1. Teacher Learning Communities
Improving
Teaching and Learning
through
Teacher Learning Communities
(TLCs)
(Sara) Good evening everyone. I’m Sara Cain (Lisa) and I’m Lisa Newman (Sara) And we lead Teaching and Learning at Harper Green School. (Lisa) Over the next few minutes we’re going to outline for you how we have used TLCs as the key method for developing teaching and learning at Harper Green School.

2. Context
Harper Green School, Farnworth…... Mixed Comprehensive 1380 on roll Social Deprivation factor GCSE Results Pupil Progress Ofsted
HG School – Large Community (Mixed comp) School serving the local population of Farnworth – 1380 on roll.
Farnworth is socially deprived – top 10% nationally – pupils enter with levels below national average.
Between results increased however this improvement was not sustained and we experienced a steady decline in results since then.
In 2013 the school was inspected and judged as RI however there were no significant changes to T&L between that inspection and the next one in Something needed to be done . . .

3. Why we started the TLCs
T&L at centre of school improvement T&L CPD - little impact on classroom practice / pupil progress Whole school CPD – 10% response Workshops – 90+% response Develop self-reflective practitioners
Believed that the barriers to pupil progress and achievement began in the classroom
T&L had been done to them not with them
When done in this way only 10% will actually do anything with it. When done collaboratively – 90% will do something with it.
Began the process by launching the Dylan Wiliam’s AfL in conjunction with MSJ SLEs
Created 10 groups of approximately 8-10 staff with a separate group for SLT as we wanted the staff to feel open and comfortable sharing their thoughts and practices.
Creating self-reflective practitioners
Began in September 2015 – now up to TLC 9.

4. How the TLCs Work One workshop every four weeks Specific AfL focus
Cross-curricular groups
TLC buddies
Identify, Plan, Deliver, Reflect
The workshops are calendared at the start of the year, so staff know when they take place.
One week prior to the workshop, Sara & I meet with the TLC leaders, review the agenda and share ideas about how to deliver the workshop.
Each workshop is 75 minutes long and follows the same, structured format (Positives from last month; introducing the objectives; reflecting on techniques tried since the last workshop; introducing the next focus and demonstrating the strategies; identifying techniques to trial prior to next workshop; review of learning)

5. How the TLCs Work One workshop every four weeks Specific AfL focus
What is AfL?
What does a good learning objective look like?
How can we use feedback to help pupils reflect more effectively on their learning?
Each of the eight workshops have focused on specific elements of AfL in order to give colleagues time to trial and embed a range of strategies into their T&L toolkit.
The cross-curricular nature of the groups has given colleagues from very different disciplines the opportunity to see different approaches being used.

6. How the TLCs Work One workshop every four weeks Specific AfL focus
Cross-curricular groups
TLC buddies
Identify, Plan, Deliver, Reflect
Very keen to encourage departments to mingle more: each group includes both a range of experience and subject areas, enabling colleagues to gain insights into the methodologies adopted by different subject areas as well as the differing opportunities and challenges. This has created a fertile, dynamic process that encourages sharing and open dialogue. The cross-curricular nature of the groups has given colleagues from very different disciplines the opportunity to see different approaches being used – for example, an English NQT teamed with the Head of PE has been able to see how a practical subject has incorporated AfL into lessons without requiring lots of printed resources etc.
The observations undertaken TLC buddies are non-judgemental and form the backbone of the TLC experience, along with the reflective conversations the buddies have after each observation.

7. How the TLCs Work One workshop every four weeks Specific AfL focus
Cross-curricular groups
TLC buddies
Identify, Plan, Deliver, Reflect

8. Just as each TLC workshop is structured in a very similar way, the cycle for trialing techniques between TLCs is consistent.
Stage 1: TLC workshop, focusing on developing a specific aspect of AfL – for example, questioning.
Stage 2: The member of staff selects a technique they want to focus on developing – for example hinge questions – and plan when to use the technique and who with.
Stage 3: TLC buddies informally observe each other using the identified technique – may be only part of a lesson / work scrutiny or sharing a resource.
Stage 4: TLC buddies meet and feedback what they observed in each other’s lesson, only discussing the technique identified as the focus for development.
Stage 5: Colleagues then reflect on the impact the technique has had on their practice and share this in the first part of the next TLC workshop.

9. Impact of TLCs
Ongoing improvement in T&L: No of lessons graded Good or better.
Benefits to Middle Leaders
Benefits to teachers
Benefits to pupils
In the space of 12 month the number of lessons graded good or better has increased with each round of lesson observations. Progress in lessons is considerably better and progress overtime (through book scrutiny & learning walks) has increased.
Middle Leaders have cited the benefits to them as leaders of T&L. Their staff are delivering consistently better lessons and pupils are better engaged in their learning.
Teachers have been overwhelmingly positive about the benefits of the TLC programme. They comment on the opportunity for sharing best practice and reviewing professionally with colleagues – time that has not been given in this regular way before. They have seen improvements in their own teaching and improvements in pupils’ learning / outcomes.
Pupils have been keen to tell us how much they prefer the 4-part lesson structure and the activities that are a key part of the AfL process. They feel confident thanks to the consistency and routines they experience in each lesson. This has helped them to progress further.

10. Further Information
(Sara) If you would like further information, please come and visit us before you go. In addition to Lisa and me, Liz Rothwell, one of our TLC leaders and Helen Zoldan, Head of PE are here. Liz will discuss how she’s found being a TLC Leader and Helen will talk about the ways in which the TLCs have impacted on her as a middle leader and her team.
(Lisa) If you need to hurry off but want to know more, pop your contact details into our ‘Questions’ box and we will get back to you in the next few days. Alternatively, take a card with our contact details on.
(Sara) Thank you for listening – we hope you’ve found it useful.