Parents and Schools Working Together

Parents and Schools Working Together

Schools working in partnership with parents is nothing new. It was a major focus of the Early Years framework from around 2012, when it was identified as a key factor in improving children’s learning and development.

As children get older, parents often take a step back from engaging with schools. Home based learning during COVID lockdowns certainly alerted many parents to the difficulties in supporting their children’s education.

While schools often focus on parental involvement, it can be challenging for parents to identify how they can support their children effectively with their education. They may fear that their lack of knowledge hinders them or worry they don’t have the time to make a difference.

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School Transitions

How to Support Pupils with School Transitions

Whether pupils are moving between year groups, key stages, or primary to secondary school, the transition can be stressful and upsetting. No matter how old we are, change is unsettling, and support will be needed to try and mitigate the effects.

For vulnerable pupils such as those with SEN or those who have other needs, it can be even more challenging, and they will require extra support and planning to help them through the process.

STARS (The School Transition and Adjustment Research Study) gathered a wealth of information to provide practical strategies that help support children through school transitions.

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Reduce Low Level Disruption

How to Reduce Low-Level Disruption at Exam Time

Exam time can be stressful for students, often leading to a deterioration in the expected levels of behaviour in the classroom.

It is no surprise that emotions are often heightened due to the pressure, with many students finding it difficult to express their feelings. Teachers can make a real difference if they introduce some simple strategies to minimise low-level disruption.

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Teacher Stress

Teachers in England Suffering from Stress

There is a growing view that teachers in England are more stressed than other teachers worldwide. This view is backed up by some recent research and appears to be due to several factors.

Indeed, teachers who leave cite work-life balance and pressure as critical factors in their decision to leave the profession.

Let’s look at what the research has found to be the crucial issues that negatively affect our teachers and cause them stress.

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Sky Arts Week

Bringing the Arts into your Classroom

Creativity and art are often neglected parts of the curriculum. Yet, their importance in promoting confidence and improving health and wellbeing in young people is backed up by research.

During COVID, there were long periods of school closures and restricted access to all aspects of art. Sky Arts have decided to promote the arts by introducing Access All Arts week.

This project celebrates everything art-related and will help teachers bring the arts into their classrooms in 2022.

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Teaching Career

Enhance your Teaching Career

Teaching is often described as a vocation, and indeed, many teachers are driven by their passion for education. However, it is also true that teaching is a profession where career development has an important part to play.

As teaching is constantly evolving, it makes sense for teachers to take ownership of their own growth.

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New Job in Teaching

How to Secure a New Job in Teaching

There are plenty of good reasons to look for a new job as a teacher. You might want to progress to a more challenging position, find a more specialised role or travel to a new location.

Whatever the reason for your search, here are some excellent ideas for making your job hunt more successful.

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Marking work

The Great Marking Debate

Sometimes it seems as though there is no greater issue of contention in education than marking! Whether in Primary or Secondary education, there seems to always be an ongoing conversation about the value, necessity and regularity of marking with differing opinions from teachers, pupils, parents and SLT.

Teachers themselves don’t always agree about the benefits of marking, with some seeing it as an essential tool for feedback and progression while others see it as a waste of their precious time with no real benefit to pupils.

What exactly is it that causes marking to be so open to debate with no agreed solutions?

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