Teaching and learning at Parkgate
Parkgate Junior School is a happy, dynamic community where children are inspired to reach their individual potential, preparing them for a successful future.
We are special because we all have something amazing to contribute to the Parkgate Family. We learn together, we help each other, we respect each other, we try hard every day to become the best we can be.
Teaching and Learning at Parkgate Juniors
Long Term Planning
- Each year we create an overview of what will be taught and how/when.
- The Planning starts with the National Curriculum, the Herts agreed syllabus of work for RE and National Government Guidance for PSHE 2020.
- Each year group creates a curriculum map to demonstrate how subjects are linked.
- People learn in different ways and this is planned for to ensure that all children learn in way that best suit them.
Medium Term Planning.
- Medium Term plans are created for each topic. These use objectives from the subject skills ladders, and are supported by the Jigsaw Scheme for PSHE, Charanga for Music, Purple Mash for Computing.
- Core subjects are planned using the HfL Maths and Literacy Essentials, as well as the Hertfordshire Science Scheme.
Short Term Planning/Weekly Planning
Short term planning is produced by the subject/class teachers to add details to the medium term objectives.
Short term plans show:
- clear objectives
- scaffolding of tasks
- assessing the outcomes
- support and resources for pupils during that session
- LILAC focus.
Enriching the curriculum
International Erasmus, joint events with Infants, productions, carol service, residential trips, School Sports Partnership events, PTA events, charity events, 02 and Albert Hall music concerts, Age UK and Drum projects, local walks, nature walks are all used to enrich the curriculum on an annual basis alongside trips to support learning.
Lesson Planning and Organisation
National Curriculum 2014, RE Agreed Syllabus, Computing scheme of work and PSHE are used to create appropriate learning objectives for each lesson.
- Learning objectives are written onto the plans for every lesson.
- Learning objectives are written on the board for every lesson and shared with learners.
- Children copy the learning objective into their books as the title of each piece of work.
- Teachers also use ‘key vocabulary’, ‘key facts’ and ‘key questions’ in a variety of ways.
- In Core Subjects success criteria labelled ‘Steps for Success’ maybe written on the board or can be on a Literacy or Mathematics working wall. In other subjects these are shared orally.
Using Assessment to inform Planning
Assessment for learning
Weekly plans are created for Maths, Literacy and Science. Non-core subjects are planned for using a more detailed weekly overview.
Short term planning is annotated during each session to inform the next stage of planning.
- Learning objectives are shared/displayed for each lesson.
- Pupils copy these objectives into their books for each piece of work.
- Key vocabulary, key facts and key questions may be used.
- Success criteria, steps for success and individual targets are used to guide learning
Formative
- During the lesson teachers use a variety of strategies for day to day assessment including;
- Questioning to assess starting points
- Questioning to develop understanding
- Using thinking time/ talk partners to ensure that all children are engaged with answering questions
- Observing children and listening to their discussions
- Making feedback
- Same day support (SDS) - support is initialled in books
- LILAC based activities see compendium of activities
- Peer and self-assessment
- Feedback with groups or individuals.
- Teaching assistant’s feedback to teachers on children’s progress towards learning objectives after each intervention session verbally and in note form.
Summative Assessment
- Every Year – termly including
- Tests NFER + Spelling tests
- NFER Tests - termly tests
- Weekly Spelling Tests
- Multiplication Times table rockstars
- Reading book assessment
Attainment Targets
- Every 3/4 weeks, teachers meet individually with the head for Pupil Progress Meetings. Year 6 teacher’s meet every 2 weeks to monitor pupils needs and progress. During these meetings the progress of all children is monitored. Groups and individuals are identified for additional support/intervention.
- 4 week targets. Short sharp impact driven easily achievable.
- In class, children select pupil targets for writing and Maths.
- Pupils select targets from learning ladder at the start of each unit of work.
- Learning ladders are stuck into books at the start of each unit and pupils copy down a target into their books on a green target sticker.
- Pupils use reflective journaling to review their own learning against their target from the learning ladder.
Effective learning
We offer opportunities for children to learn in different ways. These include:
- Investigation and problem-solving
- Explanation and modelling
- Tasks
- Questioning and retrieval
- Feedback
- Vocabulary
- Teaching sequence as well as content and knowledge
- Research and finding out
- Group work,Paired work – eg talking partners,Independent work
- Whole class work - scaffolding
- Concrete apparatus
- Use of chrome books & use of Tech, eg Google Classroom Purple Mash.
- Visits to places of educational interest
- Creative activities such as dance, music, performing and visual arts
- Debates, role-playing and oral presentations
- Designing and making items
- Participation in athletic or physical activities
- Taking on jobs and responsibilities. Being a member of the School Council, being a member of a school club, House Captains or a Pupil Librarian
- Self-differentiation through choice of challenge
- Philosophy for Children.
- Use of Lilac resources.
- Joint events
- Enrichment opportunities
- Erasmus
- Cross Curriculur week
- Science / Subject Focus week.
- Visitors - Experts
- Virtual Zoom workshops (enrichment opportunity)
- Children going back and doing their next steps
- Paired reading
We encourage children to be aware of their own learning through AfL techniques such as learning ladders and peer marking.
Effective teaching
It is our expectation that teaching staff at Parkgate Junior School will:
- Develop good relationships with children – demonstrating respect and trust
- Scaffold learning and use skillful questioning and questions in whole class teaching
- Demonstrate AfL – throughout teaching
- Correct misconceptions/ Same Day Support
- Refer to LO/SFS/Targets
- Maintain the pace of lessons
- Use technology to build and develop learning
- Use praise and celebrate achievement
- Regularly assess to inform future planning and the context of the lesson
- Set targets to move learning on with a variety of strategies are live marking to move learning on.
- Give clear explanations and instructions
- Have enthusiasm for teaching children
- Link to real-life and relevant issues
- Ensure that children are engaged/listening through the use of the behaviour policy
- Ensure that children are making good progress
- Make lessons challenging – building on skills
- Have excellent subject knowledge and skills appropriate to the levels they teach.
- Encourage pupils to be independent through a range of strategies and access to resources.
- Precision monitoring Teaching intervention.
- Same day Support
- Variety of ways to move learning on.
- Specific themed week
- Adapting plans during the week
- Visitors/Experts.
Learning Environment
Our school prides itself on its vibrant learning environment. The learning environment is kept clean, tidy and well organised.
- Children are encouraged to take responsibility and pride in their class - Developing independence
- Attractive, high quality displays are present in the class and around the school. These are interactive and stimulating, and include some children’s work. Work walls are used for Literacy and Maths to support learning.
- Music assembly
- Library advice and board.
- Spanish board.
- British Values.
- Lunch board - Demonstrating games and activities.
- Working walls
- Zones of regulation – masking symbols – emotional intelligence.
Our Parents
We believe that our parents have a fundamental role to play in helping our children to learn. We do all we can to inform parents about what and how their children are learning:
- We send information to parents, at the start of each term, which outlines the topics that the children will be studying during that term at school and possible suggestions for supporting this at home.
- We hold book looks so that parents can come in and look at the books and discuss them with their child.
- We hold parent evenings to explain the progress made by each child and their next steps in learning.
- We explain to parents how they can support their children with homework.
- We have one-to-one meetings with parents of multicultural children with additional needs.
- We would like parents to promote a positive attitude towards school and learning in general.
- We would like our parents to take part in all of school life and help the children with the home - school agreement.