Teaching and Learning

Quality First Teaching: The T&L Aspects 

The aspects listed below (in no particular order), are to be used by teachers as a way of planning effective lessons to maximise the progress of students: 

• High expectations, ambitious academic goals and positive relationships 

Clear, consistent routines foster a climate for learning in which students are able and expected to discover their true potential. 

• Explanation and modelling 

Teachers plan opportunities to share subject-specific expertise, so that students understand and become confident to engage with new learning. 

• Questioning, retrieval and discussion 

Dialogue is planned to support students recalling previously learned knowledge, to provoke thought and to deepen subject-specific understanding. 

• Adaptive teaching (be ready to go back as well as forwards) 

Teachers use a variety of techniques to gauge and respond to students’ understanding within a lesson. 

• Independent practice and scaffolding 

Learning activities are pitched to the top and designed to ensure that all students are able to achieve challenging outcomes. 

• Growth mindset and metacognition 

Teachers provide opportunities for students to reflect on their learning and articulate their next steps, so becoming independent learners. 

Literacy, Differentiation and Character in the Classroom underpin each of these aspects. 

Effective literacy skills not only underpin learning but also provide a springboard for success in both career and life.

Each of the six aspects listed are differentiated by teachers to meet the needs of individuals in each class. This enables all students, in all lessons, each day to reach their full potential engaging with appropriately pitched resources for their ability.  

Students are expected to demonstrate and develop positive Character in the Classroom habits to support them becoming independent learners.

What lessons at Aston may look like:

To support students and facilitate staff in the delivery of a consistent experience for students, all teachers follow a similar lesson structure model in their planning. The length of each criteria below will differ dependent on where a lesson sits within a scheme of learning. 

1. Review prior and introduce future learning  

2. Teacher input 

3. Checking for understanding 

4. Student practice 

5. Sharing success and reviewing progress 

Continuing Professional Development Intent 

CPD for teachers at Aston aims to address areas of development at individual, departmental and whole school level in order to improve the outcomes of our students. 

Key Aspects of CPD 

CPD at Aston is: 

Responsive 

Through regular meeting and inset time devoted to Professional Development that responds to the developmental needs of teachers. 

Evidence-informed 

Teachers have access to up-to-date educational research and an array of CPD opportunities afforded to them to ensure their teaching is as evidence-based as possible. 

Individualised 

Teachers are provided time to focus on the aspects of teaching & learning that they deem to be personal areas of development, in order to drive behavioural change in their classrooms.

Subject-specific 

Through Faculty Time, teaching staff collaborate on improving areas identified in their Faculty Improvement Plans. Within whole-school CPD, staff work together the develop their own teaching and learning based on focus areas and through instructional coaching.

Appropriate

CPD opportunities are designed to support teachers based on their career stage, experience and identified areas of development. For example, early career teachers access a large part of their professional development via the Early Career Framework Programme provided by University School London. 

Teachers at Aston are provided with the opportunity to engage in external CPD programmes, such as the range of National Professional Qualifications. 

In addition, annually teachers engage in professional development on a range of essential areas, such as Safeguarding, SEN training, and frequent briefings regarding individual students with specific needs. 

Review and Impact

In order to assess the impact of our Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, the following structures are in place as a means of informing next steps in curriculum design, implementation and CPD opportunities for the school:  

Academy drop-ins 

Led by the Vice Principal and QofE Team, subject leadership teams work alongside members of QofE to discover the student experience of the curriculum through 1-1 conversations with students. Questions are asked around key content, skills and development of students understanding across topics and year groups.

Progress 
Ensure the progress of students is above that of their peers nationally. Progress is analysed at School and Subject level to identify strengths and areas for development in planning and/or implementation of the curriculum. 

Faculty drop-ins 

Focus on the quality of the curriculum and its implementation by teaching staff, offering feedback with reference to the T&L aspects. 

Work scrutiny 

Focus on the learning journey in books, pride, presentation and implementation of the assessment, feedback and response cycle. 

Faculty curricular review 

Faculty leadership teams regularly review and improve their curricula, including curriculum intent. This ensures curriculum development continues in line with the key principles above. The website is then updated to ensure accuracy of information for parents and stakeholders.  Student voice is also completed at faculty and academy level to inform the implementation and development.

CPD

CPD is responsive to the developmental needs of teachers as identified in the Academy Improvement Plan (AIP), Faculty Improvement Plans (FIPs) and regular lessons drop-ins. Training programmes are evaluated to ensure they are as effective as possible.