On this page we have collated links to advice on a number of themes from school workload to SEND, behaviour, mental health, and assessment.
Governmental guidance is always available on the Department for Education website.
Achievement
Trends in educational attainment and disadvantage - a report from the Education Policy Institute.
A white paper setting out the Government's vision for schools in England.
Equality and Human Rights Commission report on the need for a comprehensive race equality strategy.
Ofsted survey report investigating whether key stage 3 is providing pupils with sufficient breadth and challenge.
Ofsted survey report (2013) investigating why many of the most able students from non-selective schools fail to achieve their potential.
This 2015 report looks at how well secondary schools are supporting their most able students in response to the recommendations in Ofsted’s 2013 report.
This project investigated how the best schools continue to close the gap as they implement the new primary national curriculum.
Assessment
Advice for schools on assessment after the removal of the national curriculum levels system for grading children.
A review of different assessment tools to support and capture pupil progress and meet the needs of the new curriculum.
The value of using tests in education as tools for learning — not just for assessment
A review of using tests as a tool for learning in the classroom beyond assessment, and recommendations for promoting effective learning.
Behaviour
Ofsted survey report looking into the nature and extent of low-level disruptive behaviour in primary and secondary schools in England.
A report from the ITT Behaviour working group, whose aim was to provide support and direction to all providers in both the content and delivery of ITT in behaviour management; and to ensure that as far as possible trainee teachers develop strategies and skills by the end of their initial training period that make them as classroom ready as possible.
How school staff can develop a behaviour policy. Includes checklists and resources to support full school opening during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
The early years foundation stage (EYFS) sets standards for the learning, development and care of your child from birth to 5 years old. The EYFS only applies to schools and early years providers in England.
Outlining the standards that school and childcare providers must meet for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5.
This handbook supports EYFS practitioners in making accurate judgements about each child's attainment.
Initial teacher training (ITT) frameworks
Reports commissioned by DfE in response to the Carter review of initial teacher training and the government response.
A framework to support trainee teacher development, designed with an expert advisory group.
A framework of standards to help early career teachers succeed at the start of their careers.
These standards set the minimum requirements for teachers’ practice and conduct.
Pastoral
How schools can support pupils whose mental health problems manifest themselves in behaviour.
A project to understand how policies that schools publish support their mental health provision. Includes information on statutory duties and pupil wellbeing.
Departmental advice on promoting basic important British values as part of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development.
Guidance for headteachers and college principals on the eight principles for promoting emotional health and wellbeing in schools and colleges.
Guidance for schools on preventing and responding to bullying.
Advice from the National Bullying Helpline.
SEND
A selection of free resources relating to SEN, inclusion, collaborative learning and more.
Guidance on the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system for children and young people aged 0 to 25.
Workload
Support and practical resources for schools to help reduce workload, including the school workload reduction toolkit.
Practical resources for school leaders and teachers to help reduce workload, produced by school leaders, teachers and other sector experts together with DfE.
Poster and pamphlet on reducing teacher workload.
Working to remove unnecessary workload for teachers and leaders, so they can focus on teaching and their own development. The articles are written by education professionals and show how they are reducing workload in their own settings.