EduKit, an online platform set up by youth workers and parents, is now allowing teachers to post and review recommendations on programmes that they have used or seen and considered beneficial. This feature will, for the first time, allow teachers to be able to share their views on which programmes were most engaging for pupils and, crucially, had the most meaningful short and / or long term impact.

Global education pioneers Promethean are heading to Bett 2016 to spread the word of collaboration. Taking into account employers’ increasing emphasis on the need for collaborative skills, the edu-resource experts will be attending the London conference to show teachers how these abilities can be developed. The Bett Show is taking place at ExCeL London from 20th - 23rd January, and Promethean will be meeting attendees at Stand B99.

When it comes to the stress of studying, extra-curricular activities are often the first thing that students drop, according to recent research. In the race for As and A*s, it would appear that young people are increasingly missing out on gaining crucial life experience that will set them up for the future following completion of compulsory education.

All around the country, Secondary classrooms are peaceful and schools are going about their work as usual. Teachers are talking and students are (mostly) sitting politely, appearing to listen. Most teachers know that lecturing isn’t the most effective method of learning, so why do they default so readily to this tactic? What makes it so appealing, and what hidden messages does it give out?

For any school, setting a standard of excellence should always be the ultimate aim, with management striving to foster a learning environment where outstanding teaching facilitates great results for its students. As management teams bring their own expertise, ideas and philosophies to the table when it comes to thinking of ways to achieve this objective, the focus often falls on investment in facilities, software and equipment to help achieve optimum results, and to attract the best teachers.

It’s with a tremendous honour that we bring you the Innovate My School Guide 2015/16. Bringing together 21 none-more-enthusiastic teachers, this publication examines 10 key areas of education to inform the year ahead. It discusses the benefits, pitfalls, learning outcomes and future trends of various pedagogic areas, allowing our experienced contributors to share methods and resource beneficial to schools worldwide.

Cambridge-based video production company Mediamerge have been using the new academic year to bring schools the largest collection of professionally-filmed classroom practice in the UK. Aiding teacher CPD, all Mediamerge videos are captured in normal classrooms, with real teachers and pupils. This means that educators are given the most realistic insight into the teaching and learning,without actually being in the room. Early Years, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 lesson resources are now available to watch immediately via IRIS Connect, making them easier to access than ever before.

This time last year, I was in your shoes; a 23-year-old, fresh-faced former trainee teacher who was jumping onto the relentless treadmill that is the NQT year. Last August, I made a vow to myself: to provide the students in my care with the best education I can provide, but to not completely surrender my life to my career. In this article, I hope to share some of the tricks I deployed in order to help me keep calm and soldier on through my NQT year, hopefully for you to plunder.

Originally published on 7th September 2015

A new term is always an exciting time. It is not just a time for new pens, new mark books and a new set of classes. A break away from the chalkface has meant that teachers are relaxed, full of energy and bursting with new ideas. Holidays for teachers often give them a burst of energy, a renewed sense of purpose and a chance to get their creative juices flowing. Thus, it is not unknown to return to work after a long recess and find departments all over school starting new initiatives and putting some great ideas into place.

At the time of writing, the annual BBC Proms season is now underway, an eight week celebration of music concerts, talks, workshops, family events and more. This year to mark the opening pupils from four primary schools have been invited to take part in two Proms concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, celebrating the first year of BBC Ten Pieces.