Our Classrooms
Rationale
Cognitive overload occurs when the three types of cognitive load—intrinsic, extraneous, and germane—overwhelm a learner. When an individual is bombarded with competing cognitive signals, they struggle to filter relevant information from other stimuli. Therefore, our classroom environments are designed to reduce this cognitive overload by: reducing distractions; providing cognitive aids to offload some of the demands of learning and provide scaffolding to assist the learning process. Ensuring there is consistency across the environments ensures equity amongst all of our learners and enables them to develop their independence whilst achieving their best in a safe and familiar environment.
Key Elements
Oracy prompts
- Oracy STS on English Working Wall
- ABC prompts above board
- Talk Protocol Icons on the side of the IWB
Connected Curriculum board with:
- Subject heading
- Subject specific concept
- Tier 3 Vocabulary (once it has been taught)
- Any scaffolds used for current learning
Positive behaviour/ Recognition boards
Coniston Learning Behaviours
- Red Border
- Purple Background
- All 8 posters
- Post it note recognition
House Points
- On classroom door
- 4 houses
- Tally recognition
All classrooms will also have the following:
Answers Stations
Self-Assessment (POG) Boxes
Learning Mentor Lanyards
Lollipop Sticks
Black Boxes
- 2 pencils
- 2 blue pens
- 2 purple pens
- 2 highlighters
- 2 rulers
- 2 Whiteboard pens
- 2 Whiteboard rubbers
- 2 highlighters
- POG crayons (1 pink, orange and green)
- 2 Whiteboards
- 1 Grow the Code resource
KS1 Classrooms
This classroom model will be in place by the end of Year 2. Some of these elements will be introduced only when the children are ready. Similarly, the Key stage one classrooms have other elements in their design that that will be phased out as the children transition from the Early Years environment into the Key stage two model. Additional elements that will be found in the Key Stage 1 transitional model are:
