Our Pedagogical Approach at Stokes Wood Primary School 

At Stokes Wood Primary School, the pedagogical approach is grounded in Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction and Tom Sherrington’s WalkThrus, which together inform teaching and CPD across the school. 

A Clear, Research-Informed Teaching Framework 

Rosenshine’s Principles guide the structure and flow of our lessons. Teachers introduce new content in small, sequenced steps, supported by explanations and modelling. Regular opportunities for review and retrieval help pupils remember important knowledge over time, while questioning ensures that learning is checked frequently and misconceptions are addressed quickly. As pupils become secure in their understanding, they move from guided to independent practice, allowing them to apply knowledge with increasing confidence. 

WalkThrus translates these ideas into practical, easy-to-follow 5-step guide strategies. They give staff a shared professional language and ensure that effective teaching is visible, consistent and sustainable across the school. This consistency is particularly important for our pupils, who benefit from familiar structures, clear expectations and well-established learning routines in their classrooms. 

Professional Growth That Sustains High-Quality Teaching 

We invest in instructional coaching and carefully selected professional development. Staff receive the required support that is aligned with our pedagogical priorities, enabling teachers at all stages of their career to refine and strengthen their practice. We invest in research-based CPD as "every teacher needs to improve, not because  they are not good enough, but because they can be even better," as Dylan Wiliams states. 

A Consistent Approach That Strengthens Our Curriculum 

By grounding our teaching in Rosenshine and WalkThrus, we ensure that the curriculum is well-designed and also well enacted. Knowledge is introduced, revisited and applied in ways that help it stick. Classroom practice aligns closely with the intentions of each subject, supporting strong progression from year to year. 

This deliberate, evidence-informed approach allows us to deliver a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils, inclusive in its design and effective in its implementation. 

Our WalkThrus cluster is built around ‘Make Everyone Think and Talk’: