Teaching and Learning

We provide an education that inspires a love of learning and intellectual enquiry to enable pupils to develop independent, searching minds in fulfilling their academic potential.

Teachers are ambitious for their pupils and set high expectations. We embrace the learning journey and emphasise the experience and the importance of progression. We encourage pupils to connect learning across all areas of school life within a holistic education which integrates knowledge, skills, effective strategies, and positive attitudes. Our approaches are rooted in educational research and our expert teaching staff support and scaffold pupil progress and individual development to empower students with the skills to take the initiative in learning for themselves. 

Our ‘Learning to Learn’ programme helps pupils to develop metacognitive understanding and ensures they have the skills needed for lifelong learning. We encourage pupils to give conscious consideration as to how and why we learn and how we can improve. 

Teachers and pupils at St Albans School develop effective learning relationships and success depends on shared dialogue and reflective practices. Reflection and feedback are at the heart of our approach and all pupils will be guided in how to review work undertaken, utilise feedback, and set targets for improvement. Our teaching approaches are diverse and inclusive and we ensure our schemes of work cover a broad range of content and perspectives.

Everyone in our community is a learner and we strive to embed a positive culture of learning in all aspects of school life.

Learning Skills

We ensure our pupils are well equipped with the skills to thrive in School, Higher Education and the workplace. Evidence from educational research and organisations such as the OECD and World Economic Forum shows the importance of teaching transferable skills and we embrace the integration of knowledge and skills across all subjects. 

We prioritise and teach the following learning skills across the curriculum: