News
Do you know the HLTA of the Year 2016?
June 01 2016
In 2015 we saw Josie Wilkinson (West Midlands) and Jenny Boyce (South West) along with 7 other regional winners travel to London to attend the Outstanding HLTA of the Year Awards. The HLTA National Assessment Partnership (HNAP) HLTA of the Year award is aimed at teaching assistants who have gained HLTA status and who go above and beyond to demonstrate the vital role which HLTAs play within schools.
Best Practice Network is now welcoming nominations for the HLTA of the Year 2016 from the West Midlands, South West and the East of England.
Personal Tutor achieves "Outstanding" in Ofsted inspection
May 20 2016
Last month Anna Watson, a Childminder from the Southampton area and Personal Tutor for Best Practice Network’s Early Years Initial Teacher Training, achieved her second Ofsted "Outstanding" grading. She has shared her experience with us.
New HLTA RPA in the East of England
May 18 2016
Best Practice Network is very pleased to announce that we have taken on the role of HLTA Provider of Preparation across the East of England region and also in that region, the role of HLTA Regional Provider of Assessment on behalf of the HLTA National Assessment Partnership.
In addition we will be extending the work started by the Eastern Leadership Centre in providing opportunities for HLTA candidates, past, present and future, to gain a level 4 qualification alongside gaining HLTA status.
Online safety: Do we focus too much on the dark side of the web?
May 05 2016
What’s the first thing you think about when someone mentions online and children?
Usually it’s a negative with visions of a dark shadowy world full of cyberbullies and predators. I’ve battled against the dark side since 1998 when, as an outraged teacher, I sought to get involved with cleaning up the web. I’m sure you have similar concerns.
Early years teachers will help light up young brains
April 14 2016
Lighting up Young Brains has a wonderful resonance. It is the title of the recent Save the Children report and sums up so aptly what we are aiming to achieve with our children in the early years.
Nurseries, childminders, nursery schools and pre-schools aren’t just providing safe places while parents are at work.
They aren’t just giving young children opportunities to develop independence and mix with and share people and resources with other young children.
Planet 50-50: Women’s leadership in politics and beyond
April 11 2016
Best Practice Network joined Womankind Worldwide supporters and activists at the Houses of Parliament to celebrate International Woman’s Day and to look ahead and #PledgeForParity, for equal gender representation – Planet 50-50.
A key learning tool on display was Suffragette Roulette, where scenarios from both developed and developing countries highlighted the struggle faced by all women who want to have their say, as well as the work Womankind Worldwide are doing to support, guide and facilitate opportunities. Have a go online and let us know how you get on. If you would like Suffragette Roulette to visit your school, please email Rosey Ellum.
What should a learning platform do for your organisation?
April 04 2016
I remember doing my NPQH way back in 2003, the joy of being with like-minded professionals eager to develop, the thrill of learning new ways of doing things and the anxiety of that final assessment! The trouble was I only met with these folks either on the face-to-face days or the occasional meeting with my study group.
What kept me going was the ability to use the discussion networks on the then National College virtual learning environment so I could get some feedback on my own thoughts from colleagues and get some solutions for the issues I faced.
Let’s build on TAs' commitment to making a difference
March 22 2016
Teaching assistants are a major part of the schools workforce today, with around 240,000 working in England’s schools and 10 per cent of the education budget spent on employing them each year.
But there have for some time been concerns that TAs aren’t always used as effectively as they could and should be.
Time to make the big decision
March 16 2016
The government has sounded the starting gun on academy status for all schools, but don’t be tempted to rush to a decision, says Best Practice Network’s Jeff Hart.
Trusts: Mind how you grow
March 15 2016
Multi-Academy Trusts, or MATs, are now a familiar feature of the school landscape. By summer 2015 there were 846 across England, compared to under 400 in March 2011.