NQT Special Edition: Diary of an NQT – Looking back on my first term 23 November 2016 SecEd’s NQT diarist this year is a teacher of citizenship, RE and humanities. As she approaches the end of term one, she reflects on her highs and lows so far
ICT monitoring: Do you 'spy' on your pupils? 16 November 2016 Does your school monitor pupils’ web use? The Daily Mail this week called this ‘snooping’ and ‘spying’. Pete Henshaw argues why this is an unfair and unrealistic judgement
Misleading and unfair article overshadows wellbeing debate 16 November 2016 Wellington School’s recent misrepresentation in the national press overshadowed an important discussion on wellbeing in our schools, says Dr Bernard Trafford
Diary of a headteacher: Understanding Progress 8 16 November 2016 The new accountability regime, including Progress 8, is proving to be a complex minefield for many school leaders and school governors too. Our headteacher diarist reflects
Diary of an NQT: Getting to grips with form time 16 November 2016 ?Having had her first tutor group thrust upon her just before half-term, our NQT diarist is now trying to get to grips with this different side of the teacher’s role
At the chalkface: On enthusiasm (Bob Dylan) 16 November 2016 I thought Bob was better than Baudelaire and I carried Highway 61 like a bible, wrote execrable verse and was often given to speaking surreal, opaque gibberish, what with being so existentially alienated – like Bob
If a bullied pupil turns to you, will you be ready? 9 November 2016 When a child who is being bullied or facing mental health problems chooses you to open up to, will you be ready? Pete Henshaw emphasises teachers’ ‘Power for Good’ 1 comment
Anti-Bullying Week: A light in dark places 9 November 2016 As Anti-Bullying Week approaches, the amazing impact that teachers can have on their students is being shown via the Power for Good Award. Lauren Seager-Smith explains
At the chalkface: Mindfulness 9 November 2016 My chums used to spend far too long trying calm the inmates down, bellowing idle threats and saying the word “right”, pointlessly, a few million times. Now their classes enter in a Trappist silence.
Diary of a headteacher: Which type of leader are you? 9 November 2016 With research revealing and describing the five most common types of headteacher, our diarist cannot help but categorise his own leadership style...
Diary of an NQT: From trainee to trainer 9 November 2016 She may be just half a term into her NQT year, but our diarist is doing her best to offer her support to new PGCE students in her classroom…
The architect heads 2 November 2016 Dr Bernard Trafford was surprised to find himself in the rare position of agreeing with Sir Michael Wilshaw...
At the chalkface: Another modest proposal 2 November 2016 We 13-year-olds learned how to shoot a real gun, kill a man with the side of your hand or string a piano wire across a path to garrote any wandering Hun. It worked. We saw none.
Sprinklers: An illogical decision 2 November 2016 School fires are common but the requirement for new schools to have sprinklers has been dropped. Kevin Courtney says this is short-sighted and dangerous
A fear of failure 2 November 2016 Do you encounter students who say they ‘don’t care’? Caroline Sherwood says that this is often nothing more than a fear of failure...
Diary of an NQT: One half-term down, six to go... 1 November 2016 Our NQT diarist has reached half-term having enjoyed a successful start to her teaching life. However, she is already focused on a new challenge that is looming
Grief in school: Make time to listen 12 October 2016 Alison Penny looks at how schools can support children coping with the loss of a family member
Teaching: A career you can bank on 12 October 2016 Former operations manager Mark Grimmett has given up life in the financial sector and began his teaching career as an NQT last month...
Diary of a headteacher: Entering bandit country 12 October 2016 With increasing competition in the school system, the battle to recruit students can feel like the wild west, according to our headteacher diarist
At the chalkface: Intrusion 12 October 2016 But should she stop the lesson? Surely this a grave offence? Or is it just a silly prank? Is he a feckless buffoon or an incipient radical? 1 comment
How do you teach children to read? 12 October 2016 When it comes to literacy and reading, we dismiss the skills of skipping, skimming and scanning at our peril. Professor Ruth Finnegan urges educators to consider an additional approach to reading
Diary of an NQT: Feedback, feedback, feedback 12 October 2016 With so much focus on feedback, our NQT diarist is worried that her students see it merely as a tick-box exercise and take little meaning from it
Diary of a headteacher: Culture beats strategy 5 October 2016 Culture eats strategy for breakfast – a phrase that has inspired our headteacher diarist and reassured him about his unerring focus on the culture in his school 1 comment
The school photograph 5 October 2016 In this day and age, is the school photograph still a valuable use of time? Dr Bernard Trafford thinks it is
Diary of an NQT: Getting pupil feedback right 5 October 2016 A difficult year 7 lesson focusing on how pupils should respond to assessment feedback leaves our NQT diarist frustrated...
9 November 2016