Primary

Friday

25th Nov 2022

Sats: How can schools address the primary writing crisis?
Writing outcomes this year may tell a bleak story, but the situation isn’t hopeless, says Alex Quigley, with simple classroom practices able to have a big impact
Pencil

Thursday

24th Nov 2022

How we’re tackling the reading gap
With new research revealing that the number of ‘very low’ attainers in Year 2 reading has tripled post-Covid, academy trust chief Cathie Paine says the situation would be worse without teachers’ ‘colossal’ catch-up efforts
Tightrope books

Tuesday

1st Nov 2022

How to help SEND pupils to tell the time
Despite the dominance of digital time these days, the curriculum says that all children must learn to read an analogue clock by age 7. For some pupils with SEND, this presents specific challenges, says Liz Hawker, as she shares her advice
Human clock

Tuesday

25th Oct 2022

Why we have to put children first in education research
A recent trial into popular phonics programmes raises some questions about how we balance competing priorities in research, says Megan Dixon
Phonics

Thursday

20th Oct 2022

Why we use action-research as CPD
Encouraging teachers to conduct their own research studies has a much bigger impact on their professional development than giving them appraisals, argues Nicky Pear
Why we use action-research as CPD

Friday

7th Oct 2022

Why the KS1 results show we’ve put policy before pupils
This year’s key stage 1 assessment results show that the needs of the most disadvantaged children have been forgotten by policymakers, says Megan Dixon – and it’s time for a fresh start
Disadvantaged learner

Thursday

6th Oct 2022

How I use a visual timetable to support all pupils
When her class reported feelings of anxiety and nervousness after lockdown, Gemma Redpath introduced a visual timetable to guide them through the day – here, she explains how it works
Visual timetable

Thursday

22nd Sep 2022

Could a class dog get children excited about reading?
Animal-assisted interventions have grown in popularity in recent years, but do they really work? New research adds to the evidence base
Could a class dog get children excited about reading?

Wednesday

24th Aug 2022

How to create a trauma-informed classroom
When it comes to classroom design, this school asks just one question: which layout will be the calmest? Here, headteacher Clare Campbell explains why
Relaxing seating

Tuesday

2nd Aug 2022

Why there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to learning to read
Some learners start school lacking the foundational skills they need to succeed – something that off-the-shelf reading schemes don’t always acknowledge, says Megan Dixon
Oversized

Friday

29th Jul 2022

Could a recommended daily allowance for the arts work?
Sky Arts has recommended that every primary school spend 65 minutes a week on arts education – but how realistic is this for schools? Kate Parker finds out
dance

Wednesday

20th Jul 2022

Why we may be getting outdoor education (very) wrong
The rise of forest schools has changed perceptions about what effective outdoor education looks like – but do you really need a campfire to see the benefits of learning in the open air? Zofia Niemtus investigates
Forest school