As the prime minister and new education secretary revealed their plans for the country and the education system at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester this week, teachers celebrated the start of Black History Month, and debated the use of booklets in lessons.

Catch up on everything you need to know right here. 

News

• Zahawi promises White Paper on illiteracy

Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi used his maiden speech in his new role at the Conservative Party conference to promise a schools White Paper to tackle “illiteracy and innumeracy” in the new year.

• Johnson announcement branded a ‘U-turn’

Boris Johnson announced a new “levelling up premium” aimed at ensuring that the best maths and science teachers go to the areas that need them most - but the policy of providing extra payments to teachers was criticised as a U-turn after the government scrapped an early career payment scheme last year.

• Covid cases soar in schools

More than 200,000 pupils were off school last week because of Covid-19, with more than half of these testing positive for the virus. The number of pupils absent for Covid-related reasons was up 67 per cent on two weeks earlier.

• Heads fear Covid contact tracing is not happening in schools

Headteachers have raised concerns with the education secretary that NHS Test and Trace appears to be doing “little, if any” Covid contact tracing in schools.

• Zahawi urged to listen and learn from ‘mistakes’ of the past year

The week ended with the NAHT school leaders’ union’s annual conference, where general secretary Paul Whiteman was expected to urge Mr Zahawi to listen to the profession to avoid repeating the government’s “mistakes and U-turns” in education policy over the past year.

Features

• Behaviour: Why you should use this sales technique

The LAST technique helps businesses to retain disgruntled customers - and it works wonders with pupil behaviour, too, says this teacher.

• Why I avoid using booklets in my lessons

Booklets are growing in popularity, but there’s a risk they’ll become the curriculum, rather than a tool to support it, writes Mark Enser.

• Booklets: Why they’re effective and how I use them

There is a place for booklets in the secondary classroom, argues Clive Hill - if teachers design and utilise them effectively.

• New exam dispensation rules: what you need to know

To qualify for extra time in exams, students now need two below-average standardised scores. Here are the details.

• Black History Month: Four moments to share with your class

This Black History Month, teachers should share the complex and fascinating black history we have in Britain, says Thomas Kent.