Thinking
The latest thinking from our team of experts and our community of frontline educators.
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Blog articleFeatured Post
Four ways to strengthen writing in Reception
Reception is a key moment in a child’s journey as a writer. It’s when children start to realise that the marks they make share meaning and tell a story.
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Blog articleFeatured Post
Trainee teacher talks: “It’s the little victories that make all the hard work worthwhile”
When Will Coles taught a child to tie their shoelaces, it sparked his drive for supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
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Blog articleFeatured Post
Four ways early years settings can be more inclusive
How can early years settings create a truly inclusive environment for every child? Expert practitioners Dixie-Louise Dexter and Nicola Middleton explain four approaches their early years team takes to provide tailored support from the very start.
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Blog article
How to teach spelling: a crucial part of writing
This article explores why spelling is so important, how it links to writing confidence, and what effective teaching looks like in practice. You’ll find practical strategies, engaging activities and prompts to help you reflect on your approach.
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Blog article
Why sentence-building is a foundation of great writing – and how to teach it
This article explores why sentence-building is essential for learning to write, how it builds pupils’ confidence, and what effective teaching looks like in practice. You will find practical strategies for supporting sentence construction in the classroom, alongside prompts to help you reflect on your current approach.
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Blog article
How to teach handwriting
This article explores why handwriting matters, how it supports writing fluency, and what you can do to help pupils build strong foundations. You will find practical advice on teaching handwriting, supporting physical development, and making practice part of every day.
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Blog article
What is the writing framework and how will it help schools?
Literacy expert Sarah Scott explains what the Department for Education's writing framework is and how primary school teachers and leaders can use it to support your school's writing journey.
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Blog article
Why writing matters and how schools can strengthen it
By putting writing at the heart of your teaching, you set your pupils up for success not just in the classroom, but wherever life takes them. This article helps teachers and school leaders to use the Department for Education's writing framework. It covers the foundations of transcription and composition and how working memory and executive function play a part in writing. It explores what makes writing complex and challenging, and helps you to reflect and act on ways to target your teaching where it matters most.