Teaching and Learning
Teaching and Learning Intent
Learning through play is at the heart of our curriculum. We aim to bring awe and wonder to children’s learning experiences through the implementation of exciting contexts, resources and problem solving opportunities. These experiences promote use of language and meaningful conversations which are a vehicle for enabling learning. Teachers regularly deploy three different styles of teaching in order to give pupils a varied menu of learning experiences, both teacher initiated and pupil initiated over the course of a week.
EYFS Framework 2020
‘Play is essential for children’s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, relate to others, set their own goals and solve problems. Children learn
by leading their own play, and by taking part in play which is guided by adults.
Practitioners need to decide what they want children in their setting to learn, and
the most effective ways to teach it. Practitioners must stimulate children’s
interests, responding to each child’s emerging needs and guiding their
development through warm, positive interactions coupled with secure routines for
play and learning. As children grow older and move into the reception year, there
should be a greater focus on teaching the essential skills and knowledge in the
specific areas of learning. This will help children to prepare for year 1.’
Teaching and Learning Implementation
Teacher Initiated Learning
The whole class works together to learn new skills in phonics, Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Understanding the World, Music and PE. Focused tasks led by an adult are then held in small groups to reinforce, apply and develop new skills and knowledge. In the Spring Term, phonics sessions are streamed into smaller groups. Additionally, interventions in Physical Development, Communication and Language, EAL and PSED are taken in small groups.
Combined Learning
Choosing activities are initiated by teachers, but chosen and extended by pupils. Activities are planned to be open-ended with opportunities to extend or support as required. Pupils can select from a variety of activities covering the majority of the curriculum. They select the activities they wish to take part in and the order in which they wish to complete them. There is often the opportunity to adjust the activity to follow pupils’ curiosity and imagination. Adults facilitate pupil learning through the use of questioning, modelling and supporting in order to maximise on progress and outcomes.
Pupil Initiated Learning
These activities start with a stimulus, often provided by the pupils themselves e.g. a lego construct. Through discussion with a small group of pupils, an adult will help pupils to explore an area of interest to them and create an outcome of value, practicing many useful skills along the way. Children have access to self-select resources (which are changed frequently in line with learning intentions). Children can make use of these resources as part of their self-initiated learning e.g. measuring the height of the tower they have made using the measuring tapes and rulers in the Maths self-select area.
Characteristics of Effective Learning Implementation
Learning to Learn
The Learning to Learn initiative has been developed to make the vocabulary of the Characteristics of Effective Learning more child-friendly. Children are ‘learning detectives’ seeking out and celebrating the Characteristics of Effective Learning. This important role is emphasised and the vocabulary is modelled by adults in the setting. Evidence is collected in the form of photographs, which are celebrated each afternoon and feature on a working wall.
SOLO Taxonomy
Children are encouraged to reflect on their own metacognition; recognising different thought processes and depth of understanding. They are given ownership of their learning and nurtured in order to become proactive, enquiring thinkers. SOLO Taxonomy vocabulary is modelled by adults in the setting and a Reading focus each day focuses on SOLO approach to learning.