Happy New Year to you all!
I am absolutely delighted to be back at the helm of Teach Primary after a year away on maternity leave. And what a year it’s been (not just for my poor sleep schedule).
A flurry of changes, from a brand-new government to curriculum reviews and Ofsted reforms has meant that the education sector continues to have to deal with a veritable merry-go-round of demands and concerns. But what’s new?
As teachers, you’re all used to rolling with the punches and making decisions on the fly, which is why Clare Harley’s article on how to really put your theories into practice and reflect on the way you decide how you do things is so helpful. Check it out on page 33.
That process of iteration is also a large part of our STEM special this issue. Paul Tyler gives us a brilliant insight into how he uses cardboard engineering to help his pupils develop creativity and resilience, through a ‘permission to fail’ system (page 48), and we hear from Sheena Peckham at Digital Matters about the best ways to help your class sift through online information to figure out what’s true and what isn’t (page 47).
If you’re looking to give children a bit more agency in the classroom, turn to page 11 for Lucy Unwin’s tips on instilling them with a sense of power.
Our leadership section has a focus on letting pupils embrace their freedoms, too, by taking a good look at the role of play in schools. Whether you’re keen to include play within your curriculum, or just to make the case for kids having fun while in your care, we have some great voices asserting its importance, from page 37.
Finally, a shout out to Lydia for being such a masterful caretaker of our beloved magazine for the last 12 months. Best of luck for the start of 2025, and happy reading!
Charley Rogers – Editor
@TeachPrimaryEd1
