This paper considers issues around identity for teaching assistants (TAs) in mainstream English primary schools. We discuss the concomitant problems TAs experience around role definition and role-creep as well as the challenges inherent in equivocally defining their evolving and flexible role. We used key themes drawn from the literature…

There are no consistent answers to why challenging behaviour is perceived to be a problem across time and place. This article explores challenging behaviour and how it is constructed as a problem by professionals in North West England. The research was designed as a qualitative single case study that analysed the perspectives of staff from two…

Comparative education scholars are often sceptical of teaching effectiveness research that compares 'teaching quality' using systematic classroom observation systems across nations. This article investigates how three international observation systems designed for comparative use, and studies that apply them, attend to three concerns intrinsic to…

This paper considers the evolution of the teaching assistant (TA) role in English primary schools, from the once pejorative description of them as paint pot washers to current conceptualisations of them as pedagogues. How the TA role has evolved and the issues associated with the changes to their deployment in mainstream primary schools will be…

This article explores a form of classroom inquiry linked to postgraduate primary student-teachers' education, whilst on practicum in England. The inquiry model is congruent with Stenhouse's' notions of 'teachers as researchers' undertaking 'systematic' inquiry in a 'naturalistic' environment. Feldman further develops Stenhouse's conception into a…

Background: We examined fidelity and feasibility of implementation of COVID-19 preventive measures in schools, and explored associations between adherence to these measures and staff well-being, to inform policy on sustainable implementation and staff wellbeing. Methods: Surveys were conducted across 128 schools in England with 107 headteachers…

Background: The teaching and learning of skills in a classroom setting are often thought to require a resource-intensive approach. Purpose: This study explores the impact of a relatively basic and short communication skills teaching session on postgraduate students' self-perception of their skills. Methodology/Approach: Data was gathered using a…

This study explored the schooling experiences of secondary-aged pupils with and without SEND attending three mainstream schools in England. Thirty-seven young adolescents with SEND and eight without agreed to be interviewed. Thematic analysis revealed the challenges these young adolescents with SEND encountered to feel included in their schools…

Independent work and silent classrooms appear to be part of a wider discourse adopted by some schools across England and promoted as good practice by England's Education Secretary. This paper explores the effect of grouped and individual seating on the engagement of four boys in small group sessions teaching the English Language GCSE. Observations…

Through an ethnographic study that took place in highly diverse primary school classrooms in London and the East of England, UK, this book engages with teachers' perspectives and children's descriptions of their plurilingual experiences, as it explores what constitutes, hinders and potentially facilitates teachers' agency in multilingual…

In this paper we use novel data to test the direct and indirect paths between teacher self-efficacy and student outcomes. This includes how teacher self-efficacy is linked to student, teacher, and expert rater views of lesson quality. Our results illustrate how the link between teacher self-efficacy and instructional quality is sensitive to how…

Children's early problematic behaviour correlates with later deviant behaviour. The Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management (IY TCM) programme trains teachers in proactive strategies to disrupt patterns of negative child behaviour. This mixed methods systematic review applies multilevel meta-analysis and qualitative meta-synthesis to answer:…

This study aimed to examine the impact of a universal, school-based intervention, the Good Behavior Game (GBG), on children's behavior, and to explore any subgroup moderator effects among children at varying levels of cumulative risk (CR) exposure. A 2-year cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted comprising 77 primary schools in England.…

Background: It is well-established that traditional approaches to initial teacher education do not adequately prepare physical education (PE) teachers for teaching pupils with disabilities. Consequently, pupils with disabilities participate less frequently and in fewer PE activities than their age peers. School-based placements, which form a…

Teachers report feeling ill-equipped to meet the needs of ADHD children. Previous studies on ADHD teacher training have been largely quantitative, focused on measured gains in ADHD knowledge and use of behavioural strategies. Traditional training shows initial improvements which deteriorate over time necessitating a new approach. Staff…