learning and teaching policy€¦ · web viewa ‘growth mindset’ culture ensures that all...

Learning and Teaching Policy

Ysgol Rhydygors

Progress

Independence

Employability


ContentsRationale.............................................................................................................................................. 2

Our Practice......................................................................................................................................2

The Centrality of Feedback...............................................................................................................3

Developing a ‘Growth Mindset’ Culture...........................................................................................3

Ensuring ‘Excellence’ in Teaching and Learning...................................................................................4

Leadership (School / Subject Level)..................................................................................................4

Teachers...........................................................................................................................................4

Feedback and Marking Policy...............................................................................................................6

Assessment For Learning....................................................................................................................11

Investing in Teachers – Every Teacher Consistently...........................................................................13

Good or Better................................................................................................................................... 13

Coaching Policy.................................................................................................................................. 14

Aim................................................................................................................................................. 14

Outcomes....................................................................................................................................... 14

Process........................................................................................................................................... 14

Procedures..................................................................................................................................... 15

Mentoring Policy................................................................................................................................ 17

Aim................................................................................................................................................. 17

Outcomes....................................................................................................................................... 17

What Triggers the Initiation of the Mentoring Programme?..........................................................17

Process........................................................................................................................................... 17

Procedures..................................................................................................................................... 18

Lesson Plan Proforma.........................................................................................................................20

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Rationale

At Rhydygors it is our aim to ensure that all our students have high aspirations to become the most effective learner they can be and so be successful both in and out of school. Teachers and students work in partnership to create stimulating and successful environments in which learning and achievement can flourish and all forms of effort are celebrated. We operate as a research-based community which strives relentlessly to adopt excellence in all aspects of pedagogy. Our practice is based on the work of John Hattie, Dylan Wiliams and Carol Dweck, and underpinned by three guiding principles: Learning is at its most effective when visible, both allowing students to recognise themselves as participants in

the process and ensuring teachers are monitoring the impact of their own practice (John Hattie). Teachers and students embrace every opportunity to gain feedback, using it meaningfully to reflect on and

improve engagement and progress (Dylan Wiliam). A ‘growth mindset’ culture ensures that all teachers and students understand that intelligence is not fixed and

effort and ambition are required for learning to occur (Carol Dweck).

CPD and professional dialogue ensures that all colleagues are confident in understanding how the pedagogy described by these three theorists can impact on and further improve their own classroom practice.

We also ensure that our approaches to teaching and learning drive forward standards in the following areas of National priority:- Closing the gap between Free-School-Meal and Non-Free-School-Meal students Literacy Numeracy DCF

Our Practice

Learning is at its most effective when visible“Accomplished teachers . . . focus on seeing learning through the eyes of the students, appreciating their fits and starts in learning, and their often non-linear progressions to the goals”(John Hattie, Visible Learning for Teachers, p. 20)

Teachers recognise that visible learning occurs when teachers and students seek evidence that the intended learning is occurring, allowing them to react and adjust accordingly. Careful planning ensures that opportunities for reflection (e.g. through mini-plenaries) are given throughout a lesson to assess the impact of the teaching and learning. Teachers are vigilant as to what is and what is not working in their classroom.

Teachers ensure that pace and challenge are essential features of the lesson and craft situations that match these to the context of the learning. Teachers are adaptive and recognise the need to change elements of the lesson immediately where they are not having the expected effect. Intervention is ongoing and ‘on-the-spot’ inside and outside of the classroom.

Teachers use the following areas when planning lessons to ensure that optimal conditions for learning are created: prior achievement; targeted outcomes; the rate of desired progress; and teacher collaboration

Teachers are aware of the importance of their ‘with-it-ness’ to ensure a supportive and cooperative classroom climate in which students are prepared to take risks and recognise making mistakes and the process of correction as an integral part of learning.

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The Centrality of Feedback“Pedagogy is curriculum, because what matters is how things are taught, rather than what is taught”(Dylan Wiliam, Embedded Formative Assessment, p. 52)

So that learning can be measured, teachers set carefully-constructed success criteira’s which are shared with the students and act as the ‘map’ for the lesson/s. They support students in moving towards ever more conceptual understanding such that the learning can be generalised and transferred to new contexts.

As reflective practitioners, teachers wish to gain evidence of the impact of their practice. Discussion work, questioning and students’ response to challenging tasks are all recognised as sources of such evidence.

The aim of feedback is to move the learner forward by causing thinking on their part and requiring the student to complete follow up activities to show understanding. Its focus is on how to improve, meaning that comments are more important than grades or levels.

Teachers recognise that students act as highly powerful learning resources for each other. Tasks are set which allow individual students to gain mastery in a particular area before instructing others.

Learners need to be prepared for an increasingly globalised and changing world. To achieve this, lessons give students the opportunity to become owners of their own learning through, for example, forms of self- and peer-assessment.

Developing a ‘Growth Mindset’ Culture‘No matter what your ability is, effort is what ignites that ability and turns it into accomplishment’.(Carol Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, p. 45)

Teachers emphasise effort and progress more than they emphasise ability. Students are aware that learning only occurs when effort is being made and challenge is felt. The teacher’s role is to ensure that a learner is carefully supported in achieving ever-more challenging goals. The learner’s role is to reflect on what they did, how they did it and how they felt about the challenge at various key points.

Teachers welcome and encourage error, using it to drive the learning forward and develop students’ motivation and skills. Mistakes are welcomed as important pieces of evidence to the student and the teacher and time is built into lessons for students to understand why the mistake was made and what needs to be done to overcome it.

Students recognise themselves as active participants in learning and so are supported in demonstrating the kinds of skills associated with effective learning such as resilience, resourcefulness, reciprocity and reflection.

Learners are given the opportunity to engage in deliberate practice as a way of increasing their mastery over a topic. This allows students to experience the importance of effort, protect against their forgetting and improve their ability to transfer.

Praise is geared towards the growth-orientated process.

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Ensuring ‘Excellence’ in Learning and Teaching

To ensure the consistent and effective implementation of these principles, the following roles and responsibilities will be practised at all levels of the school culture.

Leadership (School / Subject Level)

All leaders ensure the consistent practice of the policy and offer regular opportunities for its discussion. All leaders regularly evaluate the impact of teaching (through, for example, work reviews, learning walks, lesson

observations) and the efficacy of this policy. They encourage teachers to seek and discuss evidence of their practice and so improve future learning.

Professional development opportunities are geared towards allowing all teachers to learn from the very best and forward-thinking research from across the world.

Leaders recognise the shared responsibility to ensure consistently ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ teaching within and across all subjects.

Teachers

Although a particular model of teaching is not prioritised, the L.E.A.R.N model provides a basic support framework for teachers when planning their lessons. This outlines minimum expectations in a Rhydygors lesson and gives examples of how this can be achieved. (See lesson plan proforma.)

Teacher Planning

In order to ensure all pupils are appropriately challenged in lessons, all teachers consider the use of the following pedagogical principles to ensure all pupils reach their full potential and are challenged appropriately. (Challenge Mindset Principles)

(a) Questioning to deepen thinking – Blooms Taxonomy, thinking time, pose / pause / pounce / bounce, no hands up.

(b) Modelling opportunities – What makes one piece of work better than another? Unpick a piece of work using success criteria, the use of the expert pupil, demonstration.

(c) Reflection / Meta-cognition / Feedback opportunities – Peer and self-marking, formative assessment and tasks set through DIRT time, reflection on the thinking process, teacher and pupil discuss work and set targets for improvement.

(d) AFL in addition to questioning – Eliciting information from students and using it to inform teaching, show-me boards / quizzes / socrative, tasks, giving formative feedback through DIRT time to move learning on, sharing success criteria so pupils know what they need to do to succeed.

(e) Scaffolding to support learning – Sentence starters, differentiated work, IEP targets, support from another pupil.

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(f) Pupil-led opportunities – Use of the expert pupil, task choice, pupils setting the success criteria, pupils working in a different way / on a different task. Activities give the learners opportunity to lead on and direct the learning.

(g) Transfer of learning opportunities – Application of learning to examination question, application of the skill in another learning context.

(h) On the spot intervention – Post-it-note feedback, dot to indicate a pupil needs to re-look, verbal feedback to pupils.

(i) Personalised learning – Choice of activity / task, DIRT time activities personal to the pupil, pupils create success criteria, digital technology to support this in the classroom.

(j) Explicit links to Numeracy, Literacy and Digital Competency.

Rhydygor’s new lesson plan proforma focuses heavily on the rationale for the selection of a learning activities towards a success criteria, and its impact on pupils learning. Activities / tasks are never just a time filler and timing should be organised so that pupils always ‘get on to’ the more challenging work in a lesson. Each learning activity has a clear link to the learning objectives on the success criteria, with the student requiring increased mastery of the learning and independence as the lesson progresses.

Teachers will also demonstrate:-

A purposeful and prompt start with engagement occurring immediately. A Class Improvement Plan where relevant to list any additional strategies being adopted with

underachieving students.. Over the course of the lesson, the teacher speaks to every student to some extent as a way of supporting

inclusivity. Feedback is given regularly and in line with the school’s principles. This is further exemplified in the

updated marking policy.

Teachers are aware of the need to challenge while supporting the students individual needs. Teachers use their knowledge of the class, their own subject and the context of the lesson to ensure maximum

engagement and that progress of all students is at least good. Teacher use all opportunities within the school to develop their reflective practitioner skills and improve their

ability to evaluate the learning which occurs within their classroom.

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Feedback and Marking Policy

The school’s approach to feedback is underpinned by the work of Dylan William and John Hattie in this area. We aim to employ feedback as a ‘recipe for future action’, informing both the students’ progression and as a tool for teachers to ascertain how effective their teaching has been. The following guidance should be adhered to when giving formative feedback to the students regarding their ongoing work towards a final assessment. These principles should operate irrespective of the medium through which the feedback takes place (e.g. written, verbal, recorded). Teachers should ensure that there is evidence of this approach in students’ books. The principles will also direct any process of book scrutiny within the school.

Principle Rationale What it might look likeFeedback is specific and linked to the success criteria itself, ‘quoting’ an element of it.

William’s research shows that feedback has more impact when explicit reference is made to something the student has actually done in their work.

Quoting the work allows for a higher level of personalisation of the comment.

Reference to the L.O. and/or success criteria and how well the student has demonstrated it in their work.

The teacher could use a highlighter to focus on an aspect of the work and then commenting on it in detail.

Feedback provides a level of challenge, appropriate to the student.

Hattie states: ‘The art of effective teaching is to provide the right form of feedback at, or just above, the level at which the student is working’.

Feedback should move the learning on. Ongoing challenge achieves this and also supports the student in becoming more resilient and in benefiting from the positive emotional reaction of being successful.

Students could be asked to complete metacognition work (e.g. ‘What does this mean?’ ‘Why have you done this in this way?’) to explain both success and failure.

The use of exam marking criteria to set challenging targets.

Providing material for a student to complete more revision work in an area where a skill is under-developed.

Feedback requires a follow up activity.

By completing the follow up activities, the student indicates their deeper understanding of the skills the teacher has identified as needing to focus on whether

Use of D.I.R.T. (Directed Improvement and Reflection Time) to give response time to the students and allow the student to complete follow up activities.

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this is to challenge the pupil or support them in the achieving the existing objectives set in the lesson.

Where students do not understand the feedback, it could be linked to specific tasks for them.

Feedback will be developed in Rhydygors School in 2018-2019 through:

1. Improving the impact of teacher’s marking by ensuring consistency within and across each subject in the approach described below.

2. Developing self and peer-assessment against success criteria, with students being encouraged to use the example of teacher’s feedback in their book.

3. Developing students’ confidence in self-assessing their own work in terms of learning objectives and success criteria and in a way which shows awareness of the principles described above.

The School’s Approach to Marking and Feedback

The school’s approach to marking is to ensure that areas for correction or development in a student’s exercise book are identified by the teacher in a consistent, transparent and efficient way. It should also allow the student to know how well they have achieved and what they have to do to make progress.

Marking / Feedback Requirements

Teachers should be responding to and marking work completed in each student’s book every six lessons, using peer and self-assessment in between a formative assessment tool. This marking will be known as deep / high impact marking (see guidance below). Peer and self-assessment should be demonstrated by pupils and always related to a success criteria/learning objectives. Deep / high impact marking from the teacher will be completed in green.

Peer and Self-Marking:

For peer and self-marking to be successful we need to develop a positive framework that encourages all students to feel confident enough to make purposeful contributions to the process.Some pupils will still crave the teacher‘s expert advice, therefore to promote independence it is essential to generate clear success criteria for the students to mark against (this will reduce the chance of students making simple or generic comments which are not useful for student progression). This will promote key skills, whilst allowing the student to take greater ownership over their work. It will also allow students to identify areas of strengths and areas of development in their peers work, allowing for students to progress their work further

Pupils should use a red or puprle pen to complete self-marking, peer-marking and D.I.R.T time correction activities. Pupils are provided with clear success criteria to model good teacher marking.

Marking Notation and Symbols

The following symbols should be used. All students will be given this information as it will be in the front of their books.

Code What it is used forsp Spelling

Circle around an error7


Positive / Correct

AA Adult AssistedIW IndependentVF Verbal Feedback? Unclear

Correcting all errors can be counter-productive, especially with the less able, so it is advisable to restrict the number of corrections, for example 5 errors in total for pupils to focus on.

Deep / High Impact Marking

This feedback is crucial in ensuring that learning is driven forward in each subject area. All teachers will base their feedback on the following What Went Well and Even Better If features. This feedback should be Formative in style in order to move pupils learning on.

WWW What went well? / Good features of the work

EBI What are you striving to improve? / Even better if / Target

Through these features it is crucial that students understanding where they have made knowledge-based or conceptual errors in their work or/and mistakes with the application of a skill. Teachers ensure that their comments demonstrate the principles of effective feedback described above:

Be specific and linked to the task itself, ‘quoting’ an element of it. Provide a level of challenge, appropriate to the student. Be related to the learning context of the lesson (e.g. refer to the Learning Objective and/or success criteria). Use the student’s name as part of the commentary. Include a Growth Mindset Effort comment

D.I.R.T Time (Directed Improvement and Reflection Time)

After the teacher has marked a pupil’s book they are given appropriate DIRT time to correct their work. In addition to the What Went Well and Even Better If feedback every teacher should give a question or instruction to correct the part of their work that has been identified by their teacher and respond to this question / action / instruction. By considering this as they mark, the teacher ensures that each student is given an appropriately challenging target to respond to and one which will take the same amount of time for them to complete as the feedback given to other students in the class.

Evidence of a response to this question / action instruction by the student must be made in red or purple pen. Where feedback is verbal, students should be given the opportunity to write it down and checked for understanding by the teacher or the VF code should be used.

This is the minimum requirement for all teachers in order to move pupils ‘learning on’ and will be seen in 8


every book at Rhydygors.

Audio Marking and FeedbackWhen audio feedback is given to pupil’s teachers must ensure that a copy of this is saved centrally for future reference. This file should be saved using the date and pupils name in a secure area. Audio feedback will follow the same Motivated to Strive system and digital work will demonstrate the response to teacher feedback through a number of drafts.

Assessment For Learning

Assessment for Learning has been defined as ‘the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where their learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there’ (Assessment Reform Group 2002).

Assessment for learning differs from assessment of learning.Assessment of learning refers usually to summative assessment where students work is levelled or graded especially for reporting and monitoring pupil progress. It is essential that assessment of learning is structured and standardised between classes so that accurate monitoring of pupil progress can take place.

Principles of Assessment for Learning Policy

Assessment for Learning is central to our view that students must have a clear understanding of their current attainment levels and moreover what they need to do to improve. Assessment for Learning improves pupil involvement in their own learning and improves their confidence.

Key to achieving both of these is the identification of learners’ strengths and areas for development. This is achieved through effective assessment techniques and ensuring that pupils are fully involved in the process. To make progress, pupils must know:

where they are in the learning continuum. where they need to go. how best to get there.

To be successful, learners need to gain an understanding of the specific learning goals. They must understand and be taught success criteria. Therefore, they can develop their capacity for self and peer assessment, supported by their teacher. In this way, pupils can establish where they are, set targets and move towards them. They can also recognise if and when the targets have been achieved.

In addition, assessment that is planned and integral to the curriculum is likely to provide the most useful information about performance for assessment of learning. This, in turn, helps teachers to be more consistent and confident in making judgements at the end of each year for reporting purposes and at end of the key stage.

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All teachers need to be involved in ensuring assessment is based on a shared understanding and is secure and consistent. In order to achieve this, ways teachers can work together on teaching, learning and assessment, which might include:

Joint planning. Using programmes of study to agree objectives for learning, teaching and assessment. Developing of common activities focused on agreed objectives. Sharing ideas on scaffolding the learning and giving feedback on progress made and what needs to be done to

improve. Discussing and assessing work to develop shared expectations of performance. Moderating a range of work of individual learners to enable more secure and consistent judgements.

Aims of Assessment for Learning: Assessment should aid pupils to fully achieve their academic potential and develop the skills that they will need

to make a positive contribution to society. Assessment, both formal and informal, should complement and reinforce the delivery of the curriculum. It

should enable the learning needs of individual students to be identified and allow future teaching and learning strategies to be designed.

Assessment should comment on individual progress and achievement and provide students with meaningful information which will help them to understand what they need to do to improve.

Assessment should involve a range of techniques both formal and informal, summative and formative carried out by the teacher, the pupils and their peers.

Assessment and reporting are an integral part of the link between the school and parents and should provide parents with meaningful information on their children’s performance.

Standardisation and moderation should result in consistent assessment for learning between subjects.

Planning For AssessmentWhen planning for assessment, it is important to begin with the end in mind – what will success look like and how can this be communicated to students. In addition to this, a clear idea of what students can produce in order to demonstrate their learning needs to be considered carefully.

At our school teachers: use exemplars of good practice to demonstrate what successful learning looks like so that students have a clear

idea of what they are aiming for. use learner-centred, differentiated success criteria at the start of a topic (lesson / series of lessons) so that students

have a clear understanding of outcomes – skills, knowledge or understanding. use pupil friendly level / grade descriptors (rubrics ladders) to help pupils see progression. Include more positive comments than areas for development to help build students’ self-esteem. Ensure that students will be clear on how work will be assessed (assessment criteria).

Demonstrating Learning Pupils often need exemplars to show them good practice and levels that they could achieve. Teachers may model desired outcomes to guide pupils to improvement

Feedback for Learning

High quality feedback both written and oral identifies pupil success; it rewards and challenges pupils. In addition feedback helps to identify the next step and is at the heart of successful Assessment for Learning.

Students’ understanding of target objectives and the associated success criteria are crucial if feedback is going to be meaningful.

The teacher always plays an important role in providing feedback. The capacity for student self and peer assessment needs to be developed. In this way, they can establish where they are, set and move towards targets and recognise if and when the targets have been reached.

DIRT time allows pupils to act on the feedback they are given in order to improve their work.

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At our School, teachers: Explicitly share assessment criteria with students encourage students to check their progress against the target objectives receive feedback from their teacher to help them understand their progress against the objectives and consider

next steps provide oral feedback to individual students during the process encourage students to respond to feedback and record individual targets or next steps provide quality written, constructive comments that help students to move forward with their learning. Include more positive comments than areas for development to help build students self esteem Use effective guided questioning during plenaries to enable learners and teachers to evaluate the learning that has

taken place during the lesson Facilitate the use of self-assessment to enable students to better analyse their own work against assessment

criteria. Facilltate the use of peer assessment to enable students to better analyse their classmates work against

assessment criteria.

The advantages of Assessment for Learning to students is: They will understand clearly where they are on the learning process and what they need to do next to improve. They will have a clear understanding of the assessment criteria. They will be able to assess their own work as they will have a clear understanding of the assessment criteria. They will gain confidence and self-esteem as a learner. They will get increased motivation to improve They will be able to gauge their progress against that of peers.

Investing in Teachers – Every Teacher Consistently Good or Better

Our aim at Rhydygors School is to ensure that every teacher is consistently good or better in the classroom and that excellent impact on learning is evident. In order to improve the quality of Learning and Teaching at Rhydygors, a personalised professional development approach for teachers ensure that best practice can be shared and areas for improvement developed through a variety of opportunities:-

(1) The use of Performance Management to focus on the development of a Learning and Teaching, Growth Mindset principle, based on previous lesson observations and feedback.

(2) A menu of CPD workshops at part of the teaching and learning meetings as well as external providers.

(3) Drop in sessions made available so teachers can ‘drop in’ to other teachers lessons to observe best practice.

(4) The development of lesson study, allowing teachers to take part in joint planning, observation and continuous professional dialogue to improve the impact on learners.

(5) Whole School INSET training to support Whole School priorities, such as ‘developing relationships with learners.’ The use of teach meet and speed dating activities to share best practice.

(6) A coaching programme offered as a professional entitlement to all staff to improve practice.

(7) A mentoring programme to support unsatisfactory teachers to improve practice pre-competency.

(8) The use of ‘magpie’ visits to discover best practice in other Schools.

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Coaching PolicyAim

To create a transparent and inclusive coaching programme that supports professional growth for all staff through

reflective practice.

Outcomes Staff view coaching as an integral part of professional development

Assignment of coaches are selected by the coachee through a choice of SLT members and hopefully teachers

which have been guided by the Leader of learning and experience.

Professional dialogue is initiated and improvement in an identified area of practice is evident.

Process

What is coaching?

In a coaching relationship, the coach will ask questions in order to unpick the needs of the coachee and identify

strategies or approaches to move them forward. It is normal for the coachee to do the majority of speaking (+ 70%) in a

coaching meeting. It is extremely rare for the coach to offer solutions or strategies directly.

Is the coaching programme open to everyone?

Every member of staff is entitled to a coach. New staff will be encouraged to have access to a coach within their first

year.

Can anyone be a coach?

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The role of a coach is particularly skilled. Only staff who have completed training with the Leader of Learning and experience and external courses can become coaches. Coaches will be allocated on a best-fit basis depending on the needs of the coachee.

What are possible topics or areas for coaching?

Coaching support can be applied to any area of professional development both in and outside the classroom. Possible

areas of focus include:

Career development;

Classroom practice;

Behaviour management;

Is there a role for mentoring within the programme?

As part of the coaching process, the coach and coachee may identify the need for mentoring to address a specific area

of development. In this case, the coach will help identify a suitable mentor with the necessary experience required.

All new staff will be allocated a mentor as part of their school induction programme, which will usually be the Leader of

Learning and Experience.

Will any staff be instructed to have a coach?

No! The key foundation of the programme is that it is driven by staff and their own personal needs for professional

development. Mentoring however, will be recommended, and implemented as part of a support programme, in those

situations where there are concerns in regard to a member of staff’s capability to perform their role.

How will the impact of the programme be measured?

The Coaching programme will be reviewed on a half-termly basis. The review process will consider both staff up-take

and feedback regarding outcomes. The content and nature of discussions within coaching meetings will remain

confidential.

Procedures

What should I expect within a coaching relationship?

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The specific details and content of a coaching relationship are set out in the relevant Coaching support documents. (See

Appendix)

Coaching entitlement for the Coachee

Coaching Action log

The coaching contract

At the first meeting, both parties must agree the key issues as set out in the Coaching contract (see Coaching support

documents).

Action log

An Action Log should be completed at the end of each meeting as an aide memoir for the Coach. It should include:

A brief summary of the meeting

Actions to be undertaken by the coachee if appropriate.

Arrangements for the next meeting.

Both parties must agree how this will be used and reviewed. An Action Log template is included with the Coaching

support documents.

VenueMeetings should take place in an agreed area which feels neutral.

Timing and programme length

The duration of coaching relationship is variable and depends on the participants. Relationships may last across a half-

term or a whole year. Individual meetings should last for between 30 and 40 minutes. It is suggested that meetings are

scheduled for the end of the day to avoid distractions.

Confidentiality

The content of coaching relationships should remain confidential. There may be situations however, where issues arise

that must be shared in line with safeguarding rules.

Professionalism

In order for the coaching relationship to be successful, certain levels of professionalism, (phones off, punctuality etc.)

must be agreed.

What happens if the relationship is not productive?

The coachee has the power to end the coaching relationship at any point if they feel it is not productive or helpful.

How to apply for a coach

Staff who are interested in being coached should contact the Leader of Learning and Experience.

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Managing the programme

The Leader of Learning and Experience is responsible for overseeing and managing the programme.

Mentoring PolicyAim

To create a transparent, tailored and inclusive mentoring programme that supports professional development and

improvement in learning and teaching practice. The programme itself will be bespoke to the participant’s areas for

improvement.

Outcomes To improve the identified areas for development specific to the participant

To support the participant to meet the required standard of teaching expected at Rhydygors.

To ensure an improved quality of learning for students at Rhydygors.

What Triggers the Initiation of the Mentoring Programme?

A lesson observation, work review, attainment data or evidence of standards achieved in the classroom deemed as requiring significant improvement cannot be ignored. In this instance:-

The teacher is given in-depth feedback by the SLT line manager, giving specific feedback on the areas for development.

The SLT line manager for that member of staff observes a subsequent lesson or focused work review to confirm the areas of improvement.

If there are still significant concerns following the second lesson observation or following work review, the teacher is given the option of taking part in a six week mentoring programme instead of informal capability procedures outlined by ERW and the official capability procedures being triggered.

How will the impact of the programme be measured?

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A teacher will have successfully completed the Mentoring Programme once standards have visibly improved in teaching

and learning to a adequate level. The Participant will be formally observed by the Leaders of Learning, following the 6

weeks mentoring programme. A work sample will be submitted and the member of SLT will discuss progress with the

Participant and the Mentor. A teacher making progress will be encouraged to continue support through the Coaching

Programme to continue to build on best practice to get to a good or better level.

Process

What is mentoring?

A mentoring relationship is different to that of a coaching arrangement. In a mentoring relationship, the mentor is likely

to provide more direct support based on their own experiences and suggest strategies to move the mentee forward.

Can anyone take on the role of a mentor?The role of a mentor is vital in supporting the participant to improve practice. Only members of the Learning and

Teaching team who have been trained as coaches can fulfil this role.

What is involved in the Mentoring Programme?

The mentor will work closely with the Participant to improve the identified areas for development. The following

development strategies will be completed:-

The Participant will choose a Mentor from the Teaching and Learning team.

The Participant will be given information on where he or she can seek out further counselling through

appropriate teacher networks should they feel that this would be beneficial to them.

The Participant will watch 2 full lessons across the School in order to observe best practice in their area for

improvement.

The Participant will record findings from the observation and share these through a discussion with the

Mentor.

The Participant and Mentor will use these best practice examples to jointly plan two lessons. The lesson study

model is recommended as an effective approach for this.

The Mentor will be present for all or part of the lesson in order to give the participant feedback.

The Mentee will be encouraged to read and reflect key material linked to their targets.

Final Observation to be conducted by the Leaders of learning. Other indications of performance would include:

book sampling within the lesson observation; work reviews and opportunities for the Participant to share other

evidence of improvement over the programme (e.g. changes to practice; developments of feedback in pupils’

books; standards achieved by pupils).16


The Mentor can support the Participant further through additional intervention / attendance at CPD events / visits

to other Schools as appropriate, with the process described above being the minimum requirement.

Procedures

The mentoring contract

At the first meeting, the participant must agree to the targets and actions outlined by the Mentor and Assistant

Headteacher with responsibility for Learning and Teaching. The target should be directly linked to the ‘areas of

improvement’ identified on the lesson observation feedback or work reviews.

Action log

An Action Log should be completed at the end of each meeting by the Mentor. It should include:

A brief summary of the meeting

Actions and targets which are achievable and meaningful, directly linked to the learning of the student.

Next steps and possible further support

Venue

Meetings should take place in an agreed neutral place.

Timing and programme length

The mentoring programme will be completed within six weeks and will provide a minimum of six 45 minute sessions of

support through the observation of best practice, joint lesson planning and lesson observation by the Mentor, work

reviews with mentor, including feedback to move the Mentee forward. Meetings are organised at the convenience of

the Mentor and Mentee. SLT are committed as much as possible to provide time for these meetings should the

Mentor/Mentee require further support.

Confidentiality

The content of Mentoring relationships should remain confidential.

Managing the programme

The Leaders of Learning and Experience is responsible for overseeing and managing the programme.

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Lesson Plan Proforma

Lesson PlanningSupport Booklet

2018 – 2019 Using DR ICE as a

Learning and Teaching Tool

Our aim at Ysgol Rhydygors is to help students to become independent and resilient learners. DR ICE is a tool which can help us to achieve this.

DR ICE can be used as a planning and reviewing tool:1. Planning Tool

a. Try to ensure that the DR ICE principles are employed in individual lessons and throughout schemes of learning.

i. Use the “Questions to ask in lesson planning/ reviewing” in each section overleaf when planning your schemes of learning.

ii. Ask the same questions of lessons you are planning.iii. Try to embed some of the strategies from each section of the booklet into

lessons. Over the course of a scheme of learning, try to vary the strategies.

2. Reviewing Toola. Review existing schemes of learning, lesson resources or lesson plans against the DR

ICE principles. Tweak or transform them accordingly.18


b. Use when reviewing your own lessons. Use the questions in each section to evaluate your own lesson. What went well? What could be better?

c. Use the same questions when observing other lessons and peer observations if you want to team up with another teacher in the school.

Notes:The questions in each section are not prescriptive. You wouldn’t necessarily be able to answer “yes” to every one of the questions in every lesson, but you would want to be able to do so over the course of a few lessons.Similarly, you wouldn’t be expected to use all of the strategies – even over a scheme of learning. But, it’s always good to try something new.

Some strategies sometimes overlap the DR ICE principles. Often, for example, a strategy which deepens thinking, is also challenging for more able pupils and engages. When reviewing a lesson, don’t worry too much about this. If a strategy hits more than one of the principles, all the better!

Deepening Thinking

Deepening thinking means …Using tasks and strategies in lessons (including questioning) to deepen the thinking and understanding of students beyond shallow to deepQuestions to ask in lesson planning.Do students build on what they already know?Have pupils been given time to apply their learning, rather than repeat or copy?Is there opportunity for collaborative talk?Are students probed further and expected to justify, explain, and clarify through higher order questioning?Is appropriate time given for thinking?Some strategies which could be used …

Using “big picture” questions to start topics – revisited over the scheme of learning. A “key question” used to start each lesson – revisited throughout the lesson Use open questions: instead of ‘what is the name of this athlete?’ Try asking ‘can anyone explain why

this athlete was in the news this week?’ Ranking card sort (collaborative learning technique): To ensure pupils justify why they have ranked

each card in that order. Thinking continuum (line-up of pupils from agree to disagree) Questioning using Blooms Taxonomy

Remembering & UnderstandingWhat is….?Can you list…?Explain why…?How does…?

Applying and AnalysingHow would you use…?Where else would you see…?What caused…..?How many ways can…?

Evaluating and CreatingWhat are the strengths of…?What do you think about?Can you predict…?What is an alternative to…?

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Think outside the box (collaborative learning technique) to pre-plan questions on a certain topic.

Ask students to make connections, sort or prioritise ideas - and then explain! (e.g. Diamond 9, Venn diagrams etc)

Student could transform information (e.g. draw a concept, reduce to key words etc) Inference grids (e.g. What can I see?; What do I know?; What can I infer? etc)

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Role ModellingRole-modelling means …

Teacher or student modelling techniques, processes, language, behaviours and / or exemplar work.

Questions to ask in lesson planning/ reviewingDo students know what a good piece of work looks like? Do they understand what they are trying to achieve?Do they have the opportunity to unpick excellence?Do the students know how the solution has been reached (i.e the process, not just the answer)?Are students used as experts? Do they demonstrate their learning?Are students pushed to use correct and ambitious vocabulary? Does the teacher role model this?Does the teacher role model mistakes being made etc to promote a resilient learning environment?Some strategies which could be used …

Teacher-led or student-led exemplification Demonstrations/ Examples Mock/ model answers Writing frames/ sentence starters Partial solutions/ improve someone else’s work Model the attitude you want to see from students: make mistakes for them to spot, admit when you

don’t know etc Metacognition – Get students to discuss how they learn/ how they reached a conclusion. Build

independence so that they can understand how they learn. Visualiser - to demonstrate excellent sections of a pupils work. Pull out why successful in order to

create pupil friendly success criteria. To share responses.

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IMPACT ON LEARNINGImpact on learning means …Using strategies to check the progress and understanding of students in lessons and to ensure good or better progress is made by all learner groups. It involves using AFL strategies effectively.Questions to ask in lesson planning/ reviewingAre AFL strategies used to track and accelerate student progress? Are strategies and tasks effective in enabling students to achieve?

Is AFL used effectively to deal with any misconceptions and the lesson adapted appropriately?

How do the students know if they have made progress?Do activities match success criteria?Is there opportunity to re-draft / improve work? Is reflection time / DIRT time built into the lesson?Are students given the opportunity to demonstrate prior learning and learning from the current lesson?Are students, teachers and learning coaches aware of current and predicted grades/levels and their steps for improvement?Does oral feedback and marking enable students to know how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve? Are students consistently encouraged to take note of feedback / respond? How well does the feedback develop students’ ability to assess their own and their peers’ performance? Does assessment information inform future planning?

Some strategies which could be used … Using a challenging learning objective and/or success criteria can help to signpost the learning, to keep the lesson focussed,

and to review learning at stages in the lesson. This does not mean that the objective need to be copied down by students or overtly shared in every lesson.

Learning conversations (incorporate time for dialogue in some lessons) Peer-assessment against success criteria Self-assessment against success criteria Allow students to measure progress within a lesson and over a series of lessons Students to create own revision tools Re-drafting work Students to use Personalised Learning Checklists to track learning

Plenaries are a great way to assess understanding:Mini-plenaries can be built into the main body of lessons.Assess understanding against the lesson objective / success criteria.Act upon misunderstandings, errors and lack of understanding arising in plenaries

Plenaries and Mini-Plenaries (AFL) can include:Mini-whiteboard quizzes; Q&A; post-it exercisesThumbs up/ thumbs down (and responses probed with questioning)Checking the work of pupils while moving around the room.Green and red card for mini-plenaries;Post-it notes for quick feedback, plenary tasks, “on the way out” tasksMini-whiteboards and pens for activities which engage all studentsVisualiser to show students’ work and for both students and teacher to modelExit passes

Incorporate effective feedback time into every lesson. Ensure that all feedback moves learning on. Do not focus on the quantity but the quality Use regular verbal feedback and questioning to impact learning. Use DIRT time to address any misconceptions or further challenge pupils. Use peer and self-assessment to give pupils the responsibility to improve their own and peer’s work.

Ensure that pupils understand the importance of demonstrating ‘pride in their work’ through responding to feedback and doing their best in lessons.

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Challenge (Challenging Expectations)

Challenging expectations means …Ensuring the strategies used in lessons stretch students of all abilities, whilst supporting them so that all can achieve.Questions to ask in lesson planning/ reviewing

Is the level of challenge appropriate for every student?

Are all students stretched? Are they supported when necessary?Are students challenged in each stage of the lesson (no time-wasting, filler activities)?Are students encouraged to find the answers for themselves?Are there some students are completing different / more challenging work than other students?Do MAT complete work they are capable of achieving?

Some strategies which could be used …Consider for each student, are they working in the “stretch zone”?

Strategies to ensure challenge for all:Important principle – differentiate for challenge first! i.e. make the learning challenging and then consider how support/ differentiation can be built in for those who need it. Rather than providing learning activities which are too easy for many and then just adding an extension task at the end!

Stretching activities that have a risk of ending in failure (if carefully managed) – to build resilience Metacognitive learning (students thinking about their own thinking/ learning) – e.g. personal learning checklists Independent working (activities which build resilience, rather than reliance on the teacher) e.g. research and presentations

– but ensure there is challenge! Set clear time limits for activities (this will also improve engagement/ pace); this can also be done for stages of a task – e.g.

“you have 2 minutes to complete this part of the mind-map” (Use a time that students can see) Effective questioning that deepens thinking Five closing the gap strategies between potential and performance. Everyone writes / Everyone thinks / No opt out /

Stretch it / Right is right.

Specific strategies to ensure challenge for all: Menus/ chilli ratings for students to select challenges appropriate for them: the chilli ratings get hotter as the task becomes

more challenging. Takeaway Homework with a choice of homework tasks with varying chilli ratings Group work (if well-structured and well-organised) Pupils leading part of a lesson / preparing and delivering teaching resources Using pupils as the expert pupil to explain to other pupils. Jigsaw activities (more able groups given more challenging activities – all groups feedback) Using a challenge wall. Differentiated tasks On the spot intervention – giving pupils something tougher to complete. Pirozzo grids allowing pupils to select more challanging tasks. High expectations through success criteria.

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Engagement

Engagement means …Ensuring that all learners are engaged in their learning throughout lessons.

Questions to ask in lesson planning/ reviewingIs every student engaged in their learning at all times (on-task)? Is a positive attitude to learning encouraged?Is there variety in lessons (have you tried something new recently?)Are all activities appropriate and related to learning objective?Is the lesson appropriately paced and chunked? Is the pace well-matched to learners’ needs to ensure depth and stretch?Do the students know why they are doing the activities? (Can they see the point?)Are all students involved during questioning? (Including writing, listening, responding etc)

Some strategies which could be used …Strategies to engage all in:The 5 effective questioning strategies to ensure all pupils think and are prepared to answer a question. These include:

Everyone Writes Everyone Thinks No Opt out Right is Right Stretch it.

Strategies to improve collaborative group work.Use the 6 Collaborative strategies including:- Think outside the boxRanking to deepen thinkingRotating papersIdea showeringPost it and share.

Strategies to improve pace: Limit teacher talk Minimise transition time (e.g. starter as soon as the pupils enter classroom) Use “chunking” (break up activities -and use a timer)

Strategies to motivate students: Add a competitive element to lessons (first to …./ who can find the most of …? etc) Use rewards for effort/ achievements (intrinsic rewards & the school rewards system) Teacher enthusiasm/ quick feedback from the teacher Effective feedback strategies that engage learner (that require a response) Explaining the purpose of the work (students need to see that it is worthwhile) Use of technology (e.g. Kahoot, YouTube, Quizlet) Sense of achievement (tell GCSE students that they will be answering an A Level Q)

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Starter (for immediate engagement): Film clips/ music/ images (e.g. use a close up – what is the image?)/ challenges/ mystery or surprise/

intriguing question/ puzzle/ use of artefacts etc

Engaging starter activities (and some can also be used as plenaries):

Bingo (answers to questions can replace numbers) Mini-whiteboards Q&A Taboo; Guess Who; Pictionary etc (use/adapt TV game shows and board games Dominoes (all students given a domino; answer to a previous student’s question on one side of a

domino and next question on the other side; all students involved) Here’s the answer. What’s the question? You have to know that! – In pairs, come up with 3 questions (easy, medium and difficult) that you

think the class should know the answer for. 8-a-day – e.g. maths: Today’s number is 615. 1. Write it; 2. Draw it; 3. Add 3; 4. Add 25; 5. Subtract 5;

6. Subtract 17; 7. Next 3 even numbers; 8. Next 3 odd numbers 12-a-day – e.g. Languages: 1. Translate into English; 2. Conjugate it into first person present tense; 3.

Find the past participle etc… Create a formula for … (e.g. “happiness”) Comparison columns – similar/ different; causes/ consequences etc … is like … because … (e.g. Henry VIII is like an onion because …) Prove it! – One half of the class prove … The other half prove the opposite. Would you rather be … or … ? (e.g. Norman or Viking etc) Who would win in a fight? (e.g. in ICT it could be IOS or Windows?) 5-3-1 – Describe 5 ideas (most important of something); Explain 3 of them; Justify 1 Find fault and fix (i.e. find the mistakes and correct) Odd one out (find the odd one out – and explain why) Can you link … and …? (How many different ways?) Show a photo: What’s the story? VBQ (Very Best Question) – What are all the questions you’d like to ask of … e.g. a person, concept,

etc

Remember that students retain more learning when more they are more engaged in active/ participatory activities.

So, try to incorporate more active methods into schemes of learning: VARIETY IS KEY

LESSON PLANNING PROFORMA – CHALLENGE MINDSET

25Lesson Context:


Name: Date: Lesson: No in class: Boys / Girls:

Class Make-up (FSM/LAC, etc….) Class:

Part 1 – Link :Starter Activity

Part 2 - EstablishLearning Objective (1 only)Part 3 - AchievePupils’ Learning / Activity Teacher input

Time

Part 4 - Plenary / Review – Pupils demonstrate their learning / Evaluation of progress against learning objective and success criteria / how we have learned?

Part 5 - Next Steps – The bigger picture / Where next?

Lesson planning proforma 2018Where you will see it

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AFL


DDeepeningThinkingBlooms TaxonomyFive Questioning StrategiesThinking timeBounce

RRole ModellingUnpick an excellent piece of workLanguage role modelExpert pupilDemonstrationIImpact on PupilsHow do groups of learners progress?How do you know / check? AFLNumeracy / Literacy/ DCF/ Problem solvingTask / Target / TimeCChallengeDifferentiationOn the spot interventionPupil ledCollaborative techniquesApplication / TransferStretch it

EEngagementVarietyInteractiveGood paceUse of ICTFive Questioning StrategiesSix Collaboration Techniques

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LESSON PLANNING PROFORMA Name: MM Date:7/6/18 Lesson:3 No in class:8 Boys / Girls: 7:1

Class Make-up (FSM/LAC, etc….) 3 FSM, 1 Lac Class: Rhossili

Part 1: Link Starter ActivityEngagement activity – who am I? Visual icons of well-known characters from fairy tales. Learners challenged to think of a further character and to give up to 3 progressive clues.Hidden images from classic fairy tales. Learners try to identify the tale based on elements revealed, as tiles are taken away from the image one at a time. Setting, situation, colour, props, character. Questions serve to activate prior knowledge regarding fairy tales. Images revealed – learning point fairy tales have not only iconic characters but situation and settings as part of the narrative. Link objective to LNF strand outlines in context.

5 mins

Part 2 - EstablishLearning Objective (1 only)To use a literary devices to establish character and setting.

Part 3 - AchievePupils’ Learning / Activity Teacher input

Time

-Learners identify key terms that are linked to success criteria

-Learners introduced to two extracts from fairy tales, one traditional and one adaptation. In pairs learners highlight the key features-lang / techniques etc.

-Learners highlight features on an interactive white board and are further challenged with questioning – how effective? Justify your choices… Use an expert pupil to support any pupils struggling.

-Challenge introduced as learners are asked to write an opening to a fairy tale which is much darker. Angela Carter example as model.

Teacher asks everyone to write as learners are asked to recall key terms essential to knowledge and understanding of narrative.

Applying knowledge: analysis of literary texts which also serve as models for writing. Teacher uses questions to explore answers.

Teacher supports through questioning.

6 mins

10 mins

15min

Part 4 - Plenary / Review – Pupils demonstrate their learning / Evaluation of progress against learning objective and success criteria / how we have learned?Learners swap their writing and are peer assessed in relation to the criteria displayed. Swap back/ comments and writer constructs own target in light of feedback.Best lines shared / celebrated.

7 mins

Part 5 - Next Steps – The bigger picture / Where next?Explore the use of punctuation for effect. 2 mins

lesson plan 2018 / exemplar proforma

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Lesson Context: A mixed ability KS3 English group that is in the process of developing narrative skills: writing a well-constructed narrative in a particular genre, using literary devices to establish character and setting while using punctuation accurately including more complex punctuation for example the semi-colon. The lesson challenges pupils to secure the highest levels while stretching other pupils to secure their target grades. One pupil has individual support (a differentiated key term sheet is available and a story prompt.


Support from A Matthews in creating this document.

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Where you will see it and what will you see?

DDeepeningThinkingBlooms TaxonomyNo opt out strategiesThinking timeBounce

Starter – pupils are required to come up with clues about their character to give to the class. These must get harder.

Completing peer marking means that pupils must think deeply about what a successful piece of writing looks like.

Bouncing questions around and coming back to pupils ensure they think and come up with an answer in Achieve section of lesson.

RRole ModellingUnpick an excellent piece of workLanguage role modelExpert pupilDemonstration

Extracts serve as model of style and genre illustrative of task displayed.

Learner highlight techniques in Achieve section of lesson.

Learners read out their own work in the plenary – best work exemplars.

Best example written on the board by a pupil and explained.

IImpact on PupilsProgress of groups?Success criteria.AFLNumeracy / Literacy/ DCF/ Problem solvingTask / Target / Time

Success criteria displayed for learners linked to literacy writing strands of LNF. Learners peer assess linked to criteria.

Main impact - Improved quality / standard of writing.

Targets for next time set to impact directly on finished fairy tale writing as pupils will now re-draft.

All ability learners can achieve in this lesson. Higher achievers will demonstrate more adventurous punctuation.

CChallengeDifferentiationOn the spot interventionPupil ledCollaborative learningApplication / TransferStretch it

Main challenge is the main activity, writing a particular genre using more sophisticated techniques and punctuation. Success criteria based on an excellent piece of work and everyone aims for this.

Questions set in the starter activity and the first section in Achieve use Blooms to increase the complexity. Some questions will start with ‘list’ and other with ‘explain’ and ‘what is the difference between….’YOU CAN PLAN QUESTIONS HERE

EEngagementVarietyInteractiveGood paceUse of ICTEveryone Writes

The guess the character is really engaging from the outset and connects to a topic in an area they will enjoy. The picture reveal activity is exciting and competitive.Paired work and peer marking will ensure engagement.

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