Teaching & Learning

School Aims (1, 2, 7) Please refer to school prospectus:

1. To create a safe, caring and stimulating environment where each individual child will feel valued, happy, secure and eager to learn.

2. To assure the quality of teaching and provide a broad and balanced curriculum which supports the emotional, spiritual, moral, intellectual, creative and physical development of the 'whole' child.

7. To encourage and celebrate the achievements of all our children so they become successful, confident, independent learners who are well prepared for Middle School.

Statement for Teaching and Learning at Birches:

The aims and ethos of Birches reflect the absolute priority we put on creating the right climate for effective teaching and quality learning to take place for all pupils.
Good teaching will always result in pupils learning. It should be an enjoyable experience for both learner and teacher.
Good teachers have a clear idea of:

what they want pupils to learn - learning objectives
"Today we are going to learn about / how to........"

what learning experiences they want pupils to have - teaching objectives
"We are going to use.....to find out / explore....so you can....."

how they will evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching - assessment outcomes
"I'm looking for you to show me........."

Good teachers want to teach well and ensure that effective learning takes place.
Young children are naturally inquisitive and therefore, given the right environment, will be eager to learn. Through this policy we will provide that environment at Birches.

Policy Objectives

1. To identify the characteristics of good teaching.
2. To identify how children learn effectively.
3. To know how we can improve teaching to enhance learning.
4. To link effective teaching and learning to the planning and assessment process.
5. To outline a process of monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and learning.
6. To involve pupils and parents in the learning process.

Agreed characteristics of good teaching

• Secure teacher knowledge and understanding
• High expectations of pupils achievement
• Effective planning
• Appropriate teaching strategies and questioning techniques
• Shared objectives
• Appropriate differentiation and challenge
• Positive relationships
• High standards of discipline
• Good pace and use of time
• Effective deployment of resources, inc Teaching Assistant support
• Constructive and useful assessment for learning strategies
• Homework which extends and reinforces
• Awareness of Inclusion, EO (Equal Opportunities), SEN (Special Education Needs) and Safeguarding issues

Teaching methods and learning opportunities

Teachers should deploy the most effective teaching methods for different aspects of learning:

Whole Class Teaching – procedural information, providing and sharing factual knowledge and reaffirming basic skills – eg history and geography core input; recalling processes before a group activity – eg Maths and English skills.

Collaborative Grouping – shared story writing, science hypothesising, evaluating historical evidence, applying procedures to problems – eg maths; considering and discussing – eg art, music, PE (dance/gymnastics).

Ability Groups – for the same kind of content within a class lesson – eg for literacy and numeracy group work.

Individual teaching – independent application and decision making in order to challenge, consolidate, revise, check – eg spelling, grammar, computation, research, redrafting.

A classroom climate to encourage learning.

Clarity & context –around the purpose of each lesson and how each lesson relates to the broader subject and previous learning.

Behaviour – discipline and order are maintained.

Standards – expectations established and what each pupil should do to try to achieve higher standards. Target setting and next steps.

Fairness – consistent link between rewards and actual performance.

Participation – opportunities for pupils to participate actively by discussion, questioning, giving out materials etc.

Support – pupils feel emotionally supported so they are confident to try new things and learn from mistakes.

Safeguarding – the classroom is a safe place, where pupils are not at risk from physical or emotional bullying, or other fear-arousing factors.

Interest – the classroom is an interesting and exciting place to be, where pupils feel stimulated to learn.

Environment – the classroom is a comfortable, well organised, clean and attractive physical environment.

Quality learning is happening when children:

• express a positive attitude
• behave well
• are self-motivated
• show a sense of responsibility
• have good peer support
• enjoy warm and supportive relationships with adults
• ask interesting and relevant questions
• show initiative, good concentration and perseverance
• are actively involved in purposeful learning tasks
• look forward to the next lesson

Different learners, learning styles and intelligencies.

Children learn in different ways depending on their personalities, cognitive abilities, learning style, learning situation or intellectual ability.

There are four basic personality types:
• thinkers - introvert, pessimist
• doers - extrovert, optimist
• talkers - extrovert, optimist
• listeners - introvert, pessimist

There are three basic learning styles (VAK):
• visual
• auditory
• kinaesthetic

There are seven types of intelligence (Gardner's multiple intelligences):
• visual/special
• verbal/linguistic
• logical/mathematical
• bodily/kinaesthetic
• musical/rhythmical
• interpersonal
• intrapersonal

Some individuals may learn exclusively in one particular way, but most use a combination or vary according to the situation.
Good teachers know how children 'tick' and how they learn best. However, the particular needs of one child should not compromise the learning of another.
It is therefore, important that teachers use a wide variety of methods, strategies, approaches, resources and situations in order to maximise the learning potential of all pupils.

Planning for good teaching

In order to deliver effective lessons teachers' planning should show:

• clear learning objectives – what pupils are expected to learn
• appropriate teaching objectives / activities – what pupils will do
• teaching methods / groups – how pupils will be organised
• differentiation – how different abilities will be catered for
• assessment opportunities – when to look for evidence of learning
• evaluations of pupil progress – who learned what
• coverage – of NC programmes of study, PNS frameworks and EYFS

Medium and long term planning should take into account the need for continuity and progression of learning.
What children have already learned and what they need to learn next is crucially important at transfer between classes, key stages and schools. At these times opportunities for teachers to liaise and share information will be made available through funded supply cover.

Assessment of learning outcomes

Teachers' assessments of learning should be useful for the process of planning future work to help pupils make the best progress. These assessments may take many forms depending on what learning objectives are planned for and the nature of the activity. Assessments that affect future learning will:

• have a clear purpose or focus
• be based on sound evidence
• identify individual attainment and difficulties
• include pupils in dialogue
• inform target setting or EYFS next steps
• be both formative and summative in nature
• be manageable and useful

Monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and learning

Through the process of school self-review all elements eventually lead to teaching or learning in some way, because our sole purpose is to enable children to learn. Therefore, everyone involved with Birches School will be involved in the monitoring and evaluation process:

Teachers - classroom observation
and TAs work scrutiny / book scans
marking
assessments
data analysis – Assessment Manager
assessment of pupil targets
SEN evidence
FSP, Y2 & Y4 SATs results
talking together

Children - eagerness to attend school
views expressed about school
School Council feedback
quality of work produced
enthusiasm / motivation
self assessment and peer assessment
questionnaires

Parents - questionnaires
responses to reports
parents' evenings
discussions/meetings
letters and cards
records/concerns

Governors - feedback from parents and general public
visits into school
Headteacher reports
committee reports
data evidence
standards and progress – EYFS, KS1, Y4

This body of monitoring evidence will be evaluated to inform future development planning and ensure the quality of teaching and learning continues to improve.
The effectiveness of these processes and the validity of the school's own judgements will be moderated both locally and nationally by:

LA - SIP reports
Headteacher performance review
comparative data, benchmarking

DCSF / Ofsted - Raiseonline
Inspection evidence

Other - External accreditation for: Artsmark
Eco-Schools
Dyslexia Friendly Status
Healthy School Status
Basic Skills Quality Mark
Activemark

Dec 2009 – reviewed Sept 2012