Metacognition

What Is Metacognition?

Metacognition means “thinking about thinking.” It is the ability to reflect on how we learn, plan our approach to a task, monitor our progress, and evaluate how well we have done. By understanding their own learning processes, children become more independent, resilient, and effective learners.

Why Is Metacognition Important?

At Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, we believe that learning how to learn is just as important as what we learn.

When pupils develop strong metacognitive skills, they:

• Take greater ownership of their learning

• Make thoughtful choices about how to approach challenges

• Reflect on mistakes and successes

• Build persistence and confidence

These skills help children to succeed not only in school but throughout their lives.

How We Teach Metacognition

Metacognition is embedded across our curriculum. Teachers model metacognitive strategies in every subject, helping pupils to:

1. Plan – identify what they already know, what they need to learn, and how to approach a task.

2. Monitor – check their understanding as they work and make adjustments when needed.

3. Evaluate – reflect on what worked well, what did not, and how to improve next time.

We encourage pupils to verbalise their thinking.

Supporting Metacognition at Home

Parents and carers can nurture metacognitive skills by:

• Asking open-ended questions like “How did you figure that out?” or “What might you try differently next time?”

• Encouraging children to plan before they start a task.

• Reflecting together after homework or reading: “What helped you remember that?”

Our Commitment

Through our metacognitive approach, Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School aims to develop thoughtful, reflective learners who understand themselves and their learning journey. We want every child to become confident in saying:

“I know how I learn best.”

SOLO Taxonomy and Metacognition

SOLO Taxonomy (Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes) is a critical part of our teaching and learning approach.

SOLO Taxonomy helps pupils understand the quality and depth of their learning. It provides a clear framework that guides them from simple ideas to more complex, connected, and abstract thinking.
By using SOLO language and symbols, pupils can identify where they are in their learning journey  from developing (just beginning to learn) to mastering (applying and transferring ideas).
This supports metacognitive thinking by helping children to:

• Recognise their current level of understanding

• Plan what they need to do to move forward

• Reflect on how their thinking has developed

Through SOLO, our pupils become more aware of their learning process and more confident in setting goals to extend their understanding.