Curriculum Subjects

Speaking and listening underpin all areas of learning, and developing children’s language comprehension is essential for both reading and writing. Reading frequently to children and engaging them actively in stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems will be an essential part of classroom practice. Children will need extensive opportunities to use and embed new words in a range of contexts as well as modelling and support from the teacher to enable them to express their ideas and feelings in full sentences.

By listening to stories and retelling them orally and through role-play, pupils will internalise language structures which they will be able to say and then put into writing. Using quality texts as models provides pupils with the vocabulary, grammatical and linguistic structures they need to produce quality writing as well as having the ideas to write about.

In this course, we will explore strategies to support pupils to learn to write – from oral rehearsal, composing sentences and rereading to check it makes sense (Y1) to planning, writing and proofreading/editing (Y2). We will explore the difference between modelled and shared writing and the importance of both; the facilitator will demonstrate to teachers what this looks like.

Objectives

• To understand the importance of using high quality texts to internalise story structure and language
• To explore strategies to support pupils through the writing process, including explicit modelling to pupils
• To support pupils to become more independent – moving from imitation to innovation to invention

With the increasing spotlight on middle leaders (subject leaders) in the new inspection framework, there is an unambiguous focus on the ability of subject leaders to improve teaching and learning and ultimately, drive forwards whole school improvement.

The new ‘Quality of Education’ judgement is at the heart of this framework and schools will need to consider the following:

• What knowledge and understanding are pupils expected to gain at each stage of their schooling and in each subject?
• How does our whole-school curriculum hang together?
• How does the school’s context inform the curriculum?
• Do pupils know more and remember more of the planned curriculum?

Created for history subject leaders across the primary phase of education, this one-day course introduces them to a range of effective strategies, approaches and knowledge that will help them grow in confidence and excel in this important role. This course is aimed at empowering the History subject leader to:

• Understand the implications of the new Ofsted framework on their leadership role
• Explore how intent, implementation and impact relate to each other within the context of a school’s History curriculum
• Delve into first order and second order concepts that underpin the history curriculum
• Probe the role of assessment within the history curriculum
• Consider the key elements of a ‘Deep Dive’ in History
• Evaluate practical ways to drive forward improvements in the school’s History curriculum.
• Investigate how monitoring can be carried out in the most effective way e.g., planning scrutiny, work sampling, learning walks, pupil interviews and lesson observations
• Gain practical tips and ideas on how to effectively execute their role as a subject leader

We will use our high-quality reading experiences as a stimulus to motivate and enable pupils to produce sustained and engaging pieces of writing with a clear sense of audience and purpose, covering both fiction and non-fiction. We will explore opportunities for pupils to demonstrate ‘assured and conscious control over levels of formality’ based on an understanding of audience and purpose. We will also consider ways to enable pupils to make appropriate vocabulary choices. There will also be a brief focus on the high-level punctuation required to be assessed at greater depth. The facilitator will provide examples of writing judged to be ‘greater depth’ in both fiction and non-fiction to support discussion.

Objectives

• To explore strategies to enthuse and support pupils through the writing process.
• To explore opportunities for pupils to demonstrate ‘assured and conscious control over levels of formality’ based on an understanding of audience and purpose.

This session will support new and existing maths subject leaders in understanding and developing their role, so as to improve the teaching and learning of maths in their school.

Course aims:

• to reflect upon research-based pedagogical approaches in mathematics
• to consider what and how to monitor maths in your school
• to know how to audit maths, identify strengths and areas to develop
• to begin to write SMART action plans and consider how they can be
• to help prepare for inspections

This session is repeated again on@

• 21 February 2023 @ 1.30pm – 4.00pm
• 26 April 2023 @ 1.30pm – 4.00pm

Peter Warwick: A Primary Maths specialist with over 23 years’ teaching experience, Peter has worked across several London boroughs helping schools achieve outstanding inspection grades.

He was an advanced skills maths teacher and a local authority Teaching & Learning Consultant. He is an accredited Numicon & Inspire Consultant; has presented at national and international conferences, and is a published author.

The purpose of the MTC (multiplication tables check) is to determine whether pupils can recall their times tables fluently, and to help identify those who have not yet mastered their times tables, so that additional support can be provided.

This 2 session course will support subject leaders and class teachers, especially those in Year 4, in developing a whole school approach to teaching multiplication tables, including preparation for the MTC in Year 4.

It will cover:

• a whole school approach to the teaching and learning of times tables
• securing conceptual knowledge and quick recall of multiplication tables
• the requirements of the MTC in Year 4
• the impact of games and ICT to support the learning of multiplication tables

Session dates and times:

• 29th November 2022 @ 1.30 – 4.00pm
• 27th April 2023 @ 3.45 – 5.15pm (twilight session)

This session will support new and existing maths subject leaders in understanding and developing their role, so as to improve the teaching and learning of maths in their school.

Course aims:

• to reflect upon research-based pedagogical approaches in mathematics
• to consider what and how to monitor maths in your school
• to know how to audit maths, identify strengths and areas to develop
• to begin to write SMART action plans and consider how they can be
• to help prepare for inspections

This session is repeated again on@

• 21 February 2023 @ 1.30pm – 4.00pm
• 26 April 2023 @ 1.30pm – 4.00pm

Peter Warwick: A Primary Maths specialist with over 23 years’ teaching experience, Peter has worked across several London boroughs helping schools achieve outstanding inspection grades.

He was an advanced skills maths teacher and a local authority Teaching & Learning Consultant. He is an accredited Numicon & Inspire Consultant; has presented at national and international conferences, and is a published author.

This session will support new and existing maths subject leaders in understanding and developing their role, so as to improve the teaching and learning of maths in their school.

Course aims:

• to reflect upon research-based pedagogical approaches in mathematics
• to consider what and how to monitor maths in your school
• to know how to audit maths, identify strengths and areas to develop
• to begin to write SMART action plans and consider how they can be
• to help prepare for inspections

This session is repeated again on@

• 21 February 2023 @ 1.30pm – 4.00pm
• 26 April 2023 @ 1.30pm – 4.00pm

Peter Warwick: A Primary Maths specialist with over 23 years’ teaching experience, Peter has worked across several London boroughs helping schools achieve outstanding inspection grades.

He was an advanced skills maths teacher and a local authority Teaching & Learning Consultant. He is an accredited Numicon & Inspire Consultant; has presented at national and international conferences, and is a published author.

The purpose of the MTC (multiplication tables check) is to determine whether pupils can recall their times tables fluently, and to help identify those who have not yet mastered their times tables, so that additional support can be provided.

This 2 session course will support subject leaders and class teachers, especially those in Year 4, in developing a whole school approach to teaching multiplication tables, including preparation for the MTC in Year 4.

It will cover:

• a whole school approach to the teaching and learning of times tables
• securing conceptual knowledge and quick recall of multiplication tables
• the requirements of the MTC in Year 4
• the impact of games and ICT to support the learning of multiplication tables

Session dates and times:

• 29th November 2022 @ 1.30 – 4.00pm
• 27th April 2023 @ 3.45 – 5.15pm (twilight session)

 Please see Session 1 to book your place ›

The course will explore the role of the science subject leader and its associated responsibilities. It will cover a range of strategies for fulfilling them; from identifying and promoting effective primary science teaching, to auditing and leading science in your school.

Participants in this course will also be able to join in the Science Network meetings for FREE.

Naomi Hiscock works for the Science Learning Centre London as a trainer, delivering INSET both at The Centre based at the Institute of Education and in schools.

“Really good course – especially being new to science leadership, good to network and share ideas. I feel confident to implement some things back to school now.”

Hosted by Naomi Hiscock, a highly experienced and science consultant, these network sessions are designed to provide subject leaders with the opportunity to discuss and share best practices in science teaching and learning.

The cost is £25 per session or FREE if attending any of the following courses:

• Developing and delivering effective Design & Technology projects
  
• Role of the Science leader
• Effective Science assessment
• Progression in scientific enquiry and working scientifically

This full-day course provides subject leaders and teachers with an in-depth look at the formative and summative assessment of science.

Participants will be provided with a clear understanding of the expectations of the National Curriculum statements and a range of strategies that will enable teachers to confidently make formative assessments to inform their planning, and robust summative assessments on the completion of both science themes and school years.

Participants in this course will also be able to join in the Science Network meetings for FREE.

Naomi Hiscock works for the Science Learning Centre London as a trainer, delivering INSET both at The Centre based at the Institute of Education and in schools.

Hosted by Naomi Hiscock, a highly experienced and science consultant, these network sessions are designed to provide subject leaders with the opportunity to discuss and share best practices in science teaching and learning.

The cost is £25 per session or FREE if attending any of the following courses:

• Developing and delivering effective Design & Technology projects
  
• Role of the Science leader
• Effective Science assessment
• Progression in scientific enquiry and working scientifically

This 1 day course gives subject leaders and teachers an in-depth look at what progression in the different types of scientific enquiry and the working scientifically skills in the National Curriculum look like from EYFS to KS2.

Participants will explore the relationship between the substantive knowledge in the National Curriculum and the two areas of disciplinary knowledge (i.e. the working scientifically skills and scientific enquiry). It will look at how children need to be taught the relevant working scientifically skills in order to answer appropriate scientific enquiry questions, and how the working scientifically skills develop from EYFS to upper KS2.

Throughout the course, they will be directed to useful resources to support the teaching and learning of this disciplinary knowledge.

Participants in this course will also be able to join in the Science Network meetings for FREE.

Naomi Hiscock works for the Science Learning Centre London as a trainer, delivering INSET both at The Centre based at the Institute of Education and in schools.

Hosted by Naomi Hiscock, a highly experienced and science consultant, these network sessions are designed to provide subject leaders with the opportunity to discuss and share best practices in science teaching and learning.

The cost is £25 per session or FREE if attending any of the following courses:

• Developing and delivering effective Design & Technology projects
  
• Role of the Science leader
• Effective Science assessment
• Progression in scientific enquiry and working scientifically

This one day course will provide guidance and support to teachers in their new role as the RE leader.  The course will provide ready-to-use ideas to engage staff and pupils. It will give participants the knowledge and confidence they need to be an effective and inspirational leader of RE:

• Roles and responsibilities of leading RE in a church school
• How to promote and maintain a high profile of the subject within the school
• The law and the national picture for RE
• Understanding the Church of England Statement of Entitlement for RE
• Understanding the key principles that underpin curriculum design
• Understanding the LDBS agreed syllabus

Mary Thorne leads on many of our RE courses. She leads on RE for the LDBS primary schools and runs the RE network meetings.

“I went away feeling encouraged and equipped to carry out my role. Lots to think about, but also lots of great ideas shared.”

With the increasing spotlight on middle leaders (subject leaders) in the new inspection framework, there is an unambiguous focus on the ability of subject leaders to improve teaching and learning and ultimately, drive forwards whole school improvement. The national curriculum programme of study for art and design does not provide very much detail in terms of content compared to those for many other subjects. As a result, schools need to plan carefully to ensure it provides a rich, broad and balanced art and design curriculum

The new ‘Quality of Education’ judgement is at the heart of this framework and schools will need to consider the following:

• What knowledge and understanding are pupils expected to gain at each stage of their schooling and in each subject?
• How does our whole-school curriculum hang together?
• How does the school’s context inform the curriculum?
• Do pupils know more and remember more of the planned curriculum?

Created for Art and Design subject leaders across the primary phase of education, this half day course introduces them to a range of effective strategies, approaches and knowledge that will help them grow in confidence and excel in this important role. This course is aimed at empowering the Art and Design subject leader to:

• Understand the implications of the new Ofsted framework on their leadership role
• Explore how intent, implementation and impact relate to each other within the context of a school’s History curriculum
• Unpick progression through the different strands of Art from the EYFS to the end of Key Stage 2
• Consider the key elements of a ‘Deep Dive’ in Art

This 1/2 day course provides subject leaders and teachers with an introduction to the Design & Technology process.

Participants will investigate and evaluate an existing product and practice a technical skill. They will then develop a design brief and design, make and evaluate a final product.

Participants in this course will also be able to join in the Science Network meeting for FREE

NOTE: this course will be held at Kentish Town Primary School in Camden and if there is sufficient interest we may be able to offer this to school clusters in other areas.

Please contact us should you like to arrange this for your schools ›

This 1/2 day course provides subject leaders and teachers with an introduction to the Design & Technology process.

Participants will investigate and evaluate an existing product and practice a technical skill. They will then develop a design brief and design, make and evaluate a final product.

Participants in this course will also be able to join in the Science Network meeting for FREE

NOTE: this course will be held at Kentish Town Primary School in Camden and if there is sufficient interest we may be able to offer this to school clusters in other areas.

Please contact us should you like to arrange this for your schools ›