Fresh ideas, practical tools and what's next
As we approach the end of a long, and at times stiflingly hot summer term, we look back on an academic year that’s been punctuated by lively network meetings where our community has come together to share ideas and hear from inspiring guest speakers. Read on to find out more in our latest SLN Year Review.
Network meetings: guest voices, shared practice
In the words of SLN Manager Dora Allen, “Our back catalogue of SLN meeting guests reads like a who’s who of children’s publishing.”
The last year was no exception. We heard from authors, illustrators and educators including Ed Vere, Nick Sharratt, Matt Goodfellow, Emma Carroll and MC Grammar.
What to look forward to
Already in the diary for the next school year, we look forward to sessions with Hywel Roberts, Jasbinder Bilan, Kim Hillyard, Leigh Hodgkinson and Neal Layton.
These half-termly online meetings are at the heart of our network, where we come together for inspiration, explore current issues and pick up timely updates. Essential and Premium members can join for free as part of their subscription.
Another upcoming highlight is a free session led by Into Film, the UK’s leading charity for film, TV and games in education, exploring how stop motion animation can support literacy learning.
New resources: built for the classroom
This year also saw the launch of a range of high-quality teaching resources designed to save planning time and improve English provision in your school or trust. Our whole-school handwriting scheme was developed in response to the DfE’s Writing Framework, helping you embed effective handwriting routines and develop confident, purposeful writers from EYFS right up to Year 6. The scheme is included in Premium membership and is also available to purchase separately.
Poetry competition: young voices, fresh perspectives
Our annual poetry competition invited pupils to revisit classic poems, question whether they still speak to us today and craft their own responses to the voices of the past.
The calibre of entries was high, with thoughtful interpretation and creative responses. We’ve brought them together in a flipbook, so you can explore the classic poems alongside the young poets’ responses.
Teaching poetry: ideas you can use straight away
We also shared high-impact, classroom-tested ideas to help pupils explore and analyse any poem, with bonus activities to enrich vocabulary and deepen understanding of language.
Discover top teaching tips in this exclusive extract from 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers: Poetry, published by Bloomsbury Education.
National Year of Reading: reading for pleasure in focus
Supporting schools to develop a genuine culture of reading for pleasure is the most meaningful impact our CPD and ongoing support can have. It’s the everyday practices, embedded in school routines and community life, that lead to sustainable change. We’ve compiled a bundle of resources designed to inspire whole-school book talk and help build a culture of reading for pleasure in your school. Available to all membership tiers, including free access.