Empowering students with SEND: How Chromebooks enhance learning in the secondary classroom
JON WAITE, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, UCKFIELD COLLEGE, UK Introduction The main finding of the research that I carried out was the impact that Chromebooks could have for students with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) in the classroom. During my MA, I began work at my current school as assistant principal leading teaching and learning. My college […]
How are primary schools engaging in careers education to raise aspirations for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) subjects?
KARINA KHAN, GATLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL, UK This work was completed as part of SSAT’s Leadership Legacy Project. Considering the role of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) in today’s society, this report focuses on the importance of careers education, starting in primary school. This project immerses children in STEAM learning while introducing careers linked to […]
Broadening the notion of educational success with research into the necessary adaptations of retrieval practice in SEND/SEMH schools
KELLY WOODFORD-RICHENS, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH, SOLENT ACADEMIES TRUST, UK SARAH JONES, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, REDWOOD PARK ACADEMY, UK HARRIET LEADBEATER, HEAD OF LEARNING: PERSONALISATION & INCLUSION, REDWOOD PARK ACADEMY, UK ZOE STEVENS, COMMUNICATIONS LEAD, REDWOOD PARK ACADEMY, UK Introduction Most UK schools are on a journey to embedding cognitive science pedagogies – notably retrieval practice – into their teaching and learning expectations. […]
Reimagining curriculum in the climate emergency: An urgent educational imperative
VICTORIA JAMIESON, SENIOR LECTURER IN EARLY YEARS EDUCATION, FACULTY OF EDUCATION, EDGE HILL UNIVERSITY, UK DAVID ALDRIDGE, PROFESSOR OF TEACHER EDUCATION, FACULTY OF EDUCATION, EDGE HILL UNIVERSITY, UK The climate crisis presents a troubling existential challenge for future generations, yet formal education continues to marginalise its significance and urgency. As extreme weather events intensify and scientific warnings […]
Using multi-sensory drama to promote social and emotional learning in young people with SEND
FARZANA CHOWDHURY, ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER, BRAYS SPECIAL SCHOOL, UK Introduction The National Curriculum defines a framework for essential knowledge to develop educated citizens. Drama, recognised for fostering creativity, is considered non-compulsory, yet its importance is acknowledged in the English National Curriculum (DfE, 2014). This research aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of multi-sensory drama (MSD) in enhancing social […]
Indigenous modes of learning in education: Developing alternative pedagogies in extended learning
KHADEEJA BATOOL, CENTRAL SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL, LAHORE, PAKISTAN Central School International (CSI) in Lahore, is a newly established, research-driven institution, launched in August 2023 to explore innovative responses to urgent educational challenges in Pakistan. A key concern was the deep learning and developmental gaps that emerged following COVID-19: not only cognitive delays but also striking disruptions […]
It’s alternative provision, not lesser provision: A critical reflection on the English curriculum for students in alternative provision
STEPHANIE POVEY, ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER IN CHARGE OF QUALITY OF EDUCATION, THE EDGE ACADEMY, UK In a system where too many young people are not meeting the required standard of a grade 4 in GCSE English language (Martin, 2023), it is important to explore those students left behind and to understand their curriculum offer. This issue extends […]
Beyond the tick-box: Diversity in the curriculum
LOUISA DAVIES, THE CASTLE SCHOOL, SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE, UK Introduction Despite our best intentions, too often our efforts to make our teaching more diverse can risk becoming tokenistic. We frequently lack the time to make substantial changes to our existing curriculum, we lack clarity from policy to guide us, we lack the finance to properly resource such […]
It’s hard to be what you cannot see: Subjectification and inclusion within the languages curriculum
KAREN HANRAHAN, IOE, UCL’S FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND SOCIETY, UK HANNAH VENTISEI, CLAPTON GIRLS’ ACADEMY, UK Biesta (2015) argues that education serves three overlapping purposes: qualification (developing knowledge and skills), socialisation (becoming part of existing social and cultural norms and traditions) and subjectification (developing students’ agency or ‘subject-ness’). In advocating for a ‘flipped curriculum’ – which places […]
What informs school leaders’ decisions when considering play-based learning beyond the Early Years Foundation Stage?
JO GRAY, HEAD OF EDUCATION, LEADERSHIP CONSULTANT AND ADVOCATE FOR PLAY-BASED, INCLUSIVE EDUCATION, UK Play-based learning is a well-established pedagogical approach in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), fostering cognitive, social and emotional development (Pyle and Danniels, 2017). However, as children transition to Key Stage 1, the focus often shifts towards more structured, formal learning approaches […]
Beyond boundaries: Exploring collaboration in Year 7 writing in English
TAK-SANG LI, ASSISTANT MASTER (TEACHING AND LEARNING), WESTMINSTER UNDER SCHOOL, UK Introduction This case study explores collaborative writing involving Year 7 students in an independent school as part of the English curriculum. Its focus is the way in which such collaborative writing can broaden the scope of traditional writing practices in the English classroom. The agency […]
Successfully integrating a specialist special educational needs and disabilities base into a mainstream school
REBECCA COX, CEO, HALES VALLEY TRUST, UK EMMA TOLLEY, TRUST HEAD OF INCLUSION, HALES VALLEY TRUST, UK KAREN CARVER, TRUST HEAD OF INCLUSION, PRIORY PRIMARY SCHOOL, UK HOLLIE JENNINGS, ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER AND SENCO, WOODSIDE PRIMARY SCHOOL, UK The role of SEND bases in supporting inclusive practice A SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) base (also referred to as a […]
Case study: A curriculum for the 21st century – embodying transpersonal education through the Millennium School, San Francisco, USA
SCOTT BUCKLER, RESEARCH LEAD, HOLY TRINITY SCHOOL, UK Introduction With increased mental health and wellbeing concerns (The Children’s Society, 2025), failing economies (Egan, 2025) and political and trade tensions, among others, the curriculum and, indeed, schooling are long due a complete overhaul. While there have been disruptors – for example, Francisco Ferrer i Guàrdia and his […]
From validation to implementation: Choosing a systematic synthetic phonics programme
LAURA BROGAN, NATIONAL PHONICS LEADER, TWINKL EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING, UK Choosing a systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) programme is one of the most significant decisions that school leaders can make. With numerous options available, how can they feel confident in selecting the best fit for their students and staff? This article explores key factors to consider when making […]
What does it mean to be a teacher in an age of AI?
TOSHIRO MORI, TEACHER, TOBU JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, JAPAN; DOCTORAL STUDENT, NAGOYA UNIVERSITY, JAPAN The rapid advancement of AI (artificial intelligence) and digital technologies has had a profound impact on education worldwide. In response, schools in many countries are actively revising their curricula and instructional methods to incorporate AI-enhanced tools and strategies (Luckin et al., 2016). In […]
An inclusive curriculum: Learnings from research and practice to promote success for all learners
TAREK EL BABA, DAR AL FIKR SCHOOLS, SAUDI ARABIA Introduction Inclusive education requires more than legal compliance; it demands a commitment to equity, dignity and the universal right to meaningful learning (UNESCO, 1994). Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has emerged as a powerful framework that promotes inclusivity by proactively designing curricula to meet diverse learner […]
Using LEGO Serious Play to support career conversations with neurodivergent Year 11 learners: A case study
BEVERLEY GARLAND, THE OUTDOORS SCHOOL, EXETER, UK Abstract This case study examines the use of LEGO Serious Play (LSP) as a facilitation tool for career conversations with six neurodivergent Year 11 learners at The Outdoors School. All participants had education, health and care plans (EHCPs) related to conditions such as autism spectrum condition (ASC) and attention […]
From the editor
Dr Cat Scutt MBE, Deputy Chief Executive, Chartered College of Teaching, UK In Spring 2019, the Chartered College of Teaching published a special issue of Impact focused on EdTech, funded by the Department for Education (DfE). In the six years since then, EdTech use in schools has changed almost beyond recognition: firstly, due to the […]
Using GenAI: What do teachers really need to know?
HANNAH OWEN, CLASS TEACHER, RIVERSIDE PRIMARY SCHOOL; PHD RESEARCHER, UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, UK My first experience of using artificial intelligence (AI) almost crept up on me. I was aware of some of the AI tools available, particularly ChatGPT, but had yet to try them out. Yet one morning, as I was preparing a spelling activity for […]
Teachers’ use of ChatGPT in lesson preparation can save time
HELEN POET, RESEARCH DIRECTOR, NFER, UK KATHERINE ASTON, RESEARCH MANAGER, NFER, UK Introduction Since the release of various generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) models for public use, there has been great interest in its potential use in education. By August last year, 57 per cent of teachers reported using at least one form of AI tool to help […]