Reading for thoughtful teachers.

Teaching strategy · 6 min read

Differentiating Math Without Burning Out

Three pragmatic strategies for mixed-ability classrooms

You don't need three separate lesson plans every day. Here's how to differentiate math meaningfully without doubling your prep.

2026-04-02

First-year teaching · 7 min read

Five Mistakes I Made as a New Elementary Teacher

And what I'd tell my first-year self if I could

If I could go back and shake my first-year teacher self by the shoulders, here's what I'd say.

2026-04-09

Reading & literacy · 8 min read

Phonics vs Whole Language: The Fight Is (Mostly) Over

What the research actually says about how children learn to read

The 'reading wars' tore at education for decades. Here's where the science of reading has actually landed — and what it means for your classroom.

2026-04-16

Light reading · 4 min read

Twelve Things Only Elementary Teachers Will Understand

A short, slightly chaotic love letter to the job

The strange, specific, weirdly wonderful things that come with teaching elementary children — and that nobody else quite gets.

2026-04-23

Teaching strategy · 7 min read

The Myth of Learning Styles — and What to Do Instead

Why 'visual learner' and 'kinesthetic learner' don't hold up — and what does

Learning-styles theory has been one of the most popular ideas in education and one of the most thoroughly debunked. Here's why — and what genuinely helps children learn.

2026-04-30

Classroom culture · 6 min read

Why Your Routines Matter More Than Your Lesson Plans

The invisible architecture of a good classroom

First-year teachers spend hours on lesson plans and almost no time on routines. The teachers whose classrooms run beautifully have it the other way around.

2026-05-07

Assessment & feedback · 7 min read

How to Give Feedback That Actually Changes the Work

The difference between marking and teaching, and why it matters

Most marking has almost no effect on student work. Here's what does — and what to stop doing immediately.

2026-05-14

Teaching strategy · 6 min read

The Quiet Power of Low-Stakes Quizzing

Why testing little and often is the best-kept secret in elementary teaching

Frequent low-stakes quizzes might be the single highest-impact, lowest-effort change you can make to your teaching this year.

2026-05-21

Teaching strategy · 6 min read

What I Wish I'd Known About Classroom Talk

Why most class discussions don't deepen thinking — and how to fix it

We ask thousands of questions a year. Most of them produce shallow answers. Here's how to ask better ones — and what to do with the answers.

2026-05-28

Teaching strategy · 7 min read

Homework: What the Evidence Actually Says

How much should elementary kids do — and what kind?

Homework is one of the most-debated and least-evidence-based parts of elementary education. Here's a straight-talking summary of what we know.

2026-06-04

Teaching strategy · 5 min read

The Art of the Three-Second Pause

Why the most powerful teaching tool you have is silence

The most underused tool in elementary teaching is the pause. Here's why it works — and how to make it part of your practice.

2026-06-11

Classroom culture · 6 min read

The Most Important Week of the Year

Why the first week of school is worth treating like an emergency

Most teachers think the first week is for getting to know the children. The teachers whose classrooms run beautifully use it for something quite different.

2026-06-18

Parent communication · 6 min read

Talking to Parents About Difficult Things

How to deliver hard news with care and clarity

Sooner or later, every elementary teacher has to tell a parent something they don't want to hear. Here's how to do it well.

2026-06-25

Classroom culture · 5 min read

Five Minutes That Change the Day

The case for the morning meeting (and why most teachers never get round to it)

A short, deliberate morning circle changes how the rest of the day runs. Here's why it works — and why teachers who skip it end up paying for it.

2026-07-02

Behavior & classroom management · 8 min read

When the Kids Who Need You Most Are the Ones You Find Hardest

Why behavior systems fail the children they were designed for — and what works instead

The marble jars and traffic lights work for the children who didn't really need them. Here's what actually moves the kids who keep blowing the system up.

2026-08-04

EAL & inclusion · 9 min read

Teaching a Child Who Doesn't Speak Any English Yet

Practical first steps for the day a new arrival joins your class

When a new arrival is sat at the back of your class with no English and no warning, here's what to do in the first hour, the first week and the first term.

2026-08-05

Math · 7 min read

When a Child Says 'I'm Bad at Math'

How math anxiety takes hold by Year 3 — and what teachers and parents can do about it

Almost every adult who hates math can name the year it started. By age eight, many children have already decided they're 'not a math person'. Here's how that happens and how to push back.

2026-08-06

Reading & literacy · 9 min read

What to Do When a Year 4 Child Still Can't Read

A sensitive, practical guide for teachers who've inherited a struggling reader

It happens in every primary school: a child arrives in Year 4 with reading two or three years behind. Here's what's likely going on, and what you can actually do about it.

2026-08-07

Teacher wellbeing · 7 min read

Why September Feels So Hard (And Why That's Normal)

The annual cycle no one warns new teachers about — and what to do about it

Every teacher knows September is hard. Fewer know that October is harder, that November is the lowest point, and that the system more or less requires you to push through. Here's what to expect and how to survive it.

2026-08-08

EAL & inclusion · 6 min read

The Silent Period — Why Your EAL Child Isn't Speaking

Six weeks of near-silence is normal, expected, and often a sign of progress

When a new EAL arrival barely speaks for weeks, teachers worry. The silent period is well-documented in the research, almost universal, and often a sign of cognitive work happening below the surface.

2026-08-21

EAL & inclusion · 7 min read

Five Myths About Bilingual Children (And What the Research Actually Says)

From 'speaking two languages confuses children' to 'switch to English at home'

Five widely-held beliefs about bilingual children that turn out to be wrong, with the research that should replace them. Useful for teachers, parents and school leaders.

2026-08-22

EAL & inclusion · 9 min read

Understanding the Autism Spectrum in Primary School

Beyond the stereotypes — what teachers actually need to know about autistic children in mainstream classrooms

Most teachers will have at least one autistic child in their class. Most teacher training spends maybe an hour on autism. This article fills in the gap: what the spectrum actually looks like, what helps, and the things teachers commonly get wrong.

2026-08-25

EAL & inclusion · 8 min read

ADHD Isn't a Lack of Attention — and Why That Matters

What ADHD actually is, what it looks like in primary, and why our default responses so often make things worse

The label is the worst part of the diagnosis. ADHD is not 'attention deficit' — it's an attention regulation difference, and that distinction changes almost everything about how schools should respond.

2026-08-26

Behavior & classroom management · 8 min read

The First Two Weeks: The Behavior Foundation You Can't Build Later

Why September is when the year is decided — and what to actually do with those 14 days

Most teachers know the first two weeks matter. Few know how MUCH they matter, or what to do with them. The behavior of your class in June is largely determined by what you do — or fail to do — in September.

2026-09-01

Behavior & classroom management · 9 min read

What 'Restorative Practice' Actually Means in Year 3

Beyond the script — how restorative practice works (and how it fails) in real primary classrooms

Restorative practice is the trendy approach in primary behavior. It works brilliantly when implemented well and disastrously when implemented as a cover for inaction. Here's what it actually is, what it isn't, and how to get it right.

2026-09-08

EYFS & early years · 8 min read

Play-Based Learning Isn't Lower Expectations — It's Different Expectations

Why parents and Year 1 teachers misread the EYFS classroom — and what it's actually doing

Walk into a Reception classroom and you'll see children playing. Walk into a Year 3 classroom and you'll see children working. The mistake most adults make is assuming the second is more rigorous than the first.

2026-09-10

EYFS & early years · 7 min read

What 'School Readiness' Actually Means (And What It Doesn't)

The phrase used by parents, schools, and policy — and how often it gets it wrong

Every year, parents worry about whether their 4-year-old is 'ready for school.' Schools advertise 'school readiness' programmes. Politicians make speeches about it. Most of what gets said about school readiness is wrong.

2026-09-12

Parent communication · 6 min read

The Newsletter Nobody Reads (And How to Fix Yours)

Most class and school newsletters get 30% open rates. The fix is not better content — it's a fundamentally different format.

Schools spend hours producing newsletters that most parents barely skim. The reason isn't lazy parents — it's that newsletters as a format have stopped working. Here's what works instead.

2026-09-26

Parent communication · 7 min read

The Difficult Parent Meeting — A Better Approach

Why most parent meetings about behavior, SEND, or progress concerns go wrong — and what works

Telling parents something they don't want to hear is one of the hardest skills in teaching. Most teachers learn it the hard way, by getting it wrong. There's a better path.

2026-09-27

Behavior & classroom management · 9 min read

What Trauma-Informed Teaching Actually Means in Year 4

Beyond the slogans — what changes in a real classroom when you start seeing children through this lens

'Trauma-informed' has become a school slogan, sometimes deployed by leadership without actually changing anything. This article is about what genuinely changes when the framework is taken seriously — and what doesn't.

2026-09-30

Behavior & classroom management · 8 min read

When a Child's Behaviour Is Communication

The single most important reframe in trauma-informed practice — and why it changes almost everything

Most adult responses to children's behaviour assume the behaviour IS the message. The trauma-informed reframe is simpler and more demanding: the behaviour is a SIGNAL of something underneath. The shift in response that follows is enormous.

2026-10-01

Behavior & classroom management · 7 min read

The Supply Teacher Who Makes Them Want to Listen

What separates a brilliant cover day from a chaotic one — and why it's not what most supply guides say

Most supply teaching advice focuses on rules, threats, and 'taking control.' The supply teachers schools beg back are doing something different. This is about that something.

2026-10-12

Reading & literacy · 8 min read

Phonics Screening: A Parent's Honest Guide

What the Year 1 phonics check is, what it isn't, and why the result matters less than you think

Every June, parents of UK Year 1 children worry about a 40-word test their child has to take. Here's what it's actually measuring, what the result means, and what to do about it — including the bit most schools don't tell you.

2026-10-13

Teaching strategy · 9 min read

Ability Grouping in Primary: What the Evidence Actually Shows

Why we keep doing it even though research says we shouldn't

Most primary classrooms still group children by 'ability' for maths and English. The evidence on this is unusually clear — and unusually ignored. Here's what the research says, why schools keep doing it anyway, and what good mixed-attainment teaching actually looks like.

2026-10-14

Reading & literacy · 8 min read

When to Worry About a Five-Year-Old Who's Not Reading Yet

What's normal, what's worth watching, and when to push for help

Reception and Year 1 parents worry constantly about their child's reading. Most of the worry isn't warranted. Some of it is. Here's how to tell the difference — and what to do about both.

2026-10-15

Behavior & classroom management · 7 min read

Why Your Child Is Different at School and at Home

It's not that they save up bad behaviour for you. It's something more specific — and more useful to know.

If your child is angelic at school and a wreck at home (or vice versa), the explanation isn't about parenting failure or spoiled behaviour. It's about a phenomenon called 'after-school restraint collapse,' and once you understand it, almost everything makes more sense.

2026-10-16

Reading & literacy · 7 min read

What 'Reading Level' Actually Means in Year 2

Decoded — what those colour-band labels are telling you (and what they aren't)

If your child has come home with a book labelled 'orange band' or 'lime' or 'level 9,' you've probably wondered what it actually means. The honest answer is messier than schools tend to admit.

2026-10-17

Behavior & classroom management · 9 min read

Anxiety in Primary Children: What's Normal and What's Not

How to tell the difference between a worried child and a child whose anxiety needs more than reassurance

Most primary-aged children worry. Some of them worry in ways that affect their lives. The line between these is the most consequential thing for parents to get right — and the most often blurred by anxiety culture going in both directions.

2026-10-18

Behavior & classroom management · 9 min read

School Refusal: What's Actually Going On

When 'I don't want to go' becomes 'I can't go,' the shift is rarely about laziness — and the right response looks nothing like discipline

School refusal has risen sharply post-pandemic. The standard responses — punishment, fines, force — usually make things worse. Here's what's actually happening, what works, and what families can do when they realise their child genuinely cannot get through the school gates.

2026-10-19

Behavior & classroom management · 8 min read

Why Your Year 6 Child Is Suddenly Anxious About Secondary School

And the surprising thing that helps most — which isn't what schools usually say

By April of Year 6, many children who've been calm all primary suddenly become anxious about September. This is normal. The standard 'reassurance and information' response often makes it worse. Here's what actually helps a child cross from primary to secondary.

2026-10-20

Behavior & classroom management · 8 min read

Friendship Problems in Year 4: When to Step In, When to Wait

The most common reason for tears at the school gate from age 8 to 10 — and why the obvious adult response often makes things worse

Year 4 is the age where friendships get politically complicated. Drama, exclusion, falling-out, falling-back-in. Most of it isn't bullying. Most of it doesn't need adult intervention. Some of it does. How to tell the difference, and what to do when your child comes home in tears.

2026-10-21

Teaching strategy · 8 min read

The Handover Most Schools Skip

What outgoing teachers actually need to tell incoming teachers — and why most of it never gets written down

Every July, the children move up a year. The data tracking system shows reading levels and maths attainment. The handover meeting (if it happens) lasts twenty minutes. And the new teacher spends most of the autumn term re-learning what the previous teacher already knew.

2026-10-23

Behavior & classroom management · 9 min read

What Good Wraparound Care Actually Looks Like

Breakfast club, after-school club, holiday club — what separates the calm, well-run settings from the chaotic ones

Wraparound care is a quietly enormous part of primary children's lives. Some children spend more waking hours per week in breakfast and after-school clubs than in lessons. The quality varies enormously, and most parents have no framework for evaluating it. Here's what genuinely good wraparound care looks like — from the inside.

2026-10-23

Behavior & classroom management · 7 min read

When to Worry About Your Child's Handwriting

What's developmental, what's a fine-motor issue, and what the pencil grip thing actually means

Most concerns about handwriting at primary age are about pace, not problem. But some patterns are worth taking seriously — and the pencil grip thing is more interesting than most parents realise. Here's how to tell the difference.

2026-10-24

Math · 8 min read

Maths Anxiety in Primary Children

Why it starts so early, why some children develop it and others don't, and what genuinely helps

By Year 3, some children have already decided maths isn't for them. By Year 6, it's hard to shift. Maths anxiety is real, measurable, and largely preventable — but it requires understanding what actually causes it, which is rarely what parents assume.

2026-10-25

Behavior & classroom management · 8 min read

Homework Battles: What Actually Works

After 10 years of nightly homework arguments, here's what genuinely helps — and what makes things worse

Most homework battles aren't about homework. They're about tiredness, autonomy, executive function, or the child's relationship with the subject. The standard parental response — sit with them, push through, enforce — usually entrenches the problem. Here's what actually works.

2026-10-26

Behavior & classroom management · 9 min read

Screen Time and Primary Children: What the Evidence Actually Says

Why most of the public discussion is wrong, why the worry is partly right, and what genuinely matters

Screen time is the parenting topic with the loudest opinions and the weakest evidence base. Most of what people believe is more confident than the research warrants. Here's what's actually known, what's still debated, and what actually matters for primary-aged children.

2026-10-28

EAL & inclusion · 9 min read

How SENDCos Actually Run Their Cases

What the role looks like from the inside, why it's harder than the job description suggests, and the rhythms that make it sustainable

SENDCo is one of the most demanding roles in primary, done by people on a fraction of a day's release. This is what the role actually looks like from the inside — the cycles, the decisions, the difficult conversations, and the rhythms that separate the SENDCos who burn out from the ones who last.

2026-10-31

EYFS & early years · 9 min read

How EYFS Leads Actually Run Their Settings

What the role looks like from the inside, why it's harder than the job description suggests, and the rhythms that make it sustainable

EYFS leadership is one of the least-discussed roles in primary, despite running the foundational years that shape everything that comes after. This is what the role actually looks like from the inside — the planning, the parent conversations, the OFSTED preparation, and the rhythms that separate sustainable EYFS leads from burned-out ones.

2026-11-02

Reading & literacy · 9 min read

How English Leads Actually Run Their Schools' Reading Culture

What the role looks like from the inside — phonics decisions, library refresh, the long work of building readers

An honest account of what English Lead work actually involves at primary — the phonics scheme decision, building a school where children genuinely want to read, the staff team's varying confidence, and the long arc of cultural change that can take 3-5 years to embed.

2026-11-10

Math · 9 min read

How Maths Leads Actually Run Their Calculation Policy

The reality of running primary maths — calculation policies, manipulatives, the staff team's anxiety, and the slow embedding of fluency

An honest account of what Maths Lead work actually involves at primary — the calculation policy that depends on every teacher doing it the same way, the manipulatives that sit unused in upper KS2, the staff team carrying their own maths anxiety from school, and the long work of building fluency.

2026-11-10

Teaching strategy · 8 min read

How Music Coordinators Actually Run a Primary Music Programme

What the role actually involves — the Christmas production politics, the staff who can't sing, the recorder cupboard, and the quietly important work of building children who love music

An honest account of what music coordination actually involves at primary — the Christmas production scope wars, the staff who genuinely can't sing, the instrument cupboard chaos, and the cultural work of building children who arrive at secondary still loving music.

2026-11-10

Assessment & feedback · 9 min read

How Assessment Coordinators Actually Run the Annual Cycle

What the role actually looks like — the calendar, the moderation, the data-collection windows, and the work of keeping assessment proportionate

An honest account of what assessment coordination actually involves at primary — the calendar that drives the year, the moderation conversations that bring teacher judgements into line, the parent meeting prep, and the long-running tension between collecting data and protecting teaching time.

2026-11-10

Math · 6 min read

Why Times Tables Still Matter (Even in 2026)

The cognitive science behind automatic recall — and why apps alone won't get children there

Times tables aren't old-fashioned drudgery. They're the cognitive scaffolding for everything from long multiplication to algebra. Here's why automatic recall matters and how to actually build it.

2026-10-15

Math · 5 min read

The Trouble with Fractions (and How to Actually Fix It)

Why so many children get stuck on fractions — and the small mental shift that fixes it

Fractions are the topic where confident young mathematicians suddenly fall apart. The problem isn't the maths — it's the conceptual frame. Here's what actually helps.

2026-10-15

Math · 5 min read

Mental Math Strategies That Actually Work

The five strategies confident mental mathematicians use — and how to teach them explicitly

Mental maths isn't a mysterious gift. It's a small set of strategies that confident calculators use without thinking. Teach them explicitly and watch the gap close.

2026-10-16

First-year teaching · 7 min read

What They Don't Tell You in Teacher Training

The seven realities that hit you in your first term — and how to survive them

Teacher training prepares you for lesson planning. It does not prepare you for what your first term as a class teacher actually feels like. Here's the honest version.

2026-10-17

First-year teaching · 5 min read

Your First Parents' Evening (And How Not to Dread It)

The structure that takes the panic out of 30 ten-minute slots

Parents' evening can feel like 30 high-stakes interviews with strangers. Here's the structure that works, and the phrases that get you out of awkward moments gracefully.

2026-10-18

EYFS & early years · 6 min read

What Good Continuous Provision Actually Looks Like

Beyond pretty trays — what makes provision genuinely educational rather than just busy

Continuous provision is the heart of EYFS practice. But many settings end up with beautiful-looking provision that doesn't actually teach much. Here's what separates the two.

2026-10-19

EYFS & early years · 5 min read

The Reception Baseline (And What It Actually Tests)

What the RBA is, what it isn't, and how to talk to parents about it

The Reception Baseline Assessment is one of the most misunderstood tests in primary education. Here's what it actually measures and why it doesn't decide your child's future.

2026-10-20

Reading & literacy · 6 min read

Why Children Hate Writing (And What Actually Helps)

The four reasons children stop writing — and the small shifts that bring them back

Most children love drawing and storytelling. Many start to hate writing somewhere around Year 3. Here's why, and what teachers can do about it.

2026-10-21

Reading & literacy · 5 min read

Spelling Isn't Just Memorisation

Why weekly spelling tests don't work — and what does

Most schools still run weekly spelling tests where children get 10/10 on Friday and misspell the same words on Monday. Here's why memorisation isn't the answer.

2026-10-22

EAL & inclusion · 6 min read

ADHD in Primary Classrooms (What Actually Helps)

Beyond 'sit still' — practical strategies that work for children with ADHD

ADHD is one of the most common SEND diagnoses in primary, and one of the most misunderstood. Here's what teachers can actually do to help children with ADHD thrive.

2026-10-23

EAL & inclusion · 6 min read

Dyslexia: What Teachers Actually Need to Know

Beyond letter reversals — what dyslexia really is and how to support children who have it

Dyslexia is one of the most diagnosed and least understood SEND conditions. Here's what current research says, and what teachers can do without waiting for a formal diagnosis.

2026-10-24

Teacher wellbeing · 5 min read

The Sunday Night Feeling

Why teachers dread Mondays — and what actually helps

If you can't enjoy a Sunday afternoon because Monday is looming, you're not alone. Here's what's actually causing the dread, and the practical changes that help.

2026-10-25

Assessment & feedback · 5 min read

The Marking Trap

Why most marking doesn't help children learn — and what actually does

Most teachers spend hours every week on marking that produces almost no learning gain. Here's what the evidence says about feedback that actually works.

2026-10-26

Classroom culture · 5 min read

What Makes a Good Classroom Display

Beyond Pinterest — the difference between displays that teach and displays that decorate

Pinterest shows you beautiful displays. The best classrooms often have plainer ones — because they're working harder. Here's what actually helps children learn from a wall.

2026-10-27

Parent communication · 4 min read

The Email Your Parents Actually Want

Why most school newsletters fail — and what to send instead

Schools email parents constantly. Parents read approximately none of it. Here's what they actually want — and how to write the kind of message they open every time.

2026-10-28

Reading & literacy · 6 min read

The Vocabulary Gap (And How to Close It)

By age 5, some children know thousands more words than others — and it predicts everything

Vocabulary size at age 5 is one of the strongest predictors of academic outcome at 16. Here's why the gap exists, and what teachers can do to close it.

2026-10-29

Reading & literacy · 6 min read

Reading Comprehension Isn't a Skill

Why comprehension lessons often don't improve comprehension — and what does

Schools spend enormous time teaching 'reading comprehension'. The cognitive science says they're often teaching the wrong thing entirely.

2026-10-30

Assessment & feedback · 5 min read

Assessment FOR Learning vs Assessment OF Learning

The distinction that changes how you teach — and what most schools get wrong

Most schools assess constantly but don't always know why. The distinction between formative and summative assessment is one of the most useful ideas in teaching.

2026-10-31

Teaching strategy · 5 min read

The Purpose of Homework (And Why Most Schools Get It Wrong)

What homework is for in primary, and what it shouldn't be

Homework is one of the most contentious parts of primary education. The research is clearer than schools admit. Here's what works, what doesn't, and why.

2026-11-01

Teacher wellbeing · 5 min read

The Teaching Burnout Cycle — How It Actually Starts

The early warning signs most teachers miss until it's too late

Burnout in teaching isn't a single bad term — it's a cycle that builds over months. Here's what the research says about how it starts, and what intervenes early.

2026-11-02

Teacher wellbeing · 4 min read

Saying No to the Extra Thing

Why teachers struggle to decline, and the script that makes it easier

Teachers are asked to take on extra responsibilities constantly. Most say yes when they should say no. Here's why, and a script that makes declining feel less awful.

2026-11-03

First-year teaching · 6 min read

The First Week of School (and How Not to Wreck It)

What experienced teachers do differently in week one

The first week of school sets the tone for the entire year. Most NQTs spend it doing the wrong things. Here's what experienced teachers prioritise.

2026-11-04

First-year teaching · 5 min read

Managing the Class You Inherited

What to do when last year's teacher set patterns you don't agree with

Inheriting a class with established habits — good and bad — is harder than starting fresh. Here's how to reset without blaming the previous teacher.

2026-11-05

Parent communication · 5 min read

The Parent Who Disagrees With You

How to handle the conversation when a parent doesn't accept your assessment

Sooner or later, a parent will tell you you're wrong about their child. How you handle the next 10 minutes determines a lot.

2026-11-06

Parent communication · 5 min read

The End-of-Year Report That Actually Helps

Why most reports are useless, and what makes a good one

End-of-year reports take teachers hours and parents read them in 90 seconds. Here's how to write reports that actually mean something.

2026-11-07

EYFS & early years · 5 min read

The Importance of the Mark-Making Area

Why scribbles, drawings and pretend writing matter more than they look

Adults often dismiss mark-making as 'just scribbling'. The cognitive science says it's where writing actually begins. Here's what to look for, and how to support it well.

2026-11-08

EYFS & early years · 5 min read

The Quiet Power of Storytime in Early Years

Why daily read-aloud is the most underrated EYFS practice

Daily read-aloud is doing more cognitive work than almost any other activity in the EYFS day. Here's what the science says, and how to make it count.

2026-11-09

Classroom culture · 5 min read

The Classroom Rules Paradox

Why long lists of rules produce worse behaviour than short ones

Many classrooms have detailed rules covering every situation. The research suggests this approach actively backfires. Here's what works instead.

2026-11-10

Classroom culture · 5 min read

The Quiet Children

Why the quietest children in your class are often the most under-served

Loud children get our attention. Quiet children often go a whole term without a one-to-one moment with the teacher. Here's why that matters and what to do.

2026-11-11

Teaching strategy · 6 min read

The Transition to Secondary School (And How to Support It)

What primary teachers can do for Year 6 to make Year 7 easier

Year 7 is the most academically vulnerable year in many children's school careers. Here's what Year 6 teachers can do to make it easier — and what gets it wrong.

2026-11-13

EYFS & early years · 5 min read

The Reception-to-Year-1 Jump

Why this transition is harder than people expect, and what to do

Children who thrived in Reception sometimes wobble badly in Year 1. The drop from play-based to sit-down learning is bigger than the curriculum suggests.

2026-11-14

Teaching strategy · 6 min read

Growth Mindset — The Honest Version

What growth mindset actually is, what it isn't, and why most school programmes get it wrong

Growth mindset became a school-wide initiative in many places. Most of those initiatives misunderstood the original research badly. Here's the honest version.

2026-11-15

Behavior & classroom management · 6 min read

The Child Who Disrupts Everything

Why a single dysregulated child can derail a class, and what actually helps

Most teachers can name the one child whose behaviour can wreck a whole lesson. Here's what's actually going on, and the strategies that genuinely help — beyond the obvious.

2026-11-16

Reading & literacy · 5 min read

Why Classic Children's Books Still Matter

Modern publishing pumps out hundreds of new children's books a month. Here's why some of the old ones still belong on your shelf.

There's a reason teachers keep returning to The Iron Man, Charlotte's Web, and Tom's Midnight Garden. Here's what classic children's books offer that newer ones often don't.

2026-11-17

Reading & literacy · 5 min read

The Mystery of the Disappearing Readers

Why children who loved reading at age 7 often stop by age 11

Reading-for-pleasure rates drop sharply between Year 2 and Year 6. Here's what's actually happening, and what teachers can do.

2026-11-18

Math · 7 min read

Why kids hate maths (and what actually changes their mind)

It's almost never the maths.

When children say 'I hate maths,' they're rarely talking about numbers. They're talking about a feeling — confusion, embarrassment, the sense of being slow. The good news: that feeling is fixable, and the fix isn't more rote practice.

2026-11-23

Math · 8 min read

How to teach times tables that actually stick

Spaced practice beats marathon Friday tests every time.

Times tables are the foundation of every other maths skill, but the way most schools teach them — Friday tests, marathon practice sessions — is what cognitive science would tell you NOT to do. Here's what works.

2026-11-24

Math · 6 min read

The trouble with maths 'tricks'

Shortcuts feel helpful in the moment and cost children years of understanding.

Every staffroom has its favourite maths tricks — KFC for fractions, BIDMAS, the butterfly method. They feel like they're helping. They aren't, mostly. Here's why, and what to do instead.

2026-11-25

Math · 7 min read

Why kids 'forget' maths overnight (and what's actually happening)

It's not really forgetting. It's that they never really had it.

If you've ever taught something on Monday and found half the class can't do it on Tuesday, you're not alone. The 'forgetting curve' isn't really forgetting — it's the gap between performance and learning. Here's the difference, and why it matters.

2026-11-26

Reading & literacy · 8 min read

Whole-class vs guided reading: which one is right?

The honest answer is 'both, but in different ratios than most schools use.'

The pendulum on reading instruction has swung repeatedly between guided reading carousels and whole-class teaching. The argument matters because the wrong choice costs children months of progress. Here's an honest comparison.

2026-11-27

Reading & literacy · 7 min read

Why writing is genuinely harder than reading (and what to do about it)

Reading is recognition. Writing is generation. They use different cognitive systems.

Children who can read fluently often struggle to write fluently — not because they aren't trying, but because the two skills tax very different cognitive resources. Understanding the gap helps you teach writing better.

2026-11-28

Parent communication · 7 min read

When parents ask 'is my child gifted?'

What they're really asking, and how to answer well.

Sooner or later every primary teacher gets the question. The honest answer matters — both for the child and for the parent's relationship with the school. Here's how to handle it without being dismissive or oversold.

2026-11-29

Teaching strategy · 7 min read

Cold calling without humiliation

Done well, it's the most powerful teaching technique I know. Done badly, it's cruel.

Cold calling — picking children to answer rather than asking for hands up — has become a fashionable technique. It works brilliantly in some classrooms and creates anxiety in others. The difference is everything in how you set it up.

2026-11-30

Teaching strategy · 8 min read

Differentiation without 27 worksheets

Three-tiered planning is killing primary teachers and not helping children.

The 'must, should, could' tiered worksheet model has been the default differentiation approach in UK primary for two decades. It's exhausting to plan, often counterproductive, and based on assumptions that don't hold up. Here's a better way.

2026-12-01

Behavior & classroom management · 7 min read

The problem with sticker charts

They work in the moment and quietly damage long-term motivation.

Reward charts are everywhere in primary. They produce visible results — children behave for stickers. But the underlying psychology is well-studied and the long-term effects are not what most teachers think.

2026-12-02

Behavior & classroom management · 6 min read

What to do about 'I'm bored'

It's almost never about boredom. Decoding what it really means is the first step.

'I'm bored' is one of the most common phrases in primary classrooms — and one of the most misunderstood. Children rarely mean what adults assume. Here's how to decode it and what to actually do.

2026-12-03

Light reading · 9 min read

Curated, not crawled: a manifesto for slow primary content

Why most teaching-resource sites are bad — and what we're trying to do differently.

If you've ever downloaded a primary worksheet that looked great in the preview and turned out to be lazy, formulaic, or quietly wrong — this is for you. We've built this site as a deliberate alternative to that. Here's our editorial position, in case it helps.

2026-12-04

Teacher wellbeing · 7 min read

Why your year-group plan is killing you

Most planning is overkill. The over-planned school is the burnt-out school.

The way most primary schools plan — long-term plans, medium-term plans, weekly plans, daily plans, all in templates that nest inside each other — is a workload disaster that produces no teaching benefit. Here's the case for cutting it back.

2026-12-05

Assessment & feedback · 8 min read

What we got wrong about formative assessment

AfL was a brilliant idea that became a procedural mess. The original research is worth re-reading.

Assessment for Learning was supposed to transform teaching. In practice it became a checklist of techniques applied formulaically — learning objectives, success criteria, traffic lights, peer marking. The research it came from said something more interesting.

2026-12-06

First-year teaching · 7 min read

The hidden curriculum of staff meetings

Most of what new teachers need to learn about a school isn't on the agenda.

The hardest thing about your first year isn't teaching. It's reading the room — knowing who to ask, what's actually expected, who really runs which thing. None of this is in the induction pack. Here's a guide.

2026-12-07

Reading & literacy · 6 min read

The five-finger test and other reading-level guidelines that don't work

Most of the rules you were taught for matching kids to books are folk wisdom, not evidence.

If a child can't read 5 of the words on a page, the book is too hard. So says folk wisdom. The actual research on reading-level matching is messier — and most of the popular tests give worse results than letting children pick.

2026-12-08

Math · 9 min read

Teaching primary maths the mastery way: a practical guide

What 'mastery' actually means, what works, and the things that quietly go wrong.

Mastery has become the dominant approach in UK primary maths and is spreading internationally. But what does it actually mean, what does good practice look like in the classroom, and what are the common implementation mistakes? Here's a substantial overview.

2026-12-10

Teaching strategy · 9 min read

How to teach computing well without being a computer specialist

Most primary teachers feel out of their depth in computing. They shouldn't.

Computing is the subject most primary teachers feel least confident teaching — fewer than 1 in 5 had any computing in their training. Here's a practical guide to teaching it well anyway, without becoming a software engineer.

2026-12-14

Teacher wellbeing · 6 min read

Why feeling tired in week six isn't failure

The half-term wall is built into the job. It is not a sign you're doing it wrong.

Almost every primary teacher hits a wall in week six. They start to feel underwater, behind, irritable. This is a feature of the rhythm of the school year, not a personal failing. Here's why it happens and what actually helps.

2026-12-16

Assessment & feedback · 7 min read

Five-minute formative checks that actually tell you something

Most exit tickets test compliance, not understanding. Here's how to make them useful.

Exit tickets, mini-quizzes, hinge questions — formative assessment is everywhere, but a lot of it doesn't actually reveal what children know. Here are five practical end-of-lesson checks that actually tell you whether to move on or reteach.

2026-12-16

Classroom culture · 7 min read

Building a 'we don't laugh at mistakes' classroom in the first two weeks

How children treat each other's wrong answers shapes everything that follows.

Whether children put their hand up to attempt a hard answer in November depends almost entirely on what happened the first time someone got an answer wrong in September. Here's how to set up a 'mistakes are useful' culture in the first two weeks of a new year.

2026-12-16

First-year teaching · 7 min read

The September–October Wall (And Why It Hits Harder Than Anyone Warns You)

Almost every new teacher hits a wall around week five. Here's what's happening and what to do about it.

There's a moment in late October — usually around the fourth or fifth week of term — when new teachers go from feeling challenged but coping to feeling like they're failing at everything simultaneously. This is the September–October wall. It's normal, it's predictable, and knowing it's coming helps more than you'd think.

2026-12-18

First-year teaching · 6 min read

Your ECT Mentor: What to Actually Ask Them

Mentor time is limited. Most new teachers waste it on polite chat. Here's how to use it properly.

Every newly qualified teacher gets a mentor, but most mentoring meetings end up as reassurance sessions rather than development sessions. The mentor ends up answering broad questions with general advice, and the new teacher leaves no more equipped than before. This article is about how to use mentor time well.

2026-12-19

First-year teaching · 7 min read

Handling Your First Formal Observation

The anxiety is real, but the lesson itself is usually not the problem. Here's what actually matters.

Most new teachers are terrified of their first formal observation and over-prepare in ways that make the lesson worse. Understanding what observers are actually looking for — and what they're not — helps you approach it more sensibly.

2026-12-20

First-year teaching · 6 min read

The Physical Reality of Teaching (That Nobody Mentions in Training)

Teaching is exhausting in ways that are largely physical. Here's what's happening and how to manage it.

Teacher training covers lesson planning, assessment, and classroom management. Nobody tells you that your voice will give out, your feet will ache by November, or that standing for six hours a day is more physically demanding than most jobs. This is the preparation nobody gives you.

2026-12-21

Light reading · 5 min read

The Unwritten Rules of the Staffroom

Nobody will tell you these things. But everybody knows them.

Every staffroom has rules that are never stated but universally understood. The mug situation. The fridge politics. The seating arrangement that predates everyone currently working there. A brief guide to the institutional folklore of the primary staffroom.

2026-12-22

Light reading · 5 min read

A Teacher's Day: On Paper vs Reality

The official timetable. And what actually happens.

Every school has an official timetable. Every teacher also has the real timetable — the one that involves the spilled paint at 9:15, the parent who needs an urgent word at 3:30, and the assembly that ran twelve minutes over. A comparison.

2026-12-23

Teacher wellbeing · 6 min read

Comparison Is the Thief of Teaching Joy

The teacher who seems to have it all together probably doesn't. Even if they do, it doesn't matter.

Teaching is a profession full of visible expertise and invisible struggle. You see what other teachers produce — the displays, the data, the confident whole-class discussions — and rarely see the anxiety, the wasted lessons, or the years it took to develop those skills. Here's why comparison doesn't help and what to use instead.

2026-12-24

Classroom culture · 7 min read

Transitions: The Hidden Time in Your Day

A typical primary school day has 15–20 transitions. Most teachers never explicitly teach them.

Every time children move from one activity to another, time is lost, behavior problems emerge, and the learning momentum built in the main task evaporates. The teachers with the smoothest classrooms have usually put more deliberate work into transitions than any other single aspect of their practice.

2026-12-25

Teaching strategy · 8 min read

Cognitive Load Theory in Plain English

The most useful piece of cognitive science for teachers, explained without the jargon.

Cognitive load theory explains why well-intentioned teaching sometimes produces very little learning — and what to do about it. The core insight is simple: working memory is small, and teaching that ignores this wastes most of its own effort.

2026-12-26

Assessment & feedback · 6 min read

Verbal Feedback: The Underrated Alternative to Written Marking

The most powerful feedback you give might be the kind that leaves no paper trail.

Verbal feedback is immediate, personalised, and doesn't require an evening of marking. Yet most schools barely acknowledge it in their feedback policies, and many teachers feel guilty relying on it because it's invisible. Here's the case for taking it seriously.

2026-12-27

Assessment & feedback · 6 min read

Hinge Questions: What They Are and How to Use Them

A single well-designed question, asked at the right moment, tells you more about your class than a whole lesson of observation.

A hinge question is a diagnostic question asked at a turning point in a lesson — the hinge between teaching and independent work — that tells you whether the class is ready to proceed. A good one takes thirty seconds and shows you exactly where each child is. Here's how to design and use them.

2026-12-28

First-year teaching · 7 min read

The Paperwork Nobody Warned You About

A first-year teacher's guide to the administrative reality of the job

Teacher training spends a lot of time on lesson planning and very little time on the administrative workload that will occupy hours of your week. Here's what's coming — and how to handle it.

2026-05-12

First-year teaching · 5 min read

How to Plan When You're Running on Empty

The minimum viable lesson plan for week eight of a long term

It's late. You're exhausted. Monday morning is coming. Here's how to plan five lessons that will work — without destroying your evening.

2026-05-12

First-year teaching · 8 min read

What Nobody Tells You About Differentiation

The honest version — what it means in practice, not the training day version

Differentiation is one of the most talked-about concepts in teaching and one of the most misunderstood in practice. Here's what it actually looks like in a working classroom.

2026-05-12

Light reading · 5 min read

The Unofficial Teacher Glossary

Definitions of education jargon as it is actually used

Education is full of terms that mean one thing officially and something quite different in practice. A glossary of what teachers actually mean when they say things.

2026-05-12

Light reading · 5 min read

Things That Only Make Sense After Five Years in the Classroom

A look back at what seemed important as an NQT — and what actually is

The gap between what new teachers worry about and what experienced teachers prioritize is surprisingly wide. Some things that felt huge in year one barely register in year five — and vice versa.

2026-05-12

Teacher wellbeing · 5 min read

What to Do When You Cry at Work

It happens. Here's how to handle it — and what it doesn't mean

Most teachers cry at work at least once in their career. Some cry more often. This is not a sign of weakness or unsuitability. But it helps to have a plan for when it happens.

2026-05-12

Teacher wellbeing · 6 min read

The Art of the Mental Health Day

When to take one, how to take one, and how to stop feeling guilty about it

A planned absence for mental health reasons is a legitimate and sometimes necessary professional decision. Here's how to think about when, how, and whether to take one.

2026-05-12

Classroom culture · 7 min read

The Power of Slow

Why slowing down your teaching — even when it feels wrong — produces better results

The instinct in teaching is to cover ground. The evidence says something different: slowing down, revisiting, and dwelling on hard ideas produces deeper and more durable understanding than moving fast.

2026-05-12

Classroom culture · 7 min read

Teaching Children to Disagree Well

How to build a classroom where disagreement is productive, not destructive

Disagreement is one of the most important things we can teach children — not to avoid it, but to do it well. A classroom where children can challenge ideas without attacking people is a classroom where real thinking happens.

2026-05-12

First-year teaching · 6 min read

Working With Your Teaching Assistant

The relationship that shapes your classroom more than almost any other

Your teaching assistant is in the room with you every day. How you work together determines what kind of room it is. Most teacher training says almost nothing about this — here's what actually helps.

2026-05-12

Light reading · 4 min read

The Things Children Write

A collection from the unedited files

Children write exactly what they think, in the order they think it, without editorial filter. A celebration of primary school writing in its purest form.

2026-05-12

Parent communication · 6 min read

How to Help With Year 4 Maths Homework

What's actually on the curriculum — and how to support it at home

Year 4 maths includes times tables, fractions, decimals, and column methods. Here's what your child is working on and practical ways to help without taking over.

2026-05-12

Parent communication · 5 min read

What Is a Fronted Adverbial? (And How to Help Your Child With Grammar Homework)

Plain-English explanations of the grammar terms primary children are learning

Primary school grammar homework uses terms many parents have never heard of. Here's what fronted adverbials, subordinate clauses, and other terms actually mean — with examples.

2026-05-12

Parent communication · 7 min read

How to Help Your Primary Child With Reading at Home

What actually makes a difference — and common mistakes to avoid

Reading at home matters, but the approach makes all the difference. Here's what the research says about how parents can genuinely support a child's reading — and what to avoid.

2026-05-12

Parent communication · 5 min read

Helping With Primary Science Homework

The concepts, the vocabulary, and how to support without giving away answers

Primary science homework covers forces, materials, plants, animals, electricity, and more. Here's how to support your child's scientific thinking at home without doing the work for them.

2026-05-12

Parent communication · 5 min read

How Much Homework Should My Primary Child Have?

What the evidence says — and what to do if there's too much or too little

The research on primary school homework is more complicated than most parents are told. Here's what it actually shows — and how to handle homework that feels wrong for your child.

2026-05-12

Parent communication · 5 min read

What Is the Multiplication Tables Check — and How Do I Prepare My Child?

Everything parents need to know about the Year 4 MTC

The Multiplication Tables Check is a 25-question test every Year 4 pupil takes in June. Here's exactly what it involves and the most effective ways to practise at home.

2026-05-12

Parent communication · 5 min read

What Are Reading Levels and Book Bands? A Guide for Parents

What the colours and levels mean — and whether you should worry

Primary schools use book bands and reading levels to organise reading books. Here's what the colours mean, what age children should be at each level, and what actually matters.

2026-05-12

Teaching strategy · 7 min read

Retrieval Practice: What the Research Says and What to Do on Monday

One of the most effective teaching strategies — and how to actually use it

Retrieval practice is among the most robust findings in educational psychology. Here's what it is, why it works, and how to implement it without it taking over your planning.

2026-05-12

Teaching strategy · 5 min read

How to Write a Learning Objective That Actually Works

WALT and WILF don't need to rhyme — they need to be true

Most learning objectives written in primary classrooms are vague, inaccurate, or counterproductive. Here's what a good one looks like and the simplest way to write it.

2026-05-12

Assessment & feedback · 8 min read

Assessment for Learning: 7 Techniques That Actually Work

Beyond the traffic light cup — formative assessment that changes what pupils do next

Formative assessment is one of the highest-leverage things a teacher can do. Here are seven techniques with strong evidence and clear practical application.

2026-05-14

First-year teaching · 7 min read

Supply Teaching: How to Walk Into an Unknown Classroom and Have a Good Day

From the perspective of teachers who've done it well — and those who haven't

Supply teaching is one of the hardest things in education. Walking into a class that doesn't know you, without a relationship, without context, is a specific skill. Here's how to do it well.

2026-05-14

First-year teaching · 6 min read

The ECT Induction: What Actually Matters in Your First Two Years

A guide for early career teachers navigating the formal induction process — and what to actually prioritise

The ECT induction (formerly NQT) spans two years, involves formal observations, mentor meetings, and a mountain of paperwork. Here's what actually matters and what you can let go of.

2026-05-14

Teaching strategy · 6 min read

Bloom's Taxonomy in Primary: What It Actually Means for Your Lessons

A practical guide to moving beyond 'knowledge' questions — and why you should

Bloom's Taxonomy is one of the most cited models in education and one of the most misunderstood. Here's what it actually says and how to use it in primary classroom planning.

2026-05-14

Classroom culture · 5 min read

Why Your Seating Plan Matters More Than You Think

And how to design one that actually works for your class

A well-designed seating plan is invisible — the room just works. A badly designed one creates low-level friction all year. Here's what the research suggests and how to approach it practically.

2026-05-14

Assessment & feedback · 7 min read

Feedback That Changes the Work

Most feedback teachers give doesn't improve outcomes. Here's what does.

Decades of research on feedback in education converge on one uncomfortable finding: most feedback given in classrooms produces little or no improvement. Here's what actually works.

2026-05-14

Teacher wellbeing · 5 min read

The Sunday Scaries — and What to Do About Them

The weekly dread that almost every teacher knows, and the practical steps that actually help

The Sunday-evening anxiety that hits primary teachers before the working week is so common it has a name. Here's what causes it and what genuinely helps.

2026-05-15

Teacher wellbeing · 6 min read

When a Child Gets Under Your Skin

On the professional and human reality of finding some children harder to like

Almost every teacher has a child they find genuinely difficult to warm to. Acknowledging this is not a failure — it's the beginning of doing something about it.

2026-05-15

Teacher wellbeing · 5 min read

How to Actually Leave Work at Work

The challenge isn't discipline — it's a job that doesn't have an obvious stopping point

Teaching is unusual in that there is always more that could be done. Here's how to create a genuine boundary between work and everything else — and why it makes you a better teacher, not a worse one.

2026-05-15

Light reading · 4 min read

37 Things That Only Happen in Primary Schools

A love letter to the peculiar world of teaching small people

A lightly satirical list of the situations, phrases, and experiences that are specific to working in primary school — for anyone who has ever nodded along.

2026-05-15

Light reading · 3 min read

The Best Things Children Have Ever Said to Their Teachers

A collection of wisdom, logic, and complete nonsense from the mouths of primary school pupils

A lightly curated collection of the kinds of observations, questions, and declarations that only exist in primary classrooms — shared with affection.

2026-05-15

EAL & inclusion · 6 min read

A New EAL Pupil's First Week: What Actually Helps

Moving beyond the welcome leaflet — practical, human actions for the first five days

When a child who speaks little or no English joins your class, the first week shapes everything that follows. Here's what experienced teachers do — and what they avoid.

2026-05-15

EYFS & early years · 6 min read

What Reception Teachers Know That the Rest of the School Should

The principles of early years practice that work at every age

Reception teachers operate with a different framework from the rest of primary — one that the rest of the school could learn a great deal from.

2026-05-15

Math · 6 min read

'I'm Not a Maths Person' Is a Lie — And We Need to Stop Telling It

The most harmful thing you can say to a primary school child about mathematics

The belief that mathematical ability is fixed and innate is widespread, wrong, and directly harmful to children's development. Here's the evidence — and what to say instead.

2026-05-15

Teacher wellbeing · 5 min read

The Sunday Scaries — and What to Do About Them

The weekly dread that almost every teacher knows, and the practical steps that actually help

The Sunday-evening anxiety that hits primary teachers before the working week is so common it has a name. Here's what causes it and what genuinely helps.

2026-05-15

Teacher wellbeing · 6 min read

When a Child Gets Under Your Skin

On the professional and human reality of finding some children harder to like

Almost every teacher has a child they find genuinely difficult to warm to. Acknowledging this is not a failure — it's the beginning of doing something about it.

2026-05-15

Teacher wellbeing · 5 min read

How to Actually Leave Work at Work

The challenge isn't discipline — it's a job that doesn't have an obvious stopping point

Teaching is unusual in that there is always more that could be done. Here's how to create a genuine boundary between work and everything else.

2026-05-15

Light reading · 4 min read

37 Things That Only Happen in Primary Schools

A love letter to the peculiar world of teaching small people

A lightly satirical list of the situations, phrases, and experiences that are specific to working in primary school.

2026-05-15

Light reading · 3 min read

The Best Things Children Have Ever Said to Their Teachers

A collection of wisdom, logic, and complete nonsense from primary school pupils

A curated collection of the kinds of observations and declarations that only exist in primary classrooms — shared with affection.

2026-05-15

EAL & inclusion · 6 min read

A New EAL Pupil's First Week: What Actually Helps

Moving beyond the welcome leaflet — practical, human actions for the first five days

When a child who speaks little or no English joins your class, the first week shapes everything that follows. Here's what experienced teachers do — and what they avoid.

2026-05-15

EYFS & early years · 6 min read

What Reception Teachers Know That the Rest of the School Should

The principles of early years practice that work at every age

Reception teachers operate with a different framework from the rest of primary — one the whole school could learn from.

2026-05-15

Math · 6 min read

'I'm Not a Maths Person' Is a Lie — And We Need to Stop Telling It

The most harmful thing you can say to a primary school child about mathematics

The belief that mathematical ability is fixed and innate is widespread, wrong, and directly harmful. Here's the evidence — and what to say instead.

2026-05-15

Teaching strategy · 6 min read

What Is a Knowledge Organiser — and How Should Pupils Use One?

The gap between having knowledge organisers and pupils learning from them

Knowledge organisers are widely used in primary schools. The rationale is strong. But the gap between distributing them and pupils actually learning from them is often large — and almost entirely about use, not design.

2026-05-16

Reading & literacy · 7 min read

How to Run Guided Reading in a Primary Classroom

Structure, grouping, texts, and questioning that make guided reading work

Guided reading is one of the most time-intensive elements of primary English. Done well it is highly leveraged; done badly it produces worksheets. Here is what a well-run session looks like.

2026-05-16

Teaching strategy · 6 min read

Ability Grouping in Primary: What the Evidence Shows

Setting and streaming are politically charged — the research is more useful than the debate

The debate about ability grouping is often ideological. The evidence is more nuanced and more actionable than either side usually acknowledges.

2026-05-16

Assessment & feedback · 5 min read

A Simple Weekly Retrieval Practice System for Any Primary Class

Building spaced retrieval into your routine without extra planning time

The research case for retrieval practice is strong. The obstacle is implementation: how do you build it into lessons without it taking over? Here is a simple system.

2026-05-16

EAL & inclusion · 7 min read

What Good SEND Support Looks Like in a Mainstream Classroom

The gap between paperwork and practice — and how to close it

Most primary schools have solid SEND documentation. The gap is between what support plans say and what happens during lessons. Here is what effective classroom SEND support actually looks like.

2026-05-16

Parent communication · 8 min read

Year 6 SATs: A Complete Guide for Parents

What the tests are, when they happen, and what you can do to help

The Year 6 SATs are the most talked-about assessments in primary school. This guide explains what they are, what they test, when they happen, and how parents can support their child without adding pressure.

2026-05-18

Parent communication · 6 min read

What Is EYFS? A Guide for New Parents

The Early Years Foundation Stage explained — what children learn, how they're assessed, and what to expect

EYFS stands for Early Years Foundation Stage. It covers children from birth to the end of Reception. This guide explains what it is, what your child will experience, and how progress is measured.

2026-05-18

Parent communication · 5 min read

Understanding Your Child's Primary School Report

What the levels, comments, and grades actually mean — and what to do if you're concerned

Primary school reports can be confusing — different schools use different formats, grades, and language. This guide explains what to look for and how to have a useful conversation with your child's teacher.

2026-05-18

Parent communication · 6 min read

How to Write School Reports That Parents Actually Find Useful

The difference between reports that inform and reports that reassure

School report season is one of the most time-consuming points in a teacher's year. This guide covers how to write reports that are genuinely useful to parents, honest, specific, and efficient to produce.

2026-05-18

Reading & literacy · 6 min read

The Phonics Screening Check: What Every Year 1 Teacher Should Know

The structure, the purpose, and what children's results actually tell you

The Year 1 Phonics Screening Check is taken by all children in England in June. This guide covers the structure of the check, how to prepare children for it, and how to interpret results without over-indexing on the score.

2026-05-18

Parent communication · 5 min read

What Is the SPaG Test? A Guide for Parents

The Year 6 grammar and punctuation paper explained — what it tests and how to help

The SPaG test (Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar) is one of three Year 6 SATs papers. Many parents find it confusing because it tests specific grammatical terminology. This guide explains what's in it and what children need to know.

2026-05-18

Teaching strategy · 5 min read

How to Plan a Primary School Assembly

The structure, the story, and the single thing children will remember

Most primary school assemblies fail for the same reason: they try to say too much. Here's how to plan an assembly that children will actually remember.

2026-05-19

Parent communication · 5 min read

PSHE at Primary School: What Is It and What Do Children Learn?

A parent's guide to Personal, Social, Health and Economic education

PSHE is one of the least understood subjects in primary school — and one of the most important. This guide explains what children learn, when, and how you can support it at home.

2026-05-19

Teaching strategy · 7 min read

Growth Mindset: What the Research Actually Says

Beyond the poster on the wall — the evidence, the limitations, and what actually makes a difference

Growth mindset has become one of education's most popular concepts — and one of its most misapplied. This guide separates the genuine research from the hype.

2026-05-19

Classroom culture · 6 min read

Building Classroom Community: Practical Strategies That Actually Work

The difference between a class that functions and one that thrives

The quality of relationships in your classroom determines how much learning is possible. Here are the specific, practical strategies that build genuine community — not just a pleasant atmosphere.

2026-05-19

Parent communication · 6 min read

How to Make Parents' Evening Actually Useful

Ten-minute appointments, difficult conversations, and getting parents to leave with something actionable

Parents' evening is one of the most important communication opportunities of the school year, and one of the most poorly used. Here's how to run appointments that parents leave feeling informed and supported.

2026-05-19

EYFS & early years · 7 min read

How to Set Up Continuous Provision: A Beginner's Guide

What it is, why it works, and how to make it happen in a real classroom

Continuous provision — the system of self-directed learning activities that children access independently — is central to good EYFS practice. Here's how to set it up, what to put in each area, and how to make it work.

2026-05-20

EYFS & early years · 6 min read

Why Early Maths Experiences Matter More Than You Think

The research case for getting the first five years of maths right

Mathematical understanding at age 5 is one of the strongest predictors of outcomes at 16 — stronger than reading. Here's what the research says about early maths, and what it means for EYFS practitioners.

2026-05-20

Light reading · 4 min read

The Staffroom Twelve: People You'll Find in Every Primary School

A fond and only slightly inaccurate survey

Primary school staffrooms are remarkably consistent places. A lightly satirical look at the twelve characters you'll encounter in any of them.

2026-05-20

Light reading · 3 min read

Reading Diary Entries That Teachers Have Actually Received

A completely true and not at all embellished collection

The reading diary is a communication channel between home and school. It is not always used as intended. A collection of genuine (anonymised) entries, shared with affection.

2026-05-20

Assessment & feedback · 5 min read

The Problem with Marking Grids — and What to Do Instead

How the tools designed to improve feedback often undermine it

Marking grids — structured rubrics listing criteria, usually with RAG ratings — have become ubiquitous in primary marking. They also frequently produce worse feedback than a well-written sentence. Here's why, and what works better.

2026-05-20

Classroom culture · 5 min read

What Happens When the Teacher Gets It Wrong

On the professional and human value of apologising to children

Teachers make mistakes — in front of 30 witnesses. How a teacher handles being wrong in class teaches children something that no curriculum can.

2026-05-20

Teaching strategy · 8 min read

How to Teach KS2 Writing: A Practical Guide

From composition through to transcription — what works and what doesn't

Writing is the most complex thing we ask primary children to do. This guide covers the key elements of effective KS2 writing teaching — modelling, immersion, drafting, and the difference between composition and transcription.

2026-05-21

Parent communication · 5 min read

What Are the KS1 SATs? A Guide for Parents

Year 2 assessments explained — what they are, what changed in 2023, and what your child needs to know

Key Stage 1 assessments changed significantly in 2023. This guide explains what still happens in Year 2, what the teacher assessment process involves, and how parents can support without creating pressure.

2026-05-21

Math · 7 min read

The Complete Guide to Teaching Times Tables in Primary

Fluency, understanding, and why drilling alone isn't enough

Times tables fluency by Year 4 is a statutory requirement. Here's how to build genuine fluency — not just test performance — and how to support the children who are still struggling.

2026-05-21

Teaching strategy · 5 min read

What Is a WAGOLL? Using Model Texts in Primary Writing

What A Good One Looks Like — and how to use it so it actually works

WAGOLL (What A Good One Looks Like) is one of the most used terms in primary English teaching. Here's what it means, the difference between a WAGOLL and a model text, and how to use them effectively.

2026-05-21

Classroom culture · 5 min read

How to Run a Morning Meeting in Primary School

The structure, the research, and the 15 minutes that can set up the whole day

Morning meetings — structured circle time at the start of the day — have a strong evidence base for improving classroom culture and social-emotional development. Here's how to run one well.

2026-05-21

EAL & inclusion · 7 min read

10 EAL Strategies Every Mainstream Teacher Should Know

Practical approaches that help EAL pupils access learning without specialist support

Most EAL pupils spend the majority of their school day with mainstream class teachers, not specialist EAL staff. Here are ten evidence-informed strategies any teacher can use immediately.

2026-05-22

Assessment & feedback · 6 min read

Formative Assessment Without the Workload

The techniques that give you the information you need in minutes, not hours

Formative assessment — finding out what pupils understand in real time — does not require marking. The most effective techniques take less than five minutes and produce more useful data than a marked worksheet.

2026-05-22

Math · 6 min read

Maths Mastery in Primary: What It Is and What It Isn't

The approach that's reshaped primary maths teaching — and the misconceptions that have grown up around it

Mastery maths has become the dominant approach in UK primary maths since 2016. Here's what it actually means, where it came from, and the common misapplications that undermine it.

2026-05-22

Teacher wellbeing · 7 min read

Teacher Burnout: The Warning Signs and What Actually Helps

Beyond bubble baths — the structural causes of burnout and realistic approaches to recovery

Teacher burnout is not a personal failing or a sign of weakness. It is a predictable response to specific working conditions. Here's how to recognise it and what the evidence says about addressing it.

2026-05-22

EYFS & early years · 6 min read

The Reception to Year 1 Transition: What Children Need

Why this transition is harder than it looks — and how to make it work for every child

The move from Reception to Year 1 is one of the most significant transitions in a child's school life — and one of the most under-supported. Here's what the research says about getting it right.

2026-05-22

Reading & literacy · 8 min read

How to Teach Phonics: A Complete Guide for Primary Teachers

The approach, the evidence, the phases — and the common mistakes

Synthetic phonics is the most evidence-supported approach to teaching reading in English. Here's what it involves, why the evidence is so strong, and what effective phonics teaching actually looks like in the classroom.

2026-05-23

Teaching strategy · 6 min read

Supporting Children Who Refuse to Write

What lies behind writing avoidance — and specific strategies that help

Writing refusal is one of the most common and frustrating challenges in primary teaching. Understanding the underlying cause is the only way to address it effectively.

2026-05-23

Teaching strategy · 6 min read

Music in the Primary Classroom: A Guide for Non-Specialists

How to teach music with confidence when you don't have a music background

Most primary class teachers are not music specialists, yet they are expected to deliver music education. Here's how to teach music well — confidently and enjoyably — without specialist knowledge.

2026-05-23

EAL & inclusion · 6 min read

The Stages of English Acquisition: What Teachers Need to Know

What to expect at each stage and how teaching should adapt

EAL pupils are not a homogeneous group — they may be at any of five distinct stages of English acquisition. Understanding which stage a pupil is at changes everything about what appropriate support looks like.

2026-05-23

Classroom culture · 5 min read

Do Classroom Displays Actually Help Learning?

What the evidence says — and what to put on your walls if anything

Classroom displays are one of the most time-consuming parts of a teacher's life. The evidence on whether they actually help learning is surprising, nuanced, and not what most schools assume.

2026-05-23

Light reading · 5 min read

The Teacher's Reading List: 15 Books That Will Change How You Teach

Honest recommendations from experienced primary practitioners — not the usual suspects

A curated reading list for primary teachers — spanning learning science, classroom culture, behaviour, and the philosophy of education. Books that generate genuine insight, not just reassurance.

2026-05-24

First-year teaching · 6 min read

Your First Challenging Class: What Actually Helps

The practical strategies that work — and the ones that feel good but don't

Most teachers have, at some point, the class where the usual approaches stop working. Here's an honest guide to what actually makes a difference.

2026-05-24

Assessment & feedback · 5 min read

Using Assessment Data Without Being Driven by It

How to make data work for teachers and children — not against them

Assessment data is one of the most valuable things in teaching — and one of the most misused. Here's how to read it well and act on it without letting it distort what you do.

2026-05-24

Teaching strategy · 6 min read

Teaching Mixed-Year Groups in Primary Schools

The specific challenges and the strategies that turn them into advantages

Mixed-year group classes are common in smaller primary schools. Here's how to plan for them, how to differentiate, and how to use the age difference as a learning asset rather than a burden.

2026-05-24

EYFS & early years · 5 min read

What Are Schemas? Understanding Children's Learning Patterns in EYFS

The repetitive behaviours that drive early childhood learning — and why you should lean into them

Schemas are the repeated patterns of behaviour children use to explore and understand the world. Recognising them transforms how you see children's play — and what you provide for them.

2026-05-25

Assessment & feedback · 5 min read

How to Write Diagnostic Questions That Actually Reveal Misconceptions

The difference between a test question and a diagnostic question — and why it matters

A well-designed diagnostic question doesn't just check whether children got the right answer. It reveals the specific misconception behind a wrong answer. Here's how to write them.

2026-05-25

Light reading · 4 min read

The Class That Will Not Be Quiet

A week in the life of 4J

Light reading — a familiar tale of noise, chalk clouds, the fire alarm, lost PE kits, and the astonishing range of things children will tell you during silent reading.

2026-05-25

EAL & inclusion · 5 min read

Supporting Bilingual Children: Moving Beyond 'EAL as Deficit'

A shift in framing that changes everything about how you teach multilingual learners

Most EAL provision is designed around what children can't do. This guide argues for an asset-based approach — and explains practically what that looks like in a mainstream primary classroom.

2026-05-25

First-year teaching · 6 min read

Lesson Observations: A Guide for NQTs and Early-Career Teachers

What to expect, how to prepare, and how to have a useful conversation afterwards

For many NQTs, lesson observations are the most stressful part of the first year. Here's what observers are actually looking for, how to prepare without over-preparing, and how to make feedback useful.

2026-05-26

Teacher wellbeing · 5 min read

When You Dread Going to Work

How to tell the difference between a hard patch and something that needs addressing

Every teacher has days when they don't want to go in. When those days become weeks, something needs to change. Here's how to diagnose what's happening and what to do about it.

2026-05-26

Math · 6 min read

Number Sense: What It Is and How to Develop It

The intuitive feel for numbers that separates children who get maths from those who don't

Number sense is the most important but least measurable aspect of early mathematics. Here's what it involves, how it develops, and the specific teaching approaches that build it.

2026-05-26

Light reading · 3 min read

Things Children Have Told Their Parents About School

Collected from the front lines of home-school communication

Parents sometimes arrive at school with information that appears to have come from a different school entirely. A lightly annotated collection.

2026-05-26

Teaching strategy · 7 min read

Retrieval Practice: The Complete Guide for Primary Teachers

The most evidence-supported study technique — and how to use it effectively in primary school

Retrieval practice is the act of recalling information from memory — and it is one of the most reliably effective learning strategies in educational research. Here's what it involves, the evidence behind it, and specific ways to use it in primary school.

2026-05-27

Reading & literacy · 6 min read

How to Teach Reading Inference in Primary School

The most assessed but least taught reading skill — and specific strategies that build it

Inference is the most commonly assessed reading skill in KS2 SATs and the skill children are most likely to get wrong. Here's what inference actually involves and how to teach it explicitly.

2026-05-27

Teaching strategy · 6 min read

Cognitive Load Theory: What Primary Teachers Need to Know

The most useful piece of learning science for classroom teachers — explained without the jargon

Cognitive load theory explains why some teaching methods work and others don't. It is one of the most practically useful pieces of educational research for classroom teachers.

2026-05-27

Assessment & feedback · 5 min read

Peer Assessment That Actually Works

The common mistakes and the practices that produce genuine peer learning

Peer assessment is almost universally advocated and almost universally done badly. Here's why most peer assessment fails — and what to do instead.

2026-05-27