Chromebooks have risen in popularity as pupil devices over the past decade, with this lower-cost, simple computer now one of the most frequently found in schools. The widespread adoption of the Google Workspace for Education tools (including Google Classroom) during the pandemic further reinforced their status as an ideal educational device, particularly in the hands of pupils, especially when using Google tools.

It is now commonplace to find trolleys of Chromebooks shared amongst primary school classes, for use in computing lessons and IT across the curriculum. In secondary schools and MATs, the Chromebook is often the chosen device for one-to-one schemes.

Uptake of Chromebooks by teachers as their main teaching device has arguably been slower, however, at least in this part of the world. This may be because the teacher is used to using particular tools that are not directly available on Chromebooks, such as Windows-based interactive whiteboard software. Perhaps a Chromebook is perceived as a device that is great for the learners, but not functional enough for the staff.

However, a Chromebook designed for higher-performance tasks can be a powerful and flexible teaching device that is ideal for 21st century instruction in a cloud-based environment. And they can still save money for schools when compared to more traditional laptop computers. 

For teachers making the transition to using a Chromebook as a primary device for teaching, the change can feel daunting. It often means finding different ways of doing things. With this in mind, HFL has written a new guide, entitled Teaching with your Chromebook.

In this free e-book, teachers can learn about using these devices for classroom instruction, from connecting to the interactive screen to enhancing accessibility.

Across the guide, readers will learn how to:

Connect their Chromebook to classroom screens and interactive whiteboards for whole-class instruction.

• Harness online whiteboard tools such as Smart Lumio for dynamic lessons and collaborations.
• Use Google Slides as a teaching tool.
• Share digital materials like worksheets, writing frames and more, to pupil devices.
• Facilitate shared interactive learning activities for active engagement and challenge.
• Record and share their Chromebook screen for pupil-accessible video resources.
• Adjust accessibility settings to assist access to the content being presented.
• Use various keyboard shortcuts, multiple-desktops and more.

In addition to helping teachers get used to Chromebooks as a teaching device, the guide signposts online training materials from Google, for those that are completely new to this type of computer and the Google Workspace platform.

In creating this guide, the aim has been twofold. Firstly, teachers that are making the switch will save time when finding their way with using their new device. Secondly, schools can find out more about what a Chromebook can offer as a teaching device, and therefore make a more informed decision about whether it is the right device for them, when they are planning their digital strategy.

If you need advice about which Chromebooks may be right for your setting, please contact us at technology@hfleducation.org. 

And don’t forget our popular free e-book, 50 things you can do with Chromebooks and Google Workspace, is still available to provide teachers with some further inspiration for using this platform.

Please refer to the DfE Laptop, Desktop and Tablets Standards in Schools and Colleges, when making purchasing decisions about devices.

So, you have been asked to lead a subject across the school, or you may have been leading a subject in primary for a few years now or in a small school you may be responsible for more than one subject.  Do you really know how to monitor and strengthen your subject in Early Years? Especially as sometimes the subject has a different name. Keeping on top of monitoring, checking that your colleagues are confident teaching your subject, monitoring attainment and keeping up to date on current thinking - I think I can help. 

During my teaching career, colleagues from other year groups visit EYFS and are slightly discombobulated by the layout of the classroom, the lack of desks and chairs and how learning is taking placed and being assessed.  Often the passing comment as they leave EYFS is ‘I don’t know how you do it!’  Well, it is the best place in the world to teach, although I might be bias, but what I really want is for colleagues leading a subject to come into the provision and find their subject in action, to feel confident talking about how the early years teaching underpins later learning in Year 1 and beyond.

Foundation Stage really does ‘what is says on the tin’, it lays the foundation for learning, the behaviours, and beliefs that children can be successful regardless of their starting points.

The Early Years Foundation Stage seeks to provide: 

• Quality and consistency in all early years settings, so that every child makes good progress, and no child gets left behind. 
• A secure foundation through planning for the learning and development of each individual child and assessing and reviewing what they have learned regularly. 
• Partnership working between practitioners and with parents and/or carers. 
• Equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice, ensuring that every child is included and supported.

EYFS Statutory Framework (2024) 

There are seven areas of learning each interwoven, so learning makes sense.  The four overarching principles of EYFS are:

• Every child is a unique child 
• Children learn through positive relationships 
• Children learn and develop well in enabling environments with teaching and support from adults 
• Learning and development - children develop and learn at different rates

Alongside these principles, the Characteristics of Effective Learning (CoEL): 

• Playing and exploring - children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’ 
• Active learning - children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements 
• Creating and thinking critically - children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things 

The three CoEL can be applied to all subjects at all ages.  A great way to think about learning and how adults apply these characteristics is by reminiscing about the last time you bought a new mobile phone. Let’s be honest, none of us read the extensive manual in the box.  If you are anything like me, you held the box, slid open the lid, listened to the unique sound as the box slid open, then pressed buttons, and followed instructions on the screen until all contacts have moved across and we have access to our favourite apps.  You played, explored, thought critically and were creative.

You may remember reading various reports following the Covid pandemic that attempted to measure the impact on pupils’ learning, such as, Understanding Progress in the 2020/21 academic year. This was a fairly early one from the DfE which aimed to link outcomes in the first half of autumn term 2020/21 with outcomes at the same point in 2019/20 at pupil level and compare their progress with similar pupils in earlier academic years.

“We find that all year groups have experienced a learning loss in reading, ranging from 1.6 months to 2.0 months. The learning losses in mathematics were greater. In primary schools, learning losses averaged just over 3 months”. 

Others reported similarly, including the EEF’s published findings from the longer term NFER study on the impact of the pandemic on younger pupils’ attainment. But if you ask colleagues teaching any year group, I think you are probably hearing the same as me, “We are still trying to get the learning back”.

In my advisory role, I work alongside many different teachers and their pupils. In more and more instances, I am being asked to help schools to address the fluency and language in children’s mathematics so that their reasoning can improve. 

To support this, we’ve had a deep look at children’s approaches and tried to identify how we can make a difference. Using the broadest brush strokes, I can say that I have seen patterns. Younger children are not yet secure enough in their subitising skills to use them effectively to calculate with them. This limits them to their one-to-one counting strategies and returning to zero when asked to address number combinations. 

Many older children are similarly constrained, identifying one value in any combination, and then counting on or back from there using their fingers. The repertoire of known facts does not seem to be progressing and the strategies to calculate more efficiently are almost absent.

So, does it matter if our children are using their fingers?

I recently read a research article to quench my own curiosity - “Development of number combination skill in the early school years: when do fingers help?” by Jordan, Kaplan, Ramineni and Locuniak (2008).

There has been much research to suggest that “along the path to mastery, fingers provide a natural scaffold for calculation”. There is even evidence that calculation skills were derived from finger sequencing in the first place!

I am sure you have recognised the propensity to use fingers to identify values and quantities in young children and this seems to be a very important start to “help children represent and manipulate quantities”. It becomes an important tool in their armoury to “facilitate the transition between early nonverbal representations and conventional symbolic representations”.

I think we can all agree that it is essential to our youngest learners (and can be celebrated) but, as the article goes on to explore, “There are questions, however, about the timing of finger use. When do children benefit from using their fingers and when do fingers potentially get in the way of development?”

From counting to calculating

Jordan et al carried out a longitudinal study of children, assessing confidence in number combinations for addition and subtraction and children’s approaches in Years 1, 2 and 3. They were specifically investigating whether they used their fingers to calculate the solution.

In Year One, the “frequency of finger use was a strong and reliable predictor of number combination accuracy.

By the end of Year 3, however, there was a small but significant negative correlation between finger use and accuracy... finger counting errors are more common on combinations with larger totals (e.g. > 10) (Gray and Tall, 1994)”.

So perhaps we are beginning to understand that whilst it’s a key element of early understanding of number, there is a point at which the reliance on counting, and using fingers, is prohibitive to efficient calculation and even accuracy. I think we would also agree that a child reliant on using fingers to calculate is not a fluent mathematician.

But what does a fluent mathematician look like?

In “Mental Maths: Just About What We Do In Our Heads?”, Ineson and Babbar (2013) identify what we can call mental mathematics and its place in the curriculum. Interestingly, we did this as a team too, before we began to write the HFL Education ESSENTIALmaths resources and if you have taken part in our central training, you may remember one of our ‘four wise men’, Richard Skemp, who explored relational understanding in much detail, examining conceptual and procedural understanding in human thinking.

Ineson and Babbar explain his role in the debate.

“It is useful to draw on the distinction that Richard Skemp made between instrumental understanding of mathematics and relational understanding. He wrote about pupils developing an ‘instrumental’ understanding of mathematics where they follow ‘rules without reasons’ (Skemp, 1978). The alternative approach is to develop ‘relational’ understanding which encourages pupils to know both what to do with a calculation and why.”

They draw upon a useful analogy of a tourist in London, who uses just the underground system to get around town, compared to a London taxi driver setting out on the same journey. The tourist is fine to use the tube map, as long as the trains are all running, but the taxi driver would have alternative routes up their sleeve, responding to varied traffic conditions.

“The underground user is like the pupil with instrumental understanding; able to follow rules to go between different concepts within mathematics – for example, able to follow an algorithm to solve long division. The London taxi driver on the other hand, is the pupil with relational understanding – able to navigate in a multitude of ways between different mathematical concepts.”

In the end, it must be about identifying the missing parts in this instrumental thinking and then reflecting upon how we are teaching them. As I’ve been working alongside teachers in schools, I have often heard a familiar refrain, “I have never really stepped back so much before to watch them and their learning. I am too busy ‘teaching’ the curriculum”.

Every primary teacher can surely relate to this (the ‘when do I have time’ pressure). But I can promise that every teacher I have worked with has reflected upon the impact of this investment on children’s learning without any regrets.

There are lots of ways to provide depth and breadth in opportunities so that you can reflect upon children’s learning.

If you are a teacher in Year 3, and an ESSENTIALmaths user, you will be familiar with this game about halfway through the autumn term (3LS6). This is a really key moment (step 7) in the learning sequence.

Even if you are teaching in older year groups, have a play with this game to find any gaps in your children’s repertoire. Play the game several times and watch the strategies grow.

You can input numbers onto the outside corners to support learners or leave the children to input the first numbers and make up their own as they continue to rehearse. 

Then pupils continue to find the difference between corner numbers until they either reach zero on all sides or run out of squares.

You might decide you need to go back to what they do and don’t know.

Source: HFL Education Fluency Session Materials

If you’re lucky enough to have taught in several different year groups, you could map the children’s learning journey from the foundation stage upwards. Sometimes the gap is much earlier in their learning.

Several teachers I know are beginning to make much more use of their working walls and their fluency sessions, following similar types of analyses, to address the specific gaps they have found.

The time they have spent just stepping back and listening to children in these open activities has been fully repaid by the progress they have seen through the year. These have become ideal opportunities for regular reinforcement and continued rehearsal. Blank laminated models of ‘Multi-Strategy Mats’ and key models that are flexible for different choices of approach are helpful pupil scaffolds.

For more ideas about using working walls, read Nicola Adams’s blog 4 ways to make your maths working wall work and this one from Siobhan King: Primary maths planning, modelling and working walls – dig out your sticky notes!

Calculations to encourage and support fluency

Babbar and Ineson compared the approaches to long division of primary and secondary student teachers. They were asked to solve the problem ‘207 ÷ 23’ themselves and then outline how they would support a pupil encountering difficulty in solving it.

“Secondary student teachers were found to be more secure in the approaches that they used themselves but struggled to think of alternative ways to support pupils in developing approaches for long division. Their favoured approach was that of an algorithm...

Primary student teachers, on the other hand, could suggest a range of alternative approaches for supporting learners.”

This is the professional skill embedded in our DNA and we can’t afford to lose it.

If you fancy a little play yourself, have a quick look at these three calculations on the NCETM website and consider how you would like to teach them.

These were the examples used by Gwen Ineson and Sunita Babbar in Mental maths: just about what we do in our heads?

NCETM: Three calculations to encourage and support fluency

Is this a key focus in your school?  

The HFL Education Primary Maths team can work with you in school to develop the teaching and learning of multiplication facts through The Fluency Package.

Find out more about the HFL Education Curriculum Impact Packages. 

Upcoming training and events

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References

Nancy C. Jordan, David Kaplan, Chaitanya Ramineni and Maria N. Locuniak: Development of number combination skill in the early school years: when do fingers help? Developmental Science 11:5 (2008), pp 662–668 DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-7687.2008.00715.x

Babbar, S. and Ineson, G. (2013) Mental Maths: Just About What We Do In Our Heads? eBook ISBN9780203762585

Skemp, R. R. (1978) ‘Relational understanding and instrumental understanding’ Mathematic Teaching, 77, 20–26

Babbar, S. and Ineson, G. (2013) ‘Mental mathematics: a comparison between primary and secondary trainee teachers’ strategies’, paper presented at British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics. Bristol University, UK. March 2013.

Denvir, H. and Askew, M. (2001) ‘Pupils’ participation in the classroom examined in relation to “interactive whole class teaching”’, Proceedings of the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics (BSRLM), 21, 1, 25-30. 

Gray, E. M. and Tall, D. O. (1994) ‘Duality, ambiguity and flexibility: a proceptual view of simple arithmetic’, Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 25, 2, 115-141. 

Safeguarding  is not a tick box exercise but is rather a culture that needs embedding in our schools, it underpins all aspects of school life and, if working effectively, ensures the safety of staff and pupils alike. As board members, together with all school staff, we have a collective responsibility for safeguarding.

In this blog we will touch upon some recent developments that fall within the safeguarding sphere and look in a bit more detail at the school Single Central Record (SCR). Safeguarding requires an unrelenting process of constant review, revision and monitoring to ensure the processes you have in place are tested, robust and fit for purpose. New and emerging challenges to consider are constantly adding to the arena of safeguarding concerns, the items covered below are but a snapshot of some.

Single Central Record (SCR)

It is the board’s role to ensure their school is meeting its statutory duties regarding the SCR, this is often delegated to the Safeguarding link governor to monitor and occasionally undertake a supervised ‘check’ if concerns are raised. This strikes at the heart of understanding the boards strategic vs operational role, often misunderstandings as to the board’s role can sometimes lead to an overzealous operational approach by governors. Ofsted have tried to make the boards role clear in a recent blog:

Ofsted blog: How we inspect safeguarding in schools (9 Nov 2023) - The single central record………
When we review the SCR, we’re checking against the minimum recording requirements as set out in paragraphs 268 to 272 of KCSIE………We typically carry out the check at the start of the inspection. We do it at the start so that if there are any minor safeguarding improvements that can be rectified during the inspection, schools have the opportunity to do so………As our chief inspector has said before, there is no expectation that governors and trustees go through the SCR themselves. But governors and trustees are responsible for making sure that their school fulfils its statutory duties. It’s therefore important that governors and trustees have mechanisms in place to make sure that key safeguarding and safer recruitment duties are undertaken effectively.

To unpick some of the above, the board has a clear duty to ensure the SCR is up to date and accurate, the board should receive regular reports from the Head that the SCR has been regularly updated and checked (by asking the right questions this fulfils  the strategic/monitoring role of the board) and to receive any external audits of the SCR. External audit outcomes should also be shared with the board and/ or the Safeguarding governor who then have the opportunity to acknowledge and follow up on any recommended actions. Only if concerns are raised (such as a member of staff or governor saying the school isn’t complying with Safer Recruitment requirements) should the Chair or Safeguarding governor ask to make a supervised check of the SCR to ensure the school is meeting its statutory duties. So, to keep it simple, don’t unnecessarily stray from your strategic role, but be ready to act if concerns are raised.

Ofsted update

There has been much written about Ofsted and the negative impact that inspections can have on Headteachers and staff following the tragic death of Ruth Perry. As I write inspections for 2024 have resumed following a two week pause whilst inspectors received additional mental health awareness training.  Ofsted has published its response to the coroner’s Prevention of Future Deaths report outlining what action it’s taken immediately after and since, including:

• All inspectors trained to recognise and respond to signs of distress in school leaders
• A clear and simple process for providers who have concerns about an inspection to speak to an unconnected senior Ofsted employee
• A new policy on pausing an inspection.

As board members we all need to be aware of these significant changes to Ofsted’s approach to inspections, the ‘safety’ mechanisms that now exist where school leadership distress is identified and how as a board we can respond to such concerns whilst the inspection is ongoing. All boards and school leaders should discuss and agree on what they understand by the new Ofsted policy Pausing state-funded school inspections, and how to proceed if they have concerns during an inspection. None of the above cancels an inspection, at best it is paused whilst steps are taken to address the concerns raised by the school or lead inspector.

The above is just a snapshot of the proposed and actual changes Ofsted have recently made, these are designed to reassure school leaders and boards that Ofsted have listened and responded to the concerns raised. If your school is in the Ofsted window or is soon to be the proof will hopefully be evident once the inspection gets underway, it will be interesting to see the feedback from schools and governors following these inspections. Further information from Ofsted can be found here  Gov.UK: Summary of changes 

DfE guidance on Gender Questioning Children

Following the long awaited publication of the DfEs draft guidance on Gender Questioning Children most commentators seem to reflect that it was a satisfactory starting point with a widespread encouragement to engage with the consultation process which closes on the 12th March 2024. Boards will need to give due consideration to this non-statutory guidance once the consultation is complete and the final version is published. Consideration may need to be given to consult with stakeholders before your school decides on what changes, if any, will need to be made to policy, procedures, safeguarding and adaptations to the school estate and how best to communicate these.

Safeguarding culture

Having a positive safeguarding culture is often referred to but sometimes not fully understood. It starts at the school gate with site security and access key to creating a safe and secure environment. 

• How is the culture signposted? 
• Are the DSL details and their team clearly visible around the school and how easy is it for staff and pupils to report their concerns in person or anonymously?
• Are school policies on child protection, behaviour, safeguarding and online safety clearly communicated to staff, pupils and parents? 
• Are expectations clearly understood? 
• Do staff, governors and visitors have lanyards so that pupils can identify adults that should be accompanied and how adults should be challenged? 
• Are there clear safeguarding protocols for visitors, do they receive/ and or sign to agree to them? 
• Do the board receive termly safeguarding updates at meetings? 
• Is safeguarding a standing item on your agendas? 

All of the above contribute to a culture of safeguarding and critically provide the school and governors with the evidence to support that safeguarding is effective in their school.

There is little doubt that safeguarding can become overwhelming for governors, having a safeguarding link governor is a starting point but by no means the end of the matter. A link governor cannot take on the safeguarding brief alone. When you visit your school, whether during the day or evening, have your eyes open to safeguarding concerns, if you see something that doesn’t feel right don’t wait to report it, speak to the Head or DSL whilst you’re there or as soon as reasonably possible after. Governors must have the view that ‘it can happen in our school’, this is no way a criticism of the safeguarding culture in your school, but without this mindset then you collectively enable those that are predisposed to find and exploit weaknesses with all the devasting consequences that can follow. Get trained, be aware, and be prepared to report your concerns for the sake of the children whose care and safety we are entrusted to protect.

 

“What a great conference to rejuvenate the passion and inspiration for writing and the teaching of writing - thank you!” – R. Woode (Woodlands) 
“Just loved the speakers!”- M. Childs (Sheredes Primary) 

“I'm pleased the conference did not focus on 'what children need, to be at expected standard by the end of Year 6' but more on creating writers as a lifelong skill.” 
R.Colman (Bowsland Green Primary School) 

“Thank you so much for a really inspirational day. It's good to end with so much to reflect upon and share back at school.”
N. Branagan (Aston St. Mary's CE (VA) School) 

The National Primary English Conference 2024: My Voice, My Writing was a highly anticipated event on the HFL English team’s calendar and perhaps on yours too! Inspiring and motivating keynote speakers included children’s literary icon Micheal Rosen and award-winning children’s author Katya Balen. We were also honoured to hear from experts in their fields Professor Debra Myhill and Professor Neil Mercer, not to mention the pedagogical and practice knowledge we gained from head teacher Sonia Thompson, English lead Sam Creighton, HFL English advisers Kirsten Snook and Amanda Webb, English consultant Nicola Izibili and lecturer Navan Govender. The day was jam-packed with golden nuggets to reinvigorate, reignite, and empower teachers with the tools needed to teach the next generation of writers.   

It was fitting that Michael Rosen began our conference referencing the ‘secret strings’ that lie waiting within literature, as many common threads and themes were interwoven between the sessions throughout the day. Threads that returned repeatedly included that of children building a repertoire of reading to support their writing, having autonomy over their writing, manipulating grammar for effect on their reader, the benefit of having a community of writers, and embracing each stage of the writing process itself. Ultimately, educators, writers and academics were united in delivering their message: we want to enable children as writers, with agency, who are capable of learning and applying the craft of writing for authentic audiences.  

“Be wild!” (Katya Balen) 

Another key theme of the conference was the idea, and indeed pedagogy, of writing for pleasure which made me wonder how many schools incorporated this element in their own writing curriculums. Writing for pleasure can be defined as writing undertaken for enjoyment and satisfaction (as further articulated by Ross Young in his Writing for Pleasure Manifesto, 2021). English consultant, Nicola Izibili, championed the concept of ‘writing club’ where children are given opportunities to write freely about topics that interest them.  She also explained that she herself was part of a ‘community of writers’ both inside and outside of the classroom and showed an insight into her own writing journal which she regularly shares with her children. Writer, Katya Balen, took this idea a step further by promoting the concept of ‘free writing’ in which children are given time to ‘just write’ and ‘be a writer’. Katya was passionate about giving children freedom and autonomy when writing to escape the constraints that can sometimes occur in school due to a busy timetable or other curriculum requirements, that could, in turn, reduce writing satisfaction.  

“Success is messy. Getting a strong writing curriculum can be messy.” (Sonia Thompson) 

Katya Balen described the writing process as a messy one, comparing it to sorting out your ‘junk drawer’ when you take everything out and pull it apart in order to improve and rebuild it again. Head teacher, Sonia Thompson, acknowledged that crafting a writing curriculum that works for your pupils can also be a messy process. She gave some excellent practical advice on how the writing process can be shaped in schools based around the process of drafting, revising and editing (starting from year one and making use of editing flaps), building a culture where feedback leads to improvement and having opportunities for writing to be discussed. Sonia illustrated that these key concepts of the writing process can be followed whilst still ensuring a commitment to the statutory obligations of the national curriculum, which was refreshing. More information on strategies to support the writing process can be found in The Education Endowment’s report: Improving Literacy in Key Stage 2.

She also highlighted the importance of teaching grammar as part of the writing craft (more on grammar for effect to come) and shared the innovative idea of ‘impact flaps’ for children to make comments about their grammar and language choices and their intended impact on their reader. Sonia explained that the school has ensured that its writing curriculum has a key focus on audience - including differing levels of formality - as well as having an authentic purpose. This was a common thread throughout the day, echoed also by Nicola Izibili. Sonia’s school publish their writing in many formats (including competition entries). Michael Rosen also advocated opportunities for children to publish and circulate their writing in order to give a clear purpose and authentic audience. (Although, it should be noted that Michael Rosen did make the valuable point that some writing may be personal to children and therefore not appropriate to share.)   

“…embedded within a beautiful sequence of learning.” Amanda Webb 

Our very own advisers, Amanda Webb and Kirsten Snook, offered further practical advice leading workshops on ensuring the fundamentals of writing are in place; they suggested practical ways to support children in the writing process. Kirsten reminded us that sometimes the resources that we need may be lurking somewhere in the depths of our classrooms. She discussed comprehensively how to support children to segment words for spelling so that they can move forward in their writing. She demonstrated how to use the perhaps forgotten resource - the phoneme frame - in a more kinaesthetic manner by using counters! Amanda continued the threads of the conference by using texts for inspiration to ensure learners understood the important skill of sentence demarcation, taking strategies from our popular Fixing Full Stops Across KS2 and Securing Full Stops at KS1 training. 

She explained the ‘Alien Sentences’ activity in which children need to identify the ‘alien’ (non-sentences) and ‘real’ sentences using examples from their focus text. The teacher then acts as a guide in the discussion around the decision to be made, supporting children to ‘fix’ sentences. For further tips, do take a look at this HFL blog: Don't Forget your Full Stops. This linked clearly to a point made by Debra Myhill about teachers being able to express language effects through classroom talk: rich discussions about the impact of our writerly choices support children to be mindful of their own choices in their writing. 

“Opening doors to writing… in a writer friendly way.” (Michael Rosen) 

Michael Rosen shared some great ideas of how to open doors into writing, using texts as a motor for writing. He began by building on the ‘Tell Me…’ book talk approach by Aidan Chambers by encouraging the use of open questions (such as ‘did you hear anything in the story that has happened to you or someone you know?’ and ‘if you could ask a question to anybody in the text what would it be?) which help children to delve into texts as a reader. He also spoke about an activity he named ‘secret strings’ (as mentioned at the start of this blog) in which children investigate and explore texts as a writer; identifying cohesive elements of writing craft which could then be applied in some way to their own writing. Debra Myhill also advocated children exploring the writing craft within texts through learning about how grammatical choices have been made to shape meaning for the reader. Like Katya Balen, she highlighted the importance of treating children as authors themselves, so that they can harness the great power of language choices, that established writers also make. Explicit teaching of the ‘why’ behind grammar choices allows children to make informed choices when crafting their own writing. This can be further examined through the LEAD principles. 

“Mining reading for writing ideas…” (Sam Creighton) 

Michael Rosen elaborated further on the writing process by talking us through practical steps that can be taken to provide children with a springboard to writing. He reminded us of some firm favourite drama techniques such as freeze frames and hot seating, which can help children to break the story open, and begin to build an ‘intertextual repertoire’ to use to inspire their own writing. He also encouraged techniques such as creating a prequel or sequel to a text, taking a character from one story into another. He talked about ‘changing the dial’ on a story, to rewrite it by altering the setting, time frame, characters, or plot line. These simple and practical ideas are playful and workable in the classroom. Sam Creighton also spoke about ways in which he improved writing at his school, including ‘mining reading for writing ideas’ to encourage children to be inspired by what they read when creating their own writing, without making a carbon copy of the original text. Micheal Rosen described using the ‘like that’ principle (particularly with poetry) where children are encouraged to write their own piece of writing using a key feeling, structure or sounds from another text. A touching moment in this keynote, was when Michael shared aloud his poem about discovering he had a brother who passed away. Michael explained that this was written about looking through some old family photographs, and went on to explain that children could use the ‘like that’ principle, based on this poem, by exploring their own family photographs for stimulus.   

“…big issues are discussed in a safe way to help children with resilience.” (Kayta Balen) 

Katya Balen suggested that books can help children deal with adversity, build resilience and discuss big themes. She herself writes about some big themes, such as domestic violence, anger and loss, and talked about giving children the space to do the same. Similarly, Navan Govender spoke about children writing about their sometimes adverse, yet rich, experiences within a community of writers (also mentioned by Nicola Izibili) and being socially responsible within their pieces. He showed us an example of a hard-hitting poem based on Little Red Riding Hood going to deliver drugs through ‘the hood’ in South Africa. It demonstrated an 11-year-old writer portraying identity and culture while exploring social issues of the time (including violence and HIV). 

Allowing children to write about issues that really matter to them not only helps motivate children as writers, but also gives teachers the opportunity to explore ‘big issues’ further – issues which may be having an impact on their children’s lives. Equally, when children do write about these ‘big issues’, it may also be an indication of them making sense of what is going on in the world around them. Giving children the time to write with agency, therefore, can open up a safe avenue for conversation and discussion about topics which may have otherwise been buried. This is an important message to consider as teachers when responding to children’s writing. Are we responding first as humans?

“Reading and writing float on a sea of talk” (James Britton) 

Neil Mercer inspired us all to think deeply about the moral imperative for teaching oracy effectively. He explained that the Education Endowment Foundation found that oracy has a high impact on pupil outcomes and other research has also indicated that language development, cognitive development and educational progress are all closely related. Considering these high stakes, it seems vital that oracy is a key feature across our curriculum. Neil also provided us with practical strategies on how to implement oracy strategies in the classroom. For example, he suggested a very innovative yet efficient way of teaching children new vocabulary through songs or chants. He also highlighted the importance of not just learning through talk (dialogic approach) but learning how to talk. 

This is particularly pertinent when teaching children how to partake in discussions. Neil suggested that this could be achieved through giving children agency to create the ‘ground rules’ for discussions to work. (You will notice that common thread of agency appearing once again!) Due to group-based activities greatly benefiting learning, Neil suggested that it was vital that these discussion skills are taught from an early age through well-planned, purposeful oracy instruction and modelling. Neil was hopeful that the tides may change in terms of the prominence of oracy in the national curriculum to ensure that children have the critical skills needed for future success. 

What an inspiring day!  We’d love to hear about how the messages of the day are shaping practice in your schools and settings.

Don’t forget, if you attended the conference last week you are still able to access recordings of all of the sessions as well as some slides which have now been added. To access these, please visit the link you were sent to attend.   

If you are looking for further inspiration for your own writing curriculum, you may be interested in HFL’s Essential Writing which is due to be released in September 2024. It is a complete scheme for Years 1-6 which encapsulates the key threads of the conference. Do join us for our free information webinar on 12th March 2024.

HFL English team’s reflections  

We hope you were as inspired as we were by the speakers on the day. Below are some of our team’s reflections.

Developing Children’s Writing for Purpose and Pleasure 
Michael Rosen - Poet, performer, broadcaster and scriptwriter 

“So much to take away…employing the idea of intertextuality in the classroom, using ‘secret strings’, prequels, sequels and mash up stories, the ‘like that’ principle, allowing children to write about their own lives, the importance of authentic audience and for children to be able to publish their own writing.”  

Story Mudlarking  
Katya Balen - children’s author 

“In addition to one of the most engaging and inspiring author talks I have ever listened to, she had these top tips for inspiring the children you teach to reach for more:

• Never say that books a child chooses to read are ‘bad’ (even if you think they are rubbish); instead, nudge them towards trying a different choice every so often. 
• And, when you speculate about what may happen in a story they are creating – emphasise that there are ‘no wrong answers’ and imaginations will soar.”  

Why Oracy Matters 
Neil Mercer- Emeritus Professor of Education and Director of Oracy Cambridge

“A fascinating session! It was inspirational to hear Neil talk about the power of talk and its transformative potential for learning. Lots of ideas to take back to the classroom.”  

Implementing Authentic Writing Projects in the Classroom 
Nicola Izibili- English Consultant and Practising Teacher at The Writing Web 

“An inspiring session which reminded us about the importance of an authentic audience and purpose when writing.”  

Crafting a Writing Curriculum 
Sonia Thompson- Headteacher at St Matthew's C.E. Primary Research and Support School 

“A reflective and poignant point from Sonia, linking to the work of the Writing for Pleasure Centre, which stems from children’s writing starting with themselves, using their own names and lived experiences as a stimulus for writing. What better way for children to evolve as writers than to use what and who they know best?”  

Writing Realities  
Navan Govender- Lecturer in Applied Language & Literacy Studies at University of Strathclyde 

“Such a powerful approach and so many ways in to apply this with different age ranges...”  

Supporting Struggling Writers 
Kirsten Snook- English TLA at HFL Education

“A call to bring back the trusty phoneme frame! Such a versatile and impactful scaffolding resource to support children who are still developing their phonic application within writing.”  

Don’t Forget Your Full Stops! 
Amanda Webb - English TLA at HFL Education

“Amanda’s session provided excellent practical strategies for addressing that common area for development: sentence demarcation. Video footage captured helpful strategies to support sentence construction with pupils.” 

The Reading and Writing Connection 
Sam Creighton - Literacy Lead 

“This session helped subject leaders to find the starting point for reflections about their own schools.”  

Grammar as Choice 
Debra Myhill - Professor Emerita of Language and Literacy at University of Exeter 

“Grammar is the building block of language - we can’t pretend we don’t need to teach it, but it’s not about naming parts of speech or playing hunt the punctuation mark. Instead, it’s about effective communication, owning our language and manipulating it to have the best effect on our reader or listener.” 

Further reading 

In collaboration with the Norfolk Children’s Book Centre, we have compiled a list of wider reading written by the speakers. Visit this page to explore a range of children’s books as well as further reading for teachers. 

Norfolk Children’s Book Centre: 2024 National Primary English Conference: Books by speakers

Websites

The Writing Web | The Freedom of Words to Inspire 
The grammar for writing pedagogy | Writing resources for teachers | University of Exeter 
Voice 21 
Katya Balen 

Blogs

Teaching grammar for purpose rather than for evidence | HFL Education 

Texts

‘Tell Me: Children, Reading and Talk’ by Aidan Chambers  
The ‘Opening Doors’ series by Box Cox 
‘What is Poetry?’ by Michael Rosen 
Going Through the Old Photos - The Children’s Poetry Archive