CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT (ATTRACTIVE AND WELCOMING) Resources easily available with clear and helpful labels. All Health and safety notices mounted in separate wall display. Lively and stimulating setting for learning. Good work is annotated so pupils can see what they should be aiming for. Display support independent learning. Well arranged/ looked after, key words.

Presentation of work, communicating Student Targets, Pupil Feedback. The teacher ask students the following questions. What is your target grade? How have you made progress in this subject ? What do you need to do to make further progress? Why are you doing this activity? What are you learning?

(B) FEEDBACK What do your students think of your lessons? What are they good at / enjoy? How does this inform your preparation/ teaching? What do you/your department need to work on?

Learning to Learn Assess the knowledge and skills that the learner possesses at any given stage; and Provide appropriate guidance, which will allow the gap to be bridged between what he/ she ‘knows’ and what he/she ‘doesn’t know’. It is important to that all staff understand how children learn and plan courses, lessons and activities with appropriate challenge for all abilities.

LEARNING STYLE The Visual-Auditory-Kinesthetic learning styles model or ‘inventory’, usually abbreviated to VAK, provides a simple way to explain and understand your own learning style (and learning styles of others) Learning style’ should be interpreted to mean an individual mixture of styles. Everyone has a mixture of strengths and preferences. No-one has exclusively one single or preference. Please bear this in mind when using these ideas.

LEARNING STYLES Learning Style Description Visual Seeing and reading Auditory Listening and Speaking Kinesthetic Touching and doing

HOMEWORK POLICY Why do we need homework? Homework is recognized as being important for a number of reasons. It reinforces learning that has taken place during the lesson. It can stimulate interest outside of school. It can improve academic performance. It is seen by most parents as extremely important and can strengthen the relationship between School, Pupil and Home. It a key issue in raising attainment.

What is the School Policy? 1.   Parents will be given a Curriculum Guide at the start of each year. It will contain an outline of all the work to be covered in each subject, who to contact if they wish to discuss items, possible extension activities parents can oversee and a list of homework topics for the term.

Pupils will be given the homework at intervals in that half term Pupils will be given the homework at intervals in that half term. The exact tasks may vary from teacher but the topic will be the same. If parents are concerned about homework not being set they can contact the member of staff listed in the curriculum guide for each subject.

How will the Homework Policy be Enforced? Enforcement is to be through Reward rather then punitive measures. In class merits are automatically given for completion of Homework. If Homework isn’t done students will receive a red stamp in their planner with the subject or teacher’s initials written in. Parents could discuss with their child when they see this stamp the reasons why. At the end of the half term letters are sent home either congratulating pupils or saying that we are concerned about homework.

The role of parents is crucial Parent’s attitudes towards the school are key in raising attainment. It is vital that parents support the school and work to ensure expectations are met.

Top 06 Tips for parents Ask your son/daughter each day how was school and did they get any homework. Show an interest and encourage them. Check their homework planner each week. Homework is being set but not all pupils write it in their planners, on average pupils only record about 2 out of 3 homework set.

Look at the curriculum guide and ask your son/daughter about which topics they are on and how they are getting on. Don’t be afraid to ring subject teachers! Try some of the independent Learning Ideas e.g. use specialist websites. Reward your child: praise and small treats help make homework a positive experience.

Models of learning An introduction phase, which should include a starter activity. The main teaching phase to include a demonstration phase and independent particle. A review phase or plenary.

Introduction Phase (starter activity) The crucial phase at the start of the lesson can serve three important and interrelated purposes. As a means of communicating and clarifying the learning objectives/intentions, this may involve putting the learning context within the ‘big picture’. As a means of revising what the learner will need to know in order to make sense of and access new skills and knowledge. To encourage and / or settle the class in preparation for learning , this may involve a specific ‘stilling’ activity such as writing down the lesson aims.

MAIN TEACHING PHASE The primary function of this phase is to address the lesson’s key learning objectives. The inputting of new material will normally require on the teacher a whole class exposition, demonstration or model of the competence to be mastered. It is important that the input phase should be viewed primarily as promoting students to use what the already ‘know’ to move forward in their learning and access new concept knowledge. Within this phase there should be opportunity for:

Learners to work both individually and in varied groupings on the subject matter. Learners develop their skills and confidence in both written and oral presentation. Learners to receive feedback on their progress.

Summary Phase It is crucial that time is allowed to draw the lesson to a conclusion. The function of this phase includes giving opportunity for: Learners to reflect on what they have been learning. Learners to express/articulate what they have learnt. The teacher to summaries the key points. The teacher to ensure that any homework set is clearly explained and understood.

MARKING POLICY The school has a Formative Marking Policy which aims to raise achievement via: 1.   Student self assessment/evaluation 2.   Teacher feedback 3.   Agreed Targets Teacher Feedback occurs in a number of forms both written and verbal. It is important that parents realize that the marking of exercise books is not the only form of instruction. However the following practice has been agreed.

Exercise books should be marked every 2-3 weeks Staff will use green ink as it is considered more positive than other colours. Staff will use the target stamp, shown here and tick whether pupils are above, on or working towards their targets. A comment will advise pupils of how they could improve their work. Assessments take place every term and are marked and evaluated in more detail in accordance with National Curriculum Levels.

TRAFFIC LIGHT The idea behind traffic lights are that they are simple to understand. It is based on the concept of ‘Totality” i.e. overall what is the performance of this students in my class? Below are some the basic statements, which relate to each color (Green, Amber & Red).

Green Students who: Are working successfully towards or beyond their target grade. Have a positive attitude to their studies in most instances. Amber Are not always making progress towards their target grade. Have an inconsistent attitude to their studies. Red Are making no progress towards their target grade. Rarely demonstrate a positive attitude.

CONCLUSION The programme of teaching learning process in U.K. is designed to improve rather than account for performance, the outcome is improved learning from improved teaching. It is the process of target setting which is important, the dialogue it generates, rather than the detail and the evidence. These are recorded to measure the success of that process.

PROFORMA USED IN U.K. SCHOOLS LESSON PLAN LESSION OBSERVATIONS CURRICULUM AND PLANNER CHECKS SMT BOOK CHECK/ CURRICULUM MONITORING