Our Curriculum Trinity Teaching Framework

Trinity Teaching Framework

Underpinned by evidence-based research and our unique context

Rationale:

The Trinity High School Teaching and Learning framework is informed and underpinned by both the latest research evidence and our unique school context. Our framework is aligned to the Bordesley Multi-Academy Trust ‘Principles of Teachings’ (Appendix 1) which sets out the role of both the teacher and the student in the process of learning. The framework is also reviewed regularly, considering the changing needs of our learners. So, for the academic year 2024-2025, our literacy focus is disciplinary, our assessment focus is summative, and our curriculum planning focus is KS3. We are also having a sharper focus on adaptive teaching, instructional coaching, and metacognitive learning. The framework will support progress for all students, including our most vulnerable learners (SEND PP and HPA), whilst allowing for teacher creativity and autonomy, so teachers feel empowered to be pioneers in their subject area.

Our framework aligns to the latest research from the EEF on ‘Effective Professional Development’ (Appendix 2) and its recommendations:

1. When designing and selecting professional development, focus on the mechanisms. There are 14 mechanisms, including: revisiting prior learning, presenting information from a credible source, modelling the technique, and encouraging monitoring.
2. Ensure that professional development effectively builds knowledge, motivates staff, develops teaching techniques, and embeds practice.
3. Implement professional development programmes with care, taking into consideration the needs and context of the school.

Additionally, the framework aligns to the ECF (Early Career Framework), the Walthrus instructional coaching series, the Chartered College ‘Impact’ publication and the GTT (Great Teaching Toolkit) pillars of excellence. Each term, all teachers have expert-input on one of the Key Components of the Teaching and Learning Framework. This is then implemented on a subject level and revisited in Teaching and Learning briefings, where the component is linked to the practice within individual subject areas. We recognise the importance of subject specific CPD, and so subject development time has been built in to our CPD calendar.

We are also committed to each teacher having autonomy over their professional learning and therefore, additional professional development opportunities are available to teachers and TAs such as: The GTT, NPQs, and Bespoke CPD pathways. Each year, conscious links between CPD and the SDP (School Development Priorities) are made, for example, in 2024-2025, Quality of Education school development priorities include Disciplinary Literacy, Summative Assessment and Feedback.

The Key Components:

Research evidence is clear, that the five components of our T&L framework are crucial for our students to make good progress. We therefore chose components to focus on based on our monitoring and quality assurance of teaching in school, the ECF framework, the Walkthrus and the GTT pillars of excellence.

1. Curriculum Planning
2. Expert Explanation and Modelling
3. Questioning and Feedback
4. Practice and Retrieval
5. Metacognitive learning

The Interwoven Strands:

Evidence also strongly supports the development of our five interwoven strands. Interwoven, in that they are a key part of the success of each component.

1. Cognitively Active
Published in 2009, Dan Willingham’s ‘Why Students Don’t Like School’, is arguably one of the most influential books on cognitive science and its implications for teachers. We want our students to be actively engaged in their learning. We want them to be intellectually curious and to use their knowledge to ‘think hard’ about the subjects they are studying. The problem is that ‘thinking hard’ isn’t something that our brains are designed to do. Therefore, our teachers will use strategies to encourage the cognitive activity of our students and make thinking more attractive through accessibility.

2. Literacy
Research has shown that reading greatly aids cognitive development; a recent study revealed that students who read regularly do “significantly better” across the curriculum – including 9.9% better in Maths – than students who don’t read. Linked to this is the fact that reading is the best way to improve vocabulary,
essential for success in every subject. If we want students to ‘think hard’ and we must equip them with the literacy skills to do this. Therefore, disciplinary literacy and reading for pleasure are two key foci of our Teaching and Learning framework, in this academic year.

3. Rosenshine’s Principles
In 2010, Barak Rosenshine published a set of principles of instruction based on a wealth of evidence from cognitive science and research into the practices of ‘master-teachers’. The 10 principles (Appendix 3) are not a universal checklist for any single lesson, but a guide for
personal reflection. They are the grounding principles for teaching in many schools (including the Bordesley ‘Principles of Teaching’) because they are grounded in the common daily practices of the most effective teachers.

4. Character for Learning
The Jubilee Centre Character for Education Framework (Appendix 4) underpins our HEART values: Happiness, Excellence, Ambition, Respect and Tolerance.
The development of children’s character sis an obligation we all share, not least parents. Whilst parents are the primary educators of their children’s character, empirical research tells us that parents want all adults who have contact with their children to contribute to such education, especially their children’s teachers. The development of character is a process that requires the development of individuals, society, and its schools.
A society determined to enable its members to live well will treat character education as something to which every child has a right. Schools should consider questions about the kinds of persons their pupils will become, how the development of good character contributes to a flourishing life.
We are using the ‘Character Teaching Inventory’ to make aspects of character education more explicit to the whole school community.

5. Instructional Coaching
Instructional coaching is one of the most powerful ways to improve our teaching. It involves one teacher working with another, to help them take small, actionable steps to improve their practice. Instructional coaching works by doing two things on a regular basis:

Identifying an area for improvement, based on a short learning walk.
Providing teachers with opportunities to rehearse, get feedback, and make continuous improvement.

We have adopted the ‘every teacher a coach’ model by Step Lab. Instructional Coaching at Trinity High School follows a half termly cycle of Expert Input, Learning Walks, Subject QA, reflection, and agreeing on Actionable Steps. Revisiting of previous actionable steps is encouraged as part of ongoing reflection and improvement. Feedback conversations are crucial as part of the coaching process. All teachers have copies of Walkthru books 1 and 2 and are completing a specific GTT course, both of which help support the coaching dialogue in these sessions (see example appendix). Importantly, research has shown that engaging in the instructional coaching process can add two months to the students’ progress measures.

CPD FOCI FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2024-25:

Autumn – Summative Assessment and Feedback