Holgate High School

This Barnsley based high school approached us initially for a games day and for interaction with their established games club, that had limited appeal. They were looking to broaden this and to see what they could achieve with the games. This has become a regular day at the school in which we work with several different groups with focus in many areas of learning and development.

Life Skills

One of our regular sessions is with groups of children under the Life Skills banner. These children struggle to engage at the school, often have low self confidence or have learning or behavioural difficulties. Our first job was to engage them in what we were doing, to show them that when they come to school it’s down to them to join in and engage fully. In the long term, not joining in is not an option.

This is initially done using a very soft approach, working with those that immediately decide to give it a go and having a great time with them, letting those that are reluctant simply watch. With those that gave it a go laughing and talking about the games it is never long before those that sat out ask to join in, wanting to be part of this new activity. They too quickly begin enjoying themselves and we use that opportunity to point out to them the benefits of giving something a go. We then point out that they have to do this every week, no matter what mood they might be in as it will be worth it to them.

We will often begin these sessions with games that can be played in large groups, quickly and simply. Games like ‘Wallamoppi’ and ‘Villa Paletti’ work extremely well in getting the children, relaxed, less defensive, focused and cooperative, forgetting about issues that could have prevented them joining in and having a good time. Once we have established this confidence in our activities we move on to more challenging games, often curriculum linked, that push maths or literacy based work.

These groups have now played dozens of different, challenging games that help with not only the life skills they lack but other skills that make their school life a little easier.
They have been challenged on many levels, with a wide variety of skills that have shown that many of them have a high level of intelligence, which often their exam results dispute, but that they have demonstrated on numerous occasions on a tactical and intuitive level consistently. Alongside improvements in their social skills and attention levels this makes for a powerful tool that is helping their attainment across the board.

Zombie Diaries

We began using this format only recently, looking to help with ongoing creative writing activities at the school and helping to improve literacy skills across the group. The aim is, over the period of several weeks, to have the children compose their own short story, made up of their own ideas and suggestions. This can done using any theme they wish but we use the zombie theme as an immediate attention grabber and something to turn heads. The format rolls out as follows: -

1) Play story themed games and help develop creative thinking.

2) Design and construct both cards and locations for the games.

3) Compose a short story based on the ideas they have had.

4) Design a comic based upon their own short story.

During the initial weeks of the project we play heavily themed games, whether they are zombie themed, games that encourage imaginative and descriptive play or games set in other fantasy worlds. Anything that gets their creative juices flowing!

Whilst playing all of these games the children are given prompt sheets, to suggest possible themes and ideas, and to record and write down their own ideas and suggestions for their stories.

After the first session or so we begin having the children create their own locations and cards for a game. We have them think about what it takes to make a game, what new themes they could introduce within it and what cards they can make to change what happens in the game. The game in question, based around Twilight Creations Zombies!!!, puts the children in the position of the hero in which they must escape a town before the ravenous zombies get them. Racing away from them they must play cards to help them in their escape. Each of the cards we use suggests an event or something descriptive that you would find in a story, making the children think of what they could incorporate into their own. Making their own locations could mean that their home, their school and or famous landmark makes its way into the game, giving them further food for thought.

The first child to navigate through the town and reach the helipad and fly off wins.

From this we begin working with them in creating their story. We discuss the make-up of a story, the important elements, how characters, settings, problems and resolutions make up the plot and how use of descriptions can make it change from a mundane idea into a fantastic piece of fiction.

Our last section is taking their story and reconstructing it into a comic format. We look at how we can take the essential pieces of the plot and draw the frames that speak

We have only just begun this work here and the children and already thinking and discussing what their stories will be.

We are looking to have the work displayed at the local library for the children and their parents to come down and see, getting them in to a resource that many of them won’t have visited.

Drama

The teacher for this lesson asked to work with us as she was finding engaging activities difficult to find. We came up with an idea for this lesson where we used games to help the children consider a couple of very simple points: -

1) How do I play a character and what makes that character who they are?

2) How are their thoughts different from someone else’s?

Werewolves is a story based game where everyone takes on the role of a different character within a small town or village. There are few rules and very little components to the game, the focus is on discussion and opinion.

There are several characters within the game and the goal is for the village to root out the trouble and expel it, leaving the village a safe place to live. Everyone plays their character in secret, no-one truly knowing who anyone is playing. Several of the players will have different goals but keeping your identity secret is the key to success.

Through this lesson we give each child the opportunity and act out what their character is thinking and what they would like to do. As well as helping with the game it also increases the children’s confidence in standing up and speaking out. It teaches the children to read peoples facial expressions and to listen carefully to what they are saying for clues about their identity.

It is extremely popular and we are also looking to link this into several other activities that the group had planned including mask making. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Maths

Working in this group this lesson is used to help both focus and encourage engagement within both the lesson and maths in general. It is often used as a reward for good behaviour by the group and when results for the class have deserved something special.

All the games taken into this group are focused on of course maths. Whether they are simple card games to more complex board games and puzzles, each one of them has its roots within maths and being able to apply what you have learned in class can only make you a better player in many of these games.

The children are encouraged to choose which game they wish to play and if there are friends on the table that don’t know how to play them they must teach on what they know. The teachers and assistants are great at getting involved, talking to the children about the games and how to play them well and challenging all comers to see who can win. The kids love this and often get to see a different side to the teacher when playing the games, the teacher relaxing and enjoying themselves as much as the children. That however doesn’t stop the competitive side coming out and the excitement that fills the class when the teacher loses a game to a pupil is terrific, and this happens all too often!

School clubs

During both the dinner and after school clubs, children of all ages from across the school congregate to play the games. At dinner time we can be steady or furious, depending upon the weather but there are always games being played. Many will turn up to see which new game we have brought that week and other come back to have their weekly fix of a particular favourite.

Regular challengers will turn up, waiting to have their turn in attempting to beat me in a game and a great atmosphere runs throughout the break times. The library teacher is also great at getting involved with the games and having a go. Any child wandering around soon gets a game put in front of them and before long they are enjoying their time there.

On a Wednesday evening our Dungeons and Dragons club has become a staple Wednesday event for several children within the school, many of whom will not participate in other events and are known for their lack of enthusiasm towards activities, due to shyness, a lack of confidence or other needs. This game has stirred something within them so that they never miss a session and are always there on time, staying as much as ninety minutes after school to join in the games.

Summary

Fitting in with a busy school and a full schedule can be a real challenge at any time but we pride ourselves on being flexible to fit in with any situation and get the most out of our time there.

The feedback from the teachers at Holgate High school is tremendous. We have a waiting list of teachers wanting to use us with their classes all asking when it is their turn next. The teachers regularly comment on the improved engagement and attention they see whilst the games are being played and how they help calm many of the very energetic pupils down and enable them to focus.

The cheer we receive from pupils when they realise it is their class’ turn is very rewarding as is seeing the look on a pupils face when they finally win a game after many attempts at doing so.

The work here is ongoing and we have lots of ideas in the pipeline as to what we can do next. The team here help tremendously by engaging and joining in wherever possible, leading by example.

We have several transition events between the high school and its cluster of feeder schools in which games will be seen as a tool that will allow the younger children to find familiarity with their older peers and feel comfortable in their new school. The sky is the limit, what’s next?