Our Approach

‘The school has created a harmonious atmosphere where pupils behave consistently well.’

- Ofsted, 2024

The Clapgate Approach 

At Clapgate we research, debate and share the best ways to engage, motivate and inspire our children, and consider different teaching approaches to help children develop the skills and attitudes encapsulated in our golden threads.

These are some of the things we believe in at our school:

  • A strong emphasis on the creative arts and on a creative approach to learning
  • Constant opportunities for children to think independently, express their opinions, develop their own style, develop personal passions and take risks
  • Children being encouraged to practise, repeat, reflect, accept constructive criticism, improve and know that they can learn from their “marvellous mistakes”
  • High challenge, effortful learning
  • Constant opportunities to debate, peer assess, peer teach, take on leadership roles, present in a group, collaborate
  • A strong emphasis on pupil voice, oracy and vocabulary development
  • The power of stories, drama and real-life experiences to develop empathy
  • Rich opportunities to learn about the views and lives of others, reflect on their own beliefs and those of others, develop tolerance and understanding, and explore British values
  • Innovative approaches to hook children into learning
  • Varied opportunities to conduct research, interpret, reason, enquire and make links across different areas of learning

The Clapgate Teaching Toolkit

Teaching and Learning at Clapgate

At Clapgate, our teaching and learning approach is underpinned by our Teaching Toolkit, which sets out eight key principles that guide effective classroom practice and support every child to achieve their full potential. Our approach is rooted in the belief that all children can learn, make progress and succeed when teaching is purposeful, inclusive and responsive to their needs. Our approach is evidence-informed and aligned with the Education Endowment Foundation’s (EEF) research and guidance, ensuring that our teaching practices draw on the best available evidence about how children learn and how we can maximise their progress and outcomes.

We begin by establishing a positive classroom culture, with clear routines and an environment where children feel safe, confident and ready to learn. We carefully sequence curriculum content so that learning builds on prior knowledge and understanding. We recognise the importance of securing children’s attention and presenting new ideas in manageable steps, enabling pupils to engage, participate and communicate their thinking effectively.

Adaptive teaching is central to our approach. We strive to ensure that every child can access the curriculum, participate meaningfully and succeed in their learning. Teachers adapt their practice, resources and support to respond to individual needs, remove barriers and promote independence. Teaching assistants are deployed effectively to maximise pupils’ progress, participation and independence.

We use ongoing assessment, questioning and feedback to check understanding, identify misconceptions and inform the next steps in learning. Through retrieval practice and opportunities to revisit and consolidate knowledge, we help children strengthen their long-term memory and make meaningful connections across the curriculum.

Our Teaching Toolkit provides a shared framework for reflection, collaboration and professional development, supporting consistent, high-quality teaching across the school. Through these principles, we aim to ensure that every child is supported, challenged and equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to become a successful, independent learner.

Our approach is very successful.

Children thrive at Clapgate and we really do inspire young minds!

‘Adults have the highest ambition for every pupil, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They expect each pupil to try their hardest at everything they do. Pupils respond positively to these expectations and achieve well.’ – Ofsted, 2024

Privacy Policy

We regard your privacy as important and any personal information you give to us will be used in accordance with the Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulations.

We do not store personal information about individuals who visit this site except where they provide contact information via our contact us page and contact forms available on various pages throughout the website.

Any information you provide will only be used for the reasons specified and it will not be shared with any third party without your consent, unless required by law.

Your contact details are kept securely and are only accessed by authorised members of staff as part of the provision of school services. If you do not wish us to keep this contact information please tell us.

This website uses Google Analytics which provides statistical data about the usage of the site. This information is not used to identify individuals, but is collected to provide us with an understanding of the areas of interest on our site and how our site is being used.

If you are connected to the internet you will have an IP Address. This may take the form of a figure, such as 333.333.22.1. The address will be automatically collected and logged as part of the connection of your computer to our web server and may be used to determine the total number of visits to each part of the site. This data is not collected and used for other purposes.

This website contains links to other websites. The School is not responsible for the privacy practices of other sites or organisations and recommends you consult the privacy information on those sites.

This policy will be reviewed and updated versions will be posted on the website.

If you have any questions about the use of your personal information, the Information Commissioner is the independent regulator for both Data Protection and Freedom of Information.