QUALITY FIRST TEACHING

At Bedford High School our learning environments are underpinned by Quality First Teaching which enables all learners, including those with SEND make good progress.

Our inclusive Quality First Teaching (QFT) ensures that the needs of all learners are met and build a high expectation for all of our students. The classroom is where our students spend the majority of their day and through careful planning and delivery, teachers provide students with the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to succeed. Quality First Teaching is about combining challenge and support to enable all students to achieve more.

As a result of prioritising Quality First Teaching within every lesson, every day, less students need additional SEND support.

Below are examples of Quality First Teaching approaches that you would see at Bedford High School. Teachers adapt the strategies they use within their subjects and classrooms to meet the needs of their students:

Cognition and Learning

  • Curriculum personalised by adapting presentation, task or outcomes (as
  • appropriate to learning)
  • Reading material accessible to students
  • Students can demonstrate their knowledge / understanding in a variety of ways
  • Use of scaffolds, word banks, memory prompts, task planners, number support etc
  • Repetition and reinforcement of skills
  • Visually supported learning environments
  • Adjustments to alleviate visual stress
  • Methods to summarise and highlight key teaching points
  • Questions personalised in accordance to level of understanding
  • Homework which reinforces and extends key learning
  • Handouts to replace copying from the board
  • Task planners to break work into smaller chunks

Communication and Interaction

  • Clear and simple instructions
  • Clear classroom / daily routines, organisation and structures
  • Clear unambiguous use of language
  • Time provided for students to process language
  • Outcomes modelled and demonstrated
  • Opportunities to work independently, without interruption
  • Teacher able to access and employ method of communication appropriate to need
  • Visual timetables and supports
  • Use the student’s name to get their attention before speaking to them
  • Access to talking partners or alternative approaches
  • Strategies and approaches to manage change and transitions
  • The student won’t necessarily need to look at you to hear what you are saying
  • An environment where pupils feel safe, and free from bullying and harassment
  • Be predictable and consistent, but not inflexible
  • Consistent use of positive language and clear expectations from adults
  • Mirroring the response desired from a student
  • De-escalation
  • Tactile sensory objects to calm student
  • Identify the strengths and interests of the student and use them to motivate
  • Time Out arrangements
  • Recognition of sensory needs and appropriate adjustments made
  • A curriculum that takes into account concentration levels, aptitudes and interests
  • As transitions within lessons approach, give a warning
  • Positive, regular communication with parents and carers

Sensory and Physical Needs

  • Awareness of seating positions to take into account sensory difficulties
  • Personalised resources for visual impairment / hearing impairment
  • Sensitive seating
  • Sensitive rooming
  • Access to equipment provided to ensure mobility / accessibility
  • Adaptations to presentation of learning
  • Access to assistive technology
  • Appropriate objects for fiddling to promote concentration
  • Sensory resources / bags
  • Use the student’s name to get their attention before speaking to them
  • Find opportunities to provide additional praise and reassurance