Supporting every learner: adapting and scaffolding
This term, teachers have been putting extra focus on adapting and scaffolding their lessons so that every pupil can achieve and thrive even more. Some pupils face extra barriers, including special educational needs or disadvantage. By adapting lessons and using scaffolds, teachers make learning accessible without lowering ambition. These approaches match how memory works, sit at the heart of Rosenshine’s Principles, and reflect Ofsted 2025’s inclusion “golden thread” across curriculum, teaching and achievement.
Research shows that what's best for those facing extra barriers also works very well for all pupils. Talk to your child about their learning and what this looks like for them in their class.
Why some pupils need adapted teaching
- Working memory is limited, and gaps in prior knowledge or language make overload more likely; adaptation reduces unnecessary demand so pupils can think about the right ideas long enough for learning to stick.
- We remember what we think hard about, so tasks must focus thinking on meaning, not on avoidable barriers (e.g., dense text or unclear instructions)
What this looks like in our classrooms
- Before teaching: pre‑teach key vocabulary; activate prior knowledge with a short, low‑stakes review.
- During explanation: present new content in small steps; use clear, dual‑coded visuals; model and “think aloud”.
- Guided practice: provide sentence stems, manipulatives, worked examples; prompt strategic talk in pairs; give quick corrective feedback.
- Independence & review: fade supports deliberately; keep success high; spiral back weekly and monthly so learning is retained.
Keeping expectations high through access, not dilution
Adaptation is about access to the same ambitious curriculum, not lowering the bar. Ofsted’s 2025 toolkit expects schools to demonstrate inclusion as a “golden thread” in curriculum, teaching and achievement—seen in typical day‑to‑day work, not one‑off showcases.
Why consistency across adults matters
The largest gains come when all staff share and apply the same high‑impact habits—research on collective teacher efficacy reports very large effects on pupil learning. We foster this through common planning, routines, a consistent style of teaching, and supportive coaching.
How leaders check quality
Leaders gather first‑hand evidence through learning walks, book looks and conversations with pupils, focusing on inclusion and impact over time. This aligns with Ofsted’s 2025 approach to evaluating curriculum and teaching without generating unnecessary workload or pressure on teachers.
Our quality assurance checks this term show that most teachers are doing all the right things, especially for phonics, reading, writing and maths.
Peter Dunmall