Independent Learning Projects (ILP)

Crawshaw is developing a different way of supporting students to develop their independent learning skills and become more effective, lifelong learners. At Key Stage 3, rather than get a weekly homework timetable, students will be participating in the completion of a range of Independent Learning Projects.

The Independent Learning Projects are designed to:

• Develop personal learning and thinking skills and promote independence and self management of tasks
• Encourage a ‘love of learning’ by engaging project content and style
• Promote a greater depth of understanding of particular subject areas
• Prepare students with the skills that they will require for courses they may embark upon in Key Stages 3 & 4

Throughout Years 7 and 8, students will undertake ILPs for a range of subject areas. The style of these projects will differ from subject to subject but will range from presentations, written reports and model making to films or mini movies with the emphasis on doing things that it is not always possible to achieve in a normal classroom situation. This will allow students to develop their skills in Creative thinking, Team working, Effective participation, Enquiring and Reflecting on their learning. Each project will focus on a particular Personal, Learning and Thinking Skill.

The significant difference between the ILPs and traditional ‘homework’ is that the projects are standalone and not linked into the content of subject lessons at the time. Each project will be broken down into week by week guidance to support the students in time management. Students will be introduced to the projects within that subject’s lesson, with the information posted on the school’s Virtual Learning Platform to allow access from home by students and parents.

ILPs will be assessed using National Curriculum levels and will be recorded and reported home using the schools usual monitoring systems. There will also be the chance for students to assess each other’s work, as well as parents to comment on how they felt their child progressed through the ILPs.

In addition to the weekly work on the ILPs (approx 3-4 hours minimum), students will receive weekly Independent Learning Tasks from Modern Foreign Languages and Maths. PE will expect students to undertake one extracurricular activity a week. Subjects may also set tasks linked to lessons at certain of the year as appropriate.