Every year at Prior Park, we hold our Student Self-Review (SSR) Day towards the end of Lent Term, which sees the school timetable collapse for the day and students, joined by their parents and Form Tutor, coming in to reflect on their progress and experiences during the academic year. From start to finish, our students lead the process.
Research into exercises, such as our SSR Day, has found compelling evidence to suggest that self-regulation helps students consider and take greater ownership of their learning and executive functions. The Education Endowment Foundation states, “self-regulation approaches aim to help pupils think about their own learning more explicitly, often by teaching them specific strategies for planning, monitoring and evaluating their learning.” These incredible transferable skills will help our students when they leave school and take their next steps, whether in their academic careers or the world of work.
Many parents who have attended previous self-review days agree that they are incredibly beneficial, with one commenting: “what a great initiative today has been in preparation for facing interviews, presentations, public speaking, all the things in life many of us feel quite daunting” after a previous SSR Day.
We feel it is vital for our students to leave Prior Park not just with academic skills but with skills for life too, which is why we put an ‘education for life’ at the heart of everything we do. Days such as Student Self-Review Day give students responsibility and the opportunity to lead the conversation. It helps them grow in confidence and shows them that their voice really matters.