The East Northamptonshire Initial Teacher Training College: Graduate Teacher Training Programme

Lesson Observation Proforma - Religious Education - Wednesday 30th March 2011

School Higham Ferrers Infants Lesson time 10.45-11.30

Date 30/03/2011 Year group Y2
Teacher Miss A.Wanliss Subject R.E.
Number of student numbers 29 M 14 F 15
Student ability Mixed Other adults in the room AW, TA and myself
Focus of observation Plenaries and criteria

Establishing the learning environment (Routines: entry, registers, distributing equipment, dismissal)
Children come in from break and sit readily on the carpet. AW explained the lessons are being swapped due to the assembly, from
literacy to R.E.

How the teacher gains the students’ attention

Counting down from 30 to give the children amble time to finish their work and return to the carpet. This and verbal reminders are all
that’s needed to gain the childrens’ attention.

Explanation of learning objectives and success criteria

L.I To discuss a story from the Torah
1) I can retell the main events of the story,
2) I can discuss the meaning behind the story,
3) I can discuss how the meaning relates to Judaism.
All referred to at the start of the lesson, and AW informs the children to think about these as she will ask them which step they have
achieved at the end of the lesson, so the children had the LI and steps in their heads throughout the lesson. After the first activity, AW
asks ‘who can’t retell the story?’, then ‘who can tell me what the story meant?’, then ‘who can tell me how the story relates to Judaism?’,
children give relevant answers and the success steps are referred to. AW jots down her observations of who’s hands were up for which
step.

Evidence of a three part lesson: a starter, main task(s) and a plenary

Starter: AW reads the story of David & Goliath. AW then asks the children to discuss the meaning of the story with their talk partners.
Drawing on deeper levels of understanding by questioning and asking ‘why?’

Main Activity: Children directed to their R.E books, they’re instructed to write what they think the story was trying to tell Jews, then
instructed what the answer is. After their writing activity, the children will then draw a scene from the story. This activity lasts for approx.
The East Northamptonshire Initial Teacher Training College: Graduate Teacher Training Programme

10mins before the children and given a countdown to finish. AW leaves her table and takes a tour of the other children.

Plenary: Consisted simply of Q&A as detailed above. Children gave their answers of how many of the steps they thought they’d
achieved, and AW jotted this down on paper for evidence.

Teaching and learning strategies; subject knowledge

AW then works with one table and asks children to re-tell the story. Story is re-told after some prompts and the children at this particular
table are then instructed on what to write. AW then counts down from 30 to signal the time limit for finishing off their first exercise.

Behaviour management strategies

Each table has a ‘table captain’ who is in charge of making sure the whole table is working effectively and quietly. This works as all
children are working in near total silence. When coming back to the carpet, “who’s quickest, girls or boys!?”.

Assessment methods
Q&A used after telling the story, questioning the children’s depth of understanding.
Getting the children to re-tell the story in smaller groups.
Recording the children’s self-assessment details at the end of the lesson.

Use of other adults in the room and how this affects the dynamics of the lesson
TA handed out books at the start of the lesson, and then left the room to complete other tasks. TA then returned to work with one child to
support their work.

Relationships with students

AW commented that this particular class is very good, very able and very well behaved. This was clear to see during the lesson. Group
morale in the class is also on a high after a very enjoyable and successful class assembly yesterday.

What the students learnt in the lesson (were the learning objectives and success criteria met?)
Having worked with a small group, and taken a quick look around the other childrens’ work, AW encouraged the children to self-assess
and took their word that their’s was a fair reflection of the learning and progress.

Any other relevant points noticed in the lesson

N/A – See above…