With the end of the school year fast approaching, the mind-set of both teachers and students will soon be fully focused on exam season.
Many choose to go their own way when planning and preparing for exams, especially as advice from teachers on how best to approach revising is rarely welcomed by students. But a lot can be said for looking at the evidence behind favourable strategies employed by schools and providing classes with helpful resources on how to succeed.
Jeremy Corbyn recently pledged that if elected, Labour would scrap formal tests in primary schools in England. Speaking to members of the National Education Union in Liverpool, Corbyn claimed that SATS leave children in floods of tears or vomiting with worry.
He also said that the move would free up schools struggling with funding cuts and congested classrooms, and help teacher recruitment and retention.
Despite the fact that every teacher should have read Ofsted’s school inspection handbook, which goes into detail about things like the evaluation schedule and grade descriptors, several inspection myths still exist.
So, to provide clarification over the facts once and for all, here are 7 Ofsted inspection myths you should pay no attention to whatsoever.
In recent years, an increasing number of teachers and schools have started to adopt research and evidence-based practices.
One notable example is cognitive load theory, which has been described by Dylan William as “the single most important thing for teachers to know.”
But what do we mean by cognitive load theory? And how can it impact the classroom? Here’s what you need to know.
It is fair to say that throughout life, people are measured and judged against certain benchmarks, which don’t always paint true-to-life pictures of character or capability.
The exact same thing can be said for our current examination system, which ignores the individuality of each student – it’s simply the strongest and fittest who survive.
So, does that mean to say we are failing our pupils with school examinations?
Every week, Ofsted carries out hundreds of inspections and regulatory visits of services providing education and skills for learners of all ages.
For many years, it has used statistical models to ensure proportionate inspection of maintained schools and academies as well as independent educational institutions and programmes.
But in March 2018, Ofsted released a publication outlining the risk assessment process for good and outstanding maintained schools and academies, which involved individual assessment of published data alongside a more in-depth ‘desk-based’ review of a wider range of available information.
In order to control spending and keep costs down, education policymakers often decide to increase class sizes. But what impact does this have on the academic ability and achievements of children?
A 110-page report by Campbell Collaboration attempts to lift the lid on class sizes and their effect on student learnings in both primary and secondary schools.
Getting to know your students is never easy, especially in the first term of a new school year. But now that you’ve spent some quality time with your class and the distraction of the Christmas holidays has disappeared, this is the perfect opportunity to gain a better understanding of your students both as learners and people.
By doing so, you’ll be able to build strong relationships and a favourable rapport with your class, which in turn can help you become a master of behaviour management. Throughout the rest of your career in education, you’ll soon realise that this is an invaluable and indispensable skill.
It is easy for teachers to feel like the weight of the world is on their shoulders. Not only are teachers trusted with the learning and development of children, they must also act as inspirational and influential ‘role models’.
But in many respects, the attitudes and attributes of good teachers go hand-in-hand with role models…
On Wednesday 13THFebruary 2019, Strategy Education will be co-ordinating an interview day in Thurrock for primary ECTs.
On the day you will have the opportunity to meet a number of Headteachers as well as visit and teach in local schools.