Teachers at Erdington Academy are stepping in front of the cameras to video their lessons â in a trailblazing project which puts best practice in focus.
Staff at Erdington Academy are pioneering a remarkable new technology within the ambitious Âé¶čÇű Multi-Academy Trust (FMAT): a cloud-based professional development system called IRIS Connect.
By recording their lessons using iPads and uploading the videos to a secure data cloud, Erdington teachers are giving each other valuable feedback on teaching styles and lesson formats.
Assistant Principal Simone Mabbett, who teaches English, explained: âItâs a brilliant but simple system.
âWe set up the iPad on a tripod at the back of the classroom, so it isnât distracting to students. The focus of filming is purely on the teacher, so we can watch it back and share it with colleagues if we choose.â
One of the most valuable aspects of the IRIS system is how it empowers teachers at the Academy to self-reflect.
Mrs Mabbett said: âOften when weâre teaching, weâre completely in the zone and we donât notice things we do which may be distracting, or which could be improved.
âWatching ourselves back helps us experience the lesson from the studentsâ perspective. We can spot things we could have done better, and implement changes for the betterment of our studentsâ education.â
On top of this self-reflection, staff can share their recordings securely with other staff members at the Academy, enabling them to receive productive feedback from a variety of professionals.
One major focus of feedback has been on delivering the schoolâs âKey Driversâ â areas of improvement the staff agree to work on across the entire school.
Mrs Mabbett said: âAs a staff body, we agree upon our Key Drivers at the start of the year and give them special focus throughout the school.
âOne of our Key Drivers this year is âEEP â Everyone is Expected to Participateâ. Weâve been using different tactics like cold calling, partnered discussion time and mini whiteboards to encourage students to think hard and contribute in lessons.
âIRIS has massively helped us narrow down what methods are working and which need improvement. We share small clips of our lessons with other teachers, highlighting these tactics, and I can confidently say we have all received incredibly useful feedback from doing this.â
To help them track their improvements, Erdington Academy has issued each staff member with a private developmental journal for each academic year. This initiative, unique to the Academy, has been fully embraced by the teachers.
Mrs Mabbett said: âThe developmental journals supplement IRIS perfectly, and staff across the school have really engaged with them. IRIS helps us realise areas for improvement, and the journals help us keep track of our progress. Itâs really rewarding to see it all written down.â
Erdington Academy is the first school in FMAT to fully embrace the IRIS system, with Bournville School now beginning to use it too.
Mrs Mabbett hopes IRIS will be rolled out across FMAT in the near future, enabling staff to share feedback across the Trustâs four schools.
She said: âFMAT initially funded IRIS for us as a pilot, to see if it was impactful and worth rolling out properly. Itâs proven to be a real game-changer.
âWeâve seen such positive responses across our school community â from staff, to parents who have been kept informed and have been enthusiastic, to students, who even greet the iPads now as they enter lessons!
âIris has enhanced the teaching culture here, we have centred conversations around teaching and learning and so much enthusiasm among staff. Itâs something I hope will spread throughout the entire Trust.â
Principal Simon Mallett said: âKey to the ethos of our school is what we call âthe Erdington wayâ â a set of standards and expectations that helps build a sense of belonging for everyone in the Erdington Academy community.
âThe IRIS Connect project really fits into that ethos, by connecting our teachers and helping them to share ideas and support each other, in a way that helps drive quality teaching and ultimately improve outcomes for students.â
Crucially, both teachers and students have welcomed the IRIS system.
Head girl Milcah said: âI think the iPads are amazing it helps the teachers see ways that they can improve learning for the students and make it more engaging and memorable.
âIt also allows the teachers see how students get along with the Do nows, making sense and even the deliberate practice elements of the lesson; making sure all the lessons are impactful to the students.â
Deputy Head boy Brycen said: âThe iPads are wonderful tools that help teachers review how they teach, spot areas of improvement, and take real action to make our learning that much better than it already is.â
Javed Ali, Teacher of Mathematics, said: âIRIS has been an effective tool in allowing me to consistently receive feedback on my teaching practice without having to suffer the logistics of trying to organise in-person observations. Itâs also been a great way for me to ‘see’ my own practice and identify and address habits in my practice which I’d otherwise probably never notice!â
And Teacher of History Lucy Morrison added: âUsing IRIS has given me the confidence to try out new techniques in the classroom without the pressure of an in-person observation. It has helped me reflect on my lessons in hindsight to improve my practice in the long-term.â
Anna Kosiacki, Senior Learning Designer, at IRIS Connect praised Erdingtonâs use of the pioneering system.
She said: âItâs truly inspiring to see Erdington Academy’s commitment to professional development and reflective practice. Working with such dedicated and thoughtful school leaders like Simone has been a real pleasure. Weâre proud to support their journey with IRIS Connect and look forward to helping build wider collaboration across FMAT in the near future.â
