Throughout my years as a headteacher at the Wroxham School in Hertfordshire, I led the school in providing rich feedback to children and families that was detailed and informative but resisted grades, ranking or levels. This is not because I shied away from quantitative data, but because I am confident that the most important message the school can provide is about a child’s current achievement against the full breadth of the curriculum. This avoids a “racetrack” mentality and focuses instead on how each child can extend and deepen their understanding and application of knowledge.

Last half-term, I attended more than 60 meetings between children, parents and colleagues. These meetings were designed to enable every child to reflect on their achievements and cast a critical eye over their current learning in order that we could engage in dialogue that informed ambitious aims for the next steps to be taken.

I joined the Year 6 teacher, Sally Barker, in learning review meetings with some of her class and their parents. The 15-minute meetings began with each child giving a presentation via PowerPoint about their successes and challenges.

In one meeting, 11-year-old Kyle leaned forward in his chair as he talked with his teacher about his love of science. He listened attentively as she referred to the progress in his book and nodded carefully as she described some strategies to improve his note-taking skills. With his father looking on, Kyle explained that science was fascinating to him (“My all-time favourite subject”).

The strength of the learning relationship

Later in the meeting, we studied his English book together and his father blushed as he read a poem that included the line, “My dad is a dictionary with infinite pages”. We celebrated the effectiveness of Kyle’s poetry and went on to discuss the importance of proof reading and the depth that writing can achieve through judicious use of vocabulary and punctuation. Advice was also offered about strategies for engaging in maths that explored depth rather than pace.

In the space of 15 minutes, I was able, as headteacher, to witness the strength of the learning relationship between the child and his teacher, the quality of Kyle’s written work and areas for improvement. I joined with Kyle’s father in praising his hard work and commitment to study, and noted the happiness and excitement for future learning that Kyle exuded as he confidently informed us that he wished to become a doctor.

There really is no substitute for dialogue as a means to communicate progress

Time spent engaged in conversation with children, teachers and families is priceless. Feedback to families goes both ways and there really is no substitute for dialogue as a means to communicate progress.

As the new chief executive of the Chartered College of Teaching, I believe that there is much to be gained in 2017 from listening to teachers and engaging in dialogue that will enable us to build a momentum for renewed professionalism.

We aim to build an authoritative, collective voice about teaching; inspired and informed by research and stories of practice. We do so much to influence powerfully the lives of children and young people - it is time for us to gather together and share the best of our practice beyond our own classrooms.

Membership will open in the coming weeks and it is my fervent hope that teachers will join us. Teachers deserve to be listened to.

Dame Alison Peacock is chief executive of the Chartered College of Teaching