Great Learning

What is GREAT learning at Seymour Park Community Primary School?

We know that learning:

  • is a change in long term memory
  • is remembered after a significant amount of time has elapsed
  • is applied and transferred to a different context

How do we enable GREAT learning? 

We have a whole school relational approach to learning and behaviour. Relationships are at the centre of all we do; children feel safe and we support them in being ‘ready to learn’

Our teaching staff are skilful and knowledgeable about:

  • our children as learners   
  • metacognitive strategies
  • oracy and opportunities for metacognitive talk
  • the theory of cognitive load and its impact on working memory/long term memory
  • how to use retrieval practices to maximise learning;
  • self regulating learning skills
  • the rate that new learning is forgotten and that not all that is taught is learned
  • explicit instructions and modelling
  • scaffolding tasks
  • appropriate challenge
  • effective feedback

As a result our children develop as 21st Century GREAT Learners:

  • understanding how they learn
  • having positive learning behaviours & attitudes of resilience, curiosity, independent thinking, positive response to feedback, active listening, motivation, collaboration, applying effort
  • engaging in metacognitive talk about learning processes                                        
  • using our language for learning – wobble, power of yet, learning pit, growth mindset, effort, challenge, expert learner, novice learner, retrieving, schema, working memory, long term memory, progress, connections, remembering, understanding, applying, new learning, 
  • knowing themselves as self regulated learners – aware of their strengths and weaknesses and being able to motivate themselves to engage in and improve their learning;
  • striving for the high expectations they have of themselves and a real pride in their learning.

SPCPS Great Learning Policy 2021