This conference will be online:-

• Presenters are presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides and activities
• Opportunities for delegate questions and comments
• A copy of the slides will be made available after the course, along with further materials

This is a one day course running online on Thursday 20th October at 9am to 11.45am and 1pm to 3:30pm.

• Does your boys' achievement fall below that of girls?
• Are your staff struggling to close the attainment gap?
• Do you want to get beyond the misconceptions behind boys' lack of achievement?

Do Boys Underachieve?

More boys than girls fail to achieve level 4 in English national tests at the end of key stage 2; rather more boys than girls fail to achieve the 5A*-C benchmark grades in GCSE examinations taken at 16+. These patterns of academic achievement are evident in most schools in England.

It is important that teachers are able to identify the reasons behind this trend and to go beyond the many myths surrounding the challenge. Initial research by Younger et al from the University of Cambridge has identified schools which have strategies in place which improve the academic achievement of boys without impacting negatively on girls’ performances. Many of these successful strategies are Pedagogic, Organisational & Socio-cultural.

This course draws upon current research and expertise to cut through the myths and offer practical classroom solutions to raising boys' performance.

Benefits of the course

• Understand what research tells us about the facts and misconceptions around boys’ achievement
• Identify the key issues and focuses for your school
• Gain practical strategies and tools that you can use immediately on returning to school
• Be clear about your next steps in improving boys’ achievement in your school

Course Outline

What’s the problem?

• Causes of Boys’ Low Achievement – Facts and False Conceptions
• Identifying the issues in your school
• Four key strands for moving boys forwards

In the classroom

• Issues and opportunities around teaching boys
• Strategies and misconceptions
• What really works?

Get the right attitude

• Promoting positive learning behaviours
• Developing growth mindset, resilience and grit
• Foster the DIY approach (independence and initiative)
• Emotional vocabulary

Beyond the classroom

• Positive interventions
• Mentoring programmes
• The right role model

The tricky whole-school elements

• Unconscious biases and implications
• Structures and systems
• Brave leadership

Presenter Profile

Mark Salter is a ‘hands on’ practitioner who focuses on realistic and effective solutions. He operates to the mantra ‘all about simplicity’, providing practical, usable ideas that can be implemented immediately on your return to school. All of Mark’s training is delivered through active learning strategies where he ‘walks the talk’.

Mark taught for over 20 years in Nottinghamshire, including leading three Secondary Departments and serving as part of a Senior Management Team. For much of this time he led training and CPD activities for the Advisory and Inspection Service (AIS) across all educational phases, ultimately joining the AIS as a National Strategy Teaching and Learning Consultant in 2003.

Since leaving full time teaching, Mark has worked as a Local Authority Consultant and then as an Independent Trainer and Consultant both within education and in business. Mark works across all subjects and educational phases, in the state and independent sectors, and with alternative education providers.

Cost: £250 per delegate; £299 for 2 teachers from the same school booking on this course

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