I am privileged to work as an OTI Trainer with a great group of colleagues at Chase High School, where Osiris’ Outstanding Teaching Intervention is a major part of their CPD strategy.

“The course has enabled our teachers to improve behaviour-for-learning to a more active style where students really engage with their learning. OTI teachers are trialling various techniques, moving away from ‘safe’ lessons to a more ‘risk-taking’ style! ‘Questioning’ has become our mantra, using Bloom’s cognitive taxonomy in particular,” says Jackie Williams, Deputy Headteacher.

Staff (who have been on the OTI programme) now answer a question with a question – enabling students to think for themselves and be more independent. Some are confidently getting students to lead parts of lessons, coach others and give feedback to each other as well as to the teacher!

“We are midway through the 3-cohort programme. Staff who have not yet embarked on it, or who are receiving other training, are extremely curious as they see the OTI-ers’ enthusiasm, energy and their students’ very positive response.”

Regular ‘tea and cake’ meetings help to share what we have been trialling, evaluating each others’ plans, discussing what went well (or didn’t). OTI-ers get presents along the way – teachers love stationery, so sponge dice, posters, post-its, stampers and stickers have caused a lot of excitement!

The school is now considering how to disseminate what they are learning and embed the good practice. “We are planning demonstration lessons to all teaching and support staff; leading subject-specific development sessions; OTI-ers becoming teaching and learning coaches across the school. In next year’s CPD programme, each OTI-er will have a group of staff to ‘buddy’ and mentor to ‘infect’ others still further,” says Jackie.

“OTI has made me want to be inventive and creative every lesson. How I think about my lessons has completely changed. I am no longer scared or worried about students not understanding. I actively encourage them to get completely stuck. Yesterday the students were “buzzing”; there was such an atmosphere in the air. Students asked if we could do the lesson again around another topic; they have actually planned a debate lesson for me today,” says Nadia, Second in Science.

I intend to keep the cohorts as learning development groups next year (and beyond) to ensure that what we have learned and practised is embedded across the school and to continue developing skills and techniques as part of the school’s DNA. SR