What are Plenaries in Education?

A plenary is an important part of a lesson where learners reflect on their progress and consolidate learning. It typically happens at the end of a lesson, but it can also appear at key intervals during the session. The purpose of a plenary is to assess understanding, summarise the learning, and connect the lesson’s main ideas. It helps both practitioners and children evaluate what they have achieved and identify areas needing further attention.

Plenaries often include discussions, questioning, or revisiting learning objectives. They provide teachers with valuable insights into whether the teaching has been effective and whether children have understood the content.

Plenaries are essential in education because they help tie together all aspects of a lesson. They ensure children leave the classroom with a clear understanding of what they’ve learned. This prevents confusion and missed learning opportunities.

In addition to confirming understanding, plenaries can develop listening, presentation, and teamwork skills. Whether learners work individually, in pairs, or as a group, plenaries encourage discussion and participation. Through targeted questioning and activities, plenaries can cater to a range of learning styles and abilities.

What Are Plenaries in Maths?

In maths, plenaries can help clarify challenging concepts and ensure children truly understand the lesson’s content. For example, in a session on fractions, a practitioner might ask:

• “What’s the difference between one-half and one-quarter?”
• “How would you describe today’s lesson in one sentence?”
• “Can you create your own fraction problem for a friend to solve?”

This reflection encourages critical thinking and gives children time to apply what they’ve learned. A maths plenary might also include peer activities, like sharing strategies or explaining their methods. This not only checks comprehension but also builds confidence.

Plenaries in the Classroom

In a typical lesson, teachers use the plenary to assess learning against the objectives set at the start. A strong plenary may include:

• Recapping key points from the lesson
• Encouraging children to share their thoughts or reflect on their performance
• Using mini-assessments, such as quizzes or quickfire questions

For example, in a science lesson about the water cycle, a practitioner might ask:

• “Can someone explain evaporation in two sentences?”
• “What did you find interesting about the water cycle?”

These moments in the classroom create a relaxed but purposeful environment, ensuring children are leaving with clarity and confidence.

What is a Plenary in Teaching?

In teaching, a plenary is essentially a summary of the learning. It ensures that knowledge has been transferred effectively, with the practitioner checking for areas where children may need further assistance. For the teacher, it’s an opportunity to identify strengths and weaknesses in both the students and the lesson’s structure.

Using plenaries helps maintain a structured lesson, as they provide a clear “finish line.” Rather than abruptly concluding a session, a plenary allows children to ask questions, reflect, and make connections between previous learning and new information.

Example of Plenary in a Lesson Plan

Here’s an example of how a plenary might look in a lesson plan for Key Stage 2 (KS2):

Lesson Focus: Writing Descriptive Sentences
Objective: Use adjectives and adverbs to create engaging descriptions.

Plenary Activity:

Time: 6 minutes
Activity: Children work in pairs to read their favourite descriptive sentence from their work aloud. They explain which adjectives or adverbs they used and why. The teacher asks 2-3 children to share with the class. Finally, the teacher recaps the objective and praises creative examples.
Outcome: By reflecting on their description skills, children recognise what they’ve achieved and where they can improve.

This format ensures that the plenary wraps up the lesson effectively while revisiting the learning objectives.

What Are Plenaries in KS2?

In KS2 (Years 3–6), plenaries are a valuable tool to reinforce learning and encourage pupil participation. At this stage, children are developing new skills and often learning more challenging concepts. Plenaries in KS2 focus on problem-solving, collaboration, and critical thinking.

For example, during a history lesson on the Tudors, a teacher might ask:

• “If you were a Tudor child, what would your day be like?”
• “Which of today’s facts surprised you the most?”

These types of questions allow children to think critically and use their newfound knowledge creatively. KS2 learners also benefit from peer discussions, where they can explain what they’ve learned to a classmate or offer feedback on each other’s work.

Plenary Ideas

Here are some creative ideas for plenaries across different subjects and activities:

• Quick Quiz: Create a five-question quiz on the day’s topic. Children can complete this independently or in pairs.
• Think-Pair-Share: Children think about a question, discuss their ideas with a partner, and share their responses with the group.
• Exit Tickets: Each child writes one thing they’ve learned and one question they still have on a slip of paper before leaving the classroom.
• Mini Role Play: For subjects like history or literacy, children act out what they’ve learned to reinforce understanding.
• True or False: Present statements related to the lesson. Ask children to move to different sides of the room for “true” or “false.”
• Traffic Lights: Use green, amber, or red cards for children to indicate how confident they feel about the learning objectives.
• Sticky Notes Reflection: Children write one thing they enjoyed and one thing they need help with and stick it on a designated area of the whiteboard.
• Sentence Starters: Encourage children to complete openers like “Today I learned that…” or “One question I still have is…”.
• Mind Maps or Spider Diagrams: Pupils create visual summaries of the key ideas from the lesson.
• Pass the Ball: Use a soft ball that children pass around to share their reflections. Whoever catches the ball answers a teacher’s question.

These activities can be tailored to fit the specific objectives of the lesson.

Plenary Session

A plenary session is another term for wrapping up or concluding part of a lesson. It’s a collaborative space where everyone comes together to reflect and summarise. Instead of introducing new materials, the goal is to revisit the day’s learning, ensuring children leave the session with confidence and direction.

In plenary sessions, teachers often use questioning to draw out ideas and understanding. The focus is on interaction. For example, a teacher might ask open-ended questions like:

• “What was the most difficult part of this lesson?”
• “How does today’s learning connect to last week?”

Not all plenary sessions look the same. Some may focus on verbal discussions, while others use written assessments or group work. Regardless of format, the aim is always to solidify understanding and direct attention to areas that need improvement.

Why Use Plenaries?

Plenaries should:

• Promote active reflection
• Help assess progress against learning objectives
• Foster a sense of achievement
• Provide guidance for the next steps

When executed well, a plenary ensures that lessons end on a positive note, with all children understanding the key takeaways and feeling proud of their progress.

Final Thoughts

Plenaries might seem like a small part of a lesson, but they have a big impact. They provide children with an opportunity to process information, connect ideas, and evaluate their learning. By using creative plenary activities, teachers can provide structure, continuity, and a supportive environment for children to succeed. Whether for maths, writing, history, or any other topic, plenaries are a versatile and essential feature of effective teaching.