Secondary

Theatre Masks

Identity and Disguise in Twelfth Night

We are living in a time when identity, particularly gender identity, has become a highly topical issue. How we identify others and identify ourselves has become a key concern, with whole websites established to help people. It’s constantly in the news, from Billy Porter’s appearance on the Oscars red carpet… Read More
Yorkshire Moors

Lively activities for teaching Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights is an epic, sweeping, iconic Gothic novel that is ideal for AS and A Level teaching. With its tragic love story, it can’t exactly be called light reading so here are some thoughtful ideas for lessons that enable students to become involved in close textual analysis through creativity and drama. Read More

5 ways to create a culture of thinking in your school

No school would ever say that they didn’t value thinking but do they have a culture that is focused on developing students as thinkers and learners? Building a rich culture of thinking is a collaborative and dynamic effort to weave critical thinking, planning, organising and problem solving into teaching, learning… Read More

What does effective pastoral care look like?

Every teacher is devoted to the personal, social development, education and care of all pupils across the school. They are responsible for their welfare and progress and they put pastoral care first because they want to deliver safe and supportive environments for students to get the best out of everyone.  … Read More

Are teachers basically magic weavers?

Teachers work their magic everyday and they do that without spells or wands. They don’t possess invisible powers or rely on illusion either. Teachers are true magicians. Dinner-party bores will always manage to define you according to the work you do. When the inevitable question does get sprung, you could… Read More

Considering Macbeth’s Soliloquies

Crime drama is one of the most popular genres on television and one that students are familiar with. Just look at the success of shows like Sherlock, Line of Duty and Luther, which attract massive audiences and clouds of online comment. One of the features of such shows and key… Read More

The Yellow Folder Of Why

Are you surviving or thriving? Every teacher will ask the question “Why am I teaching?” because the going gets tough on a regular basis and our wellbeing takes a hammering. Sometimes everything can seem stacked against… Read More
Assessment image

Getting the best out of assessment

Susan Thompson What issues should you consider to make sure your investment in assessment delivers for students, teachers and your schools? Assessment is now a routine and essential element of school life. Using classroom activities, homework assignments, periodic testing, or once-a-year summative assessments; teachers constantly monitor and appraise the students… Read More
Students discussing RSE

Why we should all be talking about RSE

Jo Fliski From 2020 it will be compulsory for all secondary schools to teach both relationship education and sex education and for primary schools to be teaching relationships to young people. The National Survey of Sexual Attitudes found that young people, and young woman especially, who learn about sex and… Read More