Professor Stephanie West MA Ed, Head of School, Faculty of Business and Innovation, Arden University

“I think it is important to challenge every child because otherwise they're not fulfilling their potential. If you think about it as well, we are always talking about competing on a global scale. Aren't we? Like how do our schools compete with others? And if we want to have people who are world class scientists and the top people in their fields, I'm not sure holding them back just to make teaching a little bit easier now is the right answer long term.” Emily

I recently conducted a study into how primary school teachers experience teaching those pupils working at ‘greater depth’ standards (West, 2025 in Education 3-13, Taylor & Francis). The overall aim of my research was to establish a theoretical basis directly from teachers’ perspectives, to support future teaching enhancement and school development. Where primary schools operate under similar parameters and face similar challenges to one another, the approach I used for this study aligns with the structure and regulation of primary education and supports the potential for theory to come out of local studies.

This area of education appears to be periodically raised in empirical academic research but is not pursued or given sufficient focus to make meaningful change for improvement. My study seeks to initiate a basis for exploration, focusing attention on an area of primary education that is overlooked. The resulting broad framework can be taken up by leadership teams, education developers, and those seeking to enhance learning for those with high potential.

The scope of my study extends to exploring teachers’ experiences in planning, preparing, executing, and evaluating their teaching practice for the most able children. It intends to capture a window of experience from the teachers’ reality in the classroom.

“They like the attention and the fact, ‘oh, we are outside in this group because we might be a bit clever’. And they like that. And I think there is nothing wrong with that.” Sara

The resulting strategic suggestion for school, teaching, and learning enhancement is a model of strong leadership and creativity.

 Through exploration and analysis of the research interviews, the bases of ‘leadership’, ‘creativity’, and ‘confidence’ were established. It was clearly apparent through the participants’ experiences that leadership teams are looked to for establishing awareness and positive attitudes in continuously developing and stimulating the clever pupils and showcasing their successes. Leadership teams are also in the best position to ensure this is applicable across all subjects and is supportive of children’s high potential in different areas rather than confining existence of ‘greater depth’, and GDS assessment and measures to only the core areas of English and mathematics. 

“I think it is equally important to push all children, but really it depends on the head, the school, the school’s priorities.” Emily

“Schools vary and leadership will be trying to get children to expected levels. If children get better than that, great, but that's not what they worry about.” Grace

The data showed that teachers seek permission from their leaders to trial creative initiatives and to be brave in their ideas. 

 Where leaders recognise individuals’ innovation and can support difference or change from the usual systems, it can have a positive impact for both staff and children.

With the advances of modern technology, there is scope to utilise artificial intelligence tools for the benefit of idea generation and time saving. Schools trialling such work can share experiences and pilots for the benefit of wider application and impact. There are many creative solutions to achieving the greatest potential from the most able children. 

“AI is absolutely changing the face of planning, but especially for differentiation adaptation.” Emily

The most effective teachers of greater depth standard children use a variety of strategies and approaches, alongside praise and encouragement.

Resources contribute to ongoing efficiencies and staff wellbeing. 

 “If the pupils are going above and beyond what you expected and then some, how can I push them next? I think that the main challenge is having a solution 'in the moment'.” Francesca

Having resources in place that provide solutions for both preparing teaching and immediate classroom application also bolsters confidence. Resources contribute to organisation and management of the classroom that breeds ongoing efficiencies and staff wellbeing.

One clear difference found in the practice spoken about by the participants was use of the concept of ‘scaffolding to excellence’. Shifting the basis of lesson planning and expectations of ability can immediately cater for the greater depth standards across all subjects. 

“How we teach and plan our lessons is that we are always aiming at the top. Then your aspiration is to get the whole class up to that. Most people sort of plan from the middle and then they plan work up and work down for ability groups. Our theory is, actually let’s aim for the top. And then we plan how we scaffold up to that for everyone.” Elizabeth

This concept was brought to the research interviews by participants who were NACE members and/or holders of the NACE Challenge Award. This concept was immediately recognised by me in co-construction of the resulting framework, as it is the usual approach in higher education teaching, learning and assessment.  

The experiences of teachers demonstrate that they want to support the best stimulation and challenge for their high potential pupils. Contemporary priorities and pressures on schools create barriers to this. 

Overall, an enhanced approach and drive from school leadership values and perspectives, that appreciates and respects the most able pupils’ intelligence and feeds their hunger for more learning, will create positive experience for the children, wider class learning, and the teaching teams.

The full study on which this blog post is based is available here: How do primary school teachers experience teaching for those pupils who are working ‘at greater depth’?
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Professor Stephanie West completed her MA Education, Teaching, and Learning at the University of Sheffield in May 2025. She has an established career in higher education academic leadership and professional practice, and is currently Head of School in the Faculty of Business and Innovation at Arden University, a widening participation university with an ethos for accessibility and lifelong learning. Professor West is interested in all forms of educational development but especially in laying the foundations at primary level, a critical stage in every child’s education. She is committed to the support and enrichment of the most able pupils from the earliest possible opportunity and supporting every child to reach their full potential.