(I am talking about English here - there were other sch trips but the cost - financial and staffing - were massive)

"We need it to be acceptable to take a small group to the theatre."

This this this! At a previous school we were told we had to offer school trips to an entire year, not just a small group. There were 240 kids in a year... of course we didn't run trips.

I remember going to see A View from the bridge at my local theatre. There was a group (possibly GCSE age) with a teacher next to me, and at the end, one of them turned to the teacher and just said, "WOW." That's what good theatre can do.

“The theatre was packed with students because it was a GCSE text they were studying.”

Going the theatre, an art gallery, or to a sporting event, with school should be and can be a lifelong memory - not just a revision task.

For some kids, this is their only opportunity to see more of the world.

NEW BLOG: What do I go to school for?

learningfrommymistakesenglish.blogspot.com/2026/04/what...

NEW BLOG: What do I go to school for?

learningfrommymistakesenglish.blogspot.com/2026/04/what...

NEW BLOG - Reading Recommendations

learningfrommymistakesenglish.blogspot.com/2024/06/read...

Books from - J.P.Rose, Megan Davidhizar, Beth O'Brien and William Hussey

We‘ve talked about Andor before. Excellent. Nostalgia creep is ruining shows at the moment. Rogue One and Andor do something different with the format. That’s what we need.

NEW BLOG - Reading Recommendations

learningfrommymistakesenglish.blogspot.com/2024/06/read...

Books from - J.P.Rose, Megan Davidhizar, Beth O'Brien and William Hussey

Thank you. Very kind. 👍

Thanks Alex. Hope you are well

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If you believe in the value of English as a humane, creative and essential subject, joining NATE is one of the best ways to support its future so we can ensure that English remains rich, dynamic, and meaningful — for teachers and students.

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Book recommendations

Book recommendations

Book recommendations

NEW BLOG - Reading Recommendations

learningfrommymistakesenglish.blogspot.com/2024/06/read...

Includes Keith Gray, Ciannon Smart, Jackie French, Robin Jarvis

Book recommendations

Book recommendations

Book recommendations

NEW BLOG - Reading Recommendations

learningfrommymistakesenglish.blogspot.com/2024/06/read...

Includes Keith Gray, Ciannon Smart, Jackie French, Robin Jarvis

Poster of Wuthering Heights

Enjoyed Wuthering Heights. Felt very Derek Jarman/Francis Ford Coppola. Great imagery, apart from the skin walls! I didn’t have any issues with the changes to the story because I am so used to Shakespeare reinterpretations. Very much a Coppola and Burton portrait of Victorians

NEW RESOURCE: I’ve been experimenting with @xris32.bsky.social style ‘phrase banks’ over the past term to much success! Here are the AIC ones I’ve used. Great discussions had over what each phrase means and how we can use them appropriately in our writing. Use/chuck: www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ptem7...

NEW BLOG: We need to talk about oracy

A taste of my ResearchEd talk yesterday

learningfrommymistakesenglish.blogspot.com/2026/03/we-n...

Thank you 🙏

We’re a month away from the book release date and 2 months away from some great CPD around ‘An Inspector Calls’.

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Sign up below! @hugheshaili.bsky.social @miriamhussain.bsky.social @teachals.bsky.social 👇🏻

NEW BLOG: We need to talk about oracy

A taste of my ResearchEd talk yesterday

learningfrommymistakesenglish.blogspot.com/2026/03/we-n...

"We can disagree and still love each other unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist."

James Baldwin

And that’s the issue. A lack of knowledge.

I am not being difficult over things; I just think the SEND issue hasn’t been really addressed. A lot of things have been about show. I say this both as a teacher and a parent. There’s a reason why SEND is such a problem at the moment.

All in an attempt to look like we are addressing the ‘who’. It is showboating in my opinion. At no point have we been sitting down and going ‘what is/are the issue / barriers’ around this group of students. Yes, they have been prioritised but they haven’t been understood.

On that we disagree. I don’t think ‘who’ is a key component or should be the main focus. I just think we have neglected it.