As teachers and pupils returned to the classroom this week, there was lots of discussion about Covid prevention, catch-up and planning for the 2021-22 academic year. 

If you’re only just taking a breather from the week, you can catch up on everything you need to know from the world of education here.

News

• New top grade at A level being considered

A new top grade could be introduced at A level to tackle concerns about grade inflation, but Ofqual believes this is “likely to cause anxiety and uncertainty”, Tes has revealed.

• Covid: Teachers were not at greater risk of hospitalisation

Teachers were not at any greater risk of hospitalisation with Covid-19, or severe illness through Covid-19, at any time during the 2020-21 academic year than similar working-age adults, according to a new study published this week.

• Gavin Williamson tells parents to ensure their children get regular Covid tests

Parents should make sure their children are tested regularly for the coronavirus, education secretary Gavin Williamson said, as he warned pupils not to get “carried away” as schools return.

• Ministers ‘should consider bringing back the need to self-isolate for Covid contacts’

A teaching union has said that ministers should consider reintroducing the need for pupils to isolate after coming into close contact with Covid in the event of “rising case numbers” in England.

• Narrow catch-up focus ‘risks deskilling teachers’

Headteachers of schools in disadvantaged areas that adopted a “narrow” curriculum to help with education recovery following school closures “tended to regret that pupils were missing out” and feared staff were becoming “deskilled”, new research reveals.

Features

• The dreaded phone call home: a checklist for teachers

Calling a student’s parents or carers can be nerve-wracking, but Ceri Stokes has some great tips on how to do it right, including really listeningn and reminding yourself you’re doing it for the good of the child. 

• New teachers: How to build confidence in the classroom

Feeling nervous about stepping into your classroom as a fully-fledged teacher for the first time? Fake it until you make it - and adopt a persona, says Andy Taylor.

• Teaching assistants and the importance of tailored CPD 

It’s time we gave teaching assistants access to dedicated, high-quality CPD, says Abi Joachim as she suggests the ways headteachers can make it work.

• 5 tips for new early years teachers

Teaching in the early years is unlike any other education setting - and if you’re a newbie, there’s a lot to get to grips with, says Julian Grenier. Here he shares his advice. 

• Inset days: We need to put the C, P and D back into CPD

We’ve taken the continuous, the professional and the development out of CPD and been left with nothing, warns Mark Esner as he talks about the way forward and future of Inset days.