Teaching, Learning and Assessment at Nunthorpe Academy

At Nunthorpe Academy, our vision is to cultivate an inclusive, engaging, and academically rigorous environment where every student thrives intellectually, socially, and personally. 

Our approach to teaching and learning is underpinned by a knowledge-rich curriculum, delivered through evidence-informed pedagogy and supported by meaningful, purposeful assessment. We are committed to delivering:

  • A coherent, ambitious curriculum, thoughtfully sequenced to build knowledge and develop disciplinary thinking across all subjects.
  • Access to the best that has been thought, said, written, created, and performed, fostering students’ subject knowledge, literacy, and critical thinking.
  • High-impact teaching strategies, grounded in research, that engage, challenge, and support all learners.
  • Purposeful assessment to guide instruction, provide timely feedback, and ensure students are making sustained progress.
  • A strong culture of high expectations, mutual respect, and academic curiosity where students are supported to take risks, embrace challenge, and learn from mistakes.
  • Ongoing professional development, ensuring all staff engage with reflective practice, collaborate meaningfully, and draw on current educational research to refine their craft.

At Nunthorpe, we believe that high-quality teaching is a collective endeavour. We ‘thrive together’ by nurturing a shared culture of professional excellence, innovation, and ambition—for both staff and students.

Nunthorpe’s Great Teaching Guide

At Nunthorpe Academy, we are dedicated to providing the highest quality of education in every lesson. This guide outlines our core expectations for teaching and learning, grounded in research-based best practices, to ensure that both our teachers and students can ‘thrive together’.

We define great teaching through two interwoven elements:

• Five to Thrive – a clear set of principles that should be present in every lesson

• The Enablers of Great Teaching – the essential elements that enable effective teaching to take place

We believe that great teaching is the most powerful lever for student success. Our staff engage in regular professional development and collaborative planning to ensure lessons are purposeful, responsive, and informed by the latest educational research.

Assessment

Assessment at Nunthorpe Academy is used to:

  • Identify gaps in knowledge and understanding

  • Inform teaching and curriculum planning

  • Support students in understanding how to improve

  • Track progress over time and ensure all students are on course to meet or exceed their targets

We use a combination of formative (ongoing) and summative (end-of-unit or term) assessments, alongside regular feedback, to help students take ownership of their learning and make sustained progress.

A Culture of Reflection and Improvement

We are reflective school. Through regular lesson observations, student voice, and data analysis, we continuously evaluate and refine our teaching and assessment practices. Our aim is to ensure that every student receives the best possible learning experience, every day.