Teaching and Learning
Two of the most important words in education - teaching and learning - this is EVERYTHING we do at Stratton.
Our methodology focuses on tiers of professional learning and support. In our collective focus, we will work together to achieve individual expertise in up to three of the six identified priority areas – The Stratton Six. This expertise will be shared and together we will be a stronger unit. Our vision is to take ‘small but significant learning’ and facilitate this being ‘replicated and scaled’ across the teaching body. The Stratton Expert will be a widely acknowledged award and we will be celebrated for this elevated professional knowledge and practice.
Our Mission
- Raising standards of achievement, ensuring progress for all students of all abilities
- Support staff in improving the quality of Teaching & Learning across Stratton School through high quality CPD and opportunities to share great practice
Reading
- Teachers read out loud
- Teachers use high quality, ambitious and current texts
- Teachers select symbols and pictures to support reading comprehensionÂ
Innovation
- Teachers are curious professionals
- Teachers proactively engage with current educational theory
- Teachers take risks and want to trial strategies to stretch and challenge students’ thinkingÂ
Transitions and connections
- Teachers ‘join the learning dots’ and connect learning over time
- Teachers plan for transitions to be coherent and seamless
- Teachers tell students what they are doing and why they are doing itÂ
Retrieval, feedback, and critique
- Teachers regularly assess students’ learning, showing and telling them what they need to do to improve
- Teachers allow time for students to develop and practise skills and knowledge following feedback
- Teachers prioritise strategies to help students retrieve their learning over timeÂ
Planning for and knowing your learners
- Teachers know their learners as individuals
- Teachers use data intuitively to plan and deliver lessons to meet all needs
- Teachers target bespoke interventionsÂ
Relationships and culture
- Teachers are highly aspirational, caring professionals
- Teachers have strong routines and foster positive relationships with all students
- Teachers fairly and routinely celebrate
Principles of Effective Teaching & Learning at Stratton School
‘All students have a clear idea of where they are, where they are going and how to get there’
Data and Planning
- Lesson planning should take into account the needs of all students and their ability
- The Big Picture should be shared with students to ensure they understand the learning journey
- Lessons are built upon prior knowledge and understanding and planned accordingly
- All lessons should be differentiated and should refer to Intervention Plans
- All class intervention plans should be completed for all classes showing how teachers will support each student’s learning development over time
- Lesson activities and resources should be varied and appropriate to support learning for all students
Structure
- Students should be taught how to learn (in groups and independently)
- Students should be taught how to reflect and improve their own learning
- Time should be embedded to ensure students are able to make progress and improve work based on feedback
- Lesson objectives and outcomes should be appropriate, challenging and shared with students
- Objectives and outcomes should be referred to throughout the lesson in the form of mini plenaries to assess student progress
- Activities should be varied, purposeful and appropriate to meet the needs of all students
Environment
- Achievement should be recognised and rewarded
- Underachievement and poor behaviour should be challenged, not passively processed.
- Teachers should create and maintain a purposeful learning environment including the quality and regular upkeep of learning displays in classrooms
- Displays should include posters which are common to the school aims and ethos as well as curriculum displays