80th Anniversary of D-Day
June 6th marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day, a turning point in World War II when the Western Allies (Britain, the United States, and Canada) launched the largest seaborne invasion in history. Landing on the beaches of Normandy, France, they began the campaign to liberate Nazi occupied Europe. This is an incredibly well known event in popular culture and with the 80th anniversary it is the perfect time to discuss this event with your students. The D-Day organisation has a wide range of resources for all Key Stages where you can discuss this topic.
How GivEducation Supports ‘I Do, We Do, You Do’ in the Classroom
Every teacher has faced the daunting task of delivering clear and structured lessons to a diverse group of pupils. The ‘I do, we do, you do’ approach is a powerful solution to this challenge, offering a structured model for the gradual release of responsibility from the teacher modelling, through guided practice, to independent student work. At GivEducation, we are former teachers ourselves, and we understand these classroom demands deeply. That’s why we’ve built a toolkit of AI-powered resources to support teachers and ultimately reduce teacher workload and allow them to focus on their teaching. I Do – Teacher Modelling The first stage of the technique requires clear, concise modelling. Teachers must demonstrate the skill or knowledge explicitly, which can be a demanding cognitive load, especially at the end of a long day. That’s where our WAGOLL Generator transforms the game. This tool allows teachers to instantly generate age-appropriate examples of “What A Good One Looks Like”, tailored precisely to their chosen year group. Teachers begin by selecting the year group to ensure vocabulary and structure are accessible, then add their own writing prompt and choose from curriculum-aligned writing features, such as punctuation or sentence-level targets. What makes this tool powerful is its flexibility and personalisation. Teachers can highlight specific writing features in the output, use simplified or greater depth versions for differentiation, and even view clear explanations to support teaching. This means modelling becomes not just easier, but more inclusive, adaptive, and aligned with learning goals. We Do – Guided Practice The “we do” stage is the crucial bridge between teacher demonstration and independent practice. In this phase, teachers and pupils work together, applying new concepts collaboratively while the teacher offers scaffolded support. It creates a safe environment where pupils can take risks without fear of failure, mistakes are not just accepted but valued as learning moments. This joint effort allows teachers to observe pupil thinking in real time, swiftly identify misconceptions, and offer immediate feedback before errors become habits. It also promotes peer learning, as pupils gain insight from each other’s approaches and build collective confidence. This phase also plays a critical diagnostic role. Teachers can use it to assess whether pupils are truly grasping the concept or if further modelling is needed. Our Comprehension Question Generator supports this beautifully by allowing teachers to generate tailored, scaffolded questions based on any text or topic. These questions help pupils engage with material at multiple levelsretrieval, inference, and reasoning encouraging them to verbalise their thinking and deepen their understanding. Through this collaborative inquiry, pupils don’t just mimic strategies they begin to internalise reasoning and develop metacognitive skills that prepare them for confident, independent work. You Do – Independent Practice The “you do” stage represents independent practice where pupils apply their learning without direct support. This is a critical moment for consolidation, fluency, and long-term retention. During this phase, students take responsibility for their work, allowing teachers to step back and observe whether the gradual release process has truly taken root. It’s also a test of depth: surface-level understanding will often reveal itself when students are left to work independently. The Misconception Generator is a powerful tool for the “you do” stage of learning. One of the most common challenges with independent practice is the risk that pupils will internalise incorrect information without realising it. This tool helps prevent that. By focusing on the identification and correction of errors, it ensures that students are consolidating accurate understanding rather than embedding misconceptions. As pupils engage with independently set tasks, the Misconception Generator prompts them to think critically and reflect on their knowledge. It reinforces correct concepts through active correction, helping to build confidence and deepen understanding. In this way, it supports truly meaningful independent practice and safeguards the learning process against common pitfalls. Conclusion – Empowering Teachers, Elevating Learning ‘I do, we do, you do’ is more than just a teaching model—it’s a philosophy of scaffolded success. At GivEducation, we’re proud to support teachers at each stage of this journey. Our tools are built with one goal in mind: to give time back to teachers while raising the quality of instruction and engagement for every pupil. Together, let’s reshape the classroom with smart tools and strong pedagogy. You’ve got this—and we’ve got your back. If you’re interested in learning more, and would like to ask us another question, contact us at: hello@giveducation.co.uk
Celebrating Hajj
From Wednesday 4th June to Monday 9th June, Muslims around the world will be taking part in Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and is a deeply significant spiritual journey. All adult Muslims who are physically and financially able are expected to undertake the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. This is an excellent opportunity to introduce pupils to one of the most important events in the Islamic calendar. If you have Muslim students in your class, this can also be a valuable moment to invite them to share their experiences or family traditions related to Hajj (if they feel comfortable doing so). They are perfect for use in form time, Religious Education (RE) lessons, or even during a whole-school assembly. As they come from BBC Teach, you can be confident that they meet the standards required for use in the classroom. Follow this link to find out more:
NEU CPD for Teachers
Continuous Professional Development is a foundation of all successful teachers. With Annual Reviews around the corner in the summer term it is the perfect time to boost your skills and gather some fresh certificates. Not only does it help you grow as an educator, but it also gives you solid evidence to support that well-deserved pay rise. The National Education Union has a range of courses on offer throughout June. They included sessions on: Promoting Mental Health in boys and young men, Anxiety in the classroom, Leadership masterclass: Strategic thinking and many more. Take some time to invest in yourself, you’ve earned it. If you’re a member of the Union you can sign up for free.
Free Primary Maths Resources!
The The National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) Classroom Resources page offers a wide range of free, high-quality materials to help primary teachers plan and deliver excellent maths lessons. With clear links to the national curriculum and simple filter options to narrow your search, it’s easy to find exactly what you need: whether you’re preparing a lesson or looking for quick assessment tools. These ready to use resources support strong pupil understanding, and are also ideal for collaborative professional development with colleagues. For busy teachers, this site is a real time saver. It reduces the need to create everything from scratch, helping to ease workload while still ensuring lessons are engaging and effective. If you can’t find what you’re looking for straight away, the search bar at the top of the page lets you explore the whole site quickly. Although the National Curriculum Resource Tool has been removed, you’ll find a host of up to date classroom materials that reflect current best practice making this site a must have in your planning toolkit.
International Nurses Day
Nurses are the backbone of the National Health Service (NHS) and on May 12th of each year International Nurses Day is celebrated. In celebration of this hard-working profession, we’ve put together a playlist of videos you can share with your students in form time, an assembly, PSHE or even a History lesson. List of videos: The Life and Work of Florence Nightingale: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jONlz7vaMnU Florence Nightingale: Changing the Field of Nursing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B94Zf4Vye3Y The Life of Mary Seacole (part 1 of 3): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZDfibPtBlI
Using GivEducation to Power Rosenshine’s Ideas
Introduction: A Teacher’s Companion Then and Now At GivEducation, we believe that technology should work with teachers, not against them. We’re made by teachers, for teachers and we are embracing the knowledge and experience we have develop tools which will help teachers the most. This blog post was written by Alex, a former teacher in England who has a history of using the Rosenshine Principles and has linked each one to a tool we offer. Here’s some words directly from him. “During my time working in education, Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction were a constant companion as it is a research-backed blueprint for what great teaching looks like in practice. I still remember being an NQT and being handed Tom Sherrington’s Rosenshine’s Principles in Action; it genuinely revolutionised how I thought about teaching and learning. Rooted in cognitive science and real world classroom strategies, Rosenshine’s ideas have always been about clear, effective, and pupil centred teaching, everything great teaching should be. I always wanted to use more of Rosenshine in the classroom but I just didn’t have the time or head space to fully implement it, this is where the GivEducation Teacher Toolkit would have been so helpful in achieving this, and why I am so passionate about this technology.” Used thoughtfully, the right tools can make these principles even more achievable, without losing the heart and soul of outstanding teaching. Built by teachers, for teachers, GivEducation’s tools are designed to do exactly that. Here’s how our tools link to each principle. 1. Daily Review: Making Learning Stick Rosenshine says: Start lessons by reviewing previous learning to strengthen memory and understanding. How GivEducation tools help: Practical tip: Use a quick question from the Comprehension Questions Generator or Misconception Generator as a morning starter or exit ticket to keep essential knowledge fresh. 2. Presenting New Material in Small Steps Rosenshine says: Avoid cognitive overload by introducing material step-by-step. How GivEducation tools help: Practical tip: Start a topic with a storybook narrative, then use the visualiser to zoom in on specific language choices, focusing on one new skill at a time. 3. Ask Questions Rosenshine says: Good questioning deepens thinking and checks understanding. How GivEducation tools help: Practical tip: Use AI Chat to research a topic for study in your class, and then take this information and feed it into the Comprehension Question Generator to develop worksheets for use in lesson. 4. Provide Models Rosenshine says: Show pupils how to think, plan, and work things out. How GivEducation tools help: Practical tip: Display a WAGOLL alongside pupils’ own work to facilitate self-assessment and peer feedback conversations. 5. Guide Student Practice Rosenshine says: Teachers should guide initial practice before independent work. How GivEducation tools help: Practical tip: Pair scaffolded enquiry activities with verbal prompts and stem sentencesto enable all students to access the curriculum. 6. Check for Understanding Rosenshine says: Continually monitor pupils’ understanding and adjust teaching as needed. How GivEducation tools help: Practical tip: Use the Misconception Solver’s predictions to craft resources to help you catch and address gaps early. 7. Obtain High Success Rates Rosenshine says: Ensure pupils succeed with strong guidance before moving on. How GivEducation tools help: Practical tip: Use AI Chat to create personalised learning resources for use in the classroom which will enable all students to have learning resources which meet their needs and allows them all to succeed. 8. Provide Scaffolds for Difficult Tasks Rosenshine says: Provide temporary supports until pupils can work independently. How GivEducation tools help: Practical tip: Model the use of scaffolds explicitly early on, then gradually phase them out as pupils’ confidence grows. 9. Independent Practice Rosenshine says: Pupils need time to independently practise what they’ve been taught, reinforcing understanding and fluency. How GivEducation tools help: Practical tip: Build a weekly routine where pupils complete a short, targeted task independently using questions generated by GivEducation tools. Reinforce the use of stem sentences to ensure they’re articulating ideas with precision and clarity. 10. Weekly and Monthly Review Rosenshine says: Regular review strengthens memory and helps pupils retain what they’ve learned. How GivEducation tools help: Practical tip: Use the Misconception Solver to identify and build specific hinge questions for your weekly or monthly quizzes, ensuring every review session sharpens, not just repeats learning. Final Thoughts: Keeping Pedagogy at the Heart At GivEducation, we believe the magic happens in the classroom, not inside the technology. Our tools are not designed to replace teachers, but to free them to focus on what truly matters: inspiring, modelling, guiding, and shaping young minds. Our goal is to allow teachers to do this and not worry about background tasks, let GivEducation do that. By connecting thoughtful technology to Rosenshine’s timeless, human principles, we can lighten teachers’ workloads without losing the personal touch that brings learning alive. Whether you are reviewing prior knowledge, guiding new learning, or checking for understanding, GivEducation offers a practical, trustworthy hand which is being built by teachers, for teachers. If you’re interested in learning more, and would like to ask us another question, contact us at: hello@giveducation.co.uk
Telling stories through sculpture
Sculptures have fascinated people for centuries. Renowned sculptor Hazel Reeves has created lesson resources designed to ignite students’ excitement about this powerful art form. In the lesson students will explore how Hazel’s sculpture of suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst tells a story through its stance and describes Hazel’s process, from initial drawings to final fabrication. Students are encouraged to develop their own idea for a sculpture that tells a story through its pose. This is a great chance to combine History and Art together and make an impactful difference in students understanding of what scultpors are and the process behind them. Click on the link below to access the lesson resources.
National Numeracy Day
The 21st May is National Numeracy Day and National Numeracy have a number of useful resources to celebrate this day with your students. All you have to do is sign up to access them. Maths is a core foundation for many future career paths your students may wish to take such as in science, engineering, economics, and computer science. Beyond the classroom, maths fosters problem-solving skills that are invaluable in everyday life whether budgeting, making informed financial decisions, or analysing data. If some of your students aren’t engaged by maths, sharing these real life applications might spark their interest. Follow this link to find the resources:
VE Day Arts & Crafts Celebration
8th May marks Victory in Europe (VE) Day, a significant event commemorating the Allied victory over fascism in Europe and the end of nearly a decade of devastation. The first VE Day celebration in 1945 saw millions of people take to the streets across Britain to rejoice. Crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace as King George VI and Winston Churchill appeared on the balcony to mark the momentous occasion. Reading Museum has put together a fantastic collection of resources, allowing students (and even their caregivers) to engage in a variety of arts and crafts projects. Activities include dressing up as a 1940s child, learning to dance the Lindy Hop, and much more. This is a great opportunity to organise a community event or set it as a creative homework task. Reading Museum also offers additional resources, including an Online Activity Chart related to VE Day. To learn more about the Arts & Crafts and their other resources follow the link below: