We all know that when someone is new to school governance it can be a daunting time attending the first few meetings and often the concern is if you can add value from the start. Here are some questions you could ask …
Author: Al Kingsley
The white hot pace of innovation in education and technology is a great match.
It’s always so inspiring working with teachers and children, as together ideas spark and aren’t restricted by today’s technology – they’re always looking to a better tomorrow.
SEND Jargon Buster for Governors
A glossary of the key terms you are likely to encounter when discussing SEND. Hopefully they help get you started.
E-safety in schools
Al Kingsley talks keeping pupils safe online
Whose job is it to keep children safe online? Where do the responsibilities begin and end for the school?
S.O.A.P Summary for Governors and Trustees.
No it’s not an opportunity to “clean things up”, S.O.A.P is a school on a page summary that gives leaders a clear oversight on all key data and a handy reference point over time.
Observation “Look Fors”
A handy checklist of things to look for, alongside areas to feedback on, during classroom observations.
Understanding school finance
Sometimes the complexities of schools finance can be a real challenge for governors and trustees to understand. This is a simple visual summary of the key bits you need to know.
Making sure your school website is Oftsed compliant
Keeping your school website compliant with the latest requirements can be hard work, but its something that has to be done, both to meet Ofsted guidelines, ensure parental access …..
An effective Skills audit for Governors
It’s one of the staple items that every governing body or trust board should undertake annually as its the only way to generate an effective plan of training for the year ahead around those topics your governors feel less secure with.
Celebrating Edtech – Edtech 50 Schools awards
The Edtech 50 Schools is a celebration of the work of schools across the UK that are using education technology to support teaching and learning across the whole school, in a particular subject area ….
Improving parental engagement on online safety
Children don’t stop using the internet outside of school hours, and, without the appropriate knowledge of how to stay safe or a good example from others in their household, the risks remain.
Creativity – a journey through time and tech
These days, creativity is a highly prized attribute. In a world that is moving fast through new stages of technology, it seems that all universities want creative thinking students and every business wants creative thinking staff on its pay roll.
What is digital citizenship?
Now that technology is present in the majority of school classrooms, students are required to use it every day to collaborate, communicate and learn. If they can develop good digital citizenship skills and do this in a responsible and safe way, then they not only protect themselves,
Time-saving alternatives to traditional written feedback – The Primary Edition
Most teachers would agree that the least enjoyable part of the job is the endless marking but probably accept that it’s necessary for student achievement.
Time-saving alternatives to traditional written feedback – The Secondary Edition
Taking inspiration from the Michaela approach, it’s useful to think about alternative approaches to extensive, written feedback that support student progress while saving teacher time.
Keeping Children Safe in Education – your checklist
The Department of Education’s (DfE) 2018 update includes interesting additions for governors, heads and academy proprietors. The amendments can be grouped under the banners of technology, training and governance.
Back to school: a governing body checklist
With all the focus on recent exam results and new staff arrivals, it’s easy to forget that it’s the start of a new school year for Governors too.
Making marginal gains with technology
One of the greatest opportunities technology provides us with is the chance to do things that wouldn’t otherwise be possible. We can travel to the moon or delve deep into the inner workings of the human heart within virtual reality.
Five misconceptions about Growth Mindset – Part 2
Growth mindset is currently one of the most widely discussed and frequently misunderstood topics in education, with attitudes differing widely. In this post, Natalie continues to discuss the five most common misconceptions…
Five misconceptions about Growth Mindset – Part 1
I’m no good with numbers. I can’t draw. I’m not a creative person. I’ll never understand Physics. Shakespeare is impossible. I’m rubbish at sports. Sound familiar?