Our Approach to Teaching and Learning
At Goldsmith Primary Academy, our teaching and learning approach is driven by research, evidence and a deep belief that every child can Dream, Rise and ASPIRE.
Our classrooms are built around the Windsor Academy Trust Learning Cycle, ensuring that every lesson connects, engages, challenges, and inspires. Teachers use clear modelling, purposeful feedback, and high-quality questioning to help pupils think deeply and make meaningful progress.
We weave the ASPIRE framework throughout our curriculum so that every child develops the knowledge, character, and learner skills they need to succeed in life. Pupils are supported to say, “I know, I can, I am.”
Our Engagement Strategies, inspired by Teach Like a Champion and underpinned by cognitive science, ensure that every child is actively involved in their learning. Techniques such as Cold Call, Show Call, Turn and Talk, and Stretch It keep classrooms “wired” — where all pupils think, participate, and achieve. Our pupils are able to learn metacognitively, focussing on the learning in hand and not how to learn it!
At the heart of classroom practice is our S.T.A.R.S. approach — a consistent routine that promotes focus, engagement, and respect. Pupils are taught to:
S – Sit Up Straight
T – Track the Speaker
A – Active Listening
R – Respect and Respond
S – Speak Loudly and Proudly
This simple but metacognitive framework creates a culture of active participation, supporting pupils to be ready to learn, contribute confidently, and take pride in their learning.
Teaching and learning at Goldsmith are refined continually through instructional coaching, weekly CPL sessions, and active use of STEPLab, meaning our teachers are constantly improving their craft. Over 90% of staff receive coaching at any one time, with many contributing to sector-leading research and practice across Windsor Academy Trust and beyond.
We believe inclusion and accessibility are non-negotiable. Through the thoughtful use of technology, scaffolding, and precise vocabulary instruction, all pupils — including those with SEND and disadvantage — are supported to achieve academic and personal excellence.
At Goldsmith Primary Academy, every lesson is purposeful, every pupil is known, and every child is empowered to thrive.
Watch our teachers in action on the "Teach Like a Champion" platform
Read Mr Wells' TLAC Blog - the Foundations of a Successful Cold Call
On 29 July 2024, the Teach Like a Champion team showcased Scott Wells from Goldsmith Primary Academy for his exemplary use of the Cold Call technique, highlighting how he creates an inclusive, high-engagement classroom culture. Scott’s practice embodies the four foundations of successful Cold Call: giving pupils preparation time through “Stop and Jot” and “Turn and Talk” to develop high-quality responses; honouring their work by selecting pupils based on strong ideas observed during preparation; using formative, low-stakes language such as “start us off” to build confidence; and promoting post-answer referencing through strategies like “agree, disagree, or build” to value peer contributions. His approach, supported by research from Dallimore et al. (2013), shows that effective Cold Call increases voluntary participation, nurtures confidence, and models Goldsmith Primary Academy’s fidelity to Teach Like a Champion pedagogy—making learning both inclusive and academically rigorous.
Read Miss Fleming's TLAC Blog - Using Writing in The (Reading) Classroom.
In July 2024, the Teach Like a Champion team featured Emily Fleming, a Year 4 teacher at Goldsmith Primary Academy, for her exceptional use of writing to enhance reading comprehension—particularly impressive as she was in her first year of teaching. Working in one of England’s most economically deprived contexts, Emily exemplifies how frequent, formative writing—completed during reading rather than after—enables pupils to think deeply, clarify ideas, and prepare meaningfully for discussion. Her approach ensures every child participates, using short “Stop and Jot” tasks that create desirable difficulty and foster engagement. Emily’s pupils demonstrate strong Habits of Discussion, referring to and building on one another’s ideas, supported by written notes that free working memory for active listening. She models effective note-taking through a mirrored discussion box on both the board and pupils’ tablets, helping them capture key ideas for immediate revision and improvement. Emily also exemplifies the What To Do Cycle—giving precise directions, scanning for compliance, reinforcing positively, and correcting unobtrusively—resulting in full-class engagement and productivity. Her classroom embodies how writing, discussion, and clarity combine to build deep comprehension, independence, and joy in learning.
Read Mr Wakeman's TLAC Blog - Student Achievement Through Staff Culture
In 2024, the Teach Like a Champion team spotlighted Windsor Academy Trust’s Priority Education Improvement Area (PEIA) project, which involved 40 schools across Walsall and Sandwell—regions of significant socioeconomic deprivation—aimed at improving pupils’ self-regulation, metacognition, and academic outcomes. Working closely with Windsor Academy Trust, the TLAC team trained leadership teams on Engaging Academics and Check for Understanding techniques, conducting school visits and video studies that produced 17 exemplar training videos. Among the standout successes was Goldsmith Primary Academy, led by Headteacher Max Wakeman, whose school was recognised as an Apple Distinguished School for its innovative practice. In a featured interview, Max reflected on Goldsmith’s progress, emphasising the importance of fostering a Culture of Error—where teachers and pupils alike view mistakes as learning opportunities—and demonstrating genuine care for students by maintaining the highest expectations. The TLAC team praised Goldsmith’s work as a model of how strong leadership, high-quality instruction, and a culture of aspiration can drive transformational improvement in challenging contexts.
