The Social Mobility Commission has published (February 2023) an analysis of the types of courses that tend to mean students will earn more in their life than those who did not take such courses and those courses that do not increase or actually lower your chances of earning more. The full article is here.  This... Continue Reading →

February is for Feedback. Most of our students, at this point in their learning, would have completed some form of internal testing/exams and would have received some feedback. Feedback is a big part of the teaching profession as much as it is a part of life. In teaching, in addition to lessons, feedback is also... Continue Reading →

January is all about Joy and teaching is all about Joy. I have been very fortunate to have enjoyed my teaching in schools from my very first lesson. I still remember this vividly. I have learned and continue to learn along the way, and here are a few things I wish to share. When you... Continue Reading →

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence site which provides good quality, free-of-charge answers to the sorts of questions teachers and university lecturers might ask. ChatGPT was created by OpenAI, an independent artificial intelligence research foundation co-founded by Elon Musk in 2015. Released last November, OpenAI’s chatbot is able to create stunningly human-like responses to a wide range... Continue Reading →

From a biology perspective, differentiation is a process that cells undergo prior to maturing and becoming distinct, in structure and function. In terms of education, the children we teach are certainly distinct and display great variation in maturity levels. Our role, as teachers, is to enable all our children, access the curriculum, enjoy learning, and... Continue Reading →

November is all about Nurturing good teaching. Specifically, how mentors can nurture good teaching. Our recent October residential got me thinking about the many ways that we nurture good teaching. Is it only subject knowledge, or does it extend beyond this? Is it about our dedication and commitment in putting the needs of the learner... Continue Reading →

1) The A-level results were a triumph for pupils and teachers, who have managed courses which were badly disrupted by COVID-19. Praise too for Ofqual and the exam boards who ensured exams happened at all. Back in the autumn of 2021 there were calls to scrap exams this year and the message went out from... Continue Reading →

"Education is dependent on the quality of the personal relationships between teachers and children" (van Manen, 1991) Several classical educational writers, e.g., St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) and JF Pestallozzi (1746-1827), highlight that personality and moral qualities of teachers are of utmost importance. With the end of this academic year and the opportunity to pause and... Continue Reading →

We must hope for a reduction in the role of central government, which has attempted to take control of everything since 2010 but cannot cope. I have worked regularly with the Department for Education and, although individual civil servants are often excellent, they change jobs frequently and, for people who work in schools, it is... Continue Reading →