Summer 2024

training courses

Geography: developing locational knowledge

Zoom online course
2/5/24 9.30am-12.30pm

Locational knowledge starts with the local area. Young children need to be able to locate and identify places within their own locality which are important to them. As educators we should be encouraging and developing these early geographical skills so that by the time they leave primary school the children’s locational knowledge and understanding is of a level that prepares them for the wider world they are about to venture into.

During the session, we will consider:

  • The locational knowledge that children are expected to know

  • Different types of maps – OS, topographical etc.

  • Cross curricular map work (focusing on historical links)

  • Using maps for progression year on year

Teaching Geography through concepts

Zoom online course
2/5/24 1.00pm-4.00pm

The National Curriculum states that “A high-quality geography education should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.” And that “Teaching should equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.” In order to gain that depth of knowledge and understanding and to inspire curiosity, the children need to be shown the links between different aspects of geography – the golden threads if you like.

During the session, we will consider:

  • How well you understand and know the geographical concepts within your curriculum

  • How these concepts can be built into existing geography topics

  • A different approach to teaching geography that is concept driven

Teaching Science through concepts

Zoom online course
3/5/24 9.30am-12.30pm

The National Curriculum states that “…all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science.” And that “Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena.” In order to gain that depth of knowledge and understanding and to inspire curiosity, the children need to be shown the links between different aspects of science – the golden threads if you like.

During the session, we will consider:

  • How well you understand and know the scientific concepts within your curriculum

  • How these concepts can be made more explicit within science topics

  • How using concepts to develop your progression can support the retention of knowledge in science

Developing a consistent approach towards working scientifically

Zoom online course
3/5/24 1.00pm-4.00pm

“‘Working scientifically’ specifies the understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science for each year group” and is a huge part of what science teaching is all about. The National Curriculum also states that “It should not be taught as a separate strand.” In this sense, we need to think really carefully about how we can build ‘working scientifically’ into each unit of learning.

During the session, we will consider:

  • What working scientifically means

  • The different types of investigation/enquiry and how these might look in practice

  • The different aspects of scientific investigation/enquiry

  • Applying the aspects of investigation in a consistent way appropriate to each key stage

Bringing history to life in kS2

Bringing history to life in kS1

Zoom online course
14/6/24 1.00pm-4.00pm

Zoom online course
14/6/24 9.30am-12.30pm

History is an amazing subject to explore. It can offer so much to children in terms of knowledge and skills that can be applied to other subject areas and across different contexts. It’s important that we support children to develop these in an engaging way and work hard to really bring history to life.

There are some amazing aspects of history which we can approach in KS1 and KS2 that can really set children up for further studies in the subject and beyond. If we can get those initial building blocks in place successfully, our children will develop a love of the subject and develop life-long skills in a purposeful and relevant way to them.

During the session, we will consider:

  • The significant aspects of history that we are expected to teach in KS1 or KS2

  • The subject knowledge required to teach KS1 or KS2 history well

  • Innovative ways to approach the teaching of history in KS1 or KS2

  • Developing learning using an enquiry approach

  • Utilising books to really engage learners in history and reading alongside each other

Zoom online course
20/6/24 9.30am-12.30pm

Bringing Geography to life in kS1

Bringing Geography to life in kS2

Zoom online course
20/6/24 1.00pm-4.00pm

Geography is an amazing subject to explore. It is an area of the curriculum which can support children to develop knowledge and skills that they will need to apply within their own world. It’s important that we support children to develop these in an engaging way and work hard to really bring geography to life.

There are some incredible aspects of geography which we can approach in KS1 and KS2 that can really set children up for further studies in the subject and beyond. If we can get those initial building blocks in place successfully, our children will develop a love of the subject and develop life-long skills in a purposeful and relevant way to them.

During the session, we will consider:

  • The significant aspects of geography that we are expected to teach in KS1 or KS2

  • The subject knowledge required to teach KS1 or KS2 geography well

  • Innovative ways to approach the teaching of geography in KS1 or KS2

  • Developing learning using an enquiry approach

  • Utilising books to really engage learners in geography and reading alongside each other

New to subject leadership: Where do i start?

Zoom online course
28/6/24 9.30am-12.30pm

Becoming a subject leader for the first time (or being asked to change your leadership to a different subject area) can be daunting, but being given responsibility for a specific subject area can also be an exciting and fulfilling challenge. Rest assured, whether you are just about to start out on your journey as a subject leader, or you are changing subject area for the first time, there are some key fundamentals that, if you can get them right, you’ll have no problems at all.

This course is aimed at teachers who are just beginning on a journey on subject leadership. This might be your first area of leadership, or perhaps an area that you haven’t led before. Either way, we will be exploring the fundamentals of subject leadership that can be applied to any subject area.

During the session, we will consider:

  • Developing a sensible approach towards action planning

  • Considering the importance of monitoring including, teaching and learning, books and pupil voice

  • Being constructive with the feedback that you deliver

  • Reviewing your subject effectively throughout a school year

  • Collecting and utilising assessment and data effectively

  • Evaluating your subject area and formulating position statements

  • (We’ll also consider how you can approach developing subject knowledge for both you and your staff and what this might look like in terms of further CPD)

If you can develop an approach with regard to these fundamental aspects of subject leadership, you’ll be successful in any area of responsibility that you take on.

Teaching History through concepts

Zoom online course
28/6/24 1.00pm-4.00pm

The National Curriculum states that “A high-quality history education will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world.” And that “It should inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past.” In order to gain that depth of knowledge and understanding and to inspire curiosity, the children need to be shown the links between different time periods and historical peoples – the golden threads if you like.

During the session, we will consider:

  • How well you understand and know the historical concepts within your curriculum

  • How these concepts can be built into existing History topics

  • A different approach to teaching History that is concept driven

Developing Strategies to address wellbeing in your classroom

Zoom online course
5/7/24 9.30am-12.30pm

Wellbeing is an area that is at the forefront of many discussions around education currently. There are multiple angles that can be taken when discussing wellbeing, but as educators in primary settings, it is a big part of our role to consider the wellbeing of the children in our care as we are teaching them. There are often challenges in the classroom when children haven’t had the best morning or weekend before they come in to school, and we have to ensure that we give our children the best opportunities to be successful when they are in our schools.

During the session, we will consider:

  • The impact that external factors can have on a child whilst they are in school

  • The importance of building a good relationship with children

  • What a child’s behaviour can really tell us about how they are feeling

  • Approaches that we can utilise and develop as educators to support children with their wellbeing

  • Using books to support children with understanding their emotions