Student learning is at the centre of everything we do at Foxford Community School. We aim to give our students an engaging and progressive learning experience so that they can achieve in their future pathways. We endeavour to develop independent, resilient young people; igniting a passion and curiosity for learning.
Our learning and teaching philosophy is underpinned by six key principles:
Challenge so that students have high expectations of what they can achieve.
Explanation so that students acquire new knowledge and skills.
Modelling so that students are able to apply their new knowledge and skills.
Questioning so that students think hard with depth, breadth and accuracy.
Feedback so that students think about and further develop their knowledge and skills.
Practice so that students engage in deliberate practice of their skills and knowledge.
Our aim is to support all students as they strive for excellence through our TIF (Take it Further) strategies which are embedded into lessons. We support, collaborate and propel our students towards excellence so that there is no ceiling on ambition or achievement. Our lesson ‘unstucks’ challenge students to find solutions if they require additional support.
Our teachers are trained in the delivery of each principle and are supported by our Learning & Teaching Group who are experts in each principle. We have also introduced our Four Principles of Great Learning which are the qualities we expect to be fostered in our students:
- Challenge
- Ownership
- Dialogue
- Engagement
Students are supported to understand their role in these Learning Elements through the Say Yes to Learning Programme and through half-termly Learning Assemblies.
Our developmental Quality Assurance Programme is built around each of these principles through which we are able to diagnose development needs and acknowledge areas of expertise. Any review of Learning & Teaching starts with the identification of the Learning Elements in action which allows for a teaching principle/s to be agreed for development.
Our online learning platform – Firefly – helps our students to manage their learning both in school and at home. It allows students to view lesson activities and to extend their progress through home learning tasks. Students also make use of Hegarty Maths, Lexoniks Literacy and GCSE Pod to develop their subject skills through technology.
Learning doesn’t just happen in the classroom: we also extend our students’ experiences outside the classroom with a range of visits and clubs to develop their skills, interests and talents. In school, we have a suite of IT classrooms, fully equipped science laboratories and a school library where additional learning takes place. We use examples of student learning in classrooms and lessons so that excellence is showcased and valued.
At Foxford, we also acknowledge that our teachers are continually learning and offer an extensive and personalised programme of Continued Professional Development and Learning. Twice weekly CPDL sessions are offered as well as whole school CPDL. All of our teachers participate in coaching triads to support each other in their reflection and development.
Learning really is at the heart of all we do.