Safeguarding: Getting the basics right – every time The basics of safeguarding revolve around identifying children at risk of harm and we can never take this work for granted. Elizabeth Rose recaps the four main types of abuse, the principles of effective staff training, and the basics of keeping children safe from serious harm
Phonics: The debate continues... Synthetic phonics is the accepted way of teaching young children to read in the UK. The phonics screening check, backed up by Ofsted, has ensured this. But not all teachers or researchers are convinced. Suzanne O’Connell reports
Wrap-around provision as part of Covid recovery Before and after-school clubs have been hit hard – first to be cut, the last to be reinstated. But they could be exactly what disadvantaged pupils and your Covid recovery plan need, says Suzanne O’Connell
A Champion for Every Child: A case study of one-to-one tutoring provision A Champion for Every Child is a pastoral tutoring programme that has had a notable impact for thousands of Pupil Premium pupils across the Kemnal Academies Trust. Emma Lee-Potter finds out how it works in practice at Smarden Primary School
Hand-washing and hygiene: Improving primary school toilets Toilet areas in schools can sometimes be neglected, resulting in poor hand hygiene and pupils reluctant to use the spaces. Dr Catherine Stones has been looking into how we can change this using some very simple ideas
Post-pandemic language recovery in reception year We know that the pandemic has hit language development and literacy skills among our youngest pupils. In this article, Neil Henty considers post-pandemic language recovery in the reception year
Women in leadership: Smashing the glass ceiling Despite teaching being female dominated, men remain twice as likely to hold leadership positions. Headteacher Erika Eisele considers why this is and reflects on her own experiences as a school leader
'I forgot my kit’: A guide to poverty-proofing school sports Is your school’s PE and sports kit preventing disadvantaged children from fully accessing school sport opportunities? Craig Watson, from Children North East’s Poverty Proofing initiative, shares some tips for creating inclusive school sports
Empowerment and school leadership: How empowered do you feel? As we move through an age of empowerment, Jonathan Cordiner considers and challenges what empowerment is, what it really looks like, and what it means to and for headteachers
Digital literacy, competency and CPD We cannot assume that everyone working in our school has basic digital literacy and competency. Osi Ejiofor considers how schools can develop digital literacy skills through self-directed CPD and offers a free, downloadable digital literacy audit tool
Inclusion is a verb: Belonging and schools Inclusion boils down to belonging, but how can we ensure that children from a diverse range of backgrounds and with diverse needs feel that they belong in their schools and classrooms? Daniel Sobel offers some tips, reflections – and a checklist!
Stress, anxiety, and developing our teachers Stressed? Overwhelmed? Anxious? If we are to put in place a schools recovery plan to help teaching staff and leaders, we need to know what challenges we are addressing and how to address them. Gareth Conyard reflects on wellbeing and CPD
Writing & literacy: How to help children beat writer’s block For young pupils, writing is one of the skills that has been hardest hit by lockdowns and the pandemic. In this article, Kathy Ewers suggests ways to help pupils develop essential writing skills and learn to love writing
Five lessons of primary leadership After 10 years as a headteacher in east London, Tom Panagiotopoulos has written a book chronicling his experiences. We asked him to give us five lessons for successful primary school leadership
How would you respond? Playground fall-outs Continuing her regular articles on responding therapeutically to common behaviour scenarios in primary schools, Shahana Knight looks at how we might respond when groups of children fall-out in the playground
How coaching can support your school's workforce Unlike training or mentoring, coaching gives people the power to solve issues for themselves. Damian Mitchelmore asks what coaching can do for you, your teachers and your school
Planning and integrating outdoor lessons and learning Outdoor learning can present many challenges for curriculum and lesson-planning, but it can be worth the effort. Headteacher Matthew Leach talks about his school’s focus on taking teaching outdoors and how it has helped improve outcomes
SONAR leadership and a pedagogy of connection School leaders should ‘seek first to understand, then to be understood’ if they are to build relationships – and that requires active listening. John Dabell explains the principles of SONAR leadership
Early retirement: Five things teachers must consider More teachers than ever before are considering early retirement. Lee Quinn, a specialist financial advisor, outlines the key factors to keep in mind for those considering stepping away from the profession
Practical strategies for building self-esteem in pupils with ADHD Children with ADHD will hear thousands more negative messages while at school than their peers, making self-esteem and poor self-image a huge challenge. Dr Pooky Knightsmith considers how to better support ADHD pupils
How can we support pupils who have Long Covid? How does Long Covid affect children and young people in the classroom and what can teaching staff do to help them? In the second of two articles on the impact of Long Covid on the young, Dr Sue Peters offers some practical advice
Discovery and discussion: Running university seminars for primary pupils The Griffin University initiative sees primary pupils at schools across the Griffin Schools Trust experiencing university-style seminars every week. Sue-Ellen Lamb explains how it works at Race Leys Junior School
A culture of ethical leadership: Five approaches As we emerge from the pandemic, ethical leadership has never been more important. But what does it look like? Primary school head Jim Mepham looks at five main approaches and the principles of ethical decision-making
Exhausting, painful, lonely: The impact of Long Covid on children Tens of thousands of children are suffering with Long Covid. In the first of two articles to help schools support children with Long Covid, Dr Sue Peters considers the impact of this mysterious and often debilitating illness on pupils
Emotionally based school avoidance: Five tips Some pupils find it difficult to come to school and there are reports that emotionally based school avoidance has become an even bigger issue as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. In this article, Dr Pooky Knightsmith offers five steps to re-engage with pupils who struggle to attend school
