Date : 1.9.15
Chair: Pam Lee
Date agreed by Governors
______________
Shared with Staff: 2.9.15
Author: Steve Miles
Review: June 2016
Castledown Primary School
Teaching and Learning Policy
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CASTLEDOWN SCHOOL
DRAFT POLICY for Teaching and Learning
This document is intended to provide guidance for the staff of Castledown
Primary school in relation to expectations of teaching and learning within
the school.
The policy document will provide clear guidance on expectations of
 Planning
 Marking
 Display
 Classroom organisation
 Delivery of lessons
Contained within the document are examples of best practise that we would
expect to see regularly during any moderation.
Planning
Examples found in O: year groups: planning: Subject areas
At Castledown Primary we have provided staff with clear pro forma for
planning lessons, these have been developed over time and are continually
evaluated during Inset and staff meetings. Maths and Literacy are planned
on documents separate from foundation subjects. All planning is stored
electronically on the schools o drive and also printed copies for annotating
are held in the classrooms in planning folders. Planning will demonstrate the
following –
 Clear learning objectives linked to a skills based curriculum
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 Identified success criteria (unless being developed by pupils in the
lesson)
 Clear differentiation using BAR AR and AAR for groups (not only by
outcome)
 Clear expected outcome for the lesson (What we would see if all
children are successful)
 ICT opportunities
 Named individuals for statement children and or children of concern
(behaviour)
 Named adults for those supporting the main class teacher during each
lesson
Each term at Castledown Primary we have themed weeks which are planned
for by the teachers using as many cross curricular links as possible this
planning may take a different format that the teachers themselves identify
and use.
Marking
Marking at Castledown Primary is
monitored by subject coordinators and
SMT. Clear evidence of good marking is
demonstrated in this document below. We
would expect to see the following when
looking in children’s books in order to
build on their knowledge and extend their
learning –
 Marking moving learning forward
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 Acknowledgement that the class teacher/teaching assistant is following
the current marking scheme.
 Correct answers identified and positive reinforcement from the teacher
to the pupil
 Where mistakes are made, clear indication from the teacher to enable
the child to see this error and make corrections.
 A dialogue between the teacher and pupil to show where they are
responding to each other
 Teacher comments in Green pen
 Pupil comments in Red pen or pencil depending on key stage
Weekly observations of teacher comments are made by SMT on 2 books
provided. SMT write to the pupil inside the inner cover of the exercise
book.
Display
At Castledown Primary we take pride in displaying the efforts of the pupils
both in the classroom and also on display boards throughout the school.
Evidence of good display is shown at the end of this document in the
appendix.
Display should identify a stimulus used to promote learning and then to
show work produced by the children from that stimulus.
During the themed weeks we ask that displayed work demonstrates pupils
working at a sub level higher than any previous assessment.
Display should –
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 Demonstrate clear understanding
 Show higher level work
 Include a mixture of outcomes
 Where appropriate be interactive
 Limited adult input (only used to highlight pupil achievement)
Classroom Organisation
Each teacher takes responsibility for their classroom organisation taking into
account the following –
 Seating arrangements
 Eye sight
 Hearing
 Left and right handed pupils
 Display to support learning
 Behaviour
 Relationships (such as friendship groups)
 Learning styles
 Supporting resources
o Vocab sheets
o Number lines
o Hundred squares
o Dictionaries
o Thesaurus’
o Produced sheets for individual lessons
o Dyslexic friendly IT and paper copies
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Organisation will always promote good learning, ease of access around the
room and for the free flowing of lessons to ensure less lost time in
transition from one activity to another.
Delivery of Lessons
Lessons will contain the following elements to ensure good learning and good
teaching –
 Every lessons demonstrates
progress
 Pulling together of the learning
made
 Clear Learning Objectives
 Time to think and then respond
appropriately
 Time to produce required written work
 Support from other adults in the classroom
 Support from peers
 Pace allows for constant learning
 Types of questioning used to extract the learning and focus pupils
thoughts
 Clear plenary
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Feedback to observations
Observation feedback is designed to inform teachers of ways forward in their
teaching and delivery of lessons. Each individual teacher will undoubtedly
approach, plan and deliver the same lesson in different ways (which is
brilliant) and the purpose of observation is to ensure the continued
professional development of staff.
Prior to observation a theme and or focus for the observation will be given
and a decision on whether it will be formal and reported on or informal with
informal feedback given.
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Formal feedback will be typed on the schools observation pro forma and
placed in the teacher files to continue the ‘big picture’ overview of teaching
and learning within the school. This overview will also include planning,
marking and performance management targets.
Feedback:
 Supportive
 Informative
 Highlight successes
 Discuss progress
 Identify ways forward
 Include fixed targets for next time
 Should be given on the same day (whenever possible)
Teaching and learning Policy
Guidance for Books.
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Below are the suggested expectations of what we would expect to see from a ‘normal week’ at
school. A normal week being timetabled and given to the head teacher at the start of the year.
It does not include theme weeks, trips, external visitors and other events that replace
timetabled lessons.
This guidance is provided to ensure the amount of work contained in books, its quality and the
outcomes of the marking and suggested improvements from the teacher/pupil in marking dialogue
between the two.
Lesson
No. of sessions
Recorded in books
Response marked
Literacy
5
At least 3
Every piece needs
Can include
acknowledgement.
photographic
Once a week per
evidence
pupil demonstrating
response marking.
Maths
5
At least 3
Every piece needs
Can include
acknowledgement.
photographic
Once a week per
evidence
pupil demonstrating
response marking.
Other subjects

Are to the discretion of the teacher. However we would
expect to see a minimum of 3 pieces of written work per
6 week term.

Teachers will provide VF (Verbal Feedback) on books
outside of literacy and maths and ensure the children are
aware of how to improve and what evidence they should
show for this.
It is expected that where possible subjects will be taught through links i.e. History may
well form part of or all of the Literacy for a week during the term. Science may well
be recorded to form part of a data handling unit in maths.
At Castledown we ask teachers to use O to show missing punctuation or
incorrect use of punctuation, including capital letters.
At Castledown we ask teachers to use _________ to underline key vocabulary
that is spelt incorrectly or if there are grammatical errors.
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At Castledown we ask teachers to use VF if they have given verbal feedback
during a lesson.
At Castledown the teachers will use other methods to identify success
within their own class for example stamps and stickers as acknowledgement.
Response Marking and Written Feedback
At Castledown we ask teachers to use √ at the end of a piece of work to
demonstrate to the pupils where they have been successful.
At Castledown we ask the teachers to use ? at the end of a piece of work
to demonstrate to the pupils where they can improve.
Questioning
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Useful questioning suggestions:
Why Ask “Open” Questions? Twelve Objectives, with Sample Questions
1. To assess learning.

What is the most important idea that was generated in today’s discussion?

Can you explain this concept in your own words?

Can you draw a diagram to illustrate this idea?
2. To ask a student to clarify a vague comment.
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
Could you elaborate on that point?

Can you explain what you mean?
3. To prompt students to explore attitudes, values, or feelings (when appropriate).

What are the values or beliefs that inform this argument?

What is your initial reaction to this argument?
4. To prompt students to see a concept from another perspective.

How do you think that this issue is viewed by those with whom you disagree?

How does that concept apply to this new problem?
5. To ask a student to refine a statement or idea.

When does that principle apply? Always? Only under certain conditions?

Would you say, then, that you disagree with the author?
6. To prompt students to support their assertions and interpretations.

How do you know that?

Which part of the text led you to that conclusion?
7. To direct students to respond to one another.

What do you think about the idea just presented by your classmate?

Do you agree or do you see the issue differently? Explain.

Can you think of another way to solve that problem?
8. To prompt students to investigate a thought process.

What are the assumptions that informed the design of this experiment?

What are the assumptions that these two arguments share?
9. To ask students to predict possible outcomes.

What might happen if this practice were to be outlawed?

What would be the result if a different set of assumptions were used to set up this experiment?

Would you get a different result?
10. To prompt students to connect and organize information.

How does this article shed light on the concept we studied last week?

Can you develop a graph or table that organizes this information in a helpful way?
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11. To ask students to apply a principle or formula.
How does this principle apply to the following situation?

Who can suggest how we might use this new formula to solve the problems we examined at the
start of class today?

Under what conditions is this equation not valid?
12. To ask students to illustrate a concept with an example.

Can you think of an example of this phenomenon, drawn from your research?

Can you point us to a specific part of the novel that led you to that conclusion?

Can you identify a painting or design that exemplifies that idea
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