CPD Training

Booklet One

Exploration of

Outstanding Learning and Teaching

Please consult Training School website for CPD support materials and other useful booklets


Raising Standards, Improving Lives

Teaching and the new evaluation schedule

  • An evaluation of the quality of teaching remains at the heart of the new arrangements
  • Inspectors are expected to spend the greatest proportion of the available time observing lessons
  • All teachers observed for more than 20 minutes are entitled to feedback
  • Senior leaders are invited to observe and discuss lessons with inspectors
  • Reports are expected to give a strong flavour of what has been seen in lessons
  • There is even more emphasis on promoting improvement

Important themes running through the new evaluation schedule

A focus on learning

  • The quality of pupils’ learning and their progress
  • Behaviour focuses on pupils’ attitudes to learning
  • The quality of teaching is gauged by its impact on learning
  • The use of assessment to support learning
  • Care, guidance and support are judged primarily through their effectiveness in promoting learning
  • The leadership and management of teaching and learning – very important – how do leaders prioritise teaching and learning?

A focus on groups

  • Attainment and learning and progress require inspectors to look at any important variations between groups – very important
  • The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and their progress in a group given particular prominence
  • Teaching and the curriculum highlight the importance of ‘meeting the needs of all pupils’ – not just focus on C/D borderline
  • The effectiveness with which the school promotes equal opportunity and tackles discrimination stresses the importance of the school having relevant insight into the performance and participation of different groups of pupils

Teaching: the focus on learning and groups

  • Ofsted’s guidance for inspectors on judging the quality of teaching says:

“When observing lessons, a connection should be made to the impact that teaching and the use of assessment have on learners’ behaviour, progress and the quality of learning, making specific reference to different groups of learners”.

Guidance for inspectors on evaluating teaching

  • There are four sections, each with prompts:

The quality of learning

The pupils’ enjoyment of learning and their attitudes

Assessment to support learning

The pupils’ progress

Extract from guidance for inspectors on evaluating teaching: the quality of learning

  • What are different groups of pupils actually learning opposed to doing? In one class what are various groups doing?
  • Are pupils learning something new? - Can pupils say what they are learning?
  • Can all pupils make links between previous / new learning?
  • Can pupils talk about what they are learning or simply describe what they are doing?
  • Do they produce work of a consistently good standards?
  • Are they working independently? Are they self-reliant?
  • How well do they collaborate?
  • Do they show initiative?

Features of outstanding learning and teaching

  • STUDENTS: exceptional progress; learn extremely well (concentrate, develop resilience, grasp opportunities to develop understanding); inspired; understand in detail how to improve their work (descriptor for Grade 1 learning)
  • TEACHERS: excellent subject knowledge applied effectively; ensure resources and other adults make a marked contribution to learning; acutely aware of pupils’ levels of understanding and plan accordingly; marking and dialogue of high quality; anticipate misunderstandings and intervene effectively (from the descriptor for grade 1 teaching)
  • BIG JUMPS IN LEARNING

Has the bar been raised?

  • Are pupils willing to ask questions; take decisions; select appropriate resources; learn from mistakes?
  • Do they understand the purpose of the task, have a positive attitude and make sufficient gains in learning for their age and ability?
  • Is the teaching purposeful and does it create and sustain interest and motivation?
  • Does the teaching cater for the abilities and needs of all pupils in the school?
  • Are the lessons managed in ways that ensure an efficient and orderly approach to teaching and learning?
  • Is there effective interaction between teacher and pupils?
  • Is evaluation of pupils’ progress used to support and encourage them and to extend and challenge them appropriately?

Has the bar been raised?

The teaching of skills and subject matter is knowledgeable, stimulating and perceptive. It uses imaginative resources and makes intellectual and creative demands on pupils to extend their learning. Challenging questions are used to consolidate, extend and verify what pupils know and understand.

The methods chosen are well geared to the particular focus and demands of the lesson and make the most productive use of the time available. Relationships in the classroom provide a confident and positive atmosphere in which achievement flourishes. Pupils are keen to learn, rise to challenges in creative ways and think further. They work well for extended periods of time and make very good progress.

Has the bar been raised?

Teaching is at least good and much is outstanding, with the result that the pupils are making exceptional progress. It is highly effective in inspiring pupils and ensuring that they learn extremely well. Excellent subject knowledge is applied consistently to challenge and inspire pupils. Resources, including new technology, makes a marked contribution to the quality of learning, as does the precisely targeted support provided by other adults ….

- New section 5 Framework (2009) – ‘descriptors for outstanding teaching’

Has the bar been raised?

…. Teachers and other adults are acutely aware of their pupils’ capabilities and of their prior learning and understanding, and plan very effectively to build on these. Marking and dialogue between teachers, other adults and pupils are consistently of a very high quality. Pupils understand in detail how to improve their work and are consistently supported in doing so. Teachers systematically and effectively check pupils’ understanding throughout lessons, anticipating where they may need to intervene and doing so with striking impact on the quality of learning.

- New Section 5 Framework (2009) – descriptor for outstanding teaching (the use of assessment to support learning)

Teaching and learning: what do inspectors look at in lessons?

Important Checklists for all Teachers

  • The teacher’s awareness of the needs of different groups (through planning, resources, questioning, extra support or challenge, use of other adults)
  • The responses of different groups of pupils’ to the teaching
  • The quality of work in books and the teacher’s comments
  • The ethos of the classroom
  • How well the pupils are gaining knowledge, skills understand

Teaching and learning: what do inspectors look at outside lessons?

  • School’s own monitoring records and analysis
  • Analysis of pupils’ progress and targets for the future
  • Answers on parent, pupil and staff questionnaires
  • Comments made in interviews with pupils and teachers
  • Outside the classroom is very important – behaviour, attitude, etc.

An example of outstanding learning and teaching

  • BTEC Sport year 10; soft tissue injuries; 25 students
  • Lively, fun, active session referenced to clear Los
  • Very encouraging, supportive ethos
  • Genuine collaboration within groups
  • G&T students assessing and coaching others; developing well
  • Lesson builds well on previous learning; good understanding of technical terms allowing in-depth discussion of techniques
  • Teacher monitors understanding and development; listens, questions, explains, summarises
  • All students fully involved and all making excellent progress
  • Could use this for departments to discuss. The important areas of learning and progress are evident

Another example of outstanding learning and teaching

(Year 9 science: salts and their reactants)

  • STUDENTS actively engaged in answering questions; peer review of their answers leads to well-focused discussion; students confident to query what teacher has said; excellent planning and practical work in groups; very good reference to previous lessons to recall progresses; all groups working hard and making significant progress in understanding
  • TEACHER enforces time limits; reviews early answers; targets questions well; circulates and discusses understanding; organises smooth transition from planning to activity; stops lesson to highlight learning points; ensures EAL student is supported

“Twelve outstanding secondary schools: excelling against the odds”

  • Published 2009 (reference no. 080240); order from
  • All the schools ‘regard the continual improvement of learning, teaching and pedagogy as their most important activity’.
  • A strong focus on teaching policy with clear expectations about what will happen in every classroom
  • Success in exams is still considered important but is increasingly viewed as the secondary result of excellent learning.

An example of the new SEF format

1 / 2 / 3 / 4
The quality of teaching

Briefly list your major reasons for deciding on this grade. If you judge that the school is close to a grade boundary, briefly say why you did not select the other grade.

Using the new SEF

  • Use the grade descriptors to guide what you need to cover in your written responses
  • Be brief (bullet points and notes are acceptable) and refer to where evidence is located rather than try to present all of it
  • Evaluate rather than describe
  • Use the outline guidance for inspectors in the evaluation schedule to check how well the school knows itself
  • Involve all staff by asking groups to consider different sections of the evaluation schedule
  • Interrogate the grade descriptors to identify what the school needs to do to move to a higher grade

n.b. Of interest could be to Google Chafford Hundred Campus Business and EnterpriseCollege, Essex, Headteacher, Chris Tomlinson. In May 2007 Notice to Improve – now Outstanding. CVA last two years 1024 / 1033.

Looking for what makes a difference to life-long learning of students – teachers who are unremittingly good – not the occasional outstanding.

Teaching and the new evaluation schedule

n.b. Download the evaluation schedule from Ofsted website.