Original research by: Rodriguez F, Kataoka S, Rivas MJ et al. (2018) Do spacing and self-testing predict learning outcomes? Active Learning in Higher Education: 1-15. Introduction The research explored whether using spacing and self-testing strategies was related to final course grades for an undergraduate biology class. I was drawn to this paper because I have […]
Original research by: Ghufron MA and Ermawati S (2018) The Strengths and Weaknesses of Cooperative Learning and Problem-based Learning in EFL Writing Class: Teachers and Students’ Perspectives. International Journal of Instruction 11(4): 657-672. Introduction This research explored the strengths and weaknesses of both cooperative learning and problem-based learning in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) […]
Tonbridge Grammar School is an Academy IB World School with 1182 pupils on roll and 2 per cent pupil premium. There are two members of staff in the music department, including a full time head of department and a part time music teacher who is also the school’s assistant head teacher. Additionally, there are 16 […]
Beaconsfield High School is a girls’ state grammar school that prides itself on excellence for education and beyond. We provide an exceptionally happy and high-achieving learning environment for our 1,100 students, and this year we are proud to be one of the top three grammar schools in the country for progress, with a P8 score […]
Context Queen Elizabeth’s High School is a state funded grammar school with 1200 pupils on roll and 7 per cent pupil premium. The art department has four members of staff, one head of department, who is also head of house and one of two A level teachers. The second A level teacher is assistant head […]
Roundwood Park School is an academy with 1300 pupils on roll and 7 pre cent pupil premium. The music department consists of four members of staff; a full-time head of department, a part-time assistant head, a part-time head of sixth form and one part-time teacher of music. Additionally, there are 15 visiting peripatetic teachers. At […]
St John Fisher (SJF) Catholic High School is a non-selective, voluntary-aided secondary school educating boys and girls from ages 11-18. We are in the Catholic Diocese of Leeds and the North Yorkshire local authority. At 16+ we are an associated sixth form with St Aidan’s C of E High School, meaning we share students and […]
The seed of an idea In 2013, our school had been judged by Ofsted to ‘require improvement’ and we were operating out of a building site. Pupils were taught in portacabins separated by a much reduced playground, and our staff was facing a rather uncertain and challenging future. We needed a strategy that would inspire, […]
Arts and Creativity as a Family of Schools and as a Cultural Education Partnership The City of London Family of Schools is comprised of 14 schools for which the City of London Corporation is the sponsor, proprietor or local education authority. The 14 schools include academies with above average levels of pupil premium, independent schools, […]
Aims The University of Cambridge Primary School (UCPS) is committed to developing a broad and balanced curriculum with the arts (dance, music, drama) playing a central part in its vision. To inspire children to learn through creative activities (Craft et al., 2012) and to encourage them to release their imaginations (Greene, 1995), the school organises […]
Bowen DH and Kisida B (2019) Investigating Causal Effects of Arts Education Experiences: Experimental Evidence from Houston’s Arts Access Initiative. Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research. Introduction Advocates for arts education sometimes claim that apart from its intrinsic benefits, it can also have a positive influence on students’ academic and social development. There is, however, […]
Siddal Moor Sports College is a comprehensive secondary school with 900 pupils on roll and 50 per cent pupil premium. The expressive arts department has six teachers: two drama teachers, three art teachers and one music teacher. Some of them teach across subjects and the drama staff also deliver creative media and dance. The number […]
Nichol J and Andrews K (2018) Oracy-Dialogics through the lens of the Cambridge Primary Review. Education 3-13 46(6): 620–635. Introduction This paper explores the principles of Oracy-Dialogics through a case study in a Cambridge Primary Review flagship school. It focuses on the importance of a whole-school philosophy and describes the implementation of Oracy-Dialogics in a […]
Our working memory, which we use to temporarily store and manage information, has a small capacity and is really put to the test when we are taught new information. It’s worth bearing this in mind when creating and using PowerPoint presentations in your teaching. What does it mean? Some researchers suggest that there are three […]
Homework works best when it is a targeted, well-designed strategy to support learning and understanding. Digital technology offers the opportunity to re-design homework tasks to take advantage of multimedia recording and editing tools. What does it mean? New digital tools and resources can be very enticing and many certainly have the ‘wow factor’. We need […]
Metacognition and self-regulation strategies have been shown to boost attainment and achievement (EEF, 2018). Yet, somewhat paradoxically, securing optimal levels of independent learning works best when it’s a teacher-led process – and this is where making your resources available online can be really helpful. What does it mean? There are no simple strategies to achieve […]
Quizzes and tests are not just good for assessing how much a student knows and what they still need to learn to inform future planning. Online quizzing tools also support teachers to check pupil understanding and help students take advantage of the ‘testing effect’. What does it mean? Research into the ‘testing effect’ shows that […]
Visualisers help you feedback to the whole class at once by projecting specific samples of student work while you model answers, defuse common misconceptions and provide scaffolding to better performance. What does it mean? Feedback can take many forms, but marking is one of the most common – and the workload associated with traditional marking […]
Simon Balle All-through School has a primary phase from reception to Year 4 and a full secondary phase. We have 1420 on role and our music team consists of two full-time staff for curriculum, as well as 16 instrumental teachers; each of varying hours, who are employed by the school and the local music service […]
In 2016, I was teaching in an international school in Paris. We had more than 60 nationalities and a high turnover, with students usually only staying for two or three years on average. The effect of home and geographical cultures, as well as the ‘third culture kid’ phenomenon experienced by students, cannot be underestimated. My […]
