Covid recovery: Promoting playground play and social skills There are anecdotal reports that some pupils are finding unstructured playground play and socialisation difficult after two years of living with Covid. Jenny Mosley looks at what primary schools might do about this
Weaving health and safety into school culture Health and safety needn’t be complex or onerous. It’s about being curious and using common sense, especially when it comes to risk assessments. Stephen Horn offers some advice for school leaders
Turning mental health support in schools on its head As CAMHS delays continue to stack up, schools are taking it upon themselves to transform provision and safeguard children’s mental health and wellbeing, says Andy Mellor
The school library: A powerful weapon in the battle for wellbeing A new report suggests the school library could play a critical role in addressing young people’s health and wellbeing. Alison Tarrant and Caroline Roche from the Great School Libraries campaign explain how
Pupil Premium tutoring: A Champion for Every Child 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 more
Mental health: Moving from reactive to proactive support We consistently talk about proactive, positive solutions for pupils’ physical health. So why can’t we do the same when it comes to their mental health? Headteacher Ben Levinson looks at how schools can ensure a positive focus on mental health
Online safety and safeguarding: A guide for schools Following disturbing revelations from the Internet Watch Foundation, safeguarding expert Elizabeth Rose looks at online safety considerations and details what schools must have in place to respond to ever-changing risks
Social media, teachers and schools: How to avoid the pitfalls Planned changes to safeguarding law could see schools conducting social media checks on prospective teachers. Legal expert Sarah Linden considers the common pitfalls of social media use for teachers…
How would you respond? When pupils get angry In her articles this year, Shahana Knight is spotlighting common behaviours or classroom scenarios, looking at why they might occur and how we can respond therapeutically. This time, she looks at pupils who are angry
Vulnerable students: The four domains of safety What are the four domains of safety and why are they so important in enabling vulnerable and other children to flourish? Dr Pooky Knightsmith explains
The school run: Ideas to boost active travel With thousands of schools situated in high pollution areas, decarbonising the school run is a priority for our children’s health. Chris Bennett offers some advice for primary schools and explains the successful School Streets approach
The chronicles of a therapeutic classroom: Lights, Camera, Action! All this year, Shahana Knight has been working with a school to transform a year 3 classroom into a fully therapeutic teaching space. Staff have been inspired and children awestruck – and now you can watch a film of the entire transformation...
Relational practice: Behaviour and culture When we put relationships at the heart of all we do in schools then everyone benefits – vulnerable children, their peers, and the adults working with them. Dr Pooky Knightsmith looks at how
Incels: Safeguarding implications for primary schools We must not assume that the incel phenomenon only has implications for secondary safeguarding practice – primary schools must be alert too. Elizabeth Rose considers how we can respond to this new and rapidly emerging threat, offering practical advice and reassurance
Could you spot the signs and symptoms of burn-out? The pandemic has heightened the pressure facing school leaders and teachers, making burn-out a clear and present danger. Wellbeing trainer and author Ross McWilliam looks at spotting the signs
One-to-one tutoring: Dos & don’ts Many schools are implementing small group or one-to-one tutoring programmes as part of their Covid recovery work. This article asks tutors at the Kemnal Academies Trust for their dos and don’ts of effective tutoring provision
Safeguarding: Spotting the signs of domestic abuse Sadly, some children returning to school after Christmas will have been victims of domestic abuse. Elizabeth Rose considers what this could look like, the signs and symptoms staff might see and practical ways to respond
Attendance: Where do primary schools stand? Managing attendance has been one of the trickiest issues of the pandemic as schools struggle to balance the health concerns of a nation with the need to educate our children. What problems do we still face and what lies ahead?
The chronicles of a therapeutic classroom: The pupils arrive... After months of planning and a hectic half-term makeover, Shahana Knight‘s vision for a therapeutic classroom environment is about to be unveiled and put to the test by excited year 3 children...
Case study: Developing an Early Help offer in response to Covid Given the impact of the pandemic on families and children’s lives, work is on-going in Lambeth to revisit and revamp intervention and support via the Early Help offer. Headteacher Laura McPhee explains
Refocusing on Prevent: Five actions to take now It feels like work on the Prevent Duty has gone quiet during the pandemic. Justin Reilly says now is the right time for schools to rejuvenate their focus on Prevent and offers five actions we can take
Anti-Bullying: How can we teach kindness? What has been the impact of lockdowns, self-isolation and remote learning for our pupils? Julaan Govier and Gemma Hennessey noticed less tolerance, patience and willingness to collaborate. So, they set about teaching their pupils to ‘be kind’...
Behaviour: Check yourself before tackling flashpoints Changing the way we deal with behaviour incidents will help children build strong foundations for their learning, says Viv Trask-Hall
From September to September: A annual plan for safeguarding development Taking a strategic approach to safeguarding development will help designated safeguarding leads to meet statutory requirements, develop best practice, and manage workload. What does this look like in practice? Elizabeth Rose explains
Resignations and retirement: A looming leadership crisis? There are real fears that the added pressure of Covid-19 will drive many more headteachers to quit. Suzanne O’Connell looks at the barriers we face to headteacher retention and recruitment
