Devon Regional Support Group

Coordinator: Chris Wakely, Devon Curriculum Services, Great Moor House, Bittern Road, Sowton, Exeter, Devon EX2 7NL
Tel: 01392 384361  
Email: cwakely@devon.gov.uk

Regular sessions are held at two parallel groups; one covering schools in the south and west of the area (including Torbay) and one in the north and east.

The West Country Regional Consultative Group is a networking and discussion group hosted by Devon, Cornwall and Plymouth Regional Support Groups.

Regional Support Group sessions

Session 1 (Devon SW group): Thursday 16 November 2006
Title: Three models of Good Practice
Speaker(s): Maggie Peacock, Devon LA Lead PL Teacher, Alison Househam, Devon LA Lead Teacher, Jo Rhys-Jones, Devon LA Lead Teacher, Jenny Smith, Devon LA PL consultant
Venue: Ivybridge Community College

Devon lead teachers presented the model of primary languages provision in their individual Devon primary schools:

• Maggie Peacock spoke about provision across KS2 at Milton Abbot Primary, a small rural primary school with mixed age classes. As well as describing how the curriculum is organised and how provision is enhanced by a local specialist language college, Maggie shared a number of resources relating to celebrating Christmas
• Alison Househam described the model at Yealmpton Primary where she is a specialist languages teacher. She described how she integrates the study of a number of languages and, in particular how she develops the intercultural understanding strand of the KS2 Framework
• Jo Rhys-Jones spoke about teaching languages in a very small school with mixed age classes
• Jenny Smith outlined the role of the RSG network and demonstrated the support offered by the NACELL website.

The session was attended by 16 delegates, all teachers in Devon primary schools. Evaluation forms were overwhelmingly positive: 100% very good or good. Teachers appreciated learning about three different models of delivery and the free handouts. They agreed they would rather continue to attend sessions in school time rather than twilight.

Session 2 (Devon NE group): Thursday 23 November 2006
Title: Three models of Good Practice
Speaker(s): Maggie Peacock, Devon LA Lead PL Teacher, Helen Morrison, Devon LA Lead Teacher, Graeme Hankin, Devon LA Lead Teacher, Chris Wakely, Comenius SW Coordinator
Venue: Tiverton Hotel

Devon lead teachers presented the model of primary languages provision in their individual Devon primary schools:

• Maggie Peacock spoke about provision across KS2 at Milton Abbot Primary, a small rural primary school with mixed age classes. As well as describing how the curriculum is organised and how provision is enhanced by a local specialist language college, Maggie shared a number of resources relating to celebrating Christmas
• Helen Morrison described her role as a peripatetic French teacher working in a number or rural primaries and how, in this role, she is supporting the development of other teachers’ linguistic and pedagogic skills
• Graeme Hankin spoke about his role of specialist class teacher in a medium sized urban school, Bradley Barton Primary. He demonstrated a number of the websites he uses to support his teaching
• Chris Wakely outlined the role of the RSG network and demonstrated the support offered by the NACELL website.

The session was attended by 21 delegates, all teachers in Devon primary schools. Evaluation forms were overwhelmingly positive: 100% very good or good. Teachers appreciated learning about three different models of delivery and the free handouts. They agreed they would rather continue to attend sessions in school time rather than twilight.

Session 3 (Devon SW): Thursday 1 March 2007
Title: The Global Dimension in Primary Languages
Speaker(s): Alison Househam (Devon LA Lead Teacher), Jo Rhys-Jones (Devon LA Lead Teacher), Jenny Smith (Devon LA PL consultant)
Venue: Passage House Hotel, Kingsteignton
Time: 14.00 – 16.30

Alison Housheam, one of Devon’s lead teachers for primary languages spoke about how she has developed the global dimension successfully in her rural school, Yealmpton Primary.

Jenny Smith demonstrated support for developing the global dimension on the NACELL website.

The session was attended by 10 delegates, all teachers in Devon primary schools. Evaluation forms were overwhelmingly positive: 100% very good or good.

Session 4 (Devon NE):Tuesday 27 March 2007
Title: Cross-curricular Links in Primary Languages
Speaker(s): Helen Morrison (Devon LA Lead Teacher), Graeme Hankin (Devon LA Lead Teacher), Chris Wakely (Comenius SW Coordinator)
Venue: Tiverton Hotel
Time: 14.00 – 16.30

Helen Morrison (lead teacher) demonstrated a warm-up activity

Graeme Hankin, one of Devon’s lead teachers for primary languages spoke about his role of specialist class teacher in a medium sized urban school, Bradley Barton Primary. He demonstrated a number of activities he uses to promote a cross-curricular approach to teaching languages in his school.

Chris Wakely demonstrated the newly launched Primary Languages website.

The session was attended by 11 delegates, all teachers in Devon primary schools. Evaluation forms were overwhelmingly positive: 100% very good or good.

Session 5 (Devon SW):Thursday 14 June 2007
Title: Mixed Age Planning
Speaker(s): 3 Devon LA Lead Teachers
Venue: Ivybridge Community College
Time: 14.00 – 16.30

Session 6 (Devon NE):Thursday 14 June 2007
Title: Outdoor Games & Primary Languages
Speaker(s): 3 Devon LA Lead Teachers
Venue: Parkway House Hotel, Tiverton
Time: 14.00 – 16.30

NACELL Regional Support Groups are funded by the DfES and co-ordinated by CILT, the National Centre for Languages in support of the National Languages Strategy.