It seems that not a month goes by where we don’t hear of one ‘major overhaul’ or another in education.
Whilst there is certainly a lot of progress to be made, and efforts to improve outcomes – for both teachers and pupils – are generally welcomed, the constant change can feel a bit overwhelming.
So, just as the dust is beginning to settle from the Curriculum and Assessment Review (hear what veteran teacher and leader Kevin Harcombe has to say on that on page 13; spoiler – he’s not impressed), the SEND review is on the horizon.
At the time of writing, the white paper has yet to be released, and so we wait with bated breath. As soon as we have more information, rest assured we’ll be hard at work parsing what it means for those of you on the front lines, but for now, Penny Whelan is here to share her tips on how to make assessment processes a bit smoother for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (see page 52), without adding a ton of work to everyone’s slate.
Speaking of assessment, if just the thought of a lesson observation is making you sweat through your shirt, we have the article for you. Alan Shields delves into his years of experience – both good and bad – to bring us practical ideas on how to get through obs without breaking down (page 34), and don’t worry, there are no ‘deep breaths’ in sight.
On a more adventurous front, our book topic this month takes on Holly Webb’s fantastic historical caper, A Girl’s Guide to Spying, following a fictionalised account of the real-life impact that the Girl Guides had on World War 1.
Literacy expert Kate Heap provides some marvellous activities to help explore the book, including solving ciphers and questioning gender stereotypes by way of the Suffragettes. Read all about her ideas on page 63.
As always, thanks for reading, and remember – if you can get through January, you can get through anything.
See you soon,
Charley Rogers – Editor
@TeachPrimaryEd1 @charleytp.bsky.social
