Category: Sugarman Education News

Christmas feels like a lifetime away now but, as promised, in this month’s blog I reflect on the run-up to Christmas in my home school and the transition to my new school in the New Year.

Christmas in school was the time of year I was most looking forward to. After having two years of COVID, schools were really hoping to have a bit more normality this Christmas. Christmas time in schools comes with a lot of joy; making Christmas cards, putting up decorations and Christmas parties. However, this means that there is a lot of disruption to the usual timetable and so as a trainee teacher, you need to be adaptable and sometimes just be ready to ‘go with the flow’.

“Goodbye for now”

Christmas was also a sad time for me, as I said “goodbye for now” to my home school. On a School Direct placement, you spend a term in an ‘alternative’ or ‘away’ placement. This is a placement in a different school in the alternative key stage. As you know, I have been in Year 1 in my home school.

As such, in my away placement, I knew I would be placed in KS2. I was really looking forward to seeing a different side of teaching. One question I always get asked is, “Do you want to teach in KS1 or KS2?”. I always find this difficult to answer, because until you’ve had experience in both key stages, it’s simply impossible to know! Perhaps this is a question I’ll finally be able to answer in the next instalment of my blog.

I found out that I was going to be in Year 3, and I was really excited! In order to prepare, I brushed up on the Year 3 programmes of study within the National Curriculum over the Christmas break. I also contacted my new school to introduce myself to my new mentor and find out more about the expectations for my upcoming placement.

Academic Work

The majority of my Christmas break was then spent writing my essay for university. In order to obtain a PGCE, our university requires us to complete two essays. One is worth 20% (which was due in November) and the other 80% (due in January). Of course, every university may be different, but you will have to complete some element of academic work in order to obtain the PGCE qualification.

We could choose one core subject pedagogy and one foundation subject pedagogy to critically analyse. As such, there was quite a lot of freedom to discuss pedagogies you found interesting. This directly fed into my own practise too, as I was analysing what I had seen in the classroom and the theory behind the practice. This allowed me to reflect upon my own teaching and how I could improve.

A New School

With Christmas over, essay submitted, bag packed and laptop charged, I got ready for the first morning on my new placement in a new school. We started with an Inset Day which involved some phonics training and assisting the subject-leaders with some preparation for the upcoming term. I have been extremely lucky to be placed in yet another school with supportive, friendly and welcoming staff. I settled in really quickly and I am loving my time there so far!

In next month’s blog, I will be talking about my teaching time in my alternative placement and how I have been finding teaching in KS2. In the meantime, if you would like to follow my teacher training journey and get more insight into the things I’ve been up to, follow me on Twitter at @BAFTeacher.

Beth.

As a teacher, being responsible for a class of 30 children is a challenging and demanding role. This can become much more of a challenge if you are working with children with SEMH (Social, Emotional & Mental Health) issues and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). In order to keep the class running smoothly and have every child’s interest at heart, it is important to create a structure in order to keep pupils engaged.

We’ve put together some ideas to keep your classroom a safe and secure learning environment.

Create a safe space

Be aware of what makes the child feel comfortable. Identify any triggers early on and allocate a space for them to regroup if they become overwhelmed during the school day. Discussing their behaviours with the parent/guardian beforehand will help you to manage your approach and acknowledge the child’s specific needs.

Adapt the lesson 

Be sure to create a lesson that is easy to understand for pupils of all abilities. Ensure each child understands the task and be prepared to change the difficulties of the lesson if it is not suitable for all.

Allow Movement 

Many children with SEMH issues tend to have shorter attention spans and are not able to sit still for an entire lesson. This is a common barrier for teachers to overcome as it is hard for them to remain focused for long periods of time. Simply allow the child to move from their seat when needed whilst still conducting the lesson, so as not to distract the rest of the class.

Are you experienced with SEN/SEMH teaching and would like to take on a new challenge? Take a look at our latest vacancies on our website.

Due to the latest rise in Coronavirus cases, teachers are in high demand across the country as more teaching staff are absent from schools.

It is important now more than ever that this does not affect our children and young people’s education. Therefore, we are calling out for any retired or out-of-work teachers to register with Sugarman Education and help the next generation during this time.

We have opportunities for you to work part and full time in schools, ac­­­ross the UK. From taking a class of 30, to providing extra support to individuals on a one-to-one basis or in small groups, we have assignments to fit around you.

For those individuals who haven’t taught in the classroom within five years, we deliver a Returning Teacher Programme, which includes specifically selected CPD and supported school-based experience. This is to ensure the individuals are brought back up to speed with the current education landscape and curriculum.

When you register with Sugarman Education you have access to some amazing benefits including guaranteed pay schemes, free CPD sessions and up to £200 referral bonus*.

Don’t just take our word for it, here’s what some of our candidates say…

“I have been working for Sugarman Education for 3 years. My consultant is always extremely friendly and co-operative during my time as a Teaching Assistant.” Lucas- Teaching Assistant

“My consultant, Sarah, is absolutely amazing at Sugarman Education. She’s enthusiastic, attentive and reliable. I’m never without work and she’s incredibly accommodating when it comes to working around my schedule. Couldn’t recommend Sugarman Education enough!” Kate – Candidate

If you want to find out more about returning to the classroom with Sugarman Education, then get in touch with your local branch or email candidatesupport@affinityworkforce.com.

*Terms & Conditions apply

Sugarman, part of Affinity Workforce Solutions (AWS), is delighted to announce we are an approved tuition partner on the National Tutoring Programme (NTP).

The NTP was set up by the Department for Education, as part of the Government’s £1 billion funding package, to help students whose education has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and offers extra support they need to succeed.

As a Tuition Partner, schools can work in partnership with Sugarman to provide one-to-one and group tuition for pupils in specific subject areas, across Primary and Secondary schools and academies, either face-to-face or via our brand-new online platform, Affinity Tutors.

There are different funding pillars under the NTP – two of which are the School Led Tuition Grant and the Tuition Partner Pillar. Sugarman is hosting a webinar on Tuesday 18th January at 9.30am to explain the different funding pillars and explain how schools can capitalise on the subsidies and grants available by using their ‘recovery premium’ funding.

Alex Champion, Group Operations Director at Affinity Workforce Solutions, said: “We are delighted to be a supplier on the NTP to support pupils to continue to grow, develop and learn. The pandemic affected the younger generation massively and we are committed to ensuring that students have access to specialist tutors so they can achieve their potential.”

Sugarman provides additional tutoring either face-to-face or via our online platform Affinity Tutors. All our tutors are experienced educators with up-to-date knowledge of the current curriculum and are registered with Sugarman Education with Gold Standard in Safeguarding. Our tutors have completed a rigorous compliance process that is in line with Keeping Children Safer in Education and hold a current enhanced DBS.

Alex added: “Having spoken to the schools we work in partnership with, we feel it is beneficial to explain the different funding opportunities and how schools can utilise these making their funding go that bit further. That is why we are hosting the webinar on the 18^th January to give schools more guidance and clarification.”

If you would like to register to join our NTP Q&A Engagement webinar or for more information about the NTP, you can call the branch or email info@sugarmaneducation.com

It is a new year and a fresh start for those in education. We hope you had a relaxing break and are now ready to take on the next school term. After another uncertain and tumultuous year, some may find it difficult to head back into a school routine.  As a teacher, it is important to relax and refresh during the school holidays, whilst planning for both yourself and your pupils.

We have put together a few tips on how you can prepare to take on 2022…

Prepare

Re-organise your wardrobe a few days before school starts and swap your loungewear for your work attire. Planning your outfits for the first week of school will eliminate the panic of putting an outfit together in the early hours and throw you off for the day.

Set your alarm

Try and slip back into your routine beforehand and wake up early a few days before you are due to head back to work. This will make the school day a much smoother transition and will leave you feeling less tired during your first week back.

To-Do List

It is a good idea to make a list of what needs to be done before you return to the classroom. It can be overwhelming to forget where you left off before Christmas and you want to ensure your pupils have some structure as they learn to adapt to school life after a break. You want to feel prepared that you are not walking into an unorganised classroom.

Start slowly

Just like teachers, students will take some time to ease back into learning after a long break. Try not to overwhelm them and start with some easy assignments during their first week. Maybe they can write a piece about what they did in the holidays? Or share a presentation? Schedule a task that may take a couple of days.

Stress Management

As teachers, it is easy to take on too much work at once, especially when you are planning for a new term. Be sure to take time out for yourself every day, whether it be a 10 min meditation or a walk in the fresh air. This will help to relieve stress and clear your mind.

We hope you have a successful and stress-free 2022! If you would like to find out about the opportunities we have for next year, check out our latest jobs here

In this month’s blog, I reflect on the time I have spent teaching so far and what you can expect when the time comes to take full responsibility for your class for the first time…

After having spent the first half term mainly observing my mentor teach, between October and Christmas, I began to take up more teaching time. This is something that increases slowly as you begin to gain confidence and although becoming responsible for the learning of 30 children sounds daunting, I have learned so much already.

My first lesson was a “team teach” lesson whereby my mentor and I shared the teaching between us. This was a good way to ease into teaching and develop a class presence. Once I felt comfortable in doing so, I planned and taught my very first solo lesson. Don’t panic – you will not be thrown in at the deep end! Your mentor is there to guide you through the process. They will assist you with your planning and will be in the classroom with you to guide you or to jump in if anything goes awry.

At the end of each lesson, your mentor gives you constructive feedback and you are encouraged to reflect on your teaching too. This is a crucial part of becoming a professional teacher – by reflecting on our practice we learn from our experiences and this helps us to become better teachers. It’s helpful to start thinking about reflection early on, even if you are just undertaking work experience or simply observing a lesson. Think carefully about the lesson you have seen.

As you become more confident with your teaching, you will begin to take up more teaching time. By the end of this term, I will have observed a lesson in almost every subject and taught all three core subjects (English, maths and science) as well as some foundation subjects (Art, D&T, history).

One of the most important aspects of delivering a successful lesson in any subject is to have effective planning. At university, we use a planning proforma which encourages us to break down our planning by looking at the area of the curriculum we are teaching, thinking about the learning objectives and learning outcomes, and by considering the pedagogical choices and teaching steps.

Translating the planning into practice is the best part. You have 30 children relying on you to really ‘know your stuff’ and help them to learn it too, and this level of responsibility is really exciting. This is not to mention all the other elements of the lesson you will have to juggle including managing behaviour, ensuring all pupils can access the lesson and all other manners of other things that are part and parcel of being in the primary classroom. Every single day you overcome a new challenge and learn something new. There is a lot of ‘thinking on your feet’ as the lesson progresses so being alert and flexible is so important as things may take a different route than what you had initially planned for.

For me being able to witness that ‘Eureka!’ moment a child has when something you have taught them finally clicks, is priceless. I had a pupil come up to me during one of my recent lessons and tell me that he was so excited about what we were learning he felt like he was going to burst! These are the moments you have to treasure and remind yourself of when things aren’t going according to plan.

In next month’s blog, I will be reflecting on the run-up to Christmas in school! It’s the time of the year I have been looking forward to and I cannot wait to tell you all about it. I will also be looking ahead to my upcoming “away placement” and discuss how I have been preparing for that. In the meantime, if you would like to follow my teacher training journey and get more insight into the things I’ve been up to, follow me on Twitter at @BAFTeacher.

In 2020, Sugarman Education became part of the Affinity Workforce group. Affinity Workforce is a fresh, bold and innovative business with a rich and impressive heritage. Formed from a group of established, trusted brands, and previously part of Capita plc, we are now one of the largest privately owned public service recruitment specialists in the UK.

In January 2020, Affinity Workforce Solutions successfully implemented a CCS Lot 2 Managed Service with Northern Education Trust in the North East of England. During the first 3 months of the service, we were able to release just over £113,000 of cashable savings vs. the same period prior year and we would project circa £350,000 of savings annually.

If you are looking to make significant savings on your agency supply spend here is why you should consider Affinity Workforce Solutions’ managed service offering:

• Significant savings on your current agency spending
• Ring fenced talent pool for all your schools
• Specific recruitment campaigns for your Multi Academy Trust with no temp to perm fees
• In depth and LIVE management information charting your spending per school and by candidate type
• 1 monthly invoice for all of your schools

Affinity Workforce Solutions are a committed provider of temporary staffing to multi academy trusts in the UK. We are reaching out to gauge your interest in rationalising supply spend through the CCS framework. Affinity Workforce Solutions consists of three brands – Monarch Education, CER Education and Sugarman Education, each with strong heritage in their respective locations and as a CCS Lot 2 provider we have the facility to implement a managed service solution for any sized multi academy trust.

Check out our case study here: Crown Commercial Service

Please get in touch with Alex Champion, our Group Operations Director to discuss further our managed service offering: Alex.champion@affinityworkforce.com