Ideas, Practices & Personal Insights

Confident Readers in our Digital Age

We live in an era when the act of reading is changing as rapidly as any time in its 5,000-year-old history. Children have gone from reading on clay tablets in ancient Sumer (modern day Iraq) five millennia ago, to… well, reading on electronic tablets today!

Staying sane as a teacher in a pandemic

As of writing, we are now approaching the sixth week of lockdown, and I can imagine teachers, leaders and headteachers are pretty exhausted. I know I am. I’m normally full of energy and raring to go, but this pandemic has definitely taken a toll on my energy levels. I think we are all working off of adrenaline at this unpredictable time.

How we engaged parents with home learning during school closures

I think it is safe to say that the Covid-19 situation caught us all a little unawares. We have seen epidemics like SARS and EBOLA before, but these have always been stopped before being able to spread. This time was different. The grim inevitability of school closures was upon us and this meant we had to make plans and fast.

A how to guide for home learning worksheets

We have now entered into our third week of home-learning after an Easter ‘break’; although many people will still have been working despite what the news says about schools being open, closed, opening, closed until September, open over Summer. I think we could all really do with less speculation!

Managing you and your children’s anxiety

This is an extraordinary time for everyone. For parents with children of all ages, it also means balancing children’s needs and their wellbeing alongside your own.

The psychology behind how schools need to re-open

Schools can't go back. They need to go forward. Something new has to form.

Free safeguarding software launched in response to school closures

School safeguarding leader Impero have launched Impero Back:drop, a free digital safeguarding tool, designed to simplify the recording and management of pupil wellbeing.

Helping students stay focused during distance learning

In recent weeks UK schools have made the transition to distance learning as part of the Government’s social distancing strategy, in order to better protect students and staff and slow the spread of coronavirus. As we get to grips with working from home, helping students who have been busy preparing for their GCSEs and A-level exams will be key, whilst ensuring measures are in place to support our hardworking ...

Effective timetabling for remote learning

How do we create remote timetables that best serve teachers and students?

Balancing home learning and parenting

We are in completely uncharted waters. Thousands of children at home with parents, unable to go to school. Schools are attempting to provide resources for parents to use at home, to varying degrees of success. But what is the intention? To replicate school? To ensure children don’t miss out on learning?

National Theatre Collection available to pupils and teachers at home for free

Following the announcement from the UK Government for all UK schools to close in light of the Coronavirus pandemic, the National Theatre Collection will now be available to pupils and teachers at state schools and state-funded further education colleges via remote access in partnership with Bloomsbury Publishing. Schools will be able to share log-in details with pupils to access resources at home during this period.

New ‘Great Exhibition at Home’ challenge launched

The Great Exhibition at Home Challenge is a positive contribution to independent learning at home during this period of unprecedented Covid-19 disruption from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, the Royal Academy of Engineering and Big Ideas.