Engaging students in the classroom in 2024 requires a blend of creativity, innovation, and empathy. We believe in aligning schools with the Gatsby Benchmark, so that teachers can ensure students are learning as well as developing essential career skills for the future.

However, in a world full of distractions, motivating students can be challenging. Incorporating interactive technologies and gamified learning experiences can capture their interest and make the classroom more engaging.

Engaged students exhibit heightened motivation, enthusiasm, and dedication to their academic pursuits, resulting in enhanced academic performance and personal growth.

Remember, every student is unique and has different needs. By creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected, educators can cultivate a love for learning that transcends beyond the classroom walls.

 

What is the Gatsby Benchmark?

Comprising eight standards, the Gatsby Benchmark serves as a roadmap for schools. These benchmarks include ensuring a stable careers programme, leveraging career and labour market information for learning, tailoring support to individual student needs, connecting curriculum learning with real-world careers, facilitating interactions with employers and employees, providing workplace experiences, facilitating encounters with further and higher education, and offering personal guidance.

The eight benchmarks are:

• A stable careers programme
• Learning from careers and labour market information ​
• Addressing the needs of each student
• Linking curriculum learning to careers
• Encounters with employers and employees
• Experiences of workplaces
• Encounters with further and higher education
• Personal guidance

 

Strategies for student engagement

Fostering student engagement and empowering them to actively participate in their educational journey is also about ensuring they’re ready for life after school.

Throughout the following strategies, we’ve considered how each aligns with the Gatsby Benchmark.

These approaches include work experience programmes, competitions, student ambassador initiatives, environmental projects, feedback mechanisms, educational workshops, and collaborative endeavours on social projects.

 

Work experience programmes

Work experience programmes play a crucial role in bridging the gap between the theoretical knowledge acquired in the classroom and its real-world application.

By collaborating with local businesses, organisations, and school suppliers, schools can offer students the opportunity to participate in work experiences, internships, and apprenticeships.

As a result, students are exposed to various career paths, enabling them to make informed decisions about their future and develop essential skills like communication, problem-solving, and teamwork.

Furthermore, work experience programmes instil a sense of purpose and relevance in students’ studies, as they witness how their education directly translates into practical success.

This engagement also promotes a positive perception of the school’s commitment to students’ futures and strengthens ties between the institution and the community it serves.

Gatsby Benchmark check:

✅ A stable careers programme

✅ Learning from careers and labour market information

✅ Encounters with employers and employees

✅ Experiences of workplaces

 

Partner with organisations to create competitions

Take a moment to think of all the suppliers that work with your school. These suppliers could belong to a range of sectors that could add value to the curriculum by working with you to invent unique competitions to engage students.

For example, pupils could learn about the school’s catering providers and come up with a new menu based on the ingredients and facilities available.

Or they could learn about the retail and fashion sectors by hearing from the school’s uniform provider and being inspired to design a new uniform.

Involving students in the design and organisation of their school is an excellent way to foster a sense of ownership and pride in their educational institution.

Organising competitions encourages creativity and empowers students to express their individuality within established guidelines. By participating, students feel their opinions and preferences are valued, creating a stronger connection to the school’s identity and ethos.

Moreover, when students are given the chance to contribute to decisions, they’re more likely to adhere to policies willingly, leading to a more unified and harmonious school community.

Partnering with higher education providers to create competitions will also expose them to college and university environments. Therefore, they’ll also build up expectations and inspiration around what the next step in their education looks like.

Gatsby Benchmark check:

✅ Learning from careers and labour market information  ​

✅ Linking curriculum learning to careers

✅ Encounters with employers and employees

✅ Encounters with further and higher education

 

Assign student ambassadors

Student ambassadors engage students and are key to building a positive and inclusive school culture. These selected representatives act as liaisons between students, teachers, and the administration, voicing their peers’ concerns and feedback.

Additionally, they can organise events, workshops, and social activities that reflect the interests and needs of the student body, promoting a vibrant campus life.

Being a student ambassador also enhances leadership skills, communication abilities, and empathy in students.

And the responsibility of representing their peers and school boosts their engagement and commitment to both academic and extracurricular pursuits.

Gatsby Benchmark check:

✅ Addressing the needs of each student

✅ Personal guidance

 

Environmental initiatives

Empowering students to take an active role in environmental initiatives is another way to engage students. This method not only promotes sustainability but also fosters a sense of global citizenship and responsibility.

Schools can implement eco-friendly practices and projects, such as recycling programmes, energy conservation campaigns, or establishing school gardens.

Engaging in environmental initiatives brings students together to work towards a common goal, nurturing teamwork and a sense of purpose beyond traditional academic pursuits.

Moreover, environmental consciousness aligns with the values of many younger generations, making it a relevant and compelling area for student engagement.

Similarly to creating competitions, you can work with suppliers to teach students how real-world businesses are working towards achieving net zero.

Gatsby Benchmark check:

✅ Learning from careers and labour market information  ​

✅ Addressing the needs of each student

✅ Linking curriculum learning to careers

✅ Encounters with employers and employees

 

Surveys and feedback

Regularly seeking students’ opinions through surveys and feedback mechanisms is a student-centric approach to education.

Schools can collect feedback on factors such as teaching methods, curriculum, extracurricular activities, and school facilities. By valuing and acting upon students’ suggestions, schools demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement and responsiveness to their needs.

Anonymity can encourage honest responses and provide insights into areas that require attention.

When students witness tangible changes resulting from their feedback, they feel a greater sense of agency and connection with the school community.

Gatsby Benchmark check:

✅ Addressing the needs of each student

✅ Personal guidance

 

Educational workshops

Organising interactive and diverse educational workshops can inject excitement into the learning process and cater to varied student interests. These workshops can engage students by covering a wide range of subjects, including arts, sciences, technology, and life skills.

Hands-on workshops and activities promote active learning, encouraging students to engage with the subject matter beyond textbooks and traditional lectures.

Again, think about your school’s suppliers and local organisations that might like to be involved in offering their expertise. Guest speakers from different professions or higher education providers can inspire and offer valuable insights into potential career paths.

Gatsby Benchmark check:

✅ A stable careers programme

✅ Learning from careers and labour market information  ​

✅ Linking curriculum learning to careers

✅ Encounters with employers and employees

✅ Experiences of workplaces

✅ Encounters with further and higher education

 

Collaboration on social projects

Encouraging students to collaborate on social projects fosters empathy and compassion and enhances their problem-solving abilities and critical thinking skills.

Schools can partner with suppliers to identify issues that students can address through initiatives like fundraisers, awareness campaigns, or volunteering.

Collaborative social projects engage students and provide a sense of fulfilment and purpose as they witness the positive impact of their efforts on the community.

Such experiences nurture a sense of social responsibility and empower students to become active changemakers in the world.

Gatsby Benchmark check:

✅ A stable careers programme

✅ Learning from careers and labour market information  ​

✅ Linking curriculum learning to careers

✅ Encounters with employers and employees

✅ Experiences of workplaces

✅ Encounters with further and higher education