GCSEs (General Certificate of Secondary Education) are the main academic qualification taken in several subjects by the vast majority of pupils in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. But, in England, there have been significant reforms to many of the topics studied within the subjects, as well as to the examinations themselves and […]
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Head Teacher of Yarborough Academy, Hannah Albery, shares the journey of changing the maths culture in her school. “…this was mastery, but it also transcended everything. It was just good maths teaching. And, for me, that’s what mastery is. Teaching for understanding. And, that’s what Numicon gives us.” When the new curriculum came into place, […]
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I was not surprised when I finished reading ‘Why Closing the Word Gap Matters: Oxford Language Report’ , but it still made for sombre reading. The report put in black and white what teachers already know: Most of the students we teach don’t have the vocabulary they need to fulfil their full potential at school. The word gap affects students’ wider life chances. After […]
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Happy June, everyone! We hope you’re all having a magical summer so far. This month’s reading list is all about – you guessed it – marvellously magical tales to keep the little ones reading over the summer months. So, let’s take a (magic) wand-er through this spell-binding book list that will capture any child’s heart! […]
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Magical Kingdom of Birds: The Sleepy Hummingbirds is the first book in an enchanting new series of children’s books celebrating the real-life beauty and wonder of the natural world. We speak to illustrator Rosie Butcher to find out what it’s like bringing this magical series to life! Rosie Butcher, illustrator of Magical Kingdom of Birds How did you approach illustrating the Magical Kingdom […]
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“Only art has the power to build bridges between communities,” asserts an art historian in response to a current exhibit in Srinigar, Kashmir. One of the hosts of the exhibition similarly affirms, “Art is dialogue and conversation about difficult subjects.” As TOK teachers, we have a world of examples to bring to class on art […]
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The recent collapse of alternative qualifications and the narrow focus on which qualifications count for Progress 8 scores mean that GCSE Combined Science has become the default entry route to a science qualification for students in England. Some schools co-teach GCSE Combined Science with Entry Level Certificate (ELC), but an increasingly challenging curriculum presents difficulty […]
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Tackling a declining trend in maths In 2014, we achieved an Outstanding Ofsted, which was fantastic – a reflection of the dedication of our staff and their hard work. However, hidden behind that was a declining trend in maths. The gap between maths and English was widening and this was a concern. We became aware […]
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Not all teachers can say that they went to school on the last Monday before half term with a spring in their step. I, however, did exactly that. It was the first day back after ‘The Big Day’… not the Royal Wedding nor not the FA Cup Final, but the Historical Association Conference 2018. I […]
Read moreRussia is ready for kick-off for this year’s World Cup! To celebrate the opening of the tournament in June, we’ve handpicked three of our favourite football-filled books! These books will make great summer reads and will inspire young football fans to cheer on their teams. Fantastic Football Poems , written by John Foster and illustrated by Korky Paul. This […]
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