Helping Children Thrive in the Learning Pit

At Channing Junior School, we are always looking for meaningful ways to support the girls’ learning and personal development. This year, we launched an exciting new initiative centred around The Learning Pit, a powerful model created by educator James Nottingham. You may have heard your daughter mention “being in the pit” after a tricky lesson – so what does that actually mean?

What is the Learning Pit?

The Learning Pit is a simple visual model that helps the girls recognise what real learning feels like. When pupils begin something new, perhaps a different mathematical method, a demanding writing task, or a challenging concept in science, they often slide into the “pit”, a place where things feel tricky or uncertain.

This moment of struggle isn’t a setback. It’s the point at which deep thinking and real understanding begin.

To help the girls navigate these moments, our teachers encourage them to draw on the qualities represented by our Channing Characters. For example, Curiosity Fox inspires the girls to ask thoughtful questions that help them explore new ideas, while Bravery Mole reminds them that it’s okay to take risks and try unfamiliar approaches.

Developing a Positive Attitude Toward Challenge

Children often prefer quick success, but meaningful learning requires stretching their thinking. The Learning Pit reassures pupils that it’s normal to feel unsure at first. With the support of characters like Resilience Robin and Perseverance Squirrel, our pupils learn that sticking with a challenge, even when it feels uncomfortable, leads to the greatest progress.

Learning rarely happens in a neat, straight line. Children may take a wrong turn, need to rethink, or even start again. If they’re not expecting this, it can feel discouraging. By talking openly about the Learning Pit, teachers help pupils see that setbacks are part of the journey. Characters like Empathy Rabbit and Respectfulness Hedgehog also play a role, encouraging children to support one another, share ideas kindly and recognise that everyone experiences challenging moments.

While knowing facts is important, children also need opportunities to question and make sense of new information. The Learning Pit encourages this deeper level of thinking. Here, Responsibility Badger helps pupils take ownership of their learning choosing strategies, seeking help when needed and reflecting on what worked.

As pupils climb out of the pit, they experience the satisfaction of genuine understanding. At Channing, teachers guide them through this process by modelling thinking skills, encouraging discussion and celebrating the effort and characteristics that helped them succeed.

Why This Matters

By using the Learning Pit alongside our Channing Characters, we help the girls to understand both how learning works and how it can feel during the process. As a result they begin to see themselves as capable learners who can question, persevere, collaborate and take responsibility for their own learning.

This combination not only supports academic learning but also nurtures the personal qualities that help children thrive as a learner far beyond their time in school.