Senior Mental Health Lead: How to have an impact If you are new to the role of mental health lead, or you would like to make sure that your role really makes a difference next year, Dr Pooky Knightsmith offers a few simple ideas to help you to maximise your impact
Early Career Framework: Choosing your school's induction mentors Under the new Early Career Framework, schools must appoint an induction mentor for their early career teachers. Simon Clark explains the role of the mentor, how you can pick the best candidates, and ways you can support them in their role
Behaviour Hubs: A renewed focus on our approaches to behaviour in schools The DfE has concerns that standards of behaviour are slipping. Their answer is new Behaviour Hubs, a more ‘traditional’ approach, and the promise of reviewed advice later this year. Suzanne O'Connell looks at what schools might do in the meantime...
Designated mental health leads: What should this new role look like? The government wants every school to have a designated mental health lead in place by 2025 and has announced funding to support training from next year. In light of the pandemic, many schools will want to act sooner. Sam Preston looks at the attributes of this key role
The EYFS reforms: Priorities, opportunities and myths The Development Matters guidance is supporting schools to implement September’s EYFS reforms. Dr Julian Grenier, who led on the writing of Development Matters, looks at the four priorities that are driving the reforms and responds to our recent coverage of the ‘rival’ Birth to Five Matters guidance
Changes to early years education from September: Are you ready? The early years is changing. From September, we will have a revised Early Years Foundation Stage framework, updated Development Matters guidance, and full implementation of Reception Baseline Assessment. Neil Henty looks at what we need to know
Social mobility vs equity: What can Ofsted learn from other UK school inspectorates? Ofsted’s approach to inspection has resulted in unintended consequences and a high-stakes, oppositional culture of accountability. Dr Dana Dabbous considers what lessons Ofsted might learn from inspection approaches in the other home nations
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…
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
Schools post-Covid: Five changes for the better What changes should schools make in the post-Covid world? What are the new priorities? Malcolm Groves outlines five changes for the better that school leaders say they want to see
What is cultural capital? Satisfying Ofsted’s tone-deaf interpretation Ofsted’s tone-deaf interpretation of cultural capital brings with it profound dilemmas for school leaders, who may be of a mind to resist… Phil Beadle, author of a new book on the topic, offers his plan to satisfy inspectors without having to turn things upside down
Online learning: There is nothing remote about it Learning cannot be remote. But it can take place online. Having seen the various official contributions to the remote education push, Bob Harrison despairs…
What should remote education look like in your school? What is remote learning? What isn’t it? And how are schools approaching it? Tom Middlehurst takes a practical look at what school leaders and teachers can and should be doing to fulfil their legal and moral obligations this term and beyond
RSE and parental consultation: Getting it right Parental engagement and consultation is a vital component of effective relationships and sex education. Leah Jewett offers her advice to primary schools on RSE delivery and parental engagement
A question of time? Priorities and considerations for the ‘catch-up’ funding The Covid catch-up funding should not be used simply to create more ‘time’ for schooling, but should be used to make the most of the time we have and to get students to a place where they can re-engage with their learning. Jon Gibson and Ben Slater explain
The National Tutoring Programme roll-out: How will it work? The £350m National Tutoring Programme will begin operation after the October half-term. Two main strands will support schools’ work with pupils whose education has been hit hard by the Covid-19 lockdown. Director Robbie Coleman looks at how it works in practice
Back to School Guide: Teaching & Learning In this 12-page guide, we consider what teaching and learning should look like in schools from this September when all pupils are due to return following the Covid-19 lockdown...
Back to School Guide: Staff wellbeing and support In this 12-page guide, we consider how lockdown has affected the wellbeing and mental health of school staff and offer practical advice and ideas for promoting wellbeing and supporting colleagues, both now and this autumn
GDPR, data protection and remote learning In a world of online learning, data protection has never been more important. Have you got your bases covered? Lynne Taylor advises
June 1 re-opening: The concerns and considerations of a headteacher Like headteachers across the country, Rachel Jones is working with her team to plan for a possible June 1 re-opening. She talks us through her thinking, how she plans to set-up her school, and the pressure that comes with such a significant responsibility
A judgement call like no other The science on school re-opening is reassuring, but it is not immutable. In the end, it is a judgement call and schools must be given the flexibility to do what is in the best interests of their communities, says Geoff Barton
Ed-tech: Making industry collaboration work for your school Collaboration between schools and ed-tech companies is one of the priorities of the government’s digital strategy. Al Kingsley looks at the risks, rewards and cost-benefits for schools considering a co-production partnership
Behaviour hubs: Experts to get behaviour on track – again Every teacher knows how important it is to have good behaviour in the classroom. However, for some schools, behaviour management remains an issue. Suzanne O'Connell looks at what is being recommended and asks: Haven’t we been here before?
Coronavirus: Key messages from latest DfE guidance for schools Government guidance published on Sunday (March 22) outlines how schools are expected to operate during the coronavirus pandemic. Former school leader Matt Bromley takes a look and offers his advice
Coronavirus: Provision and teaching in school during the crisis For the foreseeable future, schools are only open to children of key workers, vulnerable students or those with an EHCP. Matt Bromley looks at what kind of provision we can reasonably offer these pupils at a time of national crisis and staff shortages
