101. Climate education

A lot of the biggest problems in the world — like poverty, disappearing wildlife, and even food shortages — are getting worse because of climate change. If we sit back and do nothing, things will only get worse. The good news is if we start taking action now, we can actually make a difference and protect our planet, the people we care about, and the amazing wildlife we share it with.

When pupils learn about how the world works — through science, geography, and how everything is connected — they can begin to make sense of these issues for themselves. This helps them discover what they care about most and how they can make a real difference. Every school has a role to play, and having a sustainability leader and a clear climate action plan can help bring this to life, especially when learners are actively involved and inspired to create positive change.

This staff meeting starter encourages staff to discuss the current provision for teaching climate change and sustainability in school and how this can be improved by empowering pupils with tangible actions and hopeful solutions.

100. Developing fluent transcription skills

Ensuring fluency in the basic skills of writing, such as fluent handwriting and accurate spelling, is vital. Why?

Think of it like driving a car. When you first learn, you consciously think about every single step: clutch in, change gear, check mirrors. It’s exhausting! But once those actions become automatic, your brain is free to think about the traffic, where you’re going, and what podcast to listen to.

Writing works the same way. If a child has to stop and struggle to form every single ‘B’ or remember if ‘friend’ is spelled with an ‘ie’ or an ‘ei’, their brilliant ideas just evaporate. The goal is to make these mechanics so smooth and automatic that their imagination can just flow straight onto the paper.

This staff meeting starter encourages staff to consider how effectively they teach transcription skills to free pupils’ working memory and build muscle memory to ensure they are not wrestling with the physical act of writing.

Linked resources

Premium subscribers can access a training module based on Ofsted’s research review of writing which explains why fluent transcription skills are crucial in enabling pupils to focus on organising and communicating their ideas.

In our Resource Bank you will find a number of resources which focus on writing, including a ‘Writing Framework checklist’, and a ‘Strong Foundations’ self-evaluation and action plan document which includes aspects of early writing skills. Click here to go to the resource bank.

99. Using the ‘tuning protocol’ for staff feedback

Ever heard of the tuning protocol? It’s a simple but powerful process that helps educators give and receive thoughtful, respectful feedback on a piece of work or a project. Think of it as a facilitated brainstorming session or a “peer coaching” method – the idea is to help us fine-tune our practice. It’s all about creating a safe space where teachers can share their work without feeling defensive. Instead of general praise or harsh criticism, the protocol uses a set agenda to keep the feedback constructive and focused.

In this staff meeting starter, we’ll take a closer look at how the tuning protocol works and discuss how it might be useful in our own setting – not just to improve our practice, but also to build stronger connections and collaboration across the staff team.

98. Journal clubs for professional development

Journal clubs are regular meetings where groups of educators gather together to critically discuss published research articles. Similar to book clubs, they provide a structured forum for peers to build their knowledge, analyse the validity of research, and determine how it can be applied to improve practice.

There are many benefits to journal clubs, a key one being that they provide a sustainable way for busy teaching staff to keep up to date with the latest developments in education without becoming overwhelmed by the volume of new information. However, the sessions need to be carefully planned and deleivered and the articles must be well chosen.

This staff meeting starter encourages staff to consider the benefits of a journal club, and the possibility of utilising one in their setting and context.

97. Contextual safeguarding

Not all risks to young people come from home—many arise in the wider spaces they move through every day. Extra-familial harm describes situations where abuse, exploitation or violence happens beyond the family environment, often in places where parents have little visibility or control. These experiences can be deeply damaging and can even strain parent–child relationships.

Contextual safeguarding reminds us that friendships, peer groups, online spaces and community settings can all shape a young person’s safety. Research shows that harms such as street violence, online bullying, harassment from peers and unhealthy intimate relationships all take place in these external contexts.

Traditional child protection systems were designed to address risks within families, usually by supporting parents to safeguard their children or, when necessary, moving children away from unsafe home situations. But when harm originates outside the home, we need to broaden our lens.

This staff meeting starter provides opportunities for staff to identify patterns of harm occurring in these external contexts, collecting data about incidents, and tailoring their curriculum and interventions to mitigate these risks, thereby protecting pupils from extra-familial harm.

96. The orchestration of attention

Attention is the gateway to learning—what pupils focus on is what they remember. But attention is limited, easily distracted, and not naturally drawn to academic content. That’s why how we guide it matters so much.

Orchestration of attention in education is the active process by which educators manage and direct pupils’ limited and restless attention to the most important aspects of the curriculum for effective learning. There’s growing evidence that simple attention-supporting strategies can do more than just improve focus: they can help counter the effects of lower prior attainment, disadvantaged backgrounds and weaker self-regulation. In other words, good attention orchestration doesn’t just help everyone, it helps level the playing field.

This staff meeting starter encourages staff to consider attention as the primary currency of the classroom and think about it as a core consideration when we teach. Staff will have the opportunity to share practical ideas and strategies to ensure pupils attend to what we want them to learn.

Linked resources

Premium subscribers can access a self-evaluation tool about learner engagement. This document is useful for teaching staff or school leaders who are interested in reflecting upon how their actions and the systems in place support and nurture pupil motivation and invovlvement in lessons. Make sure you are logged in to EduSuite, then visit the resource bank and type ‘learner engagement’ in the search bar to access this document.

95. Using research evidence

Research comes in many forms, and no single type is always “best.” What counts as good evidence depends on the question we’re asking and our school context.

Because research can be mixed or even conflicting, it’s helpful to look at a range of sources to spot patterns and decide what’s most likely to work for our pupils. Using credible evidence supports better decision-making—but the quality of research varies, and there are some common red flags that can help us judge how reliable it is.

This staff meeting starter encourages staff to consider how they engage with research evidence to help identify approaches that can potentially improve outcomes and inform decision making.

Linked resources

Premium subscribers can access a wide range of videos based on Ofsted subject reviews and the Early Years ‘Best start in life’ series. We have summarised the research from Ofsted into easily digtable videos where we share the key messages from the subject or early years research and pose questions for you to consider in your setting. Whether you are a subject, phase, or senior leader, you’ll find these videos insightful and informative.

94. The four C’s of online safety

The way schools and teachers use technology has changed hugely in the last few years. And so have the apps, platforms and games that pupils use. As the technology continues to evolve, so too do the risks that children and young people face online. This can present a challenge for schools. Alongside this, through misinformation and disinformation, pupils are exposed to false content that can have real-world, harmful consequences, impacting their mental health, educational development and social interactions with others.

This staff meeting starter can be used to discuss online safety through the Four C’s framework and the importance of understanding misinformation and disinformation as outlined in KCSiE 2025.

93. A sense of identity

Teaching children to develop a strong sense of identity is vital to their overall growth and wellbeing. A child’s sense of self is shaped by their experiences, values, personal characteristics, and social roles, helping them answer questions such as: Who am I? What matters to me? What is my place in the world?

When pupils understand who they are, recognise their strengths, and accept their differences, they build confidence, self-esteem, and resilience.

This staff meeting starter provides opportunities for staff to discuss how the curriculum and culture supports teaching pupils a sense of identity.

92. Establishing a questioning culture

Questioning sits at the heart of great teaching. The right questions can spark curiosity, deepen understanding, and help pupils think more critically about their learning. When questioning is used well, it not only supports knowledge retrieval but also helps pupils to develop their oracy, confidence, and self-regulation.

A strong questioning culture encourages positive interactions between teachers and pupils and can lead to:
– Improved communication skills
– Active participation
– Growing confidence

A crucial starting point is creating a positive classroom environment where interactions between teacher and pupils encourage openness and trust.

This staff meeting starter invites teaching staff to reflect on how they use questioning to foster that environment – one where pupils feel confident to ask, answer, and explore ideas.