Best Practice Category Filteraspxcategoryid=694685

Extra-curricular activities: Ensuring equity

4 July 2022

In this five-part series, Matt Bromley looks at best practice for planning and delivering effective extra-curricular provision. In part five, he looks at targeting activities at those in need, providing equitable access, and monitoring impact

Extra-curricular activities: Staffing, scheduling and the Pupil Premium

13 June 2022

In this five-part series, Matt Bromley looks at best practice for planning and delivering a broad and equitable extra-curricular offer. In part two, he looks at how we staff, schedule and resource activities, including via the Pupil Premium

Extra-curricular activities: Effective provision

6 June 2022

Extra-curricular activities are a vital part of secondary school life. In this five-part series, Matt Bromley looks at best practice for planning and delivering a broad and equitable extra-curricular offer. In part one, he considers why this is important and what’s at stake

The virtual school headteacher: What you need to know

23 May 2022

What is the role of the virtual school head, what does their new duty to support all children with social workers entail, and how can they support schools? Darren Martindale explains

Gradually then suddenly: Educational inequality in secondary schools

16 May 2022

Many teachers know all too well the cost of educational inequality in the UK, but a similar battle is raging in Germany between the have and have nots. Writing from Berlin, teacher David Kazamias explains

Poverty on the brain: Five strategies to counter the impact of disadvantage in the classroom

23 February 2022

What does disadvantage do to our cognitive functions and what can we do about this as teachers? Poverty researcher and teacher Sean Harris examines emerging research findings on poverty, the implications for the classroom, and five strategies we might adopt in response

Boosting social mobility: Seven building blocks for schools

22 February 2022

The tail of educational underachievement for disadvantaged students risks getting longer. Dr Jonathan Doherty looks at the state of play after two years of Covid, considers where now for social mobility, and discusses seven building blocks for schools to help raise attainment for disadvantaged ...

Language and literacy: Closing the gap for disadvantaged white children

17 November 2021

By the age of five, the language and literacy gaps faced by working class white children are already apparent. But it is never too late to provide effective help, even at secondary level. Jean Gross advises

Pupil Premium: How do you talk about money?

20 September 2021

We are not trained or prepared for how we should speak to Pupil Premium students about this label, what it means, and about money in general – and this can be a real minefield for teachers and school staff. Liz Hebb explains

Ideas for working with hard-to-reach families

3 February 2021

Every school will have some families with which it is difficult to engage, and often these are the families of our more vulnerable learners. Dr Pooky Knightsmith looks at why this might be and offers some practical ideas

Supporting looked after children to aspire to university

11 January 2021

An incredibly small minority of children in care end up going to university. Virtual school headteacher Darren Martindale discusses a programme in the Midlands which set out to raise aspirations among our most vulnerable students

Supporting the education of white working class boys

5 January 2021

Data suggests that white working class boys are among the lowest attainers in our schools. Matt Bromley considers why this is and what schools might be able to do about it

Social justice and schools: Accountability

1 December 2020

In a seven-part series, teacher and school leader Dave Anderson considers how schools can be a key driver for social justice and how we can make our education system more equitable. In the final part, he tackles our school accountability system and the dreaded ‘O’…

Social justice and schools: Assessment

24 November 2020

In a seven-part series, teacher and school leader Dave Anderson considers how schools can be a key driver for social justice and how we can make our education system more equitable. In part six, he looks at the problems with our system of assessment and examinations

A question of time? Priorities and considerations for the ‘catch-up’ funding

21 October 2020

The Covid catch-up funding should not be used simply to create more ‘time’ for schooling, but should be used to make the most of the time we have and to get students to a place where they can re-engage with their learning. Jon Gibson and Ben Slater explain

Social justice and schools: Admissions

19 October 2020

In a seven-part series, teacher and school leader David Anderson considers how schools can be a key driver for social justice and how we can make our education system more equitable. In part five, he looks at the problems with admissions – another mechanism by which the playing field is kept ...

What kind of support will EAL pupils need this term and beyond?

7 October 2020

Teaching and learning post-lockdown presents many challenges. Silvana Richardson considers how we can support the most disadvantaged EAL pupils, who as well as suffering a hit to their learning, may have also experienced a language learning loss...

Spending the £650m Covid 'catch-up' funding: Some things to consider

5 October 2020

The government’s £650m so-called catch-up premium amounts to £80 per-pupil. Matt Bromley looks at how the funding is being delivered, how we might spend it, and Ofsted’s role in the coming months

Lost learning? Why we must avoid a deficit teaching model post-lockdown – and how we can do it

23 September 2020

The rhetoric around ‘lost learning’ is not helpful and should be avoided, says Matt Bromley. Drawing on the words of David Ausubel and Dylan Wiliam, he looks here about why we must avoid the deficit model when teaching this academic year

Recovering from Covid: Supporting the learning of disadvantaged pupils

14 September 2020

After the Covid-19 lockdown, we are facing a growing attainment gap between rich and poor. Bethany Eadie asks how we might spend our Pupil Premium budgets this year and what evidence-based measures we can take to begin closing the gap again

Social justice and schools: Education policy & policy-makers

6 July 2020

In a seven-part series, teacher and school leader David Anderson considers how schools can be a key driver for social justice and how we can make our education system more equitable. In part four, he looks at how education policy can help or hinder social justice

Coronavirus: On the wrong side of the digital divide

10 June 2020

What does the research say about the impact of the coronavirus lockdown on potential gaps in learning – and about how schools can best support students and their families with remote education – especially those on the wrong side of the digital divide? Dr Beng Huat See considers the evidence

Social justice and schools: Resources & funding

8 June 2020

In a seven-part series, teacher and school leader David Anderson considers how schools can be a key driver for social justice and how we can make our education system more equitable. In part three, he considers huge disparities between state and private schools when it comes to resources and funding

Social justice and our school system: A blueprint for equity

6 May 2020

In a seven-part series, teacher and school leader David Anderson draws on his Master’s research to consider how schools can be a key driver for social justice and how we can make our education system more equitable. In part one, he looks at inequity across the system, the challenges we face and ...

Pupil Premium: Levelling the playing field with high expectations

26 February 2020

How can we ensure that our disadvantaged students make good progress and achieve success? Amy Benziane discusses approaches centred on high expectations and aspiration

Narrowing the Gap