Key Characteristics of an AST
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Teachers who have been recognised through external assessment as having excellent classroom practise. They are given additional payment and non-contact time to share their skills and experience with other teachers and learn from them.
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AST’s specalise in teaching and learning and their skills in this area are used within their own school and with teachers from other schools through agreed outreach work.
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AST’s complement the work of others involved in raising the standards of teaching and learning such as Advisers and Consultants.
In North Somerset we have 15 ASTs working in secondary schools and two of these are from Gordano.
| Sheila Claxton |
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My role is to support Teaching and Learning both at Gordano and schools in North Somerset. Although my specialism is Science my involvement is much wider including support in Learning to Learn, Assessment for Learning, Initial Teacher Training and general aspects of staff CPD (teaching and support staff) such as middle management training and sessions including work life balance.
The support offered ranges from one to one sessions with individual staff to the delivery of materials at National and Regional conferences, and every where in between. Action research is another element and at present I am involved in looking at how to aid pupils and staff to attain the top grades of A and A* This also links in with a National Strategy project of Progression to Level 6+ in North Somerset schools that I am helping to co-ordinate.
The development of Initial Teacher Training at Gordano has been far reaching due to our close involvement with 4 HEI’s and National projects from the TDA such as Partnership Development. For more information on ITT please see the ITT Page.
Email: sclaxton@gordano.n-somerset.sch.uk |
| Peter Morris |
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My role is to support Teaching and Learning both at Gordano and schools in North Somerset. My subject specialism is Modern Foreign Languages. I am the Lead Teacher for MFL in North Somerset and organise the Heads of MFL Network and provide support in all aspects of MFL teaching and learning as well as with organisational issues and strategic planning. My AST work is, however, wider and includes support in Learning to Learn, Assessment for Learning, Thinking Tools, Gender Issues, raising the level of Challenge, as well as general aspects of staff CPD such as raising staff performance, supporting NQTs and aspiring Middle Managers.
The support offered ranges from one to one sessions with staff to the delivery of training sessions at National and Regional conferences. I have lead a number of leading edge projects, including Developing the use of Data systems, Training Open University ITT students in MFL methodology, developing the use of wikis in MFL and developing podcasting in MFL, I am currently conducting action research with fellow AST Sheila Claxton, in which we are looking at how to help pupils and staff to attain the top grades of A and A*
Email: pmorris@gordano.n-somerset.sch.uk |
Sheila and Peter have 20% of their time (one day a week) available for outreach work with other schools.
They are involved in:
- Quality teaching and learning: coaching, leading CPD, lead practitioners, ITT and Primary outreach.
- Quality Leadership; Subject networks, strategy events and capacity issues.
- Production of Quality Resources e.g. Work Related Learning toolkits, case studies and sharing resources.
The North Somerset priorities for AST Future Projects include:
- Developing Independent Learners project
- Work Related Learning in Core Subjects
- Contributing to Virtual Learning Environment development in federations.
To see some of the work that Sheila and Peter have been involved in recently, see the ITT Students page.
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