My wife has recently started a PGCE in Computer Science and this led to me thinking about my own experience as a trainee teacher almost 20 years ago. Over these two decades, I’ve learned a lot about what makes good teaching, as well as what doesn’t work. Countless mistakes made in the classroom have helped…
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One in Five – The Steady Decline of Reading for Pleasure
If you are alarmed by the steep decline in reading for pleasure — as am I — you might find yourself asking: what does this mean for society? What are the implications of a nation where reading is one of the last things we turn to in our free time? The 19th century preacher Charles…
Read MoreThey’re Still Showing Up – So am I
Having spent the last seven years teaching internationally, I find myself back in the UK teaching in London. This is the circlest of full-circle moments. I love many things about being back in the place I grew up in and where I honed my classroom practice almost two decades ago. London is diverse, eclectic and…
Read MorePsychological Safety: Building Team Performance Through Inclusive Leadership
It was shortly after the second public flogging when she knew it was time to walk away from her job. Especially as she was on the receiving end this time. She had been working regular 12 hour days and completing outstanding tasks during her weekends but it still wasn’t enough. To then be criticised in…
Read MoreBelonging in Schools: England’s Hidden Crisis
There is cause for celebration in English education. Primary school children in England now rank 4th in the world for reading — largely the result of synthetic phonics instruction. Just before the pandemic, maths scores for 15-year-olds saw dramatic improvements, placing England in the global top 15. Good stuff, no? Not so fast. Underlying these…
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