Primary

Tuesday

3rd May 2022

Is there any point in pen licences?
Often, pupils work towards a pen licence in key stage 2 – but should they? Here, two teachers go head to head to argue the benefits, and limitations, of the award
Pen, License, Head,

Friday

22nd Apr 2022

Could ‘golden lessons’ be the key to school improvement?
Building a bank of ‘gold-standard’ lessons based around the principles of the ‘three Is’ is improving student engagement and resilience, say the teachers at one junior school
Golden, lessons
How phonics became an education culture war
The use of phonics to teach early reading is one of the best-evidenced areas of education, yet debate persists over which method schools should adopt – and, at times, it can get pretty heated
Phonics, Reading, wars

Tuesday

19th Apr 2022

Sats 2022: how to gain extra marks on the reading paper
As schools prepare pupils to sit Sats, two Year 6 teachers share their advice when it comes to the reading paper
Sats: how to gain extra marks on the reading paper

Thursday

14th Apr 2022

Why Year 1s are struggling with school - and how to help them
As teachers report increased misbehaviour in key stage 1, experts share why this is happening and what teachers can do about it
exclusion, struggling, year, one

Friday

1st Apr 2022

Is there really too much grammar teaching?
Critics claim there is too much focus on grammar in schools – but these linguists argue that teaching grammatical terms has huge benefits for learning
Grammar, too, much

Thursday

31st Mar 2022

How trains can teach children with autism about relationships
Thomas the Tank Engine may not be the most obvious curriculum hook, but at The Cavendish School, they harness the much-loved TV show to teach children about self-identity
Thomas, tank, engine, autism

Friday

25th Mar 2022

Ask the expert: How zoology is boosting early literacy skills
As research finds that exposing children to the language of science and the natural world in key stage 1 engages them with literacy and aids progress, Kate Parker chats to the academics to find out more
Expert, Zoology

Friday

25th Feb 2022

Why your teaching needs some nonsense
Research shows that nonsense wordplay can equip children with communication and coping skills, but should teachers embed nonsense beyond English lessons?
Why your teaching needs some nonsense

Wednesday

16th Feb 2022

You can’t beat taiko drumming for engagement
When primary teacher Sally Kawagoe was tasked with re-engaging Year 6 pupils, she turned to taiko drumming – and was amazed at the transformation
Why Taiko drumming works wonders for attainment

Friday

4th Feb 2022

How to build powerful knowledge at primary school
For a knowledge-rich curriculum to be effective at primary level, teachers need to become subject specialists, writes Beth Budden
How to build powerful knowledge at primary school

Friday

28th Jan 2022

How to tackle violence in primary schools
As experts predict a surge in youth violence as a result of the pandemic, Kate Parker finds that intervention needs to begin much earlier than people think
Primary, Violence