There's a whole army of parents and 'experts' who would battle to defend the value of movement breaks, fidget toys, and other 'adaptations' - it's hard for any school to counter that alone, and harder still when we're being told we must put *something* on paper for each individual
🌟 🚀 LEAD ENGLISH AS AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
AP position reflects status of role
✅ Knowledge-rich
✅ Disruption-free learning
✅ Feedback not marking
✅ Research-backed pedagogy
✅ Up to £71,694 on L Scale
DM for informal chat & how we can support relocation.
www.tes.com/jobs/vacancy...
✅ Knowledge-rich curriculum
✅ Research-backed pedagogy/TLAC
✅ Disruption-free lessons
✅ Centralised detention system
✅ Whole-class feedback
Work side-by-side me as CURRICULUM VICE PRINCIPAL to turn @AstreaErnulf into one of BEST schools in the country!
✅ Boss corridors
✅ Drive outcomes
✅ Lead curriculum
✅ Refine systems
✅ Disruption-free learning
✅ TLAC
DM for informal chat & how we can support relocation
bit.ly/4ljPAce
She speaks about how they codify curriculum so precisely and train teachers in such clear routines because they want them to have the cognitive space to make connections with kids, find joy and build relationships.
It’s almost the opposite of how you sometimes hear that process framed.
We have the chance to debrief with Mariah who shares the thinking behind circle.
“Yes, it’s performance. It’s spectacle and it’s energising. But it’s more than that. It’s modelling. Modelling to the children how we speak, how we struggle, how we support. And modelling to adults how we interact.”
The children all parade in a a circle, some with huge flags representing their adopted colleges, some dressed as mascots. There is a drumming band (some fourth graders) hitting the beat.
There is chanting and it is LOUD. The kids are unstoppable and they know it. It’s like drinking four espressos.
The volume builds.
“One school. One vision. We are. On a mission.”
The principal gives a signal & it switches. One of the mascots, a 3rd grader dressed as a lion, jumps up & faces their class. “Let me hear you!” He screams. And they erupt into a college chant. It’s got haka energy from every kid.
There is very high engagement and participation. Pupils are invited to share their thinking very, very regularly and there is huge respect from their peers as they wrestle and struggle.
Mistakes are met completely neutrally and addressed in the moment together.
We’re going into circle now, and the principal snaps the kids into action. There are a lot of chants, a lot of songs, a lot of choral responses and clapping.
There is joy and giggling but also razor sharp precision. “Last bite in 5, everybody now, last bite in 4 everybody now…”
I’m off to New York with almost 50 school leaders.
We’ll be visiting some of the highest performing and most innovative schools in the city.
Schools operating in neighbourhoods that for decades so rock bottom educational outcomes.
Schools that changed all that.
I’ll be posting live, so bookmark!
Why do children love life @ Astrea Academy Ernulf?
Let them tell you!
We don’t do things for Ofsted, but in Jan, Ernulf Acadeny had only ever been rated as RI. It was important to our community that changed.
Now we’re GOOD in ALL categories. FIRST. TIME. EVER.
Join our mission to become one of the BEST schools in the country —> www.tes.com/jobs/employe...
🚀 Are you an EXPERT leader in ENGLISH or MATHS?
Looking for your first SLT role or perhaps a better fit?
We have PERFECT roles for you! Informal chats very welcome!
📚 ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL: ENGLISH www.tes.com/jobs/vacancy...
📚 ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL: MATHS www.tes.com/jobs/vacancy...
Uncomfortable fact: If every secondary school was staffed as efficiently as OGAT, Delta, Northern and other trusts, there would be a surplus of teachers, including in most subjects.
Thank you all for making this open access. I hope it's read widely
It’s here! Our new open access book on curriculum written by Tim Surma, @paulkirschner.bsky.social, @dylanwiliam.bsky.social, @timsurma.bsky.social, Nuno Crato, Elizabeth Rata, John Hattie, Claudio Van Hees, Michiel Wils, Jasper Nijlunsing and me. Download it here: link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
Well said Rae Snape.
Thank you @cambridgeindy.bsky.social
Research supports the importance of strong routines for Means of Participation.
Meta-analysis by McCrudy at el. describes the 'generation effect'- the idea that there is a "memory benefit for self-generated compared with read or experimenter-provided information."
Why Means of Participation are so important, a tiny 🧵
First what are Means of Participation?
They are intentionally installed routines for the common ways students will be expected to answer questions in class.
Usually:
By far the most powerful way to increase primary pupils' chances of becoming capable, confident mathematicians is to ensure they can rapidly recall single-digit addition facts (and their related subtraction facts) and multiplication facts up to 10x10 (and related division facts).
🪡⬇️
I love Progress 8 day. Really shines a light on schools making a real difference, especially those in challenging circumstances making big gains. Cuts through all the noise, smoke and mirrors.
It's P8 day and this year, our P8 is -0.94.
Whilst it is not where we need to be, we have improved by +0.86 in just one year.
From looking at the data, I think this is the most improved in the country.
Improving schools is hard work but it's paying off!
These are the schools with the top 20 P8 scores- creating incredible environments for children. Thank god for what they do.
A centralised detention system is a must. Now that I have it, I wonder why I never did?
Takes the burden and admin away from teachers and allows them to teach.
Focusing their time on what they do in the classroom, not out of it.
This is why we have strong, simple, centralised behaviour systems in Astrea secondaries, allowing teachers to teach, free from disruption and abuse, with no bureaucracy or blame.
✅SLT have staff's backs
✅centralised detentions run by SLT/HoY
✅teachers don't need to make phone calls home.
Fantastic blog from @mrcarnaby.bsky.social on the development of our Subject Communities across our Astrea secondaries.
Does anybody use, or know of anybody that uses, Lexonik or Lexia well in the secondary phase? I’m on a fact finding mission!
On Coping
Being a headteacher is the best job in the world. But it is also hard work, not in a physical sense but in terms of the cognitive demands. It requires mental resilience to an extent that you don't appreciate until you're sat in…
thinkcurriculum.wordpress.com/2024/11/23/on-coping/
Yes, absolutely this: the move to projects and coursework will lead to:
- more work for teachers
- less reliability
- advantaging the middle class
And most importantly, there is no future for essay-style assessment under AI.
