RAIS Project

A history of Raising Aspirations in Society (1999 - 2006)

The RAIS project was an award-winning initiative to raise the aspirations and achievement of the children and young people in Northumberland and north east England. Based on an idea by Elizabeth Brown, the Headteacher of the Grove Special School in Berwick Upon Tweed, the design and development of the project was directed by James Nottingham and Mike Henry.

Initial Project in Berwick (1999 - 2003)

The Headteachers in Berwick Upon Tweed, the northern most town in England, identified a number of problems within the town (and the county at large) including:

• Large class sizes
• Rising numbers of pupils with Special Educational Needs
• Good Key Stage results, but lower average GCSE results in the targeted School Partnerships than in the rest of the LA and nationally
• Key Stage Two results that were significantly lower in the targeted School Partnerships than in the LA and nationally
• Lower numbers of students going on to Higher Education and training in the targeted School Partnerships than in other areas
• Rising numbers of disaffected or excluded pupils - particularly among boys
• Negative attitudes to school by some pupils and parents
• Higher than average absence rates in some of the targeted School Partnerships

There was also anecdotal evidence that there were:-

• Problems filling vacancies, particularly in key subject areas
• Large numbers of teachers not undertaking voluntary professional development

The initial project in Berwick was funded by Northumberland Strategic Partnership through the Single Regeneration Budget from October 1999 to March 2003. The key aim was to raise the aspirations of young people in the Berwick area, believing that higher aspirations formed a key building block in both the drive to improve educational standards and in young people developing a more entrepreneurial outlook, as well as a healthier lifestyle. James Nottingham and Mike Henry, the two pilot-project consultants, worked with teaching staff, parents and governors by running a variety of courses and supporting school staff in the classroom.

Key successes of the Berwick project included:

• 90% of teaching staff, and 95 of Teaching Assistants taking part in In-Service Training within the first 18 months
• 57% of all staff attending further INSET courses, each lasting at least 15 hours (with many teachers attending 2 or more courses), all on a voluntary basis
• 10% of teachers studying for a Masters of Education in partnership with the Berwick project and the University of  Newcastle
• The design and piloting of Northumberland's Thinking Skills Certificate. This certificate is still, in 2009, one of the County Councils most successful "exports"

 Former headteacher at Tweedmouth Middle School, Dave Watson said: "The school benefited significantly from RAIS over a three year period It had a very positive impact on standards of teaching and learning in classes of teachers who used the techniques."

RAIS across Northumberand and the North East (2003 - 2006)

Due to the success of  Berwick RAIS, almost £2million of additional funding was secured from NSP to expand the project to include Alnwick, Coquet, Blyth and Seaton Valley. This expanded project began in April 2003, finishing in March 2006. Directed by James Nottingham and Mike Henry, seven consultants (Louise Brown, Joanne Bush, Paul Dearlove, David Kinninment, Ian Patience, Jill Potter, Katherine Vero), an Office Manager (Helen Richards) and Admin Assistant (Linda Blenkinsop) were appointed to:

• Support school staff to encourage lessons to be more interesting, challenging and enjoyable
• Help parents to support their children’s learning more effectively
• Develop youth groups and community leaders' understanding of children and young people
• Encourage all organisations that support young people to work more closely together.

The basis of RAIS was enquiry and dialogue.  The team shared a vision about how people flourish and the climate that sustains individuals.  They believed in listening, empathising, encouraging and communicating with all those involved in the care and education of the child. The term Radical Encouragement was coined as a way to neatly bring together everything that RAIS stood for.

Further Reading

For more information about RAIS, we recommend Radical Encouragement by Steve Williams and Rupert Wegerif, a book that was written about the successes and the story of the RAIS project.

Testimonials

NSP Executive Director John Litherland said: "This fantastic scheme has had a remarkably positive impact amongst young people and their parents throughout Northumberland and will reap rewards within our communities for a long time to come. The NSP are delighted to have been able to fund RAIS so substantially." 

One NorthEast Director of Regeneration and Tourism, John Holmes, said: "Raising aspirations and self-esteem can only lead to a rise in achievement among children and young people. This is a worthwhile scheme and one that will have a major impact on young people in Northumberland."

"As Headteacher of a school situated in an area of low aspiration, I have found the RAIS input to be invaluable. Since my arrival here, in September 2004, my staff have been trained in the use of thinking for learning strategies, which has improved the quality of teaching and the learning opportunities available to our pupils: we have been able to offer workshops for parents in 'Support your Child's Learning' and we are about to embark upon Philosophy for Children training, again for the whole staff, which, from past experience, I know has enormous impact on children's reasoning, questioning and speaking and listening skills. Additionally, the support offered to me, as a new Headteacher, has been very useful in identifying strategies that will help both staff and pupils increase their skills."   (Joyce Jenkins, Headteacher, Amble First School)

"Having recently joined the Northumberland Education Authority and not having any input such as this (RAIS) in my previous education authority, I can honestly say how much Philosophy or Children and Thinking Skills programmes have impacted upon my teaching, making it more exciting to deliver with so many positive benefits."   (Jenny Francis-Brown, Deputy Headteacher, Seaton Sluice First School)

"During my NQT year (last year), attending one Thinking Skills course was the one single thing which most helped me develop my teaching skills."   (Caroline Horn, Class teacher, Malvins Close First School)

"The RAIS team have been inspirational both to myself and the Service. I come away from all training sessions highly motivated and inspired to try new approaches to my work with deaf children The RAIS team has always been very encouraging and supportive. Meetings are well planned and executed, and there is excellent back up."   (Sue Churchill, Deputy Head of Northumberland Service to Hearing Impaired Children)

"RAIS has helped the school focus on the teaching and learning agenda and has provided really useful support and consultancy to take that agenda forward in a meaningful way. Many staff have enhanced their teaching skills and classroom practise through involvement with the teaching and learning working group and the completion of the Thinking Skills Certificate has been a great first across the curriculum which has put teaching and learning at the front of our improvement agenda. All staff have gained expertise through the targeted inset activities undertaken by RAIS staff on staff training days, focusing, for example, on lesson starters and practical tips for engaging and motivating students. Many staff have also taken part in RAIS training events on an individual and group basis, eg. Philosophy for Children, Leading in Learning, Radical Encouragement, etc."       (Chris Durie, Deputy Head, Coquet High School)

"My involvement with RAIS has enhanced my teaching and provided me with huge levels of motivation to trial new areas of teaching. All courses that I have attended have been excellent, both in their preparation and delivery. The staff involved are extremely committed and highly motivational to others. My pupils and I have benefited from additional support in the classroom with Philosophy sessions and I now feel very confident to use Philosophy in all areas of the curriculum and to support other colleagues in school. RAIS provides an excellent service to schools and their input has had a significant impact on my teaching."   Anne Puddephatt, Assistant Head, The Duke's Middle School)

"The course was very useful. My child has problems with confidence and the strategies I learnt I was able to apply to my son, encouraging him to use positive thinking and setting himself attainable goals. Unlike other courses I have done, things I have learnt on the RAIS course have stayed with me and have helped me be more positive about what I can achieve, and how I can help my children have positive self images that will mean they can achieve their goals. The course helped me analyse the reasons I was not achieving my full potential and gave me confidence to tackle problem areas in my life."   (Parent with child at a First School)

"I have attended courses and workshops with RAIS in Berwick over the past 6 years and have found them very helpful and interesting. I would have no hesitation in recommending RAIS as a support to parents and schools in our community and feel that they have been a huge asset to Berwick Upon Tweed community and will have definitely raised standards within our children and parents in the area."   (Parent with child at a Middle School)

"I have gained a self esteem since I started my first RAIS course. I have a different way of thinking about things. I am a different person because I am more confident. I have recovered from post-natal depression with RAIS's help quicker than I think I would have without it. All in all I have enjoyed all aspects of my courses and experiences of RAIS."   ('Through the Other Side' Group, Sure Start)

"As a group we benefited from a team focus that helped us look at our attitudes and beliefs, both of the group and as individuals. Clients have reported greater self esteem, self awareness, confidence in their own abilities."   (Health Visitor, Northumberland Care Trust)

"I felt that RAIS input to the 'Through the Other Side' group was invaluable. Mothers' evaluations of the group highlighted RAIS material as extremely positive and it most definitely contributed to reduced anxiety levels, improved coping skills and lower depression scores. Group members commented on their increased confidence and improved feelings of self-worth. RAIS input into our staff group helped to improve understanding and support of each other as colleagues and increased insight into different ways of working. I have always found RAIS staff to be encouraging, supportive and inspiring and would hope that they could take their work forward to reach more and more people."   (Health Visitor, Northumberland Care Trust)