Pedagogy

The school’s vision and the requirements of the Curriculum Framework recognise excellent teaching is paramount in the realisation of the Four Purposes.

Students and teachers work in partnership to progress learning and nurture personal development. Students value their education, show engagement, enjoy and take responsibility for their learning, make informed choices, co-create success criteria with teachers and work with confidence and independence.

Teachers are professional, skilled and model a collective dedication to providing the highest quality experiences and care. We use pedagogical approaches based on research and an understanding for high quality teaching and learning, securing a link between five critical questions and Curriculum for Wales 12 pedagogical approaches. Together these form a methodological model we call the Learning Fit approach. LINK to next slide-29

Teaching and learning ensures equity; enabling all students to access a fully inclusive education. The early identification of students’ needs and barriers to learning is timely, with a flexible responsive approach for universal, targeted and specialist provision.

CRITICAL QUESTIONS	PEDAGOGICAL PRINCIPLES	UNIVERSAL PROVISION
1. What are you teaching/learning? learning intention/big questions/themes what do they -already know /can already do what do you expect them to learn/develop/do	Focus on the four purposes. Build on previous knowledge	Have I planned effectively to deepen and develop thinking? Do students recall previous learning well? Are my expectations high for all students? Is my subject knowledge secure and up-to-date?
2. Why are you teaching/learning it? Share the context, purpose and relevance Make connections across the curriculum areas Identify important literacy/numeracy/digital opportunities	Create authentic learning experiences. Make connections across areas of learning experiences. Reinforce literacy, numeracy, digital competence	Do I explicitly identify skills and plan for them in an authentic context? How well do I develop literacy/numeracy/DCF skills? Do I relate learning to the 4 Purposes and WMS?
3. How will you teach/learn it? Identify and construct success criteria with students Use a variety of teaching methods so all understand. Plan questions so students think Model success based on the agreed criteria	Apply a broad and blended repertoire teaching approach. Promote problem solving and critical thinking. Encourage collaboration.	How effectively do I model the learning process (thinking aloud/visualiser)? Are thinking skills developed ? Do I utilise a range of methods/resources to stimulate and challenge them to achieve? How well can students apply this knowledge to new situations? How well do students question each other and challenge perceptions?
4. Where will support your learning/get help? gradually release responsibility so students apply their learning while you support where it’s needed Encourage and develop independence	Sustain student effort to reach high goals. Encourage students to take responsibility Support social and emotional development.	Does the pace, support, intervention challenge all students to succeed? Am I successful in planning for independent learning? How effectively do I plan and provide to meet the needs of ALL students (ALN, MAT, social and emotional)? Do the students have the skills needed to engage with learning on their own and/or with others?
5. How will you know you taught/learned it? Check understanding Use specific questions Plan for the next lesson based on this assessment	Use AfL to accelerate progress	What is the impact of questioning techniques? Do I consistently encourage students to take note of, and act upon feedback? How well does feedback and marking enable students to know where they are at and what they need to do next to improve/progress? How will I evaluate the standards/progress made by students?