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Gapless instruction vs 'teaching to the top'

Oct 15, 2022 | Category: Featured

Over the years I’ve recommended that teachers ‘teach to the top’ on too many occasions to count. For the most part, I’ve caveated this by included the need to ‘scaffold down,’ but, honestly, I’ve come...

Specify, teach, assess: using the English curriculum as a progression model

Jun 25, 2021 | Category: Featured

One of the biggest barriers to the successful implementation of an English curriculum is that all too often students are assessed on their ability to do things they haven't actually been taught. This...

A reading curriculum: Gap-widening vs gap-narrowing

Mar 21, 2021 | Category: Featured

The idea that education acts as a Matthew Effect that disproportionately benefits those who start with most is an uncomfortable but well-understood phenomenon. Everything we do in schools either widen...

How should writing fit into the English curriculum?

Mar 03, 2021 | Category: Featured

I think like many English teachers I've long been conflicted about the position of writing in the curriculum. On the one hand, of course writing is central to students' experience of studying English....

Reforming GCSE English literature and language

Feb 08, 2021 | Category: Featured

Seeing as all sorts of folks have decided now is a good time to try to get rid of (or at least, reform) GCSEs, I thought I'd offer up my opinions. I should start by saying that, on the whole, I'm in f...

Making Meaning in English: Book launch

Jan 31, 2021 | Category: Featured

My new book, Making Meaning in English - the final fruits of the burst of productivity I enjoyed during the first phase of lock down - will be available for your delight and edification on 10th Februa...

Educational dog whistles (and how not to blow them)

Jan 21, 2021 | Category: Featured

As in every sphere, there are certain phrases or topics that act as dog whistles in education. When people use terms like 'progressive,' 'knowledge-rich,' 'no excuses,' 'deep dive,' 'SLANT,' or 'front...

#dog whistles

The best 3 sentences in education?

Dec 10, 2020 | Category: Featured

I slide I used in a presentation on the ideas in my book, Making Kids Cleverer has been getting a bit of love on Twitter, with New Zealand school principal referring to it as containing what might be...

#Making Kids Cleverer

#BackToSchool - free webinars

Aug 26, 2020 | Category: Featured

Over the next few weeks I'll be hosting a series of five 'back to school' webinars on a range to topics aimed at early career teachers, those with a mentoring responsibility and anyone who simply feel...

Interview on Shoreditch radio

Jun 23, 2020 | Category: Featured

Last week I was interviewed by Liam Davis on Shoreditch Radio about why I became a teacher, what got me into writing, the ideas in some of my books and the effects of Covid-19 on education.You can lis...