Learning Walks at St George’s School Group, Spain
The learning walk is a powerful tool designed by the Pittsburgh Institute of Learning. It is a
focused, organised tour of classrooms, areas for learning and the whole school
environment.
A learning walk can create a school-wide picture made up of many small snapshots. It
can allow the school to gather information to supplement other data that the school holds.
It can deepen staff and visitors’ understanding of how the school works and what
constitutes effective practice.
This document provides guidelines for learning walks across the St George’s Group. It is the
responsibility of the Heads of School to confirm their individual approach to learning walks
including the confirmation and communication of protocols (see page 3).
A record sheet for walks is included to supplement/replace earlier guidance.
1. Aim
The aim is to enhance and develop further our learning community by using learning walks to
share good practice and learn from one another. Learning Walks are also an important part
of the process of reviewing the performance of the Group through whole school/group selfevaluation. Learning walks are a whole-group improvement activity and are developmental
and constructive rather than judgemental. Learning walks are not to be used as part of
capability procedures or for performance management/appraisal.
2. Definition of a ‘learning walk’
A learning walk is a planned activity with a focus clearly linked to the improvement targets of the St
George's Group. For 2013-14 these targets are:
School improvement towards outstanding, as defined by the inspection of British Schools
Overseas, is the overall goal of the Group. Towards this goal the targets of challenge, language
development and technology across the curriculum for all students have been identified as key for
2013-14.
The learning walk will investigate an identified issue a n d m i g h t b e planned to take place over
a m o r n i n g , a w h o l e d a y o r t h e period of a week. In practice this will include short, ‘drop
in’ classroom observations and group discussions Different groups of people within the school
learning community may be involved in a walk depending upon the focus and time available.
3. The purpose of a ‘learning walk’ is to:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Provide a ‘snapshot’ view of practice across a school/the group
Share good practice and promote consistency
Check for progression, eg. a learning walk to focus on how English language is developing
across the school/group from Early Years to A level study
Support CPD where appropriate, eg. display for learning/learning walls that support language
development
Provision of quality time for reflection to stimulate professional discussion regarding
learning
Provide opportunities for colleagues to see practice across the curriculum and learn from the
school they work in
Investigate where we can improve our standards in respect of learning
Involve all members of the learning community in the promotion of learning
4. The following groups of people could be involved with the ‘learning walk’
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Senior Leadership Team
Heads of School
Heads of Department
Class Teachers
Teaching Assistants
Invited visitors as appropriate to focus or link departments
Students/student council
Any member of staff as appropriate and relevant for CPD opportunities
Other external professionals supporting the learning environment
5. The process of a learning walk
(i)
Formulation of the key question
A decision is made on a focus point for the learning walk, eg. looking at lesson starters,
establishing a calm climate, student participation, plenaries, differentiation, group
work, assessment for learning, questioning, no hands up etc., and a question i s t h e n
formulated to investigate the focus point. It is possible that the key question could arise
from the evaluations of a previous learning walk, heads of School, head of
Departments, students, visitors or parents etc. The focus point and question are shared
with the whole staff team including support staff in the week before each ‘learning walk
week’.
(ii)
Introduction and Discussion
The learning walk begins with an introduction to the focus point and discussion with the
people involved. A decision here is made on the day and time this will be carried out.
(iii)
Lesson observations and presentations
The learning walk m a y consist of a series of b r i e f lesson observations and
discussion groups/presentations. There may be up to four observers and any
observations will last no longer than approximately 10 minutes – see Learning Walk Skills
table.
(iv)
Plenary
After e a c h c l a s s r o o m o b s e r v a t i o n , a plenary session allows people to discuss
their findings and reflect on points emerging from the walk. This is typically a 'corridor
talk' of approximately 5-10 minutes followed by a discussion to synthesise findings.
(v)
Written and verbal feedback
Feedback is recorded in a comprehensive format able to be shared with t h e S M T
a s s o o n a s p o s s i b l e a f t e r s y n t h e s i s o f f i n d i n g s . Any observed
concerns should be discussed sensitively within the observation group and protocols
followed regarding how this is followed up, e.g. passed to the line manager, as soon
as possible after the observation.
(vi)
Evaluation
The observers discuss the findings with the SMT during a meeting following the learning
walk. This is a confidential meeting. The outcomes and recommendations from the meeting
are then owned by SMT and shared and discussed with other staff within the
school/ across the Group as appropriate.
Something should change/improve as a result of the learning walk.
Protocols for Learning Walks:
•
Ensure that everyone involved with the learning walk is appropriately
briefed about the focus and intent of the learning walk
•
Ensure that all staff members understand the purpose of the learning walk
and the techniques to be used (eg. talking to small groups of pupils, looking in
books…)
•
Ensure that affected staff members are aware of the time and duration of
the learning walk and how the information that is obtained will be fed back,
disseminated and/or acted upon
•
Build in time for w a l k e r s f o r reflection, note-taking and discussion
•
Timetable sufficient time for all of the evidence to be shared and
discussed at the end of the learning walk
•
Confirm that findings need to be supported by clear evidence
•
Confirm that concerns need to be phrased as questions for further
exploration or as 'wanderings'
•
Remind team members about confidentiality
•
Feedback to SMT should take place as soon as possible after the walk
In order for a learning walk to be most successful, a climate of trust, openness
and confidentiality must be encouraged.
Behavioural norms for learning walks:
•
Walkers refrain from making judgemental comments, whether
disparaging or complimentary, about the school, the headteacher, the staff or
pupils
•
Walkers should disrupt learning as little as possible – avoid talking amongst
themselves or distracting the teacher
•
If the walkers are not acquainted with the teachers, they should wear
name tags
•
Walkers should respect the learning community of the school
•
They should stick to the agreed focus of the walk
•
Photographs are a useful means to document the visit but should be
used only with the permission of the SMT, used sensitively and either
passed to the visiting school or deleted after use as per Group data
protection policy.
•
Walkers should refrain from comparing the school to other schools or
commenting about other schools
•
Walkers should look for good practice that confirms, celebrates and
challenges the high expectations of St George’s staff and students and share this
during the plenary session
Protocol adopted by (school)
On (Date)
Signed
Head of School
Learning Walk skills can include:
Looking at displays in classrooms and This may be in classrooms and other
other parts of the learning environment parts of the learning environment
around the school and its grounds
Looking at pupils' work
This may be in exercise books,
portfolios, partially completed work
in classrooms or on display
Talking with pupils
Posing open questions to them in
order to understand their ideas, views
and learning
Looking at classroom organisation
Observing how the teacher has
organised, arranged and managed
the class
Looking at physical resources
Are they appropriate/sufficient/up- todate/in good condition?
Observi ng the classroom climate
The emotional/psychological
atmosphere within the classroom
Looking at the physical environment
How is the physical environment
being maximised to support
learning?
Looking at teaching and learning
May focus on particular elements of
teachi ng and learning
Looking for evidence of the school's
vision, values, aims and ethos
Is the school living and breathing its
stated vision and values?
Preparing for the Learning Walk
Before the Learning Walk:
•
Agree the date and time of the learning walk
•
Agree the focus of the walk
•
Agree the composition of the learning walk team
•
Remind team members that they may be conversing with pupils
•
Remind team members that they will need to take notes to supplement their own memory and for
their own learning
•
Make sure that teachers and teaching assistants have copies of the note- taking forms that will be
distributed to team members so that everyone is aware of the nature of the walk
•
Remind the team that a collective evaluation will be made from the input of all team members at the
end of the walk
•
•
•
•
•
Activities that are devised for the walk are designed to gather information about the chosen
issue and may include:
Very short focused lesson observations lasting no longer than 10 minutes
Interviews with relevant groups of staff, pupils, governors and sometimes parents (usually done in
groups the questions having been agreed beforehand by the team and given out prior to the walk)
Scrutiny of policies and procedures
Looking at examples of pupils' work
Looking at displays , resources and the physical environment
Questions to ask before your walk
There are some questions to consider before your walk . Paying attention to these questions as part of the
planning of the walk will help your learning walks to be successful and useful learning experiences for all
those involved.
•
•
•
•
•
What will be the focus of the enquiry?
Who will participate and why?
How will teachers be notified?
What are the timing and resource implications?
How and when will you feedback the information gathered during the walk?
Guidance for the learning walk:
• Stay focused on the collection of information that is linked directly to the purpose of the learning
walk
• Adhere to the timetable you have set
• Gather evidence from more than one source eg observe it happening, discuss it happening with
children, examine children's output, look at the classroom environment
•
•
•
•
Leave particular preconceptions, bias or mindsets at the door
Avoid interfering with the teaching and learning (eg helping the children with their work)
Note down direct examples of what you have seen or heard
Avoid making comments about what you have seen whilst in the classroom
School Learning Walk Record Sheet
School:
Date:
Walking Team:
Focus of the learning walk:
Criteria for success:
(i.e. what would we expect to see if good and outstanding was evident? Consider OfSTED criteria)
•
•
•
•
•
Strengths observed during the learning walk:
(Start with 'I saw . . .. ', '/ heard ..... ' or 'I noticed .... ')
•
•
•
•
•
In what respects/where were success criteria not met?:
(Start with 'I saw . ... ', 'I heard ..... ' or 'I noticed . ... J
Any issues arising:
Are there any patterns and trends across the whole school?
What further questions need to be asked? Whom? When?
What actions will we take as a result of this learning walk?
Who will take responsibility for these actions and by when?