After several months of using the new immersive space, the headteacher of St Kentigern’s recorded the initial impact:

Overall

  • The Dream Zone is becoming an integral part to enhancing our approaches to teaching and learning.
  • It promotes: improved language skills and supports assessment; children’s construction of meaning; greater empathy between teachers and children; flexible and creative thinking about teaching and learning; learning is a dynamic interactive way; the emotional aspects.
  • It provides a vibrant and stimulating learning journey for children.
  • It supports thinking skills (particularly the Higher Order Skills, analysis, evaluation, synthesis and creativity).
  • Because of the interactive nature of the Dream Zone children are developing a greater understanding of lesson objectives.
  • The Dream Zone has provided an environment which values questioning, particularly that which challenges thinking.

Language and written work

  • Staff reported improvements in speaking and listening skills.
  • There was noticeable improvement in pupils’ desire to write in classroom follow-up work (especially boys). This is because pupils now have a greater awareness of writing for a purpose.
  • Y5/Y6 written work which has been moderated showed improvements in pupils’ writing. This will continue to be a feature of measuring improvement. It is clearly an important and supportive process to learning as part of the overall learning programme.
  • It is promoting the exercise of social language skills to encourage answers to questions.

Pupils’ behaviour and attitude

  • Pupils’ attitudes to learning are discernibly enhanced in the Dream Zone. There is evident excitement, intrinsic and motivation and interest in their learning.
  • There is a sense of awe and wonder among children and staff when in the Dream Zone. Children are immersed in their learning. As one child has said “it is actually like being there when you‘re not”.
  • Staff are finding that the Dream Zone is not only helping children to learn actively, but it is also strengthening their capacity to learn.
  • It encourages flexibility as a move away from the restrictions of a classroom space i.e. a move away from the rigidity of the 8 x 4 x 2 model (8 corners, 4 walls and two pages of a book).