University of Buckingham
More than a decade ago I was the head of Harrow, a good school but an unusual one being 100% boarding and 100% boys – and private. So when I retired I decided to do a few things which might inform me about state schools, the schools which teach the vast majority of children. What... Continue Reading →
Schools Governments can only do so much at any one time. Gove did schools but failed to deal with skills and FE. Filling the skills gap in the British economy should be the number one focus, concentrating on young people aged 16+ eg energy production, infrastructure development, AI and IT, hospital technicians, lab assistants. Review... Continue Reading →
The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is the most important international measure of the proficiency of 15-year-olds in maths, reading and science. It is run by the OECD and the last test was in 2022. Comparing the results of 2022 with those of previous years shows how well individual countries are doing compared to... Continue Reading →
Public exam news This summer we return to the same grading standards as were used in 2019. That means awarding the same proportion of students to each grade as in 2019. So if, for example, 10% of students in 2019 got a GCSE grade 9 in Latin, this year roughly that proportion will get a... Continue Reading →
March was an easy month for a blog. I had many initial ideas, all essential and linked to a year in teaching. Metacognition, Memory, Mentoring, Mistakes. I decided to write about mentoring and share some of my earlier experiences of mentoring as a trainee teacher. Mentoring is one of the most important elements in teacher... Continue Reading →
“I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught.” — Winston Churchill How can teachers create a supportive environment conducive to learning? Support is an intricate part of teaching, and this became more apparent during the pandemic with multiple articles discussing several ways that teachers can support their students: “8... Continue Reading →
As I excitedly started my new role at the University of Buckingham in leading the Physical Education PGCE course last week, I have been drawn to the numerous tweets on twitter by trainee teachers seeking advice for their upcoming PGCE year. So, what better position as a new Head of cohort to offer some guidance... Continue Reading →