May 2021

In this new blog for Autumn 2023, advisors Sarah-Anne Fernandes and Trevor Dixon share their views on how to prepare students for the 2024 SATs, based on implications from the 2023 mathematics papers.
 

Think of the game ‘Secret Whispers’ where you whisper a sentence round a group sat in a circle. Will the message get passed on accurately? Or will words be substituted and the meaning changed as it goes round? While the consequences of the game can be hilarious and unintended, the consequences applied to pupil learning – think: ‘Curriculum Whispers’ – is perhaps all too obvious.

To celebrate our 48 new Reading Planet Cosmos books for ages 7-9, we’re giving schools the chance to win a visit from Jane Elson, author of the Digby and Marvel Detective Agency mini-series.

How do you avoid the revolving door of school interventions? We share 5 easy steps to effective primary school interventions.

Is the juice worth the squeeze with school interventions? We share the warning signs of ineffective (and costly) primary school interventions.

Introducing our brand-new edition of GAPS: our termly grammar, punctuation and spelling tests re-standardised on over 7,000 pupils in 2023/2024. Find out what's new and sneak a peek at some sample pages.

We explore how to implement interventions creatively while at the same time keeping the foundation subjects safe. Keep your pupils from seeing you as their 'PE theif'!

Some intervention activities aren’t designed with cognitive load in mind. Creating a barrier for students due to layout, contents or language. Let’s look at how to reduce cognitive demand when delivering interventions.

A small pocket of time has appeared. Are you prepared to scoop up intervention children and get started? We share how you can make sure you are always ready to go.

Should school interventions be marked? We share how to effectively assess intervention success, concentrating on feedback that is meaningful, manageable and motivating.