teaching and learning policy - part of the evolve · pdf fileteaching and learning policy ......

Policy Document Status: Approved

Confidentiality level: Public

Last Reviewed: October 2016 Next Review: October 2017 of 12

Based on Policy Template v3

Teaching and Learning Policy

Policy Ref No.A01

Equality Impact Assessment Undertaken and Quality Assured

Date: October 2016





Contents Rationale ....................................................................................................................................... 3

Six core elements: ......................................................................................................................... 3

Policy Aims .................................................................................................................................... 4

Effective teaching .......................................................................................................................... 5

Effective learning ........................................................................................................................... 5

Provision for EAL students ............................................................................................................. 6

An effective learning environment ................................................................................................. 6

Responsibilities .............................................................................................................................. 7

Promotion and Evaluation of the Policy ......................................................................................... 9





Rationale

The key measure of success at the Brunts Academy is the progress of our learners, the intrinsic

outcome of quality teaching. We believe that children learn best when there is consistency and

continuity in our approach. We hold common expectations of our practice and through mutual

challenge and support we ensure that it is of a consistently high quality. We expect each teacher to

take a full and determined responsibility for the progress of all of the pupils in their class. We expect

teachers to have consistently high expectations of all pupils in all areas of their learning and

academy-life.

We teach for progress. This means that we work to ensure that all pupils are improving skills,

knowledge and understanding across all lessons and activities. We recognise that we are preparing

our students for employment and for a lifetime of learning and personal growth.

We recognise the need for consolidation and practice, but we are vigilant in our avoidance of tasks

that involve unnecessary repetition or low-levels of challenge.

Six core elements:

1. Subject knowledge

We believe that children learn best when teachers are well-informed, knowledgeable and confident

about what they are teaching. Our curriculum planning, our use of subject leaders, our CPD

programmes and our staffing patterns ensure that all learning is led by staff with excellent subject

knowledge.

2. Planning

Our planning is based on systematic and accurate assessment of our pupils’ prior learning. We plan

teaching strategies carefully, creatively and imaginatively, based on our knowledge of our pupils’

needs. We choose, design and adapt tasks that will challenge all pupils, whatever the level at which

they are working.

3. Interventions

We plan interventions that will support pupils and will move them on in their learning. These are

determined by our accurate knowledge of pupils’ previous learning and by our high expectations of

their progress. We know the impact that we expect these interventions to have and we evaluate

them with regard to the difference they have made to pupils’ learning.

4. Independent learning at home and reading for pleasure

We recognise the importance of pupils learning at home. We believe it helps them to consolidate

and extend their learning within the Academy as well as helping to involve families.





Our homework policy outlines the arrangements that we make to plan regular and appropriate

homework at each stage of our Academy. We evaluate the effectiveness of our homework by the

impact that it is having on pupils’ learning. We encourage our students to read widely and frequently

for pleasure.

5. Assessment for Learning

We use a range of techniques to systematically check our pupils’ understanding throughout each

stage of the lesson. We anticipate the most likely areas of misunderstanding and we prepare

planned interventions and support that will address these. However, we are also ready to adapt our

approach spontaneously when we meet unexpected misconceptions or difficulties. We use a range

of formative and summative assessments to evaluate learning and plan next steps.

6. Marking and feedback

We have agreements about our approach to marking: its frequency; content and depth. We plan

regular routines for pupils to respond to marking, so that it improves their learning.

We give on-going oral feedback to individuals and to groups of pupils throughout lessons. In our

feedback we are moving to ‘growth mindset’ principles of praising the process as much, if not more,

than the outcome. It is sharply focused on the learning and aptitudes that we want to improve.

The purpose of all our feedback: in marking, in target-setting and orally is to give pupils’ precise and

motivating information about how well they are doing and what they should do next to improve.

Policy Aims

1. To adopt a whole-academy approach to teaching and learning across the curriculum

2. To provide agreed criteria for effective teaching and effective learning

3. To identify specific roles and responsibilities within the academy with regard to teaching

and learning

4. To support high quality educational experience for all students so that each individual

fulfils his/her potential academically, artistically, emotionally, practically and physically

5. To encourage creativity, individuality within teaching and learning

6. To facilitate the sharing of good and best teaching and learning practice across the

Academy





Effective teaching

We recognise the centrality to learning of the core basic skills. We have organised our teaching

programmes for reading, writing, communication and Mathematics, so that there are clear lines of

progression, consistent teaching approaches, high expectations of pupils at every stage and a

rigorous assessment of pupils’ learning and progress.

We design our whole curriculum to afford every opportunity for pupils to apply and so consolidate

these core basic skills.

We use time very carefully, minimising waste and taking every opportunity to practise and reinforce

core basic skills. With this in mind, effective teaching is achieved when teachers:

Use prior assessment data to set appropriately challenging targets and to identify clear learning

outcomes that are shared with students so they understand what they will learn

Effectively target the use of additional adults to impact on learning

Provide a variety of challenging, differentiated activities that take into account students

individual needs (including Autism), curriculum area and pedagogical approaches

Make lessons interesting, stimulating, engaging and well-paced

Effectively use modelling, explaining and questioning to deepen students’ learning

Provide opportunities for students to use discussion to deepen their learning.

Use stimulating resources including the use of ICT and e-learning, which are differentiated as

appropriate to the students’ individual needs

Assess students’ work regularly according to the Academy’s assessment policy

Use marking to provide feedback to students about what they have done particularly well and

what they need to do to improve so that it impacts future learning

Provide quality feedback to parents and appropriate staff within the Academy on pupils’

progress or underachievement

Create a positive ethos and atmosphere that develop productive working relationships with

students

Deploy at least good classroom management that creates a safe and orderly environment

Effective learning

We are developing the aptitudes of resilience, confidence and independence. We ensure that the

tasks we choose give regular opportunities for pupils to develop these aptitudes. We explain their

importance to learning and development within our ‘Future Me’ model. We notice and comment

positively when pupils demonstrate these aptitudes and we model them in our own actions. We

work with individual pupils to build these aptitudes where they are lacking. With this in mind,

effective learning is achieved when students:

Are clear about what they are aiming to achieve

Are motivated and enthused

Are involved actively in their learning





Are given opportunities to take responsibility for aspects of their learning

Work in a variety of ways - as independent learners and collaboratively in pairs and groups using

both ‘talk’ and ‘writing’ as vehicles for learning

Are provided with visual supports to ensure the sequence of activities are understandable and

predictable

Experience a range of tasks

Can build upon prior knowledge and understanding and transfer skills to other learning

situations

Know the criteria for the assessment of their work

Reflect upon their work individually and with others to identify how to improve their learning

Feel valued and have their achievements celebrated

Provision for EAL students

We provide on-going support for students who come to the Academy with English as an Additional

Language. We recognise that support needs to encompass emotional well-being and mutual cultural

understanding. We recognise that language is not learned by osmosis. With this in mind we provide:

Initial screening with a translator or additional adult as appropriate, to establish educational

history and potential gaps in knowledge, skills and understanding.

A list of child-specific classroom-based strategies for teaching staff and additional adults to

use.

A point of contact for parents and an invitation to join a support group.

Wherever possible, a ‘buddy’ in the same year group, who speaks the same language to

provide in-class support for an appropriate length of time.

Support during unstructured time.

An effective learning environment

Through careful and imaginative planning; our high quality teaching; good relationships and our high

levels of teacher responsibility, we generate high levels of enthusiasm from our pupils. We expect

pupils to be active participants in their learning and we structure routines and rewards to support

them. We want our pupils to show commitment to their learning. We give positive feedback when

we see examples of this and we take measured and thoughtful action when it is absent. Within this

in mind, an effective learning environment is:

Safe and calm

Challenging and stimulating

Conducive to students taking risks in their learning

Purposeful and reactive to meet student need

Welcoming and organised

Encouraging and appreciative

Has stimulating displays including students’ work





Well maintained and inviting, where celebration of student achievement can take place and

ensures that all stakeholders who enter the Academy feel welcome, can see the pride we take in

our professional learning environments, know how well students achieve and how well they, as

individuals, will achieve in the future, and involves a variety of learning processes including:

o Developing reading, writing, speaking and listening skills

o Numeracy

o Investigation and problem solving

o Research

o Creative activities

o Whole class, group, pair and individual work

o Asking and answering questions

o Observation

o Talking and discussion

o Using ICT to enhance learning

o Fieldwork and educational visits

o Responding to audio/visual material

o Debates, role plays and presentations

o Designing, making and evaluating

o Participation in physical and kinaesthetic activity

Responsibilities

Teachers

Classroom teachers are responsible for delivery of high quality lessons to ensure the progress of

pupils in their classes, self-evaluating their own professional development and direct the work of

other adults in the classroom. This is achieved by:

Self-evaluation of their subject knowledge and understanding of educational initiatives

Self-evaluation of the quality and effectiveness of their own teaching and their classroom

management

Monitoring pupil progress to ensure they achieve well against prior achievement and similar

groups nationally

Maintaining consistency in the conveying of lesson objectives (worded as ‘I Can / Can I)

Maintaining consistency in the quality of marking and feedback

Self-evaluation of their contribution to the policies and aspirations of the Academy

Planning of own CPD in conjunction with their team leader and as a result of the performance

management process

Directors of Learning

Directors of Learning are responsible for the effective teaching of their subjects, evaluating the

quality of teaching and standards of pupils' achievements and setting targets for improvement.





This is achieved by:

Evaluating the teaching of their subject and the planning of lessons and using this analysis to

identify and share effective practice and to lead action for improvement

Developing strategies to increase parental engagement for, through and about learning;

Ensuring curriculum coverage, continuity and progress for all pupils

Establishing and implementing clear policies and practices for assessing, recording and reporting

on pupil progress and setting targets for further improvement in line with Academy policies

Analysing and interpreting data on pupils' performance against academy expectations and other

comparative data; setting expectations and targets and implementing actions for the

achievement of individual pupils and key groups

Monitoring pupils' work through work scrutiny: regular sampling of homework, classwork,

pupils' responses and attitudes in order to make a comparative evaluation of pupils' work

against other classes and year groups to ensure quality, consistency and to implement strategies

for improvement

Observing teachers and giving constructive feedback. This will also inform Performance

Management of teachers

Evaluating progress of teaching and learning targets in departmental development plans, in line

with the Academy’s T2T plan.

Tutors

Tutors are responsible for contributing to, and monitoring the progression and well-being of,

individual pupils in their tutor group and for providing support and advice to those pupils, both

socially and academically. This is achieved by:

Monitoring academic progress and attitudes of individual pupils through academic

tracking/progress checks and mentoring

Encouraging and developing the ability of pupils to evaluate and take responsibility for their own

learning

Monitoring and as a result, facilitating appropriate targeted intervention relating to behaviour,

rewards and sanctions, uniform and attendance

Year Progress Leaders

Year Progress Leaders are responsible for the monitoring and evaluation of the overall experience of

groups and individuals in their years. This is achieved by:

Monitoring the progress and potential of the year group, and using pupil data to identify and set

targets for specific pupils according to their needs, e.g. underachievement, high attaining pupils

Maintaining an overview of the experience of pupils in their year group e.g. monitoring the

number of detentions, use of isolation, cross-curricular activities and encouraging positive

engagement with Academy life.

Monitoring the work of tutors and quality of tutor time and ensuring consistently high standards





Monitoring attitudes to learning through e.g. attendance and homework, reporting back to SLT

and to staff as requested and implementing interventions and support as appropriate

Academy Leadership Team

The Senior Leadership Team sets priorities and targets for improvement at whole academy level

based on evidence gained from monitoring procedures. They track progress made on the Academy’s

T2T plan. Monitoring and evaluation principally takes place through department reviews and

classroom observations of teaching and learning.

The Head Teacher is responsible for monitoring the performance of members of the Academy

Leadership Team.

Promotion and Evaluation of the Policy

These will be supported and achieved by:

A firm commitment to improving teaching and learning for individuals, departments, the

Academy and the wider community

The development of teaching and learning as the central focus in the Academy and team

improvement plans

Rigorous monitoring, review and self-evaluation

Effective implementation of the academy’s Assessment and Marking Policy

Quality continuing professional development within the cycle and framework of performance

management.

Version as at October 2016





Name of Policy: Teaching and Learning Policy

Date Analysis Undertaken: October 2016

General Duty Current Provision Task to be completed / Undertaken Support needed / Date for action /

Lead

Eliminate unlawful discrimination,

victimisation and harassment and

other prohibited conduct.

Procedures in place to ensure that all

learners receive the expected

standard of teaching both

consistently and continually.

Continue to review as future

changes occur and in light of

feedback from whole academy QA.

Implement policy and monitor

standards through QA.

Keep abreast of national agendas

which impact on teaching and

statutory requirements.

On-going

CJA/JA

Advance equality of opportunity

between people who share a

protected characteristic and those

who do not

Policy neutral impact Continue to seek professional advice

when necessary and review policy

annually.

Continue to assess impact through

QA in relation to school

improvement priorities.

On-going

CJA/JA

Foster good relations between

people who share a protected

characteristic and those who do not

N/A: Policy is Neutral impact against

protected characteristics.

Continue to seek professional advice

when necessary and review policy

annually.

Continue to assess impact through

QA in relation to school

improvement priorities.

On-going

CJA/JA





Template for self-assessment and action planning: Equality Act 2012

Protected Characteristic Positive Impact Negative Impact Neutral Impact Engagement undertaken Evidence and action taken/Outcome

Race

Religion or Belief

Gender / Gender Reassignment

Sexual Orientation

Disability

Age

Other (please specify)

Summary: Advice sought from professional agencies to ensure, where necessary, reasonable adjustments are made. QA undertaken to ensure consistent approach.





Undertaken by:

(PRINT NAME)

Dawn Chivers

Signature Dawn Chivers

Date: October 2016

QA: (PRINT NAME) Carl Atkin QA Signature: Carl Atkin

teaching and learning policy - part of the evolve · pdf fileteaching and learning policy ......

Documents