Has anyone's school used assertive mentoring?

[neolara]

Just wondering if anyone has experience of assertive mentoring in their schools. I'm a governor of a primary school and the head is thinking of using this scheme next year. I've googled and haven't managed to find any research data on it's impact, other than what's on the assertive mentoring website (which makes it look the bees knees but is obviously produced by a biased party!). What do teachers who have used it think about it's usefulness?

Yes! We are a secondary school and have used it with great success with our year 11.

I'm an assertive mentor and I rate it.

That's very reassuring. What is it you like about it?

I like the no nonsense approach about it - the pupils respond well to the actions and consequence nature of it, especially looking at coursework elements of courses.

It's part of our cycle of meetings and school life now.

I also like that the good kids, who sometimes get overlooked, get that one on one uninterrupted time.

In the last 2 schools I have been in we have used it. The first school was early in the infancy of the initiative and whilst it did have an effect (especially on those in the middle); the school I am presently working has it working very well; using extra lessons/rewards etc

Students have a mentor whom as teachers we can pass info onto, as a form tutor I knew that my form group had someone who was focused on their academic progress so I could focus on more pastoral issues (very much a case at my school), when I was a HoY I was happy that everyone in the year group was being monitored to the fullest extent (so I knew no one was being missed).

Students have said that they know there is someone who will listen to them/advice them/give them a kick up the backside which seems especially important for those who normally don't get noticed, i.e. those who complete all tasks, behave well, attend lessons etc rather than the most able who get intervention to ensure they aim high, the lower ability whom gain extra support and those whose behaviour is not good!