Learning Walks have long been a tool used in schools to undertake light-touch checks or observations on practice.
They have been placed in a new light under recent inspectorate changes, which see them as a tool to focus inspectors on key or priority areas.
Headteachers and senior teams feeding back on the piloting of inspector-and-headteacher learning walks praised them for their transparency and collaborative approach.
Here we investigate the concept of a learning walk, whilst making suggestions for what makes one effective. The key idea is that learning walks move from a one-off piece of feedback to a key part of the school and staff development cycle.
Learning walks are short, focused classroom visits designed to gather evidence of pupils’ learning and engagement rather than to formally evaluate teachers. They help leaders see how students interact with content and how teaching strategies play out across the school. The benefits include building a culture of professional inquiry, uncovering strengths and training needs, and basing discussions on real examples.
Learning walks should:
Learning walks could:
Inclusion & Adaptive Teaching
Leaders and staff should be able to identify pupils’ needs quickly and accurately.
They should account for these identified needs in their day-to-day practice.
Questions to ask:
Are reasonable adjustments in place and well-used?
Are tasks scaffolded?
Are they extended for different learners?
Are SEND or disadvantaged pupils visibly supported (for example, by adults or resources)?
What adaptive strategies are used? (alternative texts, visual aids, peer support, etc)
Curriculum (Intent, Implementation, Impact)
Do all pupils have strong foundations (early reading, writing, maths) such that they can later access the full curriculum?
Questions to ask:
Do teachers deliver lessons aligned with the planned curriculum intent?
Can we tell that the curriculum is adapted to the needs of: lower prior attainment children? SEND children?
Does lesson content match curriculum documents (things such as learning objectives, sequences of knowledge, for example)?
Can pupils see how the current learning connects to what has gone before?
Progression – do lessons build on one another?
Have pupils been given feedback on their previous work – did it make a difference?
Behaviour & Attitudes
Teachers should assure routines are consistent across school and across the day/week.
They should ensure culture of mutual respect and positive attitudes amongst everyone.
Questions to ask:
Do teachers establish and then model expectations (such as start-of-lesson routines, behaviour expectations at break times, etc.) and how do pupils respond?
Are there adaptations for individual needs – are seating plans and quiet spaces in place?
Should any behaviour or bullying issues arise, how do staff handle them? Were we able to observe any instances of kindness, courtesy or other positive behaviours?
Assessment & Feedback
Teachers should be using assessment formatively, checking pupils’ understanding in a systematic fashion, adapting their teaching appropriately.
Questions to ask:
Do teachers ask pupils to explain the answers?
Do they tackle challenging questions asked by pupils or in support of pupils?
Do teachers and teaching assistants address any misconceptions children have there and then?
Does any quick formative feedback take place in marked work, through verbal prompts or on the board/through digital means?
Leadership & Whole-School Impact
Leadership is demonstrable through the act of Learning Walks taking place, but evidencing the strategic data they allow you to gather is key to their usefulness to identify school-wide patterns.
Questions to ask:
How consistently are high expectations and high-quality resources used across the classroom?
Do leaders believe they have deployed staff effectively so that all pupils have access to high quality teaching?
Can we identify any significant barriers to learning? IF so, how will we combat or remove them?
What is the leadership question we are attempting to answer with this learning walk? What was the answer?
A clear protocol keeps walks consistent and light-touch. A typical cycle might be:
Define the Focus
Decide whether this walk is on a theme (e.g. maths curriculum, inclusion, behaviour) or tracking specific pupils. Use an appropriately designed template for capturing findings.
Gather Evidence
Take notes on predefined forms. Capture artifacts (e.g. photos of work or the board if allowed). Ask a couple of pupils a quick question related to the focus.
Plan the Route
Which classes or areas of school will you visit (e.g. a cross-section of year groups or just one subject’s lessons, the library, playground, field or sports hall?). Ensure sensible coverage within a short time.
Debrief and Discuss
If possible, do this immediately after the walk or as soon as possible afterwards. Have a brief meeting of observers. Share findings constructively, framed around your templates and questions.
Brief Other Observers
Remind observers (SLT, governors or peers) of the focus and intent. Share any key prompts, guidance, questions or templates such as a checklist or ‘pupil journey’ form you want to use.
Identify Actions
Agree clear next steps from key themes. Keep actions specific and proportionate, focused on improvement not accountability. Assign responsibility and timelines, and align with wider school priorities.
Conduct the Walks
Enter each area quietly, announce yourself if needed, observe for a maximum of 15 minutes each. Record observations on your template or chosen system. Be mindful of continuity and that entering a particular part of the lesson will affect what you/they see.
Follow Up
Feed back to staff where appropriate and in a reasonable timeframe (within 48 hours is recommended). Schedule subsequent walks or reviews. Keep a record of actions and revisit them in future cycles to check they have been addressed.
Flourish supports each stage of the learning walk process, helping schools move from one-off observations to a consistent, developmental cycle.
Define the focus and capture evidence consistently
Create or select a tailored form aligned to your chosen focus.
Capture evidence in the moment
Record notes directly into Flourish during the walk, reducing reliance on paper templates.
Bring findings together instantly
All learning walks are automatically collated, allowing leaders to quickly identify themes, strengths and areas for development across classes, subjects or groups.
Turn insights into action
Log actions directly from findings, assign responsibility and track progress over time, ensuring learning walks lead to meaningful improvement.
Close the loop with staff
Share feedback and insights clearly, supporting professional dialogue and making learning walks part of an ongoing development cycle.
To find out more about Flourish, click here.
