1: We create a warm, welcoming and purposeful learning environment 

    with high expectations

• We always welcome pupils at the door
• We provide tasks for all pupils to complete on entry
• We use routines such as a raised hand or counting down from 3 to 1 to establish silence
• We use the school’s 4 stage behaviour for learning policy to address disruptive behaviour: “You are now on a stage …. because….”
• When a teacher is speaking, all pupils should be in silence, facing the teacher and being attentive
• We ensure that pupils leave in an orderly fashion
• In short, we maintain a culture of high expectations for all

6.  We provide targeted marking and feedback

• We give timely, specific, and actionable feedback to guide pupil improvement using green pens
• We highlight strengths and areas for development to support academic growth
• Pupils respond to feedback in purple pen during DIRT activities to show progress
• All pupil proofreading is done using a red pen
• We use the SP, C, P and A codes across all departments
• Use feedback as a tool for learning (not just assessment) and drive continuous improvement
• We use the information we gather to adapt our teaching accordingly

2: We ask quality questions which engage all pupils

• We use a range of questioning techniques to establish pupil knowledge and identify gaps
• Questions are thought-provoking and encourage exploration of content and deepening of understanding
• We use whiteboards, Think-write-pair-share and cold-calling to ensure that ALL pupils are engaged in critical thinking and showing us their understanding

7.  We foster effective oracy and communication skills

• We encourage confident and articulate speaking and listening in both academic and social contexts
• We structure talk in the classroom using Think-Pair-Share or (even better!) Think-Write-Pair-Share
• We provide frameworks and explicitly teach vocabulary to help scaffold quality talk
• Do not accept undeveloped responses and use questioning to develop pupil responses

3.  We provide clear and structured explanations

• We chunk complex concepts into manageable steps to build understanding progressively and avoid cognitive overload
• We structure explanations clearly so all pupils can follow the lesson’s progression
• We use visual aids including dual coding, charts, diagrams and demonstrations to outline learning points

8.  We develop academic reading and writing skills 

• We expose pupils to a range of quality texts that enhance our curriculum offers
• We use the ARC acronym:

• We activate prior knowledge (context, vocabulary, etc)

• We model quality reading outline important strategies

• We check student comprehension

• We have high expectations of presentation

• We use scaffolding and modelling to improve writing but reduce support over time

   

4.  We model excellence at all times

• We model expert strategies and techniques to demonstrate effective approaches to tasks
• We show how to solve problems and think critically through step-by-step demonstrations
• We verbalise thinking when approaching tasks
• We consider both good and bad examples and establish the specific differences

• We routinely model the use of academic language

• We routinely use visualisers in classrooms

   

9.  We use adaptive teaching strategies for our vulnerable pupils

• We use pupil passports and internal data to ‘know’ pupils well
• We provide tailored support for pupils through personalised interventions and adaptive strategies
• We collaborate with the SEND team, pastoral team, parents and other teachers to meet individual pupil needs
• We help pupils to catch up important missed work

5.  We teach to enhance long-term memory and retention

• We embed spaced repetition to help pupils revisit and reinforce key knowledge over time
• We use retrieval practice regularly to strengthen memory and deepen understanding
• We incorporate frequent review opportunities to connect new content with prior learning

10.  We set appropriate, challenging and inspiring homework tasks

• We design homework tasks that reinforce and consolidate learning aligned with the curriculum
• We develop independent study skills by giving pupils purposeful, subject-specific tasks
• We get pupils to apply knowledge in meaningful contexts to deepen learning and appreciate real-world relevance
• We ensure equity for all with the tasks we set