Teaching and Learning

Teaching and Learning at Hednesford Valley High School

As Headteacher, it is my duty to ensure all students have access to high quality teaching. It is clear, students learn best when they are taught by staff who have the knowledge, enthusiasm and are equipped with the skills and provisions to instil an interest and desire in students. At Hednesford Valley High School, we are conscious to ensure that all practices are structured around evidence-based research. Although citing mainstream education, we have adopted the EEF’s five recommendations for supporting students with SEND (see reading list below). These have been adapted to ensure the appropriateness of the needs and logistics of our students and provisions. Along with other research in teaching and learning in SEND, we have developed a teaching strategy that supports the learning of all students. We call this the HVH 3 R’s Teaching Strategy.

Part				Reason/Teaching
1	Recap	Retrieval Practice – task to revisit past learning		Evidence states that knowledge can move into long-term memory with constant revisiting past learning
2	Routine	Connect	Connect new learning to previous learning	It is essential for students with SEN (particular those with ASC) to understand “why” they are learning a specific topic and “what is expected” of them
		Language	Introduce new words to students
		Instruct	Opportunities for “I DO” and “WE DO”	Evidence states that students with SEND progress well with explicit instruction
		Challenge	Opportunities for “You DO”	Evidence states that students with SEND progress well with explicit instruction
3	Recap	Task to review the learning from the lesson		Evidence states that knowledge can move into long-term memory with constant revisiting past learning

Creating a positive learning environment

There is much research that states that we have only a limited amount of information able to retain. It is therefore essential that we only inform students what is needed. To limit the possibility of cognitive overload:

Classrooms are neural with limited information on walls. Evidence suggests that this prevents distractions and unwanted information.
The use of knowledge organisers are being introduced to provide students the information they require for each topic.
Subject specific words are carefully considered and incorporated into learning.

Reading List

Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk)