Deputy Head - Teaching Expertise

This secondary SEAL assembly explores the concepts of bravery and courage

What five things should you never say in a school setting? Former headteacher Jane Golightly discusses five comments that she advises senior leadership to steer clear of in order to maintain positive school leadership

National identity and personal identity are the themes of this secondary assembly, using the 2009 European elections as loose theme

Dai Durbridge reviews the new admissions codes and appeals procedure and considers whether the balance of power has shifted in favour of admissions authorities

This primary assembly by Gerald Haigh looks sensitively at child trafficking, using the example of a charity that helps circus children in Nepal

What difference has your school made this year and how can you prepare for the next? Jane Golightly, school leadership and school improvement expert, discusses hot leadership topics for consideration at the end of the year

Is consent needed to take photographs ior videos of students in schools? Simon White looks at this sensitive and contentious issue

During this term we are focusing on aspects of school improvement that can be improved with a ‘spring clean’ (see Issue 10). In this edition it’s time for a spring clean of the indoor and outdoor environments to promote life skills

During the summer term, Primary Leadership Focus will discuss some of the different aspects of school improvement that can be improved with a thorough ‘spring clean’; beginning with attitudes to learning

This primary assembly looks at the music and the problem with judging appearances, using Britains's Got Talent's star Susan Boyle. It looks at the reasons why her TV appearance has moved so many people.

Cases of student emotional abuse can all too frequently go unnoticed believes Jenni Whitehead. Here she suggests an exercise for staff-room discussion

As a child and family support worker at Kingfisher Primary School in Smiths Wood, Solihull, Debbie Todd explains what her role involves

Teachers should not face prosecution for sexual relations with pupils above the age of 16 (the age of consent) − this is what Chris Whitehead, the general secretary of the NASUWT said in October 2008. Jenni Whitehead discusses

A holistic approach to supporting young people's health is led by the school-based health adviser at Newall Green School, Manchester, who embraces the whole child and the family. Neil Wilson, headteacher, discusses

The development of a youth café led by young people from Springfield School in Drayton, Portsmouth is outlined here by Jo Derham, manager of the North East Community Improvement Partnership in Portsmouth

Mark Blois explores plans for a new code of conduct for the General Teaching Council for England GTCE

Work placements are a key learning activity for young people, however it is obviously important to ensure that your pupils are safe. Dai Durbridge discusses how, and whose responsibility it is

Universal and specialist secondary student support was made more accessible to students at the Duchess's Community High School in Alnwick, Northumberland by the development of specific support structures. George Adamson outlines them

An on-site community learning centre opens up opportunities to adult learners and school learners. Jackie Lees, senior strategic leaders at Mitchell High School Business and Enterprise College, shares the development of their CLC, with tips for organising community learning provision

Building links within learning communities — collaborations with other schools, parents, groups and agencies — can have wide-ranging benefits, says Alan Gough. Here he outlines the Better Together programme, which is aimed at collaborative working at local level

A successful peer support scheme has encouraged students to participate at Flegg High School in Norfolk. Mike Ward, deputy headteacher, discusses the evolution of the scheme and how increased student involvement has had real benefits to the school

Mark Blois looks at how changes to the machinery of government are affecting the delivery of education for 16 to 19 year olds

Do we really need governors? Roger Smith considers the governing role of this seemingly random assortment of stakeholders

A no-nonsense whole school approach to behaviour can be led from the top, says deputy headteacher David Morley, who here shares tips on how

About to embark on your first post as headteacher? Hafise Nazif, a headteacher in the London Borough of Havering, reflects on her first year of headship and offers some personal but common-sense survival tips

Independent schools with international pupils on roll are now required to have a more active involvement in immigration administration. Mark Blois and Helen Rideout discuss

The local authority's role in improving schools is a crucial one. But new powers that have been proposed are controversial, says Mark Blois

Schools can use the 2012 Olympics to promote sport, tackling PE participation problems. Primary headteacher Angela Youngman looks at how

Complex legal guidance on exclusion and reintegration has been updated to take Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) into account. Ingrid Sutherland thinks the detail is worth reviewing

A second benefit to bringing the concept of sustainable schools to your institution is how much pupils can learn about sustainability through the curriculum. Anne Clarke explains

How can schools reach out to challenging pupils? Suzanne O'Connell looks at the government's response to the problem of challenging behaviour, from a leadership perspective

While many schools engage in fundraising for Children in Need, some are unaware that they can apply for Children in Need funding for projects at their own school

What does school 'strategy' mean from a leadership perspective, and how useful is it as a concept? Richard Bird discusses whether school headteachers and school leaders have a real sense of what school strategies are

Reorganising your curriculum into grouped subjects can encourage development in facilitated learning. Jim Donnelly explains

The BSF initiative (Building School for the Future) is providing high levels of investment, but changes must be able to stand the test of time. Philip Watson looks at the questions schools need to consider

School league tables and other school statistics can cause problems when they are poorly understood and inaccurately interpreted, warns Peter Kent, who here issues advice on the right way to use educational statistics

How can your school benefit from the first UK staged Olympics since 1948? Gill O'Donnell explains what financial funding support is available to help prepare you

Chessington Community College in the first Building Schools for the Future one-school pathfinder (OSP) to open in the UK. But what does the transformation actually mean for the school and the local community?

What could your school achieve in the area of sustainability? Pupils must be encouraged to embrace this concept, says Anne Clarke, who describes her school's successes

Development changes in your workforce which make flexible use of vital support staff teams will do much to encourage school improvement in general, believes Brian Rossiter, headteacher of Valley School in Worksop

Jim Donnelly looks at where schools can make a start on curriculum planning, in the light of the new Secondary National Curriculum which gives teachers a more flexible framework in order to raise standards

School leadership teams have become increasingly complex, with two roles sometimes being created where there was once one. The sole deputy model has advantages, challenges and potential pitfalls however, say deputy heads Paul Ainsworth and Josephine Smith

As part of Primary Leadership Focus, Jane Golightly considers the important role that governors play in a primary school, and affirms the importance of a good school-governor partnership

Michael Segal discusses a case where religious dress was thought to interfere with teaching, clarifying a school's legal position in this situation somewhat

The emphasis of school trips is now on risk-aversion, with priority being placed on experience and adventure. But schools should remember that the threat of litigation has not diminished, warns Susie Roome

Upholding a school's uniform policy can be difficult legally, in terms of religion and race discrimination of pupils. Richard Gold looks at some example cases, in order to explain the relevant legislation

Timely fee payments at independent schools can be achieved through a clear fee policy and a watertight contract, but if this fails you may need to go to court. Maggie Moodie explains

read more improve-your-leadership-skills-thumbnail-6596105

This free resource provides activities to monitor learning and teaching to middle leaders, and also department and subject teams

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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

Clarity of leadership themes is an ambition we should strive for in our schools – in this case, with reference to CPD. Here Jane Golightly looks at two themes to start the discussion - the big picture within the school and outward-looking CPD for multi-agency working