Introduction

At Whitefield we define learning as a lasting change in students memory, capabilities and understanding. Learning for us goes beyond summative assessments and exams and the goal is for students to develop effortless bodies of knowledge that can be used flexibly and transferred across different contexts to have a transformative impact. We think deeply about how learning works, how students’ learn?, How they retain new information? As well as what motivates students’ to learn? In doing this we draw on the very best and most relevant cognitive science and research to inform our practice.

At Whitefield, we define learning as a lasting change in students' memory, capabilities, and understanding. For us, learning extends beyond summative assessments and exams. Our goal is for students to develop effortless bodies of knowledge that can be used flexibly and transferred across different contexts to have a transformative impact. We think deeply about how learning works, how students learn, retain new information, and what motivates them to learn. In doing so, we draw on the very best and most relevant cognitive science and research to inform our practice.

Our Teaching and Learning Vision

At Whitefield, we believe in the transformative impact of education. For this reason our approach is consistently informed by the very best research. There is a continuous and relentless focus on improving teaching and learning at Whitefield so that every student achieves exceptional grades and builds great character.

Whitefield Teaching and Learning Framework

We use a Whitefield framework for Teaching and Learning which is underpinned by our 5 strands of effective pedagogy. These are the elements of teaching and learning that we believe as a school lead to the best possible outcomes and opportunities for our students. The 5 strands of effective pedagogy underpin all our professional development at Whitefield, our monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning at Whitefield and our performance development process. 

At Whitefield we utilise a framework for Teaching and Learning, underpinned by our five strands of effective pedagogy. These strands represent the elements of teaching and learning that, as a school, we believe lead to the best possible outcomes and opportunities for our students. The five strands of effective pedagogy underpin all our professional development, monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning, and performance development processes at Whitefield.

We place great importance on fostering positive relationships at Whitefield and actively work towards helping students develop these supportive social skills. These skills not only create secure and productive learning environments for lessons but also contribute to the overall positive atmosphere in the school

We also emphasise the significance of subject-specific expertise and acknowledge the collaborative aspect of growth. Our staff benefit from an annual inset dedicated to the development of subject knowledge expertise. Subject knowledge enhancement is also a regular feature of every department meeting. 

Assessment is a tool we use strategically, providing opportunities for students to succeed while skilfully challenging and scaffolding their progress. In our lessons, we employ adept questioning and frequent checks for learning. Offering on the spot adaptations where necessary, to help close assessment gaps.

At Whitefield we help students to remember more of their learning by:

• Acknowledging that learning is a process which takes time and effort.
• Providing students with routine opportunities for retrieval in every lesson.
• Introducing new ideas by activating students' prior knowledge first. 
• Planning with cognitive load theory in mind. 
• Using the deliberate practice model. 
• Using the ‘I do, we do, you do model’ to support students.  

Developing the ‘Whitefield Habits’ in their learning

We want our students to become independent learners who leave us with an outstanding set of grades and with exemplary character. We acknowledge the importance of offering challenging experiences while providing adequate support and guidance throughout the learning journey to our students. Our aim is to foster students who think critically about their learning, link multiple ideas together and who persist with difficulty in order to find purposeful and meaningful solutions.  With this in mind teachers plan explicit learning opportunities in the classroom that provide our students with opportunities to develop these learning habits. 

Our students develop into independent learners who leave us with an outstanding set of grades and exemplary character. We acknowledge the importance of offering challenging experiences while providing adequate support and guidance throughout the learning journey. Our goal is to foster students who think critically about their learning, connect multiple ideas, and persist with difficulty to find purposeful and meaningful solutions. With this in mind, teachers plan explicit learning opportunities in the classroom that provide our students with chances to develop these learning habits.