NQT

Activities for developing skills

This series of classroom activities will be useful for SENCOs, teachers, assistants and mentors. Each page focuses on a different skill set – from spatial awareness to visual discrimination to semantic knowledge

New team at the Department for Education

The new Department for Education demonstrates the unfamiliar look of coalition politics with Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather taking on the role of Minister of State for Children and Families under the new Conservative Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove

A quick roundup of the main political parties’ school manifesto points

What do the four main parties (Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Green) have to say about education?

Classroom ideas: studying Darwin

Brian Asbury looks at Darwin's life and work and suggests classroom ideas for studying the man and his theories in a primary science context

Introducing the MTL

Elizabeth Holmes discusses the Masters in Teaching and Learning (MTL), including why it was developed, differences to the current masters-level course and its benefits for teachers and schools

Don’t take students' comments personally

Taking issues with pupils personally can lead to difficulties. This e-bulletin looks at how you can become more proactive and stand back to see the full picture

Working cooperatively: educational professionals in the classroom

School classrooms no longer host one adult and a group of pupils - there are often a team of educational professionals working together, which can have detrimental affects on behaviour. This article offers practical advice and strategies to help all adults working in the classroom to be more effective in their management of behaviour

Supporting slow learners

Slow learners, children who find it difficult to learn and remember things, are a challenge experienced by all teachers at some point in their career. Here we consider this group of pupils and some general strategies for helping them

Tips for pupils on how to manage their feelings

Effective anger management techniques for pupils can be led by their teacher. This Behaviour Matters continues to look at how SEAL can have a direct link to improving behaviour

CPD in the classroom - the Teachers Learning Academy (TLA)

The Teacher Learning Academy (TLA), led by the GTCE, is achieving great things in the world of continuing professional development (CPD), according to a recent independent report commissioned by nfer. CPD Week talks to the GTCE’s Sara Morgan, Head of Professional Learning, about the report’s findings

Troubleshooting problems with students' teamwork

This ebulletin begins to look at how to troubleshoot common problems that students face when asked to work together in groups or teams. It continues Anne de A’Echevarria's focus on ‘Team Workers' from the PLTS curriculum

Improve behaviour with better personal time management

Behaviour suffers when teachers don't get to their classrooms on time, as pupils take advantage of the lack of supervision. Teachers' timekeeping is therefore important, and can be made more efficient by planning and communication with colleagues

Off the Premises Handbook

Author: Caroline Stagg, Anthony Thomas, Peter Smith and Chris Warn

Need help with planning and executing school trips? The Off the Premises Handbook will help you to run well-planned, efficiently managed, interesting and safe events away from school, that will have a lasting impact on your students

Checklist for NQT induction

The quality of an NQTs induction can shape their entire school career, in terms of their CPD. So how can schools ensure NQTs have the best possible introduction to their school? Elizabeth Holmes investigates

Language for developing team work in young learners

What kind of language do students need to develop if they are to think and learn effectively as a team? This e-bulletin is the second Learning and Thinking Skills to focus on 'Team Workers'

Advice on how to use necessary force with a pupil

When a teacher finds it necessary to use force with a pupil it is essential that they are clear on how to use that force — and how much to use — as well as how to deal with the recording and reporting of the incident afterwards

Strategies for developing team work in young learners

This e-bulletin is the first Learning and Thinking Skills to focus on the 'Team Workers' strand, highlighting strategies that can help students to learn with, and from, each other more effectively

A ‘Fresh Start’ to your behaviour management approach

What can a fresh start bring to behaviour management? Here are some ideas and exercises to bring to the classroom every day in the pursuit of improved relationships with the students, led by renewed enthusiasm and perspective

A new start for those with BESD

New beginnings are especially important for pupils whose behaviour is a cause for concern; this issue we’re thinking about the various elements of effective behaviour management for BESD (behavioural, emotional and social development) – including giving youngsters a chance to start with a clean slate

Dealing with SEBD: positive handling

Some might think that a positive learning environment would be an ineffective tool against aggression in pupils with social emotional behavioural difficulties. However, Michael Jones speaks to a school who believes that a nurturing and supportive environment is exactly what SEBD children need

Learning about climate change: lesson ideas

Robert Sinclair offers some ideas on how to introduce climate change lessons into the primary classroom, as part of the KS2 geography curriculum

Self-harm at primary schools: what you can do

What can schools actually do about tackling self-harm at primary schools? Sue Morris discusses this in her second article on self-harm and suicidal behaviour in primary school children

Developing independent enquirers: summary and recap

This issue places the idea of developing 'independent enquirers' within the broader context of 'Learning to Learn'. As she concludes her series on enquiry for young learners, Anne de A'Echevarria offers a checklist of talking points for colleagues who are currently engaged with enquiry-based approaches

When can you use force to control and restrain a pupil?

Are you familiar with the details surrounding this vital piece of legislation? Claire Anderson explains to educators what they need to know regarding the basic legal implications of when they are able to use force with pupils

Student happiness resource: what works well for them?

This free SEAL resource aims to help students with emotional learning by introducing them to the "Happiness Curriculum"

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Education employment law: statutory leave and pay entitlements

Do you know your way around educational employment law? Does your school's pay and remuneration package meet or exceed minimum standards? Tamara Ludlow gives a legal overview of essential information for both leadership teams and staff

Your positive moments in behaviour management

We've been collecting your stories about the inspiring and encouraging experiences you’ve had at work during 2008. Here is a collection of the behaviour management themed responses you sent to the question, What has been your most positive experience at work this year?

Exploring subject-specific enquiry skills

In this e-bulletin, Anne de A'Echevarria looks at how to help pupils explore what enquiry looks like in different subject areas across the curriculum

SEAL activities to promote emotional health and wellbeing

These five SEAL activities, aimed at key stages 3-5, promote a whole-school approach to emotional wellbeing and emotional learning, by helping teachers to engage young people

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Using the 3 Reminder Rule to encourage compliance

What should your next step be when a pupil ignores a clear instruction in the classroom? Behaviour Matters explores this common dilemma, offering the 3 Reminder Rule as a solution while reminding teachers that positivity encourages obedience

Investigating decision making as an integral part of enquiry

Decision making is the focus of this week's Learning and Thinking Skills, as we continue our exploration of developing 'independent enquirers’

Sound control in the classroom

Do you struggle to control the frequency and level of noise in and around your classroom? Dave Stott discusses when talking is and is not acceptable, and suggests tips for outlining and enforcing your expectations to pupils

Voice control and managing behaviour

This Behaviour Matters explores the importance of verbal skills in the classroom, reminding teachers that the way that they use their voice could be key to managing behaviour

Implementing positive psychology

Jenny Fox Eades describes how focusing on students' strengths is an ideal way to implement positive psychology in the classroom

Behaviour, manners and society: what schools can do

Although difficult at times, it is important that schools make a stance on what counts as social behaviour, says headteacher Neil Berry

Masters in teaching and learning (MTL): what you need to know

Flexibility in postgraduate professional development is allowing increasing numbers of teachers to take a masters in teaching and learning, raising the status of the profession as a whole. This CPD Week looks at some of the current themes in M level study and ways in which schools can encourage staff to find out more

CPD through teacher enquiry and research

Graham Handscomb and John MacBeath put forward the case for teacher enquiry and benefits of research engagement for professional learning

The value of multi-agency working

Jo McShane invite readers to consider multi-agency or multi-professional working with schools from the perspective of an enthusiastic apprentice, who realises the value that 'joined-up thinking' offers

Enquiry tools for organising and making sense of information

Now looking at the value of enquiry tools when organising and making sense of information, Anne de A'Echevarria continues to explore the process of developing ‘independent enquirers’ in Learning and Thinking Skills

Starting lessons on a positive note

This e-bulletin focuses on the best way to start a lesson, pointing out the value of praising pupils’ appropriate behaviour and ignoring that which is inappropriate; rather than admonishing and therefore highlighting the latter

Revisit your behaviour strategies

A timely review of your behaviour strategies is the subject of this week's Behaviour Matters, as Dave Stott highlights the beginning of the new term as an opportune moment to clarify them and make sure your pupils understand them

Enquiry tools for promoting emotional engagement and ownership

This e-bulletin focuses on thinking tools for promoting emotional engagement and ownership - again focusing on the first of the six areas of the QCA’s Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills framework, developing ‘independent enquirers’

Managing challenging behaviour with CPD

Pupils' challenging behaviour tops the list as the most stressful part of teaching; but can it be managed by teacher training? The effects of CPD on behaviour management are investigated by Elizabeth Holmes

Successful individual behaviour plans

This Behaviour Matters explains how to manage serious or ongoing behavioural issues with the use of individual behaviour plans

Leadership development

As a generation of teachers near the end of their careers the role of leadership development becomes an increasingly important one, as this issue of CPD Week explains

Developing independent enquirers: how to structure enquiry

After introducing enquiry, Anne de A'Echevarria helps students develop their own understanding of what enquiry is and how it might be structured using resources and practical activities, as a continuation of our in-depth focus on developing ‘independent enquirers’

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