The power of practice: Strengthening learning in the classroom

Practice is at the core of effective learning, enabling students to apply, refine, and secure new skills. This course helps teachers design and structure practice that supports real progress - from guided and supported stages to independent mastery. Teachers will explore strategies to optimise retention, build fluency, and sustain engagement through purposeful, well-sequenced activities. The course introduces approaches such as massed and spaced practice, blocking and interleaving, and provides tools to evaluate the impact of practice on learning. It also supports teachers in fostering motivation, metacognition, and independence so that learners can take ownership of their progress. Key themes include: - Designing guided, supported, and independent practice. - Using massed, spaced, blocked, and interleaved practice effectively. - Evaluating and refining practice for maximum learning impact. - Challenging and extending learning through structured repetition. - Building learner independence, motivation, and metacognition. Course outcome: Teachers will have practical strategies to structure and support effective practice that enhances retention, skill development, and independent learning across subjects.