Secondary Major Award Application Form

This information needs to be as specific as possible.  Imagine you have the money already and you are ordering the equipment/activity/training etc.

Example:   To replace worn-out multigym equipment and purchase new items. (PE bid) 

The items we would like are:

(We have secured a commitment to the additional £990 funding from the PTA should this bid be successful**)

** Proof of additional funding will be required before an award can be made

Links to each of these items could be given here or in question 2b

This is your chance to explain how your project is going to benefit your pupils.  

Example:  A Learning Week  (Effective Learning bid)

(the week starts on a scheduled INSET day with outside experts coming in to train staff in accelerated learning methods.  The experts then give workshops to pupils throughout the rest of the week.  A two-year subscription to an online, interactive accelerated learning program from a different supplier is also part of the bid.)

The INSET day will help all staff revise, learn and apply a wide range of accelerated learning techniques to their teaching.  The techniques covered on the day include: speed reading/skimming, effective note taking, memory techniques, mind-mapping, motivation/focus and revision strategies.  

The outside instructor workshops will be an effective way to excite and engage the pupils about the techniques and a further opportunity for staff to see first-hand how to embed them into teaching these specific students. 

Finally, the interactive accelerated learning program revises most of the workshop techniques and teaches additional strategies using many examples and has short, interactive quizzes, templates and videos.  Sessions can be incorporated into lessons and set for homework etc.  The two years will be long enough to really benefit current students and give us time to budget for future subscriptions.

Success might be shown in many ways including improved test results or breadth/depth of answers to open questions or simply more engagement with home learning tasks.  The strongest benefit is that, with the teachers being trained, then the improvements should continue year after year.

What difference will your activity/experience/resource make to the school's normal, core provision?

Example 1:  A lathe and laser cutter (STEM bid)

A high quality, multi-material lathe and a laser cutter would allow new technology courses to run (e.g. the new “T” level in Engineering and Manufacture) and facilitate previously inaccessible modules in existing courses.  Additionally, after-school D and T clubs could be expanded and Young Enterprise teams could manufacture their own products.  Year 5 and 6 pupils from feeder primary schools could have technology days and the local craft club could hire the workshop.

Example 2:  An outside learning area (Effective Learning bid)

Providing a pond and nature area and stocking it with plants and workspaces would have obvious advantages for practical biology lessons but would also give effective learning benefits across the curriculum from working outdoors.   Mentoring sessions could take place in this different setting and an environment club could be set up.  It could be a break-time reward area.  Feeder primary schools could have regular nature sessions there and local conservation and gardening clubs could be involved with stocking and maintenance.