Our Approach to Teaching

We have a simple way of looking at our lessons at The Hewett Academy - focusing on teaching rather than testing: 

Our school exists to provide the highest quality education for our students. We have a strong focus on ensuring top-quality teaching and learning and, together with our knowledge-rich curriculum, will provide a first-class education to the children in our community.

We have a simple way of looking at our lessons at Hewett Academy - putting knowledge at the core of what we do. Students and staff all use the same ten-point list as a guide for their lessons

1. The start of the lesson

Our lessons will start with the teacher greeting students at the door. Students should enter the room in silence as they arrive then stand behind their chairs with equipment and book(s) out on the desk.  Students then wait silently for further instruction.

2. Low stakes quizzing / interleaving retrieval

We begin the lesson with the chance to re-cap on prior learning through quizzing. The curriculum is our progress model; we know that students have made progress when they have learnt, over time, the core knowledge from lessons.  We ensure this is done through 5-10 mark knowledge quizzes at the start of every lesson that tests the expanding domain.

3. Acting on feedback

Student books are marked in line with the assessment and marking policy. Common misconceptions must be picked up by the teacher through the marking process. Feedback is delivered to the whole class with students identifying where they went wrong. Students are given time in lessons to edit and correct work in a purple pen to demonstrate an improved understanding of the concepts taught.

4. High leverage activities

We have a “Knowledge-Rich Curriculum”. Lessons will be planned to incorporate the delivery of high-leverage activities. In planning lessons, we find the most direct and effective route by which students of different abilities can learn core knowledge. 

5. Independent Work / Deliberate Practice

Students will ‘apply’ their knowledge independently without teacher or peer assistance. This independent practice phase is an opportunity for students to demonstrate their understanding. Written tasks should be completed in silence. We use “shed loads of practice” to embed key concepts.

6. Formative assessment “checking”

Formative assessment occurs throughout the lesson in order to assess understanding and clear up misconceptions. To do this effectively our techniques are planned with the goal of maximising participation.

7. Presentation of student work - more HERE

Student work is well presented with titles underlined with a ruler, written work in black or blue pen and diagrams in pencil, any mistakes are crossed out with a single line through it. No work should fall out of the books.

8. End of the lesson

Students must be ready to leave just before the bell to ensure that they are punctual to their next lesson. At the end of the lesson, students leave in silence.  They then quickly and sensibly proceed to their next lesson.