Creating and promoting a climate of inclusion Pupils who are labelled as naughty children almost always have underlying complex needs ranging from Attachment difficulties to undiagnosed conditions such as autism or ADHD. Exclusion is the last thing that these children need, but what can we do to avoid taking this step? Jackie Ward advises
Parents’ evenings: What should be on the agenda? In the first of three articles examining parental engagement, Dorothy Lepkowska looks at parents’ evenings and asks if there is a mismatch between what teachers want to discuss and what parents want to know...
Vulnerable pupils: Creating safe spaces in the school environment A growing concern for vulnerable pupils has led to the creation of safe spaces, or sanctuaries, at Ripley Infant School as well as a focus on Attachment Theory. Paula Doleman and Kathie Skermer explain
Understanding and supporting SEMH pupils Drawing on the outstanding work of Adelaide School, a special provision in Cheshire catering for pupils aged nine and upwards, Sarah Barlow offers advice to mainstream schools on supporting students who face social, emotional and mental health challenges
Supporting teacher practice and wellbeing Drury Primary School in North Wales has developed a staff programme called the SWIG Club, which promotes wellbeing and encourages teachers to share good practice. Liz Jones explains
Ofsted’s EIF and the place of EAL education The new Education Inspection Framework makes no reference to pupils who use English as an additional language as a distinct group. This does not mean, however, that schools should stop considering the distinct learning needs of pupils with EAL. Katherine Solomon and Silvana Richardson advise
‘Attitudes’: What exactly will Ofsted look for? From this term, Ofsted will be reporting on both the ‘behaviour’ and ‘attitudes’ of a school’s pupils as one of the four judgements within the new Education Inspection Framework. In a move designed to emphasise the importance of how pupils approach their learning and life in school, do we really ...
What is going on for our learners? How do we know? Why does it matter? The innovative Spirals of Enquiry model is an action research technique that can give us great insight into our pupils' attitudes and learning. Killian Moyles shares the experience of staff and children at Mayfield Primary School
Reception Baseline Assessment: What to expect The pilot of the new Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) has begun and the national roll-out is due in September 2020. Katherine Fowler from the National Foundation for Educational Research – which has developed and will deliver the new assessment – explains how it will work in practice and ...
Case study: An effective plan for CPD How does your school plan and implement effective professional development? Drawing on his work at Springfield Junior School, Daniel Jones shares the main principles and logistics behind their approaches to using CPD to develop and sustain high-quality teaching
Teaching assistants: The right ethos, good CPD and effective deployment Getting the best from your school’s teaching assistants means creating the right school ethos, proper training and effective deployment. Hannah Foster offers some practical advice and reflections
A focus on reading fluency to support SATs preparation Maintaining a focus on reading fluency beyond key stage 1 could be key to improving SATs results. Kelly Challis explains how and offers some teaching techniques and other ideas
Social media: How to stop parents from misusing it The best way to deal with inappropriate social media use by parents is to proactively set expectations and to be clear on how you will respond to incidents. Kaley Foran explains what you can do if an issue does arise
September’s priorities for new headteachers A new term brings a new start for many school leaders, including those taking up their first headship. National Leader of Education Helen Frostick offers her advice to those new to the post, including a quick guide to areas of focus for the autumn term senior leadership meetings
Literacy: Inspiring pupils’ writing How can we innovate our practice to ensure even more young people achieve in writing? Teacher-writer experts Ross Young and Phil Ferguson share their dos and don’ts when it comes to raising standards and inspiring the next generation of writers
Partnership and collaboration: No more sink or swim Partnership and collaboration can really help to tackle the problem of teacher retention, according to Dean Boyce. He discusses why all schools should look to work together
Chess in the classroom Chess is a low-risk and low-cost route to creativity, cross-curricular learning and attainment according to deputy headteacher Elizabeth Scott, who has been trialling it at her primary school in South Wales
Supporting your pupils with medical needs Many schools work hard to make the best provision they can for young people with medical needs, but it is not always easy. Jackie Wheatley highlights key areas of best practice, considers some of the legal requirements placed on schools, and offers her advice
GDPR: One year on... GDPR recently celebrated its first anniversary, but there is still confusion in schools about data duties and obligations. Richard Skipper provides clarity on some common problems
Create a healthy workplace in your school The Education Support Partnership is getting record levels of calls from school staff seeking support and advice. Richard Faulkner urges primary schools to signpost staff to this often vital support
Leadership profile: A 28-year learning curve Phil Hallman is one of the longest serving headteachers in the country having clocked up 28 years across two primary schools. He speaks to Emma Lee-Potter about his journey and what he has learnt...
A simple and inspiring use of ed-tech to boost learning The example of Blackfield Primary School shows us that it does not have to be expensive or time-consuming to ‘realise’ the potential of education technology. Fiona Aubrey-Smith explains
Leading EAL in your primary school EAL support is a core responsibility for every school. Catherine Brennan considers the key roles and duties for those leading EAL within primary schools and offers some tips on how to embed sustainable EAL provision within schools and support your teaching staff
Time-out and isolation under scrutiny At the National Education Union annual conference, delegates recounted stories about school isolation rooms filled with SEND children. It seems that the use of ‘time-out’ or ‘reflection rooms’ is increasing at primary level. Suzanne O’Connell looks at this growing trend and its place in school ...
The role of governors in supporting CPD How much does your governing board know about effective staff development – and to what extent do governors support and challenge your school’s work in this crucial area? Maria Cunningham advises
