Below you will find the latest educational best practice articles covering . The role of teachers is constantly evolving as new advice, techniques and technology are implemented within schools, making it essential for staff to stay up-to-date with for the benefit of their pupils.

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Earth Day 2021: Inspiring young global citizens

This year’s Earth Day on April 22 offers primary schools the chance to engage pupils in issues relating to climate change and environmental protection. Harriet Marshall and Matthew Smitheman offer some ideas

Climate action in schools: Ideas to reduce your carbon impact

Reducing your school’s carbon emissions is not as difficult as it may seem. Alex Green from the Let’s Go Zero campaign outlines some inspiring and money-saving ideas to get your school started

Introducing rough and tumble play into Reception

Tug of war, tangling, tickling, leapfrog – rough and tumble play is a normal feature of childhood and part of child development – and yet there are understandable reservations about introducing it as part of Reception provision. Teacher Rachna Joshi and EYFS lead Carla Jones advise

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

LGBT+ teaching within relationships education

If a child is not too young to learn about heterosexual relationships, they are not too young to learn about same-sex relationships. Emma Fay from charity Just Like Us advises on how we can ensure relationships education is LGBT-inclusive

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Relationships and projects: A new curriculum focus post-Covid?

As we develop our curriculum for after Covid, we must focus on nurturing children’s relationships with parents, peers and staff and developing their vital characteristics and skills. Julie Norman considers some ideas, including the role that a project-based learning approach can play

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…

Ideas for developing global citizens through STEM activities

There are plenty of links between practical STEM study and global citizenship. Drawing on her new book, Emily Hunt offers quick ideas for your lessons

Closing the gap: Supporting the most disadvantaged EAL pupils during the pandemic

When supporting learners with English as an additional language to catch-up with their studies following this year’s disruption, formative assessment is vital to understanding new starting points. Emily Curran continues Headteacher Update’s recent focus on supporting EAL pupils

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

Black Lives Matter: How schools must respond

What implications should the Black Lives Matter movement have for what and how we teach in our primary and secondary schools? Matt Bromley considers the key questions we must be asking of our curriculum in light of events around the world this year

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

Closing the Covid-19 gap for EAL pupils

Headteacher Update has previously outlined the risks presented by Covid-19 to learning and progress for specific pupils with English as an additional language. Continuing this focus, Emily Curran now offers some practical socially distanced strategies to support EAL pupils during the pandemic

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

Pupil Premium: Tracking progress, challenges and involvement – a case study

A small sheet of paper completed four times a year has transformed one primary school’s approach to Pupil Premium support and intervention. Jessica Hawley explains

Lost learning? Why we must avoid a deficit teaching model post-lockdown – and how we can do it

The rhetoric around ‘lost learning’ is not helpful and should be avoided, says Matt Bromley. Drawing on the words of David Ausubel and Dylan Wiliam, he looks here about why we must avoid the deficit model when teaching this academic year

Literacy: Five ways to encourage pupils to read at home

Reading at home can boost pupils’ literacy and love of books. Alex Goss shares five tips for how schools can support and encourage young learners to want to read at home

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...

Building subject knowledge in primary schools

Developing the subject knowledge and sequencing skills of teachers is crucial, certainly in light of the revised national curriculum and change in focus of Ofsted inspection. Neil Almond explains the approaches being implemented across the Woodland Academy Trust

Character education: The why before the how

Launching character education in your school? Tom Haigh urges schools to start off with the why and not the how…

Knowledge and skills: How you can achieve both in your school

There is a virus doing the rounds – it makes people think that knowledge and skills cannot co-habit. Professor Guy Claxton says that ‘both/and’ – not ‘either/or’ – is perfectly possible. He offers some practical reflections for school leaders

Character education: What does it look like?

The virtues and traits that are developed through effective character education have never been more important as young people navigate their way through the Covid-19 pandemic. Drawing on the Schools of Character Kitemark, Tom Haigh looks at what it means place character at the heart of your school

Delivering effective mental health education

With health education becoming compulsory in September, there is an opportunity for a clearer focus on mental wellbeing. Clare Stafford speaks with two mental health experts about effective whole-school approaches and practical tips for schools preparing to deliver the new curriculum

Coronavirus: A realistic approach to home learning

As millions of school children – and their parents – knuckle down to home schooling, Dorothy Lepkowska looks at the advice for schools and teachers on how to set work and what the expectations should (and should not) be

Coronavirus: Home education resources for schools, teachers and parents

A range of resources and education services are being offered to schools and parents to help support the home education of students during the coronavirus crisis. Dorothy Lepkowska looks at some of what is out there, including a number of free-access resources

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