and will result in many learning outcomes for students, amongst which are:
• demonstrating gains in knowledge, understanding and skills.
• showing engagement and making progress.
• learning to work independently.
• understanding how well they are doing and how they can improve.

A PROFESSIONAL VALUES

We believe that the following professional values, exhibited by effective staff, make a
difference to the learner’s achievement and attainment:

1. Having continuous high expectations of the learner
• by constantly demanding improvement
• through modelling
- personal presentation
- punctuality
- meeting and greeting
- mutual respect
• with energy and enthusiasm

2. Leading Learning
• through encouragement of intellectual curiosity, developing a thirst for knowledge
and a desire to achieve
• by being a clear communicator and
• by being a curriculum expert with excellent subject knowledge which motivates and
develops confident and independent learners.

3. Building quality relationships
• by creating trust and confidence as well as providing challenge and support to
enable every learner to be successful.
• through demonstrating fairness and consistency in visible, clear actions and
words,
• by knowing students as individuals and celebrating their identity and
• by being able to anticipate and pre-empt situations by using appropriate strategies
for particular circumstances

B CLIMATE FOR LEARNING

We recognise that the teacher plays a pivotal role in creating the climate necessary for a
student’s successful learning.
The 9 areas that contribute to and define the classroom climate are:
clarity, order, standards, fairness, participation, support, safety, interest,
environment
A positive classroom climate is characterised by:

1. The Physical Environment
• Appropriate displays, which are informative, inspirational and which model the
good practice of each subject will celebrate the efforts of all individuals (not
necessarily the best or neatest.)
• The teacher will promote a sense of respect for resources, furniture, displays by
maintaining a tidy environment.
• Students should expect to work in a secure environment and should feel safe in
trying new things without feeling failure.
• Students must work in a secure environment, fulfilling legal requirements of the
Health and Safety Acts

2. Classroom Routines
All practices in ‘ Working Together in the Classroom’ should be adhered to.
This will mean teachers will:
• Communicate expectations
• Plan content and delivery to motivate students
• Manage behavioural issues in line with whole school policies.
• Apply appropriate rewards and sanctions with fairness and consistency
• Take into account appropriate learning styles and thinking skills, plan for
differentiation, incorporate target setting and create opportunities for mentoring
• generate a learning atmosphere using the elements of humour and fun, planning to
leave the student with a sense of fulfilment.

3. Language for Learning
All teachers are encouraged to show their commitment to the principles of respect, fairness,
challenge, support and security. This is characterised by:
• Using the language of success, hope and possibility.
• Using positive comments to encourage, showing faith in students’ ability and not
using the language of failure.
• Demonstrating positive body language and non-verbal communication.
• Listening and responding to each individual
• Acknowledging that the use of language is a powerful tool for positive learning.

C. LESSON DESIGN

Lesson design and structure will vary by subject and within learning schemes to ensure
learners maximise their achievement. In lesson planning, departments should be
supportive of an ethos of innovation and challenge
To ensure that all students learn effectively, lessons will have
• clear, differentiated learning objectives and intended outcomes, taking into
account ability, gender, disability and cultural diversity, and shared with students.
• appropriate structure and pace, designed to meet the needs of the learners and the
desired outcomes.
It will take into account:
- prior learning and learning context
- and will have an effective start,
- a series of carefully selected strategies and techniques to achieve learning
objectives, incorporating high quality resources
- and an effective ending/plenary.
• Opportunities for assessment are integrated into all lessons to monitor the
learner’s progress and inform future planning.
Teachers will plan appropriate, quality lessons when they are unable to take the lessons
themselves.

D. STRATEGIES AND TECHNIQUES

Teachers should use a wide and varied range of strategies and techniques to best
deliver their planned learning objectives. These regularly include:
• Target setting.
• A range of activities that is appropriate to support learner need, including SEN, G&T,
bilingual and EAL students and different learning styles.
• Active engagement activities, e.g. starters
• Modelling.
• Effective questioning.
• Explaining
• A variety of individual/paired and group work.
• A balanced diet of visual, auditory and kinaesthetic activities.
• Sensitive intervention and monitoring to ensure active engagement.
• Assessment strategies and techniques integral to lessons, including peer
and self-assessment.
• Strategies to make effective use of classroom support.
• Strategies and techniques to make effective use of available
resources, including ICT.
• Strategies to celebrate diversity and recognise the individuality of students.
• The promotion of positive role models.
• The use of rewards and praise
• Plenaries

E SUPPORTING THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

We understand that learning can be made more effective by
• involving adults other than teachers to support student learning in the classroom
• encouraging students to access the skills of other adults within the school
community.
• ensuring that form tutors communicate our high expectations of students, enshrined
within the school’s Code of Conduct
• strengthening school/student/parent links into an active partnership where learning is
supported and enhanced at home
• providing high quality resources within and beyond the school day
• developing within the students the necessary skills to undertake independent
learning
• encouraging mutual student support, both formally in peer mentoring programmes
and informally inside and outside the classroom
• recognising the important learning going on in other places of learning in the
community.
In conclusion, we believe that teachers must remain learners, looking to share good
practice, supporting and being supported through continual professional development within
a process of team and self-reflection.