1. What subjects are they not learning to have these lessons?
2. What evidence is there to support having LearnSmart lessons?
3. I don’t want my child to have these lessons – can I take them out?
4. My child is very bright and academic and doesn’t need these lessons – can they do extra work in other subjects instead?
5. Where can I find out more about LearnSmart and thinking skills in general?
6. What can I do to help my child with their thinking skills?
7. If thinking skills is so important why didn’t my older child have these lessons?
8. Will my older child be at a disadvantage having not had these lessons?
9. Will children at Y Pant only be doing thinking skills in their LearnSmart lessons?
10. What other skills will my child need?
11. Will my child have their LearnSmart lessons marked?
12. Will the LearnSmart teacher write a report on their work?
13. How has the LearnSmart teaching team been put together?
14. Will thinking skills lessons make my child more intelligent?
15. Will you be doing IQ tests?
16. What is the point in doing this?
17. How will this improve their performance in other subjects?
18. What qualifications will my son/daughter get out of this?
19. How will I know if they have made progress in this area?

PSE lessons will be delivered on discrete days rather than as part of the school timetable. One lesson fewer of Design & Technology and History respectively will also be delivered.

2. What evidence is there to support having LearnSmart lessons?

This is a brand new initiative for Y Pant School but there are examples of schools nationally which have delivered discrete LearnSmart or Thinking Skills lessons for several years now. The feedback from these schools has been extremely positive.

No. LearnSmart is part of the Y Pant School curriculum and is compulsory for all pupils.

4. My child is very bright and academic and doesn’t need these lessons – can they do extra work in other subjects instead?

There will be appropriate work available for all ability levels. We firmly believe that more able pupils will benefit from the challenges made available in these lessons.

5. Where can I find out more about LearnSmart and thinking skills in general?

There are lots of things you can do, most of which happen to be fun. Puzzles like crosswords, sudokos, riddles, board games like Taboo, Dingbats and Pictionary, challenging jigsaw puzzles, visits to Art Galleries, museums and the theatre all contribute to the development of the thinking process.

The educational establishment and the world of work have only in recent years begun to recognise fully the potential for lessons of this type. Also, in September 2008 schools in Wales begin to deliver a new version of the National Curriculum; this will bring in a number of key changes amongst which is a reduction in subject content thus giving schools greater flexibility. Also, the introduction of Thinking Skills as a Key Skill with equal weighting to Communication, Number and ICT has had a major impact on school planning.

8. Will my older child be at a disadvantage having not had these lessons?

No, because they will have gone through school following the former version of the National Curriculum and their peers in other schools will be far less likely to have experienced Thinking Skills or LearnSmart as a subject. Also, their subject areas will have been pursuing different methods of encouraging independence of thought.

9. Will children at Y Pant only be doing thinking skills in their LearnSmart lessons?

No. Each subject area is committed to developing Thinking Skills within their respective curricula. Y Pant pupils will be challenged in this way in all of their lessons.

Your child will be developing skills of communication, teamwork, research, number, problem-solving, strategic planning, self-reflection amongst many others in these lessons.

11. Will my child have their LearnSmart lessons marked?

Not in the traditional sense. Your child will have an A4 exercise book in the back of which their teacher will log evidence of the progress they are making in LearnSmart.

12. Will the LearnSmart teacher write a report on their work?

LearnSmart will appear on reports in the same way as any other subject.

13. How has the LearnSmart teaching team been put together?

The teachers delivering LearnSmart are all volunteers who are committed enthusiasts of LearnSmart. Each and every one of them is an exceptional classroom practitioner and has the full endorsement of the governors, the school leadership and external agencies. They have all been involved in the designing of the curriculum and the planning of lessons. They have all been trained in teaching LearnSmart and several have conducted their own research into the field.

14. Will LearnSmart lessons make my child more intelligent?

We are committed to the idea of Multiple Intelligences. This is the understanding that everyone possesses intelligence but not necessarily in the same way. For example, someone who excels at Art and Technology would be spatially intelligent (or ‘Picture Smart’) but may not be so efficient with their number skills. The point of our approach to Thinking Skills will be to enable pupils to identify their intelligences, learn how to fully exploit their strengths and how to develop the areas in which they aren’t so strong. In this respect, the answer to the question is: we believe so.

15. Will you be doing IQ tests?

No, but we will be doing an online multiple intelligence test so that pupils can see their multiple intelligence profile. You can try this yourself just by typing ‘multiple intelligence tests’ into any search engine or click on the link on the resources page. The tests are usually quick and fun to do – you may be surprised at some of the results!

We believe that these lessons will enable pupils to better access the traditional curriculum subjects thus leading in time to higher standards of attainment. We are also convinced that the lessons will develop independent learning skills, self-confidence and the ability to address challenges. Ultimately, the skills developed in these lessons will, we believe, effectively prepare young people for the 21 st Century working environment.

17. How will this improve their performance in other subjects?

The skills that pupils develop in these lessons will help pupils research topics, solve problems, collaborate, think laterally and many other competencies which will be of enormous benefit to all curriculum areas.

18. What qualifications will my son/daughter get out of this?

There are currently no formal qualifications available for this field of study. The chances are that this will change in the near future. In the meantime, we see this as an enabling subject area which opens up gateways to other areas of learning.

19. How will I know if they have made progress in this area?

School reports will tell you if your teacher considers your child to be making an appropriate rate of progress. The log in the back of the exercise books will tell you the areas in which they are making most progress and the skills that they are developing.