Our Learning Journey Approach

A lot of time has been spent researching the approaches that we use for the children at Cobden. We use a Learning Journey Approach as a school based on some key learning ideas based on the works of Rosenshine. 

Our Learning Journey's are time based themes that drive the learning for each year group for defined periods of time. This means concentrating deeply on a particular unit of work in a very focussed way to help our learners to develop their knowledge and understanding in the best way that they can.

The knowledge and skills embedded over time within each year group or across a year are planned specifically to be deep and rich and to be able to 'practice' their learning and their understanding in future themes (encouraging our learners to build on what they already know!)

As you look through our curriculum maps, you will see that there are 'driver' subjects in each term for each year group. These are the themes that will take the largest share of the learning - this can be for a week, two weeks, fifteen days or for however long the theme has been planned for by the class teachers.
 

English and maths are taught daily and while other subject areas are taught traditionally (weekly sessions) - PSHE, Computing, RE, Art, DT, etc. (although sometimes these subjects become the drivers themselves!)

Maths lessons are in themselves all planned into a learning journey too - each theme of learning that the class are undertaking are ordered into a logical series of small steps, building on the previous days learning, leading on to the next. 
 

As you walk around the school, you will see Learning Journeys for themes and for maths in every classroom. A marker (unique to each classroom and teacher) will show you where the children are in their journey and children are often reminded of their destination (outcomes) and the legacy of the last few lessons to regularly remind them of the purpose of their lessons and understanding. 

All themes have been created or adapted to the specific needs and locality of the school. Please take a look and let us know if you have any questions.