With regard to timetabling - my school is very flexible. We timetable across each phase (yrs 1&2, yrs 3&4 and yrs 5&6) for Maths and English so that they can be set. Other than that it's down to the individual teacher and it can regularly change by the day to fit in extra hymn practice or mass (Catholic School) or other things that crop up.
We plan thematically apart from Maths, so we might have a science week or a D&T week or spread a subject out across half a term, it entirely depends on the theme and how it works best. It generally doesn't matter how it is timetabled as long as we get all NC objectives done in the course of a year (so we might not touch History for half a term at a time, and do Geography based objectives instead, if the theme lends itself better to Geography, for instance)
The only things that are set in stone in the timetable are ICT (because of timetabled slots in the ICT suite), P.E. (same for the hall) and R.E, which we STRICTLY have to teach 2 hours of each week. I sometimes think that we could get away with not teaching any literacy for a week as long as the R.E is done, but that's just my school!
How do you view the recent reviews, Particularly the primary review which is now not being implemented by new government? Do you feel in limbo waiting for new review/strategy?
There are so many reviews and either they are taken on board whole-heartedly and too quickly (e.g. Jim Rose's review of early reading which brought about a mad flurry of synthetic Phonics), or the review comes out and is largely ignored.
I do feel a little bit in limbo about the curriculum review. My Head decided to throw out all the strategies and frameworks in an attempt to bring in a more 'creative curriculum' type of affair, but it's been a nightmare and we know that we've spent a year honing planning that will be obsolete again as soon as the Tory Government announces that it wants 3 hours of Classics and Latin...or whatever they dream up next.
What is the process - in your experience - for implementation of new strategies? How quickly do they get implemented?
As I said above - either too fast and too rigorous, or not at all.
How readable are the policy documents?
Not very!
Do front line teachers have access to/HAVE to read teh documents or do they get distilled by the information cascade?
We do have access to them, but typically don't have the time/inclination to read them thoroughly unless it's of particular interest (e.g. - for a literacy or maths co-ordinator or SENCO) Generally, we'll have a training session given by a curriculum co-ordinator to provide an overview of actually how it will work in practice.
The Primary Review - Jim Rose - Published April 2009
Williams Review of Mathematics (2008)
Jim Rose review of early reading - 2006
Coalition government emphasising synthetic phonics as best practice (2010)
Lamb enquiry into Special Educational Needs and Parental Confidence (2008)
Coalition Government Green Paper "Support and Aspiration: A new approach to SEN and disability" published March 2011
As Above..
Realistically are they all implemented fully? Do any/all of them radically change teaching from former "best practice"?
Generally, not really.
How are SEN children integrated into whole class teaching from a differentiation POV? What should I be looking for on placement to see evidence that their individual needs are addressed?
It is done a number of ways. In class, the SEN chn are given slightly different work to do (depending on the SN and the severity). They are often given more support by the Class Teacher or Teaching assistant. For subject such as science or R.E, where understanding is more important than recording, we sometimes scribe for them or support them with their writing in other ways.
They are sometimes supported with extra resources - maybe more practical means of performing a mathematical process, for instance.
In my school, we have more of an issue supporting children with EAL needs than SEN, but we do have a degree of both.
In the afternoons, all TAs in the school are taken out of class to do one-to-one or small group tailored interventions to meet their individual needs and we try to incorporate the work they do in these sessions back in class - which might mean access to word banks or flash cards.
Hope that helps - good luck!