Start with a smile
In Rita Pierson’s infamous TED Talk, she challenges a colleague’s anti-relationship view on teaching quipping “You know, kids don’t learn from people they don’t like”. Teaching is more than …
Opinion Pieces Archive
Thinking out loud: Absorbing the lockdown gap
As September nears, a big question facing my school is ‘How are we going reset the curriculum and close gaps? This is certainly a question that is becoming increasingly …
Why multiple choice for KS3 assessments may be the way forward
In my last blog, I took the position that key stage 3 assessment data is still important (even though Ofsted have somewhat side-lined it) but it cannot continue in …
Redefining Key Stage 3 Assessment
It seems not that long ago when key stage 3 national levels were completely scrapped and for the right reasons but what replaced them? Its successor was far from …
Sorry teaching and learning, please move to the back of the queue
Recent talk from Ofsted suggests that more focus is being directed toward curriculum. Although there is still a piece of work needed on a framework, it is about time …
Want to change the world? Start by making your bed: Questions for school leaders
Nearly four decades ago Navy Seal Admiral William H. McRaven graduated from the University of Texas but what he learnt in the first six months of Seal training set …
When raising aspirations become more focused on the short term
It is not uncommon for many schools to proudly promote on their website or literature about raising the aspirations of their pupils – I do it. And many schools …
Pedagogical Zombies
Teaching is no stranger to the littered landscape of ghastly ghouls and spirits that creep in and out of classrooms whispering spells of learning styles and multiple intelligences. Many …
How routines can automate expectations to generate more learning time
Learning to drive a car can be very difficult even for the most confident of person. Sitting in the driver’s seat, with the key in your hand, the whole …
Driving the bus may not be the best way to lead a team
In his book, Good to Great, Jim Collins pens his memorable metaphor comparing leadership of an organisation to that of driving a bus. He says that to move your …