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[J Jones Participant]

Hi Mary-Rose,

oh no, I’m definitely not further ahead with this at the moment! I have just joined a cross-College ‘Teaching and Learning Committee’ and we’re looking at ways to encourage independent learning across the school and I just immediately thought of FOSIL as I introduced Darryl talking about it at a YLG/SLA Conference a few years ago. I said that I would investigate FOSIL as a possible model for us to use from Nursery to Sixth Form and feed back to them so I’m putting together a little presentation. I’m going to use your fabulous Year 1 topic example because I found it much easier to understand and communicate in context. It’s also a good example to show that we can just ask teachers to look at existing topics then just make sure that they are hitting the priority skills in the way that it’s delivered and explored.

Another thing I’m  involved in is ‘decolonising the curriculum’ which requires looking at what we teach, how we teach and encouraging different points of view and focus and I feel that an inquiry-based model fits this objective very well as it’s more focussed on developing the pupil as a learner who questions the world around them and is aware of themselves and others. Supporting our neuro-diverse learners  is also something else that I am keen to incorporate into any new approach to learning. Some of the ‘Executive Skills’ that our neuro-diverse pupils in particular can find challenging would be directly taught and reflected upon from an early age using the FOSIL model (e.g. planning, time management, organisation of ideas, metacognition) whilst also empowering them as independent learners.

I showed your Year 1 example to our Pre-Prep Librarian and she absolutely loved the way that you have presented the books visually  by the way. Would you mind me asking how you did it? The drop shadow effect is lovely!

Thanks

Jenny

[J Jones Participant]

Hi Mary-Rose,

thank you so much for sharing this resource- it is really helpful to see an example of how you are presenting the FOSIL model in practice. I also love the way that you have shared a booklist too so that you’re linking the texts directly. So often we provide a topic box to a year group and I wonder how much the books are used. This way it’s clear to all stakeholders that the books are central to the exploration of the topic and by putting the learning objectives from the FOSIL standards you are helping everyone with the metacognitive element in the topic in a structured way. Does this sheet go home to parents?

I’m going to have to present my preliminary research into the FOSIL model from Nursery upwards in a few weeks time and this very solid example will be incredibly helpful.

Thanks again

Jenny

[J Jones Participant]

Hello,

I’m Head Prep School Librarian at Clifton College, Bristol. I was first introduced to FOSIL when I introduced Darryl at a CILIP YLG/SLG Joint Conference a few years ago.

I’ve been a qualified School Librarian for over nine years now, before that I was Serials Assistant in the Graduate School of Education in the University of Bristol and I previously worked in the Public Library service in Bristol.

My first degree was in English Literature and Language, I’m a past Carnegie and Greenaway Award judge and I’m currently on the Golden Egg Academy 12 month course as I’m writing a book for children so I’m heavily involved in the literacy and ‘Reading For Pleasure’ elements of my professional role but I’ve recently been asked onto a working group looking at independent learning across our school and my first thoughts were of the FOSIL Group.

As I set up and worked in our Library for Nursery-Yr 3 and currently work in the Prep School Library (Years 4-8) I have a particular interest in how we might be able to develop information and inquiry skills from the youngest pupils upwards. I’m also very interested in how elements of an inquiry based learning approach will impact our neurodiverse pupils in  particular as I’m keen to find ways to change our teaching and learning so that we enable everyone to work to their strengths and take charge of their learning.

Best wishes,

Jenny

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