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. Therefore, it is reviewed on a regular basis as new evidence comes to light and the needs of our school change. There have been some additional interwoven strands incorporated for the year 2023-2024, though the individual components remain unchanged, as these are known to alter long term memory and support learning. The framework will support progress for all students, including our most vulnerable learners, 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’ and its recommendations:

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. (see EEF document in appendices)
Ensure that professional development effectively builds knowledge, motivates staff, develops teaching techniques, and embeds practice.
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 and the GTT (Great Teaching Toolkit) pillars of excellence.

Each half 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 GTT courses and individual subjects. 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 Mode B Teaching Strategy focus.

Each year, conscious links between CPD and the SDP (School Development Priorities) are made, for example, in 2023-24, Quality of Education school development priorities include Literacy, Assessment and Feedback at KS3 and SEND provision.

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.

Curriculum Planning
Expert Explanation and Modelling
Questioning and Feedback
Practice and Retrieval
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.

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 and appealing.
Literacy Research has shown that reading helps 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.
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 (see Rosenshine’s principles document in appendices) are not a universal checklist for any single lesson, but a guide for personal reflection. They are so popular because they are grounded in the common daily practices of many effective teachers.
Character for Learning the Jubilee Centre Character for Education Framework (see Character Framework in appendices) underpins our HEART values: Happiness, Excellence, Ambition, Respect and Tolerance. The development of children’s characters is 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.
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: 1. Identifying an area for improvement, based on a short learning walk. 2. 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 2023-24

Autumn 1 – Cognitively Active