What is it that makes a good’ school an ’outstanding’ one? What are the inspectors looking for? What is it that the outstanding schools do that catches the inspector’s eye? To answer these questions, Jackie has combined her extensive experience in education with research done in schools recently awarded that outstanding’ gold star.

The Perfect Ofsted Inspection: 2012 Ofsted Framework (The Perfect Series)

Education & Teaching

Beere, Jackie

Schools & Teaching

Independent Thinking Press

A CONSUMMATE CORNUCOPIA OF THE AWE-INSPIRING, THE JAW-DROPPING, THE VERY WEIRD AND THE MOST WONDERFUL A feast of learning, wit and lateral thinking.’’ Dr Allan Chapman, Wadham College, Oxford weaves wonder into every page. Like a Victorian cabinet of curiosities, it offers a stimulating mix of the puzzling, the bizarre and the thought-provoking.” Professor Mike Sharples, Institute of Educational Technology, The Open University Poetry, philosophy, language, history, art and science in one little book brought together so effortlessly your mind will be buzzing and wanting more!” Dr Lizzie Burns, Science-Based Artist The Little Book of Awe and Wonder will pique your curiosity, encourage your humility and arouse your awe at the extraordinary collection of verbal and pictorial observations within its covers a literally awesome birthday present.” Professor Andrew Briggs, University of Oxford Matthew McFall’s love, enthusiasm and vast knowledge of all things wondrous he generously shares in this lovely collection; just dipping in one discovers joys and then, as is the nature of wonders, curiosity is rewarded by an uplifting feeling of astonishment.” Peter Clifford, Actor and Magician AN INDUBITABLE PHANTASMAGORIA THAT WILL DELIGHT THE HEAD, HAND AND HEART

The Little Book of Awe and Wonder: A Cabinet of Curiosities (The Little Book Series)

McFall, Matthew

A simple "how-to" guide for improving achievement by implementing sustainable Assessment for Learning in schools. Includes how to shift staff culture to embed great practice, helping children own their own learning, effective use of learning objectives, and working well with parents.Perfect Assessment for Learning takes the busy teacher through a range ofstrategies to ensure that assessment, progress and learning are inextricably linked.Perfect Assessment for Learning provides us with a verythorough and clear explanation of Afl and puts it well and truly at the heart of school improvement in terms of developing outstanding teaching and learning. I am sure that anyone who is interested in improving learning in their classrooms and schools will find this a stimulating, practical and very effective resource.”Linda Dawson, Deputy Head Teacher, The Bemrose School, DerbyThis simple, straightforward and easy to digest book reminds us of our responsibility as teachers to ensure that students are making progress and then sends us on our way with a staggering array of inventive learning tools to put the message into practice. An essential addition to the Perfect series: recommended.”David Didau, Director of Learning and Literacy at Clevedon SchoolThis is an excellent and practical book which should be readily available for use by all staff in schools  senior managers and the teaching and learning coaches team in particular. Used well, Claire Gadsby’s practical ideas will enhance teaching and learning.”Mo Laycock OBE, Former Head TeacherClaire Gadsby is a freelance education consultant, trainer and keynote speaker. She has more than 15 years of teaching experience and was head of English at her last school. She prides herself on being very close to the realities of life in the classroom and regularly team-teaches or delivers demonstration lessons for teachers to observe and critique.

Perfect Assessment for Learning (The Perfect Series)

Gadsby, Claire

The Perfect Teacher Coach is the essential guide to coaching to improve performance in the classroom. Real sources, scenarios, and solutions make the ideal coaching culture look achievable - whatever your starting point.” Phil Loveday, Head Teacher, Bridgnorth Endowed School This book puts into clear language the nuances and central essence of effective coaching within a school context.” Elizabeth Barratt, Teaching Coach, The Nottingham Emmanuel School A must for any head teacher looking to use coaching to enhance their school improvement journey. ” Eliza Hollis, Executive Head Teacher, Stoke Bruerne, Tiffield and Whittlebury Primary Schools The references to Ofsted and CPD give an edge of authority and make The Perfect Teacher Coach an essential tool for a busy teacher.” Elanor Westbury, SENCo and English Teacher, King’s Lynn Academy This book navigates a path through the minefield of performance management whilst supporting a culture of humanity.” Will Thomas, Performance Coach and award-winning author This book provides a crucial tool for raising the achievement of staff and students in all schools.” Dame Tamsyn Imison, Former Head Teacher, Hampstead School Just like the authors, solution focused and easy to follow.” Charlotte Johnson, Vice Principal, Thomas Clarkson Academy Jackie Beere is a School Improvement Partner, editor of the Perfect series and trainer having been a secondary school head teacher. She taught in primary and secondary schools before becoming an Advanced Skills Teacher leading and implementing innovative teaching and learning strategies. Terri Broughton is Vice Principal of Teaching and Learning at an academy in Norfolk. Terri is an outstanding coach who has used the techniques in this book to make an impact across schools.

The Perfect Teacher Coach (The Perfect Series)

Broughton, Terri

A book for young people about what it takes to achieve something, anything, in any walk of life and how, when you scratch the surface of any high achiever, you find the same sorry collection of anxieties, fears, insecurities and self-doubt that the rest of us experience daily. The difference is that high achievers don’t let the negative thoughts win.

They Did You Can: How to achieve whatever you want in life with the help of your sporting heroes

Children's Books

Finnigan

Growing Up & Facts of Life

Jim Roberson, born and raised in the Bronx, was the first African American to play sports for Bronxville High School and his teammate was Roger Goodell, commissioner for the NFL. Jim graduated from the University of Rhode Island.
He now lives in the United Kingdom working with some of the most challenging children in school. Jim believes school should be the place where you learn how to succeed in life. Most importantly you have to learn discipline. That is to say "self discipline". For Jim, behavior is the "B-word" and is forbidden! Discipline, on the other hand, is neatly described not as something others do to you to get you to behave nor even as something you do to yourself, but rather as "what you do for yourself." Jim advocates a partnership between children and school. The school commits to teach children everything they need to succeed in and beyond school, no matter what career choices they make. In return, children commit to doing "what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, the way it needs to be done."
This unique book cleverly captures Jim's inspirational message in his own voice.
Jim Roberson has been working as a teacher, trainer and coach on the Discipline Approach for over twenty years.

The Discipline Coach: If you're thinking discipline is keeping them in check, sorting them out, showing them what's good for them, because it's for ... lacking . . . you've got the wrong book!

Self-Help

Roberson, Jim

Motivational

Jim Smith is the laziest (but professional) teacher in town. Where the traditional view is one that focuses on the teacher's role in leading the learning, Jim's take is that of "letting the learning lead." The learners are very much in the driving seat. Practical hands-on advice.
 Based on Jim Smith’s learning and leadership work with schools across the country, this book is packed with highly practical solutions and suggestions that are proven to help you improve the quality of learning (and therefore progress!) both in your classroom and across the school. And as it’s all done in the laziest possible way, it will be the pupils working harder, not you! Following on from the acclaimed The Lazy Teacher’s Handbook, Whole school progress the LAZY way applies Jim Smith’s lazy philosophy to the thorny issue of making progress’. Aimed at improving learning both in the classroom and across the school, this book once again shows how you can use Jim’s renowned lazy way’ to put student’s learning first rather than your teaching or paranoia about progress. And the result? Outstanding progress in your lessons without even a hint of traffic lights, mini-whiteboards or thumbs up! Be it planning for progress, capturing evidence of progress in a lesson or using lesson observation techniques that make progress explicit, the book offers lots of new techniques which have led to outstanding’ judgements during Ofsted inspections. Just ask the author! What’s more, Jim extends his ideas across the whole school. Drawing on his experience with lazy leadership’ he shows how his philosophy can have a dramatic impact on areas such as lesson observations, performance management and professional development. It’s not about leading the learning. It’s about the learning leading you. And when you let it, your school is never the same again. Using the techniques of his first book, Jim offers idea upon idea in a way that is entirely accessible. The lazy’ bit is again the misnomer but the book does show how thinking teachers and school leaders can make their jobs enjoyable and reap the rewards for effort that makes sense.” Mick Waters, Professor of Education, Wolverhampton University Still a practising teacher himself, Jim Smith writes with authority and also with respect for both the young people he teaches and the colleagues with whom he works. Underpinned by a clearly articulated paradigm and written in a refreshing, engaging and accessible style punctuated with examples drawn from his own work and from his extensive experience of working with a range of schools, this book speaks to anyone who is (or will be) part of a busy staffroom and who seeks more than a set of tips for teachers.” Jayne Prior, Senior Teaching Fellow in Education and Director of Educational and Professional Studies (PGCE), University of Bristol A thoroughly enjoyable, suitably humorous and endlessly useful read. It makes for a natural step from the The Lazy Teacher’s Handbook and takes the concept of Lazy Teaching out of the classroom and into the whole school.” Geoff Cherrill, Vice Principal, Nova Hreod, Swindon

Whole School Progress the LAZY Way: Follow Me I'm Right Behind You

Smith, Jim

Challenging times call for challenging assemblies. Global warming, depleted resources, conflicts, disease, and the growing gap between the haves and the have-nots. With a focus on citizenship, spirituality, values, and taking responsibility, this is for schools looking to develop the next generation of thinkers who might just save the world.

Twenty-First Century School Assembly and Classroom Activities

Ryan, Will

Schools can use laughter to develop openness, bravery, teamwork, imagination, creativity, and, most of all, improve relationships between students and teachers. This book is the ultimate guide to getting more out of yourself and each other through, well, lightening up a bit!

The Little Book of Laughter: Using humour as a tool to engage and motivate all learners (The Little Book Series)

Humor & Entertainment

Keeling, Dave

Humor

This is about engaging children and young people in great learning so well they barely know they are learning, let alone learning well. Drawing on Hywel’s years of experience using drama and The Mantle of the Expert’ (and much more besides) to draw the best out of young people, this book is about the dance that happens between teachers and learners, it’s about the importance of relationships in that engagement, it’s about how to build and sustain rapport with learners. And it’s about finding a delight and a joy in the process of learning, enhanced by those spontaneous, serendipitous events that help you remember just why you came into the job in the first place. A book of happy accidents and improvisations that would be a lovely addition to any teacher’s bookshelf Ian McMillan, Poet, broadcaster and comedian The voice of a true pioneer, clear and sure in the belief that teaching is an amalgam of so many things beyond subject knowledge’. The book races along at an almost breathless speed-just like the writer. Luke Abbott, Director of Mantle of the Expert Oops! is about principles. It’s about a mentality that encourages us to drop the reins of rigid, boring schemes of work and instead create learning that is exciting and relevant! Jamie Portman, Assistant Headteacher, Campsmount Technology College Hywel Roberts’ message is that engagement is the message and in delivering it he’s sharp, he’s intellectually underpinned, he’s effervescent, he’s the teacher you wished your teachers had seen teach. Phil Beadle, teacher, broadcaster, author If you want the children in your school to make great progress and remember you as a teacher who made learning fun, dip into this book for inspiration and ideas. Diane Heritage, Deputy Lead Associate, North of England National College

Oops!: Helping Children Learn Accidentally

Roberts, Hywel

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