Curriculum Manager

The future of SATs | Curriculum Manager

Is this the last year for SATs? Sam Derby discusses a possible end to SATs, and looks at the opinion that the exams are "too stressful" for young pupils

Time to start trusting teachers | Curriculum Manager

How can we go about building trust into the education system? Here we look at the NAHT's Commission of Inquiry into Assessment and League Tables

The changing aims of primary education | Curriculum Manager

After a long standing struggle between learner-centred and standards-led aims for primary education, two papers for the Primary Review note the emergence of a hybrid

Empowering teaching assistants to raise standards | Curriculum Manager

Muriel Thomson tells how she has transformed the way support staff are used at Brixham College, Devon, bringing wide-reaching benefits across the school

From compliance with the curriculum to creativity in the classroom | Curriculum Manager

With a more creative and flexible secondary curriculum on the horizon, Rebecca Patterson and Debra Kidd explore what it could mean for CPD

Helping hands: making best use of TAs | Curriculum Manager

To allow full use of teaching assistants, curriculum managers need to ensure both TAs and teachers have the support they need. This involves quality line management and a clear understanding of how to plan for effective learning, Lynn Maidment explains

Learning from our European neighbours' education systems | Curriculum Manager

Our European neighbours do education differently - with different starting ages, reading levels, varied approaches to the curriculum and assessment, extremes of class size and funding. What can we learn? Dave Weston shares his experience

Building a curriculum for confidence and responsibility | Curriculum Manager

Staff at Park View Community School, Chester-Le-Street, describe how introducing a competence-based curriculum has enabled students and teachers to begin a learning journey

Self-evaluation forms: going departmental | Curriculum Manager

Anne Clarke, principal of Benton Park School, discusses the value of departmental SEFs

The road to a creative curriculum | Curriculum Manager

Have you taken ownership of your curriculum yet? David Morley examines how to break free, particularly with themed creative events

Case study: restructuring lessons to advance learning | Curriculum Manager

Deputy head Betty Port discusses how she looked at restructuring lessons to transform learning across her school

Learning to learn: changing the curriculum | Curriculum Manager

Staff at the Grammar School for Girls, Wilmington, decided it was time for a change. Six months later there is a real sense of staff and students working together for the future. Chris Love describes how learning to learn was introduced to his school

Creative thinking: a personal, learning and thinking skill | Curriculum Manager

If the spirit of creativity were allowed to flower, could we cope? David Leat looks at the way that everyday constraints leave schools ill-equipped to teach creativity and the way that it can flourish when those constraints are removed

Creating research-informed practitioners: the BERA Professional User Reviews | Curriculum Manager

The BERA Professional User Reviews, published in 2003, aimed to critically inform the thinking of practitioners about research. Kate Wall uses them as a focus to argue that the closing of the theory-practice divide is becoming more and more relevant in 2008

Using the Institutional Quality Standards to improve G&T provision | Curriculum Manager

Improving your gifted and talented provision depends on being able to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in your current approach. The Institutional Quality Standards (IQS) is a self-evaluation tool for doing just that, and supports the introduction of personalised education across the whole school, writes Deborah Eyre

Motivating underachievers: techniques and tactics | Curriculum Manager

John Blanchard looks at the importance of distinguishing underachievers and slow learners and gives examples of techniques and tactics you can use to help pupils reach their potential

Health and safety for work-related learning: What schools need to know | Curriculum Manager

Many schools are happy to leave assessment of health and safety on work experience placements to outside agencies, but does this allow them to properly exercise their duty of care? Ruth Bradbury examines the problems and provides practical advice on how schools can play a more active role in the process

Collaboration and unity: the rewards of 100% specialist status | Curriculum Manager

The advantages of being part of a local authority where all schools have specialist status are enormous, as education writer Crispin Andrews found out when he spoke to headteachers in one of them – Plymouth

Teaching religion: the duty to be impartial | Curriculum Manager

What are the legal restrictions on how we should teach religious studies in school?

Evidence-informed practice | Curriculum Manager

Teachers are being encouraged to use evidence to improve their practice. David Leat looks at three forms of evidence-informed professional enquiry – tinkering, action research and design research

Learning and thinking skills through drama | Curriculum Manager

David Allen and Iona Towler-Evans look at an innovative system of teaching thinking skills through drama

Creative and sensitive teaching of religious education | Curriculum Manager

Angela Youngman turns her attention to religious education, potentially the most difficult and divisive of subjects to teach creatively and sensitively

Guy Claxton's character curriculum for the learning age | Curriculum Manager

Guy Claxton invites debate on his eight character strengths and virtues for the learning age

Centralisation and decentralisation of the curriculum | Curriculum Manager

David Leat considers a recent study comparing nine countries which shows that policy on teaching and curriculum tends to swing between centralisation and decentralisation

The benefits of skiing: at home and trips abroad | Curriculum Manager

Lisa Symonds looks at the benefits that skiing can offer schools and provides some tips on arranging a school skiing trip

Boxing in schools: an anti-bullying scheme | Curriculum Manager

Boxercise classes and boxing clubs in schools can be used to improve fitness and behaviour, as well as tackle bullying and racism says Rob Bowden

Learning detectives: learning to learn | Curriculum Manager

Mandi Horwood describes how a project to investigate how students saw their learning and how they can have a say in it revealed the vital contribution that they have to make

Silver GA Award for 'Reading Our Landscapes' geography resource | Curriculum Manager

Acclaimed geography resource Reading Our Landscapes picks up Silver GA Award at annual Geographical Association conference

Education and business working together | Curriculum Manager

Creating and delivering productive links between business and the school curriculum can benefit everyone's future, argues headteacher Martin Ainsworth

Science lesson plan for Key Stage 2 - reflecting light and sound | Curriculum Manager

This science lesson plan for Key Stage 2 works on a number of levels, writes Caroline Coxon

Opening minds: a competency based curriculum at Campion School | Curriculum Manager

Helen Boyle, AST and lead teacher for Opening Minds, Campion School, describes the school's successful development of a competency based curriculum with L2L at its heart

Achieving strategic ICT delivery at Le Rocquier School, Jersey | Curriculum Manager

In 2003, Le Rocquier school had no ICT strategy, no ICT replacement programme, no staff ICT training programme...but by 2007 that had all changed, and ICT is now integral to teaching and learning throughout the school, writes John McGuinness

SLICT: how to integrate ICT in your school | Curriculum Manager

Chris Comber from Leicester University offers curriculum managers exclusive insights into the findings, outlining key factors to integrate ICT throughout teaching and learning

Renewed Primary Framework for Mathematics | Curriculum Manager

Kath Donovan looks at the Renewed Primary Framework for Mathematics

Renewed Primary Framework for Literacy | Curriculum Manager

Sara Wernham looks at the Renewed Primary Framework for Literacy and discovers how it will affect teachers

The learning journey for maths | Curriculum Manager

Lorraine Barber, a numeracy adviser from Worcestershire, explains the importance of effective and exciting maths teaching

Self-evaluation and PE | Curriculum Manager

Penny Cottee offers some top tips on self-evaluation and the teaching of school sport

Key concepts: the new secondary PE curriculum | Curriculum Manager

Crichton Casbon, curriculum adviser for PE at the QCA, explains the new PE curriculum changes to Penny Cottee

Delivering dance in primary schools | Curriculum Manager

Dance specialist and SSCo Kim Spiller offers advice to primary teachers about delivering high-quality dance

Providing quality PE in primary schools | Curriculum Manager

Crispin Andrews talks to assistant headteacher Karen Collinswood about the role of school leadership in developing high-quality PE in primary schools

Sport spotlight: Boxing comes back into schools | Curriculum Manager

Tina Ryan explores the reinvention of boxing as a school sport

Argument for a truly physical education | Curriculum Manager

Andrew Cushing argues the case for a new programme of physical education in schools

Teaching and Learning Research Programme - ten key messages | Curriculum Manager

Mary James, the Teaching and Learning Research Programme (TLRP) deputy director, describes the most important messages that have arisen out of this national multi-faceted exploration of teaching and learning practice

Pedagogy - what does it mean? | Curriculum Manager

Jo McShane used to think that pedagogy was just a stuffy academic way of saying ‘teaching’, but after attending a conference on the subject she finds that it means a great deal more

Encouraging musical creativity in the early years | Curriculum Manager

Patricia Lee explains how supporting children’s musical creativity can contribute to their sense of self-worth and emotional wellbeing

Early Years Marketing 2: Knowing your customers | Curriculum Manager

In this second article on marketing and promotion, Early Years Update, looks at how to use market research to find out more about the customers who use your services

The statutory requirements of the EYFS | Curriculum Manager

Early Years Update highlights the key management issues contained in the EYFS Statutory Framework

Effective governance and excellent leadership | Curriculum Manager

Mo Laycock, Headteacher, Firth Park Community Arts College describes the effective model of governance which has contributed to three Ofsted results of 'outstanding' leadership at the school

Engaging governance: teaching and learning involvement | Curriculum Manager

Rather than see governors as a nuisance to be endured, schools instead should be working with them as an invaluable source of help and advice, argues Colleen Arnold of the National Governors Association

Students have their say on learning | Curriculum Manager

A recent research review reveals exactly what pupils want from the curriculum

Heads welcome flexibility of the new Key Stage 3 curriculum | Curriculum Manager

Education writer and former head Gerald Haigh talks to Dr Keith Bothamley, deputy head (curriculum) at Horsforth School, and Richard Brown, principal of Minsthorpe Community College in Wakefield, about the new KS3 curriculum

The Key Stage 3 review | Curriculum Manager

Primary headteacher David Dixon applauds many of the changes that the Key Stage 3 review heralds, arguing that many of them will bring about practices already embedded in the best primary schools

Young people support family diversity | Curriculum Manager

Barry Griffiths summarises key points of an online debate about family relationships

African-Caribbean views on slavery | Curriculum Manager

History can help young people to see the ‘big picture’ about enslavement, says E Kay Traille

Creating a generation of lifesavers | Curriculum Manager

Jon Handcock outlines the latest British Red Cross initiative for acquiring first aid skills

Case study: bringing about school improvement | Curriculum Manager

Roger Whittall, Headteacher, The Westwood School, Coventry explains the school improvement strategies that have raised attainment and standards at his school

Cognitive acceleration | Curriculum Manager

Philip Adey, one of the original proponents of CASE (cognitive acceleration through science education), reviews developments in the approach and critically examines its use in schools

SEN and personalised learning in secondary curriculum review | Curriculum Manager

The curriculum review section of most direct interest to SENCOs concerns organising the curriculum. SENCO Update reports

Creativity in the science curriculum | Curriculum Manager

Many of your teachers will not be science specialists. Angela Youngman has been looking at innovative approaches to the teaching of science that help encourage children’s inquisitiveness

What's new about personalised learning? | Curriculum Manager

Is personalised learning really all that new? Roger Smith investigates

Key Stage 3 curriculum review | Curriculum Manager

Brian Rossiter, headteacher of Valley School, Worksop, North Nottinghamshire, offers his take on the KS3 curriculum review

Shakespeare in the 21st century | Curriculum Manager

Georghia Ellinas, Secondary National Strategy regional adviser, describes an initiative that allows pupils to enjoy a Shakespeare play in their own time and space

Schools explore the quality standards for gifted and talented provision | Curriculum Manager

We look at two examples from a booklet produced by the West Midlands Regional G&T partnership describing the experiences of 16 ‘test bed’ schools as they have engaged with the IQS and taken a lead in their implementation

Learning to love languages: resources for young linguists | Curriculum Manager

In 2002 Gwen Goodhew was dismayed at the lack of resources she found for young linguists. Five years later, her research has revealed changes for the better.

From thinking skills to thinking schools | Curriculum Manager

David Leat reflects on the contribution of cognitive acceleration through science education (CASE) and the way in which initiatives such as this can contribute to thinking communities

Case study: Restructuring the curriculum | Curriculum Manager

Restructuring the curriculum can enhance personalised learning, risk taking, creativity and Key Stage 3 and 4 results, as Mo Laycock, Headteacher, Firth Park Community Arts College, reports

Values education resource: the National Curriculum Statement | Curriculum Manager

The National Curriculum statement of values has been misunderstood, says Graham Haydon

Education in the Commonwealth | Curriculum Manager

Empowering young people throughout the Commonwealth to become active citizens is one of the goals of the Council for Education in the Commonwealth. Gertrude Shotte reports on its work

Sustainable development and global citizenship in Wales | Curriculum Manager

Liz Thomas describes how a holistic ESDGC strategy for action operates in Wales

Building partnerships to boost creativity | Curriculum Manager

Incorporating more creativity in your curriculum will take staff out of their comfort zones, but will pay dividends in raised motivation and achievement for students, writes Becky Swain

Developing a drugs education curriculum for nursery-age children | Curriculum Manager

Joanne MacDonald describes an innovative approach to drugs education for young children

Visions of social enterprise in Liverpool | Curriculum Manager

Students in St Margaret's High School in Liverpool have designed and successfully marketed a computer game. David Dennison and Les Hankin report on a striking demonstration on economic wellbeing as a diver of school activity

The challenge of modern foreign languages | Curriculum Manager

Following the publication of Lord Dearing’s recommendations Angela Youngman explores the implications of every KS2 child learning a modern foreign language

Reaping the benefits of going global | Curriculum Manager

As the government increasingly recognises the importance of schools developing international links, headteacher Jim Donnelly looks at how these links can be established and what benefits they bring

Putting SEBS at the centre | Curriculum Manager

Judith Harwood, senior regional adviser for the primary and secondary strategy, describes what one school has been learning from its involvement in the Social, Emotional and Behavioural Skills (SEBS) pilot.

Meeting the needs of gifted and talented 14-19 students | Curriculum Manager

Collaboration is growing in 14-19 G&T education. Sandra Howard and Lis Stock of the Gifted and Talented Education Unit at the DfES look at some recent developments

Case study: implementing the International Baccalaureate | Curriculum Manager

A detailed look at how the IB has been launched in one school, by Rob Ford, Head of International Education and International Baccalaureate, The Ridings High School, Bristol

Delivering the International Baccalaureate: a curriculum with a world identity | Curriculum Manager

An outline of the content of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and what schools need to consider when deciding to apply to deliver the curriculum it offers. By Tristian Stobie

Global citizenship in school | Curriculum Manager

As the world in which we live comes closer together in some ways and further apart in many, Margaret Collins suggests ways in which we in schools can help to make it a better place

Teachers' relationships in the workplace | Curriculum Manager

The relationship of teachers in the workplace is an under-researched area. Educational psychologist Kairen Cullen discusses her study

Thinking Through School: building a learning community | Curriculum Manager

In this month’s in-depth focus Anne De A’Echevarria talks about the Thinking Through School approach to learning-focused innovation. She describes the model and, using examples, explores successful implementation in schools and how the impact can be seen to be more than school-wide.

How well is diversity promoted in the curriculum? | Curriculum Manager

Diversity and Citizenship in the Curriculum: Research Review is a recent DfES research briefing that looks at the way in which citizenship and diversity is taught across the curriculum.

Making connections: networking to improve teaching and learning | Curriculum Manager

Barbara Spender outlines the benefits for students that can come from schools collaborating with each other in a formal partnership where staff give mutual support and share resources

Sussing out the slave trade | Curriculum Manager

Julia Frankl argues that studying the abolition of slavery challenges discrimination

What does 'my space' look like? | Curriculum Manager

Daniel Raven-Ellison shows how geographical thinking makes sense of the world

World heritage - examining the threats | Curriculum Manager

Anjana Khatwa explores the implications of acquiring World Heritage Site status

Music Manifesto - the state of play | Curriculum Manager

Mike Rathbone reports on developments to make every child’s music matter

Teaching enterprise or enterprising teachers? | Curriculum Manager

Schools need to unpack ‘enterprise’ and ‘entrepreneurship’, say Jacek Brant and Alastair Falk

Raising aspirations in Year 9 | Curriculum Manager

How can teachers raise aspirations for students who have untapped potential? Martin Ransley follows the lives of a group of Year 9 students.

Sustaining the desire to learn | Curriculum Manager

Emotional Literacy Update takes a look at the learning aims that the secondary curriculum review hopes to put at the centre of the KS3 and KS4 curriculum from autumn 2008.

Musical concepts and elements | Curriculum Manager

Patricia Lee explores practical ways for you to introduce children to musical concepts and elements.

Community cohesion - will history help? | Curriculum Manager

‘Community cohesion’ is now a legal obligation on school governors and we must make the best of it, says Richard Bird, former headteacher and now legal consultant to the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL). He asks how teaching of history could contribute to this objective.

Learning about identity through museums | Curriculum Manager

Celine West shows how head spanners and glass eyes can be used to unpack prejudice.

Preventing meningitis in young people | Curriculum Manager

A new curriculum-based website to promote awareness of meningitis is outlined by Caroline Hill.

Parenting – neglected field in the curriculum? | Curriculum Manager

Ofsted’s last report on PSHE observed that parenting is frequently ignored in secondary schools. Dr Sue Dale Tunnicliffe outlines ways forward for 11-19 year olds.

Quality teaching and learning - one school's success | Curriculum Manager

Neil Hawkes outlines a values-based approach to school improvement.

Assessing the benefits of participation | Curriculum Manager

In this article, Christopher Williams unpacks recent DfES guidance on student involvement.

The progress of PSHE | Curriculum Manager

James Park reflects on the progress of personal, social and health education.

Assessment of maths pupils | Curriculum Manager

Andy Walmsley describes how action research at Biddick School Sports College was used to target students’ learning needs and develop peer coaching among teachers.

Assessment for learning and cooperative learning strategies | Curriculum Manager

Cooperative learning strategies aim to promote feedback loops relating to assessment and reflective learning in the classroom at Fallibroome High School. Jane Gormally and Francis Power describe the developments.

Teaching and learning interventions | Curriculum Manager

We are constantly trying to drive up standards of teaching and learning with new approaches, preferably those with a strong evidence base. But is ‘What Works?’ the right question? Should we really be asking ‘How do good teachers get better?’ Elaine Hall reflects on the messages from a meta-analysis of teaching and learning interventions.

School visits abroad: invaluable to pupils and staff | Curriculum Manager

Headteachers Anne Clarke and Annabelle Guyver analyse the benefits that trips abroad bring to participating pupils and to the staff leading them.

Tackling the modern languages crisis | Curriculum Manager

At the end of last year Sir Ron Dearing’s interim Languages Review was published. Headteacher Jim Donnelly looks at what he had to say and the suggestions for a way forward.

Personalisation as a core principle | Curriculum Manager

How can personalisation work in practice? Headteacher Paula Allen spoke to Bob Cox to explain how it’s done at Dorney Combined School.

Changes to teaching and learning | Curriculum Manager

The DfES, QCA and the National Strategies have got plans for changes to teaching and learning. Is this news? We have learned to live with change.

Recognising professional expertise in science education | Curriculum Manager

Science teachers are in the vanguard of gaining professional recognition linked to M-level standards. Derek Bell explains.

Report shows way forward for curriculum development | Curriculum Manager

Learners tend to have a narrow view of the relevance of the curriculum and their enjoyment of it decreases across the key stages. These are two of the key findings of an NfER review of the research on pupils’ experiences of and perspectives on the curriculum published in the UK between 1989 and 2005.

Creativity in the curriculum | Curriculum Manager

A school with creativity at the heart of the learning process will benefit by increasing the motivation of staff and pupils, says former head, Dave Weston. In this article and case study, he shows the way to more imaginative approaches to curriculum planning.

Links for international understanding | Curriculum Manager

Richard Ennals looks at the ongoing work to bring internationalism into schools and colleges.

Getting the best from classroom observation | Curriculum Manager

Former headteacher Roger Smith examines the impact of performance management guidelines – in particular the changes to classroom observation – and how they can be made to work.

Laying plans for better music provision | Curriculum Manager

A second report from the Music Manifesto group has recommended a series of steps to improve music education at maintained schools in England

Earning a living through horticulture | Curriculum Manager

Susan Johnson promotes land-based jobs for young people.

Guiding students to make informed curriculum choices | Curriculum Manager

The key change to the curriculum at Key Stage 4 has been to increase the breadth of choice. Alan Monks, Deputy Headteacher, describes the impact on Ellis Guilford School and Sports College, Nottingham.

Making the right choices at 14 and 16 | Curriculum Manager

Sarah Blenkinsop and Marian Morris examine young people’s decision-making patterns, the role their school plays, the skills they require and other influences on the choices they make at core points in their school career.

Reading our Landscapes | Curriculum Manager

An exciting new Geography resource was launched at the Geographical Association annual conference 2007.

Preparing for interview | Curriculum Manager

I know from my own experience that schools aim to interview fairly and don’t take your work in the school into consideration. In this and my previous position I 'beat' internal candidates to the post. At the time it felt like a bittersweet victory...

How safe are your school trips abroad? | Curriculum Manager

The British Standards Institution (BSI) is working on a new standard aimed at making school trips abroad safer.

Personalisation: what does it really mean? | Curriculum Manager

Richard Bird, former headteacher and now legal consultant to the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), looks at the different interpretations of personalised learning and what they might mean in practice.

On course for delivering Every Child Matters | Curriculum Manager

Dr Barbara Spender, Freelance Writer and Researcher, with information supplied by Terry Smith, Assistant Headteacher, Ninestiles Secondary School, Acocks Green, Birmingham.

Introducing Every Child Matters - routes through the curriculum | Curriculum Manager

Dr Barbara Spender considers the key questions underpinning Every Child Matters implementation from first considerations about individual school priorities, through visibility in specific curriculum areas, to evaluation and measurement of success.

Using NPSLBA to transform behaviour and raise attendance | Curriculum Manager

Using NPSLBA to transform behaviour and raise attendance.

Six-hat thinking | Curriculum Manager

G&T coordinator Peter Leyland explains how one Luton primary school has found that this thinking technique benefits everybody – students, more-able students and even staff.

How schools are supporting sporting talent | Curriculum Manager

Neil Short reports on the result of a small survey into sports provision in schools.

High drama | Curriculum Manager

Nick Smurthwaite explains how the after-school organisation Stagecoach is helping pupils with ability in the dramatic arts.

Thinking History: Questions, questions and more questions about questions! | Curriculum Manager

If giftedness is expertise in development then gifted historians are, or should be, on the road to being masters of a discipline. But how do we identify and nurture gifted historians? Alison Rowan explains the role of NAGTY’s history think tank.

Assessment: An overview | Curriculum Manager

How can assessment be used as a tool for improving learning and achievement for all pupils? What do you need to do differently for your more able pupils?

Coaching in performance management | Curriculum Manager

Neil Short looks at methods for supporting colleagues more effectively in the performance management process.

Geography in the early years | Curriculum Manager

Geography can reward the inquisitiveness of young children, says Steve Mynard.

Bringing history to life | Curriculum Manager

Archaeologist and teacher John Crossland, describes how you can use an historic site with Foundation Stage children.

Teacher's expedition to Antarctica | Curriculum Manager

Teaching Expertise is delighted to announce our sponsorship of a teacher’s expedition to Antarctica, exploring how humans cope with extremes.

Making sense of the world of mathematics | Curriculum Manager

Dr Alison J Price of Oxford Brookes University explains why understanding the relationship between numbers, and the connections between calculations, is an important part of developing mathematical awareness, and how this can influence delivery of the curriculum.

Making justice and care work together | Curriculum Manager

In his regular column Dr Graham Haydon argues that when the principles of justice and care are combined a more beneficial outcome is likely to be achieved.

Global leadership accountability: responsible challenges and netizenship | Curriculum Manager

In a special feature which encourages informed and responsible ways of tackling abuses of power Dr Christopher Williams suggests that young people make use of new web resources.

Teaching about taxation | Curriculum Manager

Jacek Brant found that taxation was an unattractive subject for pupils. He describes the findings of his team’s research and a practical resource that was developed in response to it.

Questioning national stereotypes | Curriculum Manager

Critical thinking skills can help us unpack national stereotypes. Dr Christopher Williams proposes strategies and resources focusing on the image of young people in Palestine.

Preparing for peace: the expert's view | Curriculum Manager

A new study guide by Quakers makes a valuable contribution to peace, finds Brian Walker.

Floundering over fossils: protecting our geological heritage | Curriculum Manager

Dr Anjana Khatwa and Richard Edmonds raise questions about fossil collecting and how to maintain environments for a sustainable future.

The Foundling Museum: a PSHE and citizenship resource | Curriculum Manager

Alice Mayers describes a collaborative project between the Foundling Museum and the National Theatre.

Performance tours and global citizenship | Curriculum Manager

Timothy Jones shows how performance helps students at the British Council School in Madrid become informed world citizens.

Darwin at Downe: a World Heritage Site? | Curriculum Manager

Dr Susan Johnson explains how the UK’s bid to make Charles Darwin’s home a World Heritage Site will help to maintain biodiversity.

Using drama to teach sensitive issues | Curriculum Manager

Chris Cowan explains how theatre in education can be a powerful tool in teaching sex and relationship education and other PSHE and citizenship topics.

Able, gifted and talented days for linguists | Curriculum Manager

Ruth Wilkes and Geoff Roberts describe a series of popular events in French and German.

Schools and the 2012 Olympics | Curriculum Manager

What are the potential benefits to young people and how are schools preparing? Richard Bailey looks into the future.

Bringing out talents through drama | Curriculum Manager

Dr Jonothan Neelands, deputy director of research at the National Academy of Gifted and Talented Youth, explains how drama helps both the academically gifted and artistically talented.

Musical health check | Curriculum Manager

Pat Lee begins her series on developing music within the Foundation Stage by looking at using music to enhance children’s social and emotional development.

All distributed: sharing leadership to build capacity | Curriculum Manager

Distributed leadership has the potential to transform schools, raising achievement and inspiring more effective practice from staff. Trevor Arrowsmith shows how.

Listen up: hearing what students have to say about learning | Curriculum Manager

Student voice can be a powerful tool in encouraging higher levels of engagement in learning leading to raised achievement. But many schools still have a lot to learn about making effective use of this tool in practice to bring about whole-school improvement. We uncover some of the lessons learned so far.

Networking to engage student voice | Curriculum Manager

Networking to engage student voice

Creating an effective school | Curriculum Manager

Creating an effective school

Scheme of Work for KS3 Citizenship – Chantry High School | Curriculum Manager

This scheme of work has the theme of Rich World Poor World.

Planning framework for citizenship education | Curriculum Manager

Questions for whole-school change – A suggested planning framework for providing citizenship education with a global dimension.

Benchmarks in global citizenship education | Curriculum Manager

Global citizenship benchmarks for secondary schools.

Fair Trade at Hartford High School | Curriculum Manager

This project focused on integrating Fair Trade purchasing throughout the school and raising pupil and staff awareness of global issues.

Citizenship INSET at Hartford High School | Curriculum Manager

Careful planning and clear outcomes made for a successful citizenship INSET event.

A personalised curriculum | Curriculum Manager

Headteacher Peter Kent and deputy Annabel Kay describe how introducing a condensed KS3 programme in their school has created the opportunity for personalised learning.

Without geography, you are nowhere | Curriculum Manager

Dr John Hopkin, chair of the Geographical Association’s Education Committee, looks at why geography has lost its status in the subject league tables and the ways in which it can be put back on the school map.

Primary geography: is it falling off the map? | Curriculum Manager

Geography is the poor Cinderella of the primary curriculum. Where did it all go wrong and what can be done about it? Paula Richardson, education adviser and chair of the publications board of the Geographical Association, makes some suggestions.

Valuing and developing creativity | Curriculum Manager

Former head Roger Smith looks at ways of promoting creativity in schools, arguing that the concept needs to have its place at the centre of the curriculum.

A sporting chance | Curriculum Manager

Neil Short, education consultant and former head, looks at how schools are facing up to the challenge of supporting and developing sporting talent among young pupils.

Pupil discussion at CDEC – bullying, fair trade and global citizenship | Curriculum Manager

Young people discuss bullying, citizenship, fair trade and social responsibility. Friday 25th February 2005 – transcript.

Trading for a fairer world at Notre Dame High School | Curriculum Manager

The aim of this project was, 'for students to understand the effect of global economics on countries with significant debt'. Specifically, how consumer pressure can ease the burden on developing nations.

Citizenship education and curriculum planning – Norfolk LEA | Curriculum Manager

Citizenship education is being integrated into curriculum planning across the UK. The following 'steps to success' come from Norfolk LEA, which worked with Norfolk and Suffolk schools on the Developing Citizenship project.

The global dimension in secondary schools – CDEC project reflection | Curriculum Manager

If citizenship with a global dimension is taught and learned in all schools, great things can be achieved! Heather Swainston from Cheshire Development Education Centre explains how.

Cross-curricular global awareness – NEAD | Curriculum Manager

This project has shown how some 'blockages' to greater global awareness in schools can be unblocked. The challenge now is to share and learn from our experiences. By Sandy Betlem, NEAD.

Global Citizenship across the curriculum at Chantry High School | Curriculum Manager

Our theme was 'Rich World, Poor World'. How do we open the eyes of children to equality issues?

Eco-school project at Kirkley High School | Curriculum Manager

This project supports the National Framework for PSHE and the National Healthy School Standard, as well as supporting the development of Citizenship throughout the school with some 1400 pupils.

Global curriculum development at Broadoak High School | Curriculum Manager

Global citizenship has radically altered the Key Stage 3 curriculum at Broadoak High School.

Global Citizenship Days at Benjamin Britten High School | Curriculum Manager

Our Global Citizenship days are off-timetable events with a mixture of quizzes, activities, video, and seminars. They are designed to cater for approximately half a year group at a time (110 students).

Martin Luther King Day at Benjamin Britten High School | Curriculum Manager

This was one of those projects that makes you think being a teacher really is worthwhile!

India Day at Flegg High School | Curriculum Manager

An anti-racism day held in 2002 brought together visiting speakers, specialist workshops, interested staff and visitors from NFC. This became a model for our first global citizenship event.

One World Week at Diss High School | Curriculum Manager

One World Day was part of a week linked to the School Development Plan, focusing on global issues.

Whole school policy review at Diss High School | Curriculum Manager

A review of the attitudes of the whole school towards global citizenship resulted in changes to the School Development Plan.

Multi-cultural Arts Day at Congleton High School | Curriculum Manager

Our multi-cultural arts day was aimed at Year 7 students and was one of a programme of stop days around global citizenship in our school.

Fair Trade Day at Congleton High School | Curriculum Manager

Fair trade day formed part of a whole school curriculum enrichment programme, and linked to the Citizenship scheme of work, which explores diversity and human rights in a local, national and global context.

Student voice at Whalley Range High School | Curriculum Manager

Many schools would say their students have a voice, but do they really? What about at Whalley Range?

Using school grounds for gardening | Curriculum Manager

The Manifesto for Education Outside the Classroom promotes high-quality outdoor learning experiences to support cognitive skills and aid personal development – gardening fits the bill, says Dr Susan Johnson

Focus on charitable trusts | Curriculum Manager

Charitable trusts give more than £350m to education annually. Louise Germaney looks at some of the biggest grant-giving foundations.

New school, new role – the reality | Curriculum Manager

Top tips for surviving your first year at a new school, from teacher Ben Vessey

The assessment revolution | Curriculum Manager

My late father was one of Her Majesty's School Inspectors in the 1970s and 1980s.

Opening Minds - the alternative curriculum | Curriculum Manager

In the third of our series of articles about the Opening Minds Curriculum, Imogen Willgress explains how a new team was brought together to plan the new approach to Key Stage 3.

Teaching the teachers: opening minds curriculum | Curriculum Manager

Leslie Spencer takes us on her learning journey, inspiring learners to love learning. Are you prepared to have your preconceptions, philosophies and pedagogy challenged? A teacher's tale of the 'Opening Minds' curriculum.

The journey, not the arrival | Curriculum Manager

The second in a series of articles exploring the innovative 'Opening Minds' Curriculum at St John's School in Marlborough.

Opening minds | Curriculum Manager

Dr Patrick Hazlewood explains how St John's School in Marlborough, challenged an out-dated curriculum.

Success with secondary history: overcoming the challenges | Curriculum Manager

Tim Lomas, principal adviser, CfBT/Lincolnshire School Improvement Service, looks at ways of continuing to improve the profile and teaching of history in schools.

Benefits of piloting a new approach to drugs education | Curriculum Manager

Headteacher Martin Ainsworth extols the benefits to his school of taking part in the Blueprint Drug Education Research Programme.

Praise for results includes pat on back for vocationalism | Curriculum Manager

Amid the usual cries of the dumbing down of standards, schools were praised for another increase in this year’s overall exam results.

7 ways to run effective meetings | Curriculum Manager

Tips to run more efficient and effective meetings.

Whole school learning models based on Assessment for Learning | Curriculum Manager

In this article, Alistair Smith explains how two schools, Stamford High School and Melcombe Primary School, have introduced whole-school learning models based on Accelerated Learning. The impact of planning, delivering and evaluating learning has led to a significant cultural shift at both schools.

Case study - University of the First Age | Curriculum Manager

Working as a Teaching and Learning Fellowship as part of the University of the First Age.

Getting the extra out of extracurricular | Curriculum Manager

Young people spend only 15% of their time in school. The University of the First Age (UFA) fills the rest of the waking day with learning opportunities and makes teachers and learners of us all. UFA’s Felicity Martin discusses how UFA has raised confidence, achievement and potential.

Enterprise education: boldly going where no curriculum has been before | Curriculum Manager

Enterprise education has entered the Ofsted schedule as a subject to be inspected in all schools. But do you know exactly what it involves?

Web review: Building learning communities | Curriculum Manager

To help entrench lifelong learning in the common psyche, this website from ContinYou displays the programmes it is developing to build learning communities throughout the UK. The aim is to give communities, and the individuals within them, access to new learning opportunities, and by so doing to change lives. It is based on the premise that learning is about much more than just that which goes on in schools.

Blair extols vocationalism: but mere words not enough | Curriculum Manager

Prime Minister Tony Blair has stressed the urgency for the UK to invest in ‘human capital’ if its citizens are to survive in the global economy – but as he holds the public pursestrings, schools will be looking for cash investment from him if this need is to be made a reality.

Opening Minds: changing attitudes to how learning is structured | Curriculum Manager

Students are responding positively to the RSA’s Opening Minds initiative with improvements in motivation, confidence and attitudes. Teachers are also reaping the benefits. RSA Head of Education Lesley James brings you up to date with developments and new resources.

Raising boys' achievement at Middleton Technology School | Curriculum Manager

Identifying students who are underachieving is easy. The challenge is doing something about it.

Case study | Curriculum Manager

Achieving inclusion — becoming an inclusive pyramid.

All-inclusive: celebrating difference | Curriculum Manager

Inclusion has become one of the must hotly-debated topics in education — there are almost as many different takes on it as there are schools. Brahm Norwich, Professor of Educational Psychology and Special Educational Needs at the University of Exeter, helps you to unpick what inclusion means to your school and shows you how to develop strategies that will allow you to achieve this approach in practice.

Web review - creating an anti-bullying school culture | Curriculum Manager

As curriculum managers are well aware, bullying can have sustained and insidious effects on the whole school — contributing to poor attendance, lower achievement, a less conducive learning environment for all and a generally less pleasant school experience for students and teachers alike.

Schools have long way to go to prepare students for work | Curriculum Manager

Too many schools are dragging their heels on widening the vocational options available in their Key Stage 4 curriculum.

Concern mounts at plans to bring in new leaders of schools | Curriculum Manager

As the dust started to settle on the new White Paper ‘Higher standards, better schools for all’, discontentment with the content began to mount.

Bilingual pupils need more help to succeed | Curriculum Manager

Too many schools are not providing bilingual students with enough of the right support to help them succeed in their learning, according to the findings of a new report from Ofsted.

Web review - using ICT to improve learning | Curriculum Manager

Being able to secure effective and imaginative use of information and communications technology (ICT) in classrooms throughout your school is not just a matter of having a good ICT policy in place.

Lack of trust in Trust schools rocks reforms | Curriculum Manager

Mounting dissent about Government plans to restructure the school system has threatened to prevent the latest education White Paper from going ahead unchanged.

Classroom observation 'not used effectively' | Curriculum Manager

Curriculum managers need to do more to secure more effective observation of teaching staff to bring about improvements in learning.

KS3 strategy 'must be a priority' | Curriculum Manager

Most schools are not making the teaching of literacy and numeracy a high enough priority, according to Ofsted inspectors.

Case study | Curriculum Manager

Building a federation to support standards — working in partnership with schools in challenging circumstances.

Alliance of hearts and minds: creating a successful federation | Curriculum Manager

Federations are already in the second year of existence — so what has been learned so far about how to create a successful alliance that brings about sizeable improvements in teaching and learning among all the partners? We learn from DfES guidance and NCSL research about what factors contribute to success.

Web review - developing gifted and talented provision | Curriculum Manager

If you are looking for a resource portal for enhancing your gifted and talented (G&T) provision, then this site is a good starting point. It brings together materials from the key G&T organisations all under one roof, and covers the core G&T issues, including identification, enrichment, extension, acceleration and differentiation.

Schools told how to make ICT safe for students | Curriculum Manager

Curriculum managers need to be aware of the safety issues relating to new technologies so that they can provide maximum safeguards across the school.

Concerns over 'fair access' stall education bill | Curriculum Manager

Latest reforms have been stalled further as rebel MPs set out a suite of compromise moves in an attempt to diffuse the areas provoking greatest dissent.

Case study | Curriculum Manager

Partnering the curriculum with the world of work.

A matter of placement: providing effective work experience | Curriculum Manager

From how to assess your current provision and engage employers, to how to match students with placements, prepare them and then debrief them after the event — Jenny Asher, Development Manager for the National Education Business Partnership Network, guides us through the core issues to consider to provide work placements that provide first-class learning opportunities that will have a lifelong impact.

Engaging the disengaged: messages from across Europe | Curriculum Manager

Access to vocational education has been found to be a key factor in reducing disaffection – but only if fully integrated into the curriculum and delivered as a mainstream option available to all.

Website giving students a voice slated by schools | Curriculum Manager

As curriculum managers seek new ways to engage students as partners in learning, a new website that invites pupils to rate their teachers has received mixed reactions.

Bill's discipline plans cause new concern | Curriculum Manager

Staff are to be given new powers to tackle unacceptable behaviour, if the new Education Bill secures a smooth passage through Parliament.

A starry approach to enrichment | Curriculum Manager

The STAR workshops were designed by performers Martha and Eve to bring out students' creativity in music, drama and discussion

The value of arts activities in special units | Curriculum Manager

In their report Serious Play: an Evaluation of Arts Activities in Pupil Referral Units and Learning Support Units, Wilkin, Gulliver and Kinder (2005) review the work of seven arts projects (four PRU based and three LSU based) that have taken place in recent years.

Letting the genie out of the bottle | Curriculum Manager

Since 2001, when in the words of our Head Teacher, Patrick Hazlewood, we were to '...throw out the National Curriculum...', our school has focussed on discovering how we might best serve our students in order to make them independent, adaptable and confident learners able to meet the demands of the 21st century.

Data use in teaching and learning | Curriculum Manager

Research carried out earlier this year to assess the use of data in schools highlights its importance in many areas, including facilitating more effective allocation of staff and resources and monitoring the effectiveness of initiatives and strategies.

The value of Latin in the curriculum | Curriculum Manager

Latin is a highly valued part of the curriculum at Benton Park School. Principal Anne Clarke explains why.

Reviving Latin in the classroom | Curriculum Manager

With around 95% of state schools no longer offering Latin, access is the critical issue for survival of the subject. Will Griffiths, director of the Cambridge School Classics Project (CSCP), looks at a DfES initiative to address this and highlights the competitive advantage that offering Latin can give schools.

Accelerated learning - how quick is it? | Curriculum Manager

AL has become something of a catch-all phrase these days, synonymous with brain-based or mind-friendly learning. Susan Norman goes beyond the buzz-word to bring you the facts

Listening to the pupil voice | Curriculum Manager

We must listen to the pupil voice if pupils are going to feel valued as members of the school community, argues Anne Clarke, Principal of Benton Park School Technology College.

Nuffield Curriculum Centre | Curriculum Manager

Curriculum managers constantly need to be looking for new and more effective approaches to improving teaching and learning (T&L) in their school. This website aims to help you do just that by giving you access to a range of curriculum projects aimed at pioneering new ways to manage and deliver teaching and learning.

ICT failing to impact on learning due to staff ignorance | Curriculum Manager

Teachers are failing to make effective use of computers in the classroom — the verdict of recent research on school ICT use has revealed the poor impact that the £1bn ICT investment from the Government has had so far.

Raising achievement of the most able | Curriculum Manager

All current research on student achievement challenges the traditionally held mythology that the bright will always do well in whatever circumstances and that 'borderline' pupils fare better at the top of secondary modern schools rather than 'struggling' in grammar schools – a view entrenched in the attitudes of able students at The Thomas Aveling, a high school.

Ready and able: achieving inclusive G&T provision | Curriculum Manager

Are you truly providing every opportunity you can to allow your most able students to thrive, while also not disadvantaging others? Michele Paule outlines action you can take to ensure you identify these students and then are able to shape the best provision for them.

Schools share effective ways to use data to improve teaching and learning | Curriculum Manager

Schools are being more effective at using data to improve teaching and learning (T&L), but many are being held back by lack of time to update and analyse the data.

Participation in sport on the increase | Curriculum Manager

School sport partnerships are continuing to be successful in increasing the amount of time pupils spend taking part in PE and sport.

Vocational courses boost students' confidence in learning | Curriculum Manager

New research has revealed the positive impact vocational courses are having on students - in terms of their achievement, their confidence in their ability, their attitudes towards school and towards carrying on with their education.

Boosting creativity in learning | Curriculum Manager

As you begin a new school year, fresh and rejuvenated from the summer break, many of you will be looking for new and inspiring ways to achieve more creative teaching and learning throughout your school. If you've not heard of Creative Partnerships, then now would be a good time to find out more.

Praise for results includes pat on back for vocationalism | Curriculum Manager

Amid the usual cries of the dumbing down of standards, schools were praised for another increase in this year's overall exam results.

At GCSE level, a rise in achievement in the basics of English and maths was picked out for particular praise — these subjects are the ‘bedrock’ of every student’s education, said Schools Minister Jacqui Smith.

Students give thumbs up to schools | Curriculum Manager

Students enjoy school and are pleased with the education they receive — a welcome message for curriculum managers, and one that flies in the face of common opinion.

Schools told to do more for pupil's mental health | Curriculum Manager

Schools are failing to adequately provide for students' emotional health and wellbeing. A lot of this is down to ignorance, the findings of a new report from Ofsted reveal - only half of all schools were even aware of Government guidelines on how to meet the needs of the one in 10 pupils who have mental health difficulties.

Enhancing performance in PE at KS3 | Curriculum Manager

Penelope A Beard presents a piece of action research on PE with results that extend to other subjects. Her work also demonstrates how a piece of well constructed action research can shine a light on practice and form the basis for further professional thinking.

Model mapping: the mechanics of thinking | Curriculum Manager

Model mapping (or 'mind mapping') is a learning tool for pupils of all ages and abilities, as Oliver Caviglioli, co-author of MapWise and former PE teacher, explains

The gifted and talented in PE | Curriculum Manager

G&T coordinator Samantha Wilkinson of King's Wood School, Essex, explains how she has developed a PE programme for gifted and talented students

Reach for the stars | Curriculum Manager

Students from St Clere’s School, Essex, travel to the US for an Advanced Space Academy course every year. G&T Update talked to the trip’s organiser, G&T coordinator Ken Lewis.

Nurturing our top ten per cent | Curriculum Manager

Primary strand coordinator for G&T Joy Blaker explains how schools in Rotherham approach the issue of identifying their most able pupils.

Running enrichment courses in museums | Curriculum Manager

During the academic year 2004-05, the London Borough of Lambeth developed an imaginative and creative partnership with GIFT to offer enrichment courses for gifted and talented primary and secondary students, held in local museums and galleries. Rosemary Butcher explains

Mind the gap: tackling boys’ underachievement | Curriculum Manager

There are many theories about boys' underachievement in our education system, but it's important that schools are given direct, practical ways to tackle it at ground level