Duns Primary School

Learning Policy

DUNS PRIMARY LEARNING POLICY

Our Learning Culture

We are committed to helping all our pupils develop into:

Successful LearnersConfident Individuals

Responsible CitizensEffective Contributors

We promote a ‘growth’ and ‘can-do’ mindset and aim to develop awareness in children about their own attitudes to learning. During discussion and dialogue with pupils we have a key focus on various ‘learning powers’ and ask children to think about these through self-evaluation and reflection.

Learning Powers

Direct your attention and concentrate

Use your imagination

Notice and be curious

Success through error

Persevere-don’t give up

Strive to improve

At our school there is:

  • A commitment to making children leaders of their own learning
  • A commitment to active learning.
  • Recognition that pupils need to work collaboratively as well as competitively. (See Appendix 1 on ‘Cooperative Learning’)
  • Recognition of the full range of achievements of all our pupils.
  • A high expectation and belief on the part of the staff and pupils that success can be achieved.
  • A sense of trust between the staff and pupils that fosters an environment that nurtures learners and encourages them to take risks within their comfort zone of existing knowledge, understanding and skills.
  • Learning at an appropriate pace to ensure our pupils are challenged but not stressed.
  • Recognition that learners progress at different rates and with varying levels of success at differing times, in various contexts and with different concepts.
  • Consistency.

To help them grow into independent learners, our pupils are encouraged to:

  • Engage in developing success criteria. (See Appendix 3)
  • Be clear about what they are trying to learn and what is expected of them. (See Appendix 2 and 3)
  • Participate in self and peer-assessment.
  • Work on their own and with others without always having to rely on direct input from the teacher.
  • Make decisions on what is to be learned and plan and organise their own work.
  • Recognise their own learning needs – their own strengths and weaknesses – and take responsible decisions about next steps.
  • Reflect on what they have learned, consider its relevance and how it links with the bigger picture.

Through effective planning and teachingwe:

  • Use the ‘Berwickshire Planning and Assessment Cycle’ to ensure consistency, progression and coherence.
  • Provide well planned lessons with a clear structure, beginning, middle and end.
  • Build on prior learning by sharing and clarifying, ensuring understanding of learning intentions and success criteria.
  • Promote the use of open-ended and searching questions and listen to pupils’ questions and ideas.
  • Give pupils control of aspects of their learning, including an element of choice.
  • Involve learners in making deductions, reflecting, thinking for themselves and setting their own further learning tasks.

Through effective assessment we:

  • Actively seek feedback from our pupils about barriers to their learning and provide feedback that moves them forward.
  • Use discussions, tasks and activities to gather evidence of learning.
  • Keep systematic, useful records of our pupils’ progress and share this information with them as well as colleagues and parents.

Through effective evaluation we:

  • Identify and plan for next steps in learning, building on what our pupils already know.
  • Use critical reflection as a basis for learning.
  • Work with each other to share best practice and to support each other in our planning, teaching and assessment.