Would you like an older, wiser (but completely unpatronising) colleague always on hand to give advice on teaching literacy? Someone who’s taught for years, sorted out what’s useful from what’s not, then tried and tested her methods with real children? Someone who can explain clearly what you need to know, and send you back to the classroom with a battery of good, practical ideas?

Meet Beth Smith. She’s an experienced teacher who really loves teaching. Start Here is a clear, practical, jargon-free handbook, designed to provide ideas and background information for tackling literacy.

My only complaint is that it assumes teachers have plenty of time to spend working with individual pupils. Since this is sadly not the case, you may find yourself having to pass on Beth Smith’s advice to classroom assistants or volunteer helpers.