Languages

BRIDGE | Boosting tRansition from primary to secondary Innovation by DevelopinG new Educational methods and tools

“B.R.I.D.G.E. - Boosting tRansition from primary to secondary Innovation by DevelopinG new Educational methods and tools” is proposed by the Furness Academy in cooperation with three schools from Italy, Lithuania and Turkey, two parents associations from UK and Portugal, one tech partner PONTO PR from Portugal, one association of psychologists from Lithuania and one QA partner from Italy. All schools have pupils in an age range from 6 to 13 y.o., that corresponds to primary and lower secondary education.
The project aims at answering to several EU priorities. We moved from the analysis that a successful transition between different stages of education is considered one of the key
elements to early prevent school drop out and unsatisfactory results. Transition from primary to secondary school is a key point at which pupils who are experiencing socio-economic disadvantage are most likely to fall behind their peers: for this reason, BRIDGE also meets the priorities related with social inclusion. Similarly, BRIDGE will develop innovative teaching contents and tools with strong ICT components, thus answering to the challenges of innovation in digital era. Strengthening the profile of teaching profession thanks to an intensive, sustainable training addressed to staff in charge of personal development, middle leaders and school leaders will be achieved, too. STEM subjects will be the experimental area of the curriculum, contributing to reach the objectives related with the increase of levels of interest in STEM.
BRIDGE pursues the following general aims:
- Exploring innovative strategies for raising and maintaining standards across transition between primary and secondary school levels, thanks to an ensured continuity among levels;
- Contributing to reduce in the medium term the ESL and academic failure by paying particular attention to guarantee a successful transition between primary and secondary school
levels
- foster inclusion and educational success for all thanks to ICT and innovative practices
- explore policy approaches to ensure learner pathways are sufficiently flexible to create the conditions to provide appropriate guidance and support to all learners
and the following specific objectives:
- to create and validate an experimental vertical curriculum, applied to the STEM subjects, for pupils aged from 6 to 13
- directly train 40 primary and secondary teachers on effective strategies to ensure transition and continuity
- to empower parents in developing the right skills to support their pupils’ transition
- to develop pupils-friendly tools like the BRIDGE Mobile App aimed at supporting their transition period
At the end of project activities we will have reached several tangible and intangible results. Among the tangible results, 4 Intellectual Outputs (IOs) will be developed:
IO1 – Experimental Vertical Curriculum, embracing STEM subject for pupils aged from 6 to 13 y.o, equipped with lesson plans, evaluation grids, modular competences per age and per
ability
IO2 – Training course for teachers with eLearning platform on how to deliver the Curriculum correctly
IO3 – Training kit for supportive parents
IO4 – BRIDGE Mobile App, to directly support pupils during the transition phase in the “ear pupils voice” mode
Targets are:
- School staff, namely staff in charge of personal development, STEM teachers, middle leaders and school leaders
- Pupils aged 11 y.o., who are those directly affected by the transition challenges, and pupils aged between 6 and 13 y.o. who will be the target group of the Curriculum
- Parents, who needs to be prepared to support their pupils in the transition period. For this reason, a BRIDGE Training course for parents will be developed and delivered and parents are involved at all stages.

6 TPMs for coordination purposes are foreseen. Moreover, we have planned 2 joint staff training events and one blended mobility with pupils. All have a core role in the research and innovation process: we want our teachers to be trained in order to understand the different education systems on transition policies, discuss on best practices in each country, taking inspirations from other partners’ experience and share tools and methods to be included in the Curriculum. Secondly, staff and Parents Peer leaders who will have to deliver the Parents Training Kit need to acquire the right skills to do it efficiently. Finally, during the blended mobilities pupils Peer Leaders will be trained to use the BRIDGE App and on how to spread the message among their classmates, in order to reach the maximum number of engaged pupils possible. Without the Peer Leaders, the App would be perceived by the target pupils as a top-down tool.
The impact will be realized at all possible levels, also thanks to an active involvement of key players and a targeted dissemination plan. All partners engaged to act in order to reach the planned impact described in their respective countries, so to multiply it at EU level.

The Project Partners
1 Associazione Culturale Pro.m.e.t.eu.s Italy
2 ISTITUTO COMPRENSIVO FROSINONE IV Italy
3 Sehit Islam Akyuz Ortaokulu Turkey
4 Vsi "Psichologiniu ideju namai" Lithuania
5 PontoPR - Publicidade e Robótica, lda Portugal
6 Yarlside Parent Teacher Association United Kingdom
7 Associação de Pais e Encarregados de Educação do Centro Escolar Gueifães / Vermoim Portugal
8 ALYTAUS DAINAVOS PROGIMNAZIJA Lithuania