Sample Articles

Pupils and parents

• SEND Code of Practice: a summary
  Read our summary of the SEND Code of Practice to make sure you're meeting your legal duties and putting the child at the heart of your SEND provision. Check the rules on EHC plans, the responsibilities of mainstream schools, and the local offer.

• SEN provision mapping
  Make sure you're keeping track of the costing and effectiveness of your interventions for students with special educational needs (SEN). Download our template provision map and template intervention evaluation tool. You can also read expert guidance on reviewing your provision map.

• Boosting pupils' self-esteem
  This article looks at guidance on promoting pupils' mental health and wellbeing, and ideas and resources you can use in school. We also link to advice on helping parents boost their child's confidence and supporting pupils to improve their own self-esteem.

• Using individual education plans (IEPs)
  This article contains advice on whether IEPs are still fit for purpose and looks at what terminology schools and LAs are using for school-based SEN support plans.

• Lockdown procedures: letters to parents
  This article contains a template letter created with one of our education experts, and provides tips on writing your own letter. We also look at examples of such letters from primary and secondary schools..

Administration and finance

• Generating income and raising funds
  This article sets out ways to generate extra money using a school's existing resources, and links to further information on these approaches. You will also find case studies from 2 schools about successful income generation.

• GDPR: seeking consent for processing personal data
  Use our process to help you work out whether you need to seek consent for processing personal data under the GDPR. If you do, use our template consent forms that cover the most likely situations where you'll need to seek consent or use our checklist to ensure your own forms meet the new rules.

• How to manage a procurement process
  A well-planned procurement process can help you achieve value for money and comply with EU procurement law. Read on for advice on planning the process, writing a specification and managing a contract.

• Letting school premises: guidance
  What should schools consider when letting their premises? We relay guidance on what to think about when planning to hire out school premises or facilities, including considerations around conditions of hire, safeguarding, security, and insurance.

Curriculum and learning

• KS1 and KS2 'pupil-speak' assessment statements
  Use and adapt examples of pupil-speak assessment statements for Key Stage (KS) 1 and 2, and read advice from our expert on using 'I can' statements with the National Curriculum.

• Promoting British values in the curriculum
  How can we promote British values through our curriculum? Two of our associate education experts explain how schools can incorporate British values into the curriculum, and the limitations to doing so. We also include a downloadable template to record how your school promotes British values.

• Assessment approach: age-related expectations
  How does an assessment system based on age-related expectations work? Get to grips with the key principles, and find out how 3 primary schools and a secondary school use the age-related expectations assessment approach.

• 'Mastery' standard activities for Key Stage 1
  Are there 'mastery' activities for English and mathematics? In this article, we relay advice from two of our associate education experts on activities for pupils who are at 'mastery' standard in Key Stage 1. We also look at how one school teaches mastery in maths and reading.

School improvement and inspection 

• Making a school 'outstanding': examples of strategies
  Have a look at advice from 2 of our associate experts on what makes a school 'outstanding' and how you can get there. You can also learn about the strategies one school used to move from special measures to ‘outstanding’ in the space of 3 years.

• Departmental and subject action plan template
  Download our departmental and subject action plan template to help you plan and evaluate improvements in your department or subject. You’ll also find out what to consider when developing and embedding your plan.

• Tips for writing your school self-evaluation form (SEF)
  Use our prompts when writing your self-evaluation form (SEF) to help you evaluate your school’s provision. You'll also find tips to support you in ensuring your SEF is an effective tool for your school's development.

Staff and recruitment

• Observing EYFS teaching: what to look for
  Understand what you should look for when observing teaching in the EYFS with guidance on what effective teaching looks like, and examples of prompts to help you when carrying out lesson observations.

• Pupil progress objectives for teachers: advice
  How should we set appraisal targets relating to pupil progress? We relay advice on setting objectives relating to pupil progress. We also looks at union opposition to basing teacher appraisal targets on pupil progress.