Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Fe Brewer @mrsbrew.bsky.social · 8d

One final day to order these babies for 30% off! @bloomsburyed.bsky.social

Fe Brewer @mrsbrew.bsky.social · 20d

This week, I’ve been exploring open evenings from a parents’ perspective.

Communicating and creating that ‘your-child-will-flourish-here’ feeling really is an art that takes a whole team of people and a whole lot of love.

Fe Brewer @mrsbrew.bsky.social · Sep 6

There are few finer ways to spend a warm early evening than lying on a camp blanket, reading a book, and enjoying a cuppa.

Fe Brewer @mrsbrew.bsky.social · Aug 29

Back to work from 21st, and back to Blue Sky today.

Aiming this year to share ideas, celebrate progress, encourage adventures, and learn a whole load.

Happy new (academic) year, everyone!

Fe Brewer @mrsbrew.bsky.social · Jul 4

Ah, yay! He’ll have a fab time, I’m sure!

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Fe Brewer @mrsbrew.bsky.social · Jun 3

Macbeth gem I learned this week:

We compare ‘thane’ to ‘lord’, but it’s more than that. Thanes had a duty to provide military support and defence to their ‘lord’ (often the king). So, (if Shakes knew this) Mac being a thane deepens his treachery even further. #englishteaching #shakespeare

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Reposted by Fe Brewer

Ben Rogers @benrogersedu.bsky.social · May 24

Who knew - sometimes when pupils are reading in class, they aren't paying full attention! Evidence here: readingforlearning.org/2025/05/24/t...

This week’s surprising news: some readers aren’t concentrating as hard as we’d like.

My Trust has an online reading programme which sets quizzes based on short texts. The pupils have a choice of text at the right level for them. The quiz pass rate is 8/10. We’ve analysed quiz…

readingforlearning.org

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Fe Brewer @mrsbrew.bsky.social · May 24

For all the guides and scouts out there:

1: Campfire’s Burning
2: My dad is a lavatory cleaner
3: Cecil is a caterpillar
4: There are no bananas in the sky
5: Vespers #propercampfiresongs #professionalcampers

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · May 23

#FridayFive is singing songs round the camp fire.
Vibes fine. Loose rules this week.
1. Pocahontas. Neil Young.
2. Blue Shadows on the Trail. The Three Amigos.
3. Redemption Song. Bob Marley.
4. Wide Open Spaces. The Dixie Chicks.
5. Whiskey in the Jar. Traditional but Thin Lizzy best version.

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Fe Brewer @mrsbrew.bsky.social · May 23

When half term starts with a delivery from your publisher! 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳

Thanks to @bloomsburyed.bsky.social for the advance copy. ❤️ @gwenelope.bsky.social @litliverbird.bsky.social

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Fe Brewer @mrsbrew.bsky.social · May 23

Starting half term with a rare hour of child-free time and a good hill. #happyhalfterm

Fe Brewer @mrsbrew.bsky.social · Apr 9

Lovely day today in our adaptive teaching ITaP: one of our first cohort returned as a facilitator for our current cohort, and one of the women who trained me came to train our trainees.

a man wearing a hat and earring says " that 's a full circle moment "

ALT: a man wearing a hat and earring says " that 's a full circle moment "

media.tenor.com

Reposted by Fe Brewer

Mary Myatt @marymyatt.bsky.social · Apr 6

One of the barriers to reading aloud in class:

It's enjoyable

So we think it can't be work

But it IS work

Not everything has to be difficult

/1

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Reposted by Fe Brewer

Tes magazine @tesmagazine.bsky.social · Apr 6

'We should be trying to avoid assessments that increase anxiety in children': Tes speaks to leading expert Therese Hopfenbeck about how to build better tests in schools

How to avoid the testing traps and make assessment better

Both national and classroom assessments can become meaningless with the wrong approaches or context, argues leading expert Therese Hopfenbeck

www.tes.com

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Reposted by Fe Brewer

Peps @pepsmccrea.bsky.social · Mar 30

The double-edged sword of SEND labels:

↓

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Reposted by Fe Brewer

Jon Hutchinson @jonhutchinson.bsky.social · Mar 18

Since July the Curriculum and Assessment Review, led by @beckyfrancis.bsky.social, has been engaged in understanding deeply the current state of what children learn and how this is assessed from KS1-KS5.

The interim report with initial findings and next steps can be read here:

shorturl.at/FFg7Z

Curriculum and Assessment Review: interim report

An independent review of the curriculum and assessment system in England, with statistical analysis.

www.gov.uk

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Fe Brewer @mrsbrew.bsky.social · Mar 16

If you want to feel mild terror this Sunday morning, I can thoroughly recommend this article. Fascinating, and something for us to really think about in schools too.

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Ultra-processed babies: are toddler snacks one of the great food scandals of our time?

For time-poor parents, straws, sticks, pouches and powders can seem like a quick, convenient and even healthy option. But these oversweetened, mushy foods are creating a generation of choosy consumers...

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Fe Brewer

Carl Hendrick @carlhendrick.substack.com · Mar 16

Why Motivation Theories in Education Haven't Changed in Decades (And Why It Matters for Schools) carlhendrick.substack.com/p/why-motiva...

Why Motivation Theories in Education Haven't Changed in Decades (And Why It Matters for Schools)

New paper suggests that our understanding of motivation has been stuck in the 1980s which is good for academics but not useful for teachers and parents.

carlhendrick.substack.com

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Fe Brewer @mrsbrew.bsky.social · Mar 9

Tolstoy’s handwriting apparently couldn’t be read by anyone but his wife. 8 times she copied out War and Peace so it could be sent to published. 8!

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SecEd @seced.bsky.social · Mar 5

The data suggests that nearly half of secondary students with #speech #language #communication needs are going unidentified. This article with @speechandlanguage.bsky.social asks what schools can do to spot & support these young people: buff.ly/4bd9NvY #SendTips #Teachers #Sponsored #Edusky

It’s never too late: Spotting and supporting SLCN at secondary school - SecEd

Many secondary students have unidentified speech language communication needs. How do SENCOs and teachers support them?

buff.ly

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Reposted by Fe Brewer

Carl Hendrick @carlhendrick.substack.com · Mar 5

Do worked examples boost the spacing effect on lasting learning? Apparently not! 🤯
This study examined what the impact would be of the spacing effect and worked examples were combined and the results were... surprising.

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Fe Brewer @mrsbrew.bsky.social · Mar 4

Animal sightings on my morning walk.

First 2 miles: 2 deer, 2 hares, 1 flock of geese; loads of birds.
Last mile: 6 humans; 5 black labs.

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Reposted by Fe Brewer

Emma Turner FCCT @emmaturner75.bsky.social · Feb 16

🧵An important part of the primary experience is having a lovely time- adults ringfencing the unique state of childhood and ensuring that primary is a glorious place to be little. Playful and joyful are not the antonyms of high standards and aspiration.

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Reposted by Fe Brewer

Prof Michael Green FCCT @michaelsgreen.bsky.social · Feb 15

Really interesting research study published about school mental health awareness interventions in secondary. Well worth reading assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67a0f0... #secondary #mentalhealth

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Fe Brewer @mrsbrew.bsky.social · Feb 15

Starting half term with breakfast in bed, a good book, and then a 3-mile muddy walk/slip-and-slide venture. Perfect. 👌🏻