Guest blog from Kathryn Humphreys, Project Resilience Director For children with a PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance / Persistent Drive for Autonomy) profile, everyday classroom language and expectations can feel overwhelming – like a minefield of demands and pressures. What often appears as defiance or non-compliance is, in fact, a stress response driven by extreme anxiety….
How can headteachers ensure that their TAs are making the greatest possible difference? The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) has updated its guidance on maximising the use of TAs to support learning (March 2025), reinforcing the importance of strategic deployment and evidence-based practice. Teaching assistants (TAs) are a vital part of the school workforce, yet their…
What VNET school leaders need to know about the Curriculum Review… The Curriculum and Assessment Review Interim Report has set out its initial findings, which have important implications for our primary schools. While much of the focus is on Secondary and post-16 education, the review highlights challenges that affect our youngest learners. As senior leaders,…
A Day of Welcome | Friday 13 June 2025 Free live events from EYFS to KS4 A Day of Welcome is an annual day of solidarity and learning in schools that aims to build a culture of welcome and understanding for people seeking sanctuary. Celebrated by more than 550 schools in 2024, it supports teachers…
VNET Education CIC’s mission is to support schools to improve outcomes for children. Through our unique and vibrant network, we support Schools, Academies and MATs across East Anglia. We provide bespoke in-school support and training, CPD and conferences to support education professionals for the benefit of children and young people. We are proud to showcase…
We were delighted to welcome so many of our colleagues to the VNET Annual conference last week. One of our keynote speakers, Amjad Ali, wowed delegates with a pointed, poignant delivery on adaptive teaching! Here he reiterates some of the points he made about Executive Functioning Skills… Everything we expect, irrespective of how high your…
AI is transforming education by personalising learning, automating tasks, and enhancing accessibility. It’s a frequent topic of discussion within the VNET Team. So, for this year’s conference we were really excited to welcome workshop leader and sponsor TeachMateAI. TeachMateAI believe in the power of responsible AI for education. Built by teachers, for teachers they aim…
Reduce classroom conflict by 34% with this simple but effective technique Guest blog from Kathryn Humphreys, Project Resilience Director As educators and school leaders, we navigate daily conversations that offer opportunities to make a difference. While many go smoothly, some are more challenging—whether it’s addressing a pupil’s behaviour, a parent’s concerns, or a colleague’s difficulties….
Edurio, the survey management specialists, have published a research report into school staff wellbeing. We are thrilled to share Edurio’s latest national research, “Staff Wellbeing in Academies,” which reveals important contrasts in the wellbeing of different groups of staff working in England’s schools. This major piece of research is based on the Edurio Staff Experience…
Guest Blog: Sean Harris, Trust Improvement Leader and doctoral researcher with Teesside University In my early days as a school leader, I vividly recall an Executive Headteacher introducing me as the ‘Pupil Premium Champion’, followed by a remark emphasising that the performance of all disadvantaged pupils was my sole responsibility. Perhaps I should have donned a…
