history, modern foreign languages, music, physical education and religious education have all been involved with the Key Stage Three Strategy.

"They have all shown overwhelming commitment and energy for developing teaching and learning at time when there are so many other demands.

"This day represents a celebration of the work carried out by City of York teachers. It is also an opportunity to say thanks to those who are involved with the Key Stage Three Strategy without whose hard work and energy this day would not have taken place."

END