Teaching and Learning

Covid-19: Ideas for taking learning outside this autumn

During the pandemic, many schools have become more adept at making the most of their outside spaces. How can we ensure that teaching outdoors continues to feature in our planning? Suzanne O’Connell gets some tips from headteacher Emma Barker and the charity Learning through Landscapes


LGBT+ and gender: Auditing your school’s curriculum

It is vital that your school curriculum represents the diversity seen in modern Britain. Katherine Fowler outlines what to consider when carrying out a curriculum review focused on gender and LGBT+ and considers how to instil a cross-curricular sense of inclusivity



Creating the perfect early years education environment

Since coming back to school, our youngest pupils have been bursting to get going, embracing play and messy learning especially. Carys Henwood considers how we can create a purposeful early years’ education environment




Edtech change and transformation: How to make things happen...

When it comes to edtech in schools, we are all grappling with how to harness the momentum that has been built up during the pandemic. Al Kingsley – author of the new book My Secret EdTech Diary – explains how to take control of edtech change and make things happen


Whole class feedback: Strategies and experiences

Whole class feedback reduces workload and ensures we are responsive to student need. Robbie Burns considers research into effective practice and describes his school’s strategy for whole-class feedback


Curriculum design: Impact, impact, impact...

As part of Ofsted’s focus on curriculum impact, evaluating the pace of pupil progress, pupil outcomes, and their preparedness for next steps is vital, as is ‘performance development’. Matt Bromley explains



Forget edtech – we need to talk about ‘pedtech’

Most research papers, roundtable discussions and industry experts agree that effective pedagogy is at the heart of good edtech use. But whose pedagogy we are referring to? Fiona Aubrey-Smith argues that the narrative around technology in education must change


Reception to key stage 1: Achieving transfer of learning

Reception, key stage 1 and beyond – learning transfer is a crucial part of effective education. Juliet Mickelburgh considers the EYFS Characteristics of Effective Learning and how we might transfer this key learning from the early years into primary


Anti-racism & diversity: Curriculum, policy and practice

Decolonising the primary curriculum, embedding diversity, and becoming an anti-racist school is a challenging and at times difficult process. Headteacher Laura McPhee describes how her school reviewed and reformed its curriculum, policy and practice



Doorstep disadvantage: Beyond the Pupil Premium

Do you understand the barriers to learning that poverty creates in your school’s community? Doctoral researcher and teacher, Sean Harris, reflects on some of the lessons he has learned as a school leader, researcher and as somebody who has experienced poverty himself


Covid lessons: The three Ms of effective remote learning

We hope that national lockdowns are now behind us, but remote learning will continue for some pupils and groups in the months to come. Drawing on all we have learned, Matt Bromley offers his three principles of effective blended learning



Recovery: Finding your school's Covid-keepers

We have a new buzz phrase in education. ‘Covid-keepers’ refers to those practices and innovations developed out of necessity during the pandemic but which schools intend to keep as they Build Back Better. Suzanne O’Connell identifies 11 common Covid-keepers...


So, what have we learned about online learning?

What are your lessons from lockdown when it comes to effective blended learning and use of edtech? Eylan Ezekiel looks at what we have learned about creating safe, supportive and effective digital learning environments


Implementing edtech effectively across the curriculum

After a year of disruption and innovation, where are you now with your edtech in the context of teaching and learning? Osi Ejiofor discusses how schools can effectively harness and implement technology across the curriculum


EAL in the Early Career Framework

The Early Career Framework makes no mention of teaching pupils who use English as an additional language, despite the fact that nearly half of teachers teach in diverse classrooms. Silvana Richardson advises


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



Racism: Helping schools to lead a legacy of change

Stephen Lawrence loved school and he wanted to be an architect. Twenty-eight years since his senseless and racist murder, schools can help to create a legacy for change by focusing on classrooms, community and careers. Deborah Lawson explains


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