Visible Learning

Our Visible Learning Coaches - Miss Jones and Miss Edwards

At Windmill Hill Academy we have achieved the status of Visible Learning Partner School through undertaking action research into how children learn best via a project called Visible Learning. The Visible Learning development model is based upon the principles developed by John Hattie’s research.

After collating our evidence, trialling different strategies and presenting our findings, we were delighted to receive the following email from Laura McWhinnie , Regional Director of Osiris Educational:

“I would like to congratulate you on your successful application to become a Level 2 Visible Learning Plus Partner MAT. The case study that you have submitted, capturing your journey, was of high quality and provided a deep insight into how you have moved from evidence to impact.”

A huge congratulations to all the staff who have worked tirelessly to enable such a fantastic result to be achieved. As a Visible Learning school our aim is that...

Pupils take ownership of their own learning. They know where they are within the curriculum and what their next steps are. Using their target grids they can track their own progress. The pupils know what to do when they come across something they don’t know and have strategies to progress with their learning. Pupils seek feedback and respond to it, and more importantly they give feedback to staff about their teaching.

Pupils are active in their learning and are assessment capable. Assessment Capable Learners can ask and find the answer to: Where am I going? How am I going there? Where to next?

Pupils can employ a range of meta-cognitive strategies developed through a shared language of learning. Pupils see learning as hard work, have a ‘can do’ approach and a desire to succeed.

By further embedding Visible Learning strategies we encourage children to really challenge themselves. Each class, has a ‘learning pit’ when they find the learning difficult and challenging. The children often put themselves in to the pit, and work on strategies and skills to assist in their learning in order to achieve their learning intention and success criteria. We encourage the children to place themselves in the pit as this is where learning is at its best.

Visible learners are able to

Understand their learning intentions
Know and are challenged by the success criteria
Develop a range of learning strategies
Seek feedback and look for their next steps in learning

To find out more information about Visible Learning across the An Daras Trust, please click here.

An Daras Skills Progression Map Learning Dispositions v2

An Daras Skills Progression Map Metacognitive Skills v2

'Pupils arrive each day eager to learn.' (Ofsted, December 2022)