Education articles - Teaching Expertise

Asking questions is fundamental to helping students acquire knowledge. Ulrike Thomas looks at four key issues to consider when thinking about questioning

Recently retired from Firth Park Community Arts College, where she was headteacher from 1995, Mo Laycock explains how engaging with hard-to-reach parents via extended schools strategies contributed towards her school’s transformation

An innovative project brought together vulnerable young people with learners from mainstream schools and the University of East Anglia. Dugald Ferguson reports

Modern technology has spawned a variety of new media — but with benefits come serious dangers. Kris Lines explains duties to keep staff and pupils safe

Managing a curriculum fit for the future involves juggling many key tasks – from handling cultural change, dealing with complexity and creating the right relationships for change, as Dave Allman explains

The Future Leaders programme aims to address educational disadvantage by offering accelerated leadership training to teachers in urban schools, explains Sir Iain Hall

As the DDA and Equality Act broaden the definition of disability and the duties of schools, testing has recently been completed on draft tools for helping schools to identify disability

Student interviewers may not have the same priorities as school leaders but they still have useful insights to share, says Peter Kent

James Croft looks at ways to tighten up on your spending on ICT

Taking children out of the classroom and introducing them to different experiences, with professionals in different fields can achieve high quality outcomes. Sally McKeown reports on a workshop for G&T pupils in Derby

The introduction of the Early Years Professional role has done much to raise the profile of a career in early years. Maureen Lee provides a valuable insight into the benefits of achieving EYPS

School councils are becoming more influential in primaries. Neil Short discusses the implications and shares examples of just how far children can go in leading their own learning

Whose responsibility is it to join up the dots in a subject-based curriculum? asks David Leat

Extended services can play an important role in encouraging the participation of fathers in their children’s – and particularly their sons’ – education. Paul Ainsworth shares ideas about ways that schools can create an environment for confidence-building activities involving fathers and sons

It is vital that staff receive the training they need to teach SEAL effectively. Julie Casey describes how she helped schools in one LA to develop a SEAL CPD programme

In a new report, Fulfilling potential, the business role in education, the UK's largest employers' body, the CBI, welcomed the coalition government's reforms for expanding the number of academies and enabling new schools to be set up, which it considers should lead to greater innovation in the classroom

A violent case of race-conflict has brought schools’ legal duties into the spotlight, writes Kris Lines

Our future economy and society is going to depend on creative individuals if it is to thrive. So while the position of creativity within the new Government’s future curriculum has still not been laid out in detail, one thing is certain: young people are always going to need creative skills. So this month’s Case in Point focuses on how to embed creativity in all learning activity to achieve joined-up thinking that will benefit students, staff and the whole school, with this case study illustrating how to achieve this in practice

Effective questioning helps secure pupil progress. Jo Smith outlines a session designed to develop teachers’ skill in this area

A new report considers the implications for education of the SEN/month of birth effect

It is time for policy-makers to understand why disadvantage has such negative implications for children’s learning, argues Bernard Barker

With several years of membership of SLTs across different school phases, as well as mentoring and training school business managers, Nickii Messer uses her experience to provide invaluable tried and tested tips on how to enjoy being a member of the senior leadership team

In a new series providing ideas and guidance for using technology with G&T learners, Sal McKeown discusses the characteristics of gifted technology students and explains how to identify and encourage them

Early Years Update looks at practical ways of developing strong relationships with parents and families

Are free schools the ‘must have’ solution to a failing education system or an unecessary and costly gamble? Suzanne O’Connell talks to a prospective provider to find out more

At Noadswood School, peer mentoring goes beyond pastoral activities. Tim Ennion and Eddie Stephenson describe how they are putting learning-focused peer mentoring into action

As the government prepares to introduce new guidance on the use of force, Dai Durbridge examines current problems for school staff in interpreting the law

Young people from Bridgwater were given the opportunity to perform alongside Alexandra Burke at Twickenham through their involvement in a dance project. Mike King reports

High-achieving Park View Community School has placed SEAL at the centre of its approach to the curriculum and pastoral system. Kim Cowie explains

Registration with the Vetting and Barring Scheme was placed on hold in June. Lawyers Yvonne Spencer and Christine Betts explain schools’ current obligations and consider what changes the new government’s review could bring in

Suzanne O’Connell considers the rise of the academy and its escalating rate of reproduction

The majority of teenagers are vulnerable to online molestors and we need to help them understand the specific risks, says Jenni Whitehead

What makes an outstanding lesson for G&T pupils and how can teachers ‘make the grade? Bob Cox provides some useful pointers

New research has highlighted the benefits of the Common Assessment Framework in helping agencies work together to provide positive outcomes for families

David Leat looks at how schools can make the PLTS framework their own

Ofsted has to give just two days’ notice before inspection, so it’s a good idea to have a training session in reserve for when your school gets the call. Paul Ainsworth outlines just such a session

What can curriculum managers be doing to secure more widespread effective use of ICT to transform teaching and learning in their school context? Research from Becta offers potential solutions

A combination of Liberal and Tory policy has created a framework for the newly named Department for Education to work with. Roger Smith looks at the key policies

What are the pros and cons of switching status under the new law? And what steps do you take if you decide to go ahead? Ingrid Sutherland explains

Individual pupils have been helped to improve their skills and gain insight into their strengths and weaknesses as a result of dyslexia screening in a Midlands school, as Cheryl Lawrie describes

How can schools develop an effective department or faculty review system, asks Paul Ainsworth

A new report claims the education system reinforces disadvantages and calls for greater equity

While the future direction of education policy hangs in the balance Dave Weston argues the case for keeping the creative ethos of recent primary reviews very much in mind

Coaching is falling short of its potential but is at its best when it is a two-way process. Rachel Lofthouse and David Leat as they describe the findings of their research

Following part one, which examined the meaning and possible causes of ‘under-achievement’, Belle Wallace outlines some proven strategies for realising learners’ potential

Tracey Eldridge-Hinmers looks at how changes to the guidance will affect schools’ duties in relation to information sharing and the prevention of bullying

Early Years Update provides a structure to help early years practitioners draw up their own policy documents to guide the organisation and management of their setting

Low-level disruption can greatly impede students’ progress. Josephine Smith outlines a CPD session to help teachers in your school improve their behaviour management

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

The school business manager is an important member of a school’s SLT – but can face difficulties being accepted as such. Ruth Bradbury offers advice on overcoming these barriers