Display and Learning Environment Policy

Aim

To communicate a shared approach and expectation for the classroom environment and wall displays.

Policy Statement

A consistently high quality of display encourages students to have pride and confidence in their work by demonstrating that teachers value their work and learning. It creates a learning environment that stimulates interest and discussion. It encourages a respect for the school environment and enriches the school as a learning environment.

A high standard of display used consistently throughout school motivates children to improve presentation and organisation. It promotes a tidy and ordered learning environment. It provides opportunity to celebrate achievement and raise students’ self-esteem.

Used effectively, display has a positive impact on learning through consolidation of prior knowledge and the introduction of new information and learning. It provides an exemplar of improvement for children.

Display is an important part of our work to create a positive working environment and as a staff we each have strengths. We work as a team to share strengths in display and to offer advice and help to colleagues who request support.

Display in Practice

At Sunny View School we recognise that a high-quality learning environment has a direct impact on standards and attitudes of the students in our school.

All our displays feature:

• Backing, border and mounting paper of a thoughtfully chosen colour scheme.

• A title.

• Explanations and/or questions.

• The learning objective relating to any student work displayed.

• High quality labelling, including key vocabulary.

• Student work, when used, is mounted and labelled. (Student work used on a working wall does not need to be mounted.)

• Neatly trimmed work, with no ripped or torn edges.

The majority of displays should feature students’ work and should be changed at least once a term. Staples or BluTack should be used but not drawing pins as these are a safety hazard and can detract from work on display.

We encourage staff to be creative with their displays, using different textures or fabric where appropriate, and making use of windows, doors or washing lines suspended across the room from the ceiling.

Every classroom has:

• High quality work on display from across the curriculum.

• Support resources for learning that may include: key vocabulary, timelines, a 100 square, number lines, place value charts, speaking and listening prompts, high frequency words.

• Behaviour Blueprint posters relevant to the department.

• In Primary, a mathematics and English display relevant to the current learning objectives and used to support learning.

• Class timetable.

• Fire evacuation procedures.

Classroom Organisation

Our classroom environment creates a feeling of purpose and order. Teachers work with students to keep the classroom environment tidy and organised. Teacher resources are stored in cupboards and on shelving units. Surfaces are kept uncluttered.

We ensure that in our classrooms:

• Books, teaching resources and students’ work is stored in an organised and neat manner.

• Cupboards and desks reflect our organised approach to storing materials.

• Teachers’ desks are kept tidy and are cleared at the end of each working day.

• Chairs and tables are always arranged tidily and when children are not in the classroom the chairs are stored underneath tables.

Our classroom routines help establish an orderly classroom. These include:

• Involving students in the responsibility of packing away at the end of each session.

• Ensuring students are quiet when lining up and moving around the school.

• Leaving chairs and tables tidily as an established part of classroom practice each time students leave the room.

• Ensuring that classroom resources are kept in good condition and are appropriately labelled.

• Students are dismissed in an orderly fashion.

• At the end of the day, stacking chairs, closing shutters, turning off the air conditioning and Promethean board and cleaning whiteboards.