Great Bridge Primary School

GREAT BRIDGE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Teaching and Learning Policy

Teaching and learning is the business of the whole school

This policy should be read in conjunction with the Homework Policy, Inclusion SEN Policy, Behaviour and Rewards Policy, Performance Management Policy, Assessment and Record Keeping Policy (including marking) and Curriculum Map and is underpinned by the Main Aims and Curriculum Statement.

Contents

Section 1

·  Aims

Section 2

·  Ethos

·  Inclusion

·  English – as an additional language (EAL) or English at an early stage of acquisition

·  Race Equality and Equal Opportunities

Section 3

·  Management of the School Day

·  Classroom management and organisation

·  Planning

·  Differentiation

·  Record-keeping and assessment

·  Screening

·  Monitoring and evaluation

·  Teaching styles / strategies

·  Resources

Section 4

·  Learning processes

·  Learning styles

Section 5

·  Governors’ role

·  Parents’ role

·  Community role

·  The School’s role

Section 1

Aims:

At Great Bridge Primary School, our principal aim is to raise standards in learning and caring and believe it is the role of all staff to support this aim.

We undertake to:

·  Raise levels of attainment for all pupils, enabling them to achieve their personal best

·  Develop confident, disciplined and enquiring learners, able to make informed choices

·  Foster a love of learning

·  Foster self-esteem and personal responsibility, linked to respect for the needs and feelings of others

·  Facilitate considerate and positive relationships between all members of the school community

·  Ensure equality of access to the curriculum irrespective of language, gender, race, class, special needs, disability or belief

·  Value and respect all cultures and faiths

·  Provide a safe and happy work place

·  Promote a thoughtful attitude towards the immediate and wider environment

Section 2

Ethos:

The ethos and atmosphere underpin the agreed aims of the school. Teachers and Learning Support Staff will provide a broad and balanced curriculum, which will develop the skills, concepts and knowledge necessary for future learning.

In the course of their daily work the staff will contribute to the development of this ethos through:

·  Providing a calm, quiet and effective working environment at all times, in which each child can achieve his or her maximum potential

·  Providing a welcoming environment, in which courtesy, kindness and respect are fostered

·  Providing positive role models

·  Providing a fair and disciplined environment, in line with the school’s behaviour policy

·  Maintaining purposeful and informative planning, assessment and record-keeping documents, in line with school’s assessment and record-keeping policy and guidelines

·  Managing their professional time effectively

·  Developing links with the wider community

·  Providing children with meaningful, purposeful tasks, related to the National Curriculum programmes of study and Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS)

·  Valuing and celebrating pupils’ success and achievements

·  Reviewing personal and professional development by providing appropriate INSET, training, coaching, mentoring and general support from colleagues in order to ensure a high level of professional expertise

·  Welcoming, supporting and training of teaching and non-teaching students

Inclusion:

The focus of inclusion is on raising educational attainment not only for those pupils with special educational needs, but also for groups of pupils too including:

·  Any minority ethnic or other group identified as under achieving

·  Any pupil under a category of deprivation i.e. children eligible for Pupil Premium Grant funding

·  Any pupil who is demonstrating disaffection or failing to participate fully in the school experience:

o  Through challenging behaviour

o  Poor attendance

o  Specific individual circumstances such as home / family difficulties or child protection issues

(See Inclusion Policy for detail)

English:

The curriculum provided at Great Bridge School, is taught in the English language and a high priority is placed on the acquisition of English language skills. The majority of children who attend Great Bridge speak English at home however an increasing number of children come from homes where other languages are spoken. Some children with Special Educational Needs communicate in other ways based on the English language including Maketon Signing and British Sign Language.

It is our view that the ability to communicate / understand communication in English is essential. It is therefore part of the Great Bridge School Teaching and Learning Policy, and consequently all school curriculum policies, that English and particularly spoken English is modelled for all children in all circumstances at all times of the school day.

This is achieved in a number of ways:

·  As a direct consequence of some lesson learning objectives such as the speaking and listening planned for a specific lesson

·  By discussing key vocabulary related to curriculum areas and using these key words in modelled spoken situations as well as spelling lists etc.

·  Through lessons specifically focused on the English Language – SVGP lessons (Spelling, vocabulary, grammar and punctuation).

·  By modelling to children when they make a request such as “I wor there” or “I day do it” The teacher will model “I wasn’t there” or “I didn’t do it” and the child will copy

·  Through PSHE / Citizenship discussions of appropriate language skills to use in contexts outside the classroom such as when playing games on the playground

Teachers constantly assess children’s language ability and additional interventions are completed by children, subject to availability.

Some children who have English as an additional language also have their English at an early stage of development or acquisition. Some children who have English as their only language are also at an early stage of development or acquisition. Provision for these children is made through a range of intervention programs that are completed in small group and 1:1 situations with members of learning support staff.

Where it is not possible to communicate with a parent or carer in their home language, translation services are sought, primarily from school staff who are currently able to translate into the main languages represented in school. Google translate is used when possible. In some cases, a translation service will be purchased.

Race Equality and Equal Opportunities:

In accordance with the school’s Equalities Policy and Inclusion Policy, all children at Great Bridge Primary School must be given full access to the National Curriculum or an adapted version of this that meets their individual needs. Staff will endeavour to help all children to reach their full potential irrespective of language, race, faith, gender, age, background or ability.

Section 3

Management of the School Day:

The School Day

Nursery provision

8.40 -11.40am

12.20 - 3.20pm

Total hours per school day 3 hours

Total hours per school week 15 hours

Reception to Year 6 entry time: between 8.35am and 8.45am

Children are encouraged to enter school up to 10mins before the beginning of each day as part of the process of settling into school

Class times including registration:

Reception

8.45am – 3.10pm

Year 1 – Year 2

8.45am – 3.15pm

Total taught time 22 hours 5 minutes per week

Other time – registration / assembly 2 hours 55 minutes per week

Breaks including lunchtime 7 hours 30 minutes per week

Year 3 – Year 6

8.45am – 3.15pm

Total taught time 23 hours 45 minutes per week

Other time – registration / assembly 2 hours 30 minutes per week

Breaks including lunchtime 6 hours 15 minutes per week

Time Allocation

Curriculum time can be planned as continuous study throughout the term, or as blocks of study. Work will be planned using the Whole School Long Term Curriculum Map. Teachers will follow the agreed Schemes of Work with reference to whole school planning to ensure that programmes of study are effectively covered.

At Great Bridge Primary School we are committed to following the programmes of study as required by the EYFS, National Curriculum 2014 and the Department of Education expectations for a broad and balanced curriculum including a modern foreign language.

We are committed to raising standards of Basic Skills at Great Bridge Primary School. By Basic Skills, we mean the ability to read, write and speak in Standard English and to use mathematics and ICT at a level necessary to function and progress at work and in society in general.

Teachers will encourage pupils to work within given time scales, and will facilitate the effective use of time through:

·  The provision of appropriate resources

·  Planning extension activities, which can be carried out by individuals or groups of pupils.

Classroom Management and Organisation:

Management

The learning environment will be managed in such a way as to facilitate different styles of learning, with particular regard to EAL / Inclusion / Special Educational Needs / Special Behavioural/social/emotional Needs:

·  Whole class teaching

·  Group work, organised according to appropriate criteria (i.e. Ability, mixed ability, interest etc)

·  One to one teaching

·  Collaborative learning in pairs or groups

·  Independent learning

The quality of the learning environment is assessed regularly via Headteacher learning walks and DHT / Assistant Heads of FS, KS1 and KS2.

All areas of the learning environment will be planned for, including, where appropriate, the outside areas, in order to ensure opportunities for a range of practical activities, which will develop appropriate skills, concepts and knowledge. Use of the outdoors as a learning environment forms part of everyday practice in the Foundation Stage (weather permitting)

Learning Support Staff (Assistants (LSAs), Teaching Assistants and Practitioners (LSPs)) and external agencies will be employed to support children with Special Educational Needs, Disabilities and Special Behavioural/social/emotional Needs, as outlined on their Action Plans. For detail regarding aspects of behaviour management, refer to the Behaviour Management Policy and Inclusion / SEN policies.

Organisation

The classroom will be organised to facilitate learning and the development of independence. This may require flexibility in the organisation of furniture however in the majority of classrooms individual teachers will determine the appropriate furniture formation, which may change during the year depending on learning and teaching needs.

·  The resources in each area will be grouped according to curriculum subject and clearly labelled.

·  Writing resources will be available for use at all times, and will be centrally accessible.

·  Book corners will be comfortable and attractive.

·  Labels and posters may reflect the range of language skills in the school i.e. use of widget / communicate in print

·  In Nursery and Reception, areas for imaginative play will change regularly, in order to give opportunities for a range of play and role-play which will contribute to learning in a purposeful manner.

·  Pupils will be involved in the maintenance and care of all equipment and resources including children’s pencil cases (provided by school). With regard to some equipment, particularly that provided in pencil cases, children will be required to “buy back” lost equipment via house points or paperclips.

·  Pupils are encouraged to select the appropriate piece of equipment for their activity with increasing independence.

·  Display will be current and relevant to the work studied. There will be a display of the core areas in the classroom including learning walls and other subjects as appropriate. Individual and class targets will also be displayed.

Planning:

Planning is organised into long, medium and short term planning. Long term planning is via the Curriculum Map which details all areas of the creative curriculum and when they are taught.

Medium term planning is coordinated by subject leaders and is detailed to include objectives, tasks and resources.

Short term planning for literacy and numeracy is written weekly and reviewed by the SLT and subject leaders.

Teachers and HLTAs are provided with 10% of their taught time as Planning, Preparation and Assessment time (PPA). Learning Support Staff provide additional information to teachers during PPA time in order to ensure planning meets individual needs and takes account of progress made by children with SEN.

Differentiation:

Teachers will differentiate the curriculum by:

·  Task / scaffolding

·  Resourcing including key word mats, communicate in print flash cards etc.

·  Setting for English and Maths in years 1-6.

·  Outcome

·  Level of teacher / adult intervention / modelling required

·  Specific teacher / adult support

·  Specific reducing of learning objectives to a basic concept for children with more severe SEN

Differentiated tasks will be detailed in weekly planning. Learning objectives will be specified for all differentiated teaching. Detailed reference will be made in weekly plans for children who have SEN.

Record-keeping and assessment:

Regular assessments are made of pupils’ work in order to establish the level of attainment, and to inform future planning. Formal records include use of the Target Tracker and EYFS Tracker and a trial P Level tracker.

As a matter of process, all teachers and Learning Support staff use APP procedures to assess pupil progress. Teachers and LS staff also use assessment for learning practices such as questioning and discussion in order to assess ongoing levels of understanding and achievement.

Formal Testing:

·  All Nursery and Reception pupils will be screened using the Early Excellence Baseline and Wellcomm Screening Tool within six weeks of starting school.

·  Year One children will be tested using the DfE Phonic Screen

·  Year Two pupils will be tests for Mathematics and English using the Key Stage 1 Statutory Assessment Tests. Teacher assessment judgments will be made for Science and Writing. Children who did not reach phase 5 phonics at the end of Year One will be screened again.

·  Year Three, Four and Five children will be screened for Mathematics and English using GBPS tests related to bands of expected achievement

·  Year Six children will be screened for Mathematics and English (Reading and SVGP) using the Key Stage 2 Statutory Assessment Tests. Writing and Science will be assessed via a teacher assessment.

All results from these assessments will be analysed and used to inform future planning.

Results for the Reception Baseline, Y1 and Y” phonic screen, Y2 and Y6 SATs and Y2 and Y6 teacher assessments will be submitted to the DfE and LA as required and to given deadlines.

Results will also be reported to parents under the DfE guidance and statutory requirements for reporting to parents.