Most of us feel confident we could never be a target of fraud. But in reality, fraud is more common than you think and many incidents of internal fraud within schools are not necessarily criminal but a case of bad practise that can leave employees open to challenge and liability.

How many of us keep a password book that is easily accessible to other staff, which can not only enable us to recall passwords, but can often be handed around so that others can access certain platforms or websites? This is rule number one; ensure that your passwords are safe. The best recommendation is to create a password protected document for yourself that only needs one, secure, confidential password. You can even copy and paste passwords from it into logins to save time! Be wary of using saved passwords online such as on google or credit card details as this leaves the website open to easy access if your PC was accessible. The same can apply to keys, there is no point locking a safe or confidential cupboard only to place the keys in an accessible top drawer, they should be kept in a coded lock box with limited access.

Rule number two; never use another person’s log in and password. You are leaving yourself and that person open to challenge if there is ever question about the accuracy or responsibility of actions undertaken when representing yourself as another person. Take the time to create the additional person’s own log in to ensure that you everyone is responsible for themselves and again, avoid saving online passwords to mitigate unauthorised access. Schools need to follow their schedule of financial delegation or for academies, their academy financial handbook. As a consultant, I have seen first-hand school office staff sharing the passwords to online platforms, budgeting software, CPOMS and even payroll and banking! It might be frustrating if the banking cannot be completed as the correct signatory is not present, but robust planning should allow for the smooth operation of payments. Many schools forget to update signatories on bank accounts when employees or governors leave, but schools should be ensuring that this action is undertaken and by no means asking previous employees to still sign cheques.

Rule number three; be confident in saying no. Fraud can often be the result of the pressure on an employee to be quick to action a request. Perhaps it is placing an online order before the correct approval has been gained, using another employee’s lanyard to pop out for lunch as you left yours in the car, using the cash raised from the cake sale to buy some resources for your classroom, or putting a little bit of fuel into your own car using the school fuel card. Who would ever know! In reality, we all need to be responsible and follow the correct procedures. Failure to do so can lead to disciplinary action, suspension or criminal investigation. If you are asked to do something that is not the correct procedure, then challenge that request or say no, this will help to create a positive culture in your school. ‘We’ve always done it that way’ can be hard to change, particularly if coming from senior leadership, but be confident that you are following the correct procedures.

This leads me to rule number four; make the move to a cashless system. In this day and age, there is no need for cash within schools. All payments can be made online, including charitable donations, book fairs, cake sales, summer fayres. For parents that struggle with online payments, request that they come into the office so you can walk them through it. Cash in schools opens a high possibility and temptation of financial fraud. For summer fayres, sell tokens online for parents to buy in advance and on the day. Leaving large amounts of cash overnight in schools can promote minor theft or even burglaries. Additionally, schools are responsible for declaration of all income and expenditure and keeping pots of cash prevents this. Many years ago, I experienced resistance to this when working in a school, but after explaining to staff that I was largely responsible for the school’s finances and having spent many years gaining accreditation, I was not going to put myself at risk of financial discrepancy from potential missing money resulting from cash being unaccounted for. This seemed to work and continued to become normal practise.

There are many other risks in schools for internal fraud and this is rule number five; ensure robust checking of paperwork. There are many different areas in schools where this rule applies:

• Recruitment
  • ID documents
  • References
  • VISA / Right to Work in the UK
  • Online checks
• Employees
  • Pay matches’ contract
  • Absences
• Admissions
  • Evidence of address / siblings / certificate of religious practise
• Attendance
  • Evidence of medical appointments
  • Correct completion or registers
• Site Management
  • Statutory checks
  • Service and maintenance
  • Contractor insurance
  • Inventory of equipment
• Supplier
  • IR35
  • Bank details
• Visitors
  • ID checks

The list is long and again not exhaustive indicating that we need to take the time to ensure that all documentation is correctly in place and not rush things through due to a lack of organisation and preparation. By ensuring that everything is in place, we can be confident of a safe and secure working environment.

A reminder of my 5 rules to mitigate internal fraud in schools:

1. Ensure that your passwords are safe
2. Never use another person’s log in and password
3. Be confident in saying no
4. Make the move to a cashless system
5. Ensure robust checking of paperwork

External moderation offers a unique insight into the challenges, strengths and evolving practices in Year 6 writing across schools. Each year, I reflect on key themes that have emerged during the moderation cycle. This blog is a round-up of some notable observations and aims to support colleagues as we look ahead to the new writing year.

Whether you're in the Year 6 classroom or lead on English or assessment, I hope these insights provide key reminders and spark useful conversations within your teams.

Let’s start with reflections relating to those pupils still working to secure key, fundamental writing skills and move through to consider all of the standards of the Teacher Assessment Framework. 

The Pre-Key Stage Standards may be appropriate for some pupils

When assessment of writing is discussed, there can sometimes be the mistaken shorthand of using the ‘Working Towards the Expected Standard’ (WTS) judgement as a catch-all for any pupil below ‘Working at the Expected Standard’ (EXS) which can lead to some pupils’ writing not being assessed accurately. For pupils who have not fully secured all of the WTS statements, their writing needs to be assessed using the Pre-Key Stage Standards (PKS). We need to be familiar with these standards and recognise when they provide the most appropriate judgement.

PKS-6 aligns with Year 2 EXS, so reviewing exemplification or standardisation materials at this level can be helpful, whilst bearing in mind the need to adjust for the likely increased maturity and content knowledge in older pupils. It is important to remember what writing at EXS for the end of Key-Stage 1 entails: writing will be coherent and clear, sentence structures will be mostly simple, sentence demarcation and past/present tense will be mostly accurate, and simple conjunctions will add detail and interest. Writing that does not meet this standard would need to be assessed using lower PKS standards.

Ensuring there are opportunities for demonstrating security at WTS

When assessing pupils working within WTS it is vital that we have provided sufficient opportunities that allow them to demonstrate what they can do well. Sometimes, for example, pupils lose control of basic sentence structure, punctuation and conjunction use when attempting more ‘advanced’ punctuation and grammar, which can make it harder to establish if they have met all of the WTS ‘pupil can’ statements.

Text type selection plays a role and in creating opportunities for one group of pupils, we must consider how this will work for pupils at different stages of attainment. For example, instructional writing in the spring term can help pupils showcase the WTS-level skills they have secured by this point. However, this genre may potentially limit those working at EXS or ‘Greater Depth’ (GDS), as it doesn't always easily invite the sophistication or higher-level skills that their writing can achieve. To support those more confident writers with these text types, we would need to encourage a broader range of adverbials and sentence structures, helping pupils elevate their writing beyond what they may have produced in earlier years.

Meeting the dialogue ‘pupil can’ statement is more than just ‘speech’

Integrating dialogue into narrative remains a challenging area, even though it has been a focus for several years. To support pupils working at EXS we need to provide meaning-ful opportunities for them to embed dialogue naturally within their writing. When dialogue becomes the sole focus of a task, pupils often overuse it creating extended exchanges that lack narrative purpose. Instead, we should guide them to use dialogue to advance the action and reveal character, ensuring it’s part of a broader, coherent narrative.

Effective integration means embedding speech within description and making it purposeful. Pupils should be encouraged to think about how they report speech - choosing verbs like murmured or mumbled can convey character more subtly than phrases like ‘he said quietly, feeling nervous’. Crucially, dialogue should occur between characters, not just isolated lines or internal monologue, to meet the standard. With clear modelling and thoughtful task design, pupils can learn to use dialogue as a powerful tool in their storytelling.

Description at EXS is more than at WTS

While WTS may require pupils to include description, EXS expects that the description is purposeful, appropiate to the narrative, effective and engaging to the reader. Writing at WTS may have some ambitious words, or interesting adjectives, but that may not meet the EXS ‘pupil can’ statements. Comparing the Dani (WTS) and Morgan (EXS) exemplifications shows this distinction, and the Leigh (high EXS) collection illustrates this even further.

One key shift is moving from simply ‘telling’ to ‘showing’. There are lots of ways this can be taught and encouraged, but a favourite of mine is using drama as a powerful tool for supporting pupils’ understanding - acting out a simple verb like walk, then exploring alternatives like strut, amble, or stumble helps pupils consider how word choice shapes meaning and character. This kind of exploration deepens their understanding of how language can be selected for effect.

Effective description also moves beyond over-reliance on extended noun phrases or strings of adjectives. Instead, it weaves detail into the narrative through action, dialogue and carefully chosen verbs and adverbs. Encouraging pupils to think about how their descriptive choices affect the reader is key to helping them meet and exceed the standard.

Complete and sustained, longer pieces are helpful for demonstrating security at EXS and GDS

When we are planning writing activities for our Year 6 class, it’s vital to ensure we have a range of writing that clearly demonstrates pupils' security with the 'pupil can' statements at both EXS and GDS. While it may seem obvious to say that our stronger writers often produce more writing, it's worth reinforcing that they also need to. Complete and longer pieces provide the necessary space for pupils to build and develop ideas, sustain tone and formality, and show a secure grasp of purpose and audience - elements that shorter writing or excerpts may not fully allow.

That said, shorter forms like letters or speeches can still be highly effective, particularly when it comes to demonstrating understanding of register and formality. Letters or speeches linked to school events, current familiar and understood issues, cross-curricular learning or books pupils have read can offer meaningful contexts that support purposeful writing. These pieces, while more concise, can still showcase a pupil’s ability to adapt tone and language appropriately. However, even in these shorter pieces, it is important that our more confident writers develop and support points they make to ensure that they are demonstrating the TAF requirements.

Spelling evidence should be from everyday writing

As a reminder, Teacher Assessment Guidance (TAG) states that ‘a pupil’s standard in spelling should be evident throughout their writing’ (Section 6.3). Formal spelling tests can support teacher judgements, but they should not replace the evidence found in pupils’ everyday writing. During moderation, we’re not aiming to play ‘word list bingo’, but we do need to see clear evidence that pupils have met the spelling expectations outlined in the ‘pupil can’ statements.

While the statutory word lists may sometimes feel arbitrary, it can be helpful to consider them when planning so that we know there are opportunities for pupils to use them in their writing. Consider how certain words naturally align with specific text types or curriculum topics. For example, words like parliament, language, government, temperature and environment are more likely to appear in non-narrative writing inspired by learning in science or humanities. Others, such as especially, recommend, apparent, communicate and hindrance tend to feature in more formal contexts.

For pupils being assessed against the WTS statements, we look for evidence of spelling from the Year 3 and 4 word lists. These words are more commonly used in everyday writing, but they can still present challenges, especially if pupils have developed incorrect spelling habits or have gaps in their knowledge.

It is also important to remember that teachers must be confident that pupils have met the standards preceding the one at which they are being judged. This means that for a pupil assessed at EXS or GDS, the WTS spelling statements must also be secure. Similarly, the TAG (6.3) reminds us that pupils assessed as WTS should meet the requirements of PK6, which reflects Key Stage 1 spelling expectations and common exception words.

GDS skills need to be taught and given the opportunity to be used

Whilst pretty much all pupils working at GDS are confident, wide-ranging readers, writing at this level typically requires more than absorption of authorial craft from reading alone. We need to ensure that our planning involves explicit teaching about conscious control, what makes writing truly effective and engaging and so on, but also provide ample opportunity for pupils to apply these high-level skills. To write consistently at GDS, pupils need time, space and freedom to produce extended pieces that allow those skills to shine without being overly tied to a ‘model’ text.

For GDS writing, a clear understanding of formality and register - rooted in purpose and genre - is essential. Writing tasks that are domain-specific and demand a formal tone offer ideal opportunities for pupils to use more sophisticated vocabulary, including words from the Year 5 and 6 spelling list.

At the heart of GDS writing is a strong grasp of audience and purpose. Pupils must learn to ask: What do I need to convey, and how can I do so in a way that engages my reader? This is worth keeping in mind if using a writing scheme that is more tied to one model/example or is very sentence-level focussed as this will give pupils less freedom to experiment with their craft.

Published pieces only?

‘Publishing’ pieces can be a valuable opportunity for pupils to take pride in their presentation and write with a clear sense of audience. However, the process can be time-consuming in a world where we are often short on learning and writing time and the act of ‘copying up’ often leads to errors that aren’t present in the final draft - especially when pupils begin to lose interest in a piece they’ve already completed.

It may be more effective to reserve publishing for a few carefully selected pieces across the year, or to ask pupils to copy up only an extract if the aim is to showcase their best handwriting. This approach helps maintain purpose and engagement while still celebrating high-quality work.

As moderators, we do not expect to see only polished, ‘published’ writing. During the professional discussion, teachers will talk us through the evidence used to inform their assessment judgements. Naturally, this includes looking at pupils’ drafts, which are essential for demonstrating independence in meeting the ‘pupil can’ statements.

How are we facilitating effective independent editing?

Becoming a reflective writer with effective editing skills doesn’t happen by chance - it requires explicit teaching. Pupils need to be shown how to review, proofread and revise their writing meaningfully. In the drive to ensure writing is independent, we can sometimes step back too far, leaving pupils to edit without sufficient guidance. This can lead to ineffective editing, or a narrow focus on just one element, such as ‘up-levelling’ vocabulary (which can sometimes have a negative impact on meaning), rather than other areas for review such as sentence structure or the overall impact on the reader.

Independence doesn’t mean working in isolation without prompts or practiced systems. Pupils still benefit from structured support as they develop their editing skills. Early in the year, this might involve more guided approaches to reviewing their writing. As the year progresses and pupils become more confident, teachers can step back gradually while still providing scaffolds such as prompts on the working wall, reminders of editing steps or access to resources like ‘editing stations’ around the classroom. These supports help pupils take ownership of the process while continuing to build effective editing habits.

How are we building teacher confidence in assessing?

As these reflections highlight, it’s essential that Year 6 teachers have a secure understanding of both the Teacher Assessment Framework and the Pre-Key Stage Standards. This depth of knowledge underpins accurate and confident assessment, and both classroom teachers and leaders need to be allocating time to thoroughly familiarise themselves with the documents and what the expectations look like in practice.

While the exemplification materials are non-statutory, they are incredibly useful for clarifying each standard. They support teachers in interpreting the requirements of the standards and provide valuable reference points when making judgements.

Maintaining consistency across schools is also key. Exposure to a wide range of writing beyond our own classes and schemes helps broaden our understanding and sharpens our assessment lens. That’s why robust, collaborative moderation opportunities are so important - they ensure our judgements are aligned and evidence-based.

In moderation clusters, we dedicate time to unpicking standardisation examples together. This shared analysis helps establish a common interpretation of the standards and reinforces key messages before we apply that understanding to the writing teachers bring. This level of rigour, within a supportive and developmental setting, plays a vital role in building teacher confidence and ensuring accuracy in assessment.

This year, in addition to the autumn and summer Year 6 clusters, we have also included some spring ‘check-ins’ in March. Our full programme of clusters for Years 2 to 6 can be found here.

Year 6 teachers may also find the Year 6 Assessment Essentials training useful for building a thorough understanding of Year 6 assessment. This comprises two courses which can be booked separately or as a package for a reduced price.

For more assessment insights and timely information, we run three Primary Assessment Briefing sessions a year. 

As always, feel free to get in touch with any questions or thoughts. 

In every classroom, talk is the invisible thread that connects minds, builds relationships and unlocks learning. Like the iceberg model, the other three language elements, listening, processing and understanding often develop beneath the surface before the child demonstrates their language competency through speaking. 

For us practitioners, fostering spoken language isn’t just an add-on; it is a central act of inclusion, equity and empowerment. Whether you're supporting early learners, multilingual children, or quiet thinkers, developing speaking skills is a powerful way to help every child find their voice and use it with purpose.

Creating a safe space for speaking

Before children can speak with confidence, they need to feel safe enough to try. A classroom that encourages speaking is one where mistakes are treated as stepping stones, not setbacks. As practitioners we can model open communication by using encouraging language, acknowledging effort, and showing vulnerability, such as thinking aloud or trying new vocabulary.

Opportunities to encourage “listening to understand” or “building on each other’s ideas” foster mutual respect. To maximise progress, tools like talking tokens or discussion guidelines can help quieter children take their turn, while it is the role of the practitioner to ensure that no one voice dominates, including their own,

Simple routines - daily check-ins, circle time, or “show and tell” using objects that are important to them can give even the most hesitant children consistent, low-pressure chances to practise speaking.

Talk as a tool for communication, not just performance

In the classroom, talk is often misunderstood as a display of confidence or fluency, when in fact it plays a much deeper role. At its best, speaking is a collaborative tool a way for children to test ideas, clarify thinking, and build shared understanding.

Exploratory talk is a powerful example. When children voice half-formed thoughts aloud, they’re actively shaping their ideas in real time. This kind of “thinking through speaking” is not always polished—but it’s where genuine learning unfolds. Teachers can support this by normalising uncertainty and encouraging language like “I’m not sure, but…” or “I think it could be…”

This exploration is often displayed most naturally through play, where children’s cognitive load is reduced by the freedom to practise words, tone and expression in low-pressure, imaginative contexts. In these moments, language emerges not as a requirement but as a joyful tool of connection, role-playing, and storytelling.

Then there’s dialogue, real, back-and-forth interaction where children listen, question and respond to one another’s thinking. Whether through structured group tasks, peer to peer discussions, or debates, purposeful talk promotes empathy and critical thinking alongside communication skills. During a recent school visit, while interacting with a group of children who were building a bug hotel. One child suggested, ‘We need a roof but what can we use?’ Another commented, ‘Let’s put the leaves there, they might help to keep the bugs warm.’ This kind of authentic, purpose driven talk nurtures the foundations for both deeper social and cognitive growth.

Back-and-forth interactions, as emphasized in the EYFS statutory framework, are vital in helping children practise and apply their spoken language. 

These exchanges, whether during play, conversation, or structured learning, are key to developing vocabulary, sentence structure and the rhythm of communication. They reinforce that language isn’t just a tool - it’s a shared experience. For deeper insights into how schools can build strong communication foundations from the very start, Ofsted’s Strong Foundations in the First Years of School report is an invaluable read. 

Creating authentic speaking opportunities also elevates classroom talk. When children are asked to speak with a real audience in mind, their language becomes more intentional and meaningful. An example might be taking home the class bear over the weekend and recalling experiences on Monday morning or taking turns to be the customer and shop keeper in role play, using a practitioner’s scaffolded language. With this purpose, children who are developing confidence in use of talk can extend their presentation skills and understand speaker purpose. 

With recent changes to the EYFS Profile handbook (2025) when assessing Early Learning Goals (ELG), there is growing recognition that speaking does not always look the same for every child. Assessments now allow for preferred styles of communication, ‘For all ELGs, including Speaking, a child’s established or preferred mode of communication can be used. This includes non-speaking communication, such as signing.’ This makes it even more important for teachers to adapt their established practices. In this way, talk becomes not just an assessment point, but a responsive, inclusive part of classroom culture.

Developing communication and language: speaking skills 

Creating a language-rich classroom

Creating a classroom that hums with spoken, heard, seen and felt language is essential for developing confident communicators. A language-rich environment immerses children in meaningful vocabulary, expressive modelling and frequent opportunities to use talk with purpose.

One of the most effective tools is intentional teacher talk. This includes narrating actions, “I’m picking up the green pencil”, expanding on what children say, “Yes, that’s a big dog—look how fluffy its tail is” and introducing new words in context. When adults stretch conversations, they deepen children’s understanding and show that language is expansive and rewarding.

While open-ended questions like “What do you notice?” or “How did you figure that out?” are essential for encouraging deeper thinking, it's equally important to balance them with attentative comments. Sometimes, simply offering a statement, “You’ve used such rich colour in that picture” can affirm a child’s voice, reduce pressure to respond and invite a more relaxed kind of talk. Balancing different communication styles honours the way children choose to express themselves.

Visual prompts, real objects and themed role-play areas spark curiosity and invite talk. A pretend post office or woodland corner can trigger imaginative dialogue, storytelling and vocabulary use without it feeling like a lesson. Coupled with carefully chosen books, songs and rhymes, children are surrounded by words that are fun, functional and memorable.

Most importantly, in a language-rich environment, talk is not reserved for the confident few. It’s something every child is entitled to. When language is accessible, diverse and celebrated, children not only learn to speak—they learn that their words matter.

Every child has a voice - help them use it

Developing speaking skills in the classroom is about more than teaching children to talk, it is about giving them the tools to think, collaborate, and belong. Through safe environments, meaningful interaction and rich linguistic experiences, we elevate communication from a task to a connection.

Every child has something worth saying. The question is—how will we help them say it?

To further support your team in strengthening children’s speaking skills our early years team have created ‘Terrific Talkers.’ A dynamic CPD programme designed to strengthen practitioner interactions in EYFS settings. Rooted in the EYFS statutory framework, this training explores how high-quality conversations and individualised interactions lay the foundation for language and cognitive development. Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your practice, this course offers practical insights and real examples that turn everyday talk into transformative learning.

We know that 21.4% of learners in England are recorded as “having a first language known or believed to be other than English” (DfE, June 2025). Whilst this data is not a measure of language proficiency, with over 1 in 5 learners speaking English as an Additional Language (EAL), diverse multilingual classrooms are the norm for most teachers.

These learners face the dual challenge of learning English, whilst learning through English. 

With 25% of school leaders prioritising adaptive teaching as a whole school priority (Teacher Tapp, March 2025) how is your school enabling all staff to feel confident and skilled in providing support to all, including multilingual learners?

As The Bell Foundation states, “multilingualism is an asset – for the learner, for the school, and for society. But, without effective classroom support, learners that speak English as an Additional Language (EAL) may not achieve their potential.”

What support is there for schools?

Since 2012, The Bell Foundation has worked “to improve policy, practice and systems to enable children, adults and communities in the UK that speak English as an Additional Language (EAL) to overcome disadvantage through language education.” Its work includes direct support to schools, settings and trusts to improve outcomes for multilingual learners. (The Bell Foundation)

A useful starting point is to look at The Bell Foundation’s five principles to guide EAL pedagogy, designed to guide schools as they develop and embed effective provision for EAL learners. By supporting schools to consider what is unique for this group of learners and what they have in common with all learners, these principles support schools to improve outcomes for learners speaking EAL in the classroom and beyond. 

HFL Education is delighted to have recently become a Licensed Practitioner for The Bell Foundation’s Language for Results programme-and we are looking forward to expanding our offer to educational settings.

So, what is the Language for Results programme?

It is a CPD programme that has been carefully designed by The Bell Foundation using current research with a focus on practical strategies, providing staff with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to return to the classroom to support EAL learners.

In 2025-26 we will be offering the following online training courses from the Language for Results programme:

• Adaptive Teaching for learners using EAL -these short twilight sessions for primary and secondary staff will introduce teachers or TAs to easy-to-use strategies to implement immediately.
• Leading a Whole School Strategy for EAL - this practical and reflective session for school leaders will support schools to consider systems, resources and training that promotes improved educational outcomes for EAL learners. Factors affecting attainment, what inclusive pedagogy looks like, and the implications of this for senior leaders will be explored.

In addition, we are offering in-school support for schools, settings and trusts including a whole school evaluation of EAL provision. Through a range of practical activities including learning walks and focus groups, school leaders will be supported to review aspects of provision resulting in an agreed set of recommendations with suggested CPD, guidance and support.

If you would prefer training to be delivered during your INSET days or staff meetings, the Language for Results programme has a wide range of training on offer which we can deliver in primary or secondary settings including An Introduction to EAL Assessment, Teaching Assistants: Working with Learners using EAL, and Supporting New Arrivals who are New to English. If you are working across a trust, you may wish to consider EAL Coordinators: Leading EAL in your school.

The Bell Foundation also has a range of resources which are free of charge to all schools in the UK. These two have been particularly popular with schools we have worked with recently and are well worth investigating:

• EAL Assessment Framework for Schools - supporting early years, primary and secondary schools to measure progression in listening, speaking, reading, and writing and including a digital EAL Assessment Tracker.
• EAL and SEND: Guidance for Integrated Provision in Schools _ supporting schools to consider how EAL learners who may also have SEND receive support that matches need and improves outcomes.

Sign up to their Resource Library to access these and a wide range of other resources  to support adaptations for the classroom from early years to post 16.

If you have any questions or require further support do contact us at EAL@hfleducation.org

“Effective Teaching of EAL Learners” The Bell Foundation

As a primary foundation subject leader, it can be helpful to reflect on how confidently you can say that high-quality (deep, rich and connected) learning is taking place in your subject. Typically, this will include exploring, through monitoring, how much of the intended curriculum your pupils know and can remember and then using that insight to guide your next steps.

Monitoring isn’t a one-off task or a tick-box exercise; it’s part of a continuous cycle of reflection, action, and improvement. However, if you are newer to teaching or leading a particular subject, it can be tricky to know where to start.

This blog introduces some of the key ideas behind monitoring as a cycle and is a practical overview to help you begin thinking about your role in leading learning.

Why might we monitor learning in our subjects?

Monitoring can help us to answer some important questions such as these.

• Is the curriculum being followed and implemented effectively?
• Are pupils learning what we intended?
• Are recent changes/improvements having the desired impact?
• What do pupils know and remember?

If you have recently taken on a new subject, it might be helpful to begin with some simple ‘audit’ monitoring tasks, to help you get to know your subject.

This initial step helps you prioritise and ensures that any goals you set are grounded in evidence, not assumptions.

Creating goals based on evidence

Once you’ve gathered information, the next step is to define your goals. These should be:

• focused: choose one or two priorities at a time
• evidence-informed: based on what you’ve seen, heard, or read
• linked to curriculum intent: aligned with what pupils should be learning.

For example, if pupils struggle to recall prior learning, and you had reassured yourself that the content had indeed been taught, your goal might be to improve retrieval looking at ways and opportunities to do this.

Here are some examples of goals that a subject leader might consider:

• To improve vocabulary learning and use across the subject – so that pupils can explain their learning using the appropriate terminology.
• To develop children’s retention of key learning over time – through emphasising key learning at the point of teaching, ensuring learning tasks focus on the key learning and that retrieval opportunities also allow children to recall the key learning.
• To improve provision and access for all pupils in the subject, including pupils with SEND, using adaptive teaching techniques – so that all pupils can access, achieve and retain the key learning.

From goal to action

Once your goal is clear, break it down.

• What actions will help achieve it?
• Who needs to be involved?
• What support or CPD might be needed?
• How will you monitor progress towards your identified goal?
• What does success look like?

While subject leaders may not be ‘required’ by any outside body to have an action plan, having one can be incredibly helpful. It acts as a working document to track your goals, actions, and progress. It keeps your work focused and strategic. The example below may be of use as a starting point. In this example the monitoring and evaluation is to explore how well the actions being taken are helping us to achieve the objectives set. 

Monitoring tools should be selected based on:
•    the goal you’re working towards 
•    the actions you’ve taken and where evidence/impact will be best seen
•    the evidence you need to gather.
 

This image above shows some of the monitoring tools available to us as subject leaders. Each tool offers a different perspective and will give you valuable pieces of information. Over time, together, they will reveal the bigger picture of your subject at your school. 

Giving feedback and continuing the cycle

Feedback is a key part of the cycle. It should be:

•    timely and focused
•    based on the facts of your findings and original goal
•    supportive and actionable.

Importantly, feedback often reveals new areas to explore. Exploring the results of your monitoring with one or more colleagues might raise questions like:

•    Why is this strategy working well in one year group but not another?
•    What’s preventing pupils from retaining key knowledge?
•    How can we better support learners with SEND?

These insights lead to new goals—and so the cycle continues.

Monitoring is not about catching people out. It’s about understanding what’s happening, supporting improvement, and ensuring pupils get the best possible learning experience in your subject.

As the EEF reminds us, “Implementation is not an event—it’s a process.” So, take your time, be strategic, and remember: every small step you take contributes to a stronger, more coherent curriculum and learning experience for your pupils.

If you would like support with any aspect of leading a foundation subject, contact Claire.watson@hfleducation.org or ben.fuller@hfleducation.org

Further reading and training

EEF: A School’s Guide to Implementation

Ofsted: Inspecting the Curriculum

Subject leaders: Assessing learning and monitoring progress in foundation subjects