Primary: ‘The best resources teachers can seek out are each other’

An area all primary children will have missed out on over the past 18 months is the performing arts: teaching drama, dance and music remotely was incredibly tough, and even once we were back in school, social distancing and bubbles prevented collaboration between different classes in these subjects.

Writing, too, has suffered. We all know that writing is a challenging and complex skill that requires strong subject knowledge and grammar. However, what is not usually discussed is the knowledge of how it feels to be a writer. Teachers could therefore develop their knowledge and practice of this by reading about how writers write, and also by doing some writing themselves. 

Putting Covid gaps aside, music can be an especially challenging subject for many primary school teachers to teach. In initial teacher training, music “input” can be half a day. 

Schools should consider CPD in this area: why not run a session on singing, for instance? Think about how to encourage even the quietest children to raise their voices and sing with pride. 

The best resources teachers can seek out next term are each other: if you’re worried about gaps in reading and writing, speak to your head of English; if you’re struggling to find inclusive or diverse texts to use in drama, or songs to use in music, ask the performing arts lead.

Beyond your own school, the National Association of Writers in Education has some great resources to help you to expand your expertise in English, and the Living Song website can help support you through your music teaching. 

James Biddulph is executive headteacher at the University of Cambridge Primary School

English: ‘To build expertise, we need to look beyond texts’

In a normal year, PGCE students often cite gaps in their knowledge of language and grammar, poetry and Shakespeare.

Conversations with colleagues suggest that, post-lockdown, there may now also be further gaps in poetry, as well as in drama and effective group work.

Subject knowledge in English tends to focus on the text, but this isn’t as simple as reading the new book/play/poet on the specification. To build expertise, we need to look beyond texts, too: a recent episode of BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time on Shakespeare’s sonnets was an excellent examination of the form, and I’d also recommendDon Paterson’s book 101 Sonnets.

An excellent free resource to develop knowledge of language and grammar is UCL’s Englicious website. You may also want to think about language and grammar and its direct application to literature; stylistics marry these two branches of English, and Jessica Mason and Marcello Giovanelli’s book Studying Fiction: a guide for teachers and researchers is a great starting place.

For Shakespeare, Rex Gibson’s Teaching Shakespeare is my go-to. The British Library also has contextual resources that are both fascinating and illuminating, and Emma Smith’s This is Shakespeare is an accessible and joyous read.  

Discussion has the power to really engage pupils and shouldn’t be forgotten: the English and Media Centre’s (EMC) It’s Good to Talk project on their website is really useful when looking at how structured talk can improve children’s understanding. 

With recent conversations about lack of diversity in the English curriculum, you may want to think about text selection at key stage 3. The EMC have just published their collection of diverse literary shorts Iridescent Adolescent, and Collins has released Who We Are, an anthology of contemporary writers for KS3. 

If you’re feeling burned out, I’d recommend dipping into Literature: why it matters, by Robert Eaglestone, and What Matters in English Teaching, by Barbara Bleiman.

My holiday reads also always include some contemporary YA fiction (the CILIP Carnegie Medal is a great starting point) to keep up with current writing for children, and they’re great reads too. 

Rachel Roberts is associate professor of English education at the University of Reading’s Institute of Education, and chair of the National Association for the Teaching of English

Maths: ‘Mathematical reasoning empowers learners’

Mathematical reasoning (being able to think mathematically) is arguably the most powerful benefit of learning mathematics. It is one of three aims in the national curriculum for maths from Year 1 onwards, but it is an area that many teachers find hard to teach, preferring to focus on techniques instead. 

Yet, working on a number problem develops far more understanding about numbers and the number system than working through a series of questions practising a technique and little else.

Reasoning empowers learners to make sense of the mathematics they encounter in the classroom, allowing them to fill in their own gaps in knowledge as they struggle to make sense of something that is unfamiliar. 

This is a very efficient process for “catch-up”. Learners identify and
make good their gaps independently. Mathematical reasoning is therefore a great area to focus on at the start of the new term.

The book Thinkers, published by the Association of Teachers of Mathematics (ATM) and available on their website, offers a particularly accessible source of questions to develop reasoning. Thinking For Ourselves offers the same support, but with a focus on key stages 1 and 2.

For tasks that allow students to practise and explore topics while developing reasoning and problem-solving skills, you might try Don Steward’s blog or the Improving Learning in Mathematics resources by Malcolm Swan, which are free to download from Stem Learning. 

You can also find puzzles and problems suitable for all ages on Nrich, while ATM’s Maths Snacks are two-minute videos introducing similar problems. 

For those whose mathematical mojo has seriously waned over the past year, my advice for reconnecting with your subject would be to explore some of the following resources: 

• “The story of maths”, presented by mathematician Marcus du Sautoy, available on YouTube. 
• Plus magazine, a free online resource from University of Cambridge.
• The BBC’s More or Less podcast.

Heather Davis is the chair of general council for the Association of Teachers of Mathematics

History: ‘A key area of focus should be historical skills’

From next term, a key area of focus will be literacy. Remote learning meant that students missed out on opportunities to see teachers modelling extended writing, including how to construct well-written sentences and paragraphs. 

Effective communication of an argument in an extended answer relies on how much practice a student has had at structuring their responses. Teachers will therefore need to factor in additional opportunities to model this in the new term.

In addition, teachers should focus on explicitly teaching relevant tier 2 vocabulary (such as “revolution”) and tier 3 vocabulary (such as “Danelaw”) and plan opportunities for students to take part in guided reading, including reading aloud.  

Another key area of focus should be historical skills, such as the evaluation of interpretations and the analysis of sources. While it
was possible to model such skills remotely using tools such as visualisers, it was more difficult than it would have been in the classroom.  

One key area that I believe many history teachers would welcome more support with in the new term is building diversity into how they teach the curriculum and local history.

A good first step towards further diversifying your teaching, while also identifying any gaps in subject knowledge, would be for each practitioner to undertake a subject knowledge audit. This will help teachers to create an action plan for their own development and indicate to curriculum leads where teams need more support. 

For department CPD, the Historical Association and TMHistoryIcons both offer useful materials, and watching Oak Academy online lessons as a team is also worthwhile.  

Alex Fairlamb is an assistant headteacher (T&L), Historical Association secondary committee member and national coordinator of TMHistoryIcons

Design and technology: ‘We’ve seen students’ creative design skills waver’

In design and technology, students have, understandably, lost some core hands-on skills. As they haven’t been able to go out as much and visit places for inspiration, we’ve also seen students’ creative design skills waver.

A spiral curriculum in which students carousel and regularly revisit common skills can really enhance practical knowledge. In the autumn term, teachers should consider putting demonstrations, small group working and scaffolding at the centre of their provision, and use a variety of instructional techniques to help students understand the material.

Another significant gap is in young people’s confidence levels. Therefore, the most useful thing for teachers to brush up on is their approach to engagement. Positive affirmation in every communication is going to be crucial.

Staff are always looking to develop their specialist skills. We always encourage our staff to upskill in their use of computer-aided packages. Getting skills in programmes like Photoshop, for example, is particularly vital, and some of my team are being supported to upskill on sublimation printers.

Often, the best CPD is spending more time watching other professionals. Through observations, we see other people’s approaches and we can be more reflective about our own practice. 

Sital Patel is the head of art, design and technology at The Parker E-ACT Academy

Science: ‘Understanding how to explain concepts clearly is crucial’

The students likely to have the biggest gaps are Year 7s, who had the last two years of primary teaching disrupted. 

Instead of brushing up on particular areas of subject knowledge, teachers should read up on effective formative assessment and think carefully about how they will assess necessary prior knowledge before teaching a topic or a lesson, and plan for what they will do to address any gaps that this might identify. Responsive Teaching by Harry Fletcher-Wood is an excellent introduction and the Best Evidence Science Teaching (Best) resources have helpful diagnostic questions that could be used as a starting point to identify knowledge gaps.

Teachers should also consider revisiting the content taught remotely during January and February of this year. If students don’t have a solid grasp of key concepts such as diffusion, osmosis and active transport, then they’ll struggle further down the line.

The areas in which science teachers generally need more support are when teaching out of specialism, so there is huge value in having conversations within departments about common misconceptions and knowledge gaps and how to explain things clearly to students. Understanding how to explain concepts clearly is a crucial aspect of subject knowledge.

Connecting with other teachers on Twitter is also really helpful, and questions posted will usually get rapid answers or promote really valuable discussions. The @CogSciSci, @ChatBiology, @ChatChemistry and @ChatPhysics communities are particularly helpful.

If you’re looking to reignite your own passion, there are some fantastic programmes on BBC iPlayer: for example, Michael Mosley’s Pain, Pus and Poisons series of programmes. Bill Bryson’s book The Body is also a trove of numbers and facts.  

Helen Skelton is head of science at Beaumont School and Shuna Neave is an excellence pioneer and science teacher at the George Spencer Academy

Geography: ‘Take time to go outside and appreciate your environment’

There are a couple of areas that may be useful for teachers to focus on in preparation for the new academic year.

The first is curriculum development and sequencing. The Department for Education and Ofqual proposals for the summer exam series in 2022 are likely to have a significant impact on what, when and whom you teach from next term. For example, the proposed high-level optionality at GCSE might mean that you’ll have to change the topics that you teach your Year 11s or rethink the order in which you teach them. 

Many are also concerned about how the lack of assessment of geography fieldwork in the summer 2022 exam series will affect their students, so you may want to think about how you will build geography fieldwork into your curriculum from the autumn. 

While taking students out to distant places may be difficult at the moment, there are creative ways to use your school grounds and local area. For example, Mission:Explore provides a series of challenges to encourage students to rediscover our world. 

Geography is such a broad and dynamic subject that keeping your knowledge and skills up to date is an ongoing consideration. BBC News is a great source of case studies, while GeogPod offers nearly 40 podcasts on a range of topics. 

Most importantly, take time to go outside and appreciate your local environment or maybe venture further afield. It will probably be the best thing that you can do to prepare for teaching geography in the new school year.

Rebecca Kitchen is CPD, curriculum and marketing manager at the Geographical Association

Music: ‘Plan for the reintroduction of quality practical music making’

One of the biggest gaps we are facing is around the lack of exposure to practical music making and live performance. Time spent planning for the reintroduction of quality practical music making would therefore be well spent. 

How will you make sure students gradually build up confidence and technical skill? What repertoire will you use? Working with head arrangements, which allow for repetition and freedom of response through improvisation, could be a good approach both in the classroom and for school bands. 

The Modulo programme from Orchestras for All (OFA) is a great, inclusive resource - and is currently free. If you are worried about standing in front of your ensembles after a while away, OFA has an excellent online music leadership course; the first module is completely free.  

The Ofsted research review, published at the end of term, underlines the need to consider the cognitive demands of the subject. It is crucial that we don’t overload students in our pursuit to catch up too quickly, particularly with pupils in key stages 4 and 5. It’s important to consider how we present content and material to students who may require more support through scaffolding.

The Ofsted review also highlights the challenge of teaching composition in a music classroom. While this has also suffered in lockdown, we now have more opportunities to use music technology as a result of the DfE-funded scheme to provide devices to schools. Websites such as I Can Compose can help with ideas for composition, too. 

Catherine Barker is the president-elect of the Music Teachers’ Association and the head of music and performing arts in United Learning. James Manwaring is director of music for Windsor Learning Partnership

MFL: ‘Brush up on the speaking requirements’

Post-lockdown gaps in modern foreign languages (MFL) will vary but there are a few areas to focus on. 

Oral assessments are back in key stage 4 and GCSEs. Therefore, teachers should brush up on the speaking requirements - role play, photo card and general conversation - and make active use of technology for spoken homework as well as classroom speaking practice.

Don’t forget to revisit the core vocabulary taught in Years 7-9: it is not always revisited and often catches learners out. 

From experience working with initial teacher trainees through to experienced staff, the most common support request is for differentiation. Seek advice from colleagues, but also check out the NCELP CPD material on differentiation for lower-proficiency learners and stretch and challenge for higher-proficiency learners. 

MFL teachers will also need to get to grips with the new GCSE proposals expected in the autumn. Stay informed about CPD materials that will support you here by subscribing to the NCELP bulletin, and keep abreast of the latest developments through the Association for Language Learning. 

In addition to resources already mentioned, Oak National Academy has online lessons for MFL in Years 7-11. Each has a full scheme of work and eight units from which individual lessons can be selected to consolidate class work, fill gaps or act as revision and resources for cover lessons.

Remember to check out your school’s online subscriptions and optimise their use, adapting them to your context. For example, we use Quizlet, Teachit Languages and Exampro. And look beyond
traditional teaching resources too. Netflix’s series and films in foreign languages suit most tastes, and podcasts are a great source of cultural support. Audiobooks are brilliant for accessing new foreign literature, too. 

Jenny Hopper is the head of modern foreign languages and MFL hub lead at the National Centre for Excellence for Language Pedagogy

RE: ‘Begin with non-Abrahamic faiths’

Next term, teachers will be putting various strategies and interventions in place to identify where there are gaps, and determine how best to tackle these. 

This is likely to be time-consuming for less experienced classroom practitioners, so it will be essential for heads of department to offer additional support here to early career teachers.

In addition, teachers of RE have commonly told me that they need more support with the following areas of subject knowledge:

• Hinduism
• Sikhism
• Buddhism
• Non-religious worldviews, eg, humanism
• Philosophy and ethics

Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) are generally areas of strength in terms of teachers’ subject knowledge. This may be due to the similarities within these religions, and the investment teachers already make in upskilling, as at least one of these religions is taught as part of key stage 3 and GCSE curriculums in many schools.

When it comes to CPD, heads of departments might therefore want to begin with non-Abrahamic faiths, where knowledge is often less secure.

For help with brushing up in these areas, or for teachers who simply want to rekindle their passion for RE, here are some of my recommendations.

• RE:ONLINE
• The Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Religion
• The RE Podcast
• Making Every RE Lesson Count, by Louise Hutton and Dawn Cox 
• Outstanding RE Lessons, by Andy Lewis
• 100 Ideas for Teaching Religious Education, by Cavan Wood
• World Religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam, by Robert Orme and Andy Lewis
• World Religions: Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism, by Tristan Elby and Neil McKain
• Philosophy and Ethics, by Robert Orme.

Aamir Nore is faculty director of humanities at Ark Victoria Academy, in Birmingham

PE: ‘Remove as many barriers as you can’

When children returned to school last autumn, teachers noticed a drop in young people’s fitness levels, as well as an increase in mental wellbeing issues. After another year like no other, there is lots that PE teachers can do to support good physical and mental health next term. 

Key priorities should include creating a safe and welcoming environment where pupils feel comfortable participating. Be aware of different motivations and ask them about the activities they want: are they participating for fun, friendship, competition? It’s always important to ensure lessons and clubs are inclusive to all. 

Encouraging social connectivity through PE should also be a priority. Teachers should consider running “welcome back” activities focusing on fun, friendship, confidence and fitness. 

Re-establishing baseline fitness levels, especially for those who are least active, should be achieved via engaging activities. Have a look at the quickfire 60-second challenges we have on the Youth Sport Trust website.

Remove as many barriers as you can: it might be as simple as asking pupils to come to school in PE kit, or doing a session that doesn’t require getting changed. 

We also need to consider how we can raise awareness among parents and carers of the importance of getting children active. Research shows that only 38 per cent of parents are aware of the chief medical officer’s recommendation for young people to average 60 minutes of physical activity per day. 

The Olympic and Paralympic values can be a great source of inspiration. Use the concept of personal best to inspire greatness in every young person and think about the teachable moments of sporting events. 

Kate Thornton-Bousfield is the Youth Sport Trust’s head of PE and achievement

Art and design: ‘It’s an ideal opportunity to consider the issue of diversity’

Art and design requires specialist facilities and materials, which most pupils struggled to access from home. Even when they were back in school full time, some bubbles were based at the opposite end of the school from the art and design rooms. And, of course, many gallery and museum trips couldn’t go ahead as planned. 

However, one advantage of art and design is that the curriculum only has a small amount of prescribed content. 

On returning to school, teachers should undertake baseline assessment to indicate where pupils need help and support - and then adapt their curriculum accordingly.

While reflecting on lesson content and what might need to change, it’s an ideal opportunity to consider the issue of diversity. The Anti-Racist Art Education Action (ARAEA) group’s checklist is a helpful resource here.

As part of the recovery curriculum, art, craft and design will play a really important part in supporting mental wellbeing. Digital media can provide opportunities for personal expression through excellent initiatives, such as The Photography Movement. In September, they will be starting Show and Tell No.2, providing a series of films and workshops, and an exhibition with the focus being “photography for
life, not likes”. 

Liz Macfarlane is president of The National Society for Education in Art and Design

Drama: ‘Put practical group work at the centre of lessons’

Students have been denied a lot of practical drama time - remote schooling and physically distanced face-to-face lessons made it tough for classes to take part in ensemble work. So, teachers need to put practical group work at the centre of lessons, and allow students time to reconnect with making, performing and responding together.

As an executive committee member of our subject association, National Drama, and a subject leader in research-informed initial teacher education, I am often asked for support on delivering a more representative curriculum with greater awareness of whose voice is telling and whose is being heard. 

National Drama has plenty of resources, research and CPD to assist teachers with this, and Open Drama’s Developing a Representative Drama Curriculum, by Carolyn Bradley and Matthew Nichols, is another good resource.

More broadly, in the context of drama and social justice, I’d recommend Andy Kempe’s Drama, Disability and Education and Kathleen Gould Lundy’s Teaching Fairly in an Unfair World, which includes a lot of drama-based ideas. 

Simon Floodgate is a senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and a lecturer and subject leader in drama at the Institute of Education, University of Reading

This article originally appeared in the 13 August 2021 issue under the headline “Changing the subject”