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
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
Supporting autistic children to return to school post-lockdown The return to school after lockdown 3.0 could be challenging for students with autism. Drawing on experiences and lessons learned from the first national lockdown, Dr Pooky Knightsmith advises on how we can best support them
CPD at the heart of school improvement A small primary school in Cornwall has become a CPD powerhouse after placing professional development at the heart of its school improvement plans. Yvonne Gandy takes a look
Communication: How to run your school’s social media Many schools are now using social media to reach out and engage with their parents, carers and wider communities. Stephen James offers his ‘how-to’ for running your school’s social media effectively
Safeguarding priorities: Preparing for full re-opening on March 8 With schools due to re-open fully from March 8, safeguarding issues will be foremost in our minds and our preparations must begin now. Expert Elizabeth Rose advises on what our priorities and approaches should look like
CPD: Creating the right conditions for professional learning Is your school leadership creating the right conditions for professional learning? Maria Cunningham looks at the links between your staff’s working conditions and their development, expertise and efficacy
Reception Year: The Birth to Five Matters Guidance With a revised Early Years Foundation Stage becoming statutory in September, the early years sector has united to produce research-led guidance offering a pedagogically sound method of delivery. Neil Henty looks at its implications for primary schools and Reception year teaching
SENCOs under siege The Covid-19 pandemic has heaped much more pressure on an already stretched SEND system. Daniel Sobel considers the key problems and outlines how we must move forward
'The first thing I invested in was the school library' The library must sit at the heart of our teaching and learning environments. Former headteacher, Richard Gerver – the new president of the School Library Association – explains why school libraries have never been more important and looks at some tenets of good practice 1 comment
Remote education: Supporting learners with SEND (and their families) Reports from Ofsted and the National SENCO Workforce team have raised concerns about how SEND pupils are faring during remote education. Dr Helen Curran explores the findings and offers her tips and strategies for supporting those with SEND during Covid-19 and beyond
Effective remote CPD: Five practical tips The recent review of the evidence around remote CPD for teaching staff has outlined approaches that could prove effective, including by using video and coaching. Nihad Cehic considers five ideas for how schools can used video as part of remote CPD
Remote education framework: Evaluating your provision The LEARNERs’ Trust has developed its own framework for its schools to use to evaluate the effectiveness of their remote education provision. CEO Matt Freeston explains how they are using it to identify and share good practice across the trust
Curriculum planning and delivery during a pandemic Curriculum planning and delivery at a time of such disruption to education is challenging to say the least. Lekha Sharma considers how primary schools can plan ahead and prepare their curriculum for the rest of 2021 and beyond…
Assurance: It’s not sexy, but it’s important From boilers to putrefied rat remains, from magic buckets to burglar alarms – assurance is not well understood in education and the consequences can be catastrophic. MAT chief executive Mark Wilson explains
Staff wellbeing: Are you looking out for your colleagues? With more and more teachers experiencing symptoms related to depression and anxiety amid the pressure of the pandemic, Sophie Howells looks at how we can approach conversations with colleagues who may be struggling
Traumatic news: Five ideas to help children cope with the pandemic The pandemic and the 24/7 news and media coverage has the potential to be traumatic for children, especially those of primary school age. Lianna Champ, an expert in grief and trauma counselling, offers five ways to help children cope
Using CPD to support effective remote teaching CPD to support remote teaching & the use of ed-tech has become commonplace during the pandemic. Maria Cunningham advises on how schools should approach using CPD programmes to develop effective remote teaching practice
Lockdown: Five ideas for maintaining your team’s morale Many of us are finding the third national lockdown much tougher than those that have gone before. Dr Pooky Knightsmith offers five simple ideas that will help us to maintain the morale and wellbeing of our colleagues and school teams
Remote teaching: How to develop staff expertise From setting clear goals to providing short feedback loops, Jacob Senior offers some suggestions for how schools can develop their teachers' remote teaching and ed-tech skills
Building back better: Teaching, pedagogy and learning Some schools have already begun changing and adapting their in-school teaching practices in light of their experiences during remote education. Dr Fiona Aubrey-Smith asks how your school is already 'building back better'
Lockdown teaching and learning: A quick guide for families Feeling daunted by the return to remote teaching? In this two-part series Sara Davidson and Sean Harris look at some of the basic research-informed principles that can help teachers and parents to navigate learning at home. In part two they offer advice for parents/carers 1 comment
PFI: Challenging overly expensive contracts As an academy trust CEO, Andrew Chubb successfully challenged aspects of his school’s PFI contract, leading to substantial savings. He looks here at why PFI often proves unfairly expensive for schools – and what can be done about it
Lockdown teaching and learning: A quick guide for teaching staff Feeling daunted by the return to remote teaching? In this two-part series Sara Davidson and Sean Harris look at some of the basic research-informed principles that can help teachers and parents to navigate learning at home. In part one they offer advice tailored for educators
