THE DOWNS PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NURSERY – Learning and Teaching Policy

Learning and Teaching Policy Vision Statement At The Downs Primary School and Nursery we place great emphasis on good relationships and adopt a caring approach to all those who participate in the life of the school. We embrace the development of the ‘whole child’ and work together to promote positive attitudes towards life-long learning. We believe that every individual is entitled to a wealth of interesting and stimulating experiences that challenge and enrich their learning and enable them to fulfil their true potential in all aspects of life. The schools motto ‘learning together, creating a successful future for all’ reflects the belief that all members of the school community continue to learn and develop regardless of age, gender, ability, race, culture or background; through the educational practices and standards promoted at The Downs Primary School and Nursery. This document lays the foundations for the entire curriculum: formal and informal, and thereby provides the context in which all other policy statements should be read. It is written for the benefit of all members of the school community to ensure that all are aware of the fundamental principles underpinning the work of our school. It encapsulates the school’s commitment to the philosophy of Essex County Council’s policy document ‘Every Learner’, that; ‘Every learner is entitled to a curriculum which is rich, varied, challenging, inspiring and which enables every individual to fulfil her or his potential to the highest possible standard.’ School Aims At The Downs Primary School and Nursery we aim to:  Provide a secure, safe and stimulating learning environment in which every child is respected, valued and enabled to achieve their full potential.  Enable all children to develop into self-motivated and autonomous learners, who mature into well-rounded individuals attaining their promise in all aspects of their development.  Encourage every member of the school community to make a positive contribution to school life, in an ethos where individuals feel able to express ideas, opinions and emotions.  Nurture a love of learning that transcends the boundaries of school and develop attitudes that promote life-long learning.  Develop effective learning through a range of facilities and strategies; promoting strong links between home and school.  Make learning fun; enabling the children to learn through first-hand, practical and investigative experiences that promote enquiry, thinking skills, reasoning and develop understanding.

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THE DOWNS PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NURSERY – Learning and Teaching Policy

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Promote a positive attitude towards physical activity of all kinds developing an understanding of the place it takes in an active and healthy lifestyle, whilst ensuring that team playing and sportsmanship are valued and encouraged. Deliver motivating and inspiring lessons that provide appropriate levels of challenge for all pupils. Promote responsible and positive attitudes towards learning, work, the school community and wider society. Provide moral framework that is based upon self-discipline, responsibility and respect for self and others. Enhance individual confidence and self-esteem whilst promoting enthusiasm for learning. Encourage children to become responsible, tolerant and caring members of our school and the wider community. Provide a broad, balanced curriculum that takes account of the children’s different starting points and is available to all regardless of gender, religious belief or ethnic background; thereby meeting the requirements of the Education Reform Act relating to National Curriculum and religious education and collective worship; the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and legislation relating to Equality of Opportunity. Develop an appreciation of art, performance, music, poetry and develop spiritual awareness. Monitor progress and attainment rigorously to ensure that staff, pupils and parents are clear about their child’s ‘next steps’ in learning and development and are enabled to achieve these. Report effectively to parents and to other audiences e.g. schools at points of transition.

Objectives In practice our ethos and aims can be identified in school in the following ways:  A welcoming and positive atmosphere.  Professionalism amongst all members of the staff team.  A clear and standardised set of expectations that apply to all, regardless of age, gender, ability, race or culture; and that are consistently and fairly applied.  Mutual respect amongst all members of the school community and at all levels, i.e. between staff and pupils, pupils with their peers, staff, governors, parents, etc.  Adults acting as positive role models.  Established routines and expectations that are shared explicitly with all members of the school community, in language appropriate to their age and stage of development and acquisition of spoken English.  A secure, safe learning environment, in which everybody feels valued.  Fair and equal access to all aspects of school life, including educational visits, extracurricular activities etc.  High expectations of all pupils, both in terms of their behaviour, attainment and presentation.

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Standardised rewards and sanctions that provide positive reinforcement and reinforce expectations. Clear and effective management systems. Happy and relaxed children who engage fully in their learning and are prepared to take ‘risks’ without fear of failure; participating with confidence, articulating ideas and opinions clearly. Effective planning and delivery across all National Curriculum subjects, RE, MFL (Modern Foreign Language) and EYFS, promoting cross-curricular teaching and learning. Well-paced and motivating lessons that: are driven by clear and explicit learning objectives; take account of all learning styles and abilities; provide suitable challenge; employ a range of teaching approaches, relevant activities and interests that overcome potential barriers to learning and enable all children to enjoy, participate and succeed. Agreed and shared assessments that provide an honest and accurate appraisal of children’s achievements whilst identifying the next steps in the learning and development. Assessment strategies will be modified to ensure that they are accessible to all and reflect pupil’s knowledge, skills and understanding of concepts. Personalised learning targets that are shared with pupils and parents. Effective tracking systems that monitor the progress of all pupils and facilitate data analysis at a range of levels for different purposes. High quality displays, that act as a stimulus for learning and/or celebrate children’s learning and achievements. Well resourced and organised learning environments. A wealth of well-maintained and appropriate resources, including a wide range of ICT facilities, that reflect the multi-cultural society in which we live and ensure equal access for all pupils regardless of first language, race or cultural background. Promotion of independence in all aspects of learning and school life. Regular opportunities to celebrate success, value individual/group/whole class efforts and achievements. Open lines of communication between home and school that foster and effective partnership between teacher and parent / carer. Opportunities for children to engage in open-ended, problem-solving tasks and team challenges that promote initiative, questioning and thinking skills, amongst their immediate per group and across family groupings. Themed assemblies that address a wide range of issues including those relating to equality of opportunity, challenging stereotypes, fostering mutual respect across communities ./ cultures etc. Regular and planned monitoring activities, including lesson observations and feedback. Established performance management systems that take account of pupil progress when setting targets for teaching staff and promote continuing professional development. Tolerance and sensitivity amongst all members of the school community towards the thoughts and opinions of others. Page 3 of 11

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Social events and focus weeks that are designed to actively promote acceptance of diversity within the school community, wider society and the world at large. Pupils are encouraged to believe that any exhibited work (performance or display), should represent their high standards of personal achievement. Opportunities for children of all ages to be given responsibility and develop independence. Regular staff meetings and training sessions that enable colleagues to share good practice and enhance their professional understanding.

Principles of Teaching and Learning. At The Downs Primary School and Nursery we see teaching as a process of co-operative team work between pupils, staff and parents/carers. We actively encourage the involvement of parents and other members of the community, where the latter can serve to enrich and strengthen children’s learning and understanding. Staff organise educational visits to enhance and enrich pupils’ learning either within school or through excursions. The curriculum is delivered through cross-curricular themes, designed to build upon children’s centres of interest whilst strengthening their knowledge, skills and understanding – making explicit connections and links across and between subjects. Teachers provide a wide range of open-ended tasks that promote thinking skills, reasoning and enquiry, whilst frequently facilitating team work and collaboration. There is a strong emphasis upon learning through firsthand experience or through good quality second hand experiences. Children are encouraged to be active participants in their own learning, evaluating their performance, progress and development against explicit learning intentions and outcomes. They are given opportunities to communicate their findings in a wide variety of ways through a balance of whole class, group and individual teaching, according to the purpose of the lesson / task. All aspects of the curriculum are suitably modified by staff to ensure full and equal access for all, as appropriate to individual needs. Teachers use the school’s own schemes of work and the Primary Framework for literacy and numeracy when planning curriculum content based upon pupils needs and levels of attainment. It is the responsibility of all adults working within the school to ensure that lesson planning and preparation take full account of safe practices as detailed in the Health and Safety Code of Practice, which is kept in the main school office. Teachers should carry our appropriate risk assessments for all lessons where relevant, making specific reference to health and safety issues within the introductory part of their lesson / delivery in order to raise pupil awareness. Every adult working in school has a duty of care to ensure that children are free to learn in a safe, secure environment. Roles and Responsibilities. All members of the school community (teaching and non-teaching staff, parents, pupils and governors) work towards the school’s aims by:  Recognising children as individuals and respecting their rights, values and beliefs.  Promoting good relationships and a sense of belonging to the school community.

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Providing a well-ordered environment in which all are fully aware of behavioural expectations and targets for improvement. Offering equal opportunities in all aspects of school life whilst recognizing and valuing different cultures. Encouraging, praising and positively reinforcing good relationships, behaviour and work. Working as a team, supporting and encouraging one another.

Teachers work towards the school aims by:  Providing a challenging and stimulating programme of study designed to enable all children to reach the highest standards of personal achievement in all aspects of their development.  Recognising and remaining constantly aware of the diverse needs of all pupils; adapting curriculum delivery as appropriate to provide suitable challenge, overcome potential barriers to learning and ensure full and equal access regardless of ability, race or culture.  Maintaining a well informed overview of individual progress, attainment and achievement, based upon effective assessment for learning.  Ensuring that learning is progressive and continuous.  Providing good quality feedback to pupils, both oral and written, relating their marking comments to the learning objective, identifying and praising strengths whilst recognising areas for improvement / next steps for development.  Delivering high quality lessons driven by clear and explicit learning objectives that take account of individual learning styles and abilities; provide a meaningful context for learning; employ a range of teaching approaches and relevant activities that overcome potential barriers to learn and enable all children to enjoy and succeed.  Being good role models – punctual, well prepared, organized and respectful of others.  Maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of current educational thinking, strategies and the National Curriculum.  Having a positive attitude towards change and the development of their personal expertise.  Establishing links with the local community, including industry, to prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.  Working collaboratively with a shared philosophy and commonality of practice.  Deploying a wide range of resources effectively to enhance learning, including the latest technologies.  Taking collective responsibility for the organization of whole school events, focus weeks, educational visits, etc.  Maintaining high standards of classroom organization and display. Pupils work towards the school aims by:  Attending school regularly during school time, in good health maintained by appropriate diet, exercise and sleep.  Arriving punctually each day, ready to begin lessons on time. Page 5 of 11 January 2014

THE DOWNS PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NURSERY – Learning and Teaching Policy

 Being organised – bringing necessary kit, taking letters home promptly, returning reading books regularly, completing homework on time etc.  Being appropriately dressed.  Conducting themselves in an appropriate manner in accordance with the expectations of ‘TERRIFIC’ at all times during the school day, regardless of location.  Taking growing responsibility for their belongings and own learning.  Acting responsibly towards others and respecting/valuing the needs, ideas and opinions of all members of the school community regardless of age, gender, ability, race or culture.  Participating to the very best of their ability in all aspects of their learning i.e. as active contributors rather than passive participants.  Engaging in the target setting and familiarising themselves with their personalised learning goals as appropriate to their age and stage of development.  Responding, to the best of their ability, to adult advice and feedback.  Taking given responsibilities seriously and fulfilling them to the best of their ability.  Collaborating on occasion as pertinent to the activity, expectations, etc. Parents work towards the school aims by:  Ensuring that their children attend school regularly and punctually in good health, being well fed and rested.  Respecting the timings of the school day, dropping their children off AND collecting them on time.  Supporting the school’s Behaviour Expectation Policy, ‘TERRIFIC’, and the teacher’s role in implementing this.  Being realistic about their child’s abilities and offering support, encouragement and praise.  Participating in regular discussions relating to their child’s progress and attainment.  Ensuring early contact with school to discuss matters which affect a child’s happiness, progress and behaviour.  Giving due importance to the successful completion of homework; this may include hearing reading and assisting in the learning of tables, spellings and so on, in addition to specified homework activities.  Ensuring children are appropriately attired, including appropriate kit for PE lessons.  Acknowledging and supporting the expertise and experience of the staff. Subject Leaders work towards the school aims by:  Supporting colleagues in the development of detailed work plans and the implementation of the scheme of work and in assessment and record keeping activities.  Offering colleagues advice and support, particularly those new to the school or indeed the teaching profession.  Monitoring delivery and progress in their subject together with the Headteacher.  Taking responsibility for the purchase and organisation of central resources for their subject. Page 6 of 11 January 2014

THE DOWNS PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NURSERY – Learning and Teaching Policy

 Maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of their curriculum subject through reading and attending relevant courses.  Disseminating information regarding their subject and lead INSET where appropriate within the requirements of the School Improvement Plan.  Liaising with the school’s SENCo and outside agencies as appropriate to ensure modifications within the curriculum are supported by suitably adapted resources to ensure full and equal access for all pupils – overcoming possible barriers to learning whilst responding to the diverse needs of all. Planning the Curriculum Planning is a process in which all teachers are involved, wherein:  The School Development Plan (developed through a process of collaboration between staff, pupils and governors) identifies key aspects of development within the curriculum.  A long term plan ensures full coverage of the National Curriculum; with the exception of the Foundation Stage where the early learning goals provide the focus for planning.  Class teachers manipulate the requirements of the National Curriculum, together with the Primary Framework for literacy and numeracy, into cohesive half-termly / Termly themes / topics that may change each academic year.  Medium term plans are drawn up by class teachers for each half term and monitored by the Headteacher.  Weekly plans are developed, wherein learning objectives, differentiation and assessment opportunities are made explicit, together with specific/specialised resources that will enhance curriculum delivery and pupil understanding.  Regular staff meetings are used to discuss various aspects of the curriculum to ensure consistency of approach and standards.  Subject leaders monitor planning within their subject in accordance with their action plan and identified monitoring arrangements. Resourcing the Curriculum. All teachers are responsible for ensuring:  A range of appropriate, accessible and clearly labelled resources are available from which pupils can select materials suitable to the task in hand.  Children know where resources are kept and are clear about the rules regarding access and use, including what they must not touch for reasons of safety and privacy.  Resources used within lessons are modified and adapted where appropriate to facilitate the inclusion of all pupils regardless of ability, spoken language, etc.  Pupils are enabled and encouraged to act independently in choosing, collecting and returning resources where appropriate.  Provision of an attractive, welcoming and well-organised environment engendering respect, care and value for all resources. Page 7 of 11 January 2014

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ICT resources are successfully integrated into all aspects of the curriculum wherever deployment of such resources will actively enhance children’s learning. A wide range of resources are incorporated into their teaching in order to meet the needs of every learner and deliver stimulating and inspiring lessons that keep pupils fully engaged and motivated. That resources used within the learning environment avoid tokenism and stereotyping and are sensitive to cultural values, whilst portraying diversity and difference in terms of ability, race, culture etc. Selected resources are safe and age appropriate. Effective time management – time is a valuable resource that we must endeavour to maximise to its fullest by ensuring that: the daily timetable is finitely planned; children are engaged in useful / meaningful activities upon entering the classroom and know what to do upon completion of a task; clear and specific learning objectives ensure that teaching and learning is focused and relevant and that as children progress throughout the school they are encouraged to take greater control of their own learning, including their use of time.

Subject leaders are responsible for ensuring that central resources, relevant to their subject, are well maintained and stocked. An inventory of resources for each subject is developed and shared with staff, so that everyone is familiar with what is available to support curriculum delivery. Subject leaders are responsible for managing a delegated budget and liaise closely with teaching staff to ascertain which resources should be purchased. Stationary for photocopying is ordered by the administrative staff and stored centrally with free access to staff. The purchase and organizations of general consumable supplies is the responsibility of a senior member of staff. Special Educational Needs. The school’s Special Educational Needs Policy sets out the approach and procedures for the management of special needs within the school. The Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) has responsibility for the management of all aspects of special educational needs. Extra support for pupils who require additional assistance with certain aspects of their learning is detailed in an Individual Educational Plan (IEP). IEPs are developed by the class teacher in consultation with the SENCo, additional support is generally provided within the classroom, but children may be withdrawn from lessons if this approach is deemed to be more suitable for certain aspects of their tuition. It is the responsibility of the class teacher to differentiate the curriculum appropriately to meet the needs of each with an IEP; although additional support may be provided by a learning support assistant (LSA) working under the direction of the class teacher. Teachers must ensure that equal access to all aspects of the curriculum is facilitated through appropriate differentiation, modification of resources where appropriate, adaptations to accommodate cultural, religious beliefs, etc.

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THE DOWNS PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NURSERY – Learning and Teaching Policy

Homework Homework is considered to be a valuable element of the teaching and learning process, therefore:  Children are encouraged to work at home on a regular basis. Parents are notified of homework tasks each week, supported by a clear explanation of the activity and a completion date by which the homework must be handed in for marking. The amount of homework given will increase gradually as children progress through out school.  Children in Key Stage Two are expected to complete homework and consequences are implemented for those who do not do so or indeed fail to present their homework for marking on time.  It is expected that all children will read at home and share a book with their parents at least 2 – 3 times a week.  Children will have individualised learning targets to focus on, both in school and at home.  Children who have made insufficient effort during class time may be asked to complete work at home.  Teachers will differentiate homework where applicable in order to provide suitable challenge for all pupils and meet their diverse needs.  Extra homework tasks will be given to children in year 6 to help prepare them for life at secondary school.  Teachers will mark all homework that is presented to them.  Support is offered to those children who are unable to complete homework at home. Reporting to Parents Teachers report to parents formally at least once a term, although they communicate with parents on an informal basis almost daily (particularly in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage One) either through the home – school book or in person at the school gate at the end of the day.    

Parent’s Evenings are held in the Autumn and Spring Term. Individualised learning targets are sent home twice a year, outlining key areas each child must address in order to progress within literacy and numeracy. Mid way though the Spring Term parents receive a written ‘Interim Report’ detailing their child’s progress in English and Mathematics – this is in addition to a face to face parent’s meeting. In July parents receive a detailed written report outlining their child’s progress and development in all aspects of the curriculum as well as their personal and social development.

Parents are made aware that they may meet their child’s teacher by appointment at any other time to discuss particular concerns. Similarly they are welcome to make an appointment to discuss their child’s attainment in maths with the class teacher. The Page 9 of 11 January 2014

THE DOWNS PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NURSERY – Learning and Teaching Policy

Headteacher is available at any time throughout the year to discuss matters that may be causing concern for either parents or pupils in any aspect of school life. The school will make reasonable endeavours to provide translations of written reports for parents for whom written English is not their preferred form of communication. The school maintains thorough and up-to-date records on each child’s attainment within key aspects of the core curriculum. A wide range of formative assessments are used to monitor pupil progress and identify future areas for development, this is known as Assessment for Learning (AfL). Summative assessments are carried out at the end of Year 2 and 6 in the form of national tests, SATs (Standardized Assessment Tasks / Tests) and at the end of Years 3, 4 and 5 through the use of Optional Tests developed by the National Assessment Agency. More information about mechanisms for assessment is contained within the schools ‘Assessment Recording and Reporting Policy’. Cross-phase Continuity. Cross-phase continuity is ensured by:  Regular primary / secondary liaison meetings, which are attended by a member of the school leadership team.  Liaison meetings between teachers of Year 6 pupils and those from prospective secondary schools.  Visits to secondary schools by Year 5 and 6 pupils.  Transfer of pupil progress records, including IEPs where applicable, and summative assessment results.  Induction meetings for children transferring into primary education from pre-school settings.  Developing transition plans for children with Statement of Educational Need, upon entering or exiting The Downs Primary School and Nursery. Community Links. When planning the curriculum teachers explore ways of enriching teaching and learning through involvement with the wider community. This may result in visiting speakers / groups being invited into school to entertain pupils, talk to the children or work alongside them. Staff are pro-active in providing opportunities for children to engage in activities outside school, including educational visits, inter-school events (sporting, creative, academic, etc) and opportunities to ‘showcase’ their abilities and talents e.g. entertaining groups within the local community. Children regularly participate in fundraising events for the local and national charities, raising their awareness of the needs of others beyond their local community.

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THE DOWNS PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NURSERY – Learning and Teaching Policy

The school participates in a wide variety of events that promote collaborative learning with children from other Harlow schools e.g. Diddy Delights of Science, Crucial Crew etc. Monitoring and Evaluation. The effectiveness of this policy will be monitored by all members of the school community but in particular the SENCo, the Foundation Stage Leader, and the Senior Leadership Team. The Headteacher will report to the Performance and Standards Committees of the Governing Body who will maintain an overview of the effectiveness of the policy. The effective implementation of this policy may be monitored through:  Lesson observation and feedback  Subject leaders’ monitoring activities, including work sampling, review of planning, analysis of assessment outcomes etc.  Behaviour e.g. data relating to the number of red cards issued, strikes, exclusions etc.  Pupil tracking and analysis of progress data according to ability, gender, race, cohorts etc.  Percentage of children meeting individualised learning targets.  Parental feedback – questionnaires, comment slips (after specific events, report comments slips etc).  Annual review meetings.  Pupil perception surveys.  Class and School Council meetings and minutes  Assemblies.  Displays.  Governors visits.  Visits by other professionals, in particular the School Improvement Partner  OFSTED inspections and reports Marianne Fuller Headteacher January 2014

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