At SVP we believe that CREW is a stronger word than class. Our Crew Culture goes beyond the normal class relationships and helps us to feel stronger together, supported and challenged by our peers and to make sure we all do the best we can do.

A vital part of Crew Culture are the weekly routines and rituals which help us to develop our own thoughts and feelings and ways to support our other Crew members.

This page is dedicated to celebrating these rituals and routines and protocols.

Explaining "Protocols"

Protocols are a related, well defined set of actions and norms in our classrooms used for specific, academic and social purposes. 

They are usually in a 'step' form, e.g. first, then sequence and can be used in multiple ways, for example: editing, sharing knowledge and information, brainstorming ideas, discussing academic topics - and importantly, for the class teacher to check for understanding across everybody. In this way, we focus on 'can everybody' rather than 'who can' questions and assessment. 

Protocols also act as models for equity - they help our shy children have a voice, and can reign in an overly dominant child so that everybody has opportunities to participate fully in the learning in our crews.

We teach children protocols so that they can engage in purposeful and effective ways with assessment, making expectations visible. 

Alongside protocols, we utilise the power and influence of peers to teach our children how to give feedback that is kind, specific and helpful; and for children to welcome critique, so that they can make progress by editing and improving their work.