Pennard Primary School
Ysgol Gynradd Pennard
Teaching and Learning
Policy
Pennard Primary School
Ysgol Gynradd Pennard
The United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is at the heart of
our school’s Planning, Policies, Practice and Ethos. As a Rights Respecting School we
not only teach about children’s rights but also model rights and respect in all
relationships. Our aspiration is that our values of the school guide the behaviour, actions and relationships of all members of the school community.
Article 3: Everyone who works with children should always do what is best for each child.
Article 12: The right to say what you think should happen and be listened to.
Article 28: The right to learn and to go to school.
Article 29: The right to become the best that you can be.
At Pennard Primary we recognise that:
· Everyone has rights
· Everyone has responsibilities
Aims, Values and Principles Statement
Our Mission Statement -
A supportive community with a focus on
life long learning
Our Values
Relationships
Courtesy
Friendliness
Mutual respect
Tolerance
Trust
Happiness
Responsibility
Attitudes Learning
Positive Challenges
Confidence Self-reflection
Fairness Enjoyable
Mutual Support Experiential
Partnership Stimulating
Self Esteem Independent Learning
Lifelong Learning
Our Aims
1. To provide a safe, stimulating and challenging learning environment.
2. To inspire good moral conduct and a sense of responsibility.
3. To nurture everyone’s health and well-being.
4. To create independent and autonomous learners.
5. To make school a happy place to learn and play.
September 2014
Introduction
At Pennard Primary School it is our intention to create an environment where children and adults work together in an atmosphere of mutual respect, challenge and exploration. At Pennard Primary School we believe that the child is central to the learning process and at the heart of all that we do. This policy will include; the content of learning; context of learning; access to and delivery of the learning; the learner as an active part of the learning process.
The policy will support our teaching and learning in the classroom and outdoor area as well as within the wider curriculum. It is seen as a working document which will be a record of reference on a regular basis. We believe that life is a continual learning experience for all, one which will embrace success, trial and challenge. At Pennard Primary School we believe that Teaching and Learning should be an enjoyable experience for everyone.
It is our aim to ensure that we create
‘A Supportive Community with a focus on life long learning’.
Teaching and Learning is the focus of our school. It is the method through which we deliver a broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum which includes progression and continuity.
The aims of this document are:
* to aid staff and children to maintain a dialogue about teaching and learning
* to build further a culture of improvement
* to provide an agreed focus for planned programmes of monitoring the curriculum
* to continue to improve the quality of learning experiences provided for the children
* to demonstrate our commitment to teaching of the highest possible quality and effectiveness
* to involve the children in their own learning and become life long learners
* to develop autonomous and independent children with enquiring minds
We believe that the needs of the pupils in our care are central in this process and we have outlined these in the following three sections.
September 2014
THE NEEDS OF OUR PUPILS - 1
We believe that primary children, as learners, need the following:-
* Autonomous learning
* To be involved in the learning process through self-reflection, assessment,
target setting and exploration
* To experience challenge
* To experience success and failure
* To have a positive attitude when dealing with challenges
* To have opportunity for experiential learning
* Knowledge and understanding
* To be at the centre of the activity
* Teachers that develop children physically, emotionally and socially in
preparation for lifelong learning
* To have a clear understanding of learning objectives and skills to be developed
* A safe and stimulating environment
* To develop a positive self image
Elements within the child’s learning experience are:-
* skills
* concepts
* attitudes
* knowledge
All are vital and all are interdependent.
September 2014
THE NEEDS OF OUR PUPILS – 2
We believe that primary children learn best when the following conditions are provided. They should:
* Know why they are required to do the things asked of them
* Be helped to carry out their tasks in an orderly manner
* Develop confidence and independence in using resources appropriately
* Know where to seek help and advice
* Show consideration for adults and fellow pupils
* Be given opportunities to chose activities and to be included in their learning
* Be helped to persevere to complete tasks and assignments
* Be provided with tasks which are of interest or made interesting
* Be given time to complete tasks
* Be provided with opportunities for reflection
* Receive support from peers and teachers
* Be allowed to make mistakes
When the environment is conducive to:
* nurture and encouragement;
* trying new things and meeting new challenges;
* to have the opportunity to succeed and make mistakes;
* to be involved in the planning and decision making process.
September 2014
THE NEEDS OF OUR PUPILS - 3
We believe that our pupils are more likely to learn effectively:
* by experiencing a wide range of activities and when they
develop knowledge and key skills that enable them to become independent and autonomous learners.
Special Educational Needs Provision
Children with identified Special Educational Needs have Individual Education Plans and may be taught individually in small groups as appropriate by support or class teacher. Some children benefit from Learning Support Assistants on a one to one basis, others from small group support. All children have access to the National Curriculum and Foundation Phase Framework. At Pennard Primary School inclusion is an integral part of our philosophy.
Where pupils have specific learning difficulties such as Dyslexia or DCD, everyone working with those individual children is well informed as to their needs and as to which strategies will best support their progress.
More Able and Talented Pupils
At Pennard Primary School we are committed to providing the highest standard of teaching and learning for all children. Our focus is on providing enriched and challenging experiences to ensure that we maximise learning opportunities for the children. We take the broadest possible definition of a more able pupil so that it is inclusive and recognises the multi-faceted nature of ability.
September 2014
Strategies for Teaching and Learning
a) The Provision of an Effective Learning Environment
The school strives to provide a safe, happy and stimulating atmosphere. We shall achieve this by ensuring that health and safety measures are considered regularly and adhered to; that a standard of behaviour is maintained and that wall displays are interactive, stimulating and are renewed on a regular basis,
Learning takes place in a stimulating, dynamic environment which is well organised and managed and is appropriate to children’s needs. Each classroom will be a functional area which will promote learning and allow the teacher to use a full repertoire of teaching strategies. Furniture should be arranged so as to provide flexible working areas and safe access. There should be a range of appropriate, labeled resources which can be readily accessed by the pupils.
Pupils should be encouraged to act independently from the teacher in choosing and returning resources, including the collection and return of books from the school library/resource areas. The children should have access to drinking water at all times. Displays should emphasise the value placed on the children’s’ work and should, in the main, reflect work currently being carried out.
By the end of the year, all pupils should have one piece of work displayed in the class. The environment and ethos at Pennard Primary School celebrates all children’s achievements in a variety of ways which include:-
- Displays
- Assembly
- Sharing with peers
- Rewards and recognition
b) Appropriate Grouping of Pupils
The children will be divided into classes according to age. Within each class a variety of teaching groups will take place depending on the ability of the children and the activities being carried out. We believe that a variety of teaching methods are used, whole class teaching, peer teaching, teaching groups of children and the teaching of pairs and individuals all have their place.
c) Characteristics of Effective Learning
When good quality learning is taking place effectively, we believe that the following characteristics will be demonstrated:
* The children will be part of the learning process
* The children will be clear about what is expected of them
* The children will be aware of where they are in the learning process
* The children will engage in self-reflection on learning
* The children will experience a sense of progress
* The children will have positive attitudes and show interest in their work
* The children will be able to sustain concentration and show high levels of engagement
* The children will engage in investigative work
* The children will participate in collaborative projects
* The children will have opportunities to have their own choice of activity
* The children will apply key learning skills
* The children will have opportunities to show initiative
* The children will have opportunities to express views and opinions
* The children are all challenged
d) Characteristics of Effective Teaching
Each teacher will be responsive, anticipative and engage productively as they seek to meet the needs of their pupils. Each teacher has the responsibility for ensuring that the basic skills are taught effectively and self esteem is promoted. Effective use of skills, methods, strategies, knowledge and understanding will enable the teacher to make decisions in the course of promoting learning. These will include:
* Setting high expectations of the pupils
* Providing challenging and stimulating experiences
* Matching work to the abilities of the pupils
* Valued interests of pupils
* Using a variety of teaching styles that focus on the needs of
the individual learner
* Planning effective in the long, medium and short term
* Using effective strategies for management of time and resources
* Developing positive relationships with the pupils
* Assessment and constructive follow up
* Setting SMART targets (small measurable attainable and
realistic targets
* Continually promoting high levels of self esteem
Assessment is an integral part of the learning process and will involve observation of task, questioning, marking written work and discussion. Differentiation will require the identification of individual needs and appropriate learning strategies.
At Pennard Primary School, we believe that the process of self-assessment is crucial to the learning process with the child at the centre. There should be opportunities for self-reflection of the learning process and an encouragement of self appraisal and target setting. Assessment, recording and reporting of each child’s progress will be carried out as outlined in the school Assessment, Recording and Reporting Policy.
e) Continuity and Progression
The way in which these will be achieved is by:
* Consistent implementation of our agreed policies
* Effective long, medium and short term planning
* Effective communication between staff about the curriculum and the children
* Collaborative planning
* Planning for and tracking skills
The recording of progress should inform and support this process.
Monitoring Teaching and Learning
This will involve observation and collection of information about aspects of learning and teaching throughout the school. These will be highlighted in the School Improvement Plan. The process, together with the data obtained, will form the basis for development.
It will be carried out by:
* Professional dialogue between staff in ADDS sessions and team meetings
* Regular scrutiny of children’s work by the Headteacher and subject leaders
* Listening to learners
* Data analysis
* Subject leader monitoring
* Lesson observations
* Regular meetings of the curriculum sub-committee of the governing body
* Informal discussion between staff, Headteacher and governors and children
* Self-evaluation with all stakeholders
* Regular review of School Improvement Plan
* Performance management
* Standardisation and Moderation processes
* Assessing Pupil Progress meetings
Evaluation
The effectiveness of this policy will be evaluated at appropriate times of the school year by staff and governors.
September 2014