Raising Attainment with Resilience (RAWR)
The RAWR programme aims to improve resilience and reduce test anxiety levels of Year 10 pupils. The techniques learnt throughout this six-week programme will help pupils maintain their academic performance during times of challenge and pressure such as exams and assessments.
Resilience wins on the sports field, so why not in the classroom?
RAWR (Raising Attainment With Resilience) is a unique and innovative approach to a traditional outreach intervention. It takes the theory that the most resilient athletes will be the most successful and adapts the learning to a competitive academic environment to support improved attainment. With widening participation cohorts struggling significantly more with test anxiety than their more advantaged peers, RAWR uses evidence from sport psychology and builds on developing resilient behaviours to draw upon in times of stress.
A series of workshops leading up to mock exams equip selected Year 10 pupils with tools they can use in the future, replicating as closely as possible the real-life exam situation they will experience in Year 11.
The programme will be delivered in school, during the lead up to mock exams or end of term assessments. This allows for participants to develop tools to support their resilient attitudes, whilst also having a real-life application to practice with. The programme will include a reflective session following on from the assessment period, to allow participants to reflect upon how they applied the techniques learnt throughout the programme.
Evaluation is fundamental
Year on year, participant data has indicated there is a correlation between increased resilience and decreased test anxiety, which can lead to better academic performance. We can expect to see improved attainment as we continue to monitor this through HEAT tracking and school attainment data.
If you would like to find out more email: censce@ntu.ac.uk or click below to book RAWR in your school.
I have worked with the team delivering RAWR on three separate occasions over the last 4 years. The most impressive impact was on a group of relatively disengaged boys, who barely talked about the way they felt about school and exams. They left the project feeling much more confident and were able to talk much more openly to school staff about their exams, building some momentum towards their CAG process.
Deputy Headteacher, The Carlton Academy