Featured Teacher
attainment in FS in teaching
and learning?
planning the next steps for
your students’ learning?
(1) Our youngest children learn through
play, so the children’s needs and
interests lead us. We ensure that the
environment is relevant to them. (2) We
have a strong focus on child initiated
learning, which means that rather than
impose learning on the children, they
feel they are in control and this reaps
its rewards. (3) We see ourselves as
facilitators of learning, and ensure that
the way in which the language rich
learning environments are set up give
children every opportunity to make
progress in their learning.
We are constantly using formative
assessment to inform our next steps
for teaching and learning. Class
teachers regularly observe the
children and assess the knowledge,
skills and understanding the children
confidently demonstrate. This guides
teachers in their planning of next steps
in learning. In addition to this, we have
regular half termly ‘data snapshots’,
which means we can measure the
attainment and progress of every
single child, and plan accordingly. By
doing this, we can ensure that we are
meeting individual needs and doing
the best by every child.
Describe two ways in which
you and your colleagues
promote independent learning
through critical thinking and
enquiry at the Foundation
Stage.
As our teachers play the role of
facilitator, children are empowered to
make decisions and be independent in
their learning. In addition to this, a very
important part of our collaborative
and creative planning process is to
consider what we ask the children as
they learn. We carefully plan questions,
considering concepts and learning
outcomes, in order to promote higher
order thinking skills.
Tell us two ways in which
you use assessment data in
Executive Headteacher, Mrs Turner
interacts with an FS1 student.
What advice would you give to
teachers who are struggling
with tracking students’
progress and effectively
sharing and planning next
steps with parents?
Children’s learning is at the heart
of all we do as educators. In order
for children to learn they must be
appropriately challenged. In order to
challenge them, we need to know what
the children already know, in order to
plan for their next steps, so continuous
formative assessment is crucial. This
has to be our priority as educators.
Once a formative assessment routine
is established the actual tracking
and target setting become very easy.
Sharing this with parents as true
partners in their children’s learning
is crucial. One successful strategy at
Kings’ is Parent Time. Every week,
on Thursdays parents are welcomed
into classrooms for up to 30 minutes,
so that children can showcase their
learning. Children might demonstrate
a new skill or share some learning
and parents can see this evidence in
its various forms around the learning
environment. At the heart of this is
each child’s Learning Journal, which
celebrates each child’s progress and
success and reflects their individual
learning journey. Children and parents
share this with pride.
What is the best advice that
you have received?
Rhonda Byrne’s book The Secret
had the biggest impact on both my
personal and professional life.
It
boils down to the power of positive
thinking, visualising what you want
to achieve and taking the necessary
steps to making it happen. We can
achieve whatever we want if we believe
in it and want it enough.
Mrs Turner’s personal struggles as
a young girl are often reflected in
some of the new students under
her charge. Molding these students
into confident, life long learners is a
welcomed challenge, as it provides a
constant reminder of using percei ved
weaknesses to become confident
learners, innovators and leaders. This
clearly adds value to the concept of
truly leading by example.
(L-R) Asst. Headteacher, Sarah Reynolds and
Executive Headteacher, Alison Turner share a
light moment during the school day.
Class Time
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