Looking at learning and teaching
Introduction
Schools should use a range of activities to evaluate learners’ well-being, progress and the standards they achieve’.
Looking at learning
Looking at learning supports improvement when:
- it is a developmental and supportive process
- it promotes team learning, collaboration, trust and mutual respect
- it has an agreed, specific focus
- it focuses clearly on learner progress
- it identifies specific strengths and areas for development
- It provides opportunities to share and develop skills, expertise and innovative practice
- it promotes professional reflection and discussion
- it informs professional learning
Looking at live learning
Things to focus on during this activity:
- learners’ participation, interest and engagement.
- learners’ interaction in pair or group activities.
- learners’ reactions or responses to questions.
- learners’ responses to 1-to-1 feedback and their interaction with adults.
- the progress that learners make in the lesson and over time.
- the standard of work that learners produce during the lesson and over time
Note: it is not necessary to look at all of these elements during every visit to a learning activity. The focus is a matter of professional judgement.
Learning and progress
How well learners:
- progress in developing their skills, knowledge and understanding
- use existing skills and knowledge to develop their learning
- demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning
- persevere to overcome challenges
- demonstrate the capacity to work independently or collaboratively
- progress in the lesson and over time
- work to the standard they are capable of
- understand and use the Welsh language
Teaching
How well teachers:
- plan and provide learners with opportunities to consolidate and extend their learning in lessons and over time
- use questioning to reinforce, develop or extend learners’ skills, knowledge and understanding
- use assessment and feedback
- use resources, including the learning environment and staff
- develops learners’ Welsh language skills and their understanding of Welsh culture and heritage
Overall, schools should consider how their provision, over time, supports learners’ progress towards realising the curriculum purposes.
Approaches to looking at live learning might typically include lesson observations and learning walks.
Looking back at learning
Things to focus on during this activity:
- the progress that learners make over time (short, medium and long term)
- the standards that learners achieve (short, medium and long term)
- how well learners apply their skills, knowledge and understanding across the curriculum
- the impact of learners’ attitudes to learning on their progress
- how well the curriculum supports continuity and progression in learning
- how well teaching, assessment and feedback support learners’ progress
- the progress of different groups of learners
- how well teaching develops learners’ Welsh language skills and their understanding of Welsh culture and heritage
Possible approaches to looking back at learning
- Sampling learners’ work in books or digital files in a particular class, year group, subject or area of learning.
- Sampling learners’ work in books or digital files across a key stage or school, for example to evaluate standards and progress in a subject or area of learning or to compare the progress of different groups of learners.
- Sampling learners work to identify how well learners acquire and use literacy, numeracy and digital skills.
- Discussing with learners the work that they have done, for example with books or digital files available.
- Gathering learners’ views about how well teaching and learning experiences support their progress, for example assessment and feedback.
Overall, schools should consider how their provision, over time, supports learners’ progress towards realising the curriculum purposes.
Please refer to the learning and teaching prompts section for further details.