Measuring pupil progress: are we measuring the wrong things?

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Rachel Symons summarises the Progress 8 accountability measure and why it’s important to consider school and pupil background when interpreting exam results.

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Knitting makes me happy

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Dafni Katsampa reviews a recent qualitative study that examines the perceived benefits of knitting and its role in the lives of people who self-identified as passionate knitters.

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Music groups on acute mental health inpatient wards

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Una Foye highlights a small qualitative study that explores the benefits of establishing music groups on acute mental health inpatient wards. She reflects on the boredom felt by many inpatients and the importance of social connection and a positive ward atmosphere that may indirectly improve recovery and mental well-being.

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Singing speeds up recovery from postnatal depression faster than usual care #LetsTalkMentalHealthII

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Saoirse Finn writes a #LetsTalkMentalHealthII blog about group singing for women with postnatal depression.

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Can museums help prevent dementia?

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Dafni Katsampa and Derek Tracy get all cultured and summarise a retrospective cohort study of museum attendance and dementia incidence, which suggests that cultural engagement may help protect us from cognitive decline.

The research is led by Daisy Fancourt who heads up the new MARCH Network which is launching later this month.

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The key to maternal mental health? Make it a collective experience again #maternalmhmatters

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Carmine Pariante, Hannah Lamdin and Laura Godfrey-Isaacs mark Maternal Mental Health Matters Awareness Week with a blog about the Maternal Journal workshops and events they run, to support pregnant women with a history of mental health problems.

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Art therapy for common mental health disorders

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Chris Sampson reports on a new HTA systematic review and economic evaluation of art therapy for non-psychotic mental health disorders like depression, anxiety and phobias.

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Organisational co-production and social prescribing for dementia

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Mike Clark considers some of the challenges of organisational co-production revealed by a study on social prescribing for people living with dementia.

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The Goldies: a community-based singing programme for successful ageing

Research shows that the median age for final menstrual period is 52.5 years, and that 90% of women have their final period by the age of 56.

In her debut blog, Jane Greenstock considers research on how community arts programmes such as singing clubs may contribute to prevention for older people.

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