Expectations of Students
At The Ramsey Academy, we are committed to supporting student progress through the provision of Quality First Teaching, Expectations of lessons have been developed by the Senior Leadership Team, which can be seen below.
This will be embedded, with extensive training, deliberate practise, and quality assurance. Students also have an integral part to play in this process too.
🏁 Smart Start and Depart
Students are expected to enter the classroom calmly, ready to learn, and begin the Do Now task straight away. They should engage independently and with focus, demonstrating purpose from the outset. At the end of the lesson, students participate fully in review or reflection activities, considering what they have learned and identifying areas for improvement before leaving in an orderly manner.
🧠 Show Me Boards
When using whiteboards, students respond independently and silently, ensuring they show their genuine understanding. They should only reveal their answers when prompted, displaying them clearly so feedback can be given. After checking answers, students are expected to correct or improve their responses thoughtfully, showing full engagement in the learning process.
💬 Say It Better
Students listen carefully to feedback about how they can refine or improve their spoken responses. They are expected to rephrase their answers using full sentences and subject-specific vocabulary, demonstrating precision and clarity. This strategy encourages students to take pride in expressing ideas accurately; developing their oracy, and celebrating improvement in their own and others’ communication.
❄️ Cold Calling and No Opt Out
Students should be prepared to respond to questions at any time, showing readiness and active engagement throughout the lesson. They are expected to listen carefully to others so they can build on or refine previous answers. Even when uncertain, students make an attempt and then re-engage when revisited, demonstrating resilience and a willingness to learn from feedback.
🔄 Turn and Talk
During pair or small-group discussions, students are expected to engage fully with their partners, speaking clearly, listening respectfully, and staying focused on the given topic. They should take turns to share ideas using academic language and subject specific vocabulary, and be prepared to report back to the class, reflecting a collaborative and purposeful approach to learning.
🎶 Choral Response
When responding as a class, students are expected to participate together with confidence and energy. They listen for the teacher’s cue, answer in unison, and use accurate language and pronunciation. Choral responses promote collective focus and reinforce key knowledge, so every student is expected to contribute consistently and enthusiastically.
🌟 Securing Success
Students are encouraged to recognise when they have achieved success and to reflect on the effort and strategies that helped them reach their goals. They should take pride in their progress, celebrate their achievements and those of their peers, and maintain high expectations of themselves to continue striving for excellence.
👀 Attend to Attention
Students are expected to respond immediately to teacher cues for attention, stopping what they are doing, looking up, and listening without distraction. They maintain focus throughout lessons, avoiding side conversations or behaviours that disrupt learning. By attending to attention signals promptly, students help create a calm, respectful, and productive classroom atmosphere.
🔁 Retrieval Practice
During retrieval tasks, students are expected to recall information independently, giving their best effort before checking answers. They engage fully with quizzes and review activities, using mistakes as opportunities to strengthen memory and understanding. Students reflect on what they remembered well and identify areas that need further revision or practice.
🗣️ Effective Exposition
When teachers are explaining new material, students are expected to listen attentively, follow the explanation closely, and take notes where appropriate. They should focus on understanding key ideas and avoid side talk or distractions. Students may ask thoughtful questions when invited, showing curiosity and engagement with the learning process.
🧩 Metacognitive Modelling (I Do, We Do, You Do)
During teacher modelling, students watch and listen attentively, focusing on the thinking and reasoning being demonstrated. In the guided phase, they actively participate, contributing ideas and practising new skills with support. When working independently, students apply the strategies shown, reflecting on how they learn and taking responsibility for their own progress.
