Woodcote Primary School

The Pioneer Trust ‘Mantra’ sets the expectation that only the very highest quality teaching is good enough for our children. Excellent teaching is focused on; Positivity, Rigour, Aspiration, Commitment, Energy and Standards.

The Policy sets out very clear expectations for high quality teaching, against which all adults working with children are monitored and judged, challenged and supported

High quality teaching:

• Gives pupils some responsibility for their work and independence
• Develops well planned, prepared and paced lessons that maintain high levels of interaction with the class
• Maintains high levels of pupil involvement in tasks
• Creates a positive atmosphere in the classroom through excellent relationships
• Incorporates high levels of praise and encouragement
• Uses a variety of approaches; strategies and techniques are well selected and time is used productively
• Uses home learning effectively; particularly to reinforce and extend what is learnt in school.
• Provides carefully structured activities matched sensitively to pupils needs
• Uses Teaching Assistants to support children with particular difficulties or special talents.
• Provides ample, challenging work stemming from expert knowledge of the curriculum, how to teach it and how pupils learn
• Uses the support of a range of outside agencies
• Recognises the importance of physical learning (kinaesthetic) across the curriculum, alongside visual and auditory stimuli (VAK)
• Uses Assessment for Learning (AfL) strategies effectively, adapting plans and altering lessons to meet the needs of pupils
• Shares with pupils the success criteria
• Uses and analyses’ data to ensure the needs of pupils are met

At Woodcote Primary School, we support our staff in delivering high quality learning experiences:

• Teachers receive their release time with the other members of their year team/teaching team (wherever possible) to ensure opportunties for collaborative planning & professional dialogue
• All Teaching Assistants (TAs) access the TPA TA CPD (Continuing Professional Development) Programme
• Termly Performance Management Meetings (PMs) to celebrate strengths in practice, identify and action plan areas for development and discuss career progression
• We invest in high quality schemes of work (CUSP, Little Wandle, White Rose, IPC, Jigsaw PSHE as examples) to support teachers in designing and resourcing lessons, reducing workload 
• Teaching teams are supported by a Phase Leader who is a first point of contact/support. The Senior Leadership Team, Phase Leaders and the Lead Teacher for English provide planning support documents such as 'Skeleton Plans' (to further support delivery of the IPC) and 'Medium Term Pacers' 
• Access to professional coaching (a number of staff have trained as coaches through the TPA Power of Coaching programme)
• An in-house CPD (Continuing Professional Development) programme delivered through weekly staff meetings
• Access to quality CPD tailored to our local context through the Croydon Education Partnership
• Regular opportunities for staff to give feedback regarding their CPD, which informs future trainings/opportunities