Teaching & Learning Policy

A variety of teaching styles will be employed to promote good learning.  These will vary as appropriate to the size, ability and make up of a group.  Didactic exposition, interactive whole class activity, group work, individual learning schemes, one-to-one tutorials, role play, are examples of such styles.

Teaching staff will work to build productive and effective relationships with their students.  The best of these will be based on mutual respect, and will stem from teachers’ secure knowledge and understanding of the courses they are delivering.  Structured organisation, systematic recording and awareness of pupils’ progress, recognition of good work and behaviour, reprimanding poor work or behaviour will all be strategies used by the best teachers, who will also rely on their enthusiasm, humour, rapport with pupils and flexibility.

Good classroom management will ensure that the learning environment students experience will be conducive to study.  Good discipline will ensure teaching and learning can take place effectively, efficiently and without distraction.  The use of the School’s rewards and sanctions system will assist with the maintenance of discipline, but principally this will stem from good teacher-student relationships.  Pupils will know the purpose and sequence of activities presented.

Teachers will seek to raise challenging but realistic aspirations in their pupils.  These will be founded in comparisons against previous performance, against local and national data, against the performance of previous cohorts, and in awareness of further and higher education routes and careers.

Teachers will make regular assessments of their pupils’ progress in the various aspects of their courses, and use these to feedback on progress.  They will follow whole school and departmental guidelines on the structure of such assessments.

Pupils will be encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning.  They will be shown how to plan their study, how to prepare themselves for tests and examinations, how to organise their work over a prolonged period of time (for instance, when working on a major project or coursework).

Pupils will be encouraged to take part in extra-curricular activities which enhance their learning.  Teachers will promote such activity and make students aware of the opportunities that exist appropriate to their abilities and interests.  The most pro-active promotion will involve teachers in leading such activities as are relevant to their interests and work, and this extension of normal school provision is always highly valued.

This Policy also applies to EYFS.