Talk isn’t cheap: it sets up a child to thrive in the classroom Oracy must be nurtured across all settings – especially as navigating AI demands a mastery of language, says Michael Gardner
Small schools don’t need fixing. The system needs to learn from them Headlines about small schools ‘escaping’ the DfE’s school improvement drive miss the point, writes Julie Kelly
Support staff can recognise and share their value by journaling By recording and reflecting, ‘invisible’ staff can evidence their professional judgment and creativity, says Siobhan Melay
Spending on speech and language therapy is vital to tackle SEND I’m calling on government to view early intervention, training of staff and more speech and language therapy not as an expense but as an upfront investment
Winter of discontent is a real danger for pupils’ confidence Data revealed pupils’ sense of agency takes a knock from January, and we’re taking steps to address this, says Lee Wilson
A ‘ni hao’ from Chinese visitors was the ultimate language lesson Saying ‘hello’ to pupils from Nanjing brought learning to life, but anything that adds context can ignite a child’s interest, says Cara Bleiman
Gove’s traditionalists won, but now they see what was lost Militant discipline and explicit instruction delivered higher exam grades, but the debate has moved on as pupils disengage from school, says Jon Hutchinson
Pupil premium paperwork reveals schools snub effective strategies Our review of 550 pupil premium strategies found many schools aren’t strategic at all – which suggests leaders need help to use evidence effectively, says Emma Dobson
Repairs to the school-parent contract must come from the top The situation is not irreparable, and the first small steps have already been taken towards forging a more positive home-school relationship