A copy of the latest Government guidance document for full opening of schools which was amended on 7th September can be found here. This version has tracked changes so it is clear to the reader what has been changed for this version of the document.
The NFER (National Foundation
for Educational Research) has produced a report which is part of a larger research project focusing on schools’ responses to Covid-19, 'The challenges facing schools and pupils in September 2020'.
Find it here.
Every Thursday at 4:15pm the EdTech Demonstrator Programme will be del
ivering short webinars (between 20-40mins) focusing on the best ways to integrate accessible technology into your classrooms - enabling you to improve the outcomes for all of your learners.
Accessible technology means technology that allows full access the digital content, whatever your needs. As a result, these webinars are for all educators, as we all know that mainstream classes include a range of students with needs, diagnosed or not. An accessible classroom makes learning easier for everyone.
What's more, is the last Thursday of the month we will open up the end of the webinar as a "surgery" where you can get help with student issues around accessible tech.
For further details please click here.
Materials to support teachers and schools planning and delivering Covid recovery maths teaching at both primary and secondary level are available from the NCETM. All are accessible from the dedicated Covid support page on the new NCETM website. For primary schools and teachers, there are resources linked to the DfE guidance published in July this year. These include ready-to-use training materials, a short video, and a suite of 79 PowerPoints focusing on the ready-to-progress criteria found in the new DfE guidance. The latter would be ideal for schools to use as part of the National Tutoring Programme or for any dedicated catch-up tutoring. The 180 primary video lessons produced during lockdown are also still available. Each lesson has an accompanying teacher guide, and PowerPoint of the lesson for teachers to adapt themselves.
For secondary schools, an evidence-based guidance document to support discussions about recovery curriculum content and pedagogy has been produced, along with a one-hour training session and accompanying materials to help KS3 teachers and maths departments understand the implications for Year 7 of the DfE primary guidance. More materials, including guidance videos and departmental training sessions, will be added soon.
For any schools and teachers wanting to get involved with the work of their local Maths Hub this year to support Covid recovery, Work Groups are still recruiting for projects running in 2020/21.
Professor Daniel Muijs is Deputy Director for Research and Evaluation for Ofsted. Professor Muijs is also a Visiting Professor at the University of Southampton.
Since 2018 Ofsted has used research and evidence to inform the development of its inspection framework. ‘we want to be as sure as we can be that we are looking at the right things when we inspect and regulate. To do so, we need to follow the best evidence on what good and effective provision is. That means looking at the existing evidence base, but also carrying out our own research when necessary’. In this podcast Jim and Daniel discuss how research and evaluation inform the EIF, how schools can be informed by research and a specific theme in the EIF around emotional wellbeing. Daniel is also able to discuss the role of Ofsted in the autumn term 2020 and its collaborative role in understanding and supporting SEND.
00:00 – 02:25 Introduction
02:26 Daniel, tell me a bit more about yourself – what is your background in educational research, and what was attractive about the Research and Evaluation role for Ofsted?
05:18 So why and how does Ofsted use research?
07:59 What is your perspective on how schools use research and evidence to inform leadership and practice?
11:21 Tell me a little bit more about Ofsted and the focus on emotional wellbeing and why this is so important at the moment
Current situation:
14:39 What has been Ofsted’s response to school closures? What is Ofsted’s role likely to be over the next 12 months?
17:30 Can you tell us a bit more about the HMCI SEND Commentary published 9 July 2020 and your role with SEND?
Jim can be found on Twitter 
@jimrogers72
