Teaching And Learning Policy

Teaching and Learning Policy  Aims and Values  Learning, Teaching and Assessment Statements  Effective Parent-Partnership  Adult Learning  Mantle of the Expert-an overview October 2007

Recreation Road Infant School Aims and Values
To provide a safe and nurturing learning environment for all
To develop lively and enquiring minds through an enquiry-based curriculum
To develop learning opportunities beyond the classroom
To develop healthy and positive attitudes to learning and living
To promote positive parent-partnership
To enable pupil-voice and participation
To enable pupils to benefit from professionally developing staff

At Recreation Road we believe that Learning:        

Is a process of making meaning of the world Is an innate and lifelong process Is something all humans want to do Is profoundly affected influenced by social relationships, self-concept and emotions Is more effective when information is embedded in purposeful and meaningful experiences Is about being able to connect prior knowledge, perceptions or experience to new experience, information and contexts Occurs all the time in a variety of contexts Is demonstrated when learners can apply their understanding in new situations in flexible and thought provoking ways.

Therefore in Recreation Road Infant School you will see:         

An enquiry-based curriculum that is purposeful, relevant and collaborative The use of a range of questioning to help the learner reflect and deepen their understanding Learning developed through children’s interests, needs and aspirations Authentic contexts for learning Acknowledgement of learning outside of the school context Use of a range of learning environments and audiences Ways to encourage metacognition Positive and rewarding relationships with all: children and children, adults and children, adults and adults Learning valued by all through staff taking on professional development, community involvement, recognition of learning attributes acknowledged through reports to parents, useful communication between home and school

We believe that Teachers should:                   

Recognise the educational potential in risk-taking, mistakes or errors Encourage learners to develop the 5 “R”s as defined by Guy Claxton Provide a consistently safe, positive and secure learning environment Acknowledge emotions Recognise and respect differences Provide time for learning to happen Communicate positive expectations and confidence in the learners’ abilities Be knowledgeable about the National Curriculum Be able to benefit from collaborative networks Build on social, personal and cultural experience, knowledge and skills that the learner brings to learning Develop positive relationships with and between all Plan for purposeful teacher/learner and learner/learner interactions Build a sense of community Connect what is being taught to real-life or hypothetical experiences Relate what is being taught to learners’ experiences and interests Make connections between learning experiences Be aware of how their own behaviour influences the context for learning See themselves as learners Maintain a sense of humour

Therefore in Recreation Road Infant School you will see:                     

Pupil Interest Diaries used to plan for and extend learning opportunities Parent-partnership Opportunities for Family-Learning Genuine interest in what pupils are thinking, saying and doing Careful and considered use of language to encourage reflection and thought Staff using the National Curriculum to develop key skills and the curriculum Active participation in Primary Learning Networks, Cluster networks and professional Forums Enquiry-based learning through a range of strategies eg Mantle of the Expert, problem-solving, drama conventions or philosophy for children Effort being praised rather than just outcomes The emphasis on intrinsic rewards rather than extrinsic rewards Interesting and lively people who are interested in the world around them An emphasis placed on Personal, Health and Social Education Flexible timetables to allow for immersion in learning Staff enabled to take risks and to reflect Staff involved in action-research to further their own and the school’s development A range of extra-curricular activities A “continual conversation” about teaching and learning A range of teaching styles, approaches and strategies used Staff knowledgeable teaching and learning Collaborative learning opportunities for pupils and for staff eg. with networks and cluster groups etc Emphasis on Continued Professional Development for all staff

At Recreation Road Infant School we believe that Assessment:       

Is primarily used to improve learning Includes the monitoring of the learners’ well-being Involves learners self-assessing and developing their capacity to monitor their own learning Should provide timely, genuine and constructive feedback Focuses on demonstrations of understanding moving beyond gathering and recalling information Incorporates judgements from a variety of sources Judgements are moderated through collaboration to enhance reliability and validity

Therefore at Recreation Road Infant School you will see:  Pupils developing self-assessment skills  Verbal feedback provided to improve learning  Children encouraged to use Learning Journals  Children invited to reflect upon their emotional well-being through use of Blob-Tree for example  Evidence of group work as well as that from individuals  Assessment information used to plan for new learning opportunities  Reflection time about learning built in to lessons/staff meetings  Assessment being used to diagnose areas for intervention and challenge

Staff and Governors at Recreation Road School view strong parent-partnership as a real asset to the school. It impacts strongly on teaching and learning, empowering parents to play a full and supportive role in their child’s learning. It empowers parents giving them the skills to develop their own knowledge and understanding and provides them with the confidence to continue their own learning. A report on the Impact of parental Involvement on Children’s Education (Dfes LEA/0339/2003) states that: • In the early years parental involvement has a significant impact on children’s cognitive development and literacy and number skills • Parental involvement in a child’s schooling for a child between the ages of 7 and 16 is a more powerful force than family background, size of family and level of parental education • Educational failure is increased by lack of parental interest in schooling • Many parents want to be involved in their child’s education. In a recent study in England 72% of parents said that they wanted more involvement We must remember that parents are the child’s first educators and that the experiences and information they have to share is very valuable. We must value their home experiences and allow for them to generate further learning opportunities within the classroom. We must respect parents and treat their concerns seriously and with sensitivity. Many parents may feel intimidated and worried about coming into school and we need to make it as easy as possible for parents to feel welcomed and wanted in school. This is done at Recreation Road Infant School, in the first instance, through staff being warm, welcoming and able to chat socially. Through allowing all parents in each morning to settle their children the parents can use these informal times to pass on information to staff, to raise questions or concerns they have. This allows issues to be dealt with immediately and also stops concerns “festering” or parents having the feeling that only big issues can be raised because they have to make an appointment etc. The benefits for us are that parents can be easily kept informed, parents can offer support in the school, staff get to know the child as a person in a family and can share the highs and lows, staff can enjoy the social side of their job and parents can see the human side of the staff. How do we reach the “Hard to reach” parentsWe must be aware that there will always be some parents who do not feel comfortable coming into school and may appear disinterested in their child’s learning. It is important to continue to apply all of the above to these parents-particularly the issue of respect and taking issues seriously. Key staff can “target” particular parents and talk to them more directly about coming into school. It may also be better for Teaching Assistants to discuss issues with them as this may lessen the formality. It is also important that we provide a wide range of activities to draw people in. Above all it is useful try to use the children to involve their parents-get the children to write invitations to events/meetings, reward comments in contact books with stickers for children, do more family-orientated activities and find out what individuals are good at and target them eg. a dad who was a builder seemed reluctant to talk about the learning when his son was in reception but when the teacher asked him directly to donate some pipes etc he felt valued and started to initiate conversation about what the children were doing. Our Family Learning activities are evaluated after each event and parents asked to comment on how useful they found the event and what they would like to see more of. These evaluations then form the basis of our future planning for Family-Learning events.

Parent-Partnership

What Do We Do and Why

What We Do Open Door Policy-all carers welcomed into school between 8:45-9:00 Welcoming Office staff flexiblity in areas such as meals etc Headteacher-visible around school Follow up letters sent to parents re. incidents etc Classroom staff available for informal chat between 8:459:00 and at end of day 3:00-3:30 Daily Contact Book –general comments re. learning/attitude/emotions etc Interest Diary- to record specific interests What We Are Learning document available each term hard copy/website Curriculum policies/guidelines available in foyer Curriculum sessions held half-termly Community/Family Learning sessions Parent-helpers encouraged-trained/supported Software/subscriptions extended for home use

Why/Impact Make it easy for parents to come into school-informal contact with staff, find out what children have been/will be learning/meet other parents Issues can be dealt with sensitively-support given as necessary-information accessible HT gets to know families-greets them/available for informal meetings Parents feel issues are taken seriously- on-going not just brushed off-feel that they can go back and follow up issues As before Working parents can still feel involved-children and parents can share info. about learning/dispositions Obvious link between home and school-motivating for child who can become teacher/parents taken seriously/sch interested in what happens outside of school Parents know what curriculum is and reinforces practical ways of supporting learning at home-resources are available eg. websites Parents have ease of access to policy Parents can find out how their children learn in various subjects and how to support them at home-fun and stimulating for parents too School seen as hub of community-all aspects of learning deemed important-parents can gain new skills/meet new people/share a talent Best use of parent helpers-aid teaching/learning in classroom-gives parents better understanding of their roleencourages some to go on to develop careers in childcare Link between home and school is explicit-children can continue learning at home/parents can support them

Community Art Projects held regularly

Fun/creative activities to involve whole families-gets people talking

Parents questionnaires and feedback

Families feel they can play a part in the4 school’s improvement and development-responses are valued and acted upon Social/Fund Raising group-provides opportunities for extended learning/community use of school Share experiences of children's’ books/reading-look at school’s resources so that they can help their own childrenget to know new people General issues can be raised informally-parents get to see Govs as real people they can talk to Shares and celebrates school’s achievements-family activities to help new intake/social evening/adults and children learning together Formal opportunity to talk about child’s progress/look through work/identify next steps Thorough record of learning with an emphasis on attitudes to learning Parents can see what is going on-background to activities/celebrate events Information is shared-a forum to ask questions/ask for responses/celebrate achievements/remind about procedures On-going information site about what is going on at RRIS/children’s own reports of events/visits etc

Parents GroupReading/Coffee Mornings Reg. Governor Surgeries held Annual Community Open Evening 3 opportunities for formal parent-teacher consultations Thorough Record of Achievement sent home in Summer Photographic displays around school Regular/informative newsletters inc. Reading For Pleasure Newsletter Website available with link to Making the News

Adult Learning at Recreation Road Infant School We believe that: • Leaders have a responsibility to promote everyone’s learning-adults and children • Leaders have a moral imperative to develop the next generation of school leaders • High quality coaching supports professional development, leadership sustainability and school improvement • Coaching is about unlocking potential- bring the best out in people We are aware of Glaser’s Learning Cycle to facilitate experiential learning and use this to provide high quality experiences for adults: Step 1- Getting the group on track-focus on skills, concepts and attitudes to be covered Step 2- Structured Learning Experience- for example watch video, read about case studies, set up simulation/game/activity Step 3- Processing/presenting- group discussions/small group presentation of ideas/findings Step 4- Theory Input- relevant theory to clarify learning and reflection. Step 5- Feedback- on current use of skills, knowledge or attitudes through variety of methods eg style/skills inventory/observations Step 6- Skill practice, knowledge and application- opportunities for groups/individual to practise and apply their learning Step 7- Evaluation- reviewing experiences so far how has learning moved on thinking on. This cycle can extend over a number of sessions or be encapsulated within one session. As a school we work to the principles of the Investors in People Standards: “taking effective action to improve the performance of the organisation through its people” Please refer to our Continuing Professional Development Policy.

Mantle of the Expert- an overview The Mantle of the Expert system (MoE) is an approach to education that is rooted in enquiry, community and dramatic imagination. It is the name given to drama- based approach to education devised by Dorothy Heathcote from University of Newcastle Upon Tyne. Children and adults investigate aspects of the curriculum through shared, focused and extended enquiry in contexts for learning that are; purposeful, authentic and meaningful to everyone. When teachers use MoE they create conditions in their classrooms where children can learn from others in activities that draw on and extend their existing expertise. The classroom community supports and sustains the creation of imaginary communities where children learn collaboratively as they take on the role of the expert and the clients. The dramatic imagination of children, apparent in pretend play, is harnessed and extended through adult participation alongside children as they explore curriculum topics. Bibliography and resources: www.mantleoftheexpert.com www.imaginative-enquiry.co.uk Drama For Learning: Dorothy Heathcote’s Mantle of the Expert Approach to Education- D. Heathcote and G Bolton