Personal learning planning in health and wellbeing

Project summary

This cluster comprised of four primary schools and a nursery school in the Edinburgh area. The ASG focused on personal learning planning in health and wellbeing. The group understood that personal learning planning refers to a process rather than a product. They were clear that they should not devise a system that was too paper-intensive as this can be off-putting to staff, pupils and parents. They devised a whole school wall display, on which the pupils' individual targets could be moved towards a success line over a short period of time. Learning objectives on Exercise, Hygiene, Healthy Eating, Rest, Emotional Health and Social Health for each stage in the school were addressed. The group wanted to emphasise Assessment as Learning because pupils were setting their own learning goals (within a structured context), and identifying and reflecting on their own evidence of learning. 

Through letting the children choose their own targets and evaluating what they did, both in school and at home, independent learning was encouraged through the individual decision-making process. By seeing their progress on the wall, and by taking pictures of it, pupils had a record of evidence of their achievements and progress; by involving parents in the process, pupil motivation and self-confidence was increased.

Case study extract

We are keen to promote good health and to encourage children to become responsible for setting their own goals and targets. As part of this we set up a Health Olympics Challenge. We decided that each child’s targets would be written on a bicycle as this would suit both genders and ages. Some of the staff renewed the bikes each time and others laminated them for re-use, putting a star on the bike every time a target was achieved. The targets could be worked on in school or at home. 

Example: pupil target to have a better balance in diet 

• Added more salad and mini-fruit packs 
• Fewer sweets 
• Less cheeky at home 
• Mum notices a difference. 

Focusing on partnerships with parents, we wanted the parents to share the actions with the children and the school. The majority of parents were willing to do this and responded appropriately. Progress towards achieving the target was recorded in five steps, progressing from the ‘start’ and up the cycle track to the ‘finish’ line. 

Parents were asked to sign and date each step as the children progressed in achieving their target and to provide support and encouragement along the way. Most comments from parents of the younger children were favourable and positive, for example: 

For the older children the learning targets were discussed with the classes after which each pupil had an opportunity to highlight their own personal needs. The Primary 7 children were asked, on a one-to-one basis, about their experience with their targets.

Younger pupils needed to be taught how to manage their target, to visualise what success might mean and how they would achieve it. Record sheets were taken home with a copy of the targets so that pupils could discuss what was happening with parents. 

The extent to which pupils and parents were engaged in deciding on their targets, and then reflecting on their progress, was made clear from some of their comments.

Contact details

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