MORE THAN MINDSET: CONTRIBUTING TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR SCOTTISH EDUCATION 2024
In the past decade, Winning Scotland has supported over 2500 teachers and early years practitioners in a quarter of Scotland’s schools to develop a ‘growth mindset’ culture. Our specific focus in an education context is to explore the difference that developing growth mindset strategies can make to wellbeing and attainment.
Find out more about the More Than Mindset programme here. This report explains how developing a growth mindset culture in the classroom and wider school environment has been shown to help build resilience, self-efficacy, and self-belief, improving wellbeing for teachers and pupils.
MINDSET TEAMS IN THE SCOTTISH EDUCATION SYSTEM 2023
Mindset Teams (now known as More Than Mindset), for five years since 2018 was delivered in primary and secondary schools, typically located in the most deprived areas of Scotland. Focusing on primary schools, this research aimed to understand the impact of the Mindset Teams programme on a) children’s education and health and b) teacher's beliefs, attitudes and awareness of growth mindset and their health and wellbeing. It also aimed to explore how the programme is being delivered.
PHIRST Report 2023
Dundee report
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National Institute for Health Research (N I H R) Public Health Intervention Responsive Team (PHIRST) funded an external evaluation of our Mindset Teams programme, which was undertaken by researchers from Cardiff University and University of Bristol on behalf of the PHIRST Insight team. Key findings from this evaluation of Mindset Teams revealed:
the programme is highly valued by teachers, pupils, and wider stakeholders, providing an opportunity to support children’s education and wellbeing needs.
teacher’s attitudes and knowledge of growth mindset were shown to improve after completing the Mindset Teams training programme.
school-level data showed some indication that in Mindset Teams schools a higher percentage of pupils were achieving the expected Curriculum for Excellence level in writing, compared to those without the programme, one year later.
the importance placed on the role of the programme in supporting children’s wellbeing, with accounts of improved children’s wellbeing and social skills, enhanced engagement with learning and support for future aspirations.
embedding growth mindset within school-level policies and ensuring resource allocation were found to be key facilitators across programme uptake, delivery and sustainability in schools.
Through our Mindset in Education programme, we are creating a positive shift in pupils’ attitudes and attainment at school.
Attitudes
We surveyed 154 teachers, all of whom had taken part in one of our growth mindset professional learning programmes. When asked about pupil attitudes:
84% say pupils improved their understanding of mistakes being a learning opportunity
80% saw improvements in pupils showing persistence
83% saw improvements in pupils’ belief that effort is reflected in learning
Attainment Although there can be many factors influencing attainment, schools within Dundee taking part in our Mindset Teams programme have demonstrated improved attainment. Based on annual reported attainment data, all primary schools involved with Mindset Teams in Dundee (accounting for 67% of all primary schools in the city) reduced the attainment gap in each of the four Broad General Education attainment measures. 93% of primary schools have shown attainment improvements in writing from 2017-18 to 2018-19, while 87% have shown attainment improvements in both reading and numeracy. In addition, 80% of the secondary schools involved with the PLP have recorded annual improvements from 2017-18 in the number of pupils gaining a minimum of level 4 or 5 in literacy and numeracy.
“Mindset has made learning fun. Children are much more comfortable talking about how they learn and what dispositions they need to become successful learners. The teachers say you have to be resilient and persevere and they know what we are talking about, and it has now just become a way of life.” Jacqui McBurnie (Head Teacher), St Anthony’s Primary School, Johnstone, Renfrewshire
“The impact we have seen is that children are much more confident, they enjoy it and lead their own learning. They are open to sharing their mistakes and they are dying to tell you what they’ve done wrong, how they found out what they have done wrong and what they’re going to do to make it better.” Wendy Robinson, St Bernadette’s Primary School, Motherwell, North Lanarkshire
loving learning in scotland...
Challenging fixed mindsets to increase resilience of S2/3 pupils
Primary 6 pupils create their own growth mindset toolkit
Using the Chilli Challenge to develop a can-do attitude
Developing mathematical growth mindsets through Number Talks
Mindset Teams programme creating powerful impact in Scotland
Increasing pupil confidence in literacy using growth mindset
Pupils learn to love maths after growth mindset lessons
Whole school approach to creating a growth mindset culture
Growth mindset helps dispel myths about maths
Pupils reconnect with school after learning about growth mindset
Growth mindset is building the confidence of Dundee pupils
Motivation and practice helping secondary pupils find success in maths