WCSQM Virtual Symposium 2020

WCSQM Virtual Symposium 2020

8th July 2020

Sponsored by Tassomai Virtually hosted by our World Class Sandringham School, part of the EdTech Demonstrator Programme

Building a new World Class future together

Out of these challenging times it is our World Class teachers and students that will lead the way into a new future.

The WCSQM Virtual Symposium brought together leaders, staff and students from our UK and international schools to celebrate their World Class skills, qualities and characteristics, and share learning strategies and opportunities that will ensure our World Class students are ready to lead us into the new future.

Why?

  • Students have been in isolation. They need enriching and fulfilling interaction with inspiring peers outside their local networks.
  • Staff have been in isolation. They need the benefits of celebrating with, and learning from, #worldclass colleagues beyond their school.
  • Year 11 and 13 students have been lacking opportunities to engage. Their achievements and graduation need to be awarded and celebrated. Their ambitions need to be re-focused.

What?

The Symposium brought together almost 700 staff and students from World Class schools, joining a wide range of sessions including

  • A keynote presentation and Q&A session from Professor Russell Viner, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, on the short and long term changes we can expect in education following the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • Exhibitions, presentations and performances by #worldclass students, sharing and celebrating their #worldclass skills and competencies.
  • A live forum hosted by our Alumni Association Committee – a unique networking opportunity for World Class alumni students to support each other during these challenging times.
  • Galleries of graduation and achievement.
  • Launch of the WCSQM annual essay writing exhibition by world-renowned neuroscientist Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, who has set the question and will be judging this year’s entries.
  • A live session from the Founder and MD of BlueSky Education, the multi-award-winning leadership solution supporting organisations with professional learning, performance management, observations and monitoring, and collaborative working.
  • A session for maths teachers and students in Years 10-13 from MEI (Mathematics Education Innovation) designed to help teachers and students prepare for school reopening. This session will outline a range of free maths teaching and learning resources for Years 10-13 designed to engage, consolidate essential skills, and support progression. There will be a focus on Year 11s progressing to A levels, including subjects with some mathematical content, such as Psychology, Geography, and Biology, as well as A level Mathematics and Core Maths.
  • A range of sessions from our event sponsor, Tassomai, on choosing Edech, and best practice online teaching of English and Maths.
  • Data analysts DAISI Education discussed the learning loss following school closures, and strategies to help schools manage this once schools reopen.
  • Charley Darbishire, founder of the award-winning online learning platform Educake, led a Q&A discussion with science teachers at World Class Elizabeth Garrett Anderson school in London, on how to support disadvantaged students with home learning.
  • Opportunities for staff to develop their #worldclass subject specialisms.
  • Outreach sessions from post-18 providers to motivate and re-engage key stage 4 and 5 students.
  • A presentation from Sandringham School, part of the EdTech Demonstrator Programme, on World Class virtual learning.

In addition, there were award presentations to our schools achieving re-accreditation, and students achieving individual #worldclass awards.

Download the press release for more information and a list of award winners and accrediting schools.

I simply want to say a massive thank you for such a brilliant day – it has been truly inspiring. Lots of great sessions to use for further discussion both for staff and students. I have received some very positive feedback from staff and students already.” Caroline Sehested, Deputy Headteacher, St Anne’s Catholic High School for Girls

“Just thought I would say thank you for giving me the opportunity to attend the symposium! I learnt so much and ended up stumbling upon the Cambridge talk! A really informative talk so thank you so much for introducing me to it!”  Sabrina Devji, Year 8, St Albans Girls’ School 

Access recordings of the sessions

Recordings of all sessions are available for the following:

  • All accredited and accrediting World Class school leaders, staff and students.
  • The 2020 cohort of applicant World Class school leaders, staff and students (schools currently undertaking the WCSQM assessment process)
  • Prospective World Class schools. Schools deemed ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, and/or whose students have achieved well above average progress over time are eligible to apply for World Class Quality Mark status. These prospective schools can register to attend the Symposium, subject to availability of places.

If you would like to receive a copy of any of the above sessions, please get in touch.

About our event sponsor

Our headline sponsor Tassomai is the market-leading education software used in over 500 UK schools for science, English and maths.

Using the principles of cognitive and behavioural science, Tassomai has supported hundreds of thousands of students, significantly improving outcomes at GCSE science and reinforcing core skills at Key Stage 3.

By providing school leaders with powerful insights, Tassomai can support schools’ improvement through strong implementation of impactful learning practice. Tassomai has a strong evidence base, with a proven impact on progress for all abilities, helping schools to close the attainment gap and reduce marking workload.

For the 2020/21 academic year, Tassomai is expanding to cover KS4 maths and English literature, at no additional cost to schools. WCS are invited to trial Tassomai for free for 5 weeks and benefit from a special discounted rate.

Contributors

The WCSQM Alumni Committee, led by Chair Elif Karanis and Co-Chairs Titus Takyi-Adarkwe and Tanya Dhliwayo delivered a session for World Class students and alumni.

 

 


Professor Russell Viner, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, gave  a keynote address on the changes we can expect to see in education in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

 


World-renowned neuroscientist Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore  launch this year’s WCSQM essay competition.

 


The founder of multi-award winning BlueSky Education  delivered an engaging session for school leaders on how you can come back leading stronger.

 


The Symposium feature artistic performances from a number of World Class school students, including the incredibly talented choir of St Anne’s School in North London, who wowed the Britain’s Got Talent judges this year with their performance of ‘Shine’.

 


Independent UK charity MEI (Mathematics Education Innovation)  delivered an engaging and informative session including access to free resources, to help maths teachers and students in Years 10-13 when schools re-open.

 


Physics masterclass Dr Lisa Jardine-Wright offered an interactive masterclass for teachers with STEM subject specialisms demonstrating the skills and fluency that students need for selective entry universities and how they can acquire them.  Amongst her various roles, Dr Jardine-Wright is Director of Isaac Physics, an Open (FREE) Platform for Active Learning in Physics. Using Isaac teachers can set work for students to practise the skills she will demonstrate and Isaac will automatically mark the questions for the students and teachers and return to them their class report card.

 


How do we support disadvantaged students with remote learning? A discussion between formative assessment experts Educake and World Class science teachers from schools including Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, on how to help disadvantaged students learn at home.

 


Know the score by DAISI Education, our #worldclass team of data analysts. Given that we know we have suffered a student learning loss during the pandemic and that our priority for autumn 2020 will be compensating for this, this is a session about what we need to know about the loss, how we find it out, and what we do about it.

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