Call it what you will, the time to think about the school improvement plan has come around again, because God forbid we should be happy with what we have. 😉 Fitter, healthier, more productive... I don't need to put it on my calendar; I just wait for the blogs to start appearing. And there have … Continue reading The 7 inconvenient truths of school improvement planning

There is a forum for secondary school head teachers in the county in which I work. It is at about this time of year that we pay tribute to colleagues who are moving on to jobs outside of the county, or outside of schools, or who are about to retire. A few kind and generous … Continue reading The Long Walk

The school system moves in mysterious ways. There is this thing that happens; at least, I've seen it happen. Maybe it is a localised occurence. Or maybe it's just the way I'm seeing things. I'm not sure. So, I'll describe it - or at least a simplified version of it. I'm interested to know if … Continue reading Mysterious ways

We spend a great deal of time thinking (and writing) about school improvement, but far less about preventing decline. Perhaps we are guilty of assuming that once a certain 'standard' or 'level' is reached, we can turn our attention to other things. After all, the advice is often to focus our efforts on a limited … Continue reading The Constant Gardener

Since the curriculum became the Next Big Thing in English schools - a miraculous solution to the fundamental problems of schooling - we have seen the inevitable mutations, cynical instrumentalism, and BS proliferate. None of this is a surprise; that is, if you take the time to observe the faddish tendencies of a system which … Continue reading What we are not allowed to say about curriculum intent

I have been following with interest the recent debates around provision for special educational needs, specifically the concerns about the dominant deficit model of disability and learning difficulty. In particular, I have found the recent blogs and publications by Ben Newmark and Tom Rees to be compelling and thought provoking. I am no expert in … Continue reading The economics of high need don’t add up

In 1818, Mary Shelley published her classic, Frankenstein, which she subtitled The Modern Prometheus. The book's release coincided with the rise of the philosophy of vitalism; a belief that the phenomenon of life could only be explained with reference to some special spark. The reanimation of Frankenstein's monster is the artistic embodiment of this philosophy: … Continue reading Teaching and the Modern Prometheus

We want students to know that Harrison Ford played Han Solo in the Star Wars films. Which question is it better to ask? Which actor played Han Solo in the Star Wars films? Which character did the actor Harrison Ford play in the Star Wars films? Which actor played the charismatic owner of the Millennium … Continue reading Cue theory: asking better questions

Perhaps you survey students and ask them whether they feel safe at school. The vast majority say they do. Some don't. What now? Perhaps you ask a different question: where do you feel unsafe at school? They tell you. You act. I once wrote this as a piece of advice to school leaders: "Be a … Continue reading What does it mean to know your school?

First there was the humble shop. We were a nation of shopkeepers. Then came the department store. These offered the customer everything under one roof. However, it soon became apparent that what the customer wanted were the shops they had come to know and trust. So the department stores offered to house these shops as … Continue reading A Nation of Shopkeepers