Really proud to share that my wonderful school - Ark Soane - has spotlighted by @inclusioninpractice.org.uk
This is a testament to the incredible job that my incredible colleagues do every single day!
Check out the report below to read more about our approach 👇
Great read! @bennewmark.bsky.social - do you think there's any part of the EHCP system that is worth retaining and building in?
Watched Shanghai Doll tonight at Kiln Theatre tonight and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
kilntheatre.com/whats-on/sha...
Absolute must watch.
Next month I'll be running my first half marathon for @teachfirst.bsky.social
Any donation would be appreciated!
www.justgiving.com/page/peter-t...
Really lovely to hear about success stories about alternative provisions!
So, when we drop into each other's slip stream, when we narrate the links explicitly to our pupils and when we boost each other up by retrieving and building on knowledge that we know our pupils know, this is our accidental approach to cross-curricular!
We rely on granular phrases to give our pupils a short-hand for a deeper conceptual idea. These little nuggets of knowledge are designed to be used flexibly.
Christine Counsell put nicely that these serve as a reminder that it is knowledge and not skills which are transferable.
We used below example. Mike's KS3 curriculum teaches trade unions and welfare state - meaning can simply reference them.
Mike was then inspired to do a unit on Hannah Mitchell - a working class suffragette from the North of England... did someone say Eva Smith?
Tangent - none of this is possible without certain enabling conditions:
1. Disruption-free lessons from a strong behaviour system.
2. Our booklet design follows similar principles - lots of text.
3. Our lessons are quite similar - retrieval DNA, exposition, read, discuss and write.
We start off with three health warnings.
In our opinion, the main responsibility of a curriculum leader is to ensure their subject is taught well.
A useful by-product is when children forge connections between two subjects. Especially two households both alike in dignity - English and History.
Yesterday, I spent a wonderful afternoon presenting with my even more wonderful colleague @michaeldoron.bsky.social at #REdBrum where we discussed our accidental approach to cross-curricular work at Ark Soane Academy.
Moving from curriculum to SEND has been a move from research-driven approaches with lots of examples of successful implementation to, quite frankly, the wild west.
@bennewmark.bsky.social has shaped lots of my thinking as a new SENCO. Must-read blog!
schoolsweek.co.uk/send-provisi...
Great session on creating a culture of reading for pleasure from @lilystaff.bsky.social
Especially loving the points about fostering a culture of pupils talking about what they read.
#REdBrum
Half term reading 📚
We are entering a critical 5th year. Our first year of GCSEs for our founding cohort. We are hiring across all depts as we look to scale up and expand our work. Check us out!
arksoane.org/jobs/vacancies
Our staff development is top class. If you want to push yourself to being an amazing teacher, who changes the lives of those who most need it, Soane is for you. The incredible @priteshraichura.bsky.social leads T&L and his excellent work is showcased by @steplab.bsky.social
steplab.co/watch
Our subject teams are deep curricular thinkers. Every day, I get the chance to work with people who LOVE their subjects. Big shout out to @michaeldoron.bsky.social's fabulous history dept for hosting a fantastic conference last weekend.
bsky.app/profile/edur...
Our lessons are disruption free. We also believe that a strong school culture shapes the character of our pupils. We restored @douglemov.bsky.social's faith that 'strong and positive cultures were still out there'
teachlikeachampion.org/blog/my-engl...
3 and a half years ago, a small group of 11 teachers set up
Ark Soane Academy.
We are now recruiting for our FIFTH year as a school.
Where has the time gone?! 🧵
Really excited to be visiting Dixons Trinity today and to hear more about their approach to SEND!
Great to welcome you all!
One of my Y10s enthusiastically shared this joke with me yesterday:
Why did Mrs Birling wear a jacket?
She was 'rather cold'
#Soane25 is live!
Come and join us on Saturday 8th
February for a day with a *phenomenal* line up of speakers.
Tickets are ONLY £25 (including lunch!)
Don’t miss it!
www.eventbrite.com/e/ark-soane-...
Really excited to share that I'll be stepping up to Assistant Principal - SENCO from January!
Would love any suggestions of great SENCOs/people working in SEND to follow.
I wrote this some months ago and have avoided posting it for some time.
Here's why I think we spend too much time worrying about pedagogy:
inthenameofrigour.wordpress.com/2024/11/24/c...
I've been trying to teach myself Chinese since the start of September and it's been a humbling reminder that learning is bloomin' difficult.
A lot of discussion lately about the reasons for the decline of Eng Lit A-level.
Are the Gove curriculum & exam reforms to blame?
I don't think so, because the decline of Eng Lit / the humanities more broadly is a global trend.
More here.
PS:
Doug Lemov wrote a lovely piece about our school if you want to find out more: teachlikeachampion.org/blog/my-engl...
Also a super pod about us: open.spotify.com/episode/5oia...
📚Knowledge-rich and diverse English curriculum - taught through booklets
📈Lots of opportunities in a growing school!
🚆In Acton. Accessible on Piccadilly, Overground and Elizabeth Line
If you're interested, happy to discuss or apply below
arkcareers.engageats.co.uk/Vacancies/W/...
We have an English Teacher role at the wonderful
@ArkSoaneAcademy (Jan start or earlier)
🎓Free school up to Y10 now. First GCSEs next year!
☑️Disruption-free learning with strong centralised behaviour system
🤝Excellent culture of staff development
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFJM...