Learning

Our Education Framework is underpinned by our 3 Values of Caring, Curious and Committed. More detail on these values can be found here

On entry to WVA, from year 7, it is expected that students will complete GL Assessments to provide an understanding of current levels. This is likely to include CATS and Progress Tests in English, maths, science. Midyear admissions into year 7 will follow the same initial assessments where practical. Where this is not possible it is anticipated that they will have assessment data from their previous secondary school. 

Additional assessments may be required to support the application or delivery of EHCP to meet specific student need. The assessment information gathered will then be used to support improvements to EHCP writing and curriculum planning for the individual needs of the Student. At WVA we will set challenging targets from our accurate knowledge of starting points. 

Teaching is likely to be in mixed ability classes with a clear focus on ensuring student individual needs are met. 

Assessing learners’ progress is an on-going process that takes place in the context of carefully planned learning opportunities.  Assessment is an integral part of all learning and teaching.  It is continuous throughout the school year. For more information on progress and assessment click here.

The Learning Cycle at WVA

At Weldon Village Academy, we plan lessons that our engaging and inclusive. Our learning model follows a cyclical structure, but the phases are not bound to a single lesson. While some lessons will involve introducing new content or retrieving knowledge from prior learning, others focus on students working independently.

Ultimately, we want students to be independent and help them to apply their skills in a range of increasingly complex scenarios.

Routines for Learning

Every lesson follows the same routine which we have named ‘The Weldon Way’. This consistency of practice helps to create a safe and predictable environment for our students. It also ensures that lessons get off to a strong start and proceed without interruption.

‘The Weldon Way’ includes the following steps from entry:

1. The teacher attentively monitors the corridor.​
2. There is a warm greeting between student and teacher before entry.​
3. An accessible and independent Do Now task is available immediately, to settle students. This is separate to the Starter activity which will focus more on retrieval.​
4. Students are expected to be silent until the register is completed. A polite, formal greeting is insisted upon e.g. ‘Yes sir’ or ‘Yes miss’.​
5. The teacher signifies the next part of the lesson and sets the intention and context for the lesson, linking explicitly to prior and future learning.

The Weldon Countdown

We use a verbal countdown, and each stage has a linked hand gesture so that students are absolutely clear about how we settle into a lesson and show that we are ready to learn. The teacher works through the countdown, ending on the request for ‘one voice’. One voice signifies that only the teacher should now be talking, usually outlining instruction for the lesson.

5 – Taking seats please​

4 – Conversations wrap up ​

3 – Empty hands

2 – Tracking me​

1 – One voice

Professional Development

 “The sign of a good school is when teachers talk to teachers about teaching. If we commit to, and invest in, the professional development and learning of our teaching and support staff, we can ensure that dialogue continues, to the benefit the young people we ultimately serve”.

Sir Tim Brighouse

We are committed to providing an impressive offer of CPD and professional learning to all our staff at WVA. We do this through a menu of opportunities, including:

• Meridian Learning – a suite of synchronous and asynchronous modules
• National Professional Qualification
• Professional Networks
• Subject communities
• Access to our CPD staff library
• Weekly staff meetings and opportunities
• Use of IRIS Software
• Weekly 15 Minute Forums/ breakfast CPD