National Association for Primary Education

Joshua Davidson is the creator and co‑founder of Night Zookeeper, an award-winning online learning program that helps children aged 6–12 fall in love with reading, writing, and creativity through games and storytelling.He’s also the author of the Night Zookeeper Adventure book series, which follows Night Zookeeper Will into the magical Night Zoo filled with fantastical creatures dreamed up by children. Josh is passionate about giving kids the confidence to see themselves as writers and creators, and he speaks regularly about the power of play, stories, and co‑created worlds in education.Get a 7 day FREE trial and 50% of a subscription with affiliate code:http://educationonfire.com/nightzookeeperFull details of NAPE activities at https://nape.org.ukDownload digital copies of the Primary First Journalhttps://national-association-for-primary-education-shop.fourthwall.comhttps://www.educationonfire.com

Trusted by over 6,500 schools worldwide, Jigsaw empowers teachers and helps every child thrive. Fully resourced, evidence-informed, and designed to build confident, resilient learners - together.From small village primaries to large international academies, Jigsaw partner with educators to create consistent, inclusive, values-led cultures where children can thrive.Their programmes don’t just meet statutory requirements, they embed emotional literacy, resilience, and mindfulness into everyday school life. The result? Confident teachers, engaged learners, and school communities equipped with the skills to grow happier, healthier, and kinder citizens of the future.https://jigsaweducationgroup.com/https://www.educationonfire.com/

Widgit Symbols are used worldwide to support people to realise their full potential, regardless of age, ability or background.Widgit are a pioneering software company with a passion for symbols-based communication. They empower individuals to express themselves independently through symbols, aiding comprehension and understanding across any environment.They primarily cater to individuals with communication difficulties of all ages, including autistic people, learning disabilities, and speech impairments. Their solutions are designed to support educators, therapists, and caregivers by enhancing inclusive learning environments while promoting meaningful interactions.Widgit Online and InPrint software give users access to our entire symbol language, designed to meet the unique needs of symbol users across a multitude of settings. From flashcards to vocabulary lists to fully symbolised books, our solutions make it easy to personalise a wide range of materials – helping to facilitate communication in the everyday world.https://www.widgit.com/https://www.educationonfire.com

Today we bring together Prof Dr Ger Graus OBE and Cristian Fabbi, Director of the Fondazione Reggio Children, for a deeply human and intellectually rich conversation about the future of early years education.Ger and Cristian share personal stories and the work of their friend and colleague Carla Rinaldi — one of the world’s most influential educational thinkers. They explore what it truly means to place children at the heart of learning. From the rubble of post-war Italy to classrooms in Soweto, Nairobi, and Napoli, the Reggio Emilia approach has quietly transformed how educators around the world understand childhood, creativity, community, and the very purpose of school.This is a conversation full of warmth, courage, and genuine hope — a reminder that when we believe in children’s potential, extraordinary things happen.https://www.frchildren.org/enhttps://www.reggiochildren.it/reggio-emilia-approach/https://www.gergraus.comGet the book – Through a Different Lens: Lessons from a Life in Educationhttps://www.educationonfire.com/

Today we have a brief summary of events happening during the summer of 2026.The National Association for Primary Education has transitioned its professional journal, Primary First, to a digital format, enhancing accessibility.Mark Taylor, the Vice Chair, expresses gratitude to listeners globally, emphasizing the podcast's wide reach beyond the UK.A noteworthy event is the launch of the book 'John Coe : An Enlightened Voice For Primary Education,' celebrating the life of a founding member of NAPE.Upcoming events include the Christian Schiller Lecture, focusing on curriculum curiosity, featuring guest speaker Claire Maloney-Banks.The NAPE conference on Reading coincides with the national year of reading, offering workshops and keynotes related to literacy.Listeners are encouraged to engage with the podcast and participate in upcoming educational events and initiatives.https://nape.org.uk/https://www.nape.org.uk/the-schiller-lecture-2026Digital Copies of Primary First Journal and John Coe - An Enlightened Voice for Primary Educationhttps://national-association-for-primary-education-shop.fourthwall.com/en-gbp27th May - LIVE book launch on YouTube watch at https://www.youtube.com/live/FGy-uPDR8ew?si=HwTYqih5DOhNrxpIConference for Reading - 8th Mayhttps://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/105006

Cerys Griffiths is the Head of BBC Bitesize, the BBC's free, online learning resource for students aged 5 to 16, their teachers and parents. Bitesize also aims to support educating the whole child through it's Careers, Study Support and media literacy offer, Other Side of the Story, as well as special educational initiatives like the Bitesize Guide to AI.Takeaways:The BBC Bitesize initiative provides comprehensive educational resources tailored for students aged five to sixteen.The integration of AI into educational frameworks necessitates a strong emphasis on critical thinking skills for students.Research indicates a significant number of teenagers lack awareness regarding effective AI resource utilization and its implications.The Bitesize platform aims to empower students by promoting media literacy and informing them about the risks of misinformation.Teachers play a crucial role in navigating the complexities of AI and misinformation in educational settings.The BBC emphasizes trust and quality in educational content, ensuring all materials are developed with input from educational professionals.https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesizeInstagram: @bbcbitesizeChapters:00:03 - Introduction to BBC BiteSize05:55 - Navigating the Future: AI and Education09:35 - Navigating AI in Education: Challenges and Opportunities17:46 - Navigating the New Digital Landscape21:22 - Engaging Young Learners Through Innovative Education29:00 - Empowering Young People Through EducationNational Association for Primary Education (NAPE)Primary First Journal: https://national-association-for-primary-education-shop.fourthwall.com/en-gbp2026 ConferenceKeynote : Reading for Pleasure – Dr Roger McDonaldWorkshops focusing on National Year of Reading : Writing, TESOL, Oracy, Drama and Story Telling, Poetryhttps://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/105006https://www.educationonfire.com

Kirsty Heap is the author of Silent Snow, a picture book without words, designed to help you create your own stories with your children. Each page is filled with beautiful illustrations to spark your imagination, making storytime fun and personal. Whether reading has always felt tricky, or you just want to try something different, Silent Snow gives you the freedom to tell stories your own way.The idea for Silent Snow came from Kirsty’s own experiences as a dyslexic parent. She used to find reading to her children difficult, and when she stumbled over words, she felt like she was letting them down. But instead of giving up, she started making up her own stories based on their lives and the little adventures they had. Bedtime soon became one of their favourite times of the day.https://kirstyheap.com/silentsnow/https://nape.org.uk/Find out more about our Primary First Journal -https://national-association-for-primary-education-shop.fourthwall.com/en-gbp

Mashood Ahmad is the CEO and founder of Gigabit IQ, an award-winning UK broadband provider dedicated to delivering safer, smarter, and faster internet through fully managed Wi-Fi and industry-leading online safety tools. A recognised voice in digital inclusion and child online protection, Mashood is a Council Member at ISPA UK and a vocal advocate for stronger ISP accountability in protecting families online.Under Mashood’s leadership, Gigabit IQ has pioneered services like FamilyGuard+, a network-level parental control solution designed to meet the real-world needs of modern families. He has spearheaded initiatives supporting vulnerable communities, including children in care, refugees, and low-income households, through fair access broadband and safety education.Mashood is the author of the white paper “Beyond the Act: The Hidden Layer of Online Harm No One’s Regulating”, which challenges current UK online safety legislation and proposes a new national ISP Safety Rating System, akin to NCAP for cars or Ofsted for schools.A frequent speaker on digital safety, Mashood is leading an Online Safety & ISP Accountability session at the UK Internet Parliament Conference with ISPA, and continues to work with regulators, MPs, and safety groups to shape a safer digital future for all.https://www.gigabitiq.com/https://parentline.ai/https://nape.org.uk/Find out more about our Primary First Journal -https://national-association-for-primary-education-shop.fourthwall.com/en-gbp

Aurora Orchestra’s creative learning programme supports teachers to bring rich musical education and experiences to all children. The Aurora Classroom programme encompasses:digital resources for primary and secondary schoolsflexible cross-curricular resources for SEND settingstraining for teachers from our team of expertsworld-class programme of live activity for children and young people.Music at the heart of your primary schoolBring Aurora Orchestra into your classroom using our free music resources, designed for music specialists and generalist teachers alike. Explore our fully planned 10-week units of work or build your own music lessons from our library of hundreds of activities and audio excerpts.Build your own unique SEND programme Aurora’s inclusive and adaptable resources for children with additional needs enable teachers to build bespoke units of work by selecting activities from a number of learning strands:Live events for schoolsAurora Orchestra is a pioneering orchestra that creates concert experiences beyond the ordinary, introducing children to music in an innovative and exciting way.https://www.auroraorchestra.com/https://nape.org.uk/Find out more about our Primary First Journal -https://national-association-for-primary-education-shop.fourthwall.com/en-gbp

The AI maths tutor that gets pupils reasoning out loud.Third Space Learning believe an AI tutor should do more than just generate questions and mark answers.What if it could provide scaffolded support according to knowledge gaps, speaking to students and encouraging them to verbalise their reasoning as they go?What if every pupil who needs it could work through maths problems in this way for one fixed low cost?Meet Skye, the low-cost AI maths tutor built by expert maths teachersSkye mimics the behaviours of a pedagogically sound subject matter expert and prompts ensures responses are effective, adaptable, and focused on improving understanding and increasing confidence.Prompts are specified in detail for each slide, and use insights from thousands of maths tutoring sessions to teach concepts effectively, address common misconceptions and ensure Skye adapts the pitch and pace of the session and personalises the instruction to suit each learner.‘Since 2013, over 4,100 schools have chosen Third Space Learning’s cost-effective one-to-one maths tutoring – giving them more time to focus on whole-class teaching and learning.We’ve used all the online tutoring insights we’ve gained in the last decade to create Skye, an AI maths tutor like no other.’Takeaways:The primary objective of our mission is to make effective tutoring accessible to underprivileged children, thereby assisting in closing the educational attainment gap.Utilizing artificial intelligence for tutoring can provide substantial scaling benefits while maintaining the essential requirements necessary for effective tutoring.Our tutoring programs are designed to be seamlessly integrated into school timetables, enhancing the overall learning experience and reinforcing classroom instruction.We have observed that the interaction between students and AI tutors fosters a low-stakes environment, encouraging children to engage more freely without the fear of judgment.Our approach focuses on high-impact tutoring, which necessitates a proactive and structured interaction rather than reactive responses to student inquiries.The transition from human to AI tutors is grounded in extensive research and data, ensuring that we continue to meet the needs of schools and students effectively.https://thirdspacelearning.com/maths-tutoring/ai-maths-tutor/https://thirdspacelearning.com/National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)https://nape.org.uk/Primary First Journal - Get the digital download at:https://national-association-for-primary-education-shop.fourthwall.com

Ben Case is part of the Tapestry education team and a former primary and early years teacher. He works closely with settings to support their use of Tapestry and believes tech is only successful if you bring staff with you. As a teacher Ben regularly presented at TeachMeet Sussex and he now helps to host the Tapestry podcast, writes for education publications, and features in many of the Tapestry training videos to support users. He is keen to share actionable insights and foster a positive, confident approach to using technology effectively in early years settings across the UK.Tapestry’s annual survey had some interesting findings around the use of AI in the early years; engaging with families; and supporting families with ideas for play at home.More info about the survey: https://tapestry.info/tapestry-early-years-education-survey-2025-what-we-learnt/Tapestry has teamed up with award-winning Playworker Amber – aka Amber Ogunsanya-William – to collaborate on a project championing children’s freedom to play. The animation shares Amber’s story, and highlights provocations for play at home.https://tapestry.info/https://tapestry.info/let-play-lead-the-day/National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)https://nape.org.uk/

Ger’s professional autobiography, Through a Different Lens – Lessons from a Life in Education, published by Routledge in April 2025.Professor Dr Ger Graus OBE is a renowned figure in the field of education – once described as “Jean-Jacques Rousseau meets Willy Wonka”. He was the first Global Director of Education at KidZania and the founding CEO of the Children’s University. In 2019, Ger became a Visiting Professor at the National Research University in Moscow, Russia. He is also a Professor of Practice at the University of Cumbria, United Kingdom, and a Member of the PhD Advisory Council at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy.Ger is a frequent keynote speaker at some of the world’s leading education conferences. Driven by his famous mantra that “Children can only aspire to what they know exists”, Ger champions the cause of equity, progress, purpose, creativity, and innovation in children’s learning.Born in the Netherlands, Ger moved to the United Kingdom in 1983 where he began his teaching career, later becoming a Senior Inspector, and Education Director.Ger is a member of Bett’s Global Education Council; DIDAC India’s Advisory Board; and Junior Achievement’s Worldwide Global Council. He chairs the Beaconhouse School System’s Advisory Board, Pakistan; advises the Fondazione Reggio Children, Italy; supports a range of education start-ups globally; and was invited to help shape the future of education in Dubai as a member of the Dubai Future Councils. In 2023, he joined the Global Teacher Prize Judging and the World’s Best School Prize Academies as a judge. In 2024, Ger was invited onto the Board of Trustees of the Sharjah Education Academy by Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qassimi, Ruler of Sharjah.In the 2014 Queen’s Birthday Honours List Ger was made an Honorary Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to children, and in 2018 he received the Global Education Leadership Award at the World Education Congress, India. In 2022, he was granted the award of Iconic Leader Creating A Better World For All by the Women Economic Forum (WEF) and the following year, Ger was made a Companion of the Harry Volker Genootschap in The Netherlands.https://www.gergraus.com/Find out how National Association for Primary Education can support you at https://nape.org.uk/

Dr. Mannion shares insights from his recent publication, “Making Change Stick,” where he emphasizes the necessity of engaging educators at all levels in the change process, thereby fostering a collaborative environment that enhances student outcomes. We explore the transformative impact of project-based learning and self-regulated learning on students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, demonstrating how innovative educational practices can yield significant improvements.www.drjamesmannion.comwww.makingchangestick.coFull details about National Association for Primary Education https://nape.org.uk/

How do we support left-handed children in a predominantly right-handed world? Mark Stewart, founder of Left n Write Ltd, shares his journey and insights on the unique challenges faced by left-handed individuals, particularly in educational settings. With over 1 million left-handed children in schools across England, Mark emphasizes the lack of awareness and training for educators on how to assist these students effectively.Mark started his small business about 30 years ago as a result of trying to find left-handed scissors for his youngest son when he was 4.Mark’s wife Heather had no training in helping left-handed children during her Teacher Training so they started to campaign with their left-handed MP, Peter Luff, to change the Education system to be proactive rather than passive.They had meetings with Ministers, questions and a 30 minute adjournment debate in the House of Commons, produced a training video in 1999 (now downloadable/interactive and was updated last year) as well as writing an information/activity book titled “So You Think They’re Left Handed?” and 3 books titled “Left Hand Writing Skills”. We have also produced other resources specifically for left-handed children in education. Over the years I have run over 200 training workshops.In 2021 Mark co founded and is co-chair of a global group called “LEFT-IN” Left-Handers Education Forum and Training International Network (left-in.org) with the aim to improve the information and education available to the educators of left-handed children around the world.www.leftshoponline.co.ukFor full details of what National Association for Primary Education can support you with please visit:https://nape.org.uk/

What is Neuroplasticity?Neuroscientists used to think that our brain was fixed and unchangeable from birth. It was believed that our intellectual capacity was fixed – the brain with which we were born, was the brain we had for life.  We now know that the brain is a highly active and malleable organ across a person’s lifespan. This powerful capacity for change is called neuroplasticity. Arrowsmith was born from Barbara Arrowsmith-Young’s own painful struggle with her learning disorder and the journey she went through to not only overcome it, but to begin helping others strengthen their brain and change their educational and professional lives.Debbie Gilmore is the Executive Director of Arrowsmith. She is passionate about education. During her 40+ year career as an educator, she has worked as a teacher, literacy advisor, assistant principal, principal and as Head of Diverse Learning Needs at the Sydney Catholic Schools, Sydney, Australia.Now in Canada, as Executive Director of Arrowsmith, she works with educators around the world to bring about educational change. Her experience has helped her understand the need to ‘unlock’ the potential of all students through the power of neuroplasticity, cognitive enhancement and systemic change.Debbie holds a Masters of Education and various Graduate Certificates in Education in a range of areas of diverse learning.Takeaways:The principles of neuroplasticity are essential for facilitating meaningful change within the brain.Engaging in positive cognitive activities enhances the brain’s capacity to adapt and grow.In today’s AI-driven world, strong cognitive functions are vital for discerning information accuracy.Neuroplasticity provides a hopeful avenue for individuals with learning difficulties to overcome challenges.Websitewww.arrowsmith.ca

Education currently presents an unparalleled challenge, yet it remains an immensely rewarding profession, as articulated by our guest, Jonathan Arthur, the Executive Headteacher of Badock’s Wood E-ACT Academy. Within this episode, we delve into the vital role of fostering a learning culture, where the focus is not merely on raising aspirations but rather on instilling a belief that dreams are attainable for every child. Jonathan shares his commitment to modelling expectations and actively engaging with students to ensure they feel supported in their educational journey. He emphasises the necessity of embracing challenges, both for educators and students, underscoring the significance of relationships and emotional regulation in shaping positive behaviour within the school environment. Takeaways: Education is currently one of the most challenging yet rewarding professions we can pursue. As educators, we possess the unique privilege of fostering meaningful changes in children's lives. It is essential to cultivate an environment where children can believe in the attainability of their dreams. Building a learning culture requires dedication and a visible commitment to education and community involvement. Effective leadership in education centers on integrity, open communication, and shared values among all staff members. Fostering resilience in children involves teaching them to navigate challenges and express their emotions constructively. www.badockswoodacademy.e-act.org.uk/www.ilminsteravenueacademy.e-act.org.uk/https://nape.org.uk/ https://www.educationonfire.com/

Assistive technology to improve accessibility in education for students with visual impairments or neurodiverse conditions.Noel Duffy, Chairman of the Board, Dolphin Computer AccessAwarded the RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) Lifetime Achievement Award in April 2022, for 30 years’ work empowering visually impaired people to succeed in a digital world, Noel Duffy has been the driving force behind many UK and international initiatives that bring low-cost access tech and reading systems to blind and partially sighted people facing digital exclusion.Noel also sits on the board of ATIA (Assistive Technology Industry Association) and is a member of APPGAT (All Party Parliamentary Group for Assistive Technology). Additionally, Noel is on the board of trustees at New College Worcester, a UK residential school and college for young people who are blind or vision impaired.Joshua Murphy – Testing Apprentice at Dolphin Computer AccessJosh is completing his apprenticeship in Software Testing at Dolphin Computer Access, where he is part of a team that conducts a range of digital tests to ensure the software operates as it is designed to do. His role plays a key part of the business, and his attention to detail and problem-solving skills ensure the company creates an exceptional product. Josh is blind and uses screen magnification and screen reading technology to access the information on his computer and other devices. Josh is also a Guide Dog owner, so can usually be found in the company of his Guide Dog, Horatio.Websitehttps://yourdolphin.com/Education

Al Kingsley has spent the last 30 years in the Educational Technology space and almost 20 of those as a school trustee and governor. He is Group CEO of NetSupport Ltd, an internationally acclaimed EdTech vendor, and Chair of Hampton Academies Trust and the Richard Barnes (AP) Academy, all in the East of England. He also chairs his region’s Governor Leadership Group.Alongside these roles, Al also sits on the DfE’s Regional Schools Directorate Advisory Board for the East of England and is the Independent Chair of the County’s SEND Board. As a firm supporter of lifelong learning, he is also a regional Apprenticeship Ambassador and Chair of the Employment and Skills Board for his region’ s combined authority.An active writer about all things Education, Al is a member of the Forbes Technology Council and sits on the advisory council for the Foundation for Education Development.Websitewww.alkingsley.comNAPE is the long term sponsor of Education on Fire. This episode is repurposed for NAPE from the Education on Fire podcast hosted by Mark Taylor - NAPE, Vice Chairwww.nape.org.ukwww.educationonfire.comWatch Mark Taylor interview Al Kingsley – ‘Creating Digital Strategies for Schools’ from the Primary Education Summit – ‘Visions for the Future’ – 2023

ONVU Learning is a 360-degree video lesson capture system that helps teachers reflect, collaborate and analyse their entire teaching and learning process. It creates a community space where teachers can share best practice and learn easily with their coaches and peers.When Matt Tiplin was an Ofsted inspector, he decided that something drastic needed to change in the way we both judged and developed teachers.Teacher CPD was always something that was ‘done to’ teachers and not ‘done by’ them. And lesson observations were disruptive, costly and ineffective.He set about creating a more supportive, teacher-led CPD programme as a senior leader in a multi-academy trust and has brought that passion and experience to his role at ONVU Learning.Matt is a founding fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching, has a master’s degree in Education and a National Professional Qualification for Executive Leadership. He is also passionate about music and literature and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.Websitewww.onvulearning.comNAPE is the long term sponsor of Education on Fire. This episode is repurposed for NAPE from the Education on Fire podcast hosted by Mark Taylor - NAPE, Vice Chairwww.nape.org.ukwww.educationonfire.com

Ally Sousa has worked in education for more than 16 years and has a longstanding interest in teachers’ CPD and supporting ECTs. She’s a former teacher and currently leads the content creation at BlueSky Education where she works with a wide range of teachers to create professional development resources.Prior to joining BlueSky, Ally taught in secondary education. While teaching physical education at Gosport and Fareham MAT, she took on the role of Initial Teacher Training manager and professional mentor, supporting primary, secondary and special phase trainees across a range of training pathways, and developing continued professional development programmes for trainees, ECTs and experienced members of the school community.Ally is keen to help teachers to have more constructive conversations about professional development with those who support them. She would love to discuss how teachers can take more ownership of professional development, how PD can happen throughout the year, the approaches early career teachers take to CPD. Websitewww.blueskyeducation.co.ukNAPE is the long term sponsor of Education on Fire. This episode is repurposed for NAPE from the Education on Fire podcast hosted by Mark Taylor - NAPE, Vice Chairwww.nape.org.ukwww.educationonfire.com

Professor Stephen Heppell's “eyes on the horizon, feet on the ground” approach, coupled with a vast portfolio of effective large scale projects over three decades, have established him internationally as a widely and fondly recognized leader in the fields of learning, new media and technology.He was a school teacher for more than a decade, and has been a professor since 1989. Stephen has worked, and is working, with learner led projects, with governments around the world, with international agencies, Fortune 500 companies, with schools and communities, with his PhD students and with many influential trusts and organizations.In June 2006 Stephen was awarded the Royal Television Society’s Judges Award for Lifelong Services to Educational Broadcasting. In 2008 he received the prestigious BETT Award for Outstanding Achievement in ICT Education. In 2014 he was honoured to receive the UK’s NAACE Award for Lifetime Achievement in educational technology.Websitewww.heppell.netNAPE is the long term sponsor of Education on Fire. This episode is repurposed for NAPE from the Education on Fire podcast hosted by Mark Taylor - NAPE, Vice Chairwww.nape.org.ukwww.educationonfire.com

Sam Kendall leads all of Eden’s work with schools, young people and their teachers and has done so since 2010. Eden’s Schools Team design and deliver programmes and projects for children and young people and offer training, consultancy and resources to schools towards Eden’s vision for children and young people who are motivated and equipped to create, and flourish in, a better future in which all living things thrive within planetary boundaries.Sam has been a member of Eden’s Education Team since the project opened in 2001, establishing Eden as a must-go school visit destination for schools across the UK and maintaining a focus on high quality teaching and learning across Eden’s learning programmes – at Eden and online. Following a first degree in Natural Science at Jesus College, Cambridge, she qualified as a primary school teacher, with science specialism, in 1997 and worked in schools in Bristol, Cornwall, Karachi and South Africa prior to joining Eden in 2001. In 2021 she completed an MSc in Environment and Human Health.Websitewww.edenproject.com/learn/schoolsNAPE is the long term sponsor of Education on Fire. This episode is repurposed for NAPE from the Education on Fire podcast hosted by Mark Taylor - NAPE, Vice Chairwww.nape.org.ukwww.educationonfire.com

Voice 21 is the UK’s oracy education charity. They work with schools to transform the learning and life chances of young people through talk. They campaign for oracy to have a higher status in the education system.Oracy skills are vital to success in school and in life. And yet, for many children, especially those growing up in poverty, opportunities to develop these vital skills are missed. Only a minority of schools have consistent, coherent or adequately resourced provision to develop these skills in their students.Voice 21’s sustained approach weaves oracy into a school’s DNA, ensuring current and future students have access to a high-quality oracy education. This means that students in Voice 21 Oracy Schools, including those who would otherwise miss out, develop the oracy skills they need for success in school and in life. Websitewww.voice21.orgNAPE is the long term sponsor of Education on Fire. This episode is repurposed for NAPE from the Education on Fire podcast hosted by Mark Taylor - NAPE, Vice Chairwww.nape.org.ukwww.educationonfire.com

Little Troopers is a registered charity supporting service children who have parent(s) serving in our British Armed Forces, regular or reserve. These children often face unique challenges including frequent house and school moves, as well as regular periods of separation from their serving parent(s) for varying lengths of time due to exercises, training, operations and other service commitments.As a charity, Little Troopers ensures our British Armed Forces children and their families have access to child-focused support wherever they are in the world and whatever community they live in. They provide fundamental resources and initiatives to help ease repeated separation periods and keep parent and child connected even when miles apart. They are the only charity in the UK dedicated to celebrating just how special all our Little Troopers out there really are.Louise Fetigan, founder, is a British Army veteran who saw active service in Kosovo. Her husband was also a serving soldier for 24 years, and undertook seven operational tours of duty. Together they have a daughter who spent her whole childhood as a military child and is the inspiration behind the charity, Little Troopers.Websitewww.littletroopers.netNAPE is the long term sponsor of Education on Fire. This episode is repurposed for NAPE from the Education on Fire podcast hosted by Mark Taylor - NAPE, Vice Chairwww.nape.org.ukwww.educationonfire.com

A Gobblegark’s Guide To Your Brilliant Neurodivergent Brain is Suzanne Robertshaw’s new book.Suzanne has been a teacher for 23 years. She has worked as a SENCO, supporting students with learning differences since 2015. She feels passionate about the positives of being neurodivergent which she regularly promotes on her Instagram page – @teachingwithadifference.A Gobblegark’s Guide To Your Brilliant Neurodivergent Brain is quite a magical book. You’ll meet caterpillars and gobblegarks and best of all? You’ll see how fantastic being neurodivergent is! Win keys by completing some challenges along the way, each one leading you closer to the treasure and to knowing a bit more about yourself and your brain. Built-in breaktimes ensure that you won’t get overwhelmed.Afterall, it can be tiring investigating your brain, making your way through a maze, and finding out how to use the strengths of your brain and understand yourself!Downloadable worksheets let you truly make this book your own because you can go back to activities as many times as you need, or do them in different ways, (and of course skip the ones you don’t!). Let’s make our brilliant brains even more amazing with this Gobblegark Guide!Websitewww.suzannerobertshawauthor.my.canva.siteNAPE is the long term sponsor of Education on Fire. This episode is repurposed for NAPE from the Education on Fire podcast hosted by Mark Taylor - NAPE, Vice Chairwww.nape.org.ukwww.educationonfire.com

Join BBC Teach on a journey through Musical Storyland, where children’s fairy tales and traditional folktales are re-imagined with music performed by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. The stories are narrated by a host of stars; BBC Radio 5 Live presenter, Nihal Arthanayake; international storyteller, Jan Blake; and CBBC and Eastenders actor, Molly Rainford.There are currently five short films: Three Billy Goats Gruff; Jack and the Beanstalk; Ananse and the Monkeys; the Great Race; and The Little Fir Tree. A further five will be available on Monday 25 March. The films feature an array of guest musicians, including multi-instrumentalist, Sidiki Dembélé; Guzheng player, Zi Lan Liao; and DeaF trumpeter, Sean Chandler.  On the BBC Teach website, the classroom videos are accompanied by comprehensive activities and listening guides, exploring musical skills and cross-curricula connections for non-specialist early years and primary-level teachers.Websitewww.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/articles/zqg2s82NAPE is the long term sponsor of Education on Fire. This episode is repurposed for NAPE from the Education on Fire podcast hosted by Mark Taylor - NAPE, Vice Chairwww.nape.org.ukwww.educationonfire.com

Deaf Choices UK support parents of deaf children to make the best CHOICE(S) for Language, Literacy and Communication. ​They believe that every deaf child and every family has a unique set of needs and DCUK is here to help you navigate and explore the choices that are available to you, so that you can make an informed choice.​Deaf Choices UK is the only charity in the UK that provide training in Cued Speech.Kathy Kenny works as a family advisor for Deaf Choices UK. She has a background in education and has a Deaf daughter who is now in her 20s.Websitewww.deafchoicesuk.comNAPE is the long term sponsor of Education on Fire. This episode is repurposed for NAPE from the Education on Fire podcast hosted by Mark Taylor - NAPE, Vice Chairwww.educationonfire.com

More Than A Score:It’s time to fundamentally change the high-stakes, high-pressure assessment system in primary schools and make good mental health the basis for good learning.Primary pupils in England now face SATs and other government tests in five out of seven school years – that’s more formal assessments than in almost any other country.But the evidence against the current system is growing. Parents, teachers and heads are united in calling for change.In 2022, only 3% of heads wanted SATs to go ahead. 89% of parents say they would support an alternative. And 1 in 10 year 6 pupils didn’t sleep well in the run-up to the tests.SATs and other government tests don’t help learning and cause unnecessary stress and pressure.Let’s speak out for children.Alison Ali Director/Owner Can Can CampaignsAlison began her career in journalism, moving into international consumer publishing. Her experience runs from human rights and global finance reporting, to launching premium multi-language magazines and digital platforms for household brand names. She has run her own successful creative agency Can Can Creative since 2006 and, in 2019, launched sister agency Can Can Campaigns to harness the collective’s exceptional skills for greater good.www.morethanascore.org.uk/FB @morethanascoreT @MoreThanScoreInsta @morethanascoreTikTok @morethanascore_

Written by Claire Banks and Mick Waters, A Curious Curriculum: Teaching foundation subjects well details the insightful and transformational steps that a school can take towards designing and delivering a rich, rigorous and wide-ranging curriculum. Before becoming Director of Education for The Olympus Academy Trust, a cross-phase multi-academy trust in north Bristol, Claire Banks was a head teacher for nine years in an inner-city primary school. Throughout her career she has been interested in social and emotional learning and school climate, which has led to her work on leadership culture. Claire now works on curriculum design and school improvement in a system leadership capacity, offering school-to-school support to school trusts. Her passion for succession planning for the profession has led to her coaching and mentoring on aspiring heads and women in leadership programmes.Websitewww.crownhouse.co.ukwww.crownhouse.co.uk/a-curious-curriculumSocial Media InformationTwitter and Instagram: @CrownHousePubFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrownHousePubDetails of the Primary Education Summit can be found at www.nape.org.uk/summit

CHRISTIAN SCHILLER LECTURE PRESENTED BY DR. NEIL HAWKESThis presentation will aim to inspire listeners to understand why Values-based Education (VbE) is now being considered as the foundation of school culture worldwide. He will explain the key elements of the VbE model and why practitioners love it so much. He will draw on good practice from Primary Schools that find it to be the 'beating heart of their education'. Neil will describe the impact that VbE is having on developing what he describes as ethical leadership and why this concept should be central in the Primary School curriculum. Dr. Neil Hawkes is well known as an educator, motivational speaker, broadcaster, writer and social commentator. He first gained international recognition when he was a Headteacher in Oxfordshire, where he worked with a school community to devise and implement a pedagogical system that would give children a transformational ethical vocabulary, based on values such as respect, tolerance, humility and justice. Pupils were empowered to be self-leaders, with an active moral compass that affected behaviour, their thinking and the quality of their school work. Values-based Education (VbE) is now recognised internationally as a key dimension in school improvement and enhancing the nature of pupil experience and many schools have now gained accreditation for the quality of their values-based education, including Bannockburn Primary School where the Schiller lecture is being hosted.Get notified about the Christian Schiller Lecture here https://www.youtube.com/live/aFGja5aYNfM?feature=shareNAPE YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/@nationalassociationforprim834/Primary Education Summithttps://nape.org.uk/summit

National Association for Primary Education is proud to present a Primary Education Summit 'Visions for the Future' over two weeks starting on 15th March 2023. This is intended to promote discussion about the type of rich and engaging primary education which will enable all our children to meet the challenges they face now and in the future. This will include the annual Christian Schiller Lecture 'Values-based Education - the beating heart of Primary Education' presented by Dr. Neil Hawkes, eleven pre-recorded guest presentations and four live panel discussions led by prominent figures in primary education. Full details of these are given below. We very much hope that you will wish to join us for some or all of these sessions - and let other people in your school or organization know.nape.org.uk/summitwww.youtube.com/@nationalassociationforprim834/

Jon Severs is editor of Tes. He was previously commissioning editor at Tes, responsible for the teaching and learning content, as well as policy, leadership and pastoral articles. Before that, he wrote and edited for both trade and consumer titles. Jon explains the journey of taking the traditional Tes magazine, which was established in 1910, to their new online delivery which can be more reactive in our modern age. If you want to contribute to Tes in the way mentioned in the show here are the 2 [email protected]@tes.com

Prepared for life, not just exams360 are a dynamic social enterprise developing essential skills for life in young people through an interactive learning approach we call discuss, decide and do. 360 Skills For Life provide scenario-based educational experiences that equip learners with the skills, knowledge and confidence to live active, fulfilling and safer lives in stronger and more sustainable communities.Experience Skill City, their unique VR environment, bringing to life real world safeguarding dilemmas in realistic but safe scenarios.Their valuesWe listen in order to continually learn and improveWe connect and collaborate because partnerships achieve more for lessWe put the learner and their needs firstWe empower and challenge rather than instructWe engage and involve learners in our developmentWe adapt and are flexible when encountering new situations and knowledgeWe include all learners regardless of age, disability, gender, relationship or parental status, race, belief, sex or sexual orientationWe seek the best in everyone to realise individual and collective potentialTheir approachHolistic, cross-curricular education that delivers transferable skills for 21st century lifeImmersive, practical and interactive learning in which users discuss, make decisions and then do, rather than simply learning factsAwareness of surroundings to make good risk assessments, confidently make better decisions and deal with individual and collective challengesBlended learning where online, in-school and outdoor strands are closely integratedProvision of a realistic dilemma-based virtual Skill City as the core resourcePartnership with other organisations to maximise impact and valueFull details available at www.360skillsforlife.org

The Nature Premium campaign is being led by the Forest School Association (FSA). With around 2000 practicing members the Forest School Association is the professional body and UK wide voice for Forest School, promoting and supporting best practice, cohesion and ‘quality Forest School for all.  Guidance is being provided by a campaign steering group comprising representatives of key organisations within the outdoors learning industry and conservation sector (campaign partners). In addition, the campaign will seek support from allies across multiple sectors. The private sector will be particularly important in terms of sponsoring the campaign and achieving our goal. The campaign has been developed and managed on an entirely voluntary basis with the FSA underwriting the costs and FSA directors contributing a huge amount of their time. We recognise that the campaign is more likely to be successful if it has additional voluntary and financial resources. The campaign is deliberately independent and simply seeks to increase children’s engagement with nature and realise the huge number of associated benefits. Supporters within the outdoors learning industry will, on their own terms, lay-out and make their ‘offer’ for how the nature premium could be used to support school communities, young people, and families. Each will use their own networks to support the campaign.Dr Sara Collins is a biologist who completed her doctorate at Imperial College, London while working with the Forestry Commission. Post research she worked for a Palo Alto biotech company focusing on European sales, expanding into Poland, Lithuania, and Belarus. At the same time, she completed her MBA. She took a career break when her son was born and worked as a Visiting Teaching Fellow at Bath University where she wrote and taught a course on developing entrepreneurial skills in biotechnology. Sara qualified as a Forest School practitioner because it took her back to nature and fitted in with her son’s academic year. She is deputy-chair of a national charity and FRSA. Sara has worked in urban, multi-ethnic primary schools in Portsmouth for over ten years and developed the volunteer led Nature Premium campaign during Lockdown I. She continues to combine campaigning with her self-employed work in local [email protected]/Click to watch NAPE's Christian Schiller Lecture presented by Nancy Stewart 'Cherishing the growth of young children: what early years education can be' 2 online events for the summer term Mental Health/Wellbeing - How to support pupils with transition to secondary school with Sam Moinet from Student Breakthrough (May 16th)Ocean Plastic & Climate Change - Join Ellie Jackson author of the Wild Tribe Heroes book series as we invite pupils to write a story based on this topic in a writing festival (June 13th) For full details and booking forms please visit nape.org.uk/online-events

The National Association for Primary Education are delighted to announce that Nancy Stewart will present our Christian Schiller Lecture 2022.'Cherishing the growth of young children: what early years education can be'.Nancy Stewart is a consultant and writer with wide experience across early years sectors in schools, nurseries, local authority advisory service, and National Strategies where she was Senior Early Years Adviser with a central role in Every Child a Talker. Nancy provided expert advice to the 2012 review of the Early Years Foundation Stage, drawing on her interest in communication and language for thinking, as well as children’s development as self-regulating learners. Nancy co-authored Development Matters 2012, and wrote How children learn – The characteristics of effective early learning. She led development of Birth to Five Matters (2021) as Project Lead for the Early Years Coalition, and is a Vice President of Early Education.Nancy has earned the reputation as one of the most insightful speakers in the UK, specialising in the field of early years. This event will be of great interest to teachers, tutors, students, parents.The lecture is free and will be held on Monday 14th March 2022 at 4.45pm.It is being hosted by Windmill Primary School in Oxford and will be live streamed via zoom.To book please visit:https://nape.org.uk/schiller-online-booking orhttps://nape.org.uk/schiller-in-person-booking 

The National Association for Primary Education works in many ways to provide help and support for those involved with schools. One of those ways has been to sponsor and support Education on Fire.Here are links to the 5 episodes mentioned in this show.https://www.educationonfire.com/education-on-fire/243-astro-pi-challenge-from-raspberry-pi-foundation/https://www.educationonfire.com/education-on-fire/212-reading-writing-and-spelling-with-jane-considine/https://www.educationonfire.com/education-on-fire/177-how-to-improve-teacher-observations-with-craig-randall/https://www.educationonfire.com/education-on-fire/152-yoginis-yoga-training-with-susan-hartley/https://www.educationonfire.com/education-on-fire/021-online-safety/Details of the NAPE YouTube channel and the Christian Schiller Lecture with Nancy Stewart can be found at https://nape.org.uk/

New Edurio research reveals half of children feel stressed and a quarter feel lonely.Edurio has published their latest research examining pupil wellbeing, support systems in school and how pupils feel about school. The study drew on responses from 45,000 children of which 15,000 were from primary. Children feel progressively less well as the move through primary school – 76% in year 1 feel well but this drops by 17 percentage points in Y6 when 59% report feeling well.Children feel more stressed in Y6 (36%) than in Y1 (22%)More primary aged children feel overworked in Y2 and Y3 than at any other time during primary school.The research shows that the transition to secondary school has a negative impact on children’s wellbeing and the drop is greater than at other times during school.Children’s overall wellbeing drops from 59% feeling well in Y6 to 46% in Y7.More students often feel stressed - rising from 36% in Y6 to 43% in Y7More children report not sleeping well in Y7 (30%) than in Y6 (28%)Mark Taylor chats to Iona Jackson co-author of the Edurio report about her findings.Full details can be found at:https://home.edurio.com/pupil-learning-experience-and-wellbeing-reportTo keep up to date with all the work by National Association for Primary Education please visit:https://nape.org.uk/

‘MarvellousMe is a game-changer for parent engagement.’MarvellousMe engages parents by telling them about their children’s learning and success. It enriches family conversations about school and makes it easy for parents to help their children’s education and say: ‘Well done!’Delivering a positive teacher-parent partnership, MarvellousMe makes it easy for schools to implement the best practice prescribed by experts like the Education Endowment Foundation. To build and sustain excellent parent engagement and positive behaviour school-wide.Designed by a once disengaged dad, MarvellousMe is different from messaging systems, social media and solo teacher apps. It involves and equips parents with personal, positive and progress-led news, and gives leaders the ability to focus parent engagement on essential topics and school values, analytics to ensure whole school consistency and peace-of-mind that data is managed centrally, securely and in the UK under the GDPR.Inspire, involve and empower parents.www.marvellousme.comSocial Media Information@MarvellousMeAppThis conversation was previously recorded for the Education on Fire Podcast of which NAPE is a sponsor.

Here at the National Association for Primary Education are looking for educators to help us 'Pay It Forward'.We see hundreds of questions asked on social media every week. What if we could collate the answers, get your views and experiences in a way that could support thousands of others?If you are an educator and have ever asked a question and received a great answer - online or in person - we invite you to Pay It Forward.Please be a guest on the NAPE podcast with Mark Taylor (NAPE vice chair) and spend 10 minutes discussing these 5 things.How are you currently involved in education?What question did you ask?What was the answer?Who gave it to you?What advice can you share from your own experiences?That is it! To get involved and find out all the details please visit nape.org.uk

National Association for Primary Education presents:Special Educational Needs CPDMonday 6th December 2021 4:30 PM - 5:30 PMThis online zoom event will cover 3 areas of Special Educational Needs to help you support your pupils:- English as an Additional Language (EAL)- How to identify children who may also have dyslexia or another SPLD- Common speech, language and communication needsCo-occurring challengesDo you ever worry that a child in your class is not making the progress you were expecting? There may be many reasons for this – and some will overlap. In this interactive session, we will look at some of the causes of underachievement, and try to find some solutions that could benefit the whole class.We will start by looking at how all teachers can effectively support those learners who are using English as an Additional Language (EAL), and then move on to what we should be alert to in order to identify any children who also may have dyslexia or another SPLD. Finally, we will look at some common speech, language and communication needs, and how they could be met in the classroom.Please feel free to bring your questions and share your experiences, so that, as a group, we can empower each other to support our learners. HostMark Taylor (Vice Chair NAPE) - Mark has been a professional percussionist for 25 years and performed with some of the major orchestras and arts organisations in the UK. Mark combines his performing career with teaching drums/percussion in schools and providing whole class rhythm workshops.Mark is the creator and host of the Education on Fire podcast. He interviews educators from around the world so that he can enable his listeners to support children to live, learn and grow to their full potential. He has recorded over 300 episodes which have been downloaded in over 135 countries.PresenterDr. Anne Margaret Smith started her career as a teacher of English as a foreign / additional language around 30 years ago. Alongside her language teaching, she also works as a dyslexia assessor and specialist tutor, and has designed an assessment tool to allow us to identify SpLDs in multilingual people. She founded ELT well in 2005, to combine these two fields of education, and offers professional development and resources to language teachers in all contexts. She is currently also training to be a Speech and Language Therapist.If you can not join us live a replay will be available.Event Fee£12.50 per person FREE to NAPE members (use promotional code at checkout)To book please visit https://nape.org.uk/sen

Primary Music CPD Monday 18th October 202117.30-18.30 Live via Zoom (+ recording)Full details and booking at nape.org.uk/primary-musicWe will cover:Top 10 resources, organisations, work schemes 3 starting points for compositionWhen, what, how of listening to musicMusic AssembliesMusic across the curriculumTo keep up to date with all the events and download a FREE copy of our professional journal Primary First please visit:https://nape.org.uk/journal

Following the success of our online conference in March 2021 'Towards a balanced and broadly based curriculum' The National Association for Primary Education have planned 6 new online CPD events for the new academic year.5 starting points for Primary MusicSpecial Education NeedsEdTechEYFS Mental Health/WellbeingClimate & Ocean PlasticTo keep up to date with all the events and download a FREE copy of our professional journal Primary First please visit: https://nape.org.uk/journal

Ellie Jackson is the bestselling children's author of the Wild Tribe Heroes series of true environmental books for primary children. Each book follows a well loved animal as it gets into trouble due to an environmental issue such as ocean plastic, deforestation or climate change. Free teaching resources and curriculum maps support the books for each key stage. Ellie is a teacher and mother of four from Cornwall who is passionate about inspiring the next generation to protect our planet.Websitewww.wildtribeheroes.comSocial Media InformationFb, Insta & Twitter@wildtribeheroesThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Get a FREE e-copy of their professional journal at nape.org.uk/journal

Following the success of our conference on 6th March 2021 - Towards a Balanced and Broadly Based Curriculum - Dr. Tony Eaude has a follow up conversation with presenter Clare Whyles (Deputy Head) and Tina Farr (Headteacher) of St Ebb's C of E (Aided) Primary School.St Ebb's have been on a journey which has seen their curriculum transformed. We get to hear the ideas, aims, successes and struggles involved in doing this which we hope can provide insight, inspiration and understanding of what is possible.https://st-ebbes.oxon.sch.uk/You can listen to Dr. Tony Eaude's Schiller Lecture and the follow up Q&A on episodes 65 & 66 of the nape podcast: https://nape.org.uk/nape-podcastTo keep up to date with all of our events and get a FREE e-copy of our professional journal Primary First please visit: https://nape.org.uk/journal

Described as having a breathtaking understanding of how to engage even the hardest to reach of children, Jonathan has established a reputation for delivering inspiring and creative inset both in the U.K. and internationally.He has worked for many years on the kind of compelling and inspirational teaching strategies that lead to incredible outcomes and is still in the thick of it as the deputy head at a large inner city primary school in Sheffield. Jonathan has also shared his passion for learning through his role as an Advanced Skills Teacher, Lead Teacher for Sheffield Local Authority, and associate of Ian Gilbert’s Independent Thinking company.Jonathan is passionate about working with schools to create learning opportunities that are designed not just to impart knowledge, but also to engage, inspire, and most importantly, make children think.http://guerrillaeducation.co.uk/https://www.independentthinking.co.uk/The National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Get a FREE e-copy of their professional journal at nape.org.uk/journal

Leonor Stjepic, is an award-winning social enterprise entrepreneur, whose career has spanned both the private and NGO sectors. She is Chief Executive of the Montessori Group as well as Chair of the Board of Directors of Montessori Centre International.James Archer is the Centre Director of the International Montessori Institute. Prior to this he was the Course Director of the BA Primary Education Accelerated (2 Year) degree. He has worked on and written various validations of innovative programmes in the Carnegie School of Education.The International Montessori Institute, a centre within the Carnegie School of Education at Leeds Beckett University (LBU), has launched a scholarship programme to support the next generation of Montessori educators. The Institute was established in August 2020 and will provide the UK’s first dedicated undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Montessori education.Funded by the Montessori Group, the first scholarships of £2,000 each will be awarded to 25 students who are studying on the BA (Hons) Primary Education Accelerated Degree (Montessori) in the 2021/22 academic year. The relationship between the Carnegie School of Education and the Montessori Group means that further scholarships will be awarded in the future years of the partnership.This scholarship will be first awarded in the next academic year, with applicants to LBU able to apply for the scholarship as part of their application to the university.Websitehttps://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/research/the-international-montessori-institute/Social Media InformationLeonor StjepicTwitter: @LeonorStjepicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonorstjepic/James ArcherTwitter: @mrjamesarcherInternational Montessori InstituteTwitter: @Montessori_LBUThe Montessori GroupTwitter: @MontessoriUkLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/montessori-uk/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/montessoriUKInstagram: @MontessoriUkTo get your FREE e-copy of the professional journal Primary First please visit https://nape.org.uk/journal

Mark Taylor chats to NAPE patron Ian Gilbert.Since founding Independent Thinking in 1994, Ian has built a global reputation as an educational thinker, innovator, entrepreneur, speaker and award-winning editor and writer. He was listed by the IB magazine as one of their top 15 ‘educational visionaries’. Never happier than when he is making children’s brains hurt, he has a unique first-hand perspective on the world of education having lived and worked in schools and universities in the UK, the Middle East, South America and Asia.He is now sharing his time between Rotterdam, where his wife is an international school principal, and their home in the middle of nowhere deep in West Wales.He wasn’t always interested in exotic foreign travel and meeting interesting people from different countries, as he started off his educational career teaching French in Northampton. He didn't really want to be a French teacher and, while you would think not wanting to teach French to people who didn't want to learn it might be a match made in heaven, it was only ever really a stepping stone. His main ambition was to work with young people in the areas that most fascinated him then and in which he has become such an important figure today – thinking, learning, motivation, creativity and helping all members of the school community be the best they can be.Through his many books including the ever-popular Thunks collection, his ongoing classroom work with children and young people, his keynotes and workshops at conferences around the world and his continuous work with teachers and leaders in schools, Ian has shown a whole generation of educators that there is always another way. Following a chance meeting in the staff room, Ian was encouraged to set up Independent Thinking in 1994 and, since then, has built up a unique educational organisation that acts as a platform for some of the UK’s leading innovative educators and school leaders as well as serving as a ‘lighthouse’ for so many practitioners who might otherwise fall prey to the idea that silence is respect, obedience is behaviour, grades measure education and teaching and learning are the same thing.Websitewww.independentthinking.co.ukSocial Media Information@ITLWorldwide on Twitterindependentthinkingworldwide on InstagramThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Get a FREE e-copy of their professional journal at nape.org.uk/journal

Towards a balanced and broadly-based curriculum was the theme of the National Association for Primary Education conference in March 2021. The keynote lecture was given by Dr. Tony Eaude.This is a follow up Q&A taken from a subsequent Facebook live event.Tony suggested four main arguments for a balanced and broadly-based primary curriculum:that the law states that schools must offer this (as it does) and that Ofsted expect this (at least from 7 years old);one based on how children create coherent, robust and flexible identities, enhancing their well-being and founded on a sense of agency;one based on a conception of democratic citizenship in which children are increasingly enabled to deal with complex ideas right from the start; anda social justice one that such a curriculum will open up opportunities from which many children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, will otherwise be excluded.Questions & comments from our delegatesRetired HeadteacherDr Eaude's argument for a balanced and broadly based curriculum is compelling. Moving forwards, is it possible for schools to work with the current National Curriculum Framework to achieve this? Do Academies, rather than Local Authority schools, have the most potential and freedom to develop such curriculum experiences?Where (in England) is curriculum innovation to be found at present?What is the National Association of Primary Education's role in this argument?As a student in my final year of an undergraduate course, I am currently working on an assignment about my own educational philosophy which very much aligns with Dr. Eaude’s Schiller speech. Embarking into my NQT year in September I know the best way to change this is starting in my own classroom. However big questions arise with that:What can I do beyond that? If there is not enough support or like-minded colleagues,How can I reach out to ensure this way of teaching the curriculum is opened up on to all the children in the community?Where can I find more support?For more information about Dr. Tony Eaude please visit his website https://edperspectives.org.uk/More information about NAPE is available at https://nape.org.uk/To find out more about Christian Schiller HMI please click on the link belowhttps://nape.org.uk/publications​The Schiller Book, published by NAPE, 'In His Own Words', can be purchased for only £5.

Towards a balanced and broadly-based curriculum was the theme of the National Association for Primary Education conference in March 2021. The keynote lecture was given by Dr. Tony Eaude.He suggested four main arguments for a balanced and broadly-based primary curriculum: that the law states that schools must offer this (as it does) and that Ofsted expect this (at least from 7 years old); one based on how children create coherent, robust and flexible identities, enhancing their well-being and founded on a sense of agency; one based on a conception of democratic citizenship in which children are increasingly enabled to deal with complex ideas right from the start; and a social justice one that such a curriculum will open up opportunities from which many children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, will otherwise be excluded.Schiller was an inspector in Liverpool in the 1920s, a role very different from that of inspectors now – more to advise and encourage than to evaluate. Schiller’s concern at the desperate squalor and poverty which he witnessed there - his humanity – and the narrow and inappropriate curriculum on offer comes through very strongly in what he said and wrote (Schiller, 1979). His main concern was for children’s basic needs to be met, in terms of being properly fed, clothed and cared-for but he also believed passionately that children in the elementary schools he saw should have a broader, richer and more suitable range of experiences - with his emphasis being on physical activity and the arts. While Schiller 2 went on to work in other roles, supporting primary headteachers and teachers, this early experience was formative and remained with him for the next fifty years or so.In his lecture Tony suggests that the humanities should be seen fluidly as including history, geography, religion, philosophy, literature, languages and culture, more generally; and fulfil a central role in how children construct and weave together their multiple identities into a coherent identity. The Humanities 20:20 manifesto (www.humanities2020.org.uk) summarizes why the humanities matter, arguing that they enable children to: 1. consider questions about the meaning and purpose of their lives; 2. explore their own identities, values and beliefs and concepts such as time, space and faith; 3. develop skills and habits associated with critical and creative thinking; 4. extend their cultural and imaginative horizons; 5. learn to empathise with people who are different, as well as those who are similar, thereby celebrating diversity and challenging stereotypes; 6. learn about democracy, global citizenship and sustainability; 7. strengthen a sense of care for themselves, each other and the planet in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.To find out more please visit Dr. Tony Eaude's website https://edperspectives.org.uk/More information about NAPE is available at https://nape.org.uk/Other interviews between Dr. Tony Eaude and Mark Taylor can be found at:https://www.educationonfire.com/education-on-fire/066-re-humanising-primary-education-dr-tony-eaude/https://www.educationonfire.com/national-association-for-primary-education/nape033/

Teach the Future is an inclusive, well organised and persistent campaign by secondary and tertiary education students to greatly improve education on the climate emergency and ecological crisis in the UK.In this episode Robson Augusta chats to Mark Taylor about how it is never too early to start learning about how the climate emergency can be positively affected by our primary aged children.Teach the Future are campaigning for change across the whole of the UK, but education in the UK is a devolved matter, meaning there are different education ministers and education laws in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. A lot of our work is relevant across the UK, but we also have specific campaign branches in Scotland, Wales and England:A student lead organisation who believe our education system needs to be reformed to reflect the urgency of the climate crisis.https://www.teachthefuture.uk/Twitter @_TeachtheFutureNational Association for Primary Education publish their professional journal 'Primary First' 3 times a year.If you would like read a past issue of the Primary First journal you can receive a FREE e-copy by visiting nape.org.uk/journal