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FAQs
- Can I talk to anyone who has used S.P.O.O.C.S about its impact?
- When should I start using S.P.O.O.C.S?
- Do I need to teach the whole S.P.O.O.C.S unit?
- Could I use S.P.O.O.C.S with my booster group?
- Can I use other revision materials alongside S.P.O.O.C.S?
- If the proposed ‘single level’ tests are introduced, will I still be able to use S.P.O.O.C.S?
- I have a mixed Y5/6 class. If I use S.P.O.O.C.S with the class this year, how can I make it interesting next year for those pupils who’ve already been involved in it?
- I teach Y7 and am interested in using S.P.O.O.C.S to welcome new pupils to the school. Would this work?
- As a head teacher, do I need to organise any training on S.P.O.O.C.S?
- My school is a three form entry Junior School. How many copies of S.P.O.O.C.S will I need?
- If I place an order, how long will it take to arrive?
- I see that S.P.O.O.C.S is advertised as a revision unit. Instead of using it for revision, could I use it as part of our school’s thematic approach to teaching and learning?
- Are there any cross-curricular links in the S.P.O.O.C.S unit?
- Is there anything I can do in my classroom to enhance the S.P.O.O.C.S effect?
- What do you do if you have a child who is apprehensive about joining S.P.O.O.C.S?
- Will my Y6 pupils go along with the notion of being ghost hunters?
Q. Can I talk to anyone who has used S.P.O.O.C.S about its impact?
A. S.P.O.O.C.S was trialled with 11 schools and over 400 children in the West Midlands in 2008. Results indicated a 3% rise in writing, compared to a 1% fall in the LA and a static national result. If you would like to talk to any of the teachers, please contact us.
Q. When should I start using S.P.O.O.C.S?
A. To a certain extent, this depends on the knowledge and experience of your pupils. The Y6 teachers who trialled S.P.O.O.C.S started using it after February half term in preparation for SATs in May. However, many of them realised that their pupils were unfamiliar with the text types so they needed to teach rather than revise. Consequently, these teachers said that next year they would start S.P.O.O.C.S in January.
Q. Do I need to teach the whole S.P.O.O.C.S unit?
A. The unit covers every non-fiction text type and fiction and play scripts. The teacher’s notes in The Manual allow complete flexibility. You can spend as little or as long on an aspect as you think your pupils need.
Q. Could I use S.P.O.O.C.S with my booster group?
A. Yes definitely. It’s designed to excite and interest all children.
Q. Can I use other revision materials alongside S.P.O.O.C.S?
A. You can but you shouldn’t need to. S.P.O.O.C.S covers every non-fiction text type and fiction and play scripts.
Q. If the proposed ‘single level’ tests are introduced, will I still be able to use S.P.O.O.C.S?
A. Yes. The single level tests are ‘stage not age’ tests. S.P.O.O.C.S would be appropriate for pupils who are working at or about level 4.
Q. I have a mixed Y5/6 class. If I use S.P.O.O.C.S with the class this year, how can I make it interesting next year for those pupils who’ve already been involved in it?
A. How about asking the Y5 pupils to work as apprentice ghost hunters with ‘qualified’ Y6 ghost hunters? Next year they will be the experts and will be expected to take a leading role in all of the S.P.O.O.C.S activities.
Q. I teach Y7 and am interested in using S.P.O.O.C.S to welcome new pupils to the school. Would this work?
A. S.P.O.O.C.S has been bought by secondary schools for that very purpose. You might want to check whether any of your partnership primary schools use S.P.O.O.C.S though. We are going to develop a Y7 unit along similar lines to S.P.O.O.C.S so keep checking the website.
Q. As a head teacher, do I need to organise any training on S.P.O.O.C.S?
A. No, It’s perfectly possible to teach the S.P.O.O.C.S unit by following the teacher’s notes in The Manual. However, the Y6 teachers and TAs in the trialling schools did receive Inset on improving writing using S.P.O.O.C.S which they felt was extremely useful. If you are interested in training offers, please contact us.
Q. My school is a three form entry Junior School. How many copies of S.P.O.O.C.S will I need?
A. Three - one copy for eachY6 teacher. You do not need to buy a multi-user licence.
Q. If I place an order, how long will it take to arrive?
A. 7 – 10 days unless there are circumstances beyond our control e.g. postal strikes.
Q. I see that S.P.O.O.C.S is advertised as a revision unit. Instead of using it for revision, could I use it as part of our school’s thematic approach to teaching and learning?
A. Yes, it’s a completely self contained unit and would lend itself to a thematic approach.
Q. Are there any cross-curricular links in the S.P.O.O.C.S unit?
A. Not explicitly as it is a literacy unit. However, the teachers who trialled S.P.O.O.C.S made some very creative links e.g. D&T – creating a 3d model of Tudor House, baking ghost cookies; history – Tudors; ICT – presentations with music and sound effects.
Q. Is there anything I can do in my classroom to enhance the S.P.O.O.C.S effect?
A. Many of the teachers who trialled S.P.O.O.C.S turned their classrooms into S.P.O.O.C.S HQ, complete with ghostly wall hangings, blacked out windows to preserve the secret nature of the ghost hunting mission, Spooocs membership cards (now available in The Manual) and S.P.O.O.C.S agent’s handbooks in which they stored all of their work.
Q. What do you do if you have a child who is apprehensive about joining S.P.O.O.C.S?
A. During the trial one pupil offered her resignation as a S.P.O.O.C.S agent because she felt scared. Her class teacher took her to one side and explained that it was a role play situation. She vowed to keep this privileged information a secret and, reassured, she joined in with the rest of the unit.
Q. Will my Y6 pupils go along with the notion of being ghost hunters?
A. During the trialling, with over 400 pretty streetwise children, there were a few who questioned the notion. But, the vast majority were willing to suspend disbelief and join in the fun. It also depends on how convincing you are. The schools where S.P.O.O.C.S worked best were those where the teachers (and TAs) threw themselves into the spirit of the thing!
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