Minster Teaching & Learning Programme

Nothing is more important in improving outcomes for children than the quality of teaching. This programme aims to improve the classroom practice of participants in the long-term and is facilitated by outstanding teachers, senior leaders and SLEs with specialisms in teaching and learning.

Programme Aims

• To develop reflective practitioners.
• To improve the quality of teaching and learning in the classrooms of participants, leading to better outcomes for children.
• To develop an understanding of what makes highly effective teaching and learning, and why.
• To provide practical strategies that work in the classroom.
• To enable participants to apply new learning to their own context.

Format

The programme runs over a period of approximately one term and consists of 7 face-to-face sessions, occurring approximately every two weeks.

Each session takes a particular teaching and learning theme and will include elements of facilitated discussion, the modelling of teaching and learning activities, peer collaboration, expert input, learning visits to lessons and ‘gap tasks’ to undertake and reflect on.

Programme Requirements

• Attendance at all sessions.
• Active participation.
• Completion of gap tasks, including trialling strategies, learning visits to other lessons.
• Regular meetings with an in-school learning coach (identified and provided by the participant’s school), usually a senior leader or teaching and learning leader.
• Completion of a learning log during the programme, leading to an action plan.

Facilitators

Andy Wall is currently Deputy Headteacher at the Minster School. During his time on the Senior Leadership team he has led the development of Teaching and Learning, something that he remains passionate about. He is a trained OLEVI facilitator and has led Teaching and Learning programmes for many years across all key stages, both at the Minster and wider afield. Andy is one of the authors of the Minster Teaching and Learning Programme, behind which is the fundamental belief that we always have something to learn, refine and improve upon when it comes to quality first teaching.

Natalie Dallison has been teaching for over 10 years with experience in both KS1 and KS2 and is the English lead at Kingsway Primary School, with a particular focus on increasing levels of attainment in reading. Natalie has played a significant role in developing a whole school strategy to teaching reading that is skills based, increases engagement and enthusiasm and allows children of all abilities to access the same depth of learning. The success of this has led to a more cohesive approach to teaching reading and writing throughout the school. Through this work Natalie has developed a passion for supporting others and has had the opportunity to do this not only in her own school, but also supporting leadership within another school.

Kelly Beanland has been teaching for 8 years and has successfully taught in both Key Stages; currently teaching in Key Stage 1 at Winthorpe Primary School. Kelly is Teaching and Learning Lead with whole school curriculum responsibility and leads English, PE, ITT and ECT development across the school. She has redesigned whole school curriculums, created innovative, whole school, subject assessment systems and is also a Key Stage 1 moderator for Nottinghamshire County Council. Kelly has led English, introduced a whole school phonics and spelling approach, overhauled the teaching of reading and the school’s reading scheme and also the school’s approach to the teaching of writing. Kelly has confidently supported fellow teachers, student teachers and teaching assistants to become increasingly confident practitioners.