Best Practice

Learn more about primary education and leadership best practice with our range of in-depth articles written specifically for UK primary school leaders.

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SEND & Covid: Supporting students in the months to come

The return to school last month may have been particularly challenging for our students with SEND. Garry Freeman reminds us of the basic principles of supporting students’ underlying needs – which will be more crucial than ever in the months to come

Implementing Development Matters: Six things to do now

The revised Development Matters non-statutory guidance has been produced to support schools in delivering the EYFS reforms from September 2021. Stephen Kilgour identifies six things we can do now to prepare…

Teachers & teaching assistants: Eight principles of effective working partnerships

Effective working between teachers & teaching assistants are vital. Sara Alston considers eight key principles to emerge from recent snapshot research of what makes effective teacher-TA working partnerships

How has Covid changed our traditional primary school events?

Celebration assemblies, award-giving, parents’ evenings, sports days and more – following a year of disruption and restriction, how have schools adapted their events calendar? Suzanne O’Connell finds out

Earth Day 2021: Inspiring young global citizens

This year’s Earth Day on April 22 offers primary schools the chance to engage pupils in issues relating to climate change and environmental protection. Harriet Marshall and Matthew Smitheman offer some ideas

Staff wellbeing: Five resilience hacks

Protecting the wellbeing of our education workforce is crucial during the pandemic. Martina Witter offers five resilience hacks for teaching staff to help support wellbeing during these times of change and uncertainty

Remote teaching: Effective live lessons

Schools may have re-opened more widely after the third lockdown, but remote teaching looks set to be with us for some time to come, including live online lessons. Dr Sharon Smith considers some differences between online and classroom teaching and offers a few tips

Blended learning: Creating an effective culture of virtual safeguarding

Schools are fully re-open but with self-isolation requirements still in place, remote and blended learning is set to continue for the foreseeable future. Elizabeth Rose considers how we can ensure an effective culture of virtual safeguarding in this new blended world of education

No Silver Bullets: Day-in, day-out school improvement

School improvement is not about silver bullets. Rather it is about making small incremental gains day-in, day-out. A new book is offering 89 such gains to help focus the mind. Author Paul K Ainsworth dissects four of them here…

Climate action in schools: Ideas to reduce your carbon impact

Reducing your school’s carbon emissions is not as difficult as it may seem. Alex Green from the Let’s Go Zero campaign outlines some inspiring and money-saving ideas to get your school started

Redefining the classroom set-up post-Covid

We must not revert to the status quo post-pandemic, we must instead embrace the lessons of Covid if we are to increase engagement with learning. Shahana Knight suggests we begin with our classroom set-up and offers some ideas for mixing it up...

Covid recovery: The importance of EAL assessment

Setting accurate language targets and using tailored strategies will be crucial if we are to help the post-lockdown recovery of students who use English as an additional language. Caroline Bruce and Silvana Richardson explain and advise

Introducing rough and tumble play into Reception

Tug of war, tangling, tickling, leapfrog – rough and tumble play is a normal feature of childhood and part of child development – and yet there are understandable reservations about introducing it as part of Reception provision. Teacher Rachna Joshi and EYFS lead Carla Jones advise

Advising new teachers: How can I get my pupils to behave?

Pupil behaviour is one of the most common concerns for early career teachers. Patrick Garton draws on his research with teachers and school leaders to give us three principles for developing effective behaviour management. His article advises both ECTs and those who mentor and support them

Ventilation and hygiene: Advice and tips for primary schools

One year on and good ventilation and hygiene remain at the heart of keeping school sites and classrooms Covid-safe. It is worth reminding ourselves of the safest approaches. Dr Neil Bacon offers some advice and tips for primary schools

Bringing exercise into primary school lessons

Bringing more physical activity into lessons and teaching can help us to get children back on track this year, says year 4 teacher Niamh Hunter

How to handle criticism on social media

Many schools are now using social media to reach out and engage with their community, but it can also open us up to criticism and unfounded allegations from parents and others. Stephen James advises on how to handle these tricky situations

Safeguarding: Managing disclosures following lockdown

As schools re-open to all pupils, staff will be on the look-out for a range of safeguarding issues. Elizabeth Rose looks at how we must handle disclosures in the weeks ahead

Vulnerable pupils: 14 things to consider in your post-lockdown Pupil Premium plans

How will you ensure that Pupil Premium and other vulnerable pupils get the support they need as schools re-open to all pupils? With an eye on Ofsted expectations and requirements, Helen Frostick advises, including on planning for the summer term

Evidence to Action: The seven Es of effective CPD

There are some common and key themes to effective and successful professional learning and development for school staff. Fiona Aubrey-Smith distills these down to the seven Es of effective CPD...

Full school re-opening: Supporting SEND pupils

As schools re-open to all students, those with SEND may well need more support. Stephanie Glenister outlines how we can help pupils – both those who have been attending school during lockdown and those who have been at home – to transition back into ‘normal’ school life

Vigilance is key: Five things for safeguarding leads to consider

Safeguarding and pastoral leads will be on high alert as all pupils return to school, playing a key role in supporting colleagues to be vigilant and watch for the signs of distress. Hannah Glossop offers five pieces of advice

PE and sports: The power of PESSPA

The PESSPA approach can have a big impact on students’ mental and physical health, attendance, attainment and behaviour – especially for those with SEND. Nasen Teacher of the Year Jon White discusses using school sport and physical activity to empower students