Work on the Project is moving ahead with the Primary Triads now into their second year, and the following summary provides an update on the strategies being used in each triad. In the Havering, Newham, West Sussex and Norfolk triads, we are working with pedagogic or individual approaches, aimed explicitly at raising boys' achievement in literacy, either in writing, where boys' results at Key Stage 2 tend to be less good, or in reading.

In Suffolk, a pedagogic approach is also in place, with the aim of raising levels of achievement generally.

Strategies in the other three triads (Kirklees, Southwark and Sandwell), meanwhile are aimed at raising boys' achievement through socio-cultural approaches. The aim here is to address issues of low self-esteem and to promote greater engagement with school, thus stimulating the motivation to learn. The impact of these more general strategies tends to be both harder to measure, and takes longer to become established; it is therefore likely to be truly measurable over a longer period of time. Hence we are focusing here, not just on test results, but on attitudes and evidence of engagement among the boys.

Aim: to raise boys' achievement in writing

Strategy: using a holistic approach to writing, with emphasis on 'becoming a writer', rather than 'learning to write'. Reading, writing, speaking and listening are seen as integrated and connected, not separate, and the intention is to transform knowledge of the structures of language into understanding, through talk, and through paying attention to boys' preferences for visual models for writing. The approach involves systematic planning for talk across the curriculum, focusing on the formative, informative and performative aspects of talk.

back to the top of the section

Aim: to enhance children's perceptions of themselves as learners.

Strategy: peer support through a shared reading scheme (Y5/Y3). Y5 children trained, and prepare activity packs, games, etc. for use with younger children. Focus is to raise self-esteem amongst older boys and to provide a sense of responsibility, thus addressing the socio-cultural issues that impact negatively on boys' learning.

back to the top of the section

Aim: to raise boys' achievement in writing

Strategy: incorporating drama explicitly into the teaching of literacy, in order to improve the quality of boys' writing. Involves including drama in medium-term planning and sharing planning and INSET across the three schools.

back to the top of the section

Aim: to raise boys' achievement through a focus on teaching and learning styles

Strategy: identifying preferred learning styles and explicitly incorporating a range of learning styles into all levels of planning and thus into teaching. Strategy is cross-curricular, and children are given extra support in areas where learning styles are weak.

back to the top of the section

Aim: to raise boys' achievement in writing.

Strategy: setting specific, measurable and achievable individual and group targets in writing. Children are encouraged to share in target-setting, targets are in child-speak and are short-term to encourage motivation and give a sense of progression; clear guidance is given on how to meet targets, and there is written feedback. Mentoring is being carried out in two schools.

back to the top of the section

Aim: to raise boys' achievement by stimulating a positive attitude to learning.

Strategy: engaging boys in the wider curriculum (particularly school councils and the arts) to generate a sense of greater involvement in school, and thus in learning. Explicit use of creative arts / school councils to involve disengaged students, or those with poor self-esteem. Such students are targeted for particular activities, or encouraged to play a fuller part, e.g. in school council debates.

back to the top of the section

Aim: to raise boys' achievement through promoting greater engagement with school, thus stimulating motivation to learn.

Strategy: encouraging participation of under-achieving boys in school activities, especially PSHE, school councils and circle time; developing areas of pupil responsibility, including a Buddy System. Looks at the wider issues of underachievement and tries to address issues of self-esteem.

back to the top of the section

Aim: to raise boys' achievement in reading.

Strategy: the emphasis is on getting pupils to widen their view of reading beyond mere decoding, moving from the technical skills of 'learning to read' to strengthening boys' understanding of what 'being a reader' means and offers, both in terms of personal and lifelong satisfaction and in terms of better National Curriculum test results. It attempts to develop a coherent and integrated approach to literacy in its broadest sense, and includes the involvement of male carers in talking with boys about reading.