Head of Year - Teaching Expertise

This secondary assembly looks at the inauguration of President Barack Obama. It asks students to think about the importance of planning new beginnings and endeavours well in order to make sure that are a success

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

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

Human rights is the focus of this assembly, as Brian Radcliffe invites students to consider the 60th birthday of the launch of the UNUDHR, discussing its relevance today and why it is important for young people to be aware of it

Enrichment is the subject of this at-a-glance reference for gifted and talented associated education vocabulary

The Life Project provides transformational tools and practical skills to parents, educators and teens in the areas of life, work and relationships. Erica Sosna, director of The Life Project, describes three of the facilitated exploration techiniques they use

Senior leaders can work to support the delivery of coursework and controlled assessments in order to help raise attainment. Deputy heads Paul Ainsworth and Josephine Smith look into how

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

This assembly examines our relationship with Christmas, challenging listeners to ask themselves why they might be celebrating during the Christmas season and how far their celebrations match up with their own beliefs

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

What is different about academies, and what is it about these schools that provokes such a diversity of feelings in education professionals and parents alike? Susie Roome focuses on this hot topic, which has recently seen much press interest and community debate generated by the government’s expanding programme

This assembly for key stages 3-4 looks at the meaning of Christmas as a festival which brings people together. It suggests that students compare the preparation of a Christmas pudding with the social and spiritual ingredients needed for a successful Christmas!

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 leadership and management themed responses you sent to the question, What has been your most positive experience at work this year?

Do you share good news as well as bad? This assembly encourages students to share good news as well as bad, using Saint Andrew as an example (Saint Andrew’s day is celebrated on November 30th)

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

What sort of humour is acceptable and what might be seen as bullying or discrimination? This assembly by John Coutts considers the question in the light of a recent sporting event

What are your responsibilities and obligations towards pupils at your school who are disabled? Mark Blois discusses the relevant legislation and explains what you need to know and do

An obvious way of managing behaviour is to punish the bad and reward the good. But teachers must maintain an effective balance, being especially vigilant about continuing to reward those pupils who are consistently well behaved, warns Dave Stott

Consent is required for many aspects of school life but it is not always clear what form this must take. Kate Mills looks at the issue of consent; when it is required, who needs to provide it, and how a school should go about getting it

Do any of your students have dyslexia? This secondary assembly is about Dyslexia Awareness Week (November 3rd to 9th 2008). It invites students to consider what it’s like to be affected by dyslexia, encouraging empathy within the learning community

Would a project designed to help secondary students address their emotional needs and wellbeing benefit those at your school? Read on for former assistant headteacher Val Taylor’s experience at her school with Reaching Out

This resource offers a number of theoretical case studies where child protection could be a concern, intended for staff discussion. It then follows each scenario with suggested points for consideration

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

As a behaviour and education support team (BEST) coordinator, Tony Nicholson has a wide and varied role. Here he gives an insight into his role and the work of the BEST team

SEAL can help young people develop values that will enable them to address challenges in life, says trainer, school improvement partner and former headteacher Jackie Beere

Having an in-school social worker offers informed on-hand support to children and families all year round, says headteacher Neil Wilson, who here discusses the multi-agency teams that his school uses

Showcasing the work of G&T students can inspire colleagues to develop effective practice as well as providing opportunities for recognising hard work and talent, says Jo Philpott

It’s the dilemma every secondary school faces: how do you set an amount of homework that satisfies parents across the board? Roy Tarleton, headteacher of South Dartmoor Community College, thinks he’s cracked it

Continuing our at-a-glance references for explaining the vocabulary associated with gifted and talented education we look at compacting

Cognitive ability tests (CATs) are discussed in this series aiming to explains terms commonly associated with gifted and talented education

This secondary assembly examines Hallowe’en and questions how much we know about why it is celebrated. It challenges listeners to consider how important they think it is to maintain customs and traditions, and to what extent we should understand what they mean before we observe them

Author: Edited by David Mitchell

Living Geography draws from recent, school-focused research to guide and support you in providing a concept based geography curriculum that is relevant, purposeful and exciting for young people. It is written for all those involved with the teaching of secondary school geography

Sarah Erwin-Jones discusses the growing problem of cyberbullying towards both pupils and staff, and looks at schools’ legal obligations

Would you know how to respond well during an incident of acute or severe behaviour? Behaviour Matters offers practical tips on how best to handle such situations, and warns that teachers should always be prepared for them, no matter how rarely they occur

This Legal Expertise examines schools’ legal obligations in the area of internet usage, offering ideas for managing the risks involved

In a move away from strict liability in terms of accidents at school, the courts have said that they are sometimes nobody’s fault. Kris Lines explains

Issues regarding equality, and racial perceptions and acceptance are all tackled in this PSHE assembly for key stages 4 and 5, which looks at the possible influence of the results of the 2008 USA presidential election

Educational professionals must learn to positively affect the attitude and behaviour of their students, and encourage compliance, by making their requests polite at the same time as making it clear that they are instructions to be carried out

This free resource looks at the National Healthy School Standard (NHSS) programme, and the objectives relevant to the promotion of racial equality in schools

This free resource outlines the first two recommended steps in evaluating your school for improvement

Keeping promises can sometimes be difficult. This Christian secondary assembly suggests ways of dealing with the feelings that broken promises can cause, using the Bible story of Peter’s denial of Jesus as an example, to move students towards forgiving themselves and their friends

This secondary citizenship assembly acts as an introduction to Black History Month, while examining the value of studying history in general. It also tells the story of the first black person to drive a London bus, Joe Clough

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

Inspire your pupils and students to take part in little acts of heroism. This assembly looks at the need that society has for heroes and what we can learn from them, using two notable examples from popular culture: James Bond and Doctor Who

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

How does a school ensure that its website does not inadvertently break the law, or compromise the safety and privacy of its pupils? Susie Roome considers the relevant law and provides some practical advice on how to limit the risks to your school and pupils from the content of your school website

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

What does it means to be British? In this citizenship assembly for key stages 3, 4, and 5, students are invited to consider national identity, in the light of the government’s proposal for a “British” bank holiday

The way you start the day of learning each morning can set the tone for pupils’ behaviour throughout the day. This issue of Behaviour Matters gives advice on how to avoid starting off on the wrong foot

New technology has made virtual schooling an option for pupils unable or unwilling to attend the ‘real’ thing. Sal McKeown discovers what’s on offer