As the year comes to the end, my envy at the legion of best book lists of the year drove home to me how little time I’ve devoted to reading books. My …
The Problem with Judging Teacher Performance
We don’t grade lessons anymore, right? That would be foolish, wouldn’t it. Back in 2013, Professor Rob Coe made a challenge to the teaching profession and OFSTED. He proved that judging …
GCSE English Language & Literature – Planning for Success
Every English teacher has a student like Natalie. Whether she is in year 7 or 11, she is a walking grade 9 waiting to happen. You can see it shine through everything …
Group Work: Debates and Directions
Group work is a lively topic that draws some controversy and debate. Some teachers see it as an essential component of any lesson, whereas others spurn group work and prefer a steady …
Evidence in Education: The Funding Pipeline
We live in austere times in schools. Every funding cut matters, whilst accessing potential funding becomes more important than ever. And yet, in the busy hubbub of the school year, many school …
The Power of Reading
There are memories and moments that form who we are and what we become. I cannot recall exactly when reading for pleasure became a part of me, and what I would become …
ResearchEd 2017
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending and speaking at the fifth national researchEd conference. It was the biggest event yet and the scale and quality of the speakers was really superb. …
A New School Year and a New Start
Like any self-respecting English teacher, I like to tell stories to my students. One such story is the embodiment of a flourishing, confident learner. It is the story of a little girl …
ResearchEd York 2017 – Introducing…
Researched York 2017 is nearly here. Next Saturday – on the 8th of July – we are hosting an array of great speakers at Huntington School, in York, with well over 250 …
General Election ’17: An Education Policy Overview
The run up to a general election often trots out the good, the bad, and the ugly, of education policy. We know that what sells to the voter on the doorstep often …