1,700 school staff gather for major GLF Schools teaching and learning event

More than 1,700 school staff came together last month, as GLF Schools launched a Trust-wide drive to put inclusive teaching at the heart of classroom practice.

Events took place across four venues, Glyn and Rosebery schools in Epsom, Merstham Park School in Redhill and Highdown School & Sixth Form centre in Reading, bringing together staff from the trust's 43 schools across the Southeast. 

The day was built on the mission that "everyone is known and noticed, every day." 

Central to the programme was the Inclusive Teaching Framework, developed by the Ambition Institute, which connects established teaching knowledge with specialist insight across five areas of children's development identified in the DfE's SEND reform proposals. GLF Schools is the first large trust to engage with the Framework at scale. The training - designed by Ambition Institute and delivered by GLF's own leaders - brought to life the trust’s Excellent Teaching priority, reinforcing the importance of strengthening everyday teaching to ensure all children are supported to achieve and thrive at school.

Investing in people is hugely important to GLF and our people are the driving force behind all we do. The day also included dedicated sessions designed to support and empower non-teaching colleagues, with a focus on pupil attendance, free school meals, procurement and the census, recognising the valuable contribution associate staff make to the success of our schools and communities.

Warwick Sharp, CEO of GLF Schools, said: "Inclusive teaching is the foundation of everything we do. Days like this are about making sure we have the knowledge, tools and confidence to ensure everyone is known and noticed everyday. That is a commitment that runs through every one of our 43 schools as we help every child and young person to shape their future through an excellent education". 

Hilary Spencer, Chief Executive of Ambition Institute, said: “High quality teaching is essential for supporting all pupils.

Already, teachers and school leaders across the country are working tirelessly to help every child achieve and thrive. National professional development programmes and other evidence-led resources have helped establish strong foundations about how children learn and what makes good teaching. Every classroom brings together pupils with a wide range of needs, and it is increasingly important that more teachers are supported and feel confident in meeting those needs.

Our shared focus with GLF is giving teachers and leaders the knowledge they need to help create inclusive classrooms. The Inclusive Teaching Framework sets out the essential insights from research into five areas of child development — from how children's language and talk emerge, to how children think and process information, and develop movement. We were really pleased to work collaboratively with expert specialist organisations to develop this, and hope it will be a helpful contribution for teachers and leaders to build on their existing expertise and feel more confident.”