Conducting an audit of your teaching assistant provision 17 May 2017 Are your school’s teaching assistants effective? Or perhaps we should ask: do you train, deploy and manage them effectively? Daniel Sobel says that poor use of TAs can harm student outcomes. He explains how to carry out an effective audit of your TA provision
Case study: Supporting your support staff 19 April 2017 In the school team, every person counts. School leader Katherine Cocker-Goring discusses her work to boost CPD and development for support staff and to more closely link student progress and staff development
How ‘honest’ are you and your school? 8 March 2017 What role does honesty play in the character and ethos of your school? Matt Bawden discusses why honesty should drive everything we do as staff and how this can inspire students and parents too
Education on show at the NEC 1 March 2017 This year’s Education Show takes place from March 16 to 18. We preview the free event, with a look at some of the CPD and exhibitors on show
Inclusion and the teaching assistant 8 February 2017 Within the context of dyslexia, Dr Dominic Griffiths explains how high-quality training for teaching assistants can help to develop an inclusive school environment
Our invaluable science technicians 1 February 2017 Supporting and celebrating our science technician colleagues is important. Fran Dainty from the National STEM Learning Network takes a moment to reflect on their vital work
Maintaining your professional boundaries 23 November 2016 Maintaining personal, professional and protective boundaries is a crucial consideration for those working in our schools. Sarah Morgan offers guidance for teachers and education professionals
Do you feel comfortable talking to pupils about mental health? 6 July 2016 It’s good to talk. Especially so when students are facing challenges to their mental health. However, teachers often feel out of their depth when faced with these conversations on sensitive issues. Psychologist Dr Asha Patel offers her advice and reassurance
Tips for managing workload and stress 6 July 2016 Given the pressure of the teaching role, being able to manage stress is crucial. Kathy Oxtoby seeks out some tips and advice on ways to de-stress and manage stress both at work and at home, and when and where to seek support
The effective science technician 25 May 2016 What makes an amazing school science technician? Simon Quinnell draws upon his CPD work with technicians from across the country to offer some ideas of how this vital role can support teachers and students 2 comments
The challenges facing our exams officers 13 April 2016 The 2016 annual survey of the Examination Officers’ Association focuses on the role of exams officers and the challenges they face. Andrew Harland offers his commentary on some of the issues raised in the report 1 comment
Teaching assistants: Providing outstanding classroom support 18 November 2015 The impact that teaching assistants can have in the classroom is widely acknowledged – but effective deployment and professional collaboration with the teacher is key. Co-author of a new book on outstanding classroom support, Jill Morgan, offers some advice
Wellbeing: Looking after your staff 9 September 2015 Jenny Moore suggests seven ways to address the teacher workload challenge and improve staff wellbeing this year
The risks of social networking 2 September 2015 Social media has brought a new way of communicating into our schools. It has also brought a risk of us sharing too much. Suzanne O'Connell seeks expert advice for school leaders
Case study: The Success Squad 26 February 2015 A project that trains support staff to take on a mentoring role has helped to boost the performance of borderline students in both English and mathematics. Jennifer Kenwright explains.
A programme to improve TA effectiveness 13 November 2014 In order to support the professionalism of his school’s teaching assistants, Bruce Wooding introduced a TA effectiveness programme.
Getting the best from your teaching assistants 9 January 2014 The role of teaching assistants in the classroom has been much debated in recent years. Jo Coates looks at the evidence and discusses the impact these vital professionals are having on attainment, including with the Pupil Premium.
6 July 2016