This course provides an accessible introduction to anxiety and provides useful pointers for any adult supporting a child with anxiety.  Common misunderstandings and misconceptions are addressed, we consider some potential pitfalls to avoid and we explore a range of simple, practical ideas for supporting anxious children.

In this course, Matt Bromley outlines the Ofsted context and defines, in detail, what is meant by the terms ‘intent’, ‘implementation’ and ‘impact’. As well as being useful for individual CPD for school leaders, this course could form the basis of SLT discussions or whole-school training. This course is the first of three courses on the curriculum development pathway: Course 1: Intent, implementation and impact Course 2: Planning and teaching an ambitious curriculum Course 3: Assessing curriculum effectiveness Taken together, these three courses provide an introduction to, and an overview of, the curriculum design process. Later, they will be complemented by more detailed courses which explore each stage of the process in-depth. This course has been developed by Matt Bromley who has over twenty years’ experience in teaching and leadership including as a headteacher and a director of education. He is now a school improvement advisor, teacher-trainer and public speaker. He regularly speaks at national and international conferences, and he is a regular contributor to a number of education magazines including TES and SecEd. He is the author of a number of books on education including School & College Curriculum Design.

This course will explain and explore the importance of lesson observations as part of continuing professional development for a range of teachers it will look at the practicalities some of the theories behind effective observations and the range of areas that need to be explored the whole course will be seen within the context of the new Ofsted framework

This course has been developed by Kevin Piper who has worked in a range of institutions from primary to secondary as well as colleges adult education and in universities. He has worked for many years in school improvement nationally and internationally and use lesson observations in a range of contexts

This course will explain and explore the importance of lesson observations as part of continuing professional development for a range of teachers it will look at the practicalities some of the theories behind effective observations and the range of areas that need to be explored the whole course will be seen within the context of the new Ofsted framework This course has been developed by Kevin Piper who has worked in a range of institutions from primary to secondary as well as colleges adult education and in universities. He has worked for many years in school improvement nationally and internationally and use lesson observations in a range of contexts

This course will explain and explore the importance of lesson observations as part of continuing professional development for a range of teachers it will look at the practicalities some of the theories behind effective observations and the range of areas that need to be explored the whole course will be seen within the context of the new Ofsted framework

This course has been developed by Kevin Piper who has worked in a range of institutions from primary to secondary as well as colleges adult education and in universities. He has worked for many years in school improvement nationally and internationally and use lesson observations in a range of contexts

This course will explain and explore the importance of lesson observations as part of continuing professional development for a range of teachers it will look at the practicalities some of the theories behind effective observations and the range of areas that need to be explored the whole course will be seen within the context of the new Ofsted framework

This course has been developed by Kevin Piper who has worked in a range of institutions from primary to secondary as well as colleges adult education and in universities. He has worked for many years in school improvement nationally and internationally and use lesson observations in a range of contexts

In this course, Matt Bromley explains the importance of developing a whole school culture to promote good behaviours and attitudes to learning, tackle poor behaviour including low level disruption, and foster strong relationships that protect staff and students from harassment and harm.  He emphasises the importance of a whole school body working together to manage behaviour by agreeing a set of social norms and enforcing high expectations of every student every day. This course is a practical exploration of the features of a strong whole school culture and how to create such a culture in practice. As well as being useful for individual CPD for school leaders, this course could form the basis of SLT discussions or training in-school. This course has been developed by Matt Bromley who has over twenty years’ experience in teaching and leadership including as a headteacher and a director of education, and is now a school improvement advisor, teacher-trainer and public speaker.  He regularly speaks at national and international conferences, and he is a regular contributor to a number of education magazines including TES and SecEd.  He is the author of a number of books on education including How to Learn and School & College Curriculum Design.

During this course we walk through a simple framework for promoting a truly inclusive environment that feels safe and nurturing for all children and especially those with special educational needs or social, emotional or mental health issues. Inspired by the 4S framework developed by Daniel J Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson for parents, we consider our role as adults working with, caring for or supporting young people with special needs and the small but meaningful changes we might make to the physical, social, emotional and cognitive environment to enable them to thrive both now – and in the future as every positive experience helps to create and strengthen neural pathways; laying the foundation for future positive experiences. This course was developed for SENDCos (special needs leads in UK schools) and so the course will be of especial interest to anyone supporting a child or children with special needs or emotional wellbeing issues.  However, there is much of interest here for anyone who works with or cares for a child. The ideas are widely applicable and highly adaptable and you’ll be able to readily apply them to your work and life. This course was developed and delivered by Dr Pooky Knightsmith who has a PhD in child and adolescent mental health and has spent many years as a governor at a range of special schools and who has led many training events for staff and parents supporting children with SEND. A version of this course was originally part of an online SENDCo training event commissioned by the Girls Day School Trust in the UK.

  During this course we are looking to demystify ADHD and ASD.  We get to grips with the neurobiological underpinnings of each condition and learn where there is commonality and difference both in the biology and also in the behaviours we might observe. We go on to explore what SEMH is and isn’t and how it links to SEND before taking a step away from the labels, diagnoses and neuroscience to remember that we’re here to talk about living, breathing little people. A version of this course was originally part of an online SENDCo training event commissioned by the Girls Day School Trust in the UK.

The art of organising and running effective meetings is one that can be learned and there are simple changes that you can make right away that will enable your meetings to take less time and have more impact.  In this course we walk you through the key things to consider and help you build the skills, knowledge and confidence you need to make your meetings more meaningful. This course has been developed and delivered by Dr Pooky Knightsmith who has had a wealth of experience running meetings well (and badly!) as a company director, a trustee and a chair of governors.

In this course, which is the first of three courses on the subject of behaviour management, Matt Bromley offers practical, sensible advice on how to manage student behaviour in the classroom. He shares seven easy-to-implement strategies and emphasises the importance of establishing good routines to limit the amount of time spent off-task. As well as being useful for individual CPD for school leaders, this course could form the basis of in-school training sessions for new staff as well as provide a useful reminder of some effective behaviour management strategies for more experienced colleagues struggling with particular cohorts.

During this course, you’ll learn about how the cycle of school avoidance develops, and the part we may unwittingly play in that, as well as exploring a range of simple steps that you can take, alongside families, to support children to return to school and engage regularly and meaningfully; helping school turn from a place of fear to a place of safety for the child. We also explore the steps we can take to spot the early warning signs and prevent a school avoidance cycle from developing as well as exploring some universal strategies that we can employ to make school feel like a safer and more inviting place for every child. The course has been developed and delivered by Dr Pooky Knightsmith, an internationally respected child and adolescent mental health expert who has worked closely with a range of schools and local authorities to develop their approach to emotionally based school avoidance.

The Pupil Premium is money specifically earmarked to improve educational attainment for disadvantaged children – but how can we make sure that we’re successful in this aim?  In this course, you’re walked through a simple three step process to help you make the very best use of this fund using Matt Bromley’s simple three point plan:

1. Identify the barriers
2. Choose the strategies
3. Set the success criteria

This course will clear up any ambiguity about what the pupil premium is and how it can be used as well as giving you a simple, clear framework for best utilising it.  This course is a great opportunity for more experienced colleagues to reflect on current practice, whilst those newer to working with the Pupil Premium will find it to be a comprehensive and thought provoking introduction which inspires tangible action. This course has been developed by Matt Bromley who has over twenty years’ experience in teaching and leadership including as headteacher. He regularly speaks at the national Pupil Premium conference, has written extensively on how to make effective use of the Pupil Premium, and has worked with countless schools on improving their PP provision.  In addition, he specialises in diminishing disadvantage, including through the development of cultural capital and by improving pupils’ literacy skills.  He is the author of a number of books and regularly writes for the education media.

**UPDATE - over 3,000 people completed this course whilst it was free for a week and the feedback was fantastic. You can still access this course via site membership and can be ended anytime.   In this course, Matt Bromley walks you through a five step framework for managing attendance.  These simple strategies are easy to grasp and provide the perfect springboard for developing your policies and practice in school in order to reduce absenteeism and lateness.  This course is a great refresher for more experienced staff and a comprehensive introduction for those newer to post. As well as being useful for individual CPD, this course could also form the basis of group discussions or training and is likely to be of especial interest to governing bodies, boards or trusts. This course has been developed by Matt Bromley who has over twenty years’ experience in teaching and leadership including as headteacher. He regularly speaks at the School Attendance conference and writes for Attendance Matters Magazine.  He is a school improvement advisor, teacher-trainer and public speaker.  He is the author of a number of books on education and regularly writes for the education media.

This course highlights a series of warning signs that might indicate that a child or young person is in need of support with their emotional wellbeing or mental health.  The list has been specifically devised to draw on the warning signs that are most easily picked up within a school setting and as well as exploring each individual warning sign, we also explore exactly when to worry – and when not to as well. The course has been developed by Dr Pooky Knightsmith, an internationally recognised child and adolescent mental health expert and author of The Mentally Healthy Schools Workbook.

This course explores a range of simple and highly practical steps that individuals can take to promote their wellbeing in the workplace.  It recognises the unique challenges faced by those in education and considers some tried and tested strategies for overcoming these.  Each module ends with a challenge – these are simple small actions which should be relatively easy to execute and which will enable you to take a step in the right direction.  For example, can you find a few precious minutes to sit down and focus on eating your lunch… without talking about work?  Challenge accepted? The course has been developed by Dr Pooky Knightsmith, an internationally recognised mental health expert and author of The Mentally Healthy Schools Workbook.

Presenting your ideas as part of a conference or training day is a really exciting opportunity to make a difference to others.  It can be nerve wracking though and we can get caught up in knots about the things that might go wrong, worrying what to say and how to say it and working out how to prioritise what to include and what to leave out. This course gives you clear guidance and advice about how to get your next big presentation right so that you can prepare and present with confidence and enable colleagues to really benefit from your wealth of experience and ideas. The course has been developed by Dr Pooky Knightsmith who is an established keynote speaker who has delivered presentations across the UK, internationally and to a wide range of different audiences.  This course is inspired by a course Pooky developed for the Bromley Wellbeing Service who were keen to build the skills and confidence of their newly established mental health in schools support team.

This course walks you through a range of practical strategies that can be used by adults or children in order to create a sense of relaxation and wellbeing.  Each strategy stands alone, though there is huge benefit to learning a range of strategies for use in different situations. It is best to learn self-soothe strategies at a time of relative peace and calm and to become familiar with them so that they can be turned to at times of stress in order to bring some relief.  The ideas are all simple and safe and can be practised alone or with the support of a trusted friend or adult.  Many of the ideas could be used in a group or class setting in order to help children to reset and ready themselves for learning following busy, noisy or unstructured periods in the day such as breaktimes and lunchtimes. This course has been developed by Dr Pooky Knightsmith, an internationally recognised mental health expert and author.