School 21

Schools That Work

School 21

Public, Urban

Grades pre-K to 13

London

School 21—a public, urban school in London, U.K.—focuses on teaching 21st-century skills to prepare their students for today’s world. They achieve this through interweaving three pedagogies into their curriculum: wellbeing, the ability to speak well (or “oracy” as School 21 calls it), and project-based learning. School 21 teaches Reception through Year 11 (approximately preK-11th grade), and will ultimately serve through Year 13.

In 2016, outperformed other local schools in primary-level reading, writing, and math.
Earned 2015 Character Award from U.K. Department of Education in recognition of their work to promote student grit and resilience.
In 2014, rated “Outstanding” in all categories by U.K. Office for Standards in Education.

In a classroom, nine students are grouped around a long, rectangular table talking to each other.

Project-Based Learning (PBL)

How 3 Interlocking Pedagogies Can Change the World

At School 21, the combination of teaching wellbeing, oracy (speaking skills), and project-based learning empowers students to create exceptional work that makes a real-world difference.

Emelina Minero

Communication Skills
60-Second Strategy: Traverse Talk
This fun classroom activity helps students find their voice by teaching the basics of debate in an accessible way.
Communication Skills
60-Second Strategy: Talk Detectives
Improve the quality of class discussions by giving young kids a checklist of key things to look for when their peers talk.
Project-Based Learning (PBL)
PBL and Arts: Empowering Students to Craft Beautiful Work
See how School 21 brings cross-curricular, arts-infused project-based learning into every classroom.
Social & Emotional Learning (SEL)
How School 21 Educates the Whole Child
At School 21, students are exposed to different real-world contexts—emotionally, academically, and creatively—to discover their voice and place in the world.
Communication Skills
Oracy in the Classroom: Strategies for Effective Talk
School 21 develops confident students who can articulate their thoughts and learning with strategies like discussion guidelines and roles and structured talk tasks.
Communication Skills
Public Speaking: Oracy Skills for the Real World
Using the oracy framework -- building physical, cognitive, linguistic, and emotional speaking skills -- students learn to speak on any topic and to any audience.
Social & Emotional Learning (SEL)
Wellbeing: Developing Empathy, Emotional Awareness, and Agency
Learn how School 21 explores topics like culture, diversity, and responsibility using drama techniques, grounding texts, and controversial statements.
Project-Based Learning (PBL)
Arts-Infused Project-Based Learning: Crafting Beautiful Work
Learn how to bring cross-curricular, arts-infused project-based learning into your classroom.
Emelina Minero
Teaching Strategies
The Power of Critique and Redrafting
Create a culture of critique and redrafting in your classroom by adapting the seven-step Audience Response protocol to your subject matter and students' needs.
Ahmet Ahmet
Communication Skills
Talking in Class
Strategies for developing confident speakers who can share their thoughts and learning.
Emelina Minero
Student Voice
Oracy: The Literacy of the Spoken Word
School 21 believes oracy is as important as reading and writing, and the research supports it. From Harkness discussions to talk-rich assemblies, learn how you can integrate oracy at your school.
Oli de Botton
Communication Skills
Speaking as a Skill for Success
Through a four-part framework for public speaking, students find their voice and confidence.
Emelina Minero
Arts Integration
How to Infuse the Arts Into Core Curriculum (and Why It Matters)
Successful arts integration includes approaching your Curriculum like an artist, a rich process for a rich product, cultivating artist-researchers, and combining content with art.
Ahmet Ahmet
Social & Emotional Learning (SEL)
A Curriculum for Emotional Awareness
Learning to discuss their feelings on subjects like culture and diversity helps students develop empathy and grit.
Emelina Minero
Social & Emotional Learning (SEL)
Wellbeing: Fostering Self-Awareness and Empathy With Grounding Texts
Learn how School 21 uses literature as a gateway to explore sensitive themes, like race, bullying, and personal values.
Emelina Minero

Schools That Work

School 21

.css-1sk4066:hover{background:#d1ecfa;}60-Second Strategy: Traverse Talk

60-Second Strategy: Traverse Talk