Applied Learning

At Dashwood Banbury Academy, following the Aspirations No Limits curriculum model, our curriculum ensures that ALL learning and acquisition of knowledge is applied in an authentic and purposeful way. This provides our pupils with the opportunity to develop their ‘power skills’: collaboration, communication, critical thinking & problem solving, character (Learning To Learn) and creativity.

Our aim is for our curriculum to develop the relevant skills for our pupils to be confident learners. We want everything we do to be relevant and progressive, which means we are constantly evaluating its effectiveness.

When acquiring new knowledge and skills, pupils will be given the opportunity to apply their learning in authentic and purposeful ways through exploring Driving Questions. This may be through written work, presentation, reasoning, justification, problem solving, investigation, the creation of digital products, discussion or debate, as examples.

At Dashwood Banbury Academy, applied learning is planned in a variety of ways:

Problem-based learning

This is where pupils work on real-life problems or scenarios; develop solutions through research and think critically.

Example: Reception

Driving Questions: How can we design and build a house for one of the three little pigs that withstands different forms of weather?

Our pupils in reception enjoyed working collaboratively to design and make a house, using resources of their choice, to protect the pig from the extreme weather conditions. They used their knowledge of materials to discuss which resources they would use and had to work as a team to build their product. They were encouraged to communicate their ideas and listen to each other.

Example: Year 3

Driving Question: How can we prove that a variety of different dinosaurs existed?

The pupils in Year 3 use their knowledge of science, fossils and bones to problem-solve and come up with an answer to the question posed. After some collaborative research and conversations. Pupils then need to communicate their research and findings through a fact file, which ties together their knowledge and demonstrates their applied understanding of the Science curriculum studied.

Example: Year 6:

Driving Question: The biomes of the Americas are diverse. In what ways does this impact its inhabitants?

The pupils in Year 6 used their knowledge and understanding of biomes and climate geography to work in small teams to design and present a solution to a problem that had been identified in the local area and whereby a new business needed to be set up.

Pupils applied their geographical knowledge; collected and analysed data; learned to communicate persuasively, both orally and written, and learned how to use presentation software. This project developed a variety of the Power Skills including communication, critical thinking and collaboration.

Pupils then had to set up a travel website for a chosen destination, linked to their research from their project. Here they also needed to combine their knowledge of computing around what a good site needed and copyright laws.

At Dashwood Banbury Academy pupils also have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in other areas throughout the school:

• The Aspiration Council – Here pupils have the opportunity to respond to pupil voice, and pupil voice surveys. Pupils are faced with real life problems within the school community that they then action as needed
• Eco Warriors: Pupils were again faced with a real life problem, issues around recycling in school so pupils acted on promoting positive change in school when it came to recycling habits at Dashwood

Click here to see the presentation from our Eco Warriors

Experiential learning:

This is where pupils participate in activities like experiments, simulations and fieldwork.

Some examples from our curriculum are:

Year 1: Local Study of the area: Pupils take part in a field trip exploring the local environment around the school and their homes and look for key geographical features in the local area.

Year 3: Local Visit to Horley Village: Pupils here are learning about how villages can be developed sustainably and take part in some local field work to report back their findings.

Year 6: Investigating Microorganisms: Pupils learn about microorganisms and then investigate the best conditions to grow their own microbes. Here they have to think critically about how to set up their experiment and collaborate together.

Project-based learning:

The pupils undertake projects that require applying their knowledge and skills to produce a tangible outcome. The curriculum is designed around a driving question, that shapes or leads the learning focus and has a clear outcome. Curriculum subjects that are relevant and enhance the learning are interwoven and some subjects are taught separately.

Some examples from our curriculum are:

Nursery: How could we plan an enjoyable celebration for parents and children in our class? Here pupils’ outcomes is an artistic representation linked to celebrations. The work creatively to produce an outcome.

Reception: What can we do to keep us safe and healthy? Pupils here have links with lots of visitors (nurses, doctors etc) and take part in some mini-medics training.

Year 2: If I joined Dashwood school in 1902, what would it have been like? The outcome for pupils is that they are to create a leaflet, comparing Dashwood in the present to Dashwood in the past. Children must work on their written communication skills.

Year 4: How can we promote a trip to our chosen European destination? The outcome for pupils here is that they develop a sales pitch around their focused destination. Children must focus on their communication skills in order to successfully promote their destination trip.

Year 6: How can we document what life was like for children in World War 2? Here pupils produce their own documentation to link all of their learning around the subject together and share with other students as a presentation.

Work-based learning:

This is where pupils gain experience in a real-world professional setting.

Year 3: Graf and Ketar – Pupils had the chance to work with professionals from these companies in school as they linked learning to sustainability and Earth Day; they found out all about what the companies do.

Year 6: Norbar Engineering Company – Over the last few years pupils from Year 6 have been granted access to the local Norbar factory to spend a day learning about the working experience.

Year 6: ‘Adopt a chef’ – A new initiative where pupils are led by a real working chef to develop their culinary skills and apply their knowledge of food and nutrition in multiple sessions.

We have also heard career talks from, but not limited to: Physiotherapists, aviation staff, engineers, authors, comedians, librarians, scientists, emergency service workers, nutritionists, Olympians, musicians.

Service Learning:

This combines community service and academic learning, emphasising civic responsibility and reflection.

The Ridings Residential Care Home visits: Events with the residents where pupils have had the opportunity to perform for them and complete arts and crafts in the care home, whilst also welcoming them into our school and hosting afternoon tea events.

Annual Planting in the Park: Developing public spaces in the local community.

Supporting the Local Food Bank at the local Mosque: Pupils go weekly to support running the local food bank in the community.

Charity work – student led: Students bring initiatives to staff and have the opportunity to run events in school.

Remembrance Parade: The head pupils and staff participate in the local community remembrance day parade.

Children Singing for Children: Supports many charities in the local area and abroad.

Through applied learning, our pupils make progress in their:

A. Development of knowledge: Progress in knowing more and remembering more. The future requires the acquisition and application of a wide range of knowledge.
B. Ability to apply their knowledge: Progress in knowledge being applied in more challenging, relevant and more engaging ways.
C. Acquisition of future and power skills to translate knowledge into actions for success