The Leading in Learning programme is a systematic programme, focused on improving pupils’ thinking skills in curriculum subjects. It is a key element in the government’s commitment to personalised learning, maximising achievement and creating independent, lifelong learners.

Personalised learning is an approach to teaching and learning that stresses deep learning as an active, social process and which is explicit about learning skills, processes and strategies. It builds independence through interaction, intervention, stimulation and collaboration. Leading in Learning is at the heart of personalised learning because it involves the systematic and explicit development of thinking and learning skills and strategies across the curriculum. It enables pupils to understand themselves better as learners and to apply a widening repertoire of learning approaches in different subjects. Giving explicit attention to thinking and learning equips pupils to transfer their learning to different contexts and helps them to process, construct and deploy subject knowledge and understanding more actively and effectively.

A key sign for the achievement of personalised learning is the extent to which schools can create a continuing dialogue with pupils about their learning, so that they are engaged and motivated, enjoy their schooling, know their learning goals and can work and reflect together on what and how they learn. Leading in Learning is of major importance in establishing this dialogue, so that each pupil develops the self esteem and confidence for active participation in learning within and beyond school.

Leading in Learning challenges the notion held by many pupils that learning is dependent on luck and that ability is fixed. Instead it teaches pupils that learning can be improved through the application of a range of approaches and strategies. It should help to move some pupils from a feeling of helplessness to one in which they feel they have some control over their achievement arid learning trajectory.