TS8

Fulfil wider professional responsibilities -make a positive contribution to the wider life and ethos of the school, - develop effective professional relationships with colleagues, knowing how and when to draw on advice and specialist support, - deploy support staff effectively, -take responsibility for improving teaching through appropriate professional development, responding to advice and feedback from colleagues, - communicate effectively with parents with regard to pupils’ achievements and well-being.

This standard really underpins the whole picture of being a teacher. Teaching I have learnt is much more than the lessons you teach and that it is a community. Everyone works together to make the school feel like a safe and welcoming environment, helping each other when needed. It also involves improving your own practice by seeking extra training and CPD as well as meeting with colleagues at staff meetings and encouraging parents to be actively involved in their child's learning. From my practice I felt welcome as part of the school community, to which I tried my best to be involved in the time I was there. I attended all relevant staff meetings where some parts included CPD to improve my practice, I communicated with parents in various different way, attended and ran a stall at the Christmas Fayre, took part in the celebration assemblies by presenting my class awards weekly etc. I feel this had a positive impact on the pupils' I taught, as they would see me at all of these extra activities, showing I was part of their school and I'd like to think this played a part in them seeing me as their teacher. Attending these wider responsibilities also helped build my confidence to have a voice in the school community to which I felt helped me gain some respect from all staff. I also ensured my support staff were actively involved in everything that I did in school, including them in lesson plans, and discussing at the start of each day what I planned to do and how they can assist. In my future practice I would like to take this on board and involve myself in the school community as much as possible, contributing to after school clubs, class displays and any other opportunities that are available. As well as this, developing my professional practice by attending CPD courses, completing first aid qualifications and any other additional learning I can do to improve my whole practice.

Here is an extract from my end of practice report form, showing the different wider contributions I took part in, throughout my phase 1 placement.

Here is a screenshot of a communication with parents on 'SeeSaw', this allowed me to get parents involved in what the children are doing in school. I would also communicate with parents after school and at parents evening and other events.

In my phase 1 placement I taught a unit on explorers, where we focused on space, the planets and in particular Neil Armstrong and the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. As a result I was asked to create an assembly with all of my class about space to show what we have learnt. I planned, ensured every child had a contribution and then led and managed the assembly which was a great success and also allowed the children to show what they had learnt.