Beech Hill Primary School, in West Denton, is hosting a course of ‘Experience Days’ to help teachers with professional development for those who would like to improve or develop their planning and teaching practices.
The Experience Day Programme
The course is constantly adapted according to the needs of the session and the range of observations in different year groups and discussions with curriculum leads. The Experience Day programme is organised and led by Deputy Head and Year 6 Teacher at Beech Hill, Kate Telfer, who has worked with a range of schools in the North East to develop teaching and learning from Early Years Foundation Stage to Year 6. Kate is the writing lead for Beech Hill and also the Specialist Lead of Education(SLE) of Literacy.
The course is also facilitated by Jackie Manning, Deputy Head and Maths lead, who is a SLE in Maths; Kayleigh Farnham, an experienced Early Years teacher and leader of Nursery, Reception, Speaking, Listening and Character; and Emily Jobson, Year 1 teacher and leader of Reading and Phonics for the school.
The programme enables teachers to explore and improve their practice in specific areas of the curriculum that they would like to develop. Experience Days delivers an invaluable opportunity for teachers to pick up successful techniques and formulate new strategies to bring back to their own school.
Bespoke and impactful
The session offers opportunities to observe good teaching practice, the use of support staff, as well as work closely with subject coordinators to see how lessons and planning is sequenced across the year groups and whole school through Beech Hill’s use of knowledge organisers.
Usually, the Experience Days take place during the morning and will begin at 8:30 with refreshments and a light breakfast. Each Experience Day is bespoke to the individuals taking part based upon prior discussions with participants to ensure maximum impact back at their own school.
Jess Eatock, Head Teacher at Beech Hill commented:
“The course was set up this year as we have many outstanding teachers at Beech Hill who would like to share their experience of their subject area. Our teachers have completed research, observations and training in various areas of the curriculum and this has given us the opportunity to share our skills with others. Sharing good practice with colleagues is a fantastic professional development which we use at Beech Hill. We can now offer this experience to others to come and share experiences; see how we have developed teaching and learning and go away with ideas to move their practice forward in a collaborative and supportive way. Each session can be tailored to the needs of the participants to ensure every visit is bespoke and impactful.”
Sharing best practice amongst teachers from other schools is always encouraged and supporting each other through programmes such as Beech Hill’s Experience Days help to boost the reputation of the region through collaboration.
For more information about how to book an Experience Day, contact Beech Hill by calling 0191 267 8113 or emailing kate.telfer@beechhill.newcastle.sch.uk or jess.eatock@beechhill.newcastle.sch.uk
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