Observation of learning, teaching, and assessment practices (OTLAs) policy

The OTLAs can be undertaken via the following arrangements:

Learning visits

The focus of the learning visit is the learning. Therefore, the visitor may speak to learners to ask them about what they are doing. This should only be done when appropriate and not when they are being directly taught by the tutor.

Learning visits should last no longer than 20 minutes. They can focus on any area of learning, including support and pastoral elements.  Themes may be agreed by the LCC FE and Skills Joint Quality Group or directed by departmental managers within the:

• Adult Skills and Family Learning Service (ASFLS)
• Young Person’s Learning Provision (InspireU)
• Apprenticeship Employer Provider (AEP) programme

All staff will be encouraged to participate in undertaking learning visits. These will be accompanied by a member of the leadership team, where appropriate. 

It is essential that when conducting a learning visit, you:

• remain open minded
• are genuinely curious

 Learning visits could be themed. For example, you may wish to check how well safeguarding, prevent and British values are embedded into the curriculum. 

When carrying out a learning visit for a theme, you may:

• notice displays and the physical environment
• see what is being covered in a lesson
• speak to learners about their knowledge on a particular topic

Windows and themes for learning walks will be communicated to all teaching staff in advance, Full information will be provided on what is being reviewed, for full transparency. 

The relevant provision managers, project officer, centre manager or provider manager should always be consulted prior to learning visits taking place in their centres. This will ensure that:

• they are well-timed
• visitor access is confirmed for those courses taking place on provider premises or in the community

Professional learning experience

A professional learning experience (PLE) is conducted in the spirit of professional learning.

At the core of the PLE philosophy is the belief that learning is constructed by:

• social interactions
• expectations
• actions

A PLE is a low-stakes opportunity for rich discussion about pedagogy. No grade is given, no systematic monitoring of documentation and no tick boxes. This enables the tutor to become an equal partner in the PLE. It provides them with a greater sense of agency in deciding what their development priorities are.

It is the process of reflection that is most important. The PLE observer should be supporting this reflection, acting as a coach, not a judge. Judges reach verdicts; coaches help people to improve. Coaching is unlocking the person’s potential to maximise their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.

Guiding the coaching approach, PLE observers when leading coaching conversations afterwards need to learn to SURF. When we SURF, we ensure that conversations with tutors are: 

1. specific – they focus on specific aspects of pedagogy identified by the tutor 
2. understood – we check that the tutor understands what is discussed in the professional dialogue
3. research-informed – as opposed to being based on opinion or ideology 
4. followed up – tutors need to know that they are practising the right things, in the right way, by having regular opportunities to discuss progress being made

The focus of the PLE is on:

• learning
• teaching
• assessment

The use of the reporting form will enable an ongoing dialogue between the observer and the person being observed. It will start before the agreed PLE where both discuss the focus of the PLE. This will progress to the subsequent spotlight questions for the professional dialogue. This gives rise to a professional learning plan. The actions from this are shaped jointly between PLE observer and person being observed, and are monitored in:

• supervisions
• appraisals
• future PLEs

This collaborative reflective dialogue links in with the concepts of developing an individual’s ability to reflect as being one of the key concepts of coaching.

Tutors will have a professional learning plan created from the PLE. The PLE observer can link their professional dialogue to this. Having access to the plan before the PLE, they can focus on the particular element of practice the tutor is aiming on improving. This is not to say that the professional dialogue can’t be on anything else, but the dialogue linked to the plan should be the priority. 

The PLE should be:

• genuinely valued by tutors
• conducted in the spirit of professional learning

The process should inlcude support, praise and healthy levels of professional challenge. PLEs should come to be welcomed by tutors.

Tutors should: 

• want their lessons to be observed regularly
• seek the opportunity to get into rich conversations with another professional about pedagogy
• develop their teaching when they get the opportunity for regular, focused discussions with another professional about specific aspects of their practice

LCC do need to measure, but we also need to move. Moving is more important than measuring. Accordingly, professional learning is more important than quality assurance.

• professional learning plan window opens over a four-week period every quarter
• tutors are expected to book three PLEs over the academic year
• tutor identifies a PLE and arranges a pre-planning meeting (Teams video call or in person) with the PLE observer. In this meeting they will discuss the lesson and the focus of the PLE
• tutor invites PLE observer to watch the lesson in person. PLE stays in the lesson for at least 60 minutes
• tutor and PLE arrange the professional dialogue, ideally within 72 hours of the PLE. Preferably not straight after the PLE as reflections are often too raw. This can be via Teams or in person
• during the professional dialogue the PLE observer and tutor decide the type of dialogue (mentor, coach, facilitative) and apply the SURF model to support them in deciding what their developmental targets are. These targets are followed up during:
  • supervisions
  • appraisals
  • informal conversations
  • future PLEs 

Observers must meet the following criteria to undertake independent OTLAs:

• minimum of three years teaching experience
• hold a recognised teaching qualification
• have undertaken approved lesson observation training in the preceding 12 months
• have been approved by InspireU’s senior lead for quality of education