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Vlad and the Great Fire of London by Katie Cunningham

This brilliant picture book provides children with an age-appropriate insight into the events of the Great Fire of London.

Ask any teacher to tell you one of the things that consumes most of their time and I’m willing to bet that marking will be in the top 3 of replies. There’s no hiding from it, marking is one of the biggest necessary evils in a teacher’s workload. It consumes a huge...

The working wall is a crucial element in the teaching of writing as it acts as a customised model for the children’s independent work and is an indispensable tool in the scaffolding of their learning. It promotes independence for all children, including those who find...

In the story, a young boy trips and falls into a deep cave. When he awakes, he meets a girl from another time! Over the course of the next few days, he participates in Stone Age life – watching the tribe make tools, clothes and food and even takes part in a hunt...

What is the most powerful teaching tool when it comes to writing? My answer would have to be – the WAGOLL (what a good one looks like)! Why you might ask? Firstly, it allows you, as the teacher, to have a very clear idea of what you want the children to produce by the...

Omar, the Bees and Me - a great stimulus for writing? Omar, the Bees and Me by Helen Mortimer I absolutely love this book. Not only is it a beautiful story, but its illustrations are truly captivating. Also, it ticks all the boxes – reading for pleasure, diversity,...

This is a question that so many of us face at some point in our career. I remember as a younger teacher; staring at curriculum objectives alongside the class text, not knowing where on Earth to start my English planning! In recent discussions with several teachers who...