With over 14 years of primary teaching experience across Key Stage 1 & 2. I am now embarking on NPQSL to build on my experience and develop further my leadership skills. During this time, I have held several subject lead positions; R.E.; School Council Co-ordinator; SEND champion; Music lead; IT lead and currently PSHE lead. Please look through my resources, which I have carefully selected as successful and useful in teaching the primary curriculum.
With over 14 years of primary teaching experience across Key Stage 1 & 2. I am now embarking on NPQSL to build on my experience and develop further my leadership skills. During this time, I have held several subject lead positions; R.E.; School Council Co-ordinator; SEND champion; Music lead; IT lead and currently PSHE lead. Please look through my resources, which I have carefully selected as successful and useful in teaching the primary curriculum.
This lesson on baptism was designed for a class of 6-7 year-olds in an Archdiocese school as part of a formal school inspection. The lesson received glowing praise from the inspectors, noting the interactive approach, the clarity of teaching, and the engaging use of technology. The lesson focused on introducing children to the sacrament of baptism through storytelling, visual aids, and a child-friendly reenactment.
Included:
Lesson Plans
PPTs
Script
The lesson began with an engaging PowerPoint presentation outlining the key elements of baptism, using simple language and colourful illustrations. The slides highlighted the significance of water, the Holy Spirit, the baptismal candle, and the anointing with oil, all presented in a way that was easy for young children to understand. It included opportunities for the children to participate by asking questions and sharing any experiences they had witnessed with baptisms in their families.
Following the PowerPoint presentation, the class participated in a short, fun role-play exercise where the children acted out a baptism. This hands-on activity helped solidify their understanding of the sacrament. The children took turns playing different roles: priest, parents, godparents, and the baby being baptised. Inspectors praised the lesson for its creativity, engagement, and the childrenâs evident enjoyment.
This lesson was planned in preparation for an Ofsted inspection deep-dive into Art. The aim of the lesson was to continue to learn how to complete a portrait of Henry VIII by using the Grid Method to help plan the proportions of the image so that they match on both sides. **Albeit, not symmetrically. **
This is a complete lesson including planning, PPT and resources, Grid of Henry VIII and complete image of Henry VIII. The focus of the lesson is on Henry VIII by Hans Holbein the Younger Workshop of 1537
The PPT asks the children to first consider the following questions:
What do portraits of Henry VIII tell us about him?
Why is the portrait of Henry VIII important?
Why did the King want a portrait painted?
Then, to compare an alpha male from 1537 to the present day.
Introduces the grid method via a YouTube video, and then onto the task.
The lesson proved to be very pleasing to the children, teacher and ultimately, the Ofsted inspector.
This Ash Wednesday assembly helps children understand the significance of the day and the start of Lent. It begins by explaining the meaning of the ashes and their connection to repentance and renewal. The script includes a scripture reading Matthew, 6:16-18 about Jesusâ teachings on prayer, fasting, and giving. Children are encouraged to reflect on how they can grow closer to God through kindness, self-discipline, and helping others. Ending with a quiet prayer of reflection inviting the children to think about their Lenten promises.
This script is for an Easter assembly and covers the events leading up to Christâs Crucifixion and Resurrection on Easter Sunday, which is the most important festival for Christians. The script includes three eyewitness accounts of the Easter story:
Simon helped carry Jesusâ cross up the hill.
A Roman soldier took a prisoner to his death.
Mary Magdalene discovered Jesus had risen from the dead and instructed her to inform the disciples.
There are 8 concluding statements that promote a gratitude mindset. For example, âIf you are healthy today, you are more blessed than millions dying this week.â
Finally, the script asks us to remember our blessings, the true message of Easter, and to celebrate in the Good News that Christ is Risen!
The script is designed for Key Stage 2 and can accommodate 30 children, but it can be edited to suit more or fewer participants. Its running time is around 20-30 minutes, but it can be edited.
There are two poems mentioned in the script, which cannot be reproduced since they are not owned by the author. However, they should be available online, or you can substitute them with similar ones.
The script suggests singing a hymn, âChrist, Be Our Light,â by Bernadette Farrell, but again, this cannot be reproduced. The hymn is merely a suggestion and can be edited or removed depending on time restrictions.
Finally, the script includes a fully animated and transitioned PowerPoint presentation to provide a backdrop to the assembly.
Script Extract:
Good morning and welcome to our assembly. Lent is six weeks, lasting 40 days excluding Sundays, leading up to Easter. This period commences on Ash Wednesday and ends with Holy Week. Easter is the most important festival for Christians.
Lent is a period of introspection and prayer during which Christians recall the story of Jesus being tempted by the devil in the desert. They also strive to reconcile with God before celebrating Jesusâ resurrection on Easter Sunday.
World Bee Day is on 20th May and it celebrates the work and importance of Beeâs to our eco-system.
Suitable for infants and juniors, with a running time of appropriately 15-20 minutes and can accomodate about 10 to 12 children.
Includes a script and fully animinated and transitioned PPT.
This personal statement helped me get shortlisted for the TLR - Primary English Lead position. Even though this statement is specific to a subject, it can be easily adapted to show that you are capable of managing, leading, and taking responsibility for a certain part of the curriculum planning or pupil development within the school. Additionally, it helps to identify and improve school development issues, and evaluate the impact for any area of the curriculum.
I come from an area of significant disadvantage, and I have mentioned how I addressed barriers to learning such as SEND and socio-economic factors. This statement can be modified to suit your experience and context.
Wishing you good luck!
This Palm Sunday assembly helps children understand the significance of Jesusâ entry into Jerusalem. It begins with a moment of stillness before diving into the Bible story from Matthew 21:1-11. Children imagine being part of the joyful crowd welcoming Jesus as He humbly rides a donkey symbolising peace while people wave palm branches, a sign of victory. The assembly explains that Jesus is a different kind of king, bringing love and humility instead of power and war.
The âRespondâ section encourages reflection on how we welcome Jesus in our lives by showing kindness and love. It highlights Palm Sunday as the beginning of Holy Week, reminding us of Jesusâ ultimate sacrifice.
Finally, the assembly ends with a prayer and a call to go forth spreading joy, just as the people of Jerusalem did.
It has an approximate running time of 20 minutes and is suitable for whole school primary assembly audience. It was written for a Catholic school but can easily be adapted.
I have used this text and resources with Year 4 students many times and they have always been successful in getting even the most reluctant pupils to engage in creative writing.
This unit of work is designed to support the teaching and learning of Beowulf by Michael Morpurgo. It includes approximately 14 sessions worth of materials that provide pupils with the opportunity to practice and refine their writing skills through short writing exercises. The bundle contains PowerPoint presentations, differentiated worksheets, and other supporting materials.
The planning has been adapted from various sources and tailored to the way in which English is taught in my school. There is no Week 4 planning as it was assessment week, so it naturally follows onto Week 5. The following objectives are covered:
Write predictions about a character and text
Write a character description
Using expanded noun and prepositional phrases to describe a monster.
Describe the beast and his crimes in two paragraphs.
Write a character profile about Beowulf.
Identify adverbial phrases and use fronted adverbials in sentences
Write an effective and detailed character description
Image what it was like to be one of Beowulfâs soldiers.
Complete time-line of events using conjunctions and adverbial phrases.
Plan and discuss 3 paragraphs
Retell the story of Beowulf
Re-draft a retelling of Beowulf
Plan and draft own Beowulf adventure
Edit and re-draft own Beowulf story
This resource bank is designed to support Year 3 students in their reading and learning of Neil Gaimanâs book, âThe Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfishâ. However, it can also be adapted for Year 4 students with additional objectives for adverbials and fronted adverbials.
The materials provide a two-week plus sequence of activities, including PowerPoint presentations, differentiated worksheets, and other supporting materials. The sequence is designed to help students read and discuss the story, identify the different characters and their voices, and analyse the conventions of written dialogue and the use of speech marks (inverted commas).
The resources also encourage students to write their missing scenes from the book and write a diary entry from the perspective of Dad. Finally, the sequence culminates in students using the cliffhanger at the end of the book to plan and write their sequel using the structure of the original story.
Please note that no planning is included as it is largely drawn from the Literacy Company planning.
The following objectives are covered:
To write multi-clause sentences using because as a conjunction
To understand the conventions of dialogue
To punctuate direct speech
To use apostrophes for possession and contraction
To write a missing scene
To write a diary entry
To re-tell a story orally
To plan a story based on the original plot
To write the opening of a story
To write the middle part of a story
To write the ending of a story
To evaluate, edit and improve my writing
What do Christians believe? Jesus is âThe Light of the Worldâ. In the run up to Christmas, we are looking at William Holman Huntâs painting âLight of the Worldâ.
The following pack includes 3 levels of differentiated worksheets that examine the theme of light and William Holman Huntâs painting, as well as PPT, (full animated with transition), which explains the idea of Jesus at the light of the world with the following questions to support the children knowledge and understanding.
Look at William Holman Huntâs painting âLight of the Worldâ. Donât give children title of painting, in small groups let them explore the image. Questions to scaffold could be âWho do you think the person is in the picture? Who might be behind the door? What is the painter trying to show us? Then give children the title, âLight of the Worldâ and explain how Christians believe that Jesus is the Light of the World â He shows us the way, warns us of danger, lights up our lives etc.
The application form and personal statement are the first hurdles to securing a teaching position. As someone who found writing the personal statement challenging, I wanted to share a template that helped me secure several interviews and eventually a permanent teaching position.
While the personal statement will need to be personalised to the school you are applying to, a clear and concise template can guide you in the right direction. In the example provided, I was applying to a Catholic Primary School in an area of significant disadvantage. You can adapt the statement to your situation and school.
This personal statement also highlights my success with children with SEND in a mainstream setting. The advertised position required experience in this area, so I tailored this part of my statement to showcase my talents and experiences that best relate to the job specification.
This assembly centres around Laetare Sunday, also called âRejoice Sundayâ. It is the fourth Sunday of Lent, which is a time for Christians to reflect, repent, and prepare for Holy Week and Easter.
During the assembly, the children will learn about the promise of hope that Jesus offers us. His death on the Cross means that we can receive forgiveness of sins. They will reflect on what Jesus said, âI am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.â (John 8:12).
The assembly discusses the spiritual significance of the Gospel reading by sharing âThe Lesson of the Butterflyâ and emphasizing how difficult experiences can make us stronger.
In life, we often receive what we need, rather than what we desire. The story of the butterfly teaches us that even after its difficult transformation, it emerges as a beautiful creature that adds wonder to any garden. Despite the struggles it has endured, the butterfly does not become bitter.
The script has a running time of approximately no longer than 20 minutes, including two hymns: âChrist be our lightâ and âCome Gatherâ. Both hymns are freely available online. The script encourages childrenâs participation and requests volunteers to read the highlighted parts marked in yellow. The script is supported with fully animated and transitioned PowerPoint slides.
Extract:
We gather to begin our prayer time with the Sign of the Cross.
Last Sunday, 10th March, the Church celebrated Laetare Sunday. Laetare means âRejoiceâ and we are rejoicing because we are halfway through Lent!
And we have even more to rejoice about. Jesus, the light, has come into the world âso that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him.â (John 3:15)
âŠDuring the season of Lent, it can be difficult to witness the immense suffering that Jesus endured, but I have a meaningful story to share that helped me understand why we may face struggles at times. The story is called âThe Lesson of the Butterflyâ.
After watching for several hours, a man observed a small opening in a cocoon as a butterfly struggled to force its body through the little hole.
This engaging assembly bundle includes five assemblies designed for KS2 children, covering key themes of Lent and Easter:
Ash Wednesday - Explaining the meaning and purpose of Ash Wednesday as the start of Lent, which marks a period of reflection, penance and self-discipline.
Laetare Sunday - Exploring the significance of this joyful midpoint in Lent, focusing on hope and renewal.
Palm Sunday - Exploring the significance of Jesus as humble peaceful servant of God.
The Washing of the Feet - A reflection on Jesusâ act of humility and service, encouraging pupils to consider how they can serve others.
The Easter Story - A retelling of Jesusâ death and resurrection, highlighting the message of hope and new life. (This was written as a whole-school assembly and has a running time of 20 minutes or more.)
Each presentation includes clear explanations, discussions prompts, and reflective questions to support learning and engagement. Perfect for whole-school or class assemblies!
This assembly focuses on a lesser-known part of the Easter story, namely Maundy, or Holy Thursday: The washing of the disciplesâ feet. During the assembly, children will learn about Jesusâ total self-giving by reflecting on the story from Johnâs Gospel 13.1-17, 31b-35.
During the story, Jesus was a special guest, but no one offered him water to wash his feet. Instead, Jesus got up from the table, took off his coat, tied a towel around his waist, poured some water into a large bowl, and began to wash his friendsâ feet, drying them with a towel.
To prepare for this assembly, there is an opportunity in the script for children to imagine being a disciple of Jesus and retell the story of the washing of the feet as if they were one of the characters involved.
The script has a running time of approximately 20-30 minutes, including a hymn: âMake me a channel of your peaceâ, which is freely available online. The script can accommodate up to thirty children, and dressing them in traditional clothes would add to the storyâs impact.
Extract:
Jesus shared a Last Supper with his friends the night before he died. On the topic of self-giving, we heard how Jesus took the bread and wine, blessed them, and gave them to his friends. In this story from Johnâs Gospel, we hear of something else that happened at that Last Supper.
Jesus was at supper with his friends. He got up, put a towel around his waist, poured some water into a bowl and he washed their feet. His friends were tired, and their feet were swollen and dirty from their dayâs travelling, because of the heat and dust, people had to wash their feet very often.
Crown Jewels Chapter 7 - My Friend Walter - Michael Morpurgo
In the event of a national crisis, the Orb from the Crown Jewels has been stolen, and the task given to the children is to write a report about the Crown Jewels. They have been appointed as new researchers and writers for Newsround, and their job is to compare the similarities and differences of the Crown Jewels in a way that is easy to understand for a younger audience, like infants.
This lesson was designed for a Year 4 class with a high percentage of SEND children in a mainstream setting. These children were working below the expected standard for Year 4, but the lesson has challenges to engage higher-attaining pupils and can be adapted for an older or younger year group. Also, I used this for a lesson observation for senior leadership position, and I was successfully shortlisted.
The lesson includes a PowerPoint presentation called âMy Friend Walter Chapter 7 Reportâ that is fully animated with transitions, and three sheets for differentiated tasks.
For higher-attaining pupils, there is a picture of the Crown Jewels as a reference, and the expectation is to write directly into books and compare two objects.
For middle-attaining pupils, there is a worksheet with two columns: Similarities and Differences.
For lower-attaining pupils, there is a worksheet with a writing frame, two columns for Similarities and Differences, and a word bank with key vocabulary.
The main focus of the lesson is to write a report about the Crown Jewels, so it can be easily adapted without reference to the rest of the story. However, if you would like to use the text from the story, in chapter 7, we find out about the mischievous old ghost (Sir Walter) who sets about restoring the familyâs fortune, while Bess has to try to keep the presence of a ghost in the house a secret. Sir Walter comes up with a scheme to steal the orb from the Crown Jewels to help raise money for the farm.
An example of a finished report is also included along with the lesson plan.
If you appreciate these resources, please leave a positive review, and in exchange I will send you a free resource up to the value of this one by emailing me: bulgerkenneth@gmail.com
This PPT explains the four parts of the Catholic Mass: Introductory Rites, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist, and Concluding Rites. Each section includes key prayers, actions, and meanings to help the children understand the flow of the Mass. It was aimed at an able Year 1 class.
The activity sheet includes a matching exercise, sequencing task to arrange parts of the Mass in order.
Title: Ash Wednesday: A Journey with Jesus
Running Time: - 10 minutes
Audience: 5-7 year olds (Classroom or Assembly)
Format: - Gather - Listen - Respond - Go Forth
Description: - The script introduces the young children to Ash Wednesday in an engaging and simple way. It begins with a warm welcome (Gather), where the children are invited to reflect on Godâs love. The story (Listen) a short reading from Matthew 6:6. A brief, child-friendly explanation follows, helping children understand that Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent - a special time to grow closer to God.
In the (Respond), children participate in a short reflective activity, such as tracing a cross on their hand or sharing one kind action they can do during Lent.
Finally, they are sent forth (Go Forth) with a simple prayer and blessing, encouraged to show kindness and love as they begin their Lenten journey.
Extract:
*Classroom Collective Worship: Ash Wednesday â KS1: A Journey with Jesus
Gather:
(Invite children to sit in a circle or quietly at their desks.)
Leader: âToday is a very special day called Ash Wednesday. It is the beginning of Lent, a time when we get ready for Easter. Letâs take a moment to be still and quiet, thinking about how much God loves us.â
(You may light a candle or display a cross to set a prayerful atmosphere.)
Leader: âLetâs make the Sign of the Cross together.â (Children join in: âIn the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.â)
Why did Anglo-Saxon tribes settle in Britain after the Roman armies left?
This planning was developed with a consultant in response to an Ofsted school inspection that identified the foundation subjects of History and Geography as an area of improvement.
It begins with a rationale: Why are we studying this? Disciplinary concepts, such as chronology; continuity and change; cause and consequence; historical significance and sources.
A list of sticky knowledge: such as migration; collapse of Roman Britain etc.
Each lessons begins with a question and covers the following:
Who were the Anglo-Saxons?
Why did the Anglo-Saxons invade Britain?
Where did they settle?
What is Sutton Hoo, and what was found there?
When and How Did the Anglo-Saxons Become Christians?
What was life like for Vikings to invade Britain?
The planning is sequenced, covers substantive vocabulary, and outcomes.
Here is a sample of lesson 1:
Who were the Anglo-Saxons?
Introduction:
Begin the lesson by asking students what they know about the Anglo-Saxons. Record their responses on the board.
Explain that the Anglo-Saxons were a group of people who lived in Britain many centuries ago. Today, we will learn more about who they were and what life was like for them. Introduce the central question of the lesson: âWho were the Anglo-Saxons?â
Main Teaching:
Show pictures of Anglo-Saxon artefacts, clothing, and daily life. Explain that they were skilled farmers, craftsmen, builders, weaving and traders who lived in small villages, grew crops, raised animals, and made beautiful objects using wood, wool and leather. Discuss their migration from Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands to Britain and how their presence influenced the islandâs geography and culture.
Activity:
Divide the class into small groups and assign each group an origin from an Anglo-Saxon home. Instruct each group to prepare and perform a brief skit describing the skills they possess and where they come from.
This vibrant and reflective 15-minute collective worship assembly is designed especially for Catholic primary school children aged 5â11, but can be easily adapted for use in other Christian denominations. Rooted in John 20:1â9, the assembly invites children to encounter the most glorious, awe-inspiring, and life-changing message of all: Jesus Christ is risen!
The assembly is thoughtfully structured around the four key elements of Catholic collective worship:
Gather â Welcome and prepare hearts for worship
Listen â Hear the Gospel account of the Resurrection
Respond â Reflect through prayer, song, and stillness
Go Forth â Take the joy of Easter into everyday life
Key Features:
Fully animated PowerPoint presentation with smooth transitions
Gospel Reflection tailored to a young audience
Thought-provoking bidding prayers written for and by children
Beautiful Easter-themed imagery to enhance understanding
Links to joyful hymns via YouTube, including:
âThis is the Dayâ
âHeâs Got the Whole World in His Handsâ
Closing prayer with a reverent Hail Mary
Suitable for delivery by either children or an adult
Fay Healey was the lollipop lady at St. Elizabethâs Catholic Primary School for twenty years, while she safely saw hundreds of children across the road, Fay carried with her an extraordinary story of survival and triumph. This is a comprehension exercise that introduces the theme of holocaust and discrimination in an entire child friendly and age appropriate manner.
The brief biography of Fayâs life includes her journey from Poland to England on the Kindertransport, settling in Liverpool and later her marriage, as well as the next generation of children.
It include the text of Fayâs life and three levels of differentiated questions.
*** Fay Healey text - brief biography **
Higher attaining - 6 questions with extension task to write a diary entry as Fay on the Kindertransport to demonstrate empathy.
*** Middle attaining** - 5 questions - no extension
**Lower attaining **- 5 questions with scaffolded sentence structure to help form the answers.