Bloomsbury's Top Educational Books 2024

With the summer speeding on, many professionals will soon start thinking about returning to school. While there are still a few weeks to enjoy before schools go back in September, a quick and easy way to keep updated with the latest advice, tips and pedagogy is to pick up a book. Whether you choose to enjoy this on your travels over the last few summer weeks, by a pool or even just relaxing in a park or garden, reading is a great way to relax and who knows, there may just be some insightful gems that will help support your teaching practice in the next academic year.

Bloomsbury, who kindly provided our book prize to our Big Summer Book Swap, have a range of educational books published this year that could give you some great knowledge to show off in September. 

Write This Way: Structured lessons and activities for reluctant young writers – By Gavin Reid, Jenn Clark & Michelle McIntosh

An accessible guide for primary teachers to help children who find writing challenging, packed full of activities, lesson plans and ready-to-use resources. Covering all aspects of primary writing from grammar and punctuation to paragraph writing and planning, this book contains a range of tools, mini-lessons and activities to support children who find writing challenging.

100 Ideas for Primary Teachers: Wellbeing – By Jennifer Murray

Jennifer Murray provides a rich toolbox of supportive ideas to promote wellbeing for both you and your pupils, to help all to flourish. The activities are easy to implement, from creating sunshine files to positive snowstorms, and are all tried and tested in primary schools. There is a section dedicated to teacher wellbeing as well as a broad range of strategies to use in the classroom with your pupils.

Schools of Thought: Lessons to learn from schools doing things differently – By David James & Jane Lunnon

Learn from schools around the world with this absorbing and thoughtful account of distinctive schools and the lessons we can draw from their current, everyday practices. With interviews from schools across the world who are experts in their field, this book will challenge the practices behind education in an everchanging world. Insights from The Royal Ballet School and schools in Silicon Valley share how they help prepare their students and gives professionals an understanding of different education systems beyond our national boundary.

Times Tables Ninja for KS1 – By Sarah Farrell

Times Tables Ninja for KS1 is the essential book of times tables activities for the primary classroom. This photocopiable book gives Key Stage 1 pupils all the tools they need to gain fluency in multiplication and division, providing similar support to Times Tables Ninja for KS2.

Getting Your Class to Behave: The must-have behaviour management bible - By Sue Cowley

Now in its sixth edition, Getting Your Class to Behave is the updated must-have behaviour management bible for all teachers of all levels in all schools. Sue takes a detailed look at positive behaviour management, considers recent advances in understanding self-regulation, and offers specific advice on tackling behavioural challenges in the post-Covid classroom.

The Sustainability and Climate Change Curriculum Outdoors: Key Stage 2 – By Deborah Lambert, Sue Waite, Michelle Roberts & Alun Morgan

Situating teaching outside the classroom, has a range of benefits for children’s mental health and wellbeing. It also ensures that when developing concepts and knowledge around sustainability and climate change, they are grounded in the real world. This book provides everything you need to embed sustainability and climate change into your science curriculum, including key subject knowledge, case studies and a complete set of progressions for Key Stage 2.

Teaching a Diverse Primary Art Curriculum: A practical guide to help teachers – By Kaytie Holdstock

A practical guide to transform your primary art lessons, with exciting projects and activities inspired by artists from diverse backgrounds. Each chapter focuses on a different art form, including drawing, painting, sculpting, printing, textiles, photography and collage, and contains child-friendly histories of the suggested artists without problematic stereotypes or generalisations about cultures.

Bloomsbury Teacher Guide: Anita and Me A comprehensive guide to teaching Meera Syal's GCSE set text – By Kerry Kurczij & Zara Shah

Bloomsbury Teacher Guide: Anita and Me weaves together the expert subject knowledge, ready-to-use resources and classroom strategies needed to teach Meera Syal’s extraordinary story, as well as fresh ideas to teach set texts that are exciting for you as much as your students. Whether you are new to teaching or looking to find a way to rejuvinate your lessons, this book helps to support a range of engaging and effective strategies for this GCSE text.

SEND Strategies for the Primary Years: Practical ideas and expert advice to use pre-diagnosis – By Georgina Durrant

The go-to guide for supporting primary aged-children while they wait for a formal Special Educational Needs Diagnosis, written by SEND expert and founder of The SEN Resources Blog Georgina Durrant. This book gives teachers (and parents!) practical strategies that they can put in place while they wait for diagnoses, assessment or support.

Succeeding as a History Teacher: The ultimate guide to teaching secondary history - By Emily Folorunsho & Laura Gladwin

A must-have guide to teaching history for new and experienced secondary teachers. Find a wealth of practical advice and ideas for delivering effective history lessons, developing a coherent and diverse curriculum, building your subject knowledge and becoming a head of department. Packed full of real-life examples, invaluable advice and top tips for making every history lesson count, Succeeding as a History Teacher advises on how history teachers can integrate research-informed practices into engaging history lessons.

The Curriculum Compendium: Inspirational case studies to transform your school curriculum – By Rae Snape

From influential primary headteacher Rae Snape, author of The Headteacher’s Handbook, comes the ultimate guide to curriculum design. Full of inspiring case studies and real-life examples, this book encourages teachers and school leaders to rethink, transform, improve and enhance their curriculum. Written by members of staff at leading schools, each case study provides the reader with a range of suggested approaches to try.

If you are interested in other books to support your professional development, read our article 'Books to Support Emotional Literacy'. These stories aimed at children will support you in developing your pupil's emotional literacy skills. If your school is looking for a way to replenish their school library, why not sign up for our annual Big Summer Book Swap. To find out more about our swap, click here.