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I have been a local authority adviser since 2013, following 24 years as a teacher of English, media and drama.

Please contact me directly with any enquiries about training and consultancy.

Previous posts

On ‘checking for understanding’ and feedback loops March 3, 2026
Explaining in the classroom: the importance of relationship March 3, 2026
The dynamic ‘writing sequence’ February 18, 2026
Teaching & learning: prescription versus autonomy November 22, 2025
Disciplinary literacy: ‘active’ reading in the classroom July 8, 2025
Staying invested October 25, 2024
‘Adaptive teaching’: what does it mean in practice? August 20, 2024
Disciplinary literacy: reading a challenging text in the classroom August 19, 2024
Modelling and how to plan for it August 13, 2024
Exam readiness – a tool for reflecting on culture and practice December 20, 2023
Key learning questions – an introduction August 28, 2021
Flipping Batman August 21, 2021
Lost queens and dodos: some reflections on knowledge, comprehension and how we teach reading September 4, 2020
Resuming the curriculum, September 2020 July 6, 2020
The power of exploratory writing December 9, 2019
Ready to listen August 30, 2019
Teaching talk August 14, 2019
Some thoughts on ‘pace’ August 13, 2019
Quick talk about texts August 12, 2019
Reading as writers; writing as readers: an account of a Year 5/6 teaching sequence May 9, 2019
Re-thinking ‘success criteria’: a simple device to support pupils’ writing January 24, 2019
Whole-class reading: a planning tool January 21, 2019
The primary English subject leader: overseer, monitor, director or trusted expert? July 21, 2018
Fear of grammar and the grammar of fear July 12, 2018
Whole-class reading: another example lesson June 27, 2018
Challenging responses: designing a successful teacher-led reading lesson June 25, 2018
Mini-whiteboard jigsaws October 28, 2017
Whole-class reading: an example lesson and a menu of approaches August 31, 2017
Avoiding a ‘literacy dip’ in Year 7 August 23, 2017
The importance of ‘extended writing’ August 22, 2017
From page to screen and back again: teaching Shakespeare through film and film through Shakespeare August 3, 2017
‘In this school, English is about…’ July 31, 2017
Making the investment July 24, 2017
Being ‘good at English’ July 8, 2017
Googling for originality June 21, 2017
Asking real questions in the classroom June 17, 2017
From 1994: on coursework and exams June 16, 2017
A poetry lesson June 8, 2017
Who is doing what in the classroom? A tool for planning and reflection May 26, 2017
Differentiation: pitching high, not making easy May 23, 2017

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Categories

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Feedback: an occasional series of short posts, in no particular order
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Adaptive teaching Analysis Analytical writing Assessment Attainment Behaviour Bloom Challenge Closed books Coursework Critical writing Cross-curricular literacy Culture Curriculum Differentiation Disciplinary literacy Drafting Editing education Efficiency Engagement Exams Excellence Explanation Feedback Framing learning GCSE Gifted and talented Grammar Heritage Inverstment Key Stage 1 Key Stage 2 Key Stage 3 Key Stage 4 Knowledge Leadership learning Learning questions Lesson Lesson design Levels Literacy Marking Mastery Modelling Objectives Open books Oracy Personal response Planning Play Poetry Practice Practising Primary Progress Purpose Questioning Reading Redrafting Scaffolding Schemes of learning Secondary SOLO Strategy Success criteria Talk teachers teaching Teaching & learning Thinking Tracking Whole-class reading Writing

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Recent Posts

On ‘checking for understanding’ and feedback loops
Explaining in the classroom: the importance of relationship
The dynamic ‘writing sequence’
Teaching & learning: prescription versus autonomy
Disciplinary literacy: ‘active’ reading in the classroom
Staying invested
‘Adaptive teaching’: what does it mean in practice?
Disciplinary literacy: reading a challenging text in the classroom
Modelling and how to plan for it

Archives

March 2026 (2)
February 2026 (1)
November 2025 (1)
July 2025 (1)
October 2024 (1)
August 2024 (3)
December 2023 (1)
August 2021 (2)
September 2020 (1)
July 2020 (1)
December 2019 (1)
August 2019 (4)
May 2019 (1)
January 2019 (2)
July 2018 (2)
June 2018 (2)
October 2017 (1)
August 2017 (4)
July 2017 (3)
June 2017 (4)
May 2017 (9)
April 2017 (3)

Category Cloud

Adaptive teaching Assessment Curriculum Disciplinary literacy Feedback Feedback: an occasional series of short posts, in no particular order Framing learning Grammar Leadership Literacy Oracy Planning Primary Reading Resources Revision Secondary Talk Teaching about texts Teaching and learning Teaching English Teaching writing Uncategorized Visual metaphors Whole-class reading Whole-school literacy Writing

Tags

Adaptive teaching Analysis Analytical writing Assessment Attainment Behaviour Bloom Challenge challenging texts Checking for understanding Closed books Comprehension Coursework Cox Critical writing Cross-curricular literacy Culture Curriculum Differentiation Disciplinary literacy Drafting Editing education Efficiency Engagement Enquiry Exams Excellence Explaining Explanation Exploratory writing Feedback Framing learning GCSE Geography Gifted and talented Grammar Group work Guided reading Heritage Instruction Inverstment Investment Key Stage 1 Key Stage 2 Key Stage 3 Key Stage 4 Knowledge Leadership learning Learning questions Lesson Lesson design Levels listening Literacy Marking Mastery Media Modelling motivation Objectives Open books Oracy Pace Pedagogy PEE Personal response Planning Play Poetry Practice Practising Primary Progress Purpose Questioning Reading Redrafting Scaffolding Schemes of learning school Secondary SOLO Strategy Success criteria Talk teachers teaching Teaching & learning Teaching & lerarning Thinking Tracking Transition Visual literacy Whole-class reading Writing Writing sequence

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