Our strategic aim is to build the expertise of everyone who teaches at our school. To do this, we have been using the Development Cycles feature of the GTT to structure teachers' professional learning, and ensure that they have ready access to learning materials.

We've also started to encourage teachers to use the work that they've done in the GTT as part of their performance management reviews. This has helped to validate the efforts that they have put in, and enabled leaders to connect professional growth and accountability more clearly. It's a work in progress, but something we think is going in the right direction.

We've also had an Ofsted inspection, and our discussion of the GTT and how it's helping us build expertise went down well. Staff surveys also mentioned the use of the GTT, which helped to provide evidence of teachers taking ownership of their learning.

We're still having regular 'cross-team' sharing through existing meetings (such as staff briefings) - one or two teams share what they're working on, and what they're trying in their own classrooms.

I chose Dimension 3 to work on this year - I feel confident in my subject knowledge and pedagogy, but have encountered a challenging class behaviourally this year, so wanted to develop in this area.

I have used the student surveys in the GTT to get some feedback from my class on Dimension 3, and have also done a self-reflection and peer-feedback survey to help me build my understanding of my own practice.

The survey data helped me to understand the experience of my class from the perspectives of my children. They indicated that instructions for transitions between activities seemed to not be as clear and effective as they could be. This surprised me a bit, but I talked to the children about what they meant, and they gave me some examples (for instance, when we transition from whole class reading to a different learning task, some of them said they just closed their book and then sat and waited because they didn't really know what to do next).

After talking to the class about these examples, I also spoke to a couple of my colleagues. They completed a peer-feedback survey for me on Dimension 3, and then helped me think about ways of making my transition instructions clearer, and the transitions themselves smoother. One of them helped me by suggesting the following:

1. Create a 'chair-to-carpet transition routine' that is signalled in the same way every time (for example, using a chime from an instrument or from the computer), and teach the children the routine explicitly.

2. Practice the routine just like any other important skill I want them to have, using positive feedback to narrate as children are doing it correctly. Smile and keep the mood upbeat, while maintaining high expectations for all.

   
   

In April, I did another student survey with the same class, and it looks like things are improving. There is still some way to go but it seems to be that there is greater predictability and clarity around the transition point, and I feel more confident in my instructions for the transition.

Although we completed the questioning dimension a year ago, we continue to refine our questioning techniques as part of our ongoing commitment to embedding high-quality questioning in every lesson across the school.

We are now working through the explaining dimension with staff. As a teaching and learning team, we engage with the modules together, identifying and distilling the key learning points that are most relevant and impactful for our school.

We give time throughout the term for staff to complete the modules, and then we spend one staff meeting every half term reflecting and discussing what we have learnt. We find these meetings hugely beneficial and always have strong staff engagement in these sessions.

While our teaching and learning team initially identifies key learning points, we often find that discussing these as a whole staff leads to further refinement and improvement. These collaborative conversations generate valuable ideas, allowing us to adapt and strengthen our approach together. As a result, this process fosters a strong sense of ownership and buy-in across the team.

We are intentionally embedding signalling across all aspects of our teaching, including presentations, working walls, and modelled examples on worksheets. We are also taking a deliberate approach to evaluating and refining our resources to ensure they are clear, accessible, and effectively support pupils’ understanding.

We are placing a particular focus on how pupils access prior learning, recognising the importance of ensuring this knowledge is accessible, readily available, and accurate. As a team, we reflected that this is well embedded within our core subjects but requires further development and consistency in our foundation subjects. As a result, we have introduced Rapid Recall within these areas. This structured retrieval activity draws on the prior knowledge pupils need in order to succeed in new learning.

With a particular focus on signalling and accessing prior learning, we are already seeing more effective and clearer explanations, leading to increased pupil engagement and improved learning outcomes in the classroom.

Moving forward, our aim is to continue working through the explaining modules, whilst also embedding these approaches consistently across all areas of the curriculum and throughout every year group, ensuring they are applied coherently and purposefully in all classroom practice.

We observed our teachers in AT and from this feedback identified actions collaboratively to be developed in working groups which include:

1 group of 3 teachers focusing on Dimension 2 Creating a supportive environment

2 groups of 4 teachers focusing on Dimension 3 Maximising opportunities to learn (linked to introducing continuous provision)

1 group of 6 teachers focusing on Dimension 4.1 Structuring

1 group of 5 teachers focusing on Dimension 4.2 Explaining

1 group of 2 teachers focusing on Dimension 4.3 Interacting

1 group of 3 teachers focusing on Element 4.4 Questioning

1 group of 3 teachers focusing on Element 4.6 Activating

This term we have embedded our approach from Spring Term. ML have time during ML meetings to identify a resource to share with their group that links to individual actions. Colleagues have met within their groups to discuss these and link back to individual actions. They also reflected on the progress made towards these actions to identify impact. ML have shared this is a more productive use of time linked to the GTT.  

We are also continuing our weekly PD session for support staff. This term we have decided to recap areas from the previous two terms to ensure effective implementation. We plan to review this model for PD for the new academic year, focusing on key areas linked to GTT instead of as many as we have covered this year.

Pupil surveys were calibrated in July to see which aspects of 'Explaining' our team still required support with; three main theme were highlighted.

1. The pace of explanations

2. The clarity and precision of language in explanations

3. Children's understanding of a 'learning pit' and recognition of struggle/effort being a process of learning

Three working parties were established to address these areas of development, meeting termly to develop action plans to roll out across the school.

This year, we continued our learning with the 'Questioning' module, following the same format. Our main focus so far has been on the use of multiple choice questions, exit tickets and hinge questions within lessons to assess learning that has taken place.

As our learning journey has progressed, discussions during dedicated CPD time is now more focused, precise and full of reflection. Staff bring examples of practice they have used in their classrooms, based around a takeaway task they have been set and are open to being challenged about their rationale and reasoning.

Our aim this academic year is focussed on dimension 3 (Maximising opportunities to learn) and our focus as a school has been to look at strategies to make sure all of our pupils in school are achieving to their full potential and looking at barriers we could remove to make sure all of our children are learning positively. This corresponds with our school development plan of raising attainment through all subjects, promoting pupils mental health and wellbeing and a focus on raising GLD at the end of reception.

Each term, we have a different strategy to focus on. So far this year we have focussed on the 3 elements:

1. Implementing consistent class rules. (spring term)

2. Promoting positive behaviour. (summer term)

3. Focus on transitions and timings. (to be our next focus)

As a school, teachers meet every other week to discuss the GTT and share any ideas, opinions and results from implementing the new strategies. From here, we create our action plans to make sure that we are maximising opportunities to learn.

With our focus on implementing class rules, our student council of the school set out the 7 main school rules and this has been implemented in every class/nursery group. These rules are displayed in every area of the school and are being referred to every day. As a result, we have seen a decrease in behavioural incidents and we have a major focus on also looking to praise positive behaviour.

Within our focus on promoting positive behaviour, we have improved our behaviour policy and have added a minimum of 1 headteacher visit per week for each class/nursery group. An addition has been to choose at least one pupil to visit every class in school to show their work/achievements. We have introduced new school postcards which get sent home frequently. We have also introduced a new reward system of ‘top table’ which is a trophy that is rewarded to the table in class for showing the most positive behaviour/ learning. At the end of the day, the table with trophy gets a reward. With discussions with other teachers, all of the above strategies have been positively praised with raising attainment and well-being of our pupils. Currently, we are still implementing these strategies within the classrooms.

Moving forward, our aim is to focus on transitions and timings and we are looking at how we can support children’s cognition by brain breaks and physical exercise. We would also like to continue the GTT into the next year with a focus on the elements of questioning and interacting.

We have deliberately structured this process so that each module is explored over a two-week period. This approach allows sufficient time for strategies to be embedded, practised, and refined, enabling us to see a measurable and sustained impact on teaching and learning. In addition, members of the Senior Leadership Team have scheduled regular learning walks with a specific focus on questioning techniques and the development of pupils’ thinking. These include attention to effective use of processing time and ongoing assessment for learning. Through this carefully planned approach, we continue to strengthen our teaching practice and ensure that all children are supported to think deeply and achieve their full potential.

So far this year, we have 46 teachers with licenses, and have met 4 times to share survey results, course progress etc. We have a number of teachers focused on different elements, dependent on how it fits in to their own personal goals. These goals are aligned with our school improvement priorities of checking for understanding, adaptive teaching and task design. From the percentages below, it is clear that colleagues are choosing elements which link explicitly to these areas.

4.1 Structuring 26%

4.2 Explaining 21%

4.3 Questioning 10%

4.4 Interacting 5%

4.5 Embedding 29%

4.6 Activating 2%

We have also gained a good level of engagement from all departments this year so when we meet, there are cross subject conversations taking place. The conversations taking place are very focused on goal setting and supporting each other by sharing practice - this has worked well and colleagues are grateful for the space and time for this.

I have been experimenting with the video feedback tool and have encouraged others to do the same; this is something to build on next year.

The whole school student surveys have been really beneficial and have allowed us to see the progress and impact of school improvement priorities such as retrieval practice.

Colleagues are now completing their survey and will bring the results to our next meeting after half term.

Engagement with student surveys has also improved. The Toolkit has helped staff see these surveys not just as data collection, but as valuable insight into classroom experience. As a result, responses are taken more seriously and used to support discussion in appraisals.

This year’s implementation has been particularly successful in giving teachers greater agency over their development. Rather than one-size-fits-all priorities, staff can now choose specific areas to focus on, aligned with both evidence and individual needs. This has increased motivation and ownership, making professional development feel more relevant and impactful.

Overall, the Great Teaching Toolkit is helping to create a more reflective, collaborative, and responsive teaching environment.

1)   To gather student feedback to support the delivery of our whole school Personal Projects. We have had a particular focus upon 4.1 with Structuring to enhance student outcomes particularly for girls. Staff from Geography Technology and RE have been involved in this.

2)   We have trialled the use of Development Cycles to support the development of 4.1 as a whole school focus. The research materials have helped to support and to be incorporated into whole school staff development. Robert Bjork’s work on ‘Desirable Difficulties’ and the blog on ‘Planning Principles’ have been particularly useful.

It has helped to develop and inform priorities for 2026/2027. It has helped to support the focus upon increasing student participation ratios. This work is ongoing.

Before LAKES, teachers described having routines but no method that left students uncertain about what was expected. "I found it really helpful because before I had routines, but I did not have a method. So, as soon as they come in, I am standing at the door anyway… but I wouldn't be consistent with it." The shift to the LAKES framework changes this. Consistency matters for belonging. When expectations are unclear or applied unevenly, students can feel singled out. The framework prevents this, as it applies to everyone. "To me, it is standardised across my lessons, so they all have the same, and they are getting used to it now as well. They don't question me anymore on what the L is they come in and look." Significantly, we have found that the whiteboard display of the acronym acts as a reminder for teachers as much as students. This suggests the framework reduces teachers’ cognitive load. Students are beginning to unquestioningly follow the routine, indicating the development of shared norms and a sense of belonging.

One teacher described how the "Attempt a task" element transformed arrival from passive waiting into immediate engagement. "Right away they are engaged on something with the Attempt a task, whereas before they might have come in, got their pens out and then waited a few minutes." Another identified phones, off-topic conversation, and disengagement as the key areas the framework addressed and set the tone in terms of expectations for the lesson.

This teacher has extended the use of the acronym to support student self-monitoring and peer collaboration. "Something I have also tried with them that has worked is getting them to set their own targets based on the LAKES acronym and checking their progress after the lesson. So, they will say, oh yeah, mine is I need to speak appropriately, or I need to put my phone away."

We are now awaiting the results of a student questionnaire to gather more feedback about the acronym's impact.

Following our recent monitoring visit, staff will be building a development cycle relating to the feedback specific to their subjects lead roles and one relating to their class teaching.

This will help staff drive and monitor their own subject specific development.

A key part of our work has been the increased use of learning walks across the provision. These have been used to explore and evaluate our TLA DNA, which is rooted in the principles of the Great Teaching Toolkit (GTT). Through this process, we have been able to check how consistently these principles are being applied, while also encouraging professional dialogue and a shared understanding of effective practice.

Alongside this, we have continued to build our research-informed culture by sharing practice and amplifying practitioner voice. This is reflected in the publication of the second volume of Praxis Exchange, our micro-journal, which captures insights, reflections and innovations from across the organisation.

Overall, this period has focused on embedding our TLA principles, strengthening collaborative enquiry, and creating meaningful opportunities to share and celebrate practice.

It has taken us some time to really develop the best way to build this into our professional development training around the Model for Great Teaching and we continue to review and develop our approach.

All staff have a GTT Elements and Dimensions Personal Development Evidence file that enables them to build on their understanding and implementation of the Dimensions, as and when they feel any element needs developed in their practice or revisited.

Elements we are focusing on as a whole school are built into and reflected throughout our School Improvement/Implementation plans. We are increasingly using year group pupil progress meetings to reflect on how elements of the GTT are reflected in supporting pupil progress and achievement across the Year group.

We have recognised that working as a year group has developed and strengthened the implementation of the elements.

Earlier this year we reviewed Dimension 2 with a significant focus on working walls and the learning environment.

Recent data analysis has highlighted a weakness in recall and retention from the previous years. As a result, we have focused on 4.5. providing tasks that require reinforcing learning. We are focusing on how pupils access prior knowledge along with Rapid Recall.

Our plan for the next academic year is to strengthen our understanding and application of 4 Activating Hard Thinking. Our work with the WELL Implementation Planning has been a valuable opportunity to really strengthen our GTT focus and implementation

Our work has centred on how feedback from all adults can support pupils to become more independent learners, while still ensuring appropriate levels of support and challenge. We explored the importance of feedback that prompts thinking, encourages resilience and avoids over-scaffolding.

Alongside this, an important strand of our discussions has focused on SEND pupils and the need to create both logical and moral exceptions within classroom practice. Staff have reflected on how some pupils require adapted approaches, additional scaffolding or different forms of feedback in order to access learning successfully. We have also considered the importance of helping children — and parents — understand that fairness does not always mean everyone receiving the same support (incorporating feedback), but rather everyone receiving what they need to succeed.

We initially agreed the dimension collectively but then worked through implementation more separately across teams and phases. In hindsight, this was less effective than previous strands of work where we intentionally built reflection and professional dialogue into staff meetings. Due to competing priorities, these opportunities were more limited this year.

One of our key reflections has been that collaborative discussion is essential when embedding approaches linked to classroom culture and feedback. Where staff had opportunities to share practice and reflect together, implementation was stronger and more consistent.