English group: In this five-day intervention at Bitterne Park School, of the 14 students who sat both initial and summative testing:
• 2 students improved by 3 grades
• 6 students improved by 2 grades
• 5 students improved by 1 grade
• average grade increase 1.64
• 100 % of students improved on their raw score.
Additionally, Project 5 looks to improve attitudes, confidence and engagement in English, typically more difficult areas to quantify. This was measured through a pre and post programme questionnaires.
Key findings were:
• 36 % of students‘ strongly agreed’ that they felt confident about preparing for their English exams( this was 0 % in the pre-programme assessment)
• 72 % of students‘ strongly agreed / agreed’ that they felt confident about achieving their target grade( this was 36 % in the pre-programme assessment)
• 100 % of students enjoyed the programme( 29 % strongly agree, 71 % agree)
• 100 % of students found the programme useful( 50 % strongly agree, 50 % agree)
• 100 % of students felt that their reading and writing skills had improved over the course of the programme( 57 % strongly agree, 43 % agree).
Section 5: Findings from Project Leader’ s interview with Interim Head of Year 10
The key findings from the interview were that strong relationships were built between students and facilitators. Students spoke positively about the programme and could clearly see its benefits and impact. Some students felt the week-long format was too long, and it was suggested that a 2-3 day programme might be more effective for Year 10 students. The group size of 15 students was ideal, and horseshoe seating arrangement was preferred over traditional setups, making students feel more valued, like in a college environment. Overall, students felt listened to, could see tangible gains, which was due to the fact that the programme was tailored to their needs.
Having a facilitator and no teacher in the room worked well, as the teacher may sometimes be seen as a‘ blocker’. The organisation of the programme required input from the heads of English and maths, who selected the students.
Section 6: Student comments
English Language
Overall Themes Students felt:
• More confident in tackling both Paper 1 and Paper 2.
• Better prepared due to clear explanations, repeated practice, and understanding the mark scheme.
• More skilled in creative and persuasive writing.
What Students Found Most Helpful
• Slow, steady introduction to the mark scheme and key exam concepts.
• Improvements in creative writing, especially for Question 5( Paper 1), including use of anecdotes, dialogue, rhetorical questions, and structure.
• Better understanding of structure questions( Q3, Q4).
• Fun activities such as the letters game, group work, and brain breaks which helped maintain focus.
• Small group sizes and clear, supportive teaching that made sessions enjoyable and engaging. Page 6 of 22