Learning at Wyke
Each student at Wyke has their own bespoke timetable that schedules their study programme across the year. A Wyke study programme is made of four elements -
the core curriculum,
pastoral provision,
enrichment, and
student support. The equivalent of three A Levels are studied by the majority of students. This could be three separate A Level subjects, a combination of vocational and A Level subjects, a pure vocational programme or T-level.
Teaching & Learning Principles
THE WYKE WAY
The teaching & learning principles at Wyke are based upon research-led pedagogy, in particular recent work conducted by Rosenshine, the EEF and Wiliam. This work is based on neuroscience that combines three distinct research areas (cognitive science, classroom practices and support). All students will receivethrough explicit instruction and regular checking for understanding.
DAily Review
Daily review will be used by our teachers as an important component of their lesson. It helps strengthen the connections of the material learned. Automatic recall frees working memory for problems solving and creativity.
new material in Small steps
Our working memory is small, only handling a few bits of information at once. To avoid overload, our teachers present new material in small steps and proceed only when first steps are mastered.
ask questions
Our teachers spend more than half the class time presenting information, demonstrating and asking questions. Questions allow the teacher to determine how well the material is learned.
provide models
Students need cognitive support to help them learn how to solve problems. Our teachers use modelling, worked examples and thinking out loud to help clarify the specific steps involved.
Guide student practice
Students need additional time to rephrase, elaborate and summarise new material in order to store it in their long-term memory. Our teachers built in more time for this.
check student understanding
Our teachers don't simply ask “Are there any questions?” By contrast, our teachers check on all students understanding.
obtain high success rate
Throughout lessons, our teachers will be assessing their students learning. A success rate of around 80% has been found to be optimal, showing students are learning and also being challenged.
Scaffolds for difficult tasks
Our teachers will use scaffolds as temporary supports to assist learning. They can include modelling, teachers thinking aloud, cue cards and checklists. Scaffolds are part of cognitive apprenticeship.
independent practice
Independent practice produces ‘ overlearning’ - a necessary process for new material to be recalled automatically. This reduced the overloading of students working memory.
Weekly & Monthly Review
During lessons, our teachers will review their students learning. The effort involved in recalling recently-learned material embeds it in long-term memory. And the more this happens, the easier it is to connect new material to such prior knowledge.
Directed Independent Learning (DIL)
All subjects will set Directed Independent Learning (DIL) activities with the aims of developing knowledge and understanding, academic and practical skills, as well as independent study skills. Students will engage in at least 4 hours of independent learning a week (outside the classroom) in all their subjects, with at least 2 hours directed and tracked from their teacher.
Directed Independent Learning is planned and will be used to evidence attitude to learning. Independent learning activities are a key tool and may include:
Preview (Before Lessons)
Watch videos, read articles, answer questions, summarise a text, think of questions.
Current Application of Knowledge
Assessments, assignments, past-papers, testing, independent practice.
Reviewing after each lesson
Preparing revision notes, topics on page, test cards, consolidation activities
Work will be set at the level that students have developed in lessons, but extension and challenge tasks will go beyond the classroom standard. Independent learning tasks are a valuable and meaningful way of learning. Each subject implements its own marking policy on independent learning. These types of activities support the College’s aim of raising student achievement providing further opportunities for ‘stretch and challenge’ and independence.
ASSESSMENTS
Formal & Summative Assessments
Formal assessments are any assessments used as evidence to measure student progress on their chosen course. Such evidence is used to report on the college-wide progress system.
Subjects will conduct regular planned formal assessments with the aims of:
· Improve and assess students’ long-term memory and development.
· Enable teachers to assess student understanding and progress.
· Track progress of students and put in place any necessary interventions.
Subjects decide when these formal topic assessments take place. These should be planned and identified on schemes of learning and schemes of assessment. These are shared with students at the beginning of the year and during each half term. Formal assessments successfully focus students on revision, retrieval and progress.
Following these regular assessments, students may receive intervention or support to improve or challenge, and many attend additional sessions to help them achieve exceptional success. Outcomes from these assessments will be used to report on student progress during progress checkpoints as per the Quality Calendar. Formal internal exam assessments are conducted twice during the calendar year.
Subjects plan for these assessments using the Quality Calendar. During these exam assessments and formal assessments subjects should only assess knowledge and skills that have been explicitly taught. These assessments are marked at an appropriate standard and feedback, actions and targets for improvement are discussed with students afterwards.
The grades achieved in these assessments are recorded on the College’s online student portal which students, parents/carers and progress tutors can access to monitor the levels of progress in each subject. Feedback on assessed work follows the College’s principles of feedback and should enable students to know precisely what they need to do to improve, with a next steps and action approach. Students who are not progressing with their studies will be highlighted, leading to a wide range of supportive interventions being put in place.Moderation and standardisation should take place following formal examination and assessments where required.
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