The world of the primary school

Please note: This course is closing soon and will be removedfrom OpenLearn on 10 June 2024. Please make sure you have finished studying thecourse by then.  Primary education is a dynamic and exciting area to study and become involved in. This free course, The world of the primary school, introduces the various members of a primary school community, and considers the nature of their involvement and how this has evolved in the UK over recent years. It explores ideas about the primary school curriculum and the role of teachers and support staff in supporting children's learning.

• Introduction
• Learning outcomes
• 1 Primary schools today
• 1 Primary schools today
• 1.1 Reflecting on your own experiences of primary education
• 1.2 Fulbridge Academy
• 1.3 Curriculum frameworks
• 1.4 The school community
• 1.5 The wider context
• 2 Teaching assistants in primary education
• 2 Teaching assistants in primary education
• 2.1 Supporting teachers
• 2.2 Volunteers
• 2.3 Titles, duties and ways of working
• 2.4 Distinctive contributions
• 2.5 The primary school workforce in the United Kingdom
• 2.6 Support staff in Europe and beyond
• 3 Teaching assistant or assistant teacher?
• 3 Teaching assistant or assistant teacher?
• 3.1 What is the value of teaching assistants?
• 3.2 Children’s and parents’ views of teaching assistants
• 3.3 The evolving role of the teacher
• 4 Support in action
• 4 Support in action
• 4.1 Focusing on practice
• 4.2 Assisting, supporting and teaching
• 5 Looking to the future
• 5 Looking to the future
• Conclusion
• References
• Acknowledgements