Close Up: Accelerated Learning in Primary Schools

Close Up - Primary See and hear some of the best learning and teaching from six outstanding Primary Schools.

"Over 160 minutes of professional development material for you and your staff"
Alistair Smith

Close Up, Accelerated Learning in Primary Schools provides excerpts from nine very different classroom lessons for your professional development and enjoyment. If you are a classroom teacher, this quality DVD package gives you an opportunity to see what great learning can look like from the inside. Additional interviews with teachers and students help you understand what lies behind some outstanding lessons. If you are a manager, hear how each school followed its own learning journey.

Use Close Up, Accelerated Learning in Primary Schools to improve the all round quality of learning in your school and classroom or as an introduction to the Accelerated Learning approach. It provides you with:

Over 160 minutes of professional development material for you and your staff
Teachers describing genuine lessons in their own words – nothing is staged!
Pupils talking about what they think ‘great learning’ looks like
Senior Managers being honest about what works and what doesn’t
An accessible, easy to use format
A representative sample of schools

Find out about:

Using a whole school learning model
Creative and integrated approaches to curriculum design
What’s important and what’s not!
Behaviour for learning
Arresting the under-achievement of Afro-Caribbean boys
How to take ‘reluctant’ colleagues with you on the learning journey
Different ways to bring a ‘dull topic’ to life
The best classroom layouts
Display for Learning
Mixing groups
Imaginative starts
Effective questioning
Thinking skills
Developing discussion
Creating a positive ethos for learning

School Case Studies featured on the DVD. Click on each school title to learn more.

HIGHFIELDS PRIMARY SCHOOL, SANDWELL

Leading the learning journey
Headteacher Helen Heap identifies the key milestones
What do pupils think good learning looks like?
Year 6 pupils take us on a learning walk around their school
Mixed groupings in numeracy
Teacher Gemma Watkins explains how she uses learning styles in a Year 2 Numeracy lesson
The Accelerated Learning Cycle in practice
Teacher Jessica Parsons brings history to life for Year 6 using the four stage cycle

"The school has helped me to see other’s good techniques and that’s one of the best ways to improve as a teacher."
Gemma Watkins, Year 2 Teacher, Highfields Primary School

MELCOMBE PRIMARY SCHOOL, HAMMERSMITH

"My advice would be to do your research and have a clear idea of what you think good learning is - then share it with everyone."
Janet Moffat, Headteacher, Melcombe Primary School

Using a whole school learning model
Headteacher Janet Moffat inspires with her vision of leading and learning
Sharing learning with younger children
Teacher Chantel Wright shows how to share learning about learning with Year 2
Creative uses of the Learning Model
Teacher Anna Maton and her Year 5 group get the better of Macbeth

"The learning model allows me to create a very positive learning environment for my class…"
Anna Maton, Year 5 teacher, Melcombe Primary School

BRICKHOUSE PRIMARY SCHOOL, SANDWELL

Creating the positive classroom
Kevin Cobane provides original ideas to enliven your classroom teaching
A pupil’s poem
The story of one pupil’s amazing progress in the positive classroom

ST SAVIOUR'S C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL, LAMBETH

Building a positive ethos across an inner city school
Headteacher O’Neill Hemmings and teachers Phyllis Sternberg and Ruth Wymark invite us to share their positive approach to all aspects of learning

WICOR PRIMARY SCHOOL, PORTCHESTER

Theory into practice: inspirational classroom learning
Headteacher Sue Anders and teachers Kelly Brown and Mark Wildman take you from ALPS theory to practice - and give you all the dos and don’ts along the way
Active learning in science
Year 2 teacher Liz Kempster tells of her move from scepticism to advocacy
Building the self esteem of vulnerable children
Learning Support Assistant Ann Alexander boosts pupils confidence

"If we were starting our learning journey again there are things we definitely would do differently or not at all!"
Mark Wildman, Headteacher, Wicor Primary School

GRANGE SCHOOL, LONG EATON

The creative school
Headteacher Richard Gerver describes a thematic approach to the curriculum based on problem solving and real challenges
Meet the Grangeton Mayor
The pupil mayor introduces herself and her role
Radio Grangeton
Coming to you live! Some of the media team introduce their radio station

Running time: 160 minutes