An RLT Education

Being part of the River Learning Trust means being part of a wider family of schools including Cherwell, The Swan School and The Marlborough School, and a Central Team of colleagues who provide the expert support, training and collaboration that helps teachers and leaders within each school to thrive.

What sort of educational experience can students expect in an RLT school?

RLT schools work together to ensure that the educational experience for students is rich, challenging, engaging and inspiring. We aim to ensure that all students gain regular experience of success, so that their confidence and self-belief grows over time and they are able to flourish in their time in school. We know that success breeds further motivation, and that’s why we promote expert teaching and the highest expectations of learning, hard work and behaviour.

The quality of the curriculum is key. In RLT schools, it will be very well-designed and structured, with knowledge and skills clearly identified and sequenced so that new knowledge builds upon prior learning. Students will be taught a wide range of engaging ideas and concepts, and are then shown how to use this knowledge to think critically and independently, producing extended and impressive pieces of work that they can be proud of.

In lessons, our core principles for teaching ensure that there is always a strong focus, that explanations and modelling are precise and clear, and that students are given lots of opportunities for extended practice. The atmosphere will be studious, with high expectations for students’ effort and attention, so that they leave each lesson with a sense of accomplishment and achievement. 

To achieve these high expectations, excellent behaviour is centrally important. Therefore, our schools have strong classroom systems and routines which emphasise the positive, sitting in a culture of mutual respect and strong relationships between students and staff. We emphasise the importance of showing consideration, believing in ourselves and others, and therefore behaving in ways which are considerate and allow everyone to learn and enjoy their time and school.