Learning Environment - Teaching Expertise

How should you review your health and safety procedures at the start of an academic year? Gill O’Donnell explains

Is it possible to create a more ‘gender balanced’ learning environment? Natalie Griffiths explains how she investigated the effect of gender on learning in the D&T classroom and developed strategies to benefit pupils of both sexes read more

Michael Farrell looks at a number of different areas in which special provision is needed read more

Pam Woolner looks at the variety of ways in which the widely-used term ‘learning environment’ is employed read more

Climate change is in the headlines every day. What are schools doing about this issue? Angela Youngman looks at the Eco-Schools programme

The steering group of the NQIN has produced a set of overarching principles designed to guide the future development of quality improvement processes and quality assurance schemes read more

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

The CPR Learning Space is a building with a ‘wow’ factor, providing services to schools and the wider community. Jane West looks at its development

Practitioners need to consider the way that space and resources can be used to encourage children’s investigations. Pat Brunton and Linda Thornton explain

The pressures created by a high-performance culture made it difficult for the children at one primary school to learn and collaborate. Tamara Bibby, a lecturer at the Institute of Education in London, explains read more

Teaching and learning based around quality talk and taking the whole class forward together is a practical and effective approach. Headteacher Andy Buck explains read more

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

Brin Best argues that we must actively teach creativity if our more able learners are to play their full role as decision-makers in the world of tomorrow. read more

Recognising and minimising risk in the school environment is a vital part of a headteacher’s management role, says former head Roger Smith. read more

Sue Pidgeon, National Strategies primary senior regional adviser, and Karen Jarmany, National Strategies primary regional adviser, explain how the Intensifying Support Programme works to raise standards in low-attaining schools. read more

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.

Bob Jelley argues that success is essential since, for many youngsters, a teacher may be one of the most significant male role models in their lives. read more

Antidote director James Park and development director Marilyn Tew describe the challenge that schools face if they are to address a decline in student wellbeing between Years 5 and 10

Taking on an old building is a commitment that can pay dividends, says Angela Youngman. read more

Sally Eaton begins a three-part series designed to support managers and leaders who are considering providing some in-house training for their staff. read more

Child abuse can affect a child’s ability to learn. In the second of two articles, Jenni Whitehead looks at ways of helping such children in the classroom. read more

THE ADVENT OF ICT across the curriculum is beginning to place a whole range of new resource demands on schools that usually fall to the bursar/business manager to manage. read more

Susannah Temple, Giles Barrow, Julie Leoni and Trudi Newton describe how teachers can use the principles of transactional analysis (TA) to build relationships that stimulate learning. read more

Matthew Savage, assistant headteacher, George Mitchell Community School, and Dr Margaret Wood, senior lecturer, York St John University College, explore the role of student voice in evaluating and then improving the learning experience of students in the classroom

Independent drug consultant, Adrian King, questions the wisdom of drug testing in schools, arguing that it undermines the support offered to pupils through effective PSHE and sends out a clear message that pupils are not to be trusted. read more

Leonora Davies, chair of the Music Education Council, talks to Nick Smurthwaite about the vital role of music and movement in early years development. read more

The Camborne, Pool and Redruth Learning Space in Cornwall had a long journey towards G&T innovation, writes Sue Sayer

How can you promote language learning and encourage gifted and talented linguists to continue with languages after GCSE? Ruth Wilkes and Geoff Roberts describe a series of popular events they organise annually to promote the learning of French and German

Creating an effective school read more

Rivington and Blackrod High School has developed various ways to engage and respond to student voice — not least of which involves students giving staff feedback on teaching processes. The school is also involved in an LEA-wide initiative to promote collaborative leadership at a student level

Carole Farrar starts a series on communicating with parents by looking at what makes effective communication. read more

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

Pat Barnes, education consultant and former head, suggests ways to manage and make the most of parental help in schools

Healthy meals for children, pristine premises and lovely grounds are within the grasp of every school, argues headteacher Mark Barnett

Whether you are taking children off premises to visit the local museum or taking young people away for a full five days, you need to ensure that every aspect of your planning incorporates safety and protection planning

The environment around you can have a profound effect on how you feel and function and whether you feel creative, focused and relaxed. Creating an energetic environment around you can have positive effects on your health,efficiency, enjoyment and speed of completing certain tasks. read more

More and more schools throughout the country are realising that children with specific reading difficulties can be helped by the use of colour, either in the form of coloured overlays or as individually prescribed coloured spectacle lenses. By Tim Noakes. read more

Susan Norman explains non-conscious learning. Do you know what’s going on in your classroom when your back’s turned? Or even when it isn’t? read more

Mark McKergow explains how to develop soundtracks for your classroom – and highlights the benefits read more

It often takes time to sort out problems that have arisen over the lunch break. What measures can we take during this time to make sure that afternoon classroom behaviour is still condicive to work and an effective learning environment?

If pupils feel safe, secure and, above all, happy at school, they are less likely to play truant and the atmosphere is more likely to be conducive to learning. read more

Music can be used as themain activity in the classroom todeliver subject content, as it is motivating and inspiring. Here are some practical ideas from Sarah Todd, an AST at Stanchester School near Yeovil. read more

Bailey’s Court Primary School set out to explore accelerated learning back in 2002. Here, class teacher and Learning Manager Andrew Bowman explains why and how they began their journey towards a more learning-centred ethos. read more

Considering the carrot or the stick: which incentives are you giving? read more

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

In her final article on how teachers use emotions, teacher trainer Susan Gibbs discusses why emotional safety is so important in enabling children and young people to learn. read more

Want to inject some freshness into the learning space? Richard Churches and Rogert Terry show to make a real difference in your classroom read more

Team teaching is an approach in which two or more teachers are jointly responsible for course content, lesson activities and assessment. Could it work for you? read more

School culture is a term that curriculum managers are having to pay more attention to in nearly all areas of their job. But how do you identify what culture prevails in your school, understand the implications this has for your curriculum leadership, and from there make changes for the better? Jon Prosser, Director of International Education Management at the University of Leeds, shows how. read more

This case study follows the change process in a school that, under the effective leadership of a new headteacher, was able to transform its culture from one of a once cruising school to a highly successful moving school with an enviable local and national reputation