At Meopham we have a very distinctive ‘House Style’ of teaching and learning. We use explicit differentiation to ensure all students are both supported and challenged within school. All lessons incorporate red, amber, green and blue learning pathways. Students make a guided choice about which pathway to follow, in discussion with their teacher. All pathways allow students to progress at their own pace, whilst offering the opportunity to challenge themselves to work at a higher level if they wish to do so.

All students have a ‘RAG’ book, which is used in two ways in lessons; placed on the desk they indicate which learning pathway the student has selected, and held up in the air they are used as a learning check. Alongside this we favour a specific style of questioning based on the use of ‘lolly sticks’. Teachers pose a question, and then select which student will respond by pulling their name from the pot of lolly sticks. This way we can ensure all students are fully engaged in the learning process, and even if not selected, they have all thought about their answer to the question posed.

We believe in supporting students to become independent learners, and equipping them with key skills for the future. All schemes of work have features of character at their core, with a particular focus on supporting students to take responsibility for improving their own learning. We actively encourage resilience in the face of challenges, both in the classroom and outside of it, and teach students the skills needed to achieve this. We have the highest of expectations for all, and ask students to push themselves within the safe and nurturing environment of the classroom. Our students take a real pride in their work, with an emphasis on recrafting and redrafting answers in response to detailed feedback from teachers, as well as their own reflection on their progress.

At Meopham, whilst we strive for academic excellence, we are very aware that there is much more to our students than just their examination outcomes. We want to nurture and develop every aspect of who they are. This is supported by our regular drop down days, which dedicate time to the development of key skills such as oracy, numeracy, personal development and careers. On these days the timetable is suspended, and students complete challenges and activities aimed at expanding their expertise and understanding, and building their character.