Teacher training: Growing your own The government’s School Direct teacher training scheme will train more than 15,000 teachers next year. Headteacher Tom Donohoe explains why his school has embraced the approach.
Will the FSM expansion threaten Pupil Premium? The announcement of free school meals for all key stage 1 children was greeted positively by most. However, as we draw closer to its implementation, the implications of this new legislation seem to go far beyond kitchen capacity.
Spotting and tackling low-level neglect Based on recent research evidence, Caroline Sharp offers some practical advice on how schools can identify and support pupils who are suffering from low-level neglect.
Ask Brenda: Ten rules for classroom teachers Our staff are “hit” with so many guidelines and actions to follow in the classroom. How can we focus the mind on the critical and yet make them smile and remember that the job is about enjoying and achieving as professionals as well?
Outstanding school FAQs What is it that headteachers at outstanding schools focus on? Fergal Roche takes a look.
Pensions: Avoiding the LTA Yet more changes are afoot when it comes to your pensions. The latest cuts to the lifetime allowance could affect more teachers than you’d think. Expert David Downie explains.
Case study: Mathematics Mastery How do you demonstrate pupil progress when the best moments of learning often aren’t on paper? Alexandra Mintz speaks to Caroline Farrant, a teacher at Sir Thomas Abney, which is involved in the Mathematics Mastery project..
In it together – running a Teaching School Alliance What is it like to run a Teaching School Alliance? Marie-Claire Bretherton describes the opportunities that working as part of a 27-strong Teaching School Alliance has presented and some of the challenges they have faced.
Putting in-school research into action Lindsay Palmer and Nicola Theobald describe their collaboration to promote professional learning through school-based research and innovation.
Health schools – A focus on food After the publication of the School Food Plan, new food standards are being introduced. Helen Frostick explains how her school ensures healthy eating and food education is an engaging experience for their pupils.
FGM: How can you protect your pupils? Teachers are crucial in the fight to protect girls aged as young as five from the horrors of female genital mutilation. The NSPCC’s Kamaljit Thandi offers her advice on what schools can do.
Case study: Apps for Good In preparing for the new computing curriculum in September, deputy head Rebecca Stacey has worked with the charity Apps for Good. She explains what the project entailed.
How prepared are you for the new primary curriculum? What areas of the new primary core curriculum are schools most prepared for and where do they feel least confident? Elizabeth Pope looks at the findings from NFER’s latest Teacher Voice survey.
What makes outstanding schools outstanding? What really makes ‘outstanding’ schools outstanding? Fiona Aubrey-Smith looks at some SSAT schools which have achieved this status to try and find out.
Introducing a staff coaching programme Faced with a decline in teaching standards and low staff morale, deputy head Pauline Hughes instigated a coaching programme to help staff develop and share best practice across their school.
Recruiting from abroad While teachers trained overseas can contribute a great deal to your school team, the process of recruiting them can seem daunting. Lynne Hannigan offers her advice.
How do you get Ofsted outstanding for your achievement? In the final of our articles focusing on core Ofsted inspection judgements, we tackle the most crucial of all – achievement. With a slightly different framework in place, Suzanne O’Connell looks at how three schools have achieved outstanding in this area
Preparing the new primary curriculum: Music, art and DT In the second part of series on the new national curriculum, Suzanne O’Connell looks at the programmes of study for art, music and design technology. With September 2014 fast approaching, how should schools prepare?
Are you ready for life after levels? ‘Levels’ and ‘sub-levels’ are key vocabulary in staffroom discourse. What will happen when this established method of assessing pupil progress is removed from the primary school glossary? Suzanne O’Connell investigates.
Do any of your pupils have a parent in prison? Do you know which children in your school have a family member in prison? It is more common than you would think and incarceration has implications well beyond those convicted. We investigate what schools can do.
Case study: Supporting social and emotional difficulties via the Pupil Premium Colley Lane Primary School has worked with psychologists to develop interventions for Pupil Premium children, including a Nurture Suite, and to offer training for teachers. Ahead of presenting its work at a free CPD event, Kevin Gallagher explains more
Ask Brenda: The professional principles that define your school How can we set the bar for all our teaching staff in a user-friendly way, but which still ensures that all the team know what our expectations are?
Two examples of cross-phase collaboration Collaboration between primary and secondary schools can have a notable impact on key areas, such as assessment, numeracy and literacy and transition. Christopher Woolfrey looks at the work of two partnerships.
Whole-school projects: Take One Picture The annual Take One Picture project allows schools to explore all corners of the curriculum using one of the National Gallery’s famous paintings. Helen Frostick explains how her school has been inspired.
'Structured conversations' to engage parents Quality parent/carer engagement has a positive impact on pupil attainment. But it is about more than just ‘getting on’ with them and requires deeper, more meaningful links. Professor Sonia Blandford discusses the potential of 'structured conversations'
