Definitions of Approach to Learning
P Positive - Key Characteristics
Effort The student applies themselves fully in lessons and positively engages in learning activities. They show enthusiasm and take pride in their work. They are very keen to make progress and regularly try different methods in order to succeed. They show initiative and often seek out opportunities to develop their understanding of new topics. They always bring the correct equipment.
Behaviour The student’s behaviour for learning is good. They are always polite and respond sensitively to the needs of others when taking part in learning activities. They focus hard and are self-disciplined. They actively listen to their teachers and peers when they are speaking. They can be relied upon to support the learning of others in a mature and considerate manner.
Independent Learning The student shows a strong commitment to independent learning. Tasks are submitted on time and are completed to a high standard. They pay careful attention to their ‘next steps’ and any other guidance provided by the teacher. The student is an effective self-manager, who regularly reviews their learning and catches up on any work missed.
I Inconsistent - Key Characteristics
Effort The student sometimes applies themselves in lessons and engages positively in learning activities, but this is inconsistent. They may show enthusiasm and take pride in their work, but need to do this more frequently. They are sometimes keen to make progress, but need to keep trying when they find tasks challenging. They sometimes seek out opportunities to develop their understanding of new topics. They sometimes bring the correct equipment.
Behaviour The student’s behaviour for learning is inconsistent. They can be polite and respond sensitively to the needs of others when taking part in learning activities, but need to show this approach more frequently. They can focus hard, but are not always self-disciplined and often need reminding to stay on task. They sometimes listen to their teachers and peers when they are speaking, but can be disruptive.
Independent Learning The student shows limited commitment to independent learning. Tasks are sometimes submitted on time and completed to an acceptable standard, but this is inconsistent. They do not always pay attention to their ‘next steps’ and any other guidance provided by the teacher. The student sometimes reviews their learning and sometimes catches up on any work missed.
N Negative - Key Characteristics
Effort The student does not often apply themselves in lessons and often behaves in an inappropriate way during learning activities They show limited interest in making progress and can be disruptive to others. They give up easily and rarely try different methods in order to succeed. They rarely ask for help in an appropriate manner. They often do not have the correct equipment for lessons.
Behaviour The student’s behaviour is often unacceptable. They can be rude and often respond inappropriately to others when taking part in whole-class and group activities. They frequently show a lack of self-discipline and struggle to remain focused. When taking part in extra-curricular and enrichment activities, they rarely behave in an appropriate manner.
Independent Learning The student shows little, if any, commitment to independent learning. Tasks are rarely submitted on time and/or rarely completed to a satisfactory standard. The student appears to lack interest in their work and is content with the bare minimum. They do not pay attention to the ‘next steps’ provided by the teacher and do not catch up with work missed. They do not review their learning regularly.
We expect all of our students to work hard and take pride in their achievements. When forming judgements about a student’s Approach to Learning (AtoL) however, we consider three key aspects:
- Effort
- Behaviour
- Independent Learning
It is important to remember that this is a judgement of a student’s approach and not a measure of their aptitude or ability in a particular subject. Levels of progress are shown in the other aspects of their report.
We expect our students to show a positive approach to all aspects of learning, so that they are in a strong position to make progress. However, some students will need extra support both at home and in school in order to reach this standard.
Supporting Your Child
In order to support your child in making progress this year, we would encourage you to reinforce good learning habits by:
- Making sure that they have somewhere quiet to work.
- Checking they complete independent learning tasks when they are set.
- Encouraging them to review their classwork on a regular basis.
- Encouraging them to attend any additional support sessions provided in school.
- Making sure they use online resources provided by the school to support their learning.
Making sure they check their school email account regularly, as teachers use this to communicate important information.