Engaging reluctant readers Engaging reluctant and struggling readers is a clear challenge for every primary school. Ahead of a workshop focused on this issue, Angela Fuggle from the literacy charity Beanstalk offers some practical tips
Learning environments: Finding the Catch Zone... How effective is your school’s learning environment? How do you organise your classroom and school displays for maximum impact on learning? Fiona Aubrey-Smith discusses the secrets to success and introduces the Catch Zone...
The vocabulary gap: A cross-phase challenge Differences in vocabulary acquisition might be particularly noticeable at age 5, but it doesn’t stop there. Teachers report that the word gap is increasing across primary education and into secondary. Suzanne O’Connell reports
Maths mastery uncovered Maths mastery is the latest policy being supported by the government. Tony Staneff explores the truth behind some common maths mastery myths and outlines four ways to kick-start your school’s journey to mastery 1 comment
Oracy: Speaking up for speaking Plans are afoot to create an All-Party Parliamentary Group on oracy. Primary school leader Anthony David considers the importance of speaking skills for children of all ages
Sport and PE Premium: Making a song and dance Dance activities are not the first thing you might think of when it comes to the PE and Sport Premium funding, but it is a popular way of spending the money. Chris Parr takes a look
Case study: Turning around a curriculum When turning around a school, a focus on creating the right curriculum is the most important priority, according to headteacher Nadia Paczuska
Literacy: What can we learn from PIRLS? Fifty countries took part in the most recent Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), the world-wide study of reading at ages 9 and 10. Rachel Classick looks at some key findings from England and Northern Ireland and what lessons we can learn
Improving pupils' working memory Achieving effective differentiation in the classroom and improving your pupils’ working memories are key priorities for teachers. Margaret Reeve offers some quick CPD ideas
Maths Mastery and the National Maths Hubs The national network of Maths Hubs are recruiting schools for the 2018/19 Teacher Research Groups. We hear from the London North East Maths Hub about this year’s work on Maths Mastery 1 comment
Give them a challenge outside! With the summer here, it’s a good time to take the children outdoors. Suzanne O’Connell summarises what the Education Endowment Foundation has to say about the benefits of outdoor adventure learning
The battle to take back control of the curriculum With the momentum growing behind evidence and research-based teaching practice, arguments to give back control of the curriculum to the profession are becoming louder – led, perhaps surprisingly, by Ofsted’s chief inspector...
Case study: Making PE and sports a priority With today’s educational climate focusing on literacy and numeracy, PE can sometimes be left behind. Not so at Birchwood Primary. Suzanne O’Connell finds out how deputy headteacher Melanie Alexander and her team have made PE and sports a priority
Helping quiet pupils to find their voices In each class, half a dozen children dominate and half a dozen are rarely heard. Jason Buckley advises on how we can help the ‘silent six’ to find their voices
Maths Mastery: A journey towards a new curriculum A trip to Shanghai inspired one primary school leader and her team to transform maths teaching as part of an approach to a ‘knowledge-rich’ curriculum. Liam Donnison explains
Successful approaches to the computing curriculum When the new computing curriculum was introduced there was concern about the capacity of primary schools to deliver it. Suzanne O’Connell speaks to two schools, both possessing Naace’s ICT Mark, about how they prepare their pupils to be IT literate in the 21st century
What is your approach to promoting learning skills? As a headteacher, what are your priorities when beginning at a new school? For Frances Robertson, the focus must always begin on children’s learning skills and the school’s teaching and learning ethos...
Case study: Teaching practice – review, analysis and innovation St Michael’s CE Primary thrives by giving its staff plenty of opportunities to review practice, innovate and take on responsibility. Drawing on the school’s outstanding maths practice as an example, Suzanne O’Connell explains more
Case study: Bring the countryside to the heart of the curriculum The Food and Farming project at Sacred Heart RC Primary School engages pupils across all year groups with growing foods, cooking dishes, visiting farms and more. Emma Lee-Potter reports
Diary of a headteacher: The joy of residential trips! Residential trips have come a long way since Tom Donohoe’s first experience as an NQT…
Case study: A focus on literacy and numeracy Thorough implementation of reading and maths initiatives have paid off at Lea Forest Primary Academy. Craig Clarke explains
A calming, therapeutic classroom environment How can you create a therapeutic and calming classroom environment that cultivates learning? Play therapist Shahana Knight offers some suggestions and guidance 2 comments
Evidence-based resources: Do they make a difference? Many teachers find it hard to engage with and act on research evidence, even when they know it can help them to improve teaching practice and student outcomes. Dorothy Lepkowska explains
A curriculum to stimulate a sense of engagement A curriculum focusing on independence, collaboration, creativity and expression has been the key to turning around a primary school in an area known as ‘little Beirut’. Headteacher Steve Kernan explains
Simple science ideas The Wellcome Trust’s free Explorify programme is helping to boost primary school science lessons. Louise Stubberfield discusses how headteachers can support excellent primary science provision
