Never Stop Learning

Never Stop Learning

By mattwo14 Comments
In these new and uncertain times, pupils will have spent many months away from school due to the closures put in place as a result of Covid-19. Last year, schools in England were closed to all pupils except those of key-workers and vulnerable children on the 20th March. For the majority of the summer, most learning took part remotely. Huge strides in online education were made in months that perhaps previously would have taken years. Teachers created learning packs, online lessons and updated communication systems – rising to the challenge of how to educate their pupils without the the essential face-to-face contact and personal interaction. Then September arrived and the clamour for the reopening of schools returned. Pressure was on for schools to serve their communities once more. Parents were expecting pupils to return to "normal" schooling despite the Covid-19 procedures that needed to be followed... Now, in 2021, we sit once again in a lockdown with remote learning and home...
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Multiplication Tables Check

By mattwo2 Comments
Multiplication Times Check The Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) is aKey Stage 2 Assessment to be taken by pupilsat the end of year 4. The purpose is to determine whether Y4 pupilscan fluently recall their multiplication tables. https://youtu.be/Wi1UJm27q4Q The Test The test will consist of 25 questions, together with 3 practice questions. Pupils will have 6 seconds to answer each question, with 3 seconds between each question. Please note that you will not get a report on the number of marks each pupil gets when they "Try It Out". However, there is nothing to stop teachers from monitoring their pupils' tests and keeping their own unofficial score. MTC Administration The MTC administration can be accessed from the top menu bar of the Primary Assessment Gateway. This has replaces the NCA tools website, and is usually for headteachers and other super users. The pupil register will be pre-populated with your year 4 pupils. Additional pupils can be added into the pupil register if needed. If you wish, you can organise pupils...
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A Position of Knowledge

A Position of Knowledge

By mattwo8 Comments
When working within cycling both at the 2012 Olympics and onwards with the SKY or INEOS racing team, Sir Dave Brailsford employs a significant principal in all he does. The 1% principal is based on the small changes that TOGETHER make a big change. As Brailsford said, Speaking to the BBC… “The whole principle came from the idea that if you broke down everything you could think of, that goes into riding a bike, and then improved it by 1%, you will get a significant increase when you put them all together. There’s fitness and conditioning, of course, but there are other things that might seem on the periphery, like sleeping in the right position, having the same pillow when you are away and training in different places. They’re tiny things but if you clump them together it makes a big difference.” https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34247629 He believed that if it were possible to make a 1% improvement in a whole host of areas, the cumulative gains would end...
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Every child deserves a Champion

Every child deserves a Champion

By mattwo8 Comments
When you visit a supermarket, you will often find a seconds aisle or money-off promotion. Buy-one- get-one-free or “money-saving” offers will entice you in and always make you buy that extra chocolate bar or that second beer you don’t need. You don’t look at the individual price anymore, just what you think you can gain. You usually end up spending more but feeling weirdly better off. The individual price has been removed, the label takes over. The power of a label is immense. We look at people differently because we label them as something else. Rumours, gossip.. “I didn’t know that!!” dominate social media and public culture. A politician or public figure’s career can be brought down to a shuddering halt by a label being attached. The individual has been removed, the label takes over. Are we in danger of doing the same thing within education regarding our reaction to COVID-19? Lockdown Lockdown has brought many difficulties and challenges. Pupils will have spend many months away...
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Put the Personal back

Put the Personal back

By mattwo12 Comments
Lockdown has brought many difficulties and challenges in education. Huge strides in online education have been made in months that perhaps previously would have taken years. Teachers have created learning packs, online lessons and updated communication systems - rising to the challenge of how to educate their pupils without the the essential face-to-face contact and personal interaction. Children have spent weeks and months away from the support bubble of a school, from their friends, from their safe place. Some will have thrived in a new family bubble – building new self-esteem and confidence. Others will have found it a challenge. Learning will have been lost but more importantly, their circumstances could have changed. They may have learned a deeper understanding of what it means to live in poverty, or encountered this for the first time. They may have learned to hide, to become invisible, to protect themselves from adults who are not safe, without the respite that school can provide. Many...
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Home Learning

By mattwo63 Comments
Home Learning from DAISI Education “Such an Inspiring collection of Links & Resources” We present a wide range of fun, educational and engaging resources schools can share with pupils and families. This long list of links and resources was put together over the summer of 2020 and has continued to grow ever since. Many thanks to those from around the world who have suggested ideas and links. We hope you continue to find them useful! Learning Resources Check out these links for Primary and Secondary age. Early Years Activities for 2-5 year olds - stories, craft and more Tour the World and Beyond See the world from space and live elephants in Africa... Craft Activities 100s of ideas from a variety of sources.. Free Colouring Sheets Here are over 100 patterns and pictures to choose from.. Museums and Galleries Visit the Louvre, British Museum and more... Fun Activities at home.. 100s of Ideas and Links "What a huge help for families!" Science Experiments Create giant bubbles, a rocket that blasts off and more.. Baking Activities Loads of...
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Year 7 Catch-up Premium

By mattwo2 Comments
How well is your school using the additional funding for pupil premium and Year 7 Catch up? Ofsted will be looking for how you are supporting your new Year 7. The 2019 Ofsted Inspection Handbook says: In evaluating progress in literacy and mathematics, inspectors will take into account the progress of those for whom the Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up premium provides support. [In Outstanding schools,] Governors systematically challenge senior leaders so that the effective deployment of … Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up premium … secures excellent outcomes for pupils. In Outstanding Schools.. The following quotes are taken from Ofsted Inspection Reports of Outstanding secondary and all-through schools in 2018/19: Leaders use additional funding very effectively for disadvantaged pupils and those in Year 7 who need extra help to catch up with others. … Year 7 pupils who join the school with low starting points are provided with targeted support to improve their reading. Pupils benefit from work that closely matches their abilities and...
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What do Ofsted inspections look like?

What do Ofsted inspections look like?

By mattwo5 Comments
With the launch of the new Ofsted Education Inspection Framework and School Inspection Handbook, what will inspections under the new framework be actually like? For the latest updated version – click here Ofsted Inspections There will be main parts of the inspection regime: Pre-inspection Deep dives Bringing it together Most inspections will generally be two days (apart from smaller schools), but preparation will start the day before. Next Steps https://youtu.be/DI4Fc2yizI0 Pre-inspection Ofsted will phone the school by 2pm on the day before the inspection, to let the school know who is coming, confirm things such as number of pupils on roll. They will also send emails requests that certain information (attendance analysis, exclusions, bad behaviour records) is available to inspectors by 8 a.m. the next day (inspectors will not arrive on school before this time). There will then be a more substantive call with the headteacher (or other school leaders if not available). This will focus on three aspects: . The school's context, and progress since the previous inspection including elements for...
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