Our teaching and learning framework supports consistency of lesson delivery across subjects while allowing professional creativity and autonomy. It draws from Rosenshine's and Lemov's research to enhance learning for all students, including SEND and EAL. The aims of our staff CPD programme are to ensure high-quality teaching and learning for all of our students through the effective and consistent implementation of this framework.

Strand 1 – Climate for Learning:

Creating a positive climate for learning involves building strong staff-student relationships, managing the learning environment, and fostering engagement. It requires shared values, high motivation, and professional teaching. Establishing structured routines and a safe environment supports strong relationships and effective learning.

Strand 2 – Stages of Practice:

Based on Rosenshine’s principles, this strand promotes student independence through structured learning stages: Revisit, Knowledge, Consolidation, Application, and Review. These stages involve reviewing prior knowledge, learning in small steps, checking understanding, guided practice, and recapping to solidify long-term memory, ensuring efficient knowledge retention and application.

Stage 1 – Revisit:

Revisiting previously learned material through daily and weekly reviews helps students retrieve information from long-term memory. This process reinforces understanding, allowing students to connect new concepts with existing knowledge. Frequent re-engagement with content enhances recall and prepares students to tackle new material effectively.

Stage 2 – Knowledge:

This stage emphasises learning new content in small, manageable steps, supported by models and scaffolding. It focuses on building a solid knowledge base before adding more complex information. Our  well-structured, knowledge-rich curriculum helps students become fluent in subject-specific concepts and skills, fostering deep understanding and critical thinking.

Stage 3 – Consolidation:

Consolidation involves checking student understanding and addressing misconceptions through effective questioning. Teachers adapt their methods based on student responses, ensuring mastery of concepts. This process highlights areas needing more support and reinforces knowledge, enabling students to confidently apply their learning to various contexts.

Stage 4 – Guided Task:

Guided practice allows students to apply new knowledge with support, refining their skills before independent work. Teachers model problem-solving and provide feedback, ensuring students grasp the material. This stage enhances understanding, builds confidence, and prepares students for independent, successful learning experiences.

Stage 5 – Recap:

Recapping lessons solidifies learning and helps teachers plan future instruction. Activities like summarising and questioning reinforce knowledge retention and ensure students understand key concepts. Effective recapping at the end of lessons provides closure, helping students integrate new learning into their existing knowledge framework.

Strand 3 – Disciplinary Literacy/Numeracy and Oracy:

Literacy: Disciplinary literacy involves teaching subject-specific reading, writing, and communication skills. It helps students navigate academic texts and express knowledge effectively. A literacy-rich curriculum promotes inclusivity, critical thinking, and the ability to challenge opinions, bridging the gap between primary and secondary education.

Oracy: Oral language skills are crucial for student engagement and achievement across subjects. Structured classroom talk deepens understanding and fosters communication skills. Whole school oracy initiatives can boost attainment in subjects like English, science, and maths, improving overall educational outcomes through enhanced student dialogue and participation.

Numeracy: Strengthening numeracy across the curriculum helps students develop essential mathematical skills for life and work. Addressing poor numeracy is vital for improving educational and societal outcomes. A focus on numerical confidence and proficiency supports achievement in maths, science, and other subjects, enhancing overall academic performance.

Marking & Feedback

Our approach to marking and feedback is guided by the aim of making it  meaningful, manageable, and motivating. Heads of Department oversee marking practices to ensure alignment with departmental policies. Students use progress sheets to track attainment and areas for improvement. Regular light marking is recommended every four weeks, using a ‘light marking grid’. Feedback should clearly identify errors and next steps for improvement. Summative assessments occur at least once per term are recorded in Pupil Progress and are complemented by low-stakes formative assessments for ongoing feedback. This balanced approach supports effective tracking of student progress and helps in refining teaching and learning strategies across all subjects.

 

References

Barak Rosenshine – Principles of Instruction (2012)

Tom Sherrington – Rosenshine’s Principles in Action (2019)

Doug Lemov – Teach Like a Champion 3.0 (2021)

Disciplinary Literacy and explicit vocabulary teaching Mortimore, K (2020)

Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools EEF, 2019

EEF Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools (2019)

https://learningspy.co.uk/featured/secret-numeracy/

https://bedrocklearning.org/literacy-blogs/rosenshine-4-strands/

https://dataworks-ed.com/blog/2014/07/the-importance-of-checking-for-understanding/

https://my.chartered.college/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/3.-Checking-for-Understanding-1.pdf

https://voice21.org/oracy-across-the-curriculum-the-evidence/