Tracey Smith

Climbing STAIRS The Education Endowment Foundation’s recently-published (2025) STAIRS model offers early years educators a simple and memorable framework for scaffolding children’s learning through high-quality interactions. It brings together six features of effective adult support: Sharing attention, Thriving together, Avoiding frustration, highlighting Important features, Reviewing progress and supporting Self-motivation. Its central message is that children learn best when adults provide...

The other evening, I was being interviewed for someone’s doctoral research, a hugely important area: Values-based Leadership. He asked some great questions which caused me to reflect in depth about some of the times when I have been fortunate to be a values-based leader in education. For some of his questions, I didn’t have a ready reply and had to think before answering. How about this great question: Q: How did being a values-led leader help to create trust between you and your colleagues

The changes we have seen since developing relational practice have been incredible – it is how we all want to be treated, and staff are invigorated to continue our journey. Before we introduced relational practice, the school followed a traditional behaviour policy which used rewards and sanctions. Punishments were given as consequences. The previous Headteacher was very strict, traditional and would frequently shout at pupils and punish them for their behaviour. Behaviour was good overall,...