The Really Useful Primary Design and Technology Book brings together essential subject knowledge and pedagogy to support and inspire those planning to teach D&T in the primary school. Offering comprehensive coverage of the 2014 National Curriculum, as well as exciting ideas to extend beyond it, the book is packed full of everything the busy teacher needs to be able to develop children’s key skills and techniques, and a range of big and small projects to put them into practice. With crucial subject knowledge explained in detail, useful ‘How To’ guides at the end of each chapter reinforce the skills and technology covered with instructions for making a variety of models. Sets of lesson plans include information on the resources needed to support both more and less able children, and assessment guidance, ‘Top Tips’ and ‘Things to Consider’ provide extra help and inspiration. Key topics covered include: cooking and nutrition textiles and the design cycle IT control and monitoring mechanisms structures electronic systems the roles and responsibilities of the DT leader assessment of D&T. The Really Useful Primary Design and Technology Book provides all the information a new teacher needs to be able to teach D&T confidently, and with valuable cross-curricular links and photocopiable templates, even experienced teachers and subject leaders will find fresh inspiration for their lessons.

The Really Useful Primary Languages Book is an easily accessible guide, full of handy resources and activities which are perfect to dip into for enjoyable, engaging and ultimately effective language lessons. Providing principles, approaches and ideas to help bring the teaching of languages to life in your classroom, this highly practical book will be essential reading for the development of children’s language skills across Key Stage 2. With examples of practice included throughout, the book covers key topics such as: principles of good planning mixed age classes developing skills such as literacy and oracy phonics grammar storytelling, poems and songs using language games and activities activities for developing reading skills supporting children’s writing integrating learning a language with daily routines cross-curricular language learning peer and self-assessment involving parents in language work at school. The experienced author team draws upon their own personal teaching experience, coupled with knowledge of primary best practice and government guidance, to ensure that The Really Useful Primary Languages Book is a stimulating resource to help busy teachers, trainee teachers and teaching assistants to develop their own effective teaching style.

Offering support to both trainee and practising teachers, the fourth edition of The Really Useful Science Book is the perfect tool for those who wish to extend their subject knowledge, enhance their teaching and create lessons which link directly to the National Curriculum. The easy-to-follow framework provides comprehensive science knowledge for Key Stages 1 and 2 and is fully updated with new material to inspire stimulating and engaging science lessons. The book is divided into three sections: Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Each section integrates key scientific ideas and facts with innovative teaching methods and activity suggestions, and user-friendly language and illustrations help to explain key scientific concepts. With links to global learning, discussion of common misconceptions, and ideas for cross-curricular opportunities, each chapter connects knowledge to practice and informs creative and inspiring teaching. The Really Useful Science Book is an invaluable reference resource for all classroom teachers who wish to develop the confidence to teach enquiry-based practical science with relevance to pupils and their global community.

The Really Useful Drama Book offers busy primary school teachers a collection of step-by-step drama sessions, inspired by high-quality picturebooks, that will engage children and promote enjoyable learning across the curriculum. Lively and thoughtful, the interactive drama sessions are structured around a wide range of texts, including wordless picturebooks, postmodern picturebooks, short stories, well-known texts by recognisable authors and some you may not have come across before, all chosen for their power to foster curiosity. The step-by-step sessions can also be adapted to incorporate your own ideas and passions, allowing you to structure them for the topics you’re exploring with your class. Each session is structured around two texts and offers a guide to the drama strategies used, teaching objectives, ideas for writing opportunities, problems, emotions and challenges to explore, and a clear guide to exploring each text. Ten key themes are explored: Suspense Prejudice Friendship Rhyme and rhythm War and conflict Nature Overcoming fear Possessions and obsessions Dreams Short stories With a focus on the crucial role of imagination in the classroom, The Really Useful Drama Book helps reclaim a purposeful, passionate pedagogy and shows teachers how drama can place children right at the heart of a story, encouraging their desire to ask questions, solve problems and search out new information.

The Really Useful Physical Education Book offers support, guidance and practical ideas for effective, innovative and imaginative physical education lessons. Underpinned by easy-to-understand theory, this second edition is fully updated in line with the National Curriculum for Physical Education at Key Stages 3 and 4 and provides a wide range of high-quality lessons alongside engaging teaching examples and methodologies. With an emphasis on inclusive physical education, it highlights the ways in which schools can re-design the curriculum to ensure maximum enjoyment for all pupils. Key topics covered include: • Planning, progression and assessment • Health and safety issues • Inclusive track and field athletics • Adapting activities to support SEND • Swimming and water-based activities • Alternative activities including street-surfing and combat sports • Introducing dance into the curriculum • Enjoyable gymnastics for physical literacy • On-site adventurous activities • Values-based teaching • Teaching accredited awards • Using new and emerging technologies The Really Useful Physical Education Book offers essential advice and inspiration for both trainee and practising teachers responsible for the 11–16 age range. It is a must-read for all those who want to make their lesson inclusive and fun whilst promoting a healthy lifestyle and enthusiasm for lifelong activity.

Bill Laar and Jackie Holderness' Reclaiming the Curriculum examines the nature of a broad-ranging, content-rich primary school curriculum and presents case studies that exemplify how it can be effectively delivered. Many schools believe that the value of their work is undermined by a test-driven agenda that limits the breadth of the education they provide and who can blame them? In Reclaiming the Curriculum Bill and Jackie inspire teachers to escape such narrow confines by unearthing a rich seam of case study examples from schools who are broadening their provision with specialist content that transcends the core curriculum: taking pupils into the realms of exploration and enquiry while also providing for higher attainment in the core subjects. Featuring a variety of exciting initiatives, ranging from the development of an IT-enabled collaborative learning space to the artful application of storytelling across the curriculum, this book will embolden primary schools to identify and enhance their own creative practice and more effectively prepare pupils for the tests of life, not a life of tests. The 18 case studies written by a diverse line-up of contributors including school leaders, teachers and special-ist coaches are sourced from a mixture of different settings and offer detailed descriptions of the initiatives' unique backgrounds: their genesis and inspiration, their underpinning aims and objectives, and the ways in which they were resourced, realised and, eventually, evaluated. At the beginning of each chapter, Bill and Jackie briefly summarise the educa-tional value of each example of curriculum development, the significance of specific aspects and the ways in which they are likely to help maintain full and relevant learning. Each case study then presents the contributors' first-hand perspectives as they: describe in detail the structure that underpins the provision including the number of staff involved and the time and resources allocated; share interesting insights into the level of pupil involvement and, where relevant, the extent of parental and community participation; paint a vivid picture of how the initiatives have been made compatible with their school's wider educational programme; and provide practical guidance, useful links and relevant resources to aid readers' own pursuit of curriculum development. Suitable for primary school teachers and leaders.

Beginning by defining what exactly the subject of design and technology should involve at primary level, this text proceeds to describe the elements of the subject and how is should be taught. It outlines many easily-understood uses of design in the modern world and shows how children can be encouraged to make useful day-to-day objects in the classroom. The book is a basic introduction to what the subject involves and how best to teach it.