‘Building Learning Power is all about helping young people become better learners both in school and out. It is about creating a culture in the classroom and the school more widely, that systematically cultivates habits and attitudes that enable young people to face difficulty and uncertainty calmly, confidently and creatively” – Professor Guy Claxton

Have you heard your children talking about their learning muscles? We hope so! At NLS as most of you will know we have our 5 special animals to help us use our 5R’s in our learning.

• We try not to give up, like a PENGUIN, that is always RESILIENT. 
• We try new things like a BEE, that is a RISK TAKER. 
• Like a SPIDER, we try to think of our own ideas, and join up the ideas we have to be RESOURCEFUL.
• We think carefully about what we have learned, like an OWL, who is REFLECTIVE.
• And like an ELEPHANT, we work hard at our RELATIONSHIPS, getting on with others around us.

Learning to learn is an important aspect of our work at North Lakes, and recently we have been developing this idea even further. All staff are currently working on some online training, with two teachers completing Level 1 training in BLP, involving days at other successful schools and sharing good practice. Our aim at NLS is to extend our current practice even further, looking at Guy Claxton’s theory to see how we can equip learners at NLS to be ready for the future.

During the Autumn term we have had a whole school focus on Perseverance. All children will have been involved in conversations and some activities which are designed to stretch this learning muscle.

Watch the school website for further updates in the coming months and please ask your child about the 5Rs and their learning muscles!