Author Archives: Administrator

This article was written for SecEd magazine and first published in November 2020  You can read the original version on the SecEd website here.   You can access the full archive of my columns for SecEd here.  The best schools reflect their local communities; they bring the community into their school and take pupils out into thatContinue reading “How can schools respond to the Black Lives Matter movement?”

This article was written for SecEd Magazine. Ethical leadership in education is driven by a respect for values and an unfaltering belief in the dignity and rights of others. Ethical leaders build school cultures governed by fair, clearly articulated expectations, rather than cultures driven by personalities or politics. In an ethically led school, there aContinue reading “Ethical leadership in education”

This article was written for SecEd magazine  More than half of teachers say that their mental health has declined as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown and wider pandemic. A report from teacher wellbeing charity Education Support (2020) included a survey of more than 3,000 teachers from all types of school and found that 52Continue reading “Staff and student wellbeing”

This article was written for SecEd magazine  Children and young people across the country have experienced unprecedented disruption to their education as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown. And, as ever, those from the most vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds are among the hardest hit. The Education Endowment Foundation’s recent rapid evidence review predicted that theContinue reading “The Covid-19 catch-up premium”

This article was written for SecEd magazine  Now that all pupils are back in school, the national debate has turned to the issue of “lost learning”. However, I am very uncomfortable with the terminology many are using – “lost learning”, “catch-up” – and all the rhetoric surrounding these concepts. The problem with ‘lost learning’ AnyContinue reading “The myth of lockdown learning loss”

Exclusive to this blog I’ve read several tweets this week from trainee teachers and NQTs disillusioned with teaching. Many say they are contemplating quitting the profession. If you are a trainee or NQT, or indeed a recently qualified teacher, struggling with your first term of teaching and close to quitting, this blog is for you.Continue reading “Don’t stop believing”

In my book, School and College Curriculum Design 1: Intent, I articulate a six-step process for curriculum planning… You can read about each step here. In the second book in the series, School and College Curriculum Design 2: Implementation, I have also set out a six-step process as follows… Below, I will summarise Step 6. If youContinue reading “The 6 steps of curriculum implementation: Step 6”

In my book, School and College Curriculum Design 1: Intent, I articulate a six-step process for curriculum planning… You can read about each step here. In the second book in the series, School and College Curriculum Design 2: Implementation, I have also set out a six-step process as follows… Here, I will summarise Step 5.  IfContinue reading “The 6 steps of curriculum implementation: Step 5”

In my book, School and College Curriculum Design 1: Intent, I articulate a six-step process for curriculum planning… You can read about each step here. In the second book in the series, School and College Curriculum Design 2: Implementation, I have also set out a six-step process as follows… Key: WM = working memory | LTMContinue reading “The 6 steps of curriculum implementation: Steps 2, 3 and 4”

In my book, School and College Curriculum Design 1: Intent, I articulate a six-step process for curriculum planning… You can read about each step here. In the second book in the series, School and College Curriculum Design 2: Implementation, I have also set out a six-step process as follows… Here, I will summarise Step 1… BeforeContinue reading “The 6 steps of curriculum implementation: Step 1”