A Thinking School is an accreditation organised through the University of Exeter. Schools are noted for the use of thinking tools. Thinking schools are a fusion of work on cognitive development and the work on managing educational change in schools.
Thinking schools adopt two or more existing thinking strategies such as Feuerstein's theory of Structured Cognitive Modifiability, Lipman's Philosophy for Children, or De Bono's Six Hat Thinking. But Thinking schools must have the written backing of governors, management, ownership by the staff and to broadcast their adoption on the school website. They must appoint a senior manager to drive the changes. The problems are institutional and schools can slide back to a 'regurgitation of information by means of timed assessment tasks' approach.[1]
The focus must embrace planning through lesson integration, assemblies, the reward system and the pastoral house system if one is in place.[2] This develops and enhances the pupil/student's self confidence, increase motivation and ultimate academic achievement.[3]