Ofsted has put a fair amount of effort into debunking common myths about inspection. Its response to these, set out on gov.uk [1] and reinforced in the inspection handbook [2] , should offer some comfort to schools choosing to adopt teaching for mastery in mathematics. For example, teachers using textbooks as the basis for lesson planning will […]
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Rudyard Kipling’s The Ballad of East and West contains the famous opening line: Oh, East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet. I’ve heard this message echoed in a variety of forms over recent years by educators who are wary, and sometimes sceptical, of the value of mathematics teaching methods […]
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If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart. (N.Mandela) Our children’s world revolves around using huge amounts of highly advanced accessible technology. Surrounded by computers and social media, children “chat” more than ever, but spend less […]
Read moreGood reading comprehension is a critical skill, fundamental to learning across the curriculum, to reading for pleasure and for success in life. Helping children to develop this skill can feel like a challenging process. However, a strong body of research evidence, including a recently published report from the Education Endowment Foundation , reveals three identifiable aspects that underpin […]
Read morePupil progress shouldn’t be confused with curriculum pace: good progress in mathematics is not about moving on quickly Primary schools are still responding to significant changes to assessment and accountability put in place by the government over recent years. This started with the removal of National Curriculum levels and was followed by new key stage […]
Read moreIt’s not just academies and free schools that enjoy curriculum freedom: maintained schools have more flexibility than they think I am often asked at maths education events whether south-east Asian mastery is at odds with statutory curriculum requirements. Head teachers and maths co-ordinators in many schools yet to make the change to mastery state: ‘Our […]
Read moreMarch. Bulbs are beginning to flower, birds are singing again, and lambs are frolicking in the fields. Spring is in the air and a Year 6 teacher’s thoughts turn to… SATs. There are just two short months until four years of Key Stage 2 education will be assessed in one week. Three hours and fifty […]
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Year after year, when SATs and GCSE results are announced, the headlines shout about girls outperforming boys, but there is very little or no explanation for parents as to why this might be happening. As educators, we owe it to parents to show them what the issues are, what their school is doing about it, […]
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Putting brilliant reading corners, libraries and learning spaces at the heart of your school As the headteacher at Our Lady & St. Hubert’s in Sandwell, I was recently given the opportunity to expand our school to two-form entry and build a brand new school. We wanted a building that flowed, suited Sandwell children and approached […]
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We know that giving children strong grammar, punctuation and spelling skills really helps them to communicate clearly, but children often find the rules difficult to understand. Here are some top tips from our resources to help. Brush up your knowledge The National Curriculum includes an extensive list of grammar terms for children to understand. You […]
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