CAMHS under pressure A recent survey of school leaders shows that many are concerned about their pupils’ mental health and wellbeing, but that delays to CAMHS are preventing them getting quick and effective help. Amy Cook reports.
A two-stage Pupil Premium strategy An effective, two-stage Pupil Premium strategy at Stanley Grove Academy has seen the pupils given the confidence to take control of their own learning. Teacher Karen Richardson explains more.
Embracing global learning in your school How can we ensure our new-look curriculum is local, national and international and helps our pupils to understand their place in the world? Fiona Aubrey-Smith reports on the work of some schools.
TechnoTeaching – five simple ideas Do you wonder how to make the most of ICT to enhance your skills as a teacher? Nicole Ponsford and Dr Julie Wood, authors of the new book TechnoTeaching, offer five simple ideas for teachers who want to embrace technology.
A new approach to keeping your teachers A new approach to coaching and mentoring, including assigning Career Champions for every NQT, could provide the answer to the growing challenge of teachers leaving the profession. Executive headteacher Chris Wheatley explains.
Helping pupils to handle anxiety and stress The pressure that our primary school children can face as they grow-up is increasingly being recognised as something that schools must play a part in tackling. Sal McKeown reports from two schools in Coventry which are using different approaches.
Ensuring consistent assessment approaches Faced with an inconsistent approach to assessment strategies, tests and tracking methods across the school, deputy headteacher Amelia Nelson set out to turn things around. She explains how.
The road to school federation The National Governors’ Association has been conducting research into federations – why schools federate, their experiences of the process, common barriers, and the lessons learnt along the way. Ellie Howarth reports on some of their findings.
Introducing peer-to-peer reading A peer-to-peer reading programme at Barry Island Primary School has proved a great success. Headteacher Ty Golding explains how they went about implementing the scheme and offers his advice to others wanting to do the same. 1 comment
Preview: The Into Film Festival The Into Film Festival takes place from November 4 to 21, offering schools a range of opportunities to use film to inspire and educate their pupils. The festival’s artistic director, Sam Wilson, previews this year's event
Avoiding the transition dip The transition dip is a well-known and ongoing problem in our education system. Primary head Anna Traer-Goffe reports on a transition programme undertaken with their partner secondary school and some of the lessons they have learnt.
The new reception baseline assessment In March 2014, the Department for Education announced plans to introduce a baseline assessment for all children at the start of reception. Catherine Kirkup, from NFER’s Centre for Assessment, answers some of the big questions that schools have been asking
Secrets to science success After helping to redraft the new primary science curriculum, Anne Goldsworthy discusses some key considerations for school leaders when delivering the new programmes of study and lists some key tenets to science success.
What can schools do about mental health? New government advice highlights the route to CAMHS – but schools portray CAMHS as a service in crisis. What can we do to help pupils struggling with their mental health? Suzanne O’Connell reports.
A challenging year ahead for school food On top of the challenge of expanding free school meals to all key stage 1 children, schools now face new school food standards in January. Suzanne O’Connell looks at the challenges ahead for school food.
The consequences of the Trojan Horse affair Successive governments have viewed the governing body as a means of keeping schools in line. However, with autonomy being abused in some cases, is it governors who now need reining in?
Handling teachers’ strike action QUESTION: With another strike possibly on the cards in the not too distant future, what is your advice for coping strategies?
Saying goodbye to levels Will Millard explores some of the new approaches schools are devising to replace curriculum levels
Professional learning The expertise is within our primary schools, but how can we encourage all teachers to share their best practice? Fiona Aubrey-Smith asks some challenging questions and offers some ideas
Describing the role of a research co-ordinator What does being a research co-ordinator actually look like? We speak to Alex Wright to find out about his experiences when he took on this role at Latchmere Primary, a Teaching School
Shop ‘til you drop! Helen Frostick reports on a project marrying the concepts of shopping and business to inspire year 6 pupils to consider career options, build team-work skills and solve mathematical problems
Classroom furniture Education furniture specialist Trevor Gillman examines recent research linking classroom design to improved performance in schools and offers his tips for creating the optimum learning environment
A little perspective The outdoor experiences on offer at Millbank Academy are a vital part of life at this inner city school. Principal Alyson Russen discusses why their residential visits are so important and how they go about organising them
Rewild your pupils! Outdoor education expert Chris Hupp explores the importance of rewilding students and bringing outdoor learning into the daily life of a school
Mapping a new primary curriculum For the past year, Cornwall Learning has been working with pilot schools to create and test the new primary curriculum. Sally Griffin explains some of the lessons they have learnt and the principles they have used
