Review by Zara Simpson

Next steps

As we begin the summer term, our focus as a school and as a sector rightly turns to transition: ensuring that our Year 6 pupils are emotionally, socially and academically ready for the move to senior school. 

Transition is an exciting as well as an uncertain time, so it’s vital that we support pupils with care and consistency. As an all-through school, we’re fortunate to offer a seamless experience. Our head of transition and head of Year 7 engage with pupils from the start of Year 6, and this sustained connection helps pupils feel known and supported well before September. 

Crucially, effective transition relies on clear and ongoing communication, not just with pupils but with parents too. In today’s educational landscape, effective communication is essential for school leadership teams aiming to build trust and foster meaningful engagement with parents.

A recent blog from Weduc offers a helpful reminder of the importance of proactive communication strategies that reflect a school’s values and meet the needs of its community.

From creating consistent communication frameworks and being transparent, to engaging SEND and EAL families and addressing funding gaps, the guidance encourages leaders to see communication not as admin but as culture-building. 

Strong parent partnerships enhance the educational journey, and clear, consistent messaging plays a crucial role in sustaining that trust. This blog is full of helpful tips to get that right.

Next gen

Digital literacy is another key focus as we look ahead. In the latest episode of the Hello World podcast, the Raspberry Pi Foundation explores practical, classroom-tested ways to build digital skills – a growing necessity for today’s learners.

Featuring teachers from the UK and US, the episode offers advice on embedding digital literacy across subjects. The conversation goes beyond coding, touching on topics like evaluating digital content, understanding online safety and encouraging curiosity in a tech-driven world. 

One teacher in the podcast emphasises that digital learning becomes more effective when it’s relevant. Whether through creative storytelling, data projects or cross-curricular links, pupils are more engaged when they see the real-world purpose behind the tech.

The podcast is a useful listen for educators looking to introduce digital thinking in meaningful, manageable ways. 

Next level

Another key area of professional development this term is supporting pupils with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN). With SLCN now the most common need among pupils on SEN support in England, it’s essential that school teams are confident in identifying and responding to this challenge. 

The latest Headteacher Update podcast tackles this issue head-on, offering practical advice on recognising and supporting SLCN in the classroom. It stresses the importance of early identification, spotting difficulties with vocabulary, comprehension or social interaction and integrating support into everyday teaching, rather than seeing it as a bolt-on.

Strategies such as visual scaffolding, simplifying language and creating safe speaking spaces are discussed, alongside the value of whole-school collaboration with speech and language therapists and parents. 

Given the significance of this topic, we are hosting a dedicated parent talk this May with speech and language expert Tina Archer. She will share practical advice with families on how to support communication development at home, ensuring that parents feel empowered as partners in their child’s progress. 

For teachers seeking to develop their practice further, an upcoming free webinar from AQUEDUTO (the Association for Quality Education and Training Online) offers a timely CPD opportunity. On 15 May,  this free, interactive session will look at how AI tools can support online language teaching and teacher education.

With so much discourse around AI, this promises a grounded, practitioner-focused perspective on using these tools with confidence and purpose to meet a growing challenge.

As we head into the final term, our focus remains firmly on ensuring that all pupils feel ready for their next steps, whether they’re preparing for senior school or developing new skills in the classroom.

That means ensuring each child – and their family – feels secure, supported and seen.