SecEd Podcast

In this episode we offer practical tips and ideas for how teachers can support the communication skills of students as they make the step-up to the year 7 classroom and key stage 3 study. An experienced panel – including a speech and language therapist – discuss how we can help those students who struggle with communication needs, including oracy and vocabulary. We consider the increase in academic rigour that students transitioning into year 7 encounter, including increasingly complex language and vocabulary. We then outline some adaptive teaching techniques as well as tips for developing oracy and speaking skills, vocabulary and academic language, and literacy and reading skills – with lots of ideas for the year 7 classroom. We also explore general lesson planning and teaching tips that support SLCN in the secondary classroom with examples of practice from our guests' schools. And we talk briefly about effective interventions to support these learners. This episode has been supported by our friends at Speech and Language Link. Visit www.speechandlanguage.link

This episode talks everything supply teaching – with practical advice for schools on how to enable your supply teachers to excel as well as a range of tips for supply teachers themselves. In the first half of our discussion, our expert panel focus on how secondary schools can set their supply teachers up for success, including what must be in place before they arrive at the gate and top tips for how to support them during the placement. We discuss behaviour management and support, how to share key documents and information effectively, organising lesson plans and resources, and common mistakes we should avoid at all costs. Then in the second half of the discussion we offer tips and advice for our army of supply teachers who keep our schools running every day. We look at how to prepare for your placements, key questions to ask the host school, tip tips for your first day and beyond, what to do if things go wrong or if resources or lesson plans are not available, and some common mistakes to avoid. We round off the podcast with a range of practical tips that can be implemented – by schools and supply teachers – tomorrow.

This episode discusses how teachers can create the perfect classroom environment for their students, offering a range of practical tips and quick wins. Our expert panel discuss four core aspects – the physical classroom environment, the social environment, the emotional environment, and the learning environment. Physical environment: We ask what we can do to create a positive physical space in the classroom to support learning, including the use of displays, the layout of furniture, and issues like temperature and natural light. Social environment: We look at the tenets of positive social classroom environments, including how senior leadership and teachers can work together to create a "this is how we do it here" culture that is consistent across lessons so that children know what they will encounter when they walk in the door. We touch upon behaviour for learning, addressing low-level disruption, common lesson routines to reduce anxiety and maximise focus, and much more. Emotional environment: This concerns students' emotional response to our classroom environment. What can we do to create a classroom environment that is conducive to challenge but which is unthreatening and a place where pupils become comfortable with hard work, including via the use of rewards and sanctions. Learning environment: This concerns the way that learning is structured and organised in order to ensure every student values their work and strives to achieve, including the adaptations we make for SEND and other disadvantaged students. We discuss how to motivate students and consider a range of teaching techniques.

This episode offers a range of practical ideas, advice and teaching techniques for engaging students in the work of William Shakespeare – both in the English classroom and across the school. Produced in partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the episode features a panel of experts and educators who discuss how we can make Shakespeare enjoyable for our students. We talk about Shakespeare's place across the school, in the English and drama classrooms of course, but also in other places such as the assembly hall and extra-curricular work. We offer a range of teaching tips and ways we can make Shakespeare enjoyable and engaging for students, including how we can help them to penetrate the vocabulary of Shakespeare, how Shakespeare can support oracy education, and ideas for how we can introduce Shakespeare effectively in key stage 3. Crucially, we also ask what we should avoid doing when teaching Shakespeare and ask how we can show students the relevance of Shakespeare in today's world. This episode has been produced to mark the launch of RSC's new Shakespeare Curriculum platform, which brings you the next generation of digital resources to support your teaching of Shakespeare. It is free to access for state-maintained schools and SEN schools. More details at the end of the podcast or via: www.shakespearecurriculum.com

In this discussion, Anne Peck, a seasoned educator specializing in primary leadership, Claire Duffy, a senior deputy head with a wealth of secondary education experience, and Paul Wainsworth, an education director and Ofsted expert, dive into the revised Ofsted inspection framework. They break down crucial changes such as the new 'secure fit' model and expanded evaluation areas. The importance of inclusion, effective communication during inspections, and strategies for self-evaluation and evidence presentation are explored, along with practical advice for school leaders to prepare without overwhelming staff.

In this engaging discussion, education experts Matt Bromley, Kristen Smith, and Paul Haig explore the vital themes of belonging and inclusion in secondary schools. They define what it means for students to feel valued and safe, emphasizing the importance of a strong school culture. The trio shares effective strategies for fostering relationships, improving classroom practices, and creating inclusive curricula. They also discuss how family engagement and community outreach can enhance student attendance, making belonging a key element of educational success.

Ben Newmark, an experienced school leader and adaptive teaching consultant, teams up with Amy Williams, a Director of School Improvement, to explore the ins and outs of adaptive teaching. They dive into the differences between adaptive teaching and traditional differentiation, emphasizing tailored approaches for diverse learners. Practical strategies like planned adaptations and effective use of teaching assistants are discussed, while maintaining high expectations for all students. Their insights offer valuable tools for educators aiming to enhance inclusivity and engagement in the classroom.

This episode offers a range of ideas and advice for identifying and supporting students with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) in the secondary school. SLCN are the most common need for the more than 1.2 million students who are on SEN Support in England's schools – and the evidence tells us that there will be many more who are going undiagnosed. This discussion features four experts who look at identifying SLCN, screening students, and the problems of underdiagnosis and "masking" that prevent students from getting the support they need. We discuss what the signs of undiagnosed SLCN are in the classroom and the overlaps between these needs and other challenges such as SEMH, poor behaviour, and school absence. We hear about the approaches being taken in two secondary schools and discuss a range of ideas for practical interventions to help support students with SLCN in and out of the classroom. We also touch upon how we can support teaching staff in this work, including with CPD. This episode has been produced with support from our friends at Speech and Language Link.

This episode considers how teaching staff can effectively support autistic students in the classroom and across the mainstream secondary school. Our expert panel offers a range of practical insights and advice to help teachers and support staff, including teaching tips and pastoral care. We begin our discussion by busting some of the common misconceptions and myths about autism and autistic students before dissecting what makes for an autism-friendly school and classroom environment and strong inclusive practice. We discuss what schools can do to support and foster friendships and social connections for our autistic students – and how can staff build strong relationships with these young people? We touch upon Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) but also why we cannot rely on the paperwork and must engage with the young person if we are to meet their needs – taking a strength-based approach. How can teachers adapt their lessons to include their autistic students without overwhelming them – and what part does technology (including AI) play in making learning accessible for young people? We also ask what needs to change in the school environment to support proper inclusion autistic young people – including asking each of our experts for the one big change they would make in schools… Finally, we discuss the common teaching methods that make things harder for autistic students. How can teachers combine routine with the flexibility that these students need.

In this episode, we consider what makes for excellent library provision in the secondary school, including ideas for supporting literacy and curriculum delivery. We speak with four experienced and expert school library professionals to glean their advice, ideas and tips for excellent library provision. We discuss the most important elements in effective library provision and why schools should consider employing a qualified librarian as part of their provision. We consider how school librarians can work effectively with teaching staff to support whole-school teaching and learning and ideas for how librarians can engage with colleagues across the school. Of course, we focus on literacy and reading and the role libraries and school librarians have to play, including ideas for library-based initiatives, managing library stock, engaging struggling readers, and boosting reading for pleasure. And it's not just about books, we also consider the hidden roles of a school librarian, including the pastoral side. And we finish with our ideas corner when we ask each of our guests to offer their ideas for library provision that schools can adapt and adopt.