Learning Partnerships - Teaching Expertise

Global citizenship and critical thinking were key elements of this three-year collaborative project

Starting off the term focusing on working in partnership, this issue takes an overview on the skills involved in working collaboratively and provides an overview of new publications and initiatives to be aware of

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

Anna Holland works as a learning support assistant (LSA) with students ages 13 to 16 years, at Gosford High School in Newcastle upon Tyne. Here she explains her role and the nature of her work as part of the student support base

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

The knowledge transfer partnership (KTP) at Bedlington Community High School aims to improve learning for staff and students at Key Stage 3. Anna Reid describes the two-year project and how it aims to develop an assessment framework for enquiry using ICT

Supporting learning is an important part of good early years practice with babies, toddlers and three- to five-year-old children. Early Years Update offers a range of practical ideas to underpin the information in the Early Years Foundation Stage Principles into Practice cards

The importance of your relationship with parents of babies, toddlers and three- to five-year-old children is the focus of this article from Early Years Update. This is part of a range of practical ideas to underpin the information in the Early Years Foundation Stage Principles into Practice cards

A headteacher and a governor from Havering report on their experiences of amalgamating an infant school with the neighbouring junior school

In 2006, 12% of children in care achieved A*-C GCSE grades, compared with 59% of all children. The education of looked-after children is the responsibility of local authorities, says Anne Clarke, and there is no one-stop solution to meeting their needs

This free resource is part of a series to help teachers to increase parental involvement in the learning process, in this case encouraging parents to become learning partners

Planning, coordinating, managing, sustaining, networking and facilitating; these are all key aspects of an extended school manager's role. Fran Shelley discusses these different aspects of her role as extended schools manager at Downside Middle School in Newport

In a bid to help students raise their achievement and know success, the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust initiated Raising Achievement Transforming Learning (RATL). David Crossley explains the school-to-school mentoring scheme which allows teachers to learn from the success of others

At some schools, individual cases of underachievement can be masked by overall good performance. Liz Allen tells how her school in Bromley overcame this by redesigning its whole approach to teaching and learning

Schools and colleges that work in partnership provide a better offer to their students, make faster progress and improve their performance, says Robert Hill read more

Some of the key success factors in the development of extended schools provision across a cluster are discussed by Dave Dunkley, headteacher at Coleshill Heath Full Service Extended School in Solihull, and Ruth Shand, lead officer for extended services at Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council read more

There is a great deal that schools in difference countries can learn from each other about the problems and successes that different approaches to integrating ethnically diverse pupils into schools can offer, says headteacher Neil Berry

The advantages of being part of a local authority where all schools have specialist status are enormous, as education writer Crispin Andrews found out when he spoke to headteachers in one of them – Plymouth

Ann Briggs, professor of educational leadership at Newcastle University, examines the issues surrounding the current policy drive towards creating 'partnerships' read more

Becky Swain from Creative Partnerships explains the initiative's aims and how it works with schools to help develop contexts for effective creative learning read more

Headteacher Neil Berry describes his experiences of being on both sides of the SIP process and concludes that the New Relationship has improved LA and school accountability read more

Creating and delivering productive links between business and the school curriculum can benefit everyone's future, argues headteacher Martin Ainsworth

The option to collaborate with outside partners is under-used — but it offers benefits that educators would be wise to take note of, as Richard Gold explains

School improvement partner (and former headteacher) Trevor Arrowsmith explains what the role involves, how schools can benefit and what difference the initiative has made read more

The CfBT Education Trust manages the national gifted and talented strategy and is planning an online 'one-stop-shop' to provide routes to CPD, case study material, outreach events, resources etc read more

Georghia Ellinas, Secondary National Strategy regional adviser, describes an initiative that allows pupils to enjoy a Shakespeare play in their own time and space

Teacher and trainer Michelle McGrath argues that the emphasis on students as partners in their learning is a fundamental challenge to the current model of teaching and will require significant shifts in attitudes at all levels in schools

Liz Rowbotham, Full Service Extended School Manager at Hengrove Community Arts College, explains her methods of running and evaluating extended services with the help of partnerships read more

In 2002 Gwen Goodhew was dismayed at the lack of resources she found for teaching languages to young linguists. Five years later, her research revealed changes for the better

Entrepreneurial activities can help young people gain respect, says Madeleine White

Incorporating more creativity in your curriculum will take staff out of their comfort zones, but will pay dividends in raised motivation and achievement for students, writes Becky Swain 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

Collaboration is growing in 14-19 G&T education. Sandra Howard and Lis Stock of the Gifted and Talented Education Unit at the DfES look at some recent developments

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

The relationship between teachers and teaching assistants is a changing one. Angela Youngman investigates and offers guidance to ensure effectiveness

Many SENCOs in primary schools also have a designated responsibility for G&T children. New guidance should ensure that effective provision for this group of children is in place. It may also help clarify whether or not SENCOs can be expected to take primary responsibility for this task read more

Barbara Spender outlines the benefits for students that can come from schools collaborating with each other in a formal partnership where staff give mutual support and share resources read more

The Leading into Learning NLC has developed into a major force for professional development and improved attainment in Blackburn with Darwen, as John Westwell, Des Callaghan, Joanne Emberton and Jenny England explain

Schools need to unpack ‘enterprise’ and ‘entrepreneurship’, say Jacek Brant and Alastair Falk read more

Mike Rathbone reports on developments to make every child’s music matter read more

A learning partner can help you influence your organisation to move in a more emotionally literate direction, as Peter Sharp, director of learning for MouchelParkman, explains read more

Christine Fanthome outlines practical strategies for school and college leavers read more

Involvement in European energy awareness projects can bring a multitude of benefits to the pupils and staff of schools, as well as to the planet, says headteacher David Dixon

Headteacher Trevor Bailey explains why Worle Community School and Westhaven Community Special School, both members of the Weston-Super-Mare Federation, have jointly entered the Trust School Pathfinder programme and what benefits he hopes becoming trust schools will bring. read more

UNESCO work hard to bring internationalism education into schools and colleges. Richard Ennals looks at their ongoing efforts with Associated Schools Project Network in Education for International Cooperation and Peace (ASPnet)

Liz Thomas describes a north-south education project for sustainable development

Susan Johnson promotes land-based jobs for young people. read more

Marilyn Tew takes a look at what the Nuffield Review of 14-19 Education and Training has to tell us about whether current strategies will improve the education on offer to teenagers. read more

Much remains to make the 14-19 vision into reality. Gareth Griffiths, 14-19 provision and attainment director at the Learning and Skills Council looks at progress in developing the diplomas and establishing collaboration between schools, FE colleges and training providers. read more

Under the extended schools agenda, all schools are expected to enhance their community provision and open up their sites to embrace a range of wider community initiatives. Nina Siddle explains how one school in East Yorkshire is developing an innovative garden area, and outlines the key role that school business managers can play in such initiatives read more