If you’ve ever watched a young child finally complete a jigsaw puzzle, zip up their coat, or climb a tree for the first time, you’ll recognise the unmistakable glow that spreads across their face. That spark of joy is intrinsic motivation in its purest form. And in early childhood education, nurturing that spark is everything.  ‘Look, I did it!’, is the response that early years educators celebrate when a child accomplishes a new challenge.

Recent research reinforces what many of us observe daily: children learn most deeply when driven not by external rewards, but by curiosity, autonomy, and the satisfaction of mastering something new. Studies exploring intrinsic motivation in early learning emphasise that children’s natural desire to explore, think critically and solve problems is foundational to their development, and that this motivation can diminish when extrinsic rewards become the focus.

Letting intrinsic motivation lead

At Alfreton Nursery School one of the most significant shifts we’ve made in our early years practice is removing tangible rewards, one example being stickers. We observed that whilst well intentioned, these systems often created unhelpful comparisons between children’s successes and at worst caused children to experience shame if they didn’t receive the reward. Additionally, research indicates that a reliance on extrinsic motivators risks replacing genuine interest with superficial engagement, as children begin learning for the reward rather than for the joy of learning itself.

Instead, at Alfreton we cultivate environments where children recognise the internal delight of achievement — the satisfaction that comes from solving a challenge, completing a task or persevering through difficulty. Praise from a trusted adult, and celebration from a peer, ignites next-steps thinking.

Joy and autonomy

We have found that autonomy can be a powerful driver of intrinsic motivation. When children have opportunities to select challenges that genuinely interest them, their learning becomes deeper and more self directed. At Alfreton Nursery School curriculum areas have challenge stations. The focus is on self-chosen challenge, ensuring that children are propelled towards achieving mastery over their learning.  Through developing mindsets based on a personal desire to succeed and by providing access to appropriate levels of scaffolding from creative adults, intrinsic motivation is fostered from the age of two. We observe that a sense of joy within oneself, when perseverance has led to success, leads children to develop a mindset of growth and high aspirations.

Research on play and motivation highlights that unstructured, child led play builds essential cognitive processes including problem solving, creativity and executive function — and it is driven, fundamentally, by intrinsic motivation rather than reward-seeking behaviour.

Play-based learning is described as a natural vehicle for engagement because it “enlists the natural energies that sustain spontaneous learning”, creating a sense of control and ownership that fuels motivation from within.

The adult role

Child autonomy does not mean adult absence. Adults play a critical role through modelling, emotional support, scaffolding and coaching, offering well-balanced support to help children stretch their learning without overwhelming them. This balance aligns with findings showing that meeting children’s needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness significantly enhances intrinsic motivation and leads to deeper academic engagement in early learning settings.

At Alfreton Nursery School a metacognitive approach also enables children to take ownership of their thinking and learning. This conscious choice to scaffold metacognition at every stage of a child’s emotional and cognitive journey ensures that intrinsic motivation is fuelled by conscious awareness and the power to succeed. Many of the children at Alfreton Nursery School can identify their learning strategies and choose how to be more effective, serving to reward metacognitive thinking and drive the motivation to know more.

Play-rich learning

Research on play consistently shows that unstructured, child led play fosters curiosity, experimentation and personal goal setting, strengthening both cognitive flexibility and self-regulation. Yet scholars also acknowledge the tension between child centred play and adult structured activities: adult led play can unintentionally limit autonomy if not thoughtfully designed from the child’s perspective.

At Alfreton Nursery School, within adult-directed play, the learning provocations are selected and presented from the child’s viewpoint, ensuring that ownership over learning remains with the child. Learning is process-driven which ensures both the adult and the child remain focused on motivation and movement, rather than monotony and immobility.

By trusting children to take charge of their learning, and by standing beside them as co adventurers rather than instructors, we build their confidence, resilience and willingness to persist. The teaching culture at Alfreton is based on reflection of role and impact. ‘Sage on the Stage’ or ‘Guide on the Side’ are questions staff are encouraged to ask during their teaching. Through this reflective process, educators are given permission to stand back as well as take on a more didactic role.

Mastery

A key aspect of intrinsic motivation is the pursuit of mastery. Research shows that children are more persistent and process information more deeply when driven by a desire to master learning rather than achieve performance goals, interpreting mistakes as opportunities rather than failures.
This is exactly what we aim to build at Alfreton: mindsets rooted in curiosity, resilience and a desire to understand the world. With creative adults offering the right level of support, our two-year-olds demonstrate perseverance, and they experience that wonderful inner joy that comes when effort turns into success.

Can every child see their own potential?

We are deeply aware that expectations shape motivation. Both conscious and unconscious bias can limit opportunities, subtly influencing children’s beliefs about what they can achieve. Research on early years inequality highlights that systemic barriers disproportionately affect disadvantaged families, reinforcing the importance of high-quality education that actively challenges low expectations and nurtures aspiration from the earliest stages.

At Alfreton Nursery School we use open planned teaching structures and robust curriculum monitoring to quickly identify and address limiting expectations. Every child is supported through a culture of belief, challenge and autonomy, ensuring they never lower their aspirations because of external perceptions.

Building futures

The Sutton Trust emphasises that early years experiences strongly shape long-term educational and career outcomes, and that inequalities in access to high-quality early education can widen the attainment gap early in life. Their work highlights the importance of motivation, aspiration and opportunity — and by embedding intrinsic motivation from the start, we are equipping children with the psychological tools that support ambition later in life. 
Children who feel capable, curious and self driven at the age of two are already developing the foundations for lifelong learning and future pathways. If we want young people who feel capable of shaping their own futures, we can’t wait until secondary school to start shaping that mindset.

Learn more:

• Visit Alfreton Nursery School on 10 June to see behind the scenes at this inspiring NACE Challenge Award Ambassador School.
• Join our next member meetup on 16 June to hear how schools across the NACE community are developing intrinsic motivation.

References

• American Psychological Association: Motivation
• Arnott, L. (2023), Play, adventure and creativity: unearthing the excitement and fun of learning
• AWSNA (2025), The Essential Benefits of Play: A Research-Based Perspective
• Sutton Trust (2024): Inequality in Early Years Education
• Zhang, J. et al (2023), The Relationship Between Effects of Extrinsic Motivation and Intrinsic Motivation in Children’s Educational Development

Based on an NPQSL project write-up

Improving literacy is widely recognised as one of the most effective ways to raise attainment across the curriculum. Research from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) consistently highlights that reading comprehension strategies can deliver significant gains in pupil progress. However, the challenge for many schools lies not in identifying effective strategies, but in implementing them in a coherent, sustainable way.

This was the focus of my school improvement project: developing a consistent, whole-school approach to reading while fostering a genuine culture of reading for pleasure.

Initial data analysis revealed a concerning gap between pupils’ reading ages and their chronological ages, particularly among disadvantaged students. This aligned with national trends and reinforced the need for targeted intervention. Drawing on implementation research from the EEF and leadership theory from Michael Fullan, I recognised that success would depend not just on what we implemented, but how we implemented it – through careful planning, staff engagement, and ongoing evaluation.

A central strategy was the introduction of a structured “Reading Journey”, which mapped the development of reading skills from Year 7 to Year 11. This ensured progression and consistency, while allowing departments to contextualise reading within their subject areas. Disciplinary literacy research supports this approach, emphasising that students must learn how reading operates differently across subjects.

To embed this approach, I adopted a distributed leadership model. Each department appointed a “literacy link”, responsible for adapting and promoting reading strategies within their subject. This strategy was informed by research on professional collaboration and Joint Practice Development, which suggests that sustained improvement is more likely when staff have ownership and work collectively.

Alongside this, targeted interventions were implemented. Teaching assistants delivered small group and one-to-one reading support using structured programmes, while whole-class reading was introduced during Personal Development Time. These strategies reflect EEF findings that targeted support and explicit teaching of reading strategies are particularly effective for lower-attaining pupils.

Equally important was the focus on reading culture. Research indicates that reading for pleasure is strongly linked to improved attainment and wider life outcomes. To support this, we created opportunities for students to engage with texts beyond the curriculum, encouraged discussion of reading in lessons, and built partnerships with libraries and the wider community.

The impact of these strategies was clear. Within two terms, the number of Year 7 pupils reading significantly below their chronological age reduced substantially. The gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers also narrowed. At Key Stage 4, student confidence in interpreting exam questions improved, with 80% reporting increased confidence – an important factor in exam success.

Staff feedback also highlighted increased confidence in teaching reading, demonstrating the effectiveness of ongoing professional development and collaborative working. However, challenges remain, particularly in ensuring consistent training for all staff and further engaging parents in supporting reading at home.

This project reinforced a key principle from implementation research: sustainable change requires clarity, consistency, and collective ownership. By aligning research-informed strategies with a clear vision and strong leadership, it is possible to move beyond isolated initiatives and create meaningful, lasting impact.

Ultimately, when reading becomes embedded across the school – both as a skill and a culture – the benefits extend far beyond the classroom.

References

• Coe, R., et al. (2014). What Makes Great Teaching?
• EEF. (2019). Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools.
• Fullan, M. (2007). The New Meaning of Educational Change.
• Fullan, M., & Boyle, A. (2014). Big City School Reforms.
• Timperley, H. (2008). Teacher Professional Learning and Development.

Additional resources

For more ideas and inspiration on developing a strong reading culture in your school, explore NACE’s reading collection – featuring award-winning book lists, case studies from across our network and more.

Our vision: learning for growth

From the outset, we made intrinsic motivation part of our school ethos. Our vision statement emphasises resilience, and a place where children are empowered to become active citizens and learners. This message is shared consistently with pupils, staff and parents through assemblies, newsletters and parent workshops. We want everyone to understand that success isn’t about being the ‘best’ – it’s about trying your best, persevering, and growth mindset.

Shifting the focus to mastery

We’ve moved away from language that emphasises performance and competition. Instead, we celebrate progress and effort. Teachers use feedback that highlights strategies and perseverance rather than innate ability. For example: “You worked hard to solve that problem” instead of “You’re clever”. This approach helps pupils see learning as a journey.

Embracing challenge and productive struggle

At Nettlesworth, we encourage pupils to see challenge as an opportunity. Teachers model how mistakes lead to growth, and pupils regularly share what they learned from errors during plenaries. This builds resilience and confidence – key ingredients for intrinsic motivation. Teachers encourage children to proofread and edit their work in all subjects from Reception to Year 6 to enhance their learning.

Giving pupils autonomy and choice

We provide opportunities for pupils to make decisions about their learning, whether it’s selecting a project topic, choosing how to present their work, or deciding the next step in a problem-solving task. Even small choices – like picking a reading book – help pupils feel ownership and engagement. Children are encouraged daily to self-assess and peer-assess their work.

Connecting learning to real purpose

We make learning meaningful by linking it to real-world contexts and pupils’ interests. For example, in maths, pupils budget for business enterprise events or fair trade tuck shops held at school. In literacy, they write letters to authors and MPs. In science, they investigate environmental issues affecting our area. When pupils understand the ‘why’ behind learning, they engage more deeply and take pride in their work.
Teachers as role models for lifelong learning

Our staff share their own learning journeys with pupils. Whether it’s a new skill, a book they’re reading, or a professional course, teachers model curiosity and growth. This reinforces the message that learning doesn’t stop at school – it’s a lifelong adventure.

Moving beyond rewards

While we still celebrate achievements, we’ve reduced reliance on external rewards like stickers and certificates. Instead, we focus on feedback that emphasises effort and reflection. Pupils set personal goals and track their progress, developing pride in their own growth rather than depending on external validation.

Embedding this culture across our school

Building intrinsic motivation isn’t just about classroom practice – it’s a whole-school approach. Here’s what we’ve done:

• Professional development: staff training on growth mindset and autonomy-supportive teaching.
• Curriculum design: opportunities for choice, challenge and real-world connections (you can read more about our curriculum here).
• Parental engagement: workshops and newsletters to help parents reinforce intrinsic motivation at home.
• Monitoring and reflection: pupil voice surveys and staff discussions to review progress and identify next steps.

The impact

We’ve seen pupils become more confident, resilient and engaged. They approach challenges with enthusiasm and understand that mistakes are part of learning. This culture prepares them not just for tests, but for life – equipped with curiosity, independence and a love of learning.

Is developing intrinsic motivation a priority for your school? Join us at the next NACE member meetup (16 June 2026) for a day dedicated to sharing effective ways to build intrinsic motivation at all phases of learning.

About the author

Donna Lee is committed to the highest standards of teaching and learning and believes that all children deserve teachers who believe in them and have high expectations of all. She has been an Inclusion Coordinator for over 25 years; inclusion and individualised learning were the focus for an MA in Special Educational Needs and NPQH. Donna believes you work in partnership with parents to develop a school where no one fails; every child leaves having identified a talent, a skill, an intelligence through which they can become whatever they want to be. She shares this belief and expertise through network meetings and conferences throughout the North East. 

In 2013-2014, Donna led Nettlesworth Primary School as Acting Deputy Headteacher in obtaining the NACE Challenge Award for the first time. She then became Headteacher of the school in January 2018, immediately leading the team through an Ofsted inspection, where they continue to be a good school. She has also led the school through NACE re-accreditation assessments in July 2018, July 2021 and 2024 – now as a NACE Ambassador School.

Primary physics often asks pupils to reason about ideas that they cannot directly see, such as forces, sound, light, electricity and space. Forces act at a distance, light travels invisibly and sound is produced by vibrations that are not always obvious. These ideas are conceptually challenging, particularly for young learners who rely on everyday experience to make sense of the world.

For teachers this can raise the important question: how do we help all pupils build secure understanding, while still providing meaningful challenge? How do we light the spark in primary physics, capturing curiosity and building understanding that can lead to a lifelong love of science?

This blog post shares seven practical, evidence-informed approaches that support learning and encourage curiosity, deep thinking and inclusive challenge when teaching primary physics.

1. Recognise when primary physics needs deliberate teaching

Unlike some areas of the curriculum, physics cannot be learned simply by observation. Pupils may see what happens but still explain it inaccurately. 
Clear explanations, deliberate vocabulary instruction, and opportunities for pupils to explain their thinking are important considerations in primary science. Starting from this understanding helps teachers plan learning that goes beyond merely ‘doing a practical’ and focuses on sense-making and purposeful investigations; an approach highlighted by the EEF in their Improving Primary Science recommendations.

2. Make talk central to learning primary physics

In primary physics, talk is the mechanism through which pupils refine ideas. Without it, misconceptions often remain hidden. 

Encouraging and supporting pupils to explain their thinking orally and in writing is so important; it is emphasised in the EEF guidance and developed further in the Royal Society’s review of scientific literacy and oracy in primary school education. At The Ogden Trust, talk is the foundation of our own resources for science at EYFS, and at Key Stage 1 our Find the Physics programme – available to Ogden partner schools, to support the identification and teaching of physics topics and links across the curriculum – suggests questions to elicit and explore understanding. 

Explorify resources are also specifically designed to support this kind of reasoning-rich discussion with activities such as Odd One Out, The Big Question and What’s Going On? All encourage pupils to justify ideas, compare explanations and listen to alternatives. Making time for paired or group talk can also provide natural opportunities for stretch and challenge which lie in the quality of reasoning, not speed or recall.

3. Teach vocabulary as a tool for thinking, not a list to memorise

Words such as force, voltage, reflection and vibration are central to primary physics, yet they are often used imprecisely in everyday talk. Vocabulary is a key driver of science attainment (EEF guidance) and in physics, accurate language supports accurate thinking.

Effective approaches include:

• Selecting a small number of high-value words per lesson
• Modelling their use in full sentences both orally and in writing
• Requiring pupils to use them when explaining their ideas.

This approach benefits all pupils, while offering additional challenge to those ready to use language precisely. Later this year, The Ogden Trust will be launching modelled lesson plans that help with identifying the most important words to focus on when teaching different physics concepts, and suggest questions that teachers might use to frame pupils’ use of this core vocabulary.

4. Surface misconceptions deliberately and early

Physics is rich in common misconceptions, including:

• Heavier objects fall faster
• There is no gravity in space
• Light only exists where we can see it
• Bulbs ‘use up’ electricity

If not explicitly addressed, they can persist and create obstacles for pupils’ future physics learning.

A simple but powerful approach is to present two explanations for a physics phenomenon that pupils have observed and ask them to decide which they agree with and why. Changing your mind becomes part of the physics learning experience, not a mistake.

The Best Evidence Science Teaching (BEST) resources support teachers in anticipating likely misconceptions and using diagnostic questions to probe pupils’ thinking. 

5. Use demonstrations strategically to support understanding

Demonstrations are a useful tool when teaching primary physics, but they are most useful when used purposefully, not as a default. 

In primary physics, demonstrations can:

• Focus pupils’ attention on a key idea
• Support the teaching of new vocabulary by making abstract terms concrete
• Reduce cognitive load
• Provide a shared reference point for discussion
• Challenge misconceptions that have been identified using diagnostic questions.

Examples might include showing that light travels in straight lines using a torch and water spray or demonstrating vibrations with a tuning fork. The Ogden Trust’s Purposeful Practical resources, such as Seeing Sound Vibrations, show how to use demonstrations purposefully to support the teaching of physics concepts.

Teachers should always be aware that some models and demonstrations can introduce misconceptions if oversimplified. Being explicit about what the demonstration shows and what it doesn’t show is crucial. In our professional development and resources, we place the careful selection and explanation of demonstrations at the heart of effective primary physics teaching.

6. Use practical work to support thinking, not as an end in itself

In primary physics, practical activity only improves learning when it has a clear and explicit purpose. The EEF guidance and other wider research on practical work all caution against assuming that ‘hands-on’ automatically leads to understanding.

Working scientifically is not about doing more practical tasks; it is about using practical work to teach pupils how to work scientifically by asking questions, gathering evidence and using that evidence to answer those questions; but it is also about using practical work to help pupils make sense of ideas.

Sometimes this means a guided enquiry, where pupils collect and use data to answer a specific question, such as how surface type affects movement or how voltage affects the brightness of a lamp. At other times, the purpose of practical work might be conceptual clarification, where a short, focused investigation helps pupils notice something important.

The professional judgement lies in being clear about why pupils are doing the practical activity and making that purpose explicit to pupils; is it to answer a question, develop a disciplinary skill, secure or deepen an idea, or to check understanding? In primary physics, it is clarity of intent that turns practical work into purposeful learning.

7. Connect physics to pupils’ lives and identities

Relating learning to real-world contexts, which can be related to the lives and experiences of pupils, helps them to engage with what they are learning and provides a more equitable and inclusive science education. This appliance of science, building local and personal connections, is central to the Primary Science Capital Teaching Approach.

In physics, this might include:

• Forces in playground equipment, sports or toys
• Sound in music, instruments or alarms
• Light in road safety or reflections

These contexts support inclusion, while also providing opportunities for challenge as pupils abstract and generalise their learning, linking the physics to their everyday lives.

High-quality primary physics teaching is not about a single strategy. It comes from combining precise language, structured talk, deliberate attention to misconceptions and carefully chosen practical approaches, including demonstrations where they add value.

When all these elements are planned together, physics becomes a subject where all pupils can think deeply, explain confidently and experience genuine challenge.

Physics is everywhere; it helps us to understand the world around us and can reinforce learning across the curriculum. Teachers need the tools, techniques and approaches to help them to teach primary physics with confidence, effectively tackling misconceptions, capturing curiosity and laying a firm foundation for physics learning.

What next?

The Ogden Trust can help you understand the most effective ways for deliberately teaching primary physics concepts. From September 2026, the Trust will be opening its current primary offer to all teachers in English state primary schools, and FREE Improving Primary Physics CPD days will take place across England. A growing collection of online resources for guided enquiries that model effective approaches to teaching physics in the primary classroom and support teachers in their professional development will also be available. Sign up for The Ogden Trust newsletter to keep up to date with the latest Ogden resources and opportunities in professional development for primary physics.

Plus: join NACE and The Ogden Trust on Thursday 23rd April for a free live webinar – your chance to hear directly from Dr Amanda Poole (author of this blog post).

And for more guidance and ideas to challenge your learners within each subject area, check out NACE’s subject-specific collections.

The idiom curriculum at Carlton Junior and Infant School has been designed to systematically develop pupils’ spoken language, reading comprehension and writing skills from Reception through to Year 6.

Why teach idioms?

Idioms and figurative expressions are commonly used in everyday classroom interactions and texts, yet their meanings are often not transparent. The explicit teaching of idioms supports pupils’ understanding that language can be used both literally and figuratively. This is particularly important for younger pupils and those developing early language skills, as idiomatic expressions frequently appear in stories, classroom discourse and wider reading material. Without direct teaching, idioms can present a barrier to comprehension. Regular exposure and discussion allow pupils to access texts more confidently and engage meaningfully with language-rich learning opportunities.

At our school, this focus on idiomatic language is particularly important as a significant proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language (EAL) and enter school with limited expressive and receptive vocabulary. Without explicit teaching, pupils with EAL are at risk of misunderstanding instructions, narratives and teacher modelling. 

What makes an effective “idiom curriculum”?

The idiom curriculum developed at Carlton Junior and Infant School ensures that idiomatic language is taught deliberately, in context and through repeated exposure, enabling pupils to develop a secure understanding over time. By introducing three idioms per year group and revisiting them regularly, the curriculum ensures that pupils build secure, cumulative knowledge of figurative language, which is a key component of language comprehension and fluency.

The curriculum is carefully sequenced to ensure progression. In the early years and Key Stage 1, idioms are introduced through practical, visual and oral activities that support understanding and vocabulary acquisition. As pupils move through Key Stage 2, they are encouraged to apply idioms in context, explore shades of meaning and consider how figurative language enhances effect and audience engagement in both spoken and written work. This progression reflects Ofsted’s emphasis on a coherently planned curriculum that builds knowledge over time.

The weekly inclusion of idiom teaching at the start of English lessons promotes regular retrieval and application. Recapping previously taught idioms each term strengthens long-term memory and supports pupils in making connections between new and prior learning. This approach aligns with evidence-informed practice and Ofsted’s focus on learning that is remembered and used fluently.

How does this support more able learners?

For more able learners, the idiom curriculum provides valuable opportunities for depth and challenge. These pupils are encouraged to analyse idioms, compare expressions with similar meanings, consider cultural and historical origins, and experiment with figurative language in their own writing. This allows more able learners to deepen their understanding of language structure and meaning, rather than simply accelerating through content. Such opportunities support higher-level thinking, precise vocabulary use and stylistic awareness, all of which are essential for advanced literacy outcomes.

Overall, this idiom curriculum supports high expectations for all pupils, promotes rich language development and ensures equitable access to figurative language. It contributes to pupils becoming articulate, confident communicators who can understand and use language effectively across the curriculum, in line with Ofsted’s expectations for quality of education and ambition for every learner.

NACE members can view Carlton Junior and Infant School’s idiom curriculum here.

About the author

Misba Mir is a Deputy Headteacher, English Lead and Year 6 Teacher at Carlton Junior and Infant School, West Yorkshire, with over 14 years of teaching experience. She leads on curriculum development and school-wide challenge, ensuring high standards, ambition and engagement for all pupils. Misba is passionate about fostering a positive learning culture, supporting staff development, and preparing pupils for success academically, socially and emotionally. Carlton Junior and Infant School has held the NACE Challenge Award since 2020 and is an active member of the NACE community.

In the pace of a busy school day, the final minutes of a lesson can easily slip away. Yet these moments are some of the most powerful in shaping learning. A strong finish is not simply a tidy conclusion; it is a crucial opportunity to reinforce understanding, assess progress, and prepare students for what comes next. When used intentionally, these closing moments can transform the effectiveness of a lesson and significantly improve long term retention.

Cognitive science highlights the primacy–recency effect, which shows that students remember the beginning and end of a learning episode more vividly than the middle. This means that the final minutes of a lesson are prime real estate for learning. When these moments are rushed or lost to packing away, transitions, or low level disruption, we miss a vital opportunity to consolidate knowledge. Just five minutes lost at the end of each lesson equates to 25 minutes a week – the equivalent of an entire lesson every fortnight.

Memory research reinforces this point, demonstrating how easily learning fades without structured consolidation. Strong finishes help students reflect, retain, and transfer knowledge into long term memory. They also provide teachers with essential formative assessment opportunities, enabling responsive planning and targeted intervention.

Effective end of lesson routines are not simply organisational tools; they are pedagogical tools. Predictable structures reduce anxiety, support emotional regulation, and help students focus. When students know what to expect, they can transition smoothly into reflection and retrieval. Routines also reduce cognitive load by automating procedural tasks, freeing up mental space for learning. This is particularly important for students with SEND, who benefit from clarity, consistency, and reduced ambiguity.

As Tom Bennett reminds us, behaviour must be taught, not assumed. Routines explicitly teach students how to behave and engage, minimising disruption and supporting inclusion. A well designed ending signals that learning matters right up to the final second. It reinforces that the classroom is a purposeful space where expectations are upheld consistently.

Reflecting on our own practice is key.

• How do we end our lessons?
• Are routines embedded and understood by all?
• Do they support students with early passes, sensory needs, or additional vulnerabilities?
• Do they reinforce our school values and expectations?

Strong finishes are not optional extras. They are essential tools for effective teaching and learning. By embedding purposeful routines and designing meaningful closing tasks, we can maximise the impact of every lesson and support our students in becoming confident, reflective learners.

Designing purposeful endings

A strong finish is more than a wrap up. It is a strategic moment that can deepen understanding, correct misconceptions, and prepare students for future learning. Thoughtful planning of these final minutes can transform classroom practice and boost student outcomes.

There are four key components to a strong finish:

1. Progress and application of learning
   
2. Addressing misconceptions
   
3. Resetting the classroom space
   
4. Managing dismissal
   

Each plays a vital role in reinforcing learning and setting the tone for what comes next.

1. Progress and application of learning

Progress tasks allow students to reflect on what they’ve learned. These can be independent or collaborative and should extend thinking rather than simply summarise content. Examples include:

• A short retrieval question
  
• A “one thing I learned today” reflection
  
• A mini whiteboard response
  
• A quick application task or hinge question.
  

Teachers can use this time to circulate, observe, and respond to student needs. This helps identify what has been understood and what requires further attention. It also builds metacognitive awareness, helping students recognise their own progress.

2. Addressing misconceptions

Misconceptions often surface at the end of a lesson. Targeted questions or quick assessments can uncover misunderstandings. Daisy Christodoulou’s approach of asking one key question is a simple yet powerful way to check comprehension and inform future planning. This ensures that gaps are addressed promptly rather than carried into the next lesson.

3. Resetting the classroom space

The physical environment matters. Resetting the space reinforces respect for the learning environment and prepares it for the next group. It provides a clear routine that students can follow, promoting calm and order. Delegating responsibilities to students can build ownership, develop leadership skills, and reward positive behaviour.

4. Managing dismissal

Dismissal routines are crucial for safety and control. A structured exit signals the end of the lesson and ensures that students leave calmly and purposefully. It also allows the teacher to maintain control of the space and prepare for the next class. Students should not be queuing at the door or wandering corridors before the bell. A calm dismissal sets the tone for the next transition and supports whole school behaviour expectations.
Doug Lemov’s Teach Like a Champion offers practical strategies for strong finishes, including summarising key points, previewing the next lesson, using exit tickets, and incorporating reflection. Each strategy helps students consolidate learning and stay engaged.

Aligning with Greenbank’s classroom principles

At Greenbank High School, our classroom principles emphasise engagement, inclusion, and respect. A strong finish aligns with these values by:

• Promoting student agency
  
• Supporting diverse needs
  
• Reinforcing high expectations
  
• Embedding routines that create calm, purposeful learning environments.
  

Retrieval practice, responsive feedback, and digital competencies all play a role in making the end of a lesson meaningful. Strong finishes also support our wider curriculum intent by ensuring that learning is coherent, cumulative, and connected.

Conclusion

Designing purposeful endings is a powerful way to enhance teaching and learning. By focusing on progress, addressing misconceptions, managing the classroom space, and ensuring smooth dismissal, teachers can make every minute count. Strong finishes are not just about ending well – they are about preparing students to begin again with confidence, clarity, and curiosity.

Additional resources

We shared many of the ideas discussed in this blog post in a series of staff CPD sessions – available to explore below (NACE member login required):

• Strong finishes – session 1
  
• Strong finishes – session 2
  

Research base

• Ebbinghaus (1885) – The forgetting curve demonstrates how quickly information decays without structured review, reinforcing the need for purposeful end‑of‑lesson consolidation.
• Atkinson & Shiffrin (1968) – The multi‑store model of memory highlights the importance of rehearsal and retrieval in transferring learning to long‑term memory.
• Murdock (1962) – Research on the primacy–recency effect shows that students remember the beginning and end of learning episodes most clearly.
• Sweller (1988) – Cognitive Load Theory emphasises the need for predictable routines to reduce unnecessary cognitive strain and support working memory.

Formative assessment & misconceptions

• Daisy Christodoulou – Advocates for precise, well‑designed questions to identify misconceptions and strengthen understanding.
  
• Black & Wiliam (1998) – Formative assessment research shows that timely checks for understanding significantly improve learning outcomes.
  

Behaviour, routines & classroom culture

• Tom Bennett: Running the Room – Argues that routines must be explicitly taught and consistently reinforced to create calm, predictable learning environments.
• Doug Lemov: Teach Like a Champion – Provides practical strategies such as exit tickets, lesson previews, and structured dismissals to strengthen lesson endings.
• Rosenshine (2012) – Principles of Instruction highlight the importance of reviewing learning, checking for understanding, and providing guided practice.

In our recent school development sessions, we've been focusing on a single, powerful goal: making talk as structured and rigorous as writing. By moving away from hands-up participation and toward the ABC talk system, we are ensuring that every pupil (from EYFS to KS4) has the tools to articulate, build, and challenge ideas.

Why oracy? Why now?

Our oracy intent is clear: we want pupils to use talk to deepen understanding. We've adopted the mantra: Teachers explicitly teach spoken language to support thinking and learning. This isn't just about being "chatty"; it's about academic precision.

The ABC routine

The heart of our work revolves around three simple roles that provide a non-negotiable routine for every classroom:

• Add: Introducing a new idea or piece of evidence.
• Build: Connecting or extending what someone else has said.
• Challenge: Respectfully questioning an idea or offering a justified alternative.

Policy into practice

Since we began this work in early January, we have developed a suite of resources to ensure this isn't just a policy on a shelf: 

1. Phase-specific scaffolds: We created tiered sentence stems (see link below). EYFS focus on simple "I think" statements, while KS4 students are now using academic phrases like "An alternative interpretation could be..."
2. Staff CPD: We have explored ways in which to bring this talk structure into every classroom across every phase, asked teachers to audit their classrooms, and are rolling out sentence stems posters to ensure they are visible and that the teacher-as-facilitator model is the norm.
3. Low-workload implementation: We recognised that for this to work, it must be sustainable. Our current model asks for just one ABC question per lesson and 2- 5 minutes of structured talk.

Inclusion at the heart

Perhaps the most vital part of our January work was the focus on SEND-adapted talk. By introducing visual cue cards, think time (or use of think-pair-share), and pre­-rehearsal strategies, we are ensuring that oracy is a tool for equity, not a barrier.

Looking ahead

As we move forward, our oracy charter reminds us: Challenge the idea, not the person. We are now looking at how this high-quality talk translates directly into improved written outcomes, proving that if they can say it, they can write it.

Additional reading and resources:

• ABC sentence stems by key stage – examples shared by Holme Grange School (NACE member login required)
• More about oracy

At Amazelab, we work with schools to create STEAM experiences that prioritise clarity, curiosity and genuine understanding. Across that work, one lesson comes up time and time again: credibility grows when we slow down, strip away the noise and focus on what actually helps students learn.

Below are five practical ways that schools can build credibility into their STEAM, helping to create sustainability and long-term impact:

1. Prioritise clear, purposeful communication

STEAM subjects can quickly become overwhelming for learners if instructions, explanations or expectations aren’t clear. Whether you are introducing a practical activity or unpacking a complex concept, all students will benefit from structured, concise communication.

Try:

• Breaking instructions into short, sequential steps
• Using multiple modalities (diagram + demonstration + verbal explanation)
• Checking for understanding through low-stakes methods such as mini whiteboards or thumbs-up checks.

Clear communication doesn’t just support learning; it models scientific thinking. Students will absorb the message that clarity and precision matter, not performance or speed.

2. Make evidence the anchor of every activity

Young people live in a world filled with claims, opinions and information presented with confidence but not always with accuracy. STEAM education gives them the tools to navigate that world effectively. 

When we encourage learners to test their ideas, challenge their assumptions and evaluate the results, we show them that evidence matters much more than noise.

In practice, this might look like:

• Asking students to justify their answers, not just present them
• Encouraging discussion around “What surprised you?” or “What would you test next?”
• Affirming that getting things wrong is part of the process and not a performance failure.

These routines build scientific habits and, over time, students are able to grasp the idea that credibility is earned through investigation and reflection.

3. Celebrate process, not just outcomes

It is easy for STEAM to become product-focused – the finished model, the correct graph, the successful experiment – but this can lead students to prioritise speed or appearance over understanding.

Highlighting the process itself reframes STEAM as a space for thinking, exploring and iterating.

Ways to shift the focus:

• Display your students’ “workings out”, their early drafts or prototypes
• Ensure that you provide time for students to revisit and refine their ideas
• Use questions such as “What did you change?” or “What would you keep the same next time?”

This approach not only strengthens learning but also reduces the pressure to “get it right first time”, which is especially important for high prior attainers who may fear making mistakes.

4. Build credibility through consistency

Whether in a single lesson or across a whole school approach, consistency builds trust. Students feel more secure and more able to take intellectual risks when routines and expectations are stable.

Examples include:

• The regular use of retrieval practice to reinforce long-term memory
• Consistent practical expectations for safe and successful experiments
• Developing a common language around problem-solving across subjects.

When your students know what to expect, they can focus on learning instead of navigating the unknown. Over time, this steady consistency sends a powerful message: your classroom is a place where thinking matters.

5. Model the quieter version of success

In an age of filtered perfection, instant gratification and noisy online debate, the classroom can serve as a grounding alternative. Teachers modelling calm problem solving, measured responses and curiosity shows students that another route to success is one built on integrity rather than performance.

You might model this by:

• Demonstrating thinking aloud through a challenging problem
• Showcasing how scientists continually revise their approaches
• Sharing your own learning journey or questions.

This humanises STEAM and shows students that expertise grows slowly and steadily.

Conclusion: credibility compounds over time

When we strip away the noise and focus on communication, evidence, process and consistency, we create STEAM environments where students thrive. These approaches may be quieter, but they are far more sustainable. They help young people see that success isn’t about being the loudest, it’s about thinking well, working carefully and trusting the process.

In Amazelab’s work with schools, such principles underpin every workshop and activity that we design. They offer students not just STEAM knowledge, but a mindset that will support them long after they leave the classroom.

About the author

English teachers must move beyond superficial forms of challenge and devise sequences of lessons that genuinely push, inspire and develop more able learners – says Anthony Cockerill, Director of the National Association for the Teaching of English (NATE).

Teachers often rely on strategies that appear to support our most able learners but in reality do little to deepen their thinking. Giving students ‘extra work’ or ‘extension tasks’ can create the comforting illusion of challenge while preventing them from reaching their potential.

These surface-level approaches might tick boxes or keep students busy, but they fail to offer the intellectual stretch and rigour that truly cultivates high attainment. It’s helpful to think more carefully about how we can support more able students at each stage of the learning process.

What are our students learning?

Expose learners to ambitious, complex texts and concepts.

Choose material that stretches students beyond the typical diet of set texts – and this doesn’t necessarily mean totems of the literary canon – so they wrestle with sophisticated ideas, unfamiliar structures and rich language that demands sustained intellectual effort.

Build deep disciplinary knowledge.

Expose students to the debates, contexts and theoretical lenses that shape the discipline of English. By introducing ideas from literary criticism, history, philosophy and politics, we enable learners to see themselves as active participants in wider conversations about texts and culture.

Teach sophisticated language, stylistic and rhetorical devices.

Develop students’ ability to speak and write with precision, control and flair, explicitly teaching the stylistic tools, rhetorical techniques and academic vocabulary used by expert writers so that students can communicate nuanced thinking with confidence and authority.

How are our students learning?

Offer open-ended, creative and evaluative tasks.

Plan learning activities that require students to make choices, experiment with ideas and justify their thinking – for example, writing pastiches, crafting alternative interpretations, or expressing a point of view in an engaging and original way.

Integrate reading, writing, speaking and listening.

Ensure students encounter concepts through an equity of exposure to the traditional four modalities of the English classroom. They might debate an idea orally, explore it through analytical writing, respond creatively, and then listen to expert voices – each mode strengthening and expanding their conceptual understanding.

Provide deliberate practice using style models, exemplars and scaffolds.

Use carefully chosen examples of excellent writing to unpick what makes it effective, draw attention to the writer’s craft, and then ask students to imitate and adapt high-level techniques before gradually removing support as their proficiency grows.

How can we support learning?

Model strategies, vocabulary and thought processes.

Make your own thinking explicit by narrating how you approach a complex task – selecting vocabulary, crafting sentences, making inferences, evaluating interpretations – so that students can internalise and practise the habits that underpin successful creative and analytical work.

Differentiate by depth, not volume.

Plan challenge through increased complexity – such as tackling ambiguous ideas, experimenting with form, or synthesising multiple viewpoints – rather than through additional tasks that may simply consume time without enhancing cognitive demand.

Develop agency and structures for independence, rather than relying on PEE paragraphs and similar mnemonics.

Provide high-challenge frameworks, sentence stems or structural guides that encourage students to construct thoughtful, original arguments; over time, weaning them off reductive formulae like PEE so that their writing becomes flexible, mature and authentic.

What do our students do to show progress?

Encourage them to produce work that reflects increasing sophistication, originality and nuance.
Look for growing control, creativity and ambition in how students communicate ideas – for example, through more daring interpretations, subtle shifts in tone, or inventive stylistic choices that show ownership over their writing and thinking.

Help them to demonstrate critical, evaluative thinking through discussion and writing.

Encourage students to interrogate texts and ideas actively – weighing evidence, questioning assumptions, and problematising simplistic readings – so that their viewpoints become more layered, exploratory and confident over time.

Let them articulate and use knowledge verbally.

Give students frequent opportunities to articulate their thinking out loud – in classroom discussion, debates or hot-seating – enabling them to develop academic and creative oracy, rehearse complex ideas and strengthen their command of subject-specific language.

How should our students receive feedback?

Give precise, personalised formative feedback focusing on stretch and refinement.

Rather than merely correcting mistakes, feedback should target what a student needs to do to move forward – pointing towards greater complexity, precision, or stylistic control.

Use dialogue – verbal questioning, conferencing, and live marking.

Respond in real time wherever possible, using probing questions and quick conversations to deepen understanding, unsettle complacency and move learners forward while they are still ‘in the zone’ of thinking.

Facilitate critique of models and peer feedback.

Train students to evaluate work (their own and others’) against ambitious, explicit criteria that has even been agreed in advance as part of the learning process – so that they come to understand effective writing and so they can engage critically and constructively in the improvement process.

Final thoughts

Ultimately, supporting more able learners in English is not about doing more, but doing more thoughtfully. Many of these suggestions reflect effective teaching for learners of all abilities. But by embedding genuine challenge into our curriculum, pedagogy and feedback, we can offer our students the chance to think deeply, work independently and engage with rich ideas.

Find out more…

Join us on Tuesday 17th March 2026 for a free live webinar with the author of this blog post, Anthony Cockerill, Director of the National Association for the Teaching of English (NATE). During the session, Anthony will share examples of how the strategies discussed above can be implemented in practice, with opportunity for Q&A. Read more and register.

Donna Lee, Headteacher of Nettlesworth Primary School, County Durham

Designing a curriculum that is both inclusive and challenging is essential for ensuring every learner thrives. At Nettlesworth Primary School, we’ve worked hard to create an approach that raises expectations for all while celebrating diversity and individual strengths. Here’s our five-step plan, with practical examples from our journey.

Step 1: Start with a clear vision

An inclusive and challenging curriculum begins with a shared vision. Define what ‘inclusive’ and ‘challenging’ mean in your context. For us, inclusivity means every child feels valued and supported, regardless of ability, background, or need. Challenge means providing opportunities for deep thinking and problem-solving. Our school aims to provide all children with a well-planned and balanced education taking full account of national curriculum statutory requirements. Within the bounds of this we also provide for individual children’s special needs which may require more challenging work or additional help. We ensure there is a whole-school commitment and a clear focus to providing for more able, gifted and talented pupils. We provide pupils with a wide range of experiences and opportunities individualised to their personal needs and interests. Parents are closely involved in the education of their child and are consulted about their provision. 

Example: We held an inset day looking at developing our curriculum further to meet the individual needs of our children where staff and governors contributed ideas. Pupils created posters in a whole-school workshop showing what ‘challenge’ looks like in their learning –many highlighted resilience and curiosity rather than just ‘hard work.’ This helped us shape a vision that everyone understood and owned.

Step 2: Audit and adapt your curriculum

Once your vision is clear, review your curriculum through the lens of inclusivity and challenge. Ask:

Does every subject offer opportunities for higher-order thinking?

Are resources and texts representative of diverse cultures and perspectives?

Do we provide scaffolds for those who need support without capping expectations?

Example: During our curriculum audit, we made sure there were opportunities planned for the ability to think critically about history and communicate ideas confidently to a range of audiences; the ability to support, evaluate and challenge their own and others’ views using historical evidence from a range of sources; and the ability to think, reflect, debate, discuss and evaluate the past by formulating and refining questions and lines of enquiry. In maths, we added reasoning challenges to every lesson – such as ‘Explain why this method works’ –to deepen understanding.

Step 3: Embed differentiation and personalisation

Adaptive teaching isn’t about giving ‘more work’ to some and ‘less work’ to others. It’s about designing tasks that allow multiple entry points and varied outcomes.

Example: In Year 4 science, when exploring electricity, pupils could choose how to present their findings: a diagram, a written explanation, or a short video. This allowed all learners to access the challenge while showcasing their strengths.

Step 4: Foster a culture of high expectations

Curriculum design alone won’t create challenge unless it’s supported by a culture that values effort, resilience, and growth.

Example: We use growth mindset and games values to celebrate pupils who take risks and learn from mistakes. In maths, learn from each other and share our learning – pupils share an error they made and explain what they learned from it. This normalises mistakes and encourages reflection. Parents are involved too: we run workshops on growth mindset so the message continues at home.

Step 5: Review, reflect, and refine

Creating an inclusive and challenging curriculum is an ongoing process. Schedule regular reviews using data, observations, and feedback.

Example: Each term, we hold curriculum review meetings where staff share successes and challenges. Recently, feedback showed pupils wanted more collaborative tasks, so we introduced ‘Think-Pair-Share’ and group problem-solving in maths. We also use NACE’s audit tools annually to benchmark progress and set new goals.

Final thoughts

An inclusive and challenging curriculum isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing better. By following these five steps – vision, audit, differentiation, culture, and review – you can create a learning environment where every child feels included and inspired to achieve their best.

About the author

Donna Lee is committed to the highest standards of teaching and learning and believes that all children deserve teachers who believe in them and have high expectations of all. She has been an Inclusion Coordinator for over 25 years; inclusion and individualised learning were the focus for an MA in Special Educational Needs and NPQH. Donna believes you work in partnership with parents to develop a school where no one fails; every child leaves having identified a talent, a skill, an intelligence through which they can become whatever they want to be. She shares this belief and expertise through network meetings and conferences throughout the North East. 

In 2013-2014, Donna led Nettlesworth Primary School as Acting Deputy Headteacher in obtaining the NACE Challenge Award for the first time. She then became Headteacher of the school in January 2018, immediately leading the team through an Ofsted inspection, where they continue to be a good school. She has also led the school through NACE re-accreditation assessments in July 2018, July 2021 and 2024 – now as a NACE Ambassador School.  

 In many classrooms, there are pupils who think deeply, notice patterns quickly and make sophisticated connections, but whose abilities can easily be overlooked. This is especially true for learners who use English as an additional language (EAL). Too often, language proficiency becomes the lens through which all other abilities are judged. When that happens, we risk missing talent that is present, active and quietly waiting to be recognised.

I’ve worked with EAL learners for years, and one of the most persistent challenges I’ve seen is how easily ability can be underestimated. A child who struggles to explain their thinking in English may still be reasoning at a high level. Another may grasp abstract concepts instantly but lack the vocabulary to show it in conventional ways. When we rely too heavily on spoken or written English to identify ability, we narrow our view and some of our most able learners slip under the radar.

Recognising more able learners within EAL populations matters for two main reasons.

• First, it’s an issue of equity. All learners deserve to be challenged, stretched and supported appropriately. 
• Second, it’s about potential. When ability goes unnoticed, learners may disengage, lose confidence or internalise the idea that they are “behind”, when in reality they are anything but.
  

One of the key difficulties is separating language acquisition from cognitive ability. Learning a new language is demanding. It takes time, exposure and confidence. During that process, learners may appear hesitant, quiet or even passive. But silence does not equal lack of understanding. I’ve seen pupils solve complex problems mentally while struggling to explain their reasoning aloud. Others demonstrate advanced thinking through gestures, drawings or their first language – but this will only be recognised if we are willing to look.

How can we successfully look beyond language to successfully identify and support more able EAL learners?

Close observation is key

More able EAL learners often show their strengths in subtle ways. They may pick up routines quickly, transfer knowledge from one context to another or ask insightful questions using limited language. Some show creativity in problem-solving, finding alternative ways to complete tasks when language becomes a barrier. These are all indicators of high ability, even if they don’t fit neatly into standard assessment frameworks.

Go beyond traditional testing

Assessment itself can be a stressful stumbling block. Traditional tests often measure language more than understanding. For EAL learners, especially those new to English, this can mask what they truly know. Identifying more able learners requires flexibility: using visual tasks, practical activities, discussion in pairs, or opportunities to respond through diagrams or models. When pupils are given multiple ways to demonstrate understanding, ability becomes clearer and easier to correctly identify.

Challenge assumptions

It’s easy, often unconsciously, to associate fluency with intelligence. Learners who speak confidently and use advanced vocabulary are more likely to be seen as able, while those still developing their English may be placed in lower groups or given simplified work. Over time, this can limit access to challenge. More able EAL learners may spend too long consolidating basics they mastered long ago, simply because they haven’t yet mastered the language of instruction.

Adopt a strengths-based mindset

Instead of focusing on what learners can’t yet do in English, we should be asking: 

• What can they do? 
• What do they understand? 
• Where do they show curiosity, speed of learning, or depth of thinking?

For many EAL learners, strengths may lie in mathematics, science, pattern recognition, music or strategic thinking. Language may catch up later but only if those strengths are nurtured, not ignored.

Offer cognitive challenge alongside support

Supporting more able EAL learners isn’t about pushing them faster through language learning. It’s about offering cognitive challenge alongside language support. This might mean providing richer tasks with scaffolding, encouraging use of first language as a thinking tool or allowing learners to work with peers who stretch their thinking. Challenge and accessibility can and should exist together.

Consider the impact on wellbeing

There’s also a pastoral component to this work. Being identified as able can have a powerful impact on a learner’s self-image. For EAL learners, who may already feel different or unsure of their place, recognition can be transformative. I’ve seen pupils’ confidence grow when their abilities are acknowledged, even in small ways. That confidence often feeds back into language learning, participation and risk-taking.

Key takeaways

Ultimately, recognising more able learners among EAL pupils requires us to slow down and look more carefully. It asks us to question usual habits of assessment, to listen beyond words, and to remain open to different expressions of ability. It’s not about lowering expectations because language is a barrier; it’s about raising expectations while removing that barrier.

When we get this right, everyone benefits. Learners feel seen. Classrooms become more inclusive and we move closer to an education system that values thinking as much as talking. Ability doesn’t disappear when language is developing because it simply finds new ways to show itself. Our job is to notice and make a difference.

About the author

Misba Mir is a Deputy Headteacher, English Lead and Year 6 Teacher at Carlton Junior and Infant School, West Yorkshire, with over 14 years of teaching experience. She leads on curriculum development and school-wide challenge, ensuring high standards, ambition and engagement for all pupils. Misba is passionate about fostering a positive learning culture, supporting staff development, and preparing pupils for success academically, socially and emotionally. Carlton Junior and Infant School has held the NACE Challenge Award since 2020 and is an active member of the NACE community.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review published in late 2025 (DfE) sets out a bold and ambitious role for the English curriculum. As the report asserts:

“The refreshed curriculum must provide the knowledge and skills that will empower young people to thrive as citizens, in work and throughout life, in the light of the challenges and opportunities facing them today.” (p.47)

Realising this ambition in practice requires teachers to focus on what they are teaching, with an understanding of how our subject knowledge and skills can be empowering for young people. This means we need to think about knowledge less as a means to get through an exam, and more as a way to enable students to be productive, creative citizens of the modern world.

A curriculum is much more than a set of learning objectives or facts on a page. ‘Curriculum making’ describes the deliberate process that a teacher goes through to bring a curriculum to life. There are three main considerations, modelled by the overlapping circles in Figure 1: the subject, the student and the choices teachers make. 

 
Figure 1: Curriculum making – from Bustin (2024), p.73, based on Lambert and Morgan (2010)

The first consideration is the subject discipline itself. This includes the knowledge, skills and values that make up each school subject. The sort of knowledge that is inherent in this type of curriculum thinking is not an inert list of facts but is ‘powerful’ knowledge, a term from the work of Michael Young (e.g. 2008). This type of knowledge has derived from the disciplined thinking that comes from engagement with a school subject; it is the ‘best’ scholarly thought that has been developed within that particular discipline but is never a given as it can be replaced by better knowledge as more research is done. 

Powerful knowledge can include substantive knowledge – the claims of truth made by a subject; and procedural knowledge – knowing how to think with and through the subject, which often leads to distinctive subject-specific skills. Access to this sort of ambitious knowledge should be seen as a minimum curricular entitlement for all young people. Indeed, the Curriculum and Assessment Review contends that: 

“a curriculum centred on ‘powerful knowledge’ provides a shared frame of reference for children and young people from different backgrounds, enabling them to engage more effectively with issues affecting them and the world around them.” (p.45)

My own research with over 200 teachers across three schools, published in What are we Teaching? Powerful knowledge and a capabilities curriculum (Bustin, 2024) identifies how powerful knowledge might be expressed in different subjects across the curriculum.

A second consideration of curriculum making is the lived experiences of the young people themselves. Teachers understand their pupils, their motivations and their prior knowledge, which can be drawn upon to develop engaging lessons. Students’ own life experiences can also be a meaningful starting point for engagement.

The third consideration of curriculum making is teacher choices. Subject-specialist teachers are best placed to decide on the most appropriate pedagogy. This could include introducing more active learning activities, direct instruction, deliberate practice or factual recall. What is clear is that a lesson cannot be an ‘off the shelf’ presentation sent out to all teachers to deliver uncritically. Instead, it should involve a careful selection of content, framed for that particular class at that particular time. A lesson first thing on a Monday morning might look different to the same lesson taught on Friday afternoon.

It is the centre point of the diagram above where the possibilities of curriculum making can be realised. Teachers make choices about what to teach, and how to teach it, and it is through engagement with the powerful knowledge of subjects that students can develop capabilities to see the world in new ways: to spot fake news, to understand nuance in complex debates, to think critically and become autonomous, free-thinking individuals. Subject-specialist teachers, given the autonomy to design their own lessons and decide on their own pedagogy, are key to realising this vision.

References:
Bustin, R. (2024). What are we Teaching? Powerful knowledge and a capabilities curriculum. Carmarthen: Crown House.
Department for Education (2025). Curriculum and Assessment review. Available: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-final-report. Accessed December 2025.
Lambert, D. and Morgan, J. (2010). Teaching Geography 11-18: a conceptual approach. Maidenhead: Open University.
Young, M. (2008). Bringing knowledge back in: from social constructivism to social realism in the sociology of education. Abingdon: Routledge.

About the author

Dr Richard Bustin is Director of Pedagogy, Innovation and Staff Development and Head of Geography at Lancing College, UK. He is the author of What are we teaching? Powerful knowledge and a capabilities curriculum – available now from Crown House.

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Matt Kingston, Curriculum Innovation Lead, Holme Grange School

Holme Grange’s teaching and learning focus this year has been adaptive teaching, a priority that brings with it many of the same challenges faced by schools nationwide. One of the most significant barriers has been the time required to create adapted resources that meet individual pupil needs. 

Most teachers can recall spending hours preparing resources, only for unexpected issues such as IT failures, printer jams, or a difficult lesson to undermine the best of intentions. As a result, many teachers have relied heavily on in-class adaptations to ensure accessibility – inevitably an uphill struggle. 

However, the emergence of new technologies has begun to shift this balance, offering teachers ways to maintain both their wellbeing and their ability to provide accessible, high-quality resources for all pupils.

This year, we have undertaken a focused exploration of how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to support adaptive teaching, enabling all pupils to access the curriculum and work towards shared learning goals across a range of subjects. We began on a small scale, working within departments to adapt resources efficiently for diverse learners. This approach demonstrated a clear positive impact, giving us the confidence to begin rolling it out across the whole school.

Our starting point was a staff audit designed to understand how AI was already being used and how it was perceived. The overall response was positive, but three key concerns emerged. Only 11% of staff were using AI to adapt resources; there were significant worries about its impact on pupils’ critical thinking; and concerns around cheating were widespread.

The latter two concerns are being addressed through careful task design. If a task can be easily completed using AI and is difficult to detect, then it is worth questioning its educational value. As AI becomes harder to identify and increasingly difficult to restrict, particularly in homework settings, we have shifted our focus towards designing AI-resistant tasks. These include activities where pupils must defend their opinions, record voice notes to explain their thinking, or engage in flipped learning that is assessed in class using mini-whiteboards. By requiring pupils to articulate and justify their ideas, we strengthen critical thinking while making it harder to outsource learning to AI. Rather than viewing AI as a barrier, we are using it as an opportunity to refine our curriculum and teaching approaches.

In line with our school learning policy on adaptive teaching, it quickly became clear that there was a skills gap among staff when it came to using AI effectively. Our first step was raising awareness of how AI could be used safely and purposefully. This was introduced during an INSET session, where staff were presented with three practical strategies for using AI to support adaptive teaching. Each strategy included guidance on accessibility and impact, strengths and limitations, and example prompts tailored to specific learning needs.

For many staff, this session served as a reminder of AI’s potential. For others who had previously been hesitant, it provided the confidence to begin experimenting with new approaches. This was followed by a second session aimed at beginners, covering the fundamentals of prompt writing, data protection, and key risks such as GDPR breaches and AI ‘hallucinations’. The response was again very positive. While a full staff audit will be conducted later in the year, early indicators suggest a noticeable increase in staff using AI to support resource adaptation. This work will be reinforced through fortnightly ‘quick wins’ shared during staff briefings and in the weekly bulletin.

One of the most significant challenges AI has introduced relates to student use. Concerns around cheating were not unfounded, with pupils openly discussing their use of AI tools to complete notes and homework tasks. However, as AI will inevitably form part of students’ future lives, a blanket ban would do little to prepare them for what lies ahead.

Instead, we are focusing on educating pupils about appropriate and effective use. We are currently trialling a Year 9 tutor programme to explore how structured guidance impacts students’ understanding and use of AI. This programme covers how AI works, the risks it poses to learning, how it can be used positively, and what the future of AI may look like. Alongside this, we are piloting small-scale projects such as subject-specific GPTs that pupils are permitted to use independently. These tools are designed to guide thinking rather than provide answers, helping pupils to use AI as a learning aid rather than a shortcut.

Ultimately, this approach relies on pupils choosing to use AI responsibly. Developing this mindset will take time and ongoing dialogue. To support this, we will continue gathering feedback through staff audits, research, and CPD, while also establishing a digital student council to give pupils a voice in shaping how AI is used within the school.

We are still at the very beginning of a long journey with AI. However, the willingness of both staff and pupils to engage thoughtfully with this challenge has been encouraging, making what could be a daunting task an exciting opportunity for meaningful change.

Holme Grange School, Wokingham, has been accredited with the NACE Challenge Award since 2013, and is a NACE Challenge Ambassador School.

In the current climate, there is a clear and welcome focus on securing key foundational skills for our younger children. Automaticity in both word reading and transcriptional skills helps children access a wide range of texts and share their ideas through writing.

Rich, authentic texts are a vital part of provision; they promote the pleasure and purpose of reading, deepening understanding of texts and exploring the craft of the writer. Yet in primary schools, it seems as if the purpose of reading is to answer questions correctly about a text, and writing is about producing a ‘type’ of text. The reality is that we read to escape, relate, explore and discover, and when writing, we think far more about what we want to say, why we want to say it and how best to get our meaning across.   

Working alongside many schools and trusts, I often talk about the importance of ‘creating writers, not writing’; the same applies to reading – we need to create real ‘readers’. High-quality texts allow us to do exactly that.

At Opening Doors, we believe challenge is for everyone, and access is key. By using high challenge, low threat strategies, every child can develop fully as a reader and a writer, including our younger learners.  

Here are five texts to get you started…

The Last Wolf by Mini Grey
Little Red ventures into the woods to catch a wolf in this humorous twist on the traditional tale of Little Red Riding Hood, featuring important environmental messages.

Ideas to engage and challenge:  

• When predicting, young children often focus on getting it right. However, authors often deliberately lead readers towards one thing before surprising them with something quite unexpected. Here, Little Red stalks what looks very much like a rabbit, but turns out to be something quite different. The reader is caught out! Another potential creature is spotted. Will the reader be caught out again, or will they be wise; there is more to the image than meets the eye? As readers, we wonder, notice, speculate, connect and take pleasure in being surprised and shocked as events unfold. Explore those ‘red herrings’ and the enjoyment of getting it wrong. Can we spot ‘red herrings’ in other stories? As we develop as writers, maybe we can include some?
• Why do we sense impending danger as Little Red travels through the forest? Darkening pictures, word choices, strange sounds, the size of our heroine, unanswered questions and broken up sentences all add to the tension. Is there danger? Or is this another ‘red herring’?
• Relish the vocabulary; alongside some great words to explore (‘supplies’, ‘lurked’ etc.), there are also some unusual and potentially unfamiliar phrases: ‘the good old days’, ‘world was awash’, ‘a square meal’, ‘pickings are slim’.
• Take making connections to other texts one step further. This author has made very deliberate links with another text. What connotations can be made by the inclusion of certain characters, the play on a name, the use of colour or a well-known phrase? All this brings to mind prior knowledge and perhaps more ‘red herrings’ – wolves should be dangerous! Over time, you might like to spot other stories that play on these links. Good Little Wolf by Nadia Shireen and A Tale of Two Beasts by Fiona Robertson are good examples.
• And why not have some playful fun with writing? Perhaps children could create a lunchbox for the wolf for Little Red’s next visit? Maybe they could write about a wolf chasing/hunting a sandwich/chocolate bar for their dinner?

The Secret Forest by Sandra Dieckmann
This interactive text invites readers to spot hidden secrets while journeying through the forest, meeting creatures and discovering fascinating information about life in the forest.

Ideas to engage and challenge:

• The author continually engages with the reader, asking them to do something, notice something or on one occasion, sing an owl duet! Command sentences instruct the reader to notice something or warn of imminent danger. To be a great writer, sentences are crafted for the reader; we can show them how this is done.
• Adverbs of time are often covered in KS1. How many pieces of writing do we see that use the words first, then, next etc.?  This book contains some delightful phrases that show the time of day: ‘in the twilight of late evening’, and ‘the morning sun is rising’.  Why not collate these, model new ones and generate some together? They can be used orally to talk about time and events. Developing this over time is likely to lead into natural application within writing.

The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers
A humorous tale with an important message: read books, don’t eat them. Henry loves eating books and gets cleverer with each bite, but it doesn’t end well. He learns that reading is the better way (or does he?).

Ideas to engage and challenge:

• Explore engaging ways that stories are shared. The opening paragraph connects the author and reader through a shared interest and implies something slightly different about our main character. Sentence openers weave the magic of stories: ‘It all began quite by mistake…’, ‘Then, after a while, and almost by accident…’.  Note other books that acknowledge the reader, other openers that build the story. These could be used in any retelling or creation of stories.
• Alongside fascinating illustrations, the author uses unexpected features – a labelled diagram to explain a process, a footnote to explain an unfamiliar word – typically seen in non-fiction. Discuss where else these features might be found and explore Jeffers’ other books to see if you can find any similar features.
• Take some time to look at the blurb. What is a disclaimer? Why might the reader need a disclaimer? The short, one-line reviews are very cleverly worded, playing on words like ‘devour’ and ‘mouthwatering’, exploiting the meaning of these words in different contexts. Try ‘digest’ and ‘feast’.  How can they be used in a non-food context?
• Explore endings with a twist. We discover Henry, quietly reading a book, but what about that last line, and the mysterious poster/book? And what has happened to the back cover? Why might an author do this at the end of a book? What other stories have a ‘twist’ at the end?

The Big Book of the Blue by Yuval Zommer
This engaging, informative non-fiction text explores the ocean through fascinating illustrations and cleverly presented facts. With fiction, we often respond to the text by exploring our reactions; why not explore the delight of discovery alongside knowledge?

Ideas to engage and challenge:

• The first subheading on each page asks a question a reader might wonder about, often addressing potential misconceptions such as ‘Is a jellyfish made from jelly?’ Other subheadings use clever techniques such as playing on words: ‘In for the krill’ and ‘Good eye-dea’. There’s a great opportunity here for collecting these and linking them to the original phrase, thus developing knowledge of well-used phrases and idioms. You can also explore short, snappy subheadings, the use of alliteration and how the first subheading flows directly into the opening sentence (‘A crab says hello by…’), leaving the reader intrigued to read on.
• Another effective way of sharing information is using the language of comparison. Understanding is developed through showing a slight difference or an unusual link with something the reader is likely to know about. Pick out phrases such as ‘slippery as butter’, ‘looks like a flower’ to demonstrate this. Make links with writing; if your reader didn’t know what something was, what comparisons could you make? 
• The Fishy Phrases page provides an excellent example for teaching children subject-specific words and how these ‘expert’ words are used in information texts. Perhaps children could revisit other pages in the book and see if they can spot any ‘expert’ words!

I’ve yet to do the sardine challenge (posed for the reader at the beginning of the book) but I’m sure many children will be keen to have a go!

Nimesh the Adventurer by Ranjit Singh, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini
A glorious text exploring the delight of using your imagination to have adventures wherever you are. It might be a school corridor, or is it the ocean depths – a place for daring adventures!

Finally, below is just a taster of what you can do with this book, as I’ve used it to create our first ever Opening Doors unit for reception and KS1. There are opportunities for:

• Oral, creative retelling of journeys
• Creating illustrations to ‘hint’ at adventures
• Building sentences to explore concepts
• Consideration to play and enhanced continuous provision
• A range of ‘wings to fly’ opportunities, accessible for all learners

If you’d like to explore this unit in full and deepen your understanding of the Opening Doors approach, you can purchase the unit via TES, and read more about Opening Doors.

Julie Sargent has over 10 years’ experience of working across the whole of the primary sector as an English Consultant. This includes developing bespoke CPD for individual schools, multi-academy trusts and local authorities. She has a particular interest in Early Years/KS1 and using high-quality texts to promote and develop all aspects of English. Read more about Julie, and follow her @Julie_Sargent1

The review emphasises that ambition for every learner means more than raising the bar – it means ensuring no pupil is left behind, and that ambition is realised through curriculum design, teaching, and assessment working in harmony. 

As we respond to this agenda in our schools, the question becomes: how do we keep our curriculum ambitious for every learner, especially as change looms? In this piece, we outline six practical levers to help school leaders, middle leaders and teachers embed ambition for all – drawing on the research and practice we explored in How Do They Do It?.

1. Ambition begins with clarity of purpose

Every ambitious curriculum starts with this question: what do we want every pupil to know, understand, and be able to do? In our book, we make the point that ambition is not simply a display on a wall but is visible in the quality of pupils’ work.

The CAR underlines that schools need to articulate an entitlement: the national curriculum must be for all children and young people, and should be inclusive in design.

Without clarity of purpose, ambition becomes a slogan rather than a coherent practice.

To act on this:

• Review your curriculum intent statements: do they specify outcomes for all learners – including those with disrupted learning, special educational needs or disadvantage?
• When planning units, ask: can teachers articulate the ambitious end-point for each learner group?
• Use professional development to bring teachers together to examine examples of strong pupil work and discuss: was this ambitious? Why? How might we raise it further?

2. Ambition demands intelligent sequencing

Ambitious work isn’t about giving the hardest material first, nor about revisiting the same material without progression. It’s about building a staircase, not erecting a wall. In our research, we saw two common mistakes: one, ambition set too low (re-visiting rather than deepening); two, ambition set too high (introducing content before pupils are ready).

The CAR emphasises coherence and progression. It signals that linking prior learning, increasing complexity and ensuring curriculum continuity across key stages are vital. 

Actions to support this:

• Audit schemes of work: check that each unit connects to prior learning and shows how pupils will progress to something more challenging.
• Plan for learners who may need scaffolded or bridge units so they are ready for ambitious work.
• Create opportunities to revisit, consolidate and then apply knowledge in increasingly complex contexts.
  

3. Ambition is outward-looking

If ambition is entirely internalised, it can become complacent. The most ambitious schools maintain a habit of looking outwards: to exemplar practice, to strong pupil work elsewhere, to what disciplines expect beyond school.

The CAR highlights that the national curriculum should reflect the diversities of our society and prepare young people for work and life. That requires schools to benchmark against high expectations everywhere. 

How to embed this:

• Ask teachers to bring in examples of strong curriculum design, assessment tasks and pupil work from other schools/contexts.
• Use subject networks, external visits or trust collaboration to compare what ambitious work looks like in your phase/subject.
• Regularly ask: what would this look like if we were at our best? What would pupils be producing?
  

4. Ambition must be inclusive by design

Ambition for some pupils is not ambition at all. The CAR is explicit that the curriculum and assessment system must provide for all children and young people, including those who face barriers. 

This is why we argue that ambition must be non-negotiable but flexible: entitlement to high-quality knowledge and rich tasks, with scaffolding and support built in for access.

Practical steps:

• At curriculum planning stage ask: how will this ambitious aim be accessible to all learners without lowering the bar?
• For pupils with SEND or interrupted learning, build in bridge tasks, retrieval opportunities and scaffolds.
• Celebrate ambitious outcomes from all learner groups – shift the narrative so ambition is seen as universal, not exclusive.
  

5. Ambition shows up in assessment and the final product

Ambition isn’t fulfilled when a lesson ends or when pupils complete worksheets. It is fulfilled when pupils produce something significant: an extended essay, a fieldwork project, a creative performance, a reasoned debate. In our work we observed too many schools focus on content coverage and then skip the phase where pupils use that knowledge to do something ambitious.

The CAR emphasises that assessment systems should capture the breadth of the curriculum and reflect rich outcomes – not narrow measures only.

Actions for this:

• Construct assessment tasks which require pupils to apply and reason, not merely recall.
• Provide time for pupils to revisit and refine work so ambition is realised.
• Use pupils’ outcomes as diagnostic data: did the ambitious task yield the expected quality? What adjustments to curriculum or pedagogy are needed?
  

6. Ambition is sustained through reflection and iteration

Curriculum design and teaching are not one-off achievements. The CAR recognises that the system must evolve, and that ambition requires ongoing review: “Why are we doing this? Are we achieving what we set out to? How do we know?” are questions we emphasise in How Do They Do It?

How to make this a habit:

• At the end of each unit, hold a short review: did pupils’ work reach our ambitious end-point? What blockers emerged? What support was most effective?
• Maintain a departmental ambition tracker: track the quality of pupil outcomes across learner groups, identify where ambition may be slipping, and intervene.
• Support teacher professional learning around ambition: hold collaborative workshops, peer-review sessions or book group discussions on what ambitious means in practice.
  

Final thoughts

The Curriculum and Assessment Review has given us a timely prompt: ambition is more than a goal. It is a design factor, built into curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, and school culture. For ambition to become reality, it must be clear, sequenced, outward-looking, inclusive, visible in assessment, and sustained through review.

In our busy schools, it can be tempting to focus on operational change – new content lists, new assessment formats – but without anchoring these in an ambition-for-all mindset we risk reforming the system without transforming it.

So let us ask: what does ambitious mean in our context? What will pupils be producing when we succeed? How will we know that all learners, including those facing the steepest barriers, have done ambitious work and are ready for what comes next?

If we keep that focus at the centre of our curriculum redesign, we will ensure that ambition for all is not just rhetoric but daily reality.

Mark Enser and Zoe Enser were teachers and school leaders, ex-HMIs in Ofsted’s Curriculum Unit, and are the authors of How Do They Do It? What can we learn from amazing schools, leaders and teachers? (Crown House, 2025).

For discounts on this and other Crown House publications, view all current NACE member offers (login required).

With the ‘Year of Reading’ fast approaching, it’s a good time to re-assess the provisions in place for our children. As an English lead, questions I ask myself often revolve around the following…

• What are our children reading?
• Why do they make the choices that they do?
• In what ways can I support them?

This is especially important when it comes to children sharing what they have read, as I believe there are many effective ways to do this other than merely completing a reading record book. After I have read a great book (or a terrible one for that matter) there’s nothing I love more than discussing it with others. It was for this reason that I joined a ‘Teachers’ Reading Group’, facilitated by The Open University’s Reading for Pleasure volunteers.

The project I undertook at the end of the year involved setting up a staff book club where we read and discussed children’s books. It was very successful, in more ways than I realised it would be:

• We really enjoyed reading and discussing the texts.
• It broadened our knowledge of children’s literature.
• As staff finished reading the books, they were placed in class libraries.
• We noticed that groups of children were taking the books and reading them together, forming their own small book groups.

As the NACE lead at my school, I considered how I could use my findings to benefit more groups of children, so I started running a book club for our more able children. I adopted the Reading Gladiators programme curated by Nikki Gamble and the team at Just Imagine, which focuses on high-level discussion and eliciting creative responses to quality texts. Over the years these book clubs have been extremely popular, so we now run additional book clubs for less engaged readers and a picture book club with a focus on visual literacy.

Here are five reasons why I believe book clubs are a valuable way to foster reading for pleasure for all children, through informal, dialogic group discussion.

1) They develop critical and reflective thinking.

• Through guided discussion, children learn to justify opinions with evidence and challenge assumptions elicited from both the text and from each other.
•  The discussions foster metacognition and allow children to deepen their thinking. Research has shown that this links to higher achievement.

2) They nurture social and emotional intelligence.

• Children build their skills in empathy through exploring different perspectives, including that of their peers.
• It allows children time to reflect on and enjoy what they are reading without the pressure of having to answer formal questions.

3) They foster independence and help children to make meaningful connections.

• Book clubs expose children to a wide range of texts that they might not choose independently.
• They enable leaders to read with rather than to children.
• Reading for pleasure thrives when children can relate what they read to themselves, other texts and the world, thus deepening their ideas.

4) They encourage dialogic interaction.

• Book clubs encourage children to verbalise their interpretations and listen to others’ viewpoints.
• Discussion helps them move from literal understanding to analysis and evaluation — exploring themes, author choices, and symbolism.
• Informal book talk enables children to build empathy whilst exploring different perspectives.
• Collaborative reading builds confidence, listening skills, and the ability to challenge each other’s thinking, which are key aspects of social learning.

5) They promote agency, create a community of readers and foster a love of reading.

• When children play an integral part in discussion direction, they feel ownership and autonomy.
• Book clubs shift reading from a solitary task to a social practice.
• This helps to build a community of engaged readers who are invested, curious and motivated.

References

• OU/UKLA Teachers' Reading Groups
• Case study: St Michael’s Staff Book Club
• Just Imagine: Reading Gladiators
• Reading and Writing for Pleasure – Teresa Cremin et al (Routledge: 2025)
• The reading framework (DfE)

As Kate Hosey said in her blog post in 2022, some students – perhaps many – can “find it hard to motivate themselves to be more active in their learning”.

There may be various reasons for this, some of which may be related to social trends beyond the classroom. This blog post is not intended to offer a cure for all of those!

What it offers is a simple suggestion, that students might be more engaged with their learning if they saw it as a way of developing skills for life – followed by another, as to how that desired outcome might be reached.

What do we mean by ‘learning’?

The word ‘learning’ is ambiguous between content – what is learnt – which is typically ‘subject’-based, and process – the daily slog, and sometimes satisfaction, of ‘studying’.

Many students, if not most, see learning predominantly as the former – the acquisition of stipulated knowledge, rather than the development of smart skills for life.

But what could be smarter than cognitive – essentially, thinking – skills? (Well, perhaps metacognitive ones – but watch this space!)

If only the teaching and learning process explicitly promoted and practised such skills, then maybe, just maybe, more students would value and engage with the process.

How could this ideal be reached? The key is in the word ‘explicitly’. Any taught lesson, at any level and in any subject, demands of the students a variety of thinking skills. (If not, it cannot be worth its salt!)

How often are these demands spelled out? To be fair, the best teachers will do this, if not in advance of a learning task, then afterwards, by way of explaining how it could have been done better.

But there are still two challenges to be overcome.

Developing a shared language for thinking skills

I recognised the first of these challenges about 15 years ago, when I was commissioned to teach some teachers (more) about thinking skills. It is that there is no common language for teachers and learners to talk about thinking skills, nor indeed any appreciation of the full range of such skills.

That was when I set about creating Thinking Moves A-Z, a list of the 26 most fundamental cognitive skills – which has the further merit of being easy to learn and use.

This scheme enables teachers to be clear what sorts of thinking they are expecting students to practise in any given lesson. Typically, they might highlight two or three metacognitive ‘moves’ per lesson for the students to focus on, but over a term or year they might aim to cover as full a range as possible.

The second challenge is that, ultimately, the aim is for students not only to be more aware of their capacity for different sorts of thinking – what I sometimes call their ‘brain powers’ – but to practise those skills independently: to see themselves as, and indeed to be, ‘good thinkers’.

That, of course, is the point at which those skills can properly be called ‘metacognitive’ – when students are not just thinking about their thinking, but doing so with purpose and with proficiency.

Inspiration, aspiration, and commitment

But I must return to the main question of this blog, namely how to get students to appreciate this ultimate aim, and to engage with it.

As to the appreciation, I have already hinted that simply providing students with a common and complete vocabulary for thinking about thinking is likely to be interesting, if not inspiring, to them.
What student would not be impressed to be told that their brain/mind is capable of 26 different ‘moves’, and indeed has been making them daily – but without their even realising it?

And then what student would not aspire to become better at some, if not all, of these moves – to become ‘good’ at thinking AHEAD (predicting or aiming), for example, or thinking BACK (remembering or reflecting)?

Of course, some students will still need to be encouraged – motivated – to commit themselves to this aspiration, and to the journey involved.

Getting better at EXPLAINING, for example, involves long-term commitment to expanding one’s vocabulary, and to deploying words with care.

Getting better at WEIGHING UP (evaluating) involves deep commitment to open-mindedness and fairness.

And getting better at balancing ZOOMING OUT and ZOOMING IN involves commitment to the move most fundamental for metacognition – being able to step back from time to time and look at the whole picture, before deciding which aspect to focus on next – a balancing cycle we all repeat all the time, again usually without realising it.

Unlocking the full benefits of metacognition

Metacognition is not just the ability to manage your thinking better in various ways. It is the ability, I maintain, to manage your whole self – your feelings and actions as well as your thinking.

That includes the ability to recognise what is in your interest as well as what you are interested in, and to commit to some actions that might not be as appealing as others.

I realise that it is asking a lot of young people to reach the level of self-awareness where they are completely self-motivated in this way. So, I repeat that young people need steady encouragement from their teachers to be better thinkers, as well as just better learners.

But I think that there is an even greater intrinsic value to becoming more metacognitive – more self-aware and more self-managing.

To sum up, then, I am saying that part of motivating students to become metacognitive is to spell out to them what metacognition is, so that they know how they could actively develop that capacity in themselves.

In my next blog post, I will do a bit more explaining of metacognition, since I think it is not as well understood, even by educationalists, as it might be. ‘Thinking about your thinking’ is a good starting explanation, but it lacks some vital ingredients. Other accounts are similarly too narrow, and rather formulaic.

Metacognition is potentially a key to fuller and richer living, not just more proficient learning. It should, then, be a driving concept for all schools and teachers.

Roger Sutcliffe is Director of DialogueWorks and Creator of the Thinking Moves A-Z. He taught at both junior and senior level (English and Maths) for over 25 years, and has been an independent educational consultant, specialising in Philosophy for Children and Teaching Thinking, for the last 25 years. He is a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching.

Roger is currently collaborating with NACE on a four-part course based on the Thinking Moves A-Z, open to schools across all phases and contexts. If you missed the first session, it’s not too late to join! Contact us to arrange access to the recording of Session 1, and live participation in the remaining three sessions.

One such way in which we do this is through our co-curricular offer where children are able to follow their passions and enhance their knowledge, skills and understanding in developing their learning. The Genius Club, run by our Head of Science, provides an opportunity for children to apply their learning to a variety of contexts and recently had outcomes beyond even our high expectations.

The challenge… 

Within our school we have a House system which provides children with the chance to engage in friendly competition through a variety of challenges, one being a General Knowledge Quiz. The final for this contest was fast approaching and we envisaged the use of a buzzer system that would give the experience a real game-show feel. We approached the children of Genius Club to see if they would be keen to develop this idea, providing them with a brief to devise a system that would allow the four teams, each colour-coded, to buzz in to answer a question, and lock out those teams who did not respond the quickest.

The solution…

Of the group, one Year 6 child had a vision to create a wireless system using Raspberry Pi. Taking hold of their idea, they set to work and provided us with a shopping list of components totalling £250. Over budget, we sought resources from across our Foundation of schools and were able to source Raspberry Pi equipment. The child’s initial assessment was bleak, the components being not modern enough to realise the vision. Whilst many would have conceded defeat, the pupil adapted and re-designed their idea to utilise the equipment available and re-submitted their shopping list at a reduced budget of £50. Sourcing the equipment, the child set to work but time was running out. Just 48 hours before the event, the system was faltering and it looked like a commercial alternative would have to be sourced. With bed-time nigh, a 45-minute deadline was given... with patience, a passionate drive and determination, the device was completed and working as envisioned.

Outcome and next steps…

The event was held successfully, even more so as the buzzer system was put to task and ran seamlessly. This was critical thinking, challenge and creativity at its very best and allowed a child to pursue their vision diligently. To say we were impressed was an understatement. The coding knowledge and skills applied surpassed what our IT technician was able to offer, which highlighted how special this outcome was.

Quite rightly we lauded the pupil for their efforts and our senior school Head of Computing and Digital Literacy was equally in awe of their achievements.

The whole experience illustrated what is possible when children’s ideas are given the freedom to flourish and we were glad we were able to help nurture and facilitate the idea into reality. Our plan next is to achieve the original goal of being wireless and provide a network of buzzers so individual team members can buzz in.

How is your school giving children such real-life opportunities to apply their learning and nurturing the talent of tomorrow? Fingers on buzzers!

Fairfield Prep School is an independent co-educational school and part of a Foundation of schools located in Loughborough, Leicestershire, within the East Midlands. We cater for children aged 3 to 11, have been NACE accredited for several years and are now actively seeking Ambassador status. Our journey with NACE has changed our practice and challenged our thinking so that we embed the principle of challenge for all. We strongly believe in helping all learners achieve their potential and our work with NACE has helped foster an approach that helps us achieve this aim. Throughout our journey, we have developed an approach to embed STEAM, explored middle learners and developed more evidence-based approaches that allow children within our care to flourish. We hope to continue our NACE journey by networking with like-minded schools to challenge our own thinking and evolve practice for the benefit of children.

Learn more…

• Fairfield Prep School’s journey to Challenge Award accreditation and beyond

The Ogden Trust supports everyone teaching physics, including those who find themselves teaching physics out of field at all levels. Our focus is on helping teachers provide a high-quality physics education for all. Our CPD programmes draw on research, evidence and experience to scaffold and build effective physics teaching practice, by supporting subject and pedagogical knowledge. We work with schools and teachers to improve teacher self-efficacy, confidence and enthusiasm for physics, enabling them to provide stretch and challenge for all students.

The research

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) guidance report on Improving Secondary Physics informs our teacher support. The report made seven recommendations that could be implemented and actioned within the science classroom. 

Looking in more detail at two of these recommendations with a physics lens, we ask:

• What are some of the best ways to make practical work purposeful and effective?
• And how can you support students who arrive at your lessons with alternative conceptions in physics?

Here are some suggestions to help teachers adapt their lessons to challenge all students to reach their potential.

Purposeful practical work 

Practical work is a common feature of physics lessons but sometimes students do not fully engage, instead perceiving this aspect of their lesson as just following instructions. If teachers can be clear about the ‘why’ this can help them structure the practical, asking the right questions to make it effective in supporting students’ learning – making it ‘minds-on’ as well as ‘hands-on’.

Some of the most common reasons for using practical work are:

• To develop students’ competence in using equipment and carrying out laboratory procedures
• To encourage accurate observation and description of natural objects, materials, phenomena and events
• To develop students’ ability to design and implement a scientific approach to investigating an issue or solving a problem
• To enhance understanding of scientific ideas (theories, models, explanations)
• To develop students’ ability to present, analyse and interpret data.

It would be very difficult for any practical activity to cover all of these! I suggest that when planning and carrying out any practical lesson, ask yourself the following questions to maximise its effectiveness:

1. Why am I doing this? Decide on the learning objectives of the practical; this might be from the list above but there may be other reasons.
2. What does ‘effective’ look like? What do you want the students to do and talk about whilst they are doing the activity that will support your intended learning objectives?
3. How do I help make ‘effective’ happen? There is a ‘doing’ part where you think about the instructions, equipment and organisation of the room, but there is also a ‘thinking’ part and you will need to prepare in advance for the questions you will ask students.

It is in the questioning that you can effectively build opportunities to stretch and challenge students.

This is particularly important in physics where many ideas such as forces, electron flow in a wire and magnetic fields can never be directly observed by students. With good questions and examples, we can help students see beyond the single context demonstrated in the activity and appreciate the underlying ideas and where these occur elsewhere. For example, how the ideas in the resistance of a wire experiment can explain why super-fast electric charging cables are so thick and how the concept of specific heat capacity explains why some microwave meals take longer to heat up than others.

Alternative conceptions and diagnostic questioning

Physics is about observing, describing and explaining the world. Students come to our lessons having already developed some ideas about how the world works and unfortunately these don’t always match the accepted explanations. For example, many think that mass and weight are the same thing because most people use these words interchangeably, and that bigger magnets always have stronger magnetic fields because this matches their previous experiences.

Here are three questions to ask yourself before any lesson so you can be prepared to support all students and provide appropriate challenge.

1. What might they think? Identify common alternative conceptions that students may hold. One place to look is the IOP Spark website, which lists common misconceptions by physics topic.
2. How will I know what they think? To help you know where to start, consider what questions to ask to find out what students think. The Best Evidence Science Teaching (BEST) project from the University of York has produced a large collection of free diagnostic questions based on common alternate conceptions, available here.
3. What will I do about it? Consider what to include in the lesson to help move students from their view to the ‘correct’ one. This might include demonstrations, explanations, examples or additional questions. Many BEST questions include suggested follow-up activities.

Want to know more? 

Join me for our webinar in partnership with NACE on Wednesday 5 November, along with Jackie Flaherty, Head of Teaching and Learning at The Ogden Trust. We will also be joined by practising teachers who will share classroom experiences and lessons they have learnt for teaching physics most effectively.

About The Ogden Trust

The Ogden Trust provides a portfolio of programmes supporting schools to deliver high-quality physics education with a positive culture and environment for physics learning and access to purposeful enrichment opportunities showcasing pathways for young people.

• Improve retention of trainee and early career physics specialist teachers.
• Develop confidence and competence of teachers teaching physics out of field.
• Retain expertise of experienced teachers of physics within the profession.

Sign up to our newsletter to receive the latest news and opportunities direct to your inbox. And you can follow us on LinkedIn, BlueSky or Facebook.

About the author

Dr James de Winter is an adviser and consultant with The Ogden Trust. He is part of the Ogden CPD advisory panel and delivers on the Trust’s subject knowledge and early career programmes. James also leads the secondary physics PGCE course at the University of Cambridge. 

Following this valuable training, time was provided for dissemination across the teaching team. Subject leaders then worked collaboratively to produce subject-specific guides aimed at supporting staff in planning and delivering lessons that consistently include high-quality, cognitively demanding tasks. These guides – referred to as “Planning to the Top Pro Formas” – are now in use across the school and have become a key tool in maintaining high expectations and academic challenge within every subject. 

To create these documents, subject leaders drew on a wide range of sources. These included:

• The revised Bloom’s Taxonomy question and activity templates, previously developed by staff. 
• Insights and strategies from prior professional development sessions within their subject areas. 
• Resources from NACE and other organisations, including identification criteria and provision guidance for more able learners. 

This thoughtful synthesis of resources ensures that the Planning to the Top Pro Formas are not only research-informed, but also practical, user-friendly, and tailored to the needs of our pupils. They provide structured support for teachers when designing tasks that require deeper levels of thinking – such as analysis, evaluation and creation – ensuring that lessons are not only accessible, but ambitious. 

Importantly, these documents are not static. As part of their ongoing subject leadership responsibilities, subject leaders regularly use the pro formas during monitoring activities, including lesson visits and planning scrutiny. This helps ensure that high-level challenge is embedded across the curriculum and that the use of the documents remains purposeful and relevant. Furthermore, as leaders continue to build their expertise, they are encouraged to adapt and enhance the pro formas with new ideas and best practices. This dynamic approach ensures the documents stay ‘live’ and reflective of our evolving understanding of effective pedagogy. 

As highlighted by Rosenthal and Jacobsen in their influential research: “When teachers have high expectations of their students’ abilities, they are likely to achieve higher.” This belief is at the heart of the “planning to the top” approach. By expecting all pupils to engage in complex, meaningful learning tasks, we are cultivating an environment where every child is challenged and supported to reach their full potential. 

The introduction and use of Planning to the Top Pro Formas marks an exciting step forward in our teaching practice. Through them, we are reinforcing a culture of high expectations, deep thinking, and continuous professional learning – ensuring that every lesson provides rich opportunities for all children to think hard and learn deeply. 

View the current versions here: art / English / geography / history / maths / modern languages / music / PE / science  

The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) is an independent UK charity, and English Association, dedicated to raising the literacy achievement of children by putting quality literature at the heart of all learning. 

It is a charity with a national and international reputation for providing excellent literacy training and resources for primary schools, based on extensive research and best practice.

CLPE’s core beliefs and mission align with those of NACE in that we believe it is every child’s right to achieve and to be given the opportunities and experiences necessary to thrive.

What is Power of Reading?

CLPE’s research around the importance of using quality texts as the basis for English planning and quality teaching, and to provide reflective professional development, is embodied in our flagship training programme: the Power of Reading. 

Built on 50 years of CLPE’s research, the Power of Reading explores the impact high-quality literature has on children’s engagement and attainment as readers and the link between reading and children’s writing development, supported by creative teaching approaches to develop a whole-school curriculum, which fosters a love of reading and writing to raise achievement in literacy. 

In short, we recommend the kinds of books that provide challenge and opportunity for sustained shared study in whole-class English lessons with detailed teaching sequences that enable teachers across all primary Key Stages to work in depth with the best children’s literature being published today. 

When ‘broad and balanced’ became overloaded and surface-level

So why do we believe should Power of Reading be at the heart of any English curriculum? 

At CLPE, our school members are integral to our work. We benefit from thousands of schools and teachers being part of that CLPE community and this means we can draw on our relationship with and research in these schools to design professional development programmes and teaching resources that remain relevant.

The Power of Reading programme is refined each year, informed by the evaluations of participants and to take into account new research or statutory guidance or developments from the DfE and Ofsted and to support our schools to interpret and implement policy and guidance with confidence and integrity to what we know works.

In recent years, the issues raised with us by teachers and leaders on our INSETs and training sessions has been overridingly related to concerns around understanding how to use language to communicate meaning and for effect, both orally and in writing; and in editing, refining and response to writing. Perhaps their views resonate with you?

“Children are not motivated to edit their work beyond proofreading for spelling or other ‘surface features’.”

“There is so much curriculum content, we are teaching too much at a surface level rather than teaching at depth, particularly in writing.”

“The EYFS curriculum is too constrained for periods of sustained shared thinking to happen. Reduced time is spent at play, with more carpet time ‘sitting and listening’.”

“Responses to texts don’t have depth, children aren’t able to go below the surface and be reflective and evaluative.”

“Some set structures and routines, e.g. ‘we have to do writing every day’, ‘we have to do grammar on a Wednesday’ are barriers to developing effective practice, particularly in writing.” 

“Not enough time and expertise in how to respond to writing as readers (teachers and children) – text references are features-based, not drawing on language and composition for effect.”

Providing depth to close the disadvantage gap

It is interesting to explore these commonly shared views through the lens of inclusion and to make the connection between being ‘more able’ and the kinds of experiences that lead to this opportunity to thrive and become highly literate.

Children from privileged backgrounds are more likely to experience the kinds of book ownership and book sharing experiences that support them to deepen their reader response and understanding of the world so that – in school – they can begin to explore how authors, illustrators or poets can achieve this response and how they themselves can make meaning for a reader in their own writing.

Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are more reliant on classroom routines and resources to be able to access and make connections with high-quality, representative children’s literature; to engage in daily book sharing experiences; develop deeper reader response through sustained book talk; and, as Frank Smith (1982) put it, ‘join the literacy club’ (1).

If teachers are saying they are constrained by an overloaded curriculum or lack opportunity to develop subject knowledge through quality professional development (2), the English curriculum will become increasingly disjointed and ‘surface’ level with a disadvantage gap that grows ever wider. When what all teachers want is to give every child the opportunity to work at greater depth whatever their starting point. 

The last thing we want is for only privileged children to be afforded the benefits of challenge and so we must provide an equitable curriculum that enables all children to be motivated to make and create meaning with rich texts through non-reductive teaching approaches and with expert teachers.

And this is why we believe at CLPE that the Power of Reading is as necessary today as it was 20 years ago, if not more so.

The impact of a reading-rich English curriculum

The Power of Reading programme stems from CLPE’s seminal research publication The Reader in the Writer (3). This research aimed to investigate how children's writing might be influenced by studying challenging literary texts in the classroom. 

The findings from that research serve as the backbone to CLPE’s training programme and they are at the heart of the Power of Reading teaching sequences that support our members to develop an evidence-led literacy curriculum in their own classrooms. 

After 20 years, and with thousands of teachers trained across the UK and internationally, the programme continues to evidence impact on teachers and children whose schools have participated in the training. All the evidence we collect to measure impact continues to teach us how powerful reading can be for both children’s academic attainment and wider learning and development.

An independent evaluation by Leeds Trinity University reported on the impact of using Power of Reading in 11 Bradford schools from Autumn 2018 to Spring 2019 (4). The report shows that children in these schools made accelerated progress and the achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantaged pupils was significantly narrowed.

 
More recently, in evaluating the impact of Power of Reading on children in the Early Years (5), the gap between disadvantaged children and their peers was smaller in research schools compared to all pupils within the local area. And when we compared the engagement and attainment of project children at the start and end of their Reception year, the findings were significant with double the number of children working at age-related expectations in Language and Literacy Areas of Learning.

Key recommendations for a challenging English curriculum

So what can we learn from this research to support classroom practice? 

If we can create an English curriculum that is evidenced to close the disadvantage gap through exposure to and engagement in high-quality texts leading to increased world and vocabulary knowledge and writing outcomes in which children make deliberate choices for their own readers, we are creating a curriculum in which all children have access to experiences that increase their self-efficacy and the chance to be more able.

Our Associate Schools – in some of the most disadvantaged communities in England – observe children working at and achieving greater depth and this is articulated beautifully in a recent case study from the team at Miriam Lord Community Primary School in Bradford. 

The Power of Reading practice and provision at Miriam Lord – and the outcomes observed – connect deeply with NACE’s core principles and can be framed as key recommendations for a challenging English curriculum:

• Ensure teachers have strong subject knowledge of high-quality children’s literature so they can give children access to a range of literary forms within and across all year groups.

“[The children] can talk with a greater depth of knowledge of authors… so their ability to compare themes, characters, likes, dislikes is so much better than it ever was and then that communicates into the writing.”

Find out more about our Power of Reading English curriculum maps.

• Choose books in which they see their own and other realities represented so that you can build authentic reader and writer identities in all children which allow them to develop and demonstrate their abilities. 

“The children need to see themselves in books – or at least an element of their lives – in books. They need access to books that they can connect to and that will draw them in and I think the book choices we give them here give them a bigger hook, certainly than the book choices I had when I was growing up.”

Find out more about CLPE’s Reflecting Realities Research.

• Use a range of non-reductive, social and creative teaching approaches to deepen children’s understanding and broaden their experiences, including drama, artwork and storytelling.

“It provides lots of opportunities for immersion and exploration which is really important for a number of children that come to our school because they’ve got deprivation of experience so they don’t get to have those exciting days out or lots of real-world experiences so the books give them that and then they get to participate in role play and activities which enthuse them which then feeds into their writing process.”

Find out about CLPE’s recommended teaching approaches.

• Follow an authentic writing process in which children are making meaning from well-crafted written language, then engage in making conscious choices with their own writing. Focus not on the ‘what’ but the ‘why’ when making such choices, within a community of readers and writers. 

“It puts children’s enjoyment at the centre of everything. It’s not focused solely on the final written output and the success criteria which was the case for a number of years and it made the whole writing process quite onerous and quite boring for children.” 

Find out more about CLPE’s reader into writing research.

• Make explicit the connections children can make between growing literacy knowledge and skills and in wider curriculum work so that children have opportunity to thrive across a range of contexts and throughout the curriculum. 

“It has wider themes threaded through it like geography, history, citizenship so it’s not just English as a stand-alone subject.”

Find out more about the Power of Reading books recommended for each Key Stage.

References
(1) Joining the Literacy Club. Further Essays into Education, Frank Smith (Heinemann, 1987)
(2) Independent review of teachers’ professional development in schools: phase 2 findings (Ofsted, May 2024)
(3) The Reader in the Writer, Myra Barrs and Valerie Cork (CLPE, 2000)
(4) Leeds Trinity University report on the impact of Power of Reading in the Exceed Academies Trust, Bradford (2019)
(5) The Power of Reading in the Early Years (CLPE, 2023)

Additional resources and support

• Find out how you can get involved in CLPE’s Power of Reading programme
• Join NACE and CLPE for a free live webinar on Tuesday 17th June

Plus: save the date! On Friday 3rd October NACE and CLPE are collaborating on a “member meetup” event (free for staff at NACE member schools) exploring approaches to sustain pleasure and challenge in reading and literacy across Key Stages 2 and 3. Details coming soon to the NACE community calendar.

Throughout my teaching, inclusivity has always been at the forefront of my mind – ensuring that all students can access learning, feel included, and thrive. Like many of my fellow teachers, at the start of my teaching career my focus was often directed towards supporting SEND or disadvantaged students, for example. I have come to realise, to my dismay, that more able students were not high up in my consideration. I thought about them, but often as an afterthought – wondering what I could add to challenge them. Of course, it should always be the case that all students are considered equally in the planning of lessons and curriculum progression and this should not be dictated by changes in school data or results. Inclusivity should be exactly that – for everyone.

True inclusivity for more able students isn’t about simply adding extra elements or extensions to lessons, much in the same way that inclusivity for students with learning difficulties isn’t about simplifying concepts. Instead, it’s about structuring lessons from the outset in a way that ensures all students can access learning at an appropriate level. 

I realised that my approach to lesson planning needed to change to ensure I set high expectations and included objectives that promoted deep thinking. This ensured that more able students were consistently challenged whilst still providing structures that supported all learners. It is imperative that teachers have the confidence and courage to relentlessly challenge at the top end and are supported with this by their schools. 

As a Design and Technology (D&T) teacher, I am fortunate that our subject naturally fosters higher-order thinking, with analysis and evaluation deeply embedded in the design process. More able students can benefit from opportunities to tackle complex, real-world problems, encouraging problem-solving and interdisciplinary connections. By integrating these elements into lessons, we can create an environment where every student, including the most able, is stretched and engaged. However, more often than not, these kinds of skills are not always nurtured at KS3.

Maximizing the KS3 curriculum

The KS3 curriculum is often overshadowed by the annual pressures of NEA and examinations at GCSE and A-Level, often resulting in the inability to review KS3 delivery due to the lack of time. However, KS3 holds immense potential. A well-structured KS3 curriculum can inspire and motivate students to pursue D&T while also equipping them with vital skills such as empathy, critical thinking, innovation, creativity, and intellectual curiosity.

To enhance the KS3 delivery of D&T, the Design and Technology Association has developed the Inspired by Industry resource collection – industry-led contexts which provide students with meaningful learning experiences that go beyond theoretical knowledge. We are making these free to all schools this year, to help teachers deliver enhanced learning experiences that will equip students with the skills needed for success in design and technology careers. 

By connecting classroom projects to real-world industries, students gain insight into the practical applications of their learning, fostering a sense of purpose and motivation. The focus shifts from achieving a set outcome to exploring the design process and industry relevance. This has the potential to ‘lift the lid’ on learning, helping more able learners to develop higher-order skills and self-directed enquiry.

These contexts offer a diverse range of themes, allowing students to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world scenarios while developing a deeper understanding of the subject and industry processes. Examples include:

• Creating solutions that address community issues such as poverty, education, or homelessness using design thinking principles to drive positive change;
• Developing user-friendly, inclusive and accessible designs for public spaces, products, or digital interfaces that accommodate people with disabilities;
• Designing eco-friendly packaging solutions that consider materials, manufacturing processes, and end-of-life disposal.

These industry-led contexts foster independent discovery and limitless learning opportunities, particularly benefiting more able students. By embedding real-world challenges into the curriculum, we can push the boundaries of what students can achieve, ensuring they are not just included but fully engaged and empowered in their learning journey.

Find out more…

NACE is partnering with the Design & Technology Association on a free live webinar on Wednesday 4 June 2025, exploring approaches to challenge all learners in KS3 Design & Technology. Register here.

Science is more than just memorising facts and following instructions. True scientific thinking requires critical analysis, problem-solving, and creativity. Practical science provides the perfect platform for developing these skills, pushing students beyond basic understanding and into the realm of higher-order thinking.

Why challenge matters in science education

Practical science sits at the peak of Bloom’s revised taxonomy (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001), requiring students not just to remember and understand but to apply, analyse, evaluate, and create. These skills are essential for developing scientifically literate individuals who can tackle real-world problems with confidence and insight.

Steps to maximizing the impact of practical science

To truly challenge students and develop their higher-order thinking, practical science lessons must be carefully structured. Here’s how:

Step 1: Solve real-world problems

Practical science activities should be grounded in real-world applications. When students see the relevance of their experiments, their engagement increases. For example, testing water purity or designing a simple renewable energy system connects scientific principles to everyday life.

Step 2: Get the groups right

Collaboration is key in scientific exploration. Thoughtful grouping of students – pairing diverse skill levels or encouraging peer mentoring – can enhance problem-solving and communication skills.

Step 3: Maintain a relentless focus on variables

From Year 5 to Year 11, students should develop a keen understanding of variables. This means recognising independent, dependent, and control variables and understanding their importance in experimental design.

Step 4a: Leave out a variable

By removing a key variable from an experiment, students are forced to think critically about the design and purpose of their investigation. They must determine what’s missing and how it affects the outcome.

Step 4b: Omit the plan

Instead of providing a step-by-step method, challenge students to devise their own experimental plans. This pushes them to apply their understanding of scientific concepts and fosters creativity in problem-solving.

Step 5: Analyse data like a pro

Teaching students to collect, visualise, and interpret data is crucial. Using AI tools to display class results can make data analysis more engaging and accessible. By linking their findings back to the research question, students develop deeper analytical skills.

Step 6: When practicals go wrong (or right!)

Failure is an integral part of scientific discovery. Encouraging students to reflect on unexpected results – whether positive or negative – teaches resilience, adaptability, and critical thinking.

Bonus step: Harness the power of a Science Challenge Club

A Science Challenge Club can provide a platform for students to explore scientific questions beyond the curriculum. Such clubs foster independent thinking and offer opportunities for students to work on long-term investigative projects, deepening their understanding and enthusiasm for science.

Final thoughts: why practical science is essential

Engaging students in hands-on science doesn’t just make lessons more interesting – it equips them with crucial skills:

• Critical thinking: encourages deeper questioning and problem-solving.
• Collaboration: strengthens teamwork and communication.
• Real-world problem solving: helps students connect theory to practice.

As educators, we can design activities that challenge high-achieving students, encourage independent experiment design, and foster strong analytical skills. By doing so, we prepare students not only for exams but for real-world scientific challenges.

The future of science lies in the hands of the next generation. Let’s ensure they have the skills to think critically, innovate boldly, and explore fearlessly.

Related reading and resources:

• NACE subject-specific resources: primary science
• NACE subject-specific resources: secondary science

"Sir, are we doing a practical today?"

If you teach science, you probably hear this question at least once a lesson. Pupils love practical work, but how often do we stop and ask ourselves: are they really learning from it? Are practicals just a fun way to prove a theory, or can they be something deeper – something that engages students intellectually as well as physically?

I was recently asked to speak at a NACE member meetup about how we at Walton Priory Middle School ensure that practicals are not just hands-on, but minds-on as well. Here’s how we approach it.

1. Don’t just do a practical: know why

Before anything else, ask yourself: What do I want my pupils to learn? Every practical should have a clear learning goal, whether that’s substantive knowledge (e.g. learning about the planets) or disciplinary knowledge (e.g. “How are we going to find out the RPM of a propeller?”).

I used to assume that if pupils were engaged, they were learning. But engagement isn’t the same as deep thinking. By clearly defining why we are doing a practical and keeping cognitive overload in check, pupils can focus on the right aspects of the lesson.

2. Give them a puzzle to solve

Rather than handing over all the information at once, I break lessons into two parts:

• Knowledge I am going to give them
• Knowledge I want them to discover for themselves

Children love discovery. Instead of telling them everything, create opportunities for them to piece it together themselves. If you’re like I was, you might worry about withholding information in case they never figure it out. But I’ve found that knowledge earned is usually better retained and understood than knowledge simply given.

For example, when teaching voltage in Year 6, I might tell them that increasing voltage will increase the speed of a motor (since there’s little mystery there). But I won’t tell them how to measure the speed of the motor. Instead, I challenge them: “What methods could we use to measure the speed of a fan?” This immediately shifts their thinking from passive reception to active problem-solving.

3. Hook them with a story

While linking science to real-world applications is common practice, storytelling as a teaching tool is often overlooked. A compelling story can make abstract scientific concepts feel personal and meaningful.

For example, in our Year 5 Solar System topic, I frame the lessons as a journey where alien explorers (who conveniently share my students' names – weird that…) must learn all they can about our planet and surroundings. In our Properties of Materials topic, I create audiologs for each lesson of a ship’s journey – except there’s a saboteur on board! Each lesson, the rogue does something that requires students to investigate different properties to solve the problem. Will they ever find out who did it? Who knows! But they are certainly engaged and thinking about the science.

4. Use partial information to encourage scientific thinking

One of the most powerful ways to keep students engaged is to avoid giving them everything upfront. Instead, drip-feed key information and let them work out the missing pieces.

For example, instead of just listing the planets, I provide partial information – snippets of data they must organise themselves to determine planetary order. This encourages effortful retrieval and intellectual engagement, rather than passive memorisation.

Returning to our Year 6 voltage lesson, I ask: “How can we prove that?” Some students count propeller rotations manually. Others try using a strobe light or a slow-motion camera. One of my class recently attached a lollipop stick to the fan and tried to count the clicks on a piece of paper – a great idea, but the clicks were too fast! So I turned it back on them: “How do we solve this?”

• Record the sound? Great!
• Slow it down? Super!
• Put the sound file in Audacity and count the visualised sound wave for two seconds, then multiply by thirty? Amazing!

The key is that they think like scientists – testing, adapting, and refining their approach.

5. Keep everyone engaged

Minds-on practicals require careful structuring. Not all students will approach a task in the same way, so scaffolding and adaptive teaching are key:

• Structured worksheets help those who struggle with open-ended tasks.
• Flexible questioning allows you to stretch more able learners without overwhelming others.
• Pre-discussion before practicals ensures students understand the why as well as the how.

All students, including those with additional needs, should feel part of the investigation. Clear step-by-step instructions, visual aids, and breaking down the task into smaller chunks make a big difference.

Even with the best planning, some students will struggle. Here’s what I do:

• Encourage peer teaching. Can a more confident pupil explain the method?
• Break it down even further. Can we isolate just one variable to focus on?
• Provide alternative ways to engage. If a pupil is overwhelmed, can they observe and record data instead? Once they feel comfortable, they may ask to take on a more active role.
• Reframe the challenge. Instead of “You’re wrong,” or “That won’t work,” ask, “What made you think that?” This builds resilience and scientific thinking.

Key takeaways

• Make sure every practical has a clear learning goal.
• Give pupils a reason to investigate, not just instructions to follow.
• Use partial information to make them think like scientists.
• Ensure adaptive teaching so all pupils can access the learning.
• If pupils struggle, break it down further or reframe the challenge.

Final thought: hands-on, minds-on science

Science should be a subject of curiosity, not compliance. When we shift practicals from tick-box activities to genuine investigations, students become scientists – not just science learners.

By ensuring every practical is intellectually engaging as well as physically interactive, we help pupils develop not just knowledge, but scientific thinking. And that’s the ultimate goal: to create independent, curious learners who don’t just ask, “Are we doing a practical?”, but “Can we investigate this further?”

Related reading and resources:

• NACE subject-specific resources: primary science
• NACE subject-specific resources: secondary science

I want to start off by sharing my context with you as I believe this is important in what I have found works well in my school. I am a Head of Religious Education in a secondary school in Cambridgeshire. We are the largest school in the county and as a result we are truly comprehensive with a wide range of student abilities and backgrounds. At KS3, our classes are mixed ability and therefore, it can sometimes be difficult to stretch and challenge the most able when there may be other students in the group that need more support. At KS4, we set by ability with English, taking into account students’ target grades and KS3 data. 

1.  Teach to the top (and beyond!)

At KS3, we always aim to teach to the top and scaffold for those students who require more support. This ensures that every student in the class is challenged. Regular opportunities are built into the lessons to extend students’ thinking. This does not simply mean additional tasks, as this is something our students often get frustrated with – that ‘challenge’ equals ‘do more’. Instead, we will ask them to research something from the key stage above. For example, when teaching about the Four Noble Truths in Buddhism I might ask more able students to research the idea of dependent arising to better understand the Buddhist philosophy. At KS4, when teaching about Jesus’ resurrection to sets 1 and 2, I will bring in the views of Rudolf Bultmann and N.T. Wright on the idea of a metaphorical versus historical resurrection from KS5. 

To ensure all teachers across the department are doing this effectively, we have spent CPD time mapping our KS3 against our GCSE specification to highlight the links we can make. We have done the same between our GCSE and A Level specifications. This has been particularly useful for those teachers who do not teach KS5, to increase their subject knowledge in order to stretch high ability students.

2. Encourage deep analytical thinking

In our school, we have employed PiXL ‘Thinking Harder’ strategies. These ensure students are showing their understanding of our topic by having to analyse the knowledge they have learnt. For example: which of a set of factors (Paul’s missionary journeys, martyrs, the Nicene Creed, Constantine) contributed most to the development of the early Church? They may order these and have to justify their choices. 

We can also do this through questioning during philosophical debates to get students articulating their thoughts in a sophisticated argument. Examples include: “Why might that be the case?”; “Why is that significant?”; “What evidence do you have to support that view?”; “Can you add to what X just said?”

Additionally, it is important to ensure that students have the opportunity to engage with primary religious texts such as the Qur’an, as well as those from different scholars, such as Descartes’ Meditations. This enables them to develop their hermeneutical skills to really understand the text and its context, compare interpretations/perspectives of it and critically analyse it.

3. Allow opportunities for multidisciplinary connections

Religious education is a multidisciplinary subject. The Ofsted RE Review (2021) promotes “ways of knowing”, that students should understand how they know, through the disciplines of Theology, Philosophy and Social Sciences. You could arguably add others too: Psychology, History, Anthropology, etc. 

When developing an enquiry question for a scheme of work, you may have in mind a particular discipline you wish the students to approach it from, for example exploring “What does it mean to be chosen by God?” using a theological method/tools to study the question from the perspective of Judaism. However, in order to stretch the most able students it would be fantastic if you gave them opportunities to think about this from a different ‘lens’. How might a Christian/Muslim approach this question? What would a philosophical/social scientist approach to this question look like?

4. Facilitate independent research projects

I currently run the NATRE Cambridgeshire RE Network Hub and so I regularly have the opportunity to meet up with other teachers/schools in my region. I was recently involved in a curriculum audit with other secondary teachers and I loved a scheme of work employed by one of my colleagues. Prior to starting the GCSE course, students are given the chance to choose a topic of interest to them within RE to conduct independent research and eventually present their findings. They are given a framework and some suggested ideas/resources to guide them as well as different ways in which they could present their research. This is a fantastic idea to stretch the most able as there is so much scope with this student-led project. 

In my colleague’s school, all students have access to a handheld device, therefore IT is easily accessible to support this work. Teachers can easily share documents and links to students this way too. Unfortunately, this is not the case in my context and so wouldn’t be feasible, but I am in the process of thinking about how we could do something similar that works for us.

5. Promote independent learning outside of the classroom

In RE, we have the privilege of being able to teach about many real-world issues and ethical debates that students find fascinating. As a result, they often want to explore these further in their own time. Therefore, in my school we have compiled ‘Independent Study’ materials for each unit of both the GCSE and A Level courses.

At GCSE, we have compiled booklets where we suggest something to read, something to watch something to listen to, and something to research. These have enabled us to introduce A Level thinkers into the course and engage students with high-level thinking through The RE Podcast or Panspycast, for example. This is key as it piques students’ curiosity and promotes a real love of the subject.

At A Level, we provide students with university lectures (the University of Chester is great for this for RE) and debates between scholars on YouTube (e.g. Richard Dawkins and Alister McGrath on the relationship between religion and science). We then expect to see evidence of this further reading/research in their exam answers and their contributions to lessons.

About the author: Charlotte Newman is a Trust Lead for Religious Studies for Archway Learning Trust. She is on the Steering Group for the National Association for Teachers of RE (NATRE) and the Oak Academy Expert Group for RE. She is also a member of Cambridgeshire SACRE and has until recently led an RE local group. She has delivered much CPD on RE nationally.

At Alfreton Nursery School, staff believe that children need an intrinsic level of challenge to enhance learning. This challenge is not always based around adding symbols to a maths problem or introducing scientific language to the magnet explorations. An early years environment has countless opportunities for challenge and this challenge can be provided in creative ways.  

Thinking booklets: invitations to think and talk

Within the nursery environment, Alfreton has created curriculum zones. These zones lend themselves to curriculum progression, whilst also providing a creative thread of enquiry which runs through all areas. Booklets can be found in each space and these booklets ask abstract questions and offer provocations for debate. Drawing on the pedagogical approach Philosophy for Children (p4c), we use these booklets to ensure classroom spaces are filled with invitations to think and talk.

Literacy booklets

Booklets within the literacy area help children to reflect on the concepts of reading and writing, whilst promoting communication, breadth of vocabulary and the skills to present and justify an opinion.

For example, within the “Big Question: Writing” booklet, staff and children can find the following questions:

• What is writing?
• If nobody could read, would we still need to write?

Alongside these and other questions, there are images of different types of writing. Musical notation, cave drawings, computer text and graffiti to name but a few. Children are empowered to discuss what their understanding of writing actually is and whether others think the same. Staff are careful not to direct conversations or present their own views.  

Maths booklets

Maths booklets are based around all aspects of the subject: shape, size, number. . .

• If a shape doesn’t have a name, is it still a shape?
• What is time?
• If you could be a circle or a triangle, which would you choose and why?

Questions do not need to be based around developing subject knowledge, and the more abstract and creative the question, the more open to all learners the booklets become.  

Children explore the questions and share views. On revisiting these questions another day, often opinions will change or become further embellished. Children become aware that listening to different points of view can influence thinking.

Creative questions

Developing the skills of abstract thought and creative thinking is a powerful gift and children enjoy presenting their theories, whilst sometimes struggling to understand that there is no right or wrong answer. For the more analytical thinkers, being asked to consider whether feelings are alive – leading to an exploration of the concept “alive” – can be highly challenging. Many children would prefer to answer, “What is two and one more?”  

Alfreton Nursery School’s culture of embracing enquiry, open mindset and respect for all supports children’s levels of tolerance, whilst providing cognitive challenge and opportunities for aspirational discourse. The use of simple strategies to support challenge in the classroom ensures that challenge for all is authentically embedded into our early years practice.  

Read more from Alfreton Nursery School:

• Building metacognition: breaking down barriers to learning
• Environmental education in the early years: intent, implementation, impact
• 5 steps to embed metacognition in the early years
• 4 top tips for implementing P4C into nursery

Ten top tips to build learners’ sense of belonging and status

1. Welcome them to the class, ensuring that you make eye contact, address them by name and give them a smile – establishing your positive relationship and helping them feel noticed, valued and safe in the learning environment.
2. Go out of your way to find opportunities to give them responsibilities or assign a role to them, making it clear to them the skills and/or knowledge they possess that make(s) them perfect for the job. 
3. Reserve a place for them at clubs and ensure they are well inducted into enrichment opportunities.
4. Arrange groupings for activities to ensure they have supportive peers to work with.
5. Invite them to contribute to discussions, to read and to give their opinions. Don’t allow confident learners to dominate the discussion (learners with high status talk more!) and don’t ask for volunteers to read (students with low status are unlikely to volunteer). 
6. Show respect for their opinions and defer to them for advice. e.g. “So, I’m wondering what might be the best way to go about this. Martha, what do you think?” “That’s a good point, Nitin. I hadn’t thought of that. Thank you!”
7. Make a point of telling them you think they should put themselves forward for opportunities (e.g. to go to a football trial, audition for the show, apply to be a prefect) and provide support (e.g. with writing an application or practising a speech).
8. Connect them with a champion or mentor (adult or older peer) from a similar background who has achieved success to build their self-belief.   
9. Secure high-status work experience placements or internships for them.
10. Invite inspiring role models with similar lived experience into school or build the stories of such role models into schemes of learning and assemblies.  

• Closing the attainment gap – part 1: diagnosing challenges and barriers
• Closing the attainment gap – part 2: eliminating economic exclusion

• Will not inform their parents of activities that have a cost, regardless of whether the school might subsidise or fund the activity;
• Will feign disinterest in opportunities that they know are unaffordable to their families;
• Will not take up fully funded enrichment opportunities due to other associated costs such as travel to a funded summer school, or the costs of camping equipment and/or specific clothing required for field work or an outward-bound activity;
• Will not stay on after school for activities because they are hungry and lack the resources to purchase a snack.

Ten top tips to help eliminate economic exclusion:

1. Ensure that all staff have undertaken training to heighten their awareness of poverty and the financial pressures faced by many families in relation to the costs of the school day.
2. Track sign-ups and attendance by PP eligibility at enrichment activities. Take action where you see underrepresentation.
3. Contact parents directly to stress how valuable it would be for their child to attend and to explain the financial support that can be provided.
4. Set up payment plans and give maximum notice to allow families to spread the costs.
5. Book activity centres out of season when costs are lower.
6. Use public transport rather than private coaches or plan visits to sites that are within a walkable distance.
7. Ban visits to shops and food outlets to eradicate the need for spending money on trips.
8. Set up virtual gallery tours and film screenings of plays and arrange for visiting theatre companies, bands and artists to come to school rather than taking the students to concert halls, theatres and galleries. 
9. Build up a stock of loanable equipment (wellies, coats, tents, waterproof clothing, musical instruments, sporting equipment, craft materials etc.) 
10. Provide free snacks for learners staying for after-school clubs.

Three key questions to consider:

1. Do you track which learners opt for each course at KS4 and KS5, ask questions and act accordingly where you see underrepresentation of PP eligible learners? 
2. Do you prioritise PP eligible learners for 1:1 options and advice at KS3>4, KS4>5 and KS5>higher education, to ensure that they are aiming high, pursuing their passions and aware of all the financial support available (e.g. use of bursary funding, reassurance around logistics of university student loans)?
3. Do you determine, and strive to meet, the precise resource needs of each PP eligible learner?  

• Closing the attainment gap – part 1: diagnosing challenges and barriers
• Closing the attainment gap – part 3: developing a sense of belonging and status in economically disadvantaged learners

Do these students sometimes grasp new concepts quickly and securely in the classroom and show flair and promise in lessons, only to perform less well in exams than their more advantaged peers?

If so, what can be done to close the attainment gap?

In this series of three blog posts, Rachel Macfarlane, Lead Adviser for Underserved Learners at HFL Education, explores the reasons for the attainment gap and offers practical strategies for supporting economically disadvantaged learners who have the potential to access high grades and assessment outcomes to excel in tests and exams. 

This first post examines the challenges and barriers often faced by economically disadvantage learners and offers advice about precise diagnosis and smart identification of needs. Part 2 explores strategies for eliminating economic exclusion, while Part 3 looks at ways to build a sense of belonging and status for these learners to enhance their performance.

The problem with exams

The first point to make is that high stakes terminal tests and exams tend not to favour learners from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. These learners often lack the abundance of social and cultural capital that their more advantaged peers have amassed. This can result in a failure to recognise and connect with the cultural references frequently found in SATs and exam questions. 

Students on the Pupil Premium (PP) register have a lower average attendance rate than those from more affluent backgrounds. Those living in multiple occupancy and/or crowded housing are more exposed to germs and viruses, and families in rented or local authority housing move accommodation more frequently, resulting in lost learning days. With packed, content-heavy exam syllabuses, missed lessons lead to less developed schema, less secure knowledge and less honed skills. 

The families of economically disadvantaged learners are less likely to have the financial means to provide the personal tutoring, cramming and exam practice that their more advantaged peers benefit from. And if they have reduced levels of self-belief and confidence, as many students from underserved groups do, they are more likely to crumble under exam pressure and perform poorly in timed conditions.

But given the fact that terminal tests, in the form of SATs, GCSEs and A-levels, seem here to stay as the main means of assessing learners, what can school teachers and leaders do to ensure that economically disadvantaged learners who have the potential to access high grades and assessment outcomes excel academically?

Precise diagnosis of challenges and barriers

The first step is to get to the root of the problem. Schools which have closed the attainment gap tend to be skilled at diagnosing the precise challenge or barrier standing in the way of each underserved learner. Rather than treating all PP eligible learners as a homogeneous group, they are determined to understand the lived experience of each. 

So, for example, rather than talking in general or vague terms about pupils on the PP register doing less well because their attendance rate is lower, they drill down to identify the precise reason for the absences of each learner whose attendance is below par. For one it might be that they are working at a paid job in the evenings and too tired to get up in time for school, for a second it might be that they don’t come to school on days when their one set of uniform is dirty or worn, for a third that they sometimes cannot afford the transport costs to get to school and for a fourth that they are being marginalised or bullied and therefore avoiding school. 

Effective ways to diagnose challenges and barriers faced by economically disadvantaged learners include:

• Home visits, or meetings on site, to get to know parents/carers and to better understand any challenges they face;
• Employing a parent liaison officer to build up relationships based on trust and mutual respect with parents;
• Allocating a staff champion to each underserved learner to talk with and listen to them in order to better understand their lived experience;
• Administering a survey with well-chosen questions to elicit barriers faced;
• Completion of a barriers audit, guiding educators to drill down to identify the specific challenges faced by each learner.   

Moving from barriers to solutions

Once specific barriers have been identified, it is important to ask the question: “What does this learner need in order to excel academically?” This ensures that the focus moves from the ‘disadvantage’ to the ‘solution’ and avoids any unintentional lowering of expectations of high-performance outcomes. The danger of getting stuck on describing ‘barriers’ or ‘challenges’ is that it can excuse, or lead to acceptance of, attainment gaps.

Encouraging staff to complete a simple table like the one below can assist in identifying needs and consequent actions. In this case, an audit of barriers has identified that the learner, a Year 7 pupil, has weak digital literacy as she had very limited access to a computer in the past.

You can read more about strategies to close the attainment gap in Rachel’s books Obstetrics For Schools (2021) and The A-Z of Diversity and Inclusion (2024), with additional support available through HFL Education.

More from this series:

• Closing the attainment gap – part 2: eliminating economic exclusion
• Closing the attainment gap – part 3: developing a sense of belonging and status in economically disadvantaged learners

Plus: this year's NACE Conference will draw on the latest research (including our own current research programme) and case studies to explore how schools can remove barriers to learning and create opportunities for all young people to flourish. Read more and book your place.

NACE welcomed the opportunity to respond to the Curriculum and Assessment Review (which closed for submissions on 22 November), based on our work with thousands of schools across all phases and sectors over the last 40 years.

Our response first emphasised the importance of an overarching, strategic vision for curriculum reform based on:

• Evidence and beliefs about the purposes of education and schooling at this point in the century; 
• Knowledge of human capacities and capabilities and how they are best nurtured and realised;
• Addressing the needs of the present generation while building the skills of future generations;
• An approach that is sustainable and driven and coordinated by national policy;
• Appropriate selection of knowledge/content and teaching methodologies that are fit for purpose and flexibility in curriculum planning and implementation;
• Recognition of system and structural changes in and outside schools to support curriculum reform;
• Acknowledgement of the professional expertise and agency of educators and the importance of school-level autonomy;
• The perspectives and experiences of groups experiencing barriers to learning and opportunity (equity and inclusion).

Core foundations

NACE supports the importance of a curriculum built on core foundations which include:

• “Language capital” (wide-ranging forms of literacy and oracy) – viz evidence supporting the importance of reading, comprehension and vocabulary acquisition in successful learning and their place at the heart of the curriculum
• Numeracy and mathematical fluency
• Critical thinking and problem solving
• Emotional and physical well-being
• Metacognitive and cognitive skills
• Physical and practical skills
• An introduction to disciplinary domains (with a focus not just on content but on initiation into key concepts and processes)

The design of the curriculum needs to allow for the space and time to develop these skills as key threads throughout.

Whilst the current National Curriculum stresses the importance of developing basic literacy and numeracy skills at Key Stage 1, to open the doors to all future learning, schools continue to be pressured by the expectations of the wider curriculum/foundation subjects. This needs to be revisited to ensure that literacy, numeracy and wider skills can be securely embedded before schools expose children to a broader curriculum.

Content: knowledge and competencies

In secondary education an increasingly concept-/process-based approach to delivery of disciplinary fields should be envisaged alongside ‘knowledge-rich’ curriculum models already pervasive in many schools. Core foundation competencies and skills should continue to be developed, ensuring that learners acquire so-called ‘transformative competencies’ such as planning, reflection and evaluation. The curriculum must enshrine the ‘learning capital’ (e.g. language, cultural, social and disciplinary capital) which will enable young people to adapt to, thrive in and ultimately shape whatever the future holds.

Knowledge, skills, attitudes and values are developed interdependently. The concept of competency implies more than just the acquisition of knowledge and skills; it involves the mobilisation of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values in a range of specific contexts to meet complex demands. In practice, it is difficult to separate knowledge and skills; they develop together. Researchers have recognised how knowledge and skills are interconnected. For example, the National Research Council's report on 21st century competencies (2012) notes that “developing content knowledge provides the foundation for acquiring skills, while the skills in turn are necessary to truly learn and use the content. In other words, the skills and content knowledge are not only intertwined but also reinforce each other.”

Consideration needs to be given to breadth versus balance versus depth in curriculum design, alongside the production of guidance which articulates key and ‘threshold’ concepts and processes in subject areas. NACE training and development stresses the importance of teachers and learners understanding the concept of ‘desirable difficulty’ as this is essential in developing resilience and, therefore, supporting wellbeing. It is difficult to provide learners with appropriate levels of challenge/difficulty and time to work through these if curriculum content is over-heavy. In the later stages of schooling a greater emphasis could be placed on interdisciplinary links and advanced critical thinking competencies.

At all stages of education evidence-based approaches to pedagogy and assessment to maximise student learning should be incorporated into curriculum design. Such practices should also incorporate adaptations and recognition of different learning needs and address issues of equity and removing barriers to learning.

Summary

In schools achieving high-quality provision of challenge for all, the design of the curriculum includes planned progression and continuity for all groups of learners through key stages. Where school leaders understand the steps needed to develop deep learning, knowledge and understanding, rich content and secure skills are developed.

The Curriculum Review presents a much-needed opportunity to interrogate the purposes of curriculum and 21st century schooling, the fitness of the current National Curriculum and potential reforms needed. The review must be holistic, vision- and evidence-led, as well as recognising that a ‘national curriculum’ is only one part of the overall learning experience of children. Revised curriculum proposals and their implementation may also rely on reviewing and transforming existing school structures and systems as well as national resourcing issues to ensure more equitable access to high-quality education no matter where young people live and attend school. The proposals must also take account of ongoing teacher supply and quality issues and possible reforms to teacher education and professional development to match the aspirations of an English education system which is equitable, inclusive and one of the best in the world.

Most importantly, the new curriculum proposals must go much further than previously in trying to ensure that all young people leave school equipped to realise their ambitions for their personal and working lives, and to contribute to shaping their own and others’ destinies in a more equitable and caring society, along with the courage to face the unknown challenges which lie ahead.

1. Explore the language around “cultural capital” and “disadvantage”

2. Create a well-designed cultural curriculum

Does your school have a plan for taking students on a cultural journey? How many trips will your students go on before they leave your school? Could these experiences be incorporated into a passport of sorts?

The cultural experiences you offer will be determined by factors such as your school’s location and budget. A lot of cultural experiences can be delivered in-house in the form of external speakers, films and documentaries, or virtual reality. Others will require excursions. In either case, creating a Cultural Passport helps staff to plan experiences that complement and supplement previous experiences. 

Schools should strike a balance between celebrating each community’s history and going beyond the existing community to broaden students’ horizons. Again, language is important. Does your school’s cultural curriculum explore the differences between so-called “high” and “low” culture? 

No class is an island. Students of all social backgrounds should experience live theatre, visiting museums, going to art exhibitions, visiting the countryside and encountering people from cultures other than their own. Equally, every school’s cultural curriculum should celebrate working class culture. The working classes have a vibrant history of creating art, music, theatre, literature and so on, which needs to be reflected in the core curriculum. 

By looking through the lens of race and gender, most schools have a more diverse offering of writers compared with when I went to school. It is right that more Black voices and more female voices are represented in the school curriculum. This opens new insights for readers, as well as providing Black and female students with more role models. 

Similarly, there should be a strong emphasis on the work of working-class artists and autodidacts, no matter the social demographic of the school. Studying working-class writers such as Jimmy McGovern, Kayleigh Lewellyn, and musicians such as Terry Hall and even Dolly Parton can be inspiring. Similarly, learning about autodidacts such as Charles Dickens, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Vincent Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo can teach students that where there is a strong desire to learn, people can find a way. 

Action: Ensure your school is “teaching backwards” from rich cultural experiences. Outline the experiences that will be stamped in their Cultural Passport before they leave your school.

3. Explore social capital barriers for students

One of the greatest things we can do as educators is to remove a barrier that is holding a student back. One barrier that is faced by many working-class students is lack of social capital – i.e. the limited range of occupations of their social acquaintances or network.

In 2016 I created the first of a number of Scholars Programmes in Kirkby, Merseyside. I’m proud that as well as making a positive impact on academic results at GCSE, it has raised aspirations. The programme is deliberately designed to build social capital. Over the duration of the programme (from Year 7 to 11), students have opportunities to meet and interview adults who are in careers that they aspire to. As well as work experience, the school organises Zoom interviews for students with people working in the industry that they are interested in joining. Not only do these interviews invigorate students, they create a contact that is there to be emailed for information and advice. Over time, the school has created a database of contacts who are able to offer work placements or are happy to take part in either face-to-face or virtual interviews with students. These people are friends and family members of the staff, and even friends of friends.

It is much, much harder for working class students to enter elite professions such as medicine, law and the media. The arts and the creative industries are also harder to break into. Contacts who are able to help a student to build specific industry knowledge and experience can give them a better chance of future success.

Action: Creatively utilise a database of school contacts to provide information and advice for students. Match students with professionals who can offer career advice and insights.

Reference: P. Bourdieu, Cultural Reproduction and Social Reproduction. In J. Karabel and A. H. Halsey (eds), Power and Ideology in Education (New York: Oxford University Press, 1977), pp. 487–51.

The ideas and strategies in this article are contained within The Working Classroom by Matt Bromley and Andy Griffith (Crown House Publishing). More information about the book and training around its contents can be found here.

NACE members can benefit from a 20% discount on all purchases from the Crown House Publishing website. View our member offers page for details.

Plus... The NACE Conference 2025 will draw on the latest research (including our own current research programme) and case studies to explore how schools can remove barriers to learning and create opportunities for all young people to flourish. Read more and book your place.

1. Tell a different story

2. Use everyday objects

3. Keep it complex

What next?

Additional reading and resources

• Barnes, O. (2024), Britain’s forgotten colony? Why Hong Kong deserves a place in the story of empire (published in the Historical Association’s Teaching History journal)
• The Hong Kong History Podcast 
• Hopkins, J. (2024), Maximising the power of storytelling in the history classroom (Historical Association login required for full access)
• Chartered College of Teaching: Why decolonise and diversify the curriculum? 

Disadvantage presents itself in different ways and has varying levels of impact on learners. It is important to remember that disadvantage is wider than children who are in receipt of pupil premium or children who have a special educational need. Disadvantage can be based around family circumstances, for example bereavement, divorce, mental health… Disadvantages can be long-term or short-term and the fluidity of disadvantage needs to be acknowledged in order for educators to remain effective and vigilant for all children, including more able learners. If we accept that disadvantage can impact any child at any time, then it is essential that we provide all children with the tools they need to navigate challenge.    

More able learners are as vulnerable to the impact of disadvantage as other learners and indeed research would suggest that outcomes for more able learners are more dramatically impacted by disadvantage than outcomes for other children. A cognitive toolbox that is familiar, understood and accessible at all times, can be a highly effective support for learners when there are barriers to progress. By ensuring that all learners are taught metacognition from the beginning of their educational journey and year on year new metacognition skills are integrated, a child is empowered to maintain a trajectory for success.       

How can metacognition reduce barriers to learning?         

Metacognition supports children to consciously access and manipulate thinking strategies, thus enabling them to solve problems. It can allow them to remain cognitively engaged for longer, becoming emotionally dysregulated less frequently. A common language around metacognition enables learners to share strategies and access a clear point of reference, in times of vulnerability. Some more able learners can find it hard to manage emotions related to underachievement. Metacognition can help children to address both these emotional and cognitive demands.

In order for children to impact their long-term memory and fully embed metacognitive strategies, educators need to teach in many different ways. Metacognition needs to be visually reflected in the learner’s environment, supporting teachers to teach and learners to learn.   

How do we do this at Alfreton Nursery School?

At Alfreton Nursery School we ensure that discourse is littered with practical examples of how conscious thinking can result in deeper understanding. Spontaneous conversations are supported by visual aids around the classroom, enabling teachers and learners to plan and reflect on thinking strategies. Children are empowered to integrate the language of metacognition as they explain their learning and strive for greater understanding.

Adults in school use metacognitive terms when talking freely to each other, exposing children to their natural use. Missed opportunities are openly shared within the teaching team, supporting future developments.

Within enrichment groups, metacognition is a transparent process of learning. Children are given metacognitive strategies at the beginning of enhancement opportunities and encouraged to reflect and evaluate at the end. Whether working indoors or outdoors, with manipulatives or abstract concepts and individually or in a group, metacognition is a vehicle through which all learners can access lesson content.

We use the ‘Thinking Moves’ metacognition framework (you can read more about this here). Creative application of this framework supports the combination of metacognition words, to make strings of thinking strategies. For example, a puppet called FRED helps children to Formulate, Respond, Explain and Divide their learning experiences. A QUEST model helps children to follow a process of Questioning, Using, Explaining, Sizing and Testing.

Metacognition supports children of all abilities, ages and backgrounds, to overcome barriers to learning. Disadvantage is thus reduced.

Moving from intent to implementation

Systems and procedures at Alfreton Nursery School serve to scaffold day to day practice and provide a backdrop of expectations and standards. In order to best serve more able children who are experiencing disadvantage, these frameworks need to be explicit in their inclusivity and flexibility. Just as every policy, plan, assessment, etc will address the needs of all learners – including those who are more able – so all these documents explicitly address how metacognition will support all learners. To ensure that visions move beyond ‘intent’ and are fully implemented, systems need to guide provision through a metacognitive lens.  

Metacognition is woven into all curriculum documents. A systematic and dynamic monitoring system, which tracks the progress and attainment of all learners, ensures that children have equal focus on cognition and emotion, breaking down barriers with conscious intent.

 

At Alfreton Nursery School, those children who are more able and experiencing disadvantage receive a carefully constructed meta-curriculum which scaffolds their journey towards success, in whatever context that may manifest itself. Children learn within an environment where teachers can articulate, demonstrate and inculcate the power of metacognition, enabling children to be the best that they can be.

How is your school empowering and supporting young people to break down potential barriers to learning and achievement? Read more about NACE’s research focus for this academic year, and contact us to share your experiences.

It has long been my experience that a proportion of the more able learners that I have had the pleasure of teaching, have also experienced the additional challenge of neurodivergent needs, whether they be diagnosed or not.

With this in mind, over the past few years I have been proactively exploring means of making my primary classroom more neurodivergent-friendly for the benefit of all learners, including those more able children that might find concentration, focus or communicating their understanding to be a challenge. 

Here are a few ways in which I have tried to ensure that our learning environment enables effective learning conditions for all the children in my class, as well as benefitting those who are particularly able.

Flexible seating

Over a number of years, I have been able to increasingly vary the workspaces available in our classroom. These include:

1. The Cwtch (a well know Welsh term for a ‘hug’), which comprises a low-slung canopy under which children can sit on an array of cushions, as well as choosing their favoured colour of diffused lighting through the use of wall-mounted push-lights. This not only helps to create a more enclosed space for those who need it, but it also helps to suppress ambient noise and echoes, for those that might have sensory needs. Some of my more able learners who are challenged by distraction routinely use this space to help channel their focus.

2. The Standing Station, which does what is says on the tin! We have a high-level table which the children can easily and comfortably stand at to work. This has proven to be one of the most popular spaces and I have noted that some of my more able learners will make use of this space during the early stages of an independent task, when they might need to order or distil their thinking. The ability to move from foot to foot and move more freely appears to aid this level of thinking.

3. The Carpet Surfer Seats are ‘s’ shaped plastic seats, designed to be used when working on a carpet space. They compromise a seat, which when sat upon offers a raised work surface in front of the child. These really helped to increase the flexible seating options in the class, as the children can now easily make comfortable use of any carpet/floor space rather than struggling to find a comfortable working position. I have noted that my more able learners appreciate these when they want to work in collaboration with others but, due to their neurodivergent needs, might find the free-flow of collaborative working a challenge. The Carpet Surfer Seat gives them a defined workspace of their own, allows them to move to any more comfortable position when working collaboratively, and also provides needed stability for those more able learners I have taught who are challenged by coordination-based neurodivergence. 

4. Beanbag Corner offers a solo working space on a structural (high-backed) beanbag which is close to my teacher’s base within the class. I find that this is regularly used by those more able learners who do find concentration and focus a challenge, whilst also requiring the reassuring proximity of an adult for a sense of comfort and/or to allow for informal check-ins with the teacher to tackle low-level anxiety issues.

Lighting

As with most school settings, the standard lighting fitted throughout the school is overhead, downward channel cold-white LED lighting arrays. I have noticed personally that when this is combined with the stark white table surfaces, the effect can be quite dazzling when working at these tables. The children themselves had commented on how ‘bright’ the room was, with one more able learner commenting that he ‘felt better’ during a dressing-up day when he was wearing sunglasses. This got me thinking of ways to mitigate this and, as a result, I have explored a number of different light options:

1. Dimming the overhead lights: I discovered, by accident, that if the classroom light switches are held in they act as dimmer controls for the overhead lighting. (Might be worth a try in your classroom!) It has now become standard practice for me to dim all the lighting by about 50% at the start of each day, which immediately creates a less harsh lighting environment.

2. Colour-changing rechargeable lights have also been a huge benefit. I have placed a number of these within and around my flexible working spaces, in the form of wall-mounted and table-top tap/push lights which the children can use to choose their favoured lighting conditions when working in a space. I have noticed that my more able learners typically opt for softer tones of yellow, orange or purple light.

3. Uplighters, purchased with the benefit of some funding from a local business, have had a huge impact. They allow us to create brighter working areas for those who respond well to those conditions, whilst providing diffused light, rather than overhead lights that create shadows over workspaces. In addition, these have helped to define our flexible spaces, such as the uplighter which includes a secondary directional light that sits above the Beanbag Corner.

4. Natural light is essential! We are a newbuild school but the natural lighting options are limited. As such, I make sure that all our blinds and curtains are pulled back to the extreme to ensure that as much natural light as possible can flood into the room.

Fidgets

I’m sure that some teachers will find the use of hand-held fidget objects a nightmarish challenge in a busy classroom, and if used improperly I would agree. However, the structured use of fidgets in our classroom has brought some major benefits for my more able learners who might struggle to maintain focus or settle for an extended period. We manage these by having a jar of different objects which are freely available to all children (rather than being targeted at a limited number of specific learners) and we have an open, frank conversation about how to use these at the start of the term.

Our conditions for their use are:

1. If you choose to use a fidget, your focus must remain on the learning activity or discussion.
2. If a fidget becomes a distraction, it is replaced in the jar immediately.

In addition, I have also experimented with different types of fidget, eliminating anything that is overly complex, noisy or too similar to a toy. Currently, the most successful types (which I now do not ‘notice’ as a distraction at any point) are rubber hand stretchers (loops that go over each digit and provide stretchy resistance), plastic wing-nuts and screw threads, and silent button/wheel fidgets (they resemble a palm-sized game controller, offering a pleasing sensation in the hand too).

Additional reading

There are some excellent online sources of information, including education-focused social media posts, where teachers share their own flexible seating/classroom environment approaches. In addition, some interesting reading that I have accessed has been:

• Fedewa, A. L., Davis, M. A., & Ahn, S. (2015). The Effects of Physical Activity and Physical Classroom Environment on Children’s On-Task Behavior: A Meta-Analysis. Educational Psychology Review.
• Kroeger, S., & Schultz, T. (2020). Sensory Spaces: Creating Inclusive Classrooms for Students with Sensory Needs. Inclusive Education Journal.
• Rands, M. L., & Gansemer-Topf, A. (2017). The Role of Classroom Environment in Student Engagement. Journal of Education Research.

How is your school helping to break down barriers to learning?

This year NACE’s research programme is exploring the ways in which schools can help to remove potential barriers to success for more able learners. Find out more and get involved.

Embedding oracy skills across the curriculum

Oracy scaffolds to develop classroom talk

• Voice 21 classroom listening ladders: high-ability students can take on leadership roles in group discussions, facilitating peer learning and mentoring others, which not only reinforces their understanding but enhances their social and emotional skills.  
• Student age-related oracy frameworks from Voice 21: to encourage high-ability students to articulate their learning processes, reflect on their contributions, and assess their growth.   
• Sentence stems and talking roles: high-ability students thrive in environments that challenge their thinking. Oracy practices with sentence stems support argumentation, encourage deep analysis and critical reasoning. 
• Voice 21 good discussion guidelines: exposure to diverse perspectives can challenge high-ability students’ thinking and expand intellectual horizons. 
• Proof of listening guidelines from Voice 21: listening helps high-ability students build better relationships with their peers and teachers. When students feel heard, they are more likely to engage and participate in the learning process, creating a positive and inclusive classroom atmosphere. 
• Student talk tactics and sentence stems from Voice 21 for every discussion and debate: high-ability students thrive in environments that challenge their thinking, and these tactics stimulate intellectual curiosity and critical analysis. These improved whole-class discussions and have greatly impacted group work as the children are more focused, listen carefully to others, build on their ideas, embed learning and address misconceptions. Overall, it has helped students to become confident, eloquent individuals and created a more effective learning environment.

Public speaking practice

Dialogic learning communities 

A stronger voice within and beyond the classroom

• Voice 21
• Oracy Cambridge
• We need to talk, 2024 – Commission on the Future of Oracy Education in England
• Oracy: the why and the how – Chartered College
• Oracy Skills Framework – Oracy Cambridge and Voice 21 
• Oracy Benchmarks – Voice 21

1. Understanding the Shift 

2. Key Changes in Assessment 

3. Practical Steps for Schools and Settings 

4. Resources and Further Reading 

Detailed guidance for schools and settings
Curriculum for Wales Assessment Poster Pack: Useful visual aids for planning assessment

By designing thoughtful assessment practices, we contribute to a more inclusive and progressive education system in Wales. Remember, assessment isn’t just about measuring; it’s about empowering learners to thrive! 🌟 

Agenda

1. 4Cs

The 4Cs which underpin the P4C philosophy: Caring, Collaborative, Critical and Creative, represent types of thinking to be encouraged within a culture of enquiry. At Alfreton these four approaches to thinking have been adopted as keys to learning and teaching across the curriculum.  Children are reminded, for example, of the need to think in a collaborative way when building with blocks, to show caring thinking when in the home corner, apply critical thinking when solving a maths problem and apply their creative thinking when discussing a story. Teachers explicitly model these four Cs and highlight whenever they witness a child using them and they will mirror the use of these thinking approaches, clearly identifying strategies they too are using.

Within story groups the 4Cs are applied with a differentiated approach. In our first story group the focus remains clearly on Caring thinking.  As children’s understanding grows, they are then supported to explore the concept of collaborative thinking. More able learners are taught to independently apply all four thinking approaches within these sessions.

2. Enquiry based curriculum

The implementation of P4C across the curriculum has meant that children are taught about open mindsets. Children are taught to wonder, question, debate and share in a climate of respect and acceptance. Opinions rather than facts underpin the way children interact with their learning and rather than being passive receptors of knowledge, children are taught to actively engage with their learning. P4C training encourages teacher reflection and the conscious implementation of role within a lesson. At Alfreton Nursery School teaching staff consider within their planning whether they intend to guide learners from a position of open ended potential or instead to teach with a clearly intended outcome. We believe there is space for both within daily interactions but in order to ensure the balance between adult and child voice, teacher role needs to be clear.

Children are taught the importance of empathy for others perspectives and various stimulus are used to provoke challenge.  For more able learners, question quadrants help children understand different types of questions and raise awareness that some questions are void of a clear answer.  Opinion corners are used to enable more able children to illustrate their thinking and to appreciate others ’thinking.  Children are then supported to either maintain their view or on consideration of others thoughts, yield.

3. Circle time enquiries

The more formal enquiry model is used with more able learners, but has been carefully adapted to support young children’s thinking.  An enquiry will take a week of 10 minute sessions daily and will begin with a stimulus. Children are supported to formulate a question and this can require a great deal of teacher support in the initial stages. We find in nursery that young children can find it challenging to formulate a question rather than a headline. This process may take two sessions. One question is then selected to pursue and the question quadrant supports how we will seek an answer.

The rest of the week will be taken with debating and exploring possible answers, and if the question is philosophical in its nature, our final reflection will support children’s acceptance of difference. The social behaviour within an enquiry is an essential element to the process. Respect for others when they are speaking and offering contributions to the group enquiry through gesture, form the parameters of collaboration.

4. Continuous provision

Within the continuous provision of our nursery classroom, Alfreton Nursery School provides specific stimulus for all children, linked to children’s literature. For example, during a focus on stories with a woodland theme, the keyword stimulus may be ‘Nature’. Artefacts and images supporting and challenging the meaning of nature will be available to support developing thinking. Over the course of the week, big, open-ended questions will be collected and displayed to support children’s engagement.

• ‘What is nature?’
• ‘Is nature at my house?’
• ‘Am I nature?’
• ‘Is nature in space?’
  

Talking, writing, drawing, singing, dancing, role play...are all encouraged as a means of responding to a stimulus. 

Conclusion

P4C can be seen as a formal process, and with this assumption comes a belief that nursery children cannot engage fully in the pedagogy.  Alfreton Nursery School refutes such a belief and can demonstrate that an enquiry based curriculum can provide nursery aged children with the freedom to form opinions and explore social influence. Young children need opportunities to reflect on their lived experience and feel exposure to wider concepts. P4C in nursery has powerful impact on children’s development as learners and grows individuals capable of critical and creative thinking within a culture of care and collaboration. All children benefit from a P4C approach, progressing rapidly across the whole curriculum, due to their increased capacity to question, respond to alternative perspectives and work together to solve problems.  

Is it educationally sound to create a 'greater depth’ group’ or is it a pragmatic way of responding to an assessment need?

I am going to argue the case that high potential pupils – and indeed all pupils – benefit most from an enriched English curriculum. Therefore, the terminology above – so widely used – may be misleading or even a barrier to the raising of standards.

The forming of a discrete ‘greater depth’ cohort raises a number of issues:

• when does a goal-orientated approach lapse into unhelpful labelling? 
  
• have these pupils actually received enhanced provision which would make some sense of the rationale for selecting them?
• is there a lowering of aspiration for those not identified as advanced learners?
• how and when were they identified?

The answers to the above will vary from one context to another but as a big principle there are some huge pitfalls in identifying a fixed group:

• a plethora of bolt on extension tasks tend to emerge for them, some of which are never attempted as time runs out and some of which seem like extra work rather than deeper thinking. 
• fixed views of pupils can take root long term.
• The route to ‘greater depth’ can become assessment driven but not involving quality reading, rich discussion or creativity. This can have an impact in key stage three where prior immersion in literary texts is likely to support access to high level challenge.
• Teachers also report high potential learners who become risk averse having established their position in a ‘greater depth’ group but not necessarily received ambitious texts or delved into connections across concepts. 

For those secondary English teachers finding barriers to a love of literature – with some pupils struggling, for example, to comprehend narrative poetry like ‘The Ancient Mariner’ - the solution partly lies in the need for immersion in complex texts in the primary phase. A narrow focus on an advanced learning group may not produce the enrichment needed for effective and dynamic curriculum transition; and it certainly doesn’t support the aspirations of those outside a select group. 

The recent DfE Reading Framework makes many comments about the need for challenging texts for all.

The text for a reading lesson can be more challenging than a pupil might be able to understand independently because the teacher is there to support comprehension, explaining the meaning of words and phrases or elaborating on key ideas. Teachers and English leads should also consider the relationship between the texts selected across the whole of the key stage and beyond to check that they are sequenced carefully and equip pupils with the ability to understand increasingly complex texts they may meet in later key stages. 

So, to build a truly enriched curriculum, with equity and excellence at its heart, here are some suggestions of ways in which our UK network of schools have applied theory to practice and made ambitious English a reality, though always a work in progress:

1. Explore a vision for enrichment across the staff. At its heart will be principles and strategies for pitching high but scaffolding and accessing for all. There has to be an agreed rationale for equity and excellence. It has to matter as a vision and a passion. The schools who apply this well have a deep belief in inclusion and social justice.
2. Build a curriculum sequenced in difficulty with texts and objectives getting harder and linking to key stage 3. Avoid chasing assessment domains as a substitute for genuine curriculum progression and deeper knowledge and learning.
3. Link in whole text reading to a core concept focus. So, if your poem or extract teaches ‘building suspense’ then plan for a range of readability to deepen the learning from picturebooks, through contemporary children’s literature to the classics. That way, all pupils read more quality texts as appropriate.
4. Teach the concept in stages with visual literacy offering a gateway to rich language and the understanding of inference. Use a fascinating sentence, then a sliver of text, then a longer section. Complexity is the friend of both teacher and pupil – there is more to discover and so many questions to ask!
5. Use taster drafts freely. Reading for writing makes a huge impact with time or word limited tasters introduced early in the process. The chance to imitate, invent, experiment and gain from feedback has been very popular for all pupils.
6. Plan from the top and beyond the top. Think of where your most advanced learner might reach to in standard and use texts of such virtuosity and complexity that learning is a healthy struggle. 
7. Access strategies-like the tasters, the knowledge chunking, ranges of questions and the concept approach – provide ways in which all pupils share the curriculum entitlement and are being taught via deep learning dialogues inspired by great writing.
8. Poetry can be at the centre of the English curriculum as the scope for being immersed in stylistic variation is at its greatest.
   Teaching is adapted to need, not pre-programmed. High potential learners will be grown and nurtured cognitively, gaining in resilience, not blunted with fixed expectations. They will also have opportunities to learn how to get unstuck because they will need to reflect on conundrums and writing challenges as a daily habit.

You can find out much more by browsing through the ‘Opening Doors’ series by Bob Cox et al. There are books for key stages 1,2 and 3. The latest book is Opening Doors to Ambitious Primary English by Bob Cox with co-authors Leah Crawford, Julie Sargent and Angela Jenkins.

www.searchingforexcellence.co.uk

Contact Bob Cox on bobcox@searchingforexcellence.co.uk to find out more or ask for a visit to an ‘opening doors’ school. 

Questioning, dialogic discourse and oracy are recognised as important aspects of teaching and learning  but we must not forget that they are also important features of assessment. Questioning is routinely used as a formative assessment strategy. The teacher asks questions to establish whether pupils understand the content being shared. Misconceptions can be identified, and progress can be measured. The teacher can then make an appropriate learning decision and guide pupils to achieve the objectives.

Within a cognitively challenging learning environment the planning for teaching and assessment will include questions designed to not only to achieve these purposes but also to deepen, challenge and inspire learning. To develop assessment practices which support cognitively challenging learning the teacher must consider the nature of the questions being asked and their position within the lesson.

Teachers often use closed questions which require a specific response enables the teacher to assess whether specific facts are remembered. Closed questioning may include:

• quick fire questions (hands up response)
• peppered questions (quick retrieval around the class no hands up)
• call and response (ritual and repetition, response in unison)
• whole class response (possibly using white boards)

It is important for all pupils and particularly more able pupils to have a wide repertoire of knowledge and skills. By using these ongoing low stakes assessments pupils develop their knowledge recall and memory. The disadvantage of closed questions when working with more able pupils is that they often distract from the learning and take place when deeper learning is possible. The teacher must therefore plan carefully for these and have a good understanding of the needs of the class so that the questions are perceived positively within the learning and lead to benefits for the pupils.

By contrast open questions provide opportunities for healthy discussions and debate. Open-ended questions add interest to the lesson; challenging the pupils and enhancing thinking. The teacher can use these to check understanding, gain a fresh perspective on pupils’ learning and promote cognition.

If pupils need to bring together ideas to solve problems then convergent questioning may be used. At the start of a lesson or topic the convergent question might be used to assess existing knowledge and understanding. To encourage convergent thinking the teacher may ask pupils to analyse different types of solution and justify their choice of the most appropriate solution. By contrast a teacher wishing to assess higher order cognitive learning such as evaluation, analysis or synthesis may use divergent questions.

One type of divergent question which is often used to both teach and assess learning is the “BIG QUESTION”. Using this, the teacher opens the learning up to include greater breadth and depth. A Big Question has the potential to promote independent learning through research and shared knowledge. A teacher may use this type of question to enable pupils to move beyond the planned content and introduce their own experience and interests. Alternatively, the question may be devised to provide cognitive challenge and to help pupils to organise the knowledge they already possess. Although this style of questioning is often viewed as a teaching tool it cannot be successful without ongoing assessment, review and refinement.

The use of questioning as an assessment technique not only requires an appropriate choice of question type but a careful consideration of how and when a question might be used. In the context of spoken questions, the teacher must decide at what point in the learning process the questions can provide most information about the learning and have the greatest impact on  learning.

The teacher might pose questions from the front of the  class, set questions which promote whole class or group dialogic discourse or pose individual questions. When a teacher poses questions to the whole class there is a risk that more able pupils answer a disproportionate number of questions or remain passive when there is little cognitive challenge. This can be addressed by promoting shared discussion through think-pair-share techniques. When the teacher decides to question the whole class, challenge can be achieved by asking questions which require pupils to continuously improve responses by asking pupils to say it again but better.

Once questioning techniques have become well established they not only provide a means of formative assessment but also enable assessment to become part of the learning process. The questions asked at the start of a programme of study or at the beginning of the lesson provide a baseline for instruction. Teachers know what the pupils can remember and how well they use their knowledge. The lesson can be adapted to reflect the starting point and the additional support needed. Teachers may be able to use a cutaway model for teaching so that those who need additional input can receive this. Other pupils who have been assessed as ready for more independent learning can undertake alternative, meaningful and challenging tasks working alone, in pairs or in small groups.

Questions strategically placed as a part of the delivery of the lesson can allow the teacher to moderate the pace of the lesson and the depth of learning. In classrooms where the teacher models good questioning, speaking and listening, pupils will learn to ask questions which help them to assess their own understanding and learn well.

Questions at the end of a period of learning act as an assessment of learning so that the teacher and pupils can establish what has been learnt and understood. Following written assessment teachers provide their pupils with feedback. This is often most effective when there is some degree of whole class feedback in which both the teacher and the pupils can ask deeper questions which allow the work to be improved and learning to be deepened.

The importance of discourse as an assessment tool

When a teacher poses questions to individual pupils, groups of pupils or to the class there is a clear link to the process of instruction and the demands od end of programme assessments and examinations. The teacher wishes to be sure that pupils have the knowledge and understanding of curriculum content and the ability to apply these in a variety of contexts.

For teachers of high ability pupils or pupils who have knowledge and skills in specific areas of learning this can provide limitations as there are a bounded number of questions and responses planned within the learning. Many teachers feel nervous when discussion goes beyond the predetermined lesson or curriculum plan. They may have concerns that course content will not be completed or that the pupils may deviate into areas where the teacher’s knowledge base is less secure.

Vygotsky (1878) demonstrated the importance of language on learning. If the teacher has successfully assessed what the pupil already knows then the plan for learning takes place in the Zone of Proximal Development Pupils’ learning can be extended through interaction with others. He believed that giving a pupil appropriate assistance would be enough to achieve the task. This may be applied generally to pupils of all abilities but can be used specifically with high attainers or those underachieving but capable of high attainment.

Using this model teachers focus on three components to aid learning:

• The pupils are in the presence of someone more knowledgeable on the subject;
• The teacher uses social interaction skilfully, to allow pupils to observe and practice skills;
• Scaffolding or supportive activities with the teacher or peers support the pupil through the zone of proximal development.

Through assessment the teacher will establish what the pupil already knows.  Pupils can then work alongside others who may have greater knowledge relating to aspects of a subject. Through classroom discussion they will be able to assess what they know themselves and gain new knowledge and understanding from those around them. When considering this as part of assessment strategies pupils will benefit from good quality feedback. Pupils need to know what a good response might look like. They need opportunities within classroom discourse to examine their own responses, share their views with other and make potential improvements to learning. Scaffolding and feeding forward enables pupils to use the feedback information effectively. During the subsequent classroom discourse they can ask questions or learn about aspects of the subject which are yet to be met formally as part of the learning process. By feeding forward more able pupils can make links in learning and think more deeply about what they are learning.

Through classroom discussion pupils can achieve more than they think themselves capable of learning. Pupils can develop multiple solution pathways to complex problems. By talking and working with the teacher and others they can attempt to solve interesting and challenging problems entering an initial zone of confusion with resilience. For this to be successful assessment strategies must be well developed. The teacher must know when to prompt, when to scaffold, when to ask a specific question or provide an idea. The teacher will also plan the preparatory work or materials needed to support discourse and have a means of measuring and evaluating the nature and quality of the discourse so that it leads to deep and rewarding learning.

What has been happening in our schools?

NACE schools can provide many good examples of questioning, dialogic discourse and improved oracy used effectively both as a teaching and as an assessment tool.

One example of practice which was being trialled in some schools was the use of the Harkness method. This method which originates in the Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire and named after philanthropist Edward Harkness. It was developed to kindle curiosity, encourage learning and develop respect. Pupils sit in an oval and are encouraged to initiate and lead discussions about a designated text or area of learning. Pupils can develop ideas around a topic, ask questions and share their knowledge. The teacher is then able to assess the nature and quality of input from each of the pupils and the impact prior learning may have on their contributions. Examples of the use of this ranged from younger pupils bringing LAMDA skills into normal classroom learning and the teacher recording their behaviours on post it notes to sixth form students preparing and discussing materials in preparation for A level. The discussion diagram included the location of each pupil and a line joining pupils to those they spoke to. As can be seen, the teachers’ assessment tool can be diagrammatic allowing them to measure the frequency of contribution by each pupil and the nature of the contribution. The teacher facilitates the discussion but does not lead it. Where pupils’ lack knowledge or skills the teacher may separately support these. This is a good example of learning in the Zone of Proximal Development with ongoing assessment in place.

Another example of discourse leading to improved learning was the use of more able peer mentoring with younger pupils. Here the older pupils were metacognitively well developed and were able to assess the learning needs required to succeed in each subject. They were then able to enter discussion with younger pupils to advise and support them to develop learning attributes. The younger pupils learning from the more knowledgeable older pupils.

School leaders have also been thinking about the language we use when providing feedback and the time given to pupils to respond to that feedback. Often a feedback question leads to activity but does not necessarily deepen or enhance the quality of the learning and understanding. If the teacher demonstrates expectations and provides models which pupils can aspire to then the feedback question acquires greater meaning. Pupils might be asked to think more deeply about a response, include additional information, make comparisons, draw conclusions, make choices or express opinions. They may be asked to demonstrate a process or show alternative methods. Greater complexity or depth of response may be sought. When pupils receive this type of feedback they can then ask the teacher questions or engage in discussions together so that they bring greater knowledge and insight to their work developing their metacognition and metacognitive skills which they can use in the future. Leaders making changes to marking policy found that they needed to create space for learning in this way within the curriculum plan.

1. What’s the intent?

The ethics of teaching children of all ages about sustainability is clear. However, teaching such big concepts with such small children needs careful thought. The intention at Alfreton Nursery School is to stimulate an enquiring mind and to nurture children to believe in a solutions-based future.  

Exposure to climate change from an adult perspective is dripping into our children’s awareness all the time. At Alfreton Nursery School we believe it is so important to take the current climate and give children a voice and a role within it. The invincibility of the early years mindset has been harnessed, with playful impact.

2. How do I implement environmental education with four-year-olds?

Environment

Just as an effective school environment supports children’s mathematical, creative (etc) development, so our environment at Alfreton is used to educate children on the value of nature. The resources we use are as ethically made and resourced as possible. We use recycled materials and recycled furniture, and lights are on sensors to reduce power consumption. 

Like many schools, we have adapted our environment to work with the needs of the planet, and at Alfreton we make our choices explicit for the children. We talk about why the lights don’t stay on all the time, why we have a bicycle parking area in the carpark and why we are sitting on wooden logs, rather than plastic chairs. Our indoor spaces are sprinkled with beautiful large plants, adding to air quality, aesthetics and a sense of nature being a part of us, rather than separate. Incidental conversations about the interdependence of life on our planet feed into daily interactions. 

Our biophilic approach to the school environment supports wellbeing and mental health for all, as well as supporting the education of our future generations.  

Continuous provision and enhancements

Within continuous provision, resources are carefully selected to enhance understanding of materials and environmental impact. We have not discarded all plastic resources and sent them to landfill. Instead we have integrated them with newer ethical purchasing and take the opportunity to talk and debate with children. Real food is used for baking and food education, not for role play. Taking a balanced approach to the use of food in education feels like the respectful thing to do, as many of our families exist in a climate of poverty.  

Larger concepts around deforestation, climate change and pollution are taught in many ways. Our provision for more able learners is one way we expand children’s understanding.  In the Aspiration Group children are taught about the world in which they live and supported to understand their responsibilities. We look at ecosystems and explore human impact, whilst finding collaborative solutions to protect animals in their habitats. Through Forest Schools children learn the need to respect the woodlands. Story and reference literature is used to stimulate empathy and enquiry, whilst home-school partnerships further develop the connections we share with community projects to support nature.   

We have an outdoor STEM Hive dedicated to environmental education. Within this space we have role play, maths, engineering, small world, science, music… but the thread which runs through this area is impact on the planet. When engaged with train play, we talk about pollution and shared transport solutions. When playing in the outdoor house we discuss where food comes from and carbon footprints. In the Philosophy for Children area we debate concepts like ‘fairness’ – for me, you, others and the planet. And on boards erected in the Hive there are images of how humans have taken the lead from nature. For example, in the engineering area there are images of manmade bridges and dams, along with images of beavers building and ants linking their bodies to bridge rivers.  

3. Where will I see the impact?

Our environmental work in school has supported the progression of children across the curriculum, supporting achievements towards the following goals:

Personal, Social and Emotional Development:

• Show resilience and perseverance in the face of challenge
• Express their feelings and consider the feelings of others

Understanding the World:

• Begin to understand the need to respect and care for the natural environment and all living things
• Explore the natural world around them
• Recognise some environments that are different from the one in which they live

(Development Matters, 2021, DfE)

More widely, children are thinking beyond their everyday lived experience and connecting their lives to others globally. Our work is based on high aspirations and a passionate belief in the limitless capacity of young children. Drawing on the synthesis of emotion and cognition ensures learning is lifelong. The critical development of their relational understanding of self to the natural world has seen children’s mental health improve and enabled them to see themselves as powerful contributors, with collective responsibilities, for the world in which they live and grow.  

Read more:

• 5 steps to embed metacognition in the early years

Plus:

• Explore NACE’s early years resources
  

Our vision, here at Trellech Primary, is to ensure the four purposes of the Curriculum for Wales are at the heart of our children’s learning – particularly ensuring that they are “ambitious capable learners” who: 

• Set themselves high standards and seek and enjoy challenge;
• Are building up a body of knowledge and have the skills to connect and apply that knowledge in different contexts;
• Are questioning and enjoy solving problems.

What is a “SMILE Curriculum”?

We have always been very proud of the children at Trellech Primary, where we see year on year pupils making good progress in all areas of the curriculum. Following the publication of Successful Futures and curriculum reform in Wales, the school wanted to embrace the changes and be forward-thinking in recognising and nurturing children as learners who are responsible for planning and developing their own learning. As a Pioneer School, we made a commitment to: 

1. Give high priority to pupil voice in developing their own learning journey.
2. Develop pupil voice throughout each year group, key stage and the whole school.
3. Embrace the curriculum reform and develop children’s understanding.
4. Allow all learners to excel and reach their full potential.
5. Ensure each child is given the opportunity to make good progress. 

These goals have been developed alongside the introduction of SMILE books, based on our SMILE five-a-day culture:

• Standards 
• Modelled behaviour 
• Inspiration 
• Listening
• Ethical

What is a “SMILE book”?

Based on these key values of the SMILE curriculum, the SMILE books are A3-sized, blank-paged workbooks which learners can use to present their work however they choose. They are used to present the children’s personal learning journey. In contrast to the use of books for subject areas, SMILE books show the development of skills from across the Areas of Learning and Experience (AoLEs) in their own preferred style. 

This format enables pupil voice to be at the fore of their journey, while clearly promoting each pupil’s independent learning and supporting individual learning styles. Within a class, each SMILE book will look different, despite the same themes being part of the teaching and learning. Some may be presented purely through illustration with relevant vocabulary, while others develop and present their learning through greater use of text. 

Launching the SMILE books

As a Pioneer School we collaborated with colleagues who were at the same point of their curriculum journey as us. Following this collaboration, we agreed to trial the introduction of our SMILE books in Y2 and Y6 with staff who were members of SLT and involved in curriculum reform. 

In these early stages, expectations were shared and pupils were given a variety of resources to enable them to present their work in their preferred format within the books – enabling all individuals to lead, manage and present their knowledge, skills and learning independently. 

Pupil and parent feedback at Parent Sharing Sessions highlighted positive feedback and demonstrated pupils’ pride in the books. Consequently, SMILE books were introduced throughout the school at the start of the following academic year. For reception pupils scaffolding is provided, but as pupils move through the progression steps less scaffolding is needed; pupil independence increases and is clearly evident in the way work across the AoLEs is presented. 

Staff SMILE planning 

Following the success of the implementation of pupil SMILE books and to ensure clarity in understanding of the Curriculum for Wales, I decided to trial the SMILE book format myself, to record my planning. This helped me to develop greater depth of knowledge and understanding of the Four Purposes, Cross-Curricular Links, Pedagogical Principles and the What Matters Statements for each of the AoLEs. 

During this early trial I wrote each of the planning pages by hand, which enabled me to internalise the curriculum with an increased understanding. Also included were the ideas page for each theme and pupil contributions through the pupil voice page. 

This format was shared with the whole staff and has evolved over time. Some staff continue to write and present planning in a creative form, while others use QR codes to link planners to electronic planning sheets and class tracking documentation. The inclusion of the I Can Statements has enabled staff to delve deeper and focus on less but better.  

Each SMILE medium-term planning book moves with the cohort of learners, exemplifying their learning journey through the school. The investment of time in medium-term planning enables staff to focus on skills development in short-term planning time. This is evident in the classroom, where lessons focus on skills development and teachers are seen as facilitators of learning.

Impact on teaching and learning

Following our NACE Challenge Award reaccreditation in July 2021, it was recognised that the use of SMILE books had a positive impact on pupil voice and the promotion of independent learning for all. Our assessor reported:

SMILE books, which the school considers to be at the heart of all learning, are used by all year groups. Children complete activities independently in their books showing their own way of learning and presenting their work in a range of styles and formats. As a result, even from the youngest of ages, pupils have become more independent learners who are engaged in their learning because they have been involved in the decision-making process for the topics being taught.

The SMILE approach to learning has strengthened pupil voice and given children the confidence to take risks in their own learning by choosing how they like to learn. 

The SMILE approach to learning has created a climate of trust where learners are confident to take risks without the fear of failure and are valued for their efforts. Pupils appreciate that valuable learning often results from making mistakes. 

SMILE promotes problem solving and enquiry-based activities to help nurture independent learning. 

Using SMILE books, independent learning is promoted and encouraged from the youngest of ages. The SMILE approach encourages MAT learners to lead their own learning by equipping them with the skills and knowledge to know how they best learn. As a result, more able pupils are critical thinkers and have high expectations and aspirations for themselves.

Our SMILE approach continues to develop here at Trellech, ensuring the continual development of our learners and independent learners with a valued voice.  

Explore NACE’s key resources for schools in Wales

This year one of the NACE Research & Development Hubs is examining the theme of ‘oracy for high achievement’. The Hub is exploring the importance of rich and extended talk and cognitive discourse in the context of shared classroom practice. School leaders and teachers participating in the Hub are seeking to improve the value and effectiveness of speaking and listening. They are developing a body of knowledge about provision and pedagogy for more able learners, sharing ideas and practice and contributing to wider research evidence on oracy through their classroom-based enquiries.

Why focus on oracy?

Oracy is one of the most used and most important skills in schools. To be able to speak eloquently and with confidence, to articulate thinking and express an opinion are all essential for success both at school and beyond. Communication is a vital skill for the 21st century from the early years, through formal education, to employment. It embraces skills for relationship building, resolving conflict, thinking and learning, and social interaction. Oral language is the medium through which children communicate formally and informally in classroom contexts and the cornerstone of thinking and learning. The NACE publication Making Space for Able Learners found that “central to most classroom practice is the quality of communication and the use of talk and language to develop thinking, knowledge and understanding” (NACE, 2020, p.38). 

Oracy is very much at the heart of classroom practice: modern classroom environments resound to the sound of students talking: as a whole class, in group discussions and in partner conversations. Teachers explaining, demonstrating, instructing and coaching all involve the skills of oracy. Planned purposeful classroom talk supports learning in and across all subject areas, encouraging students to: 

• Analyse and solve problems
• Receive, act and build upon answers 
• Think critically
• Speculate and imagine
• Explore and evaluate ideas

Dialogic teaching’ is highly influential in oracy-rich classrooms (Alexander, 2004). It uses the power of classroom talk to challenge and stretch students. Through dialogue, teachers can gauge students’ perspectives, engage with their ideas and help them overcome misunderstandings. Exploratory talk is a powerful context for classroom talk, providing students with opportunities to share opinions and engage with peers (Mercer & Dawes, 2008). It is not just conversational talk, but talk for learning. Given the importance and prevalence of classroom talk, it would be easy to assume that oracy receives high status in the curriculum, but its promotion is not without obstacles to overcome. 

Challenges for schools in developing oracy skills

Covid-19 has impacted upon students’ oracy. A report from the children’s communication charity I CAN estimated that more than 1.5 million UK young people risk being left behind in their language development as a result of lost learning in the Covid-19 period (read more here). The Charity reported that the majority of teachers were worried about young people being able to catch up with their speaking and understanding as a result of the pandemic (I CAN, 2021). 

With origins going back to the 1960s, the term oracy was introduced as a response to the high priority placed on literacy in the curriculum of the time. Rien ne change, with the current emphasis remaining exactly so. Literacy skills, i.e. reading and writing, continue to dominate the curriculum. Oracy extends vocabulary and directly helps with learning to read.  The educationalist James Nimmo Britton famously said that “good literacy floats on a sea of talk” and recognised that oracy is the foundation for literacy. 

Teachers do place value on oracy. In a 2016 survey by Millard and Menzies of 900 teachers across the sector, over 50% said they model the sorts of spoken language they expect of their students, they do set expectations high, and they initiate pair or group activities in many lessons. They also highlighted the social and emotional benefits of oracy and suggested it has untapped potential to support pupils’ employability – but reported that provision is often patchy and that CPD was sparse or even non-existent. 

Another challenge is that oracy is mentioned infrequently in inspection reports. An analysis of reports of over 3,000 schools on the Ofsted database, undertaken by the Centre for Education and Youth in 2021, found that when taken in the context of all school inspections taking place each year, oracy featured in only 8% of reports.

The issue of how oracy is assessed is a further challenge. Assessment profoundly influences student learning. Changes to assessment requirements now provide schools with new freedoms to ensure their assessment systems support pupils to achieve challenging outcomes. Despite useful frameworks to assess oracy such as the toolkit from the organisation Voice 21, there is no accepted system for the assessment of oracy.

What are NACE R&D Hub participants doing to develop oracy in their schools?

The challenges outlined above make the work of participants in the Hub of real importance. With a focus on ‘oracy for high achievement’, the Hub is supporting teachers and leaders to delve deeper into oracy practices in their classrooms. The Hub supports small-scale projects through which they can evidence the impact of change and evaluate their practice. Activities are trialled over a short period of time so that their true impact can be observed in school and even replicated in other schools. 

The participants are now engaged in a variety of enquiry-based projects in their classrooms and schools. These include:

• Use of the Harkness Discussion method to enable more able students to exhibit greater depth of understanding, complexity of response and analytical skills within cognitively challenging learning;
• Explicit teaching of oracy skills to improve independent discussion in science and history lessons;
• Introduction of hot-seating to improve students’ ability to ask valuable questions;  
• Choice in oral tasks to improve the quality of students’ analytical skills;
• Oracy structures in collaborative learning to challenge more able students’ deeper learning and analysis;
• Better reasoning using oracy skills in small group discussion activities; 
• Interventions in drama to improve the quality of classroom discussion.

Share your experience

We are seeking NACE member schools to share their experiences of effective oracy practices, including new initiatives and well-established practices. You may feel that some of the examples above are similar to practices in your own school, or you may have well-developed models of oracy teaching and learning that would be of interest to others. To share your experience, simply contact us, considering the following questions:

• How can we implement effective oracy strategies without dramatically increasing teacher workload?
• How can we best develop oracy for the most able in mixed ability classrooms?
• What approaches are most effective in promoting oracy in group work so that it is productive and benefits all learners? 
• How can we implicitly teach pupils to justify and expand their ideas and make clear opportunities to develop their understanding through talk and deepen their understanding?
• How do we evidence challenge for oracy within lessons?

Teachers should develop students’ spoken language, reading, writing and vocabulary as integral aspects of the teaching of every subject. Every teacher is a teacher of oracy. The report of the All-Party Parliamentary Group inquiry into oracy in schools concluded that there was an indisputable case for oracy as an integral aspect of education. This adds to a growing and now considerable body of evidence to celebrate the place that oracy has in our schools and in our society. Oracy is in a unique place to support the learning and development of more able pupils in schools and the time to give oracy its due is now. 

References

• Alexander, R. J. (2004) Towards dialogic teaching: Rethinking classroom talk. York, UK: Dialogos.
• Britton, J. (1970) Language and learning. London: Allen Lane. [2nd ed., 1992, Portsmouth NH:  Boynton/Cook, Heinemann].
• I CAN (2021) Speaking Up for the Covid Generation. London: I CAN Charity.
• Lowe, H. & McCarthy, A. (2020) Making Space for Able Learners. Didcot, Oxford: NACE.
• Mercer, N. &. Dawes., L. (2008) The Value of Exploratory Talk. In Exploring Talk in School, edited by N. Mercer and S. Hodgkinson, pp. 55–71. London: Sage.
• Millard, W. & Menzies, L. (2016) The State of Speaking in Our Schools. London: Voice 21/LKMco.
• Millard, W., Menzies, L. & Stewart, G. (2021) Oracy after the pandemic: what Ofsted, teachers and young people think about oracy. Centre for Education & Youth/University of Oxford. 
  

Read more: 

• Speaking up: developing oracy for high achievement
• 7 steps to establishing a whole-school oracy culture
• 6 ideas to develop oracy in your school
• Four ways Covid restrictions have affected learning and development

I was wrong. Adaptive teaching is not merely differentiation by another name. In adaptive teaching, differentiation does not occur by providing different handouts or the now outdated “all, most, some” objectives, which intrinsically create a glass ceiling in students’ achievement. Instead, it happens because of the high-quality teaching we put in for all our students. 

Adaptive teaching is a focus of the Early Career Framework (DfE, 2019), the Teachers’ Standards, and Ofsted inspections. It involves setting the same ambitious goals for all students but providing different levels of support. This should be targeted depending on the students’ starting points, and if and when students are struggling.

But of course it is not as simple as saying, “this is what adaptive teaching means: now use it”.

So how, in practice, do we move from differentiation to adaptive teaching?

A sensible way to look at it is to consider adaptive teaching as an evolution of differentiation. It is high-quality teaching based on:

1. Maintaining high standards, so that all learners have the opportunity to meet expectations.
   Supporting all students to work towards the same goal but breaking the learning down – forget about differentiated or graded learning objectives.
2. Balancing the input of new content so that learners master important concepts.
   Giving the right amount of time to our students – mastery over coverage.
3. Knowing your learners and providing targeted support.
   Making use of well-designed resources and planning to connect new content with pupils' prior knowledge or providing additional pre-teaching if learners lack critical knowledge.
4. Using Assessment for Learning in the classroom – in essence check, reflect and respond.
   Creating assessment fit for purpose – moving away from solely end of unit assessments.
5. Making effective use of teaching assistants.
   Delivering high quality one-to-one and small group support using structured interventions. 

In conclusion, adaptive teaching happens before the lesson, during the lesson and after the lesson. 

Aim for the top, using scaffolding for those who need it. Consider: what is your endgame and how do you get there? Does everyone understand? How do you know that? Can everyone explain their understanding? What mechanisms have you put in place to check student understanding ? Encourage classroom discussions (pose, pause, pounce, bounce), use a progress checklist, question the students (hinge questions, retrieval practice), adapt your resources (remove words, simplify the text, include errors, add retrieval elements).

Adaptive teaching is a valuable approach, but we must seek to embed it within existing best practice. Consider what strikes you as the most captivating aspect of your curriculum in which you can enthusiastically and wisely lead the way . 

Ask yourself:

• Could all children access this?
• Will all children be challenged by this?
  … then go from there…
  

At Alfreton Nursery School metacognition has been systematically embedded across the whole curriculum for the last three years. Through the use of an approach constructed by Roger Sutcliffe (DialogueWorks) called Thinking Moves, we’ve successfully implemented an innovative approach to learning.

When we talk about the progression of mathematical understanding we have a shared language. We all understand what it means to engage in addition and subtraction. Phonics, science . . . all areas of learning have a common linguistic foundation.

However, when it comes to the skills of thinking and learning, there is no common language and the concepts are shrouded in misconception. Do children learn visually, kinaesthetically . . . ? Are there different levels to learning? Based on the belief that we are all thinking and learning all of the time, Thinking Moves has been implemented at Alfreton Nursery School. Thinking Moves provides the language to explain the process of thinking and has thus provided a common framework on which to master learning.  

1. Develop and model a shared vocabulary

A shared vocabulary, used by all staff and children, has provided the adults with a tool to explain teaching, and the children with a tool to aid learning.  Crucially, the commonality in language means that learning is transparent. For example, when children explain what comes next in a story, they are using the A in the A-Z: thinking Ahead. During the story recall children are using B: thinking Back. The A-Z of Thinking Moves supports children to consciously choose and communicate the thinking strategies they intend to use, are using, or have used to achieve success.  

Teaching staff build on the more commonly used Thinking Moves words, whilst subtly introducing less familiar terms. The use of synonyms within conversation, to accompany the language of Thinking Moves, supports both adults and children to use the words in context.     

“I’m going to think ahead, cos I need to choose the bricks I need to build my rocket.”

2. Embed metacognitive concepts in the learning environment

The learning environment critically supports the children’s use of metacognition. With each word comes a symbol. These symbols are used to visually illustrate Thinking Moves. Children use these symbols to explain what type of thinking they are engaged in and what they need to do next. 
The integration of the symbols into the classroom environment has ensured that there is conscious intent to implement metacognition within all areas of the curriculum. Teachers use the symbols as prompts. Children use the symbols to help them articulate their thinking and as an aid to knowing what strategies will help them further. 

Through immersing children in the visual world of metacognition, all children – regardless of age and stage of development – are supported in their learning.

3. Break it down into manageable chunks

The A-Z includes some words which slide easily into conversation. Other words are less easily integrated into everyday speech. In order to ensure that a variation of language is incorporated throughout the curriculum, specific areas of the curriculum have dedicated Thinking Moves words. For example, Expressive Art and Design have embraced the metacognitive moves of Vary, Zoom and Picture. This ‘step by step’ strategy gives teaching staff the confidence to learn and use the A-Z in small chunks.  

Over time, as confidence grows, the use of metacognitive language becomes a natural part of daily discourse. Whether in the staffroom over lunch, planning the timetable or sharing a jigsaw, metacognition has become a part of daily life.

4. Use to support targeted teaching across the curriculum

Metacognition is embedded throughout continuous provision and is accessed by all children through personalised interactions. Enhancements are offered across the curriculum and metacognition forms a vehicle on which targeted teaching is delivered. For example, by combining thinking moves together, we have created thinking grooves. By using certain moves together, the flow of thinking is explicit. 

Within our maths enhancements we use the maths QUEST approach. A session begins with a Question, e.g. “How many will we have if we add one more to this group?” Children Use their mathematical understanding and Explain what they will need to do to solve the problem. The answer is Sized, “Are there more or less now?”, and then this is Tested to establish the consistency of the answer. Maths QUESTs now underpin our mathematical enhancements, allowing children to consciously use maths and metacognition simultaneously.  

5. Embed within progression planning

When looking at the curriculum and skill progression across the school, it has been helpful to consider which Thinking Moves explicitly support advancement. For children to progress in their acquisition of new concepts, they need to know clearly how to access their learning. Within our planning and assessment systems, areas of metacognitive focus have been identified.  

For example, within literacy we have raised our focus on the Thinking Move Infer. For children to gather information from a story is a key skill for future progression. Within science we emphasise the need to Test and within music we support children to Respond. Progression planning now has a clear focus on cognitive challenge, as well as subject knowledge.

Embedding metacognition in the early years supports children to master their own cognition and gives them a voice for life.  

Further reading:

• How to model metacognitive skills in your classroom
• Metacognition for higher-attaining learners: “the debrief”
• How can a focus on metacognition lead to more effective assessment?
  

Plus:

• Explore NACE’s early years resources

“Rethinking assessment” is the focus of one of our NACE Research and Development Hubs this year. The question we are asking ourselves is:

If I rethink an aspect of assessment, to include it as part of the learning process, will more able pupils have a better understanding of the learning process; as such will they exhibit greater depth, complexity or analytic skills in their learning?

Within this Hub, leaders and teachers are seeking to improve the value and effectiveness of assessment. Some are making small changes to classroom practice; others are seeking to make changes within teams; and others are making strategic decisions which include a change in school policies. 

One might ask why this is of interest and indeed necessary when there are so many initiatives being introduced into our schools. The answer is that assessment dominates the learning environment in that it provides summative evaluations and provides instructional feedback to help learners progress. It also has the potential to enable pupils to become powerful, autonomous and self-regulating learners, both now and into the future. 

However, assessment practice does not always benefit more able learners and often detracts from the learning itself. In this article I begin by raising awareness of potential hazards when planning assessment, before thinking about the purpose of assessment and the possibilities open to us if we rethink our own practice.

Tests, examinations and potential hazards

Every year following the publication of examination results we hear the statistics about the change in numbers achieving specific grades. Schools are then judged on the effectiveness of reaching performance thresholds. It is not surprising that curriculum in some schools is at risk of becoming narrow and entirely examination-focused.

For those that oppose the current system, there are arguments that methods for obtaining grades or performance measures should be reviewed and changed. There has been discussion about whether employers and universities understand the endpoint grades. At all stages of learning endpoint grades do not always lead to progression in learning. Prior learning is not always understood as learners move from primary to secondary, Year 11 to sixth form or on to schools, colleges, universities and employment. 

Another issue is that testing does not necessarily respond to the different ways pupils learn, the additional needs they might have or the wider intellectual, developmental or metacognitive gains which might be possible. Pupils with differing learning needs or experiences can find it difficult to demonstrate their skills and abilities within the format of the current assessments. 

More able pupils deserve the highest grades and the expectation from parents and pupils is that this will become a reality. This puts pressure on both the class teacher and school to provide a curriculum which consistently leads to these outcomes. It also places pressure on the pupils to achieve an examination or test standard bounded by a fixed curriculum. Schools carefully package the curriculum into small but connected areas of learning which can be delivered, revised and assessed effectively. 

However, another potential hazard lies in the preparation of the curriculum in that pupils can experience too many assessments. Schools wishing to maintain a prescribed standard each year with a trajectory of performance with the target grade as the endpoint will often use data-driven assessment. Here they risk placing numeric data ahead of meaningful learning. Pupils are then at risk from pressure imposed by continuous high- and low-stakes assessment detached from learning. In the worst-case scenario, more time is invested in measuring learning rather than developing the pupils’ potential. 

Another problem associated with a prescribed endpoint measure is that the assessments which pupils experience throughout the period of instruction mirror the endpoint assessment even though pupils may not have the maturity, linguistic capability or experience to make the greatest learning gains from the experience. This is often seen most clearly in the secondary phase of learning when pupils are given GCSE-style questions as young as age 11. 

Regardless of all these points, the reality is that for all the problems which exist within the current system, we live in a country where our qualifications have international recognition and value. So how then, working within the current constraints, can we help our pupils to become confident and successful learners while avoiding some of these hazards?

What then are we seeking to rethink, if not the system itself?

In rethinking assessment, we seek to enable our pupils to achieve the highest standards; because they have mastered the learning through effective curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment. To achieve this, we need to imagine what pupils have the potential to know, learn, think and do. We also need to think beyond the limitations of compulsory prescribed content. We can enable more able pupils with their variety of backgrounds, learning needs and potential to acquire a deeper understanding of subject, context, applications, and of their own learning. We can provide pupils with more information about the nature of learning and their own learning so that they feel in control of the process.

Deciding the purpose of assessment 

When rethinking assessment, it must align with the educational philosophy held by all stakeholders. Different schools will adopt different approaches to assessment, but the most effective practices exist when the purpose of assessment is clearly articulated and understood. It works well when there is consistent practice, which not only informs the teaching but also facilitates learning and engages pupils in their learning. Assessment should not create an additional workload, nor should it be focused on the acquisition of data which is detached from learning.

There have been many attempts to characterise good assessment practice. An example here comes from The Assessment Reform Group who summarised the characteristics of assessment that promotes learning using the following seven principles:

1. It is embedded in a view of teaching and learning of which it is an essential part;
2. It involves sharing learning goals with pupils;
3. It aims to help pupils to know and to recognise the standards they are aiming for;
4. It involves pupils in self-assessment;
5. It provides feedback which leads to pupils recognising their next steps and how to take them;
6. It is underpinned by confidence that every student can improve;
7. It involves both teacher and pupils reviewing and reflecting on assessment data. 

Broadfoot et al., 1999, p. 7

 When planning formative assessment teachers may want to reflect on the view expressed by Black and Wiliam that it is:

“the extent that evidence about student achievement is elicited, interpreted, and used by teachers, learners, or their peers, to make decisions about the next steps in instruction that are likely to be better, or better founded, than the decisions they would have taken in the absence of the evidence that was elicited.”

Black & Wiliam, 2009, p. 9

When deciding the purpose of assessment, we need to be clear about the way in which it will feed information back into the learning process. Students need to understand themselves as learners and know what else they need to learn. This moves us away from activities which are pressured and demotivating. It moves us towards assessment choices which increase motivation and focus. Good assessment practice will allow pupils to take greater control of their learning when they understand the level of challenge, can set themselves challenges and utilise information or feedback to make progress. 

When you rethink assessment:

• How would you summarise the characteristics of good assessment in your school?
• What is the purpose of the planned assessments?
• What impact will they have on learning and progress?
• What impact will assessment have on teaching?
• How will pupils use the assessment and feedback to regulate their own learning

To what extent will authentic assessment enhance learning?

Authentic assessment practices are seen to be favourable by linking the classroom to wider experience. However, there are a wide range of views on what this might look like. We often see examination questions which are set within a “real life context”. The difficulty with this approach is that the questions become complicated and often distract the pupils from the learning rather than contributing to it. Gulikers, Bastiaens and Kirschner proposed assessment which relates more directly to the context in which the learning might be experienced. Their model enabled:

“students to use the same competencies, or combinations of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that they need to apply in the criterion situation in professional life.”

Gulikers et al, 2004, p. 69

Litchfield and Dempsey (2015), proposed authentic assessment would lead to in-depth learning and the application of knowledge. Assessment activity becomes meaningful, interesting and collaborative. Through authentic practice pupils can develop a greater range of learning attributes. They become more active learners using critical thinking, problem solving and metacognitive strategies.

Whether or not we use the idea of authentic assessment as a driver for our assessment practices, we would all agree that we want pupils to engage in meaningful and interesting activities. If our assessment practices sit within the learning process and enable pupils to work collaboratively to achieve more, then the assessment activity and the learning activity can combine to improve the quality of learning and cognitive development. 

Evaluating our practice

Once a decision has been made to rethink assessment, we need to revisit our aims and principles.

Do your aims and principles:

• Promote assessment as integral to learning and the shaping of future learning? 
• Promote high expectations for all pupils and ensure assessment places no inadvertent ceiling on achievement?
• Value and represent achievement for all pupils across the breadth and depth of the curriculum using a variety of approaches?
• Recognise that assessment needs to be constructive, motivate pupils, extend learning, and develop resilient, independent learners?
• Take account of how the expanding knowledge of the science of how pupils learn is changing modes of assessing what pupils know?

These principles are used by NACE members to audit assessment practice in their schools. Here we can see how the pupil is catered for within the process. We seek to help the pupil to become more resilient, resourceful and independent. We want both the pupil and the teacher to have realistic high expectations so that there is no ceiling on learning but also no undue pressure by praising the outcome over the effort. 

The assessment itself is integral to the learning process. The assessment shapes the learning and the learner. It guides the teacher’s practice and is dependent on a good understanding of both the curriculum and cognition. By rethinking assessment we can still achieve the endpoint measures but also go beyond this to create an environment for learning which nourishes and develops each individual.

Metacognition and assessment

If we are truly committed to using assessment as a practice integral to learning and as a learning tool for both teacher and pupil, we need a good knowledge of the curriculum, the connections between areas of learning, potential for depth and breadth of learning beyond the limitations of core curriculum, cognition and cognitive processes. When assessment practices enable pupils to develop metacognition and metacognitive skills, they will be able to respond well to new experiences and learning.

Dunlosky and Metcalfe (2009) describe three processes of metacognition: knowledge, monitoring, and control.

• Knowledge: understanding how learning works and how to improve it.
• Monitoring: self-assessment of understanding, 
• Control: any required self-regulation.

I would argue that rethinking assessment should be driven by our increased understanding of metacognition. Self-assessment skills sit at the heart of metacognitive competencies. If we view metacognition as “thinking about thinking” or “learning about learning” we can then see that the pupils need answers to some questions.

• What should I be thinking about? 
• What do I need to know? 
• Am I understanding this material at the level of competency needed for my upcoming challenge?
• What am I trying to learn?
• How am I learning?
• Do I need to change my focus?
• Do I need to change my learning strategy?

Self-assessment is a core metacognitive skill that links understanding of learning and how to improve it to the development of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is a person’s belief in an ability to succeed in a particular situation. Self-efficacy is the product of experience, observation, persuasion, and emotion. If pupils learn to monitor their developing competencies and control their cognitive strategies, they will be able to organise and execute the actions needed to respond to new learning experiences. 

Next steps for teachers and leaders

All schools, regardless of outcomes, will review and evaluate practice each year. As a part of this it is important to revisit assessment practices within the classroom, across subjects and phases and at a whole-school strategic level.

Within the classroom the teacher can begin by imagining small changes which can lead to a better learning experience and a greater impact on learning and metacognition. These changes might include:

• Changes to recall practices with acquired vocabulary or knowledge being used in different contexts;
  
• Organisation of collaborative learning groups where understanding can be observed through pupils’ interaction;
• Pre-planned “big questions” and extended questioning which challenges understanding;
• Independent research, challenges or project work;
• Changes to feedback and response activities;
• Use of entry and exit tickets;
• Use of “cutaway” learning models;
• Pupil-led diagnostic responses;
• Pupil self-selected challenge and extension activities;
• Whole-class marking, feedback and active response.

Many of these are possibly in use at present but they have greatest impact when planned within the lesson structure and used consistently so that teachers and pupils share an understanding of learning and learning potential. When planning within a subject or phase, a strategy which is shared between teachers and understood by pupils will reap the greatest rewards. If pupils know what they are doing and why they are doing it, they will recognise the importance of the activity. When activities combine cumulatively to improve knowledge, learning and understanding of both subject and self, then pupils will make the greatest gains.

The preparation for endpoint examination then appears in the final months of study, when the format of the testing is explained, shared and practised; not to increase knowledge and understanding, but to secure outcomes. Pupils will be able to approach this preparation, as they would any testing or competitive situation, as training and warm-up for the final event. Their education as a whole having been confident and secure, they will approach this new challenge with a sense of purpose and self-belief.

So how then can leaders manage a whole-school strategy? This can often prove an obstacle when planning to make change. Leaders must know how well pupils are progressing, how well the curriculum is being delivered and the quality of teaching in the classroom. This is where school ethos, aims and principles are important. By agreeing a model for assessment practice which does not overload teachers but provides evidence of the quality of education, leaders can themselves adopt the same assessment and evaluation models as they use in their classrooms. 

When teachers all work towards a common and agreed framework for curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment, pupils do not need to be tested to measure teacher performance. High-quality professional development, dialogue and collaboration supports high-quality practice. Good-quality systems provide the narrative which expose the quality of learning and performance within the school. It is the responsibility of school leaders to create a narrative which can be evidenced through consistency of belief and practice in all classrooms. The conversation then returns to learning and teaching and individual pupils’ needs or aspirations rather than numeric data tracking.

Whatever style of data tracking and targets a school chooses to use, it is important to keep the pupils and their learning at the centre of the conversation.

Taking steps to rethink assessment

The NACE “Rethinking Assessment” R&D Hub is supporting teachers and leaders to take a small step in making a change in practice. The Hub supports those wishing to plan a small-scale project through which they can evidence the impact of change. Here we can see how activities which may be evident in other schools can be trialled over a short period of time so that their true impact can be observed. Teachers and leaders participating in the Hub are engaged in a variety of activities as they seek to rethink assessment practices in their classrooms and schools. These include:

• Improving pupils’ understanding of assessment by providing greater guidance;
• Enabling pupils to respond well to questions which have greater stretch and challenge;
• Make better use of feedback and individual response activities;
• Reconfiguring the sequence of assessment so that there is a more coherent structure;
• Developing assessment strategies for project-based learning which enable pupils to challenge themselves and extend their knowledge; 
• Making use of “what if…” questions and developing teachers’ skills in new ways of assessing the responses;
• Refining the language of feedback so that pupils can extend and deepen thinking;
• Updating marking and feedback policies and strategies so that there is a whole-staff appreciation of effective practice;
• Improving the use of disciplinary language within teaching, learning and assessment;
• Planning assessments within a metacognitive model.

The ideas proposed for rethinking assessment in all these schools build on existing good practice. Teachers have examined the context within their schools and evaluated the impact of current practice. From this they hypothesised on elements of practice which could be improved, replaced or refined. They are now seeking to enhance existing good practice to meet the aims and principles as discussed. Regardless of your position in the school it is possible to revisit your assessment practices.

Share your experience with others

• Do you routinely use an assessment practice or approach which helps you to assess, monitor or evaluate learning well? 
• Do you have a good assessment strategy which you can share which enables pupils to learn well or helps them to improve their performance? 
• Do you have some advice for others which you can share?
• Can you describe some changes to classroom assessment practices which have improved learning?
• Can you share a whole-school assessment strategy which has made a difference in your school?

If you feel you can add to the conversation, please contact us so we can help to share your successes with the wider NACE community.

References

• Black, P. J., & Wiliam, D. (2009). Developing the theory of formative assessment. Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 21(1), 5-31.
• Broadfoot, P. M., Daugherty, R., Gardner, J., Gipps, C. V., Harlen, W., James, M., & Stobart, G. (1999). Assessment for learning: beyond the black box. Cambridge, UK: University of Cambridge School of Education.
• Dunlosky, J. & Metcalfe, J. (2009). Metacognition. Sage Publications Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA.
• Gulikers, J. T., Bastiaens, T. J., & Kirschner, P. A. (2004). A five-dimensional framework for authentic assessment. Educational technology research and development, 52(3), 67-86.
• Litchfield, B. C., & Dempsey, J. V. (2015). Authentic assessment of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2015(142), 65-80. 

1. Timer challenge

Reassure your pupils that not everything needs revising: lots is actually still alive and well in their working memory. Put a timer on the clock and challenge pupils to see how much they can recall about a particular topic off the top of their head in just five minutes. The good news is that this is ‘banked’: now what pupils need to do is to focus their revision on the areas they did not write down. It is only at this point that they need to start scanning through notes to identify things they had missed. 

2. Bursts and breaks

It is quite common for young people to feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of revision. Be confident when you reassure them that ‘little and often’ really is the best way to tackle it. Indeed, research suggests that a short burst of 25 minutes revision followed by a five-minute break is the ideal. Make the most of any ‘dead time’ slots in the school day to include these short revision bursts.

3. Better together

Show pupils the power of collaborative revision. Working with at least one other person is energising and gets the job done quicker. Activities such as ‘match the pairs’ or categorising tasks have the added advantage of also promoting higher-order thinking and discussion. 

4. Take the scaffolds away

It is not effective to simply keep reading the same words during revision. Instead, ‘generation’ is one of the key strategies proven to support long-term learning. Tell pupils not to write out whole words in their revision notes. Instead, they should write just the first letter of key words and then leave a blank space. When they look back at their notes, their brain will be challenged to work harder to recall the rest of the missing word which, in turn, makes it more likely to be retained for longer.

5. Playful but powerful

We know that low-stakes quizzing is ideal, and my ‘lucky dip’ approach is helpful here. Keep revision information, such as key terms and concepts, ‘in play’ by placing them in a gift bag or similar. Mix these up and pull one out at random to check for understanding. Quick, out of context, checks like this are a type of inter-leaving which is proven to strengthen recall.

Following feedback from pupils and their parents that they would benefit from more sustained support and structure in the lead up to their exams, in 2021 I launched Radical Revision – an online revision programme for schools with short video tutorials (ideal for use in tutor time) to introduce students to our cutting-edge revision techniques. The online portal also contains a plethora of downloadable resources and CPD for teachers, as well as resources and webinars for parents. For more information please visit the Radical Revision website, where you can sign up to access a free trial version. We’re also offering NACE members a 15% discount on the cost of an annual subscription for your school – log in to the NACE member offers page for details.

Sources: National strategies GCSE Booster materials, DfES publications 2003.

For even more great practical ideas from Claire, join us the NACE annual conference on 20 June 2023 – details coming soon!

Every school’s intent is to be ambitious for its pupils. In the privileged role I have as educationist, consultant and writer, I so often admire displays, website quotes, inspirational messages and exhortations to pitch high and achieve dreams; yet I also realise how complex this can be to apply in the classroom on a day-to-day basis.

Primary teachers are expected to be experts in many subjects, so detailed support is needed in specific domains. Along with my team of ‘opening doors’ consultants, and with case studies being explored constantly with the schools in our network, we have been able to condense and express into a new publication some of the key principles and strategies needed to develop high-quality, ambitious primary English from which every pupil can benefit. This means that pupils who are already advanced and need regular immersion in literature, language and ideas are provided for in rich and creative ways: not by discrete divisions from others or by labelling, but through a challenge culture which encourages and enables all pupils to aspire and reach further. 

It's not just a question of talking about risk-taking, the unexpected, the wonder of top-class thinking skills, philosophy and quirky writing; it’s using the resources and strategies to make this all happen. How many keynote speeches have I attended over the years receiving deserved rounds of applause for charisma and style and social justice – but giving little indication for teachers who are not subject experts of where to actually begin.

I’ve seen schools hugely idealistic, wonderfully caring and totally committed, wandering in the dark for pathways to subject-specific depth. It’s all too easy then to adopt a package, a linear routeway, a stepped process which often tends to leave high performance learners revisiting concepts previously mastered. This can leave teachers de-skilled in the longer term too, as the delivery stages can dominate thinking and planning more than creative ideas. The latter needs the constant fuel of new challenging texts, quirky possibilities and curiosity. That starts with the teacher’s autonomy and nurturing of ambition. I am seeing this happen across our network and it’s very exciting!

In short, personalising approaches in any way can becomes harder if teaching to the middle rather than beyond the top takes a cultural grip. If models of excellence and ambition start to be squeezed, teachers themselves may lose sight of their own potential and ‘age-related’ notions become a goal rather than a starting point.

Our new book ‘Opening Doors to Ambitious Primary English’ provides the guide that schools have been asking for to confront that key issue of HOW ambition expresses itself in English, with a mixture of research, case studies, ideas and examples of pupils’ writing.

Essentially, high performance learners will benefit from being in a school where challenge for everyone is a priority! 

Five key principles for achieving this:

1. Pitch lessons beyond the level of the most advanced pupil.
2. Scaffold and intervene as appropriate for others.
3. Link quality texts from the past to the present and across the globe.
4. Exploit the potential of literature, including poetry, to give scope for new learning and deep knowledge acquisition as well as general knowledge.
5. Plan for sequencing and progression of knowledge via concepts in English.

Five key strategies for successful implementation:

1. Access support is needed continually, even for advanced pupils; this could include chunking stages; visual literacy; music; drama; questioning as a culture.
2. Productive group work and structured classroom talk provides the explorations of style and language needed for in-depth comprehension of quality texts.
3. Diversify the question layout to meet the needs of the pupils.
4. Develop quality writing via taster drafts which can link into sustained writing.
5. Zoom in to teach the specifics of English; zoom out to offer linked-in whole-text reading.

This is just a snapshot of the exciting work which we facilitate and activate. It’s very fulfilling. Our work is particularly in tune with attempts to inject high aspiration by matching intent to resources and approaches which will lift pupils’ standards and confidence.

Visit our website to read more about the five resource books in the series and the new book which will become the lead one, as it puts into words what schools have already been achieving to inspire so many more to follow. It’s time to make your primary English that much more exciting! 

“Opening Doors to Ambitious Primary English: Pitching high and including all” is available to order now from Amazon or Crown House Publishing.

NACE members can benefit from a 20% discount from all purchases from the Crown House Publishing website. Log in to our member offers page for details.

More from Bob Cox:

• Opening doors to challenging English for every pupil: quality text to quality writing
• Recorded webinar: Developing an ambitious English curriculum for all (login required)

Share your experience

We are seeking NACE member schools to share their experiences of effective assessment practices – including new initiatives and well-established practices. To share your experience, simply contact us, considering the following questions:

• Which area of assessment is used most effectively?
• What assessment practices are having the greatest impact on learning?
• How do teachers and pupils use the assessment information?
• How do you develop an understanding of pupils’ overall development?
• How do you use assessment information to provide wider experience and developmental opportunities?
• Is assessment developing metacognition and self-regulation?

Read more about our focus on assessment.

The language of Shakespeare is perhaps one of the greatest barriers to most readers unfamiliar with its style, allusions and patterns. Shakespeare’s language can be something of a leveller as it doesn’t necessarily matter how proficient you are at reading generally; all students (and indeed many adults) will stumble across his words and need to deploy a different approach to reading than they are used to.

With so many finding the language problematic, there is a temptation to strip some of the complexity away; to focus instead on summaries or modern adaptations. There is, though, much to be gained by examining his words as they appear, much as you would when exploring a poem with your class. 

Getting it can be really satisfying, and a key light-bulb moment for me at school was seeing how unpicking meaning could be looked at like a problem to be solved, much like solving equations in maths or finding the intricate pieces of a jigsaw. Most importantly perhaps is that his use of poetry, imagery and musicality frequently stays with us, and lines from Shakespeare that linger in our mind and our everyday language remain due to their crafting. We want to allow students to have that opportunity too.

Here are eight steps to bring Shakespeare’s language to life in your own classroom:

1. Begin by giving students an overview of the plot, characters and themes. Good quality performance, coupled with summary and questioning, will mean students arrive at language analysis ready to see how it relates to these bigger ideas. Audio readings of the plays can also be useful here to allow them to hear the language spoken and to model fluency.

2. Reassure students they won’t get it all immediately. Explain that the joy in studying Shakespeare’s language comes from the gradual understanding we gain and how it enriches our understanding, which is a process: one which even those familiar with his work will continue to go through. It is a process where we layer understanding, deepening each time we revisit it. If students have been used to exploring simpler texts this might be a challenge at first to consider this different approach, but model this for them, demonstrating how you can return to the same quote or extract again and again to delve deeper each time.

3. Look at short extracts and quotes from across a play or a range of texts to examine patterns and connections. Linger on individual words and then trace them as they are used elsewhere so students can notice where these links are and hypothesise as to why.

4. Use freely available searches to explore the frequency and location of key words and phrases. For example, a search on Open-Source Shakespeare reveals there are 41 direct references to ‘blood’ or ‘bloody’ in the play Macbeth, some of which are clustered within a few lines. This provides an opportunity to explore why this is the case and what Shakespeare was doing with these language choices. Equally, looking for references to the sun in Romeo and Juliet reveals 17 instances, and if then cross-referenced with light it brings forth a further 34 references, suggesting that there is a motif running through the text which demands further attention. Allowing students to explore this trail in their discussions and consider the prevalence of some words over others can reveal much about the themes Shakespeare was trying to convey too. For example, simply looking at the light and dark references in Romeo and Juliet enables students to see the binaries he has woven into the play to mirror the idea of conflict.

5. Discuss the imagery Shakespeare is trying to create with his language via pictures, selecting those which are most appropriate to convey his choices at different points. Thinking about how different audiences may respond to these is also a useful way to examine alternative interpretations of a single word, line or idea. This can also support learners with different needs as they have visual images to link to ideas, especially abstract ones, repeated throughout the text. This will provide them with something more concrete to link to the text and, as images are repeated throughout the narrative, can act as support for the working memory and enhance fluency of retrieval as they recognise the recurring images visually. This can be particularly useful for EAL students, supporting them to follow the plot and explore the patterns that emerge.

6. Teach aspects of metre (such as iambic and trochaic pentameter), ensuring students have lots of opportunities to hear the language spoken aloud so they can appreciate the musicality of the language and choice of form. Using methods such as walking the text, whereby students physically walk around the room whilst reading the text and responding to the punctuation, can be a powerful way to convey how a character feels at any given point. Lots of phrases, short clauses, or single syllable words can change the pace of the reading and we should model this and give students the opportunity to examine how this may then impact on performance. Long, languid sentences can create a different performance, and where the punctuation has finally landed in his work can reveal a lot about how a character or scene has been read. Try different ways of reading a single line to illustrate why we place emphasis on certain words and pauses at different points.

7. Read the text aloud together. As well as modelling reading for students, employing practices such as choral reading (where the class all read the text aloud together with you) or echo reading (where they repeat lines back) can be another way in which we remove the barriers the language can create. Students build confidence over time as the language becomes more familiar but also they do not feel so exposed as they are reading with the group, and not alone.

8. Let students play with and manipulate the language so they are familiar with it, and it doesn’t become a block to their interaction with the plays. Pre-teach the vocabulary, letting students consider words in isolation and explore quotes so that they don’t become overwhelmed at trying to interpret them. Even translating short phrases and passages can provide a useful coding activity which can support later analysis.

Zoe Enser was a classroom teacher for 20 years, during which time she was also a head of English and a senior leader with a responsibility for staff development and school improvement. This blog post is an excerpt from her latest book, Bringing Forth the Bard (Crown House Publishing). NACE members can benefit from a 20% discount on this and all purchases from the Crown House Publishing website; for details log in to our member offers page.

Here are some of the approaches shared:

1. Get all staff members on board

One common theme from the event was the importance of getting all staff members on board, through a shared vision and whole-school approach. Salusbury Primary School has approached this using the Voice 21 oracy benchmarks, and developed specific inset sessions based on priorities identified through a staff and student survey.

A similar approach – again starting with staff and student surveys – was adopted at Maiden Erlegh School, and you can read more about this here.

Alongside a shared vision and framework, members highlighted the importance of opportunities for flexibility, innovation, collaboration, feedback, and sharing what’s working across the school.

2. Set and model high expectations for spoken responses

Another recurrent theme was the setting and modelling of high expectations for spoken responses. This could include insisting on the use of full sentences, accurate grammar, and appropriate tier 2 and 3 vocabulary. 

To support students with this, approaches include sharing sentence starters with learners, using a “bounce it on” model to collaboratively build discussions, and the use of ethics debates to help learners develop confidence in expressing opinions.

There was consensus that such techniques have led to students becoming more confident and accurate in both spoken and written communication.

3. Word(s) of the day 

At Haybridge High School, a dedicated section of the board is used to share key terms relevant to the lesson – including challenging vocabulary and discourse markers to structure talk. The meaning of the words is taught explicitly, with call-and-response vocalisation to aid pronunciation. Learners are then challenged to use these words during discussions within the lesson.

Similarly, Harris Academy Beckenham uses a “word of the day”. Students start by vocalising the word together, then using it in a sentence. The word is then revisited throughout the lesson, so all students use the word multiple times in different contexts. 

Again, members reported increased retention, confidence and accuracy. In addition, the additional vocabulary can open doors for learners to think abstractly or conceptually about a topic.

4. Vocabulary bullseye

Another approach to developing vocabulary was shared by Brook Field Primary School, where learners play “vocabulary bullseye”. In this game, key words are shown within a bullseye diagram. Children are challenged to use the words to explain a concept – gaining one point for words in the outer ring, two for the middle, and three for the inner circle. Points can be deducted for “umms” and other filler words. 

This game can be played either with the bullseye diagram visible or hidden, depending on the stage in the teaching sequence. It has led to learners using higher-tier vocabulary more confidently and effectively, in both spoken and written communication.

5. Public speaking clubs and competitions

Several schools shared the use of public speaking clubs and competitions, providing further opportunities for learners to develop oracy skills. At Pangbourne College, this has been approached in several ways, including public speaking workshops as part of leadership training for sixth-form students, as well as integration within the Year 9 English curriculum. 

As part of the latter initiative, learners are taught rhetorical devices, and have the opportunity to plan and delivery speeches, culminating in “The Declamations Cup” competition – complete with prizes and a trophy for the winner.

6. Be consistent (but not “perfect”)

Finally, members agreed on the importance of consistency across the school, and ensuring oracy is embedded into everyday routines so that staff and students alike have ample opportunities for practice.

Alongside this, several emphasised the importance of ensuring students know they don’t need to be “perfect” when speaking – and that in fact, the more opportunities they have to practice, the more comfortable they become with taking risks and making mistakes. Practice doesn’t make perfect!

Read more:

• Speaking up: developing oracy for high achievement
• 7 steps to establishing a whole-school oracy culture
  

Oracy is ‘both everywhere and nowhere in a school’.  At Maiden Erlegh, we realised that although plenty of classroom talk was taking place, opportunities for this could be ad hoc and students did not always recognise these as opportunities to develop oracy skills. At the same time, a significant number of students lacked the confidence to speak in front of larger groups and in more formal contexts, hindering their ability to engage with oracy-related elements of the taught curriculum and extracurricular activities. The national picture indicates that many schools experience similar challenges to developing student oracy and an oracy culture within the school. 

Drawing on our experience, here are seven steps to establish a whole-school oracy culture:

1. Investigate your context to determine your priorities 

Every school is different. Whilst the national trend shows a decline in oracy as a result of the Covid-19 lockdowns, every school will have different areas of strength and development in terms of the current oracy level of their students and their staff confidence in teaching to enhance oracy.  Oracy too is itself a complex skill, made up not just of the verbal ability, but multiple components such as the physical and cognitive elements. To design a strategy which really works for your context, it is beneficial to gather student and staff voice to inform the precise nature of this. At Maiden Erlegh, we conducted quantitative and qualitative staff and student surveys, asking students to rate their level of confidence when communicating and why they may feel less confident in some areas than others. Staff were asked to share feedback on levels of student oracy and what support they would need to feel confident in developing an oracy culture in their own classrooms. From this data, we could easily identify clear priorities to be addressed through our strategy. 

2. Secure buy-in from staff to secure buy-in from students 

A strategy is only as effective as those who make it a reality on a day-to-day basis: the teaching staff. Our oracy work was launched via a training session to staff which centred on communicating the rationale for our new oracy focus. Here the student and staff voice surveys came into their own, enabling us to explain why we needed to develop oracy using the words of students and staff themselves and showing the overwhelming statistics. We also took time to share the wide-ranging holistic benefits of enhanced oracy for students, including for mental health, academic progress, and career opportunities. For maximum exposure, include students in the launch too and keep them as informed as you would do staff. We delivered assembles to all students sharing very similar messages to those shared during the staff launch, ensuring students were aware and engaged with our upcoming work.  

3. Get staff and students on board with ‘quick wins’ 

It can be tempting to try to launch all strands of a strategy at once. However, this is unlikely to succeed in the long run as it risks overwhelming the very people you are attempting to get on board. Instead, generate enthusiasm and interest in oracy by sharing ‘quick wins’: low-preparation, high-impact activities to integrate more oracy opportunities into lessons. Staff and students loved our ‘no filler’ game in which students were challenged to answer questions or speak about a relevant topic without using filler words such as ‘erm’, ‘like’, and ‘basically’. As staff become more confident in creating their own oracy-based activities, encourage colleagues to share their own ‘quick wins’ via staff briefings and bulletins to build a culture of enthusiasm.  

4. Give oracy an identity

Too often strategies and initiatives can be become lost in the organisational noise of a school and the day-to-day challenges and immediate priorities. Borrow from the world of marketing and promotions to create a clear identity for oracy by designing a logo and branding for your strategy using a simple graphic design website such as Canva. A catchy slogan can also help to build a ‘brand’ around the strategy and increase staff and student familiarity with the overall vision. At Maiden Erlegh School (MES), we use the slogan ‘MES Speaks Up!’ – a motto that has become synonymous with our vision for a culture of oracy across the school. 

5. Establish and reinforce consistent high expectations for oracy 

Most schools have shared and consistent high expectations for students’ literacy and numeracy, but how many have the same for oracy? Whilst many teachers will have high standards for communication in their classrooms, these will not have the same impact on students as if they are school-wide. At Maiden Erlegh, we established a set of ‘Guidelines for Great Oracy’, a clear list of five expectations including the use of formal vocabulary and projecting loudly and clearly. These expectations were launched to both staff and students and all classrooms now display a poster to promote them. The key to their success has been clearly communicating how easily these can be embedded into lessons, for example as success criteria for self- and peer-assessment during oracy-based activities such as paired or group discussions. 

6. Create a shared understanding that oracy will enhance the existing curriculum  

With so many competing demands on a classroom teacher’s time, it is easy to see why strategies and initiatives which feel like ‘add-ons’ can miss the mark and fail to become embedded in a school’s culture. Central to the success of our oracy strategy has been raising staff, student, and parent awareness that a focus on oracy will enhance our existing curriculum, rather than distract from it. From the very beginning, staff have been encouraged to return to existing lesson activities which cover existing content and adapt these with oracy in mind. In History, for example, an essay was preceded by a parliamentary debate to help students to construct convincing arguments, whilst in Maths students developed complex verbal explanations for the processes they were performing rather than simply completing calculations. Not only do such activities support oracy skills, but they demonstrate the inherent importance of oracy across the curriculum and allow departments to better meet their own curricular aims. 

7. Keep the momentum going with high-profile events 

As with any new strategy or initiative, we realised that after the initial enthusiasm there was a potential for staff and students to lose interest as the year wore on. To combat this, we developed high-profile events to return oracy to centre stage and engage students and staff alike. In May, we held MES Speaks Up! Oracy Month – a month of activities focused on celebrating oracy and its importance across all aspects of school life. In form time, students were challenged to discuss a topical ‘Question of the Day’ from our ‘Discussion Calendar’ to get them communicating from the moment they arrived in school. Every subject dedicated at least one lesson during the month to an activity designed to develop and celebrate oracy skills, including public speaking, debating, and presenting. Outside of lessons, students from each year group participated in a range of extracurricular parliamentary debates on issues relevant to their age group. All of these activities were widely promoted via our school social media to generate a buzz around oracy with our parents and guardians. 

References

• A. Stott, Introduction to the Oracy Benchmarks, 2019
• W. Millard, L. Menzies, G. Stewart Oracy after the pandemic: what Ofsted, teachers and young people think about oracy, 2021 
• Voice 21, Understanding Oracy, 2022
  

Interested in developing oracy within your own school?

• Join our free member meetup on this theme (18 October 2022)
• Join this year’s NACE R&D Hub with a focus on oracy for high achievement (first meeting 20 October 2022)
• Explore more content about oracy

At The Mulberry House School we are firm believers that challenge is not something that should be saved solely for the most able pupils, but should be readily available for all. With our school ethos being “We reach high to be the people we want to be, respect ourselves and others and enjoy each new challenge”, it is of utmost importance to us that challenge permeates the very centre of who we are as a school. We have a broad curriculum and value each subject equally. All of our children are encouraged to find their own strength and adopt a growth mindset across both curricular and extracurricular activities. 

Here are our top five tips for putting challenge at the heart of your school.

1. Know what excellence looks like

To challenge pupils to produce the very best work they are capable of, the teacher needs to ensure that they have got a firm understanding of what this looks like, both for the subject/area they are delivering and for the age of the children. This needs to incorporate both knowledge and skills. We have spent a lot of time as a school collaboratively deciding on the standards that we are aiming for; it is important that all staff agree on this in order to provide consistent challenge for all pupils.

2. Share this vision explicitly with learners

Once a decision has been made about what excellence looks like, it is important that we share this with our pupils. It is important to note that this is not limited to sharing examples of excellent work; the children need to know what it is that makes that piece of work excellent. This can be achieved through effective modelling, in which the teacher explains the thought process of an ‘expert’ in the subject as they work, helping to raise the standards of work for all. Another way to empower the children to strive for excellence is through carefully constructed success criteria, which act as a set of instructions to achieve the learning objective, again supporting challenge for all.

3. Empower learners to embrace new challenges

As a growth mindset school we wholeheartedly believe that anyone can improve if they try. A central part of our Mulberry House Way is “Try your best to be your best”. Through instilling this learning attitude in our children from a young age, they are prepared to accept challenges and give everything their maximum effort. Scaffolding plays a key role in supporting our children to achieve excellence. This allows us to provide each child or class with what they need to ensure that they produce the highest quality of work that they can. Allow the children to practise getting things right, then over time remove this support; this will lead to them creating a high standard of work independently.

4. Provide challenging extension and enrichment opportunities

Our recent case study exploring “Enrichment vs Extension” as a means of providing challenge for all – submitted as part of our recent NACE Challenge Award reaccreditation – has been successful in supporting the “challenge for all” aims of the NACE Challenge Development Programme. The outcomes of this case study have enriched the quality-first teaching that we endeavour to deliver. This has, in turn, impacted favourably on our children’s outcomes. We have spent time researching the difference between extension and enrichment opportunities and gaining an understanding of the value of each. We plan and deliver lessons that are centred on enrichment opportunities, with extension activities supporting individual learners to either close gaps or take the next step in their learning.

5. Encourage children to share their opinions

Central to the development of each child across the curriculum is their confidence to share their opinions and thought processes. From an early age we believe it is important to enable our children to explain how they have reached an answer and so the focus is on this rather than simply just providing the “correct” answer. In essence, we have started to embed metacognition, thinking about one’s thinking, in our Key Stage 1 learning. The impact that this has had on both children’s attitudes towards learning and academic outcomes has been significant. We look forward to rolling this out through our EYFS classes and seeing the impact this has.

How does your school provide challenge for all? Contact us to share your experience.

At ImpactEd we recently released a piece of research (in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust, TutorMate and Place2Be), which looked at the relationship between reading and wellbeing for young people across England. 

In an educational landscape recovering from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, with ongoing concerns about unequal loss of learning due to school closures and concerns for children’s post-pandemic mental health, we believe this research, which explores the relationships between pupils’ reading experiences, attitudes and behaviours and their mental wellbeing, is hugely timely and important. 

We surveyed almost 30,000 pupils and findings show that pupils who scored a five (the highest score) in confidence in reading had wellbeing levels that were over 30% higher, and anxiety levels that were over 20% lower than pupils who scored a one (the lowest score). Similarly, pupils who enjoyed reading very much had wellbeing levels that were over 6% higher than those who didn’t enjoy reading at all. 

We spoke to partners who contributed to this research to get their perspectives on the implications for children, schools and families, and they shared some valuable suggestions on what educators, parents and carers can do to support children’s reading and mental health. 

1. Read little and often

To support children to develop their reading, and thus support their emotional wellbeing, Emma Bell, Executive Director at Innovations for Learning UK, suggests a focus on reading “little and often”, rather than making reading a chore. In the video below she shares that reading can often be integrated into things families are already doing, such as reading recipes, road signs or subtitles on the telly. She notes that these small activities can have a big impact, and create a positive reading culture.

2. Talk to older children about their reading

Our research also revealed that pupils frequently want support with their reading, regardless of their age. While many pupils mentioned reading directly with family members (“I would like my family to read with me, especially my little sister”) older pupils’ suggestions for support included parents and carers asking them questions about what they are reading, and giving or suggesting books that they might enjoy (“Ask me questions about what I’m reading so I can answer and express my feelings on the book”). 

Jonathan Douglas, CEO of the National Literacy Trust, references these comments when he shares in the video below that “no child is too old to be engaged” in reading. He refers to suggestions mentioned in the research, noting that a great way to support children’s education and wellbeing is by initiating conversations with them about their reading. 

3. Use stories and characters to open up discussions about mental health

Some more suggestions for supporting children’s reading and mental wellbeing are given by Dr Julia Clements, Principal Educational Psychologist at Place2Be in the video below. She suggests that when reading with children, adults could discuss any challenges that characters in the book are going through and open up a conversation about what they can do when faced with difficult situations in life. This could support children with their understanding of and resilience towards challenging situations. 

Read more...

For more findings from our research into reading and wellbeing, and more suggestions on how to support children’s reading at school and at home, the full report is available here.

References

• Department for Education (2022). Understanding Progress in the 2020/21 Academic Year
• Millard, W. (2022), What’s next for children’s reading?, The Centre for Education and Youth 

Howell’s School, Llandaff, is an independent school in Cardiff which educates girls aged 3-18 and boys aged 16-18. It is part of the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST). 

The Day publishes daily news articles and resources with the aim of help teachers inspire students to become critical thinkers and better citizens by engaging their natural curiosity in real-world problems. We first came across it as a library resource and recognised its potential for pastoral activities when the length of our tutor time sessions was extended to allow more discussion time and flexibility in their use. 

Post-Covid, it has never been more important to promote peer collaboration, discussion and debate in schools. There is an ever-increasing need for students to select, question and apply their knowledge when researching; it has never been more important for students to have well-developed thinking and analytical skills. We find The Day invaluable in helping us to prompt students to discuss and understand current affairs, and to enable those who are already aware to extend and debate their understanding. 

Here are five key pastoral reasons why we would recommend subscribing to The Day:

1. Timely, relevant topics throughout the year

You will always find a timely discussion topic on The Day website. The most recent topics feature prominently on the homepage, and a Weekly Features section allows you to narrow down the most relevant discussion topic for the session you are planning. Assembly themes, such as Ocean Day in June, are mapped across the academic year for ease of forward planning. We particularly enjoyed discussing the breakaway success of Emma Raducanu in the context of risk-taking, and have researched new developments in science, such as NASA’s James Webb telescope, in the week they have been launched.

2. Supporting resources to engage and challenge students

The need to involve and interest students, make sessions straightforward for busy form tutors, and cover tricky topics, combine to make it daunting to plan tutor time sessions – but resources linked to The Day’s articles make it manageable. Regular features such as The Daily Poster allow teachers to appeal to all abilities and learning styles with accessible and interesting infographics. These can also be printed and downloaded for displays, making life much easier for academic departments too. One of the best features we’ve found for languages is the ability to read and translate articles in target languages such as French and Spanish. Reading levels can be set on the website for literacy differentiation, and key words are defined for students to aid their understanding of each article.

3. Quick PSHE links for busy teachers

Asked to cover a class at the last minute? We’ve all been there! With The Day, you are sure to find a relevant subject story to discuss within seconds, and, best of all, be certain that the resources are appropriate for your students. With our Year 10 and 11 students, we have covered topics such as body image with the help of The Day by prompting discussion of Kate Winslet’s rejection of screen airbrushing. Using articles is particularly useful with potentially difficult or emotive issues where students may be more able to discuss the benefits and drawbacks of certain attitudes by looking at news events, detaching themselves from but also gaining insight about the personal situations they may be experiencing. The PSHE programme is vast; it is great to use The Day to plan tutor time sessions and gives us the opportunity to touch on a wide range of issues relatively easily.

4. Motivational themes brought to life through real stories

We have also found The Day’s articles useful for providing examples of motivational themes for our year groups. The Themes Calendar is particularly useful here; for example, tutor groups discussed the themes of resilience and diversity using the article on Preet Chandi’s trek to the South Pole. If you’re looking for assembly inspiration, The Day is a great starting point.

5. Develop oracy, thinking and research skills through meaningful debate

Each article has suggested tasks and discussion questions which we have found very useful for planning tutor time activities which develop students’ oracy, thinking and research skills. The Day promotes high-level debates about environmental, societal and political issues which students are keen to explore. One recent example is the discussion of privacy laws and press freedom prompted by the article about Rebel Wilson’s forced outing by an Australian newspaper. Activities can be easily adapted or combined to promote effective discussion. ‘Connections’ articles contain links to similar areas of study, helping teachers to plan and students to see the relevance of current affairs.

Find out more…

NACE is partnering with The Day on a free live webinar on Thursday 30 June, providing an opportunity to explore this resource, and its role within cognitively challenging learning, in more detail. You can sign up here, or catch up with the recording afterwards in our webinars library (member login required).

Plus: NACE members can benefit from a 20% discount on annual subscriptions to The Day. For details of this and all current member offers, take a look at our member offers page (login required). 

Metacognition is not new; many of us use it without realising in our classrooms every day. Those questions we ask students about what they understand about a topic, or why they have come to the conclusion they have, as well as the use of retrieval practice, interleaving and knowledge organisers, are all based on a metacognitive understanding of the process of learning. The EEF’s Teaching and Learning Toolkit suggests that metacognition can raise the attainment of pupils by seven months, which is justification in itself for focusing on it in school.

For a while now I have been conscious that the students at my school are generally well-behaved and want to do well, but that a number of them find it hard to motivate themselves to be more active in their learning. This has come out in areas like homework and attitudes to learning, where often the same students are receiving sanctions regularly for not doing homework. 

We developed an intervention based around teaching metacognition skills with the aim of empowering the students to take control of their learning. Teaching students to be more aware of how they learn will enable them to find links and develop strategies to become more independent and more in control.

Research suggests that most classrooms are set up to promote metacognition in teachers rather than students; a bit like having a personal trainer who says “I’m going to help you meet all your fitness goals – now sit back while I lift all the weights”. We need to shift responsibility; for years our students have internalised the idea that students are supposed to get answers from teachers, and so stop trying to find out for themselves – they assume the person in charge of their learning is someone other than them. A great teacher teaches as little as possible, while modelling behaviours of how to figure something out.

We decided to focus on three key areas:

1. Promote purposeful dialogue about thinking in the classroom;
2. Provide challenge;
3. Model metacognitive skills – talk about thinking and how as a teacher we think things through.

The first two areas were fairly straightforward to implement. Teachers needed to be more aware of their own language and questioning in their classrooms and could use the strategies suggested by websites such as metacognition.org.uk to support them if they wished.

Number 3, however, was a bit trickier. We were good at breaking down a task into manageable stages for students and scaffolding their writing, but found that next time we asked them complete a similar activity, they had forgotten how to do it. Looking at an exam-style question for the fifth time and saying to the class “so what do we do first?” we were met with blank faces and puzzled silence. In verbalising our own thought processes we allow the students to see how to work out what to do, which eventually will enable them to use the strategy for any assessment they are asked to complete.

Here is a modelling example from history (although other subjects would be similar!). It is important to focus on the modelling of process – not modelling the task:

In verbalising their thought processes in this way, teachers are showing students how to think about their learning. They are giving students knowledge of the process so that they can also use it when approaching assessments, which of course they will have to do on their own eventually.

Having worked on this for two terms, we discussed how well we thought the students had taken on board the skills we were teaching them and how it had impacted on their progress and homework sanctions. The data showed they had an improvement in P8 score, on average of +0.40 (over half a grade) and 40% students had received fewer sanctions for no homework. 

Of course, it is difficult to measure whether or not the strategies we employed directly impacted on students’ progress – it could also have been down to other influencing factors both in and out of school. However, the soft data gathered from staff and student surveys showed an improvement in students’ own understanding of metacognition as well as staff willingness and ability to use metacognitive approaches in their own teaching. Anecdotally there was a sense that lessons were more focused and students more engaged as a result of the attention being paid to metacognition in the classroom.

References

• EEF, Teaching and Learning Toolkit
• EEF, Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning Guidance Report
• Hunter Maats and Katy O’Brien, Hands-Off Teaching Cultivates Metacognition
• metacognition.org.uk
  

As the author of the Opening Doors series of books for English at KS1, 2 and 3, I’ve had the pleasure of developing a UK-wide network of schools and organisations committed to providing an enriched diet of English where every pupil has the opportunity to relish new challenges. This is particularly pertinent for those advanced pupils whose whole morale can be threatened by revisiting concepts they have already mastered; but it is just as vital for pupils whose reading scores may be low.

We are seeing the high-pitch approaches, encouraged by so many educationists, being turned into reality in the day-to-day classroom by teachers using top-quality texts, poetry, quirky short extracts and contemporary children’s literature with a ‘meaty’ depth. The sheer scope of the language and style is a springboard to genuine comprehension journeys with the teacher’s questioning, knowledge transmission and fascinating oracy being delivered through an inspiring range of methodology. Such is the scope for learning in challenging texts, that the knowledge acquired in the reading can then be applied to the writing.

For example, just read a few lines of Dionne Brand’s Wind: 

I pulled a hummingbird out of the sky one day
  but let it go
I heard a song and carried it with me
 On my cotton streamers
I dropped it on an ocean and lifted up a wave
 With my bare hands…

Now see what Faith Gorman, a pupil at Red Barn Primary, has written:

I came in the night,
Luminous black,
Dashing, darting,
I made the street lamps flicker and jerk as I swept by,
I saw the foxes and owls capture their prey…
 
You can well imagine the range of teaching methodology, word power building and drafting that will have gone on in the process, but without Dionne Brand’s image-making and without overtly exploring the language and techniques, the crafting of the writing would have been less imaginative. There would also have been less knowledge about language acquired: personification, rhythm and meaning; specific vocabulary choices.

Using complex texts and developing the teaching strategies to go with them is key: “start kids out with complex texts that they cannot read successfully; then teach them to read those texts well.” – Timothy Shanahan, February 2017

In my work many years ago as an LA consultant and a freelance deliverer of provision for able pupils – then called ‘gifted and talented’ – there was huge interest from schools in the potential behind the devising of a top-class curriculum; but there were huge concerns about pupils with low reading scores being left behind. That made a lot of sense. In addition, there were concerns that pupils with high learning potential actually disliked risk-taking so much that moving them on to high-level texts and questions was not easy. Schools still report that pupils with very high potential can get upset about an incorrect answer, whereas other pupils can be so used to difficulties that they find it normal to ask their way out of them. [For more on this, take a look at NACE’s work on perfectionism in partnership with York St John University.]

Clearly, challenge for every pupil must become a habit, a norm, an expectation – and then the pupils demand it themselves instead of being wary! I’ve seen this happen in many schools. Resilience grows and healthy ambition prospers. Getting unstuck becomes fascinating, not threatening.

So, when I came to write books for English, pitched high, often asking more of pupils in terms of depth of thinking and breadth of quality reading, I was determined to ensure inclusive routes to excellence which would support equality of opportunity and social justice, and recognising the entitlement to high-class literature – from past to present and across the globe – for all learners, but pitched beyond where the most advanced pupil might be.

These are some key ways in which we have supported schools which are following the Opening Doors approach, and schools have fed back to us as a community growing in knowledge together.

So, what allows those doors to open?

• A whole-school action plan is needed to design an English curriculum which progresses from challenge to challenge, concept to concept, and through transition into KS3.
• Access strategies should flow through the curriculum: scaffolding, responding to need, clarifying, exemplifying and adapting. Pitch high but offer support when needed.
• See the sample units under free resources on my website for examples of our radial questioning layouts, which end the notion of very able pupils treading water on easy questions. We move them straight to high-level challenges if they are ready.
• Opening Doors schools build in whole-text reading in rich and immersive ways, with plenty of choice. Alongside this, extracts provide a focus for language study, depth and comprehension explorations; link reading provides range and diversity in an ethos of skilled facilitation and expectation.
• Teachers develop their own reading and expertise, offering that to pupils as the most wonderful opening of doors to general knowledge, increased confidence and articulation of ideas that there can be. 

So, the quality of the text explored deepens learning immeasurably, and that new learning is applied in ambitious writing – but it’s the teacher who makes the difference! Without you, it’s much harder for this to happen.

Reference

Brand, Dionne (2006; originally published 1979), Earth Magic. Toronto: Kids Can Press Ltd.
Full unit features in: Cox, Bob (2019), Opening Doors to a Richer English Curriculum, ages 6-9. Carmarthenshire: Crown House.

Find out more…

To learn more about the Opening Doors approach, explore Bob Cox’s website. Plus: Bob online on 13 October 2022 for an exclusive live webinar for NACE members – register here.

If you would like to buy the Opening Doors books for your school, remember that NACE members can currently benefit from a 20% discount on all purchases from the Crown House Publishing website. For details of this and all current member discounts, visit our member offers page (login required).

A YoungMinds report in 2020 reinforced the effect of the pandemic on pupils’ mental health. In a UK survey of participants aged up to 25 years with a history of mental illness, 83% of respondents felt that school closures had made their mental illness worse. 26% said they were unable to access necessary support. 

Schools play a key role in supporting children who have experienced bereavement or trauma, and socio-emotional interventions delivered by school staff can be very effective. Children with emotional and behavioural disorders also have significant difficulties with speaking and understanding, which often goes unidentified (Hollo et.al., 2014). 

The experience of lockdown and being at home is a stressful situation for some children, as is returning to school for some children. While some studies found that children are not affected two to four years later, other studies suggest that there are lasting effects on socio-emotional development (Muller & Goldenberg, 2021).

Stress also challenges cognitive skills, in turn affecting the ability to learn. Trauma, emotional and social isolation, all well-known during the lockdown, are still too frequent. The prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain which is responsible for higher-order thinking and decision-making, is the brain region most affected by stress. Stress-related impairments to the prefrontal cortex display impaired memory retrieval (Vogel & Schwabe, 2016) and difficulties with executive skills such as planning, problem solving and monitoring errors (Gibbs et al., 2019).

4. National restrictions have curtailed the pandemic but had an adverse effect on communication and language.

Covid-19 and the associated lockdowns have had a huge impact on children’s speaking and listening skills. We are only beginning to understand the scale of this. Preventative measures such as the wearing of face masks in school, social distancing and virtual lessons, all designed to address contagion concerns, have negatively impacted on communication in all the school phases. 

Face masks cover the lower part of the face, impacting on communication by changing sound transmission. They remove visible cues from the mouth and lips used for speech-reading and limit visibility of facial expressions (Saunders, 2020). Speech perception involves audio-visual integration of information, which is diminished by wearing masks because articulatory gestures are obscured. Children with hearing loss are more dependent on lip-reading; loss of this visual cue exacerbates the distortion and attenuation effects of masks.  

Social interaction is also essential for language development. Social distancing restrictions on large group gatherings in school have affected children’s deeper interactions with peers. “Peer talk” is an essential component of pragmatic language development and includes conversational skills such as turn taking and understanding the implied meaning behind a speaker’s words, and these have also been reduced (Charney, 2021).

How bad is the issue? A report from the children’s communication charity I CAN estimates that more than 1.5 million UK children and young people risk being left behind in their language development as a direct result of lost learning in the Covid-19 period. Speaking Up for the Covid Generation (I CAN, 2021) reported that the majority of teachers are worried about young people being able to catch up with their speaking and understanding. Amongst its findings were that:

• 62% of primary teachers surveyed were worried that pupils will not meet age-related expectations
• 60% of secondary teachers surveyed were worried that pupils will not meet age-related expectations 
• 63% of primary and secondary teachers surveyed believe that children who are moving to secondary school will struggle more with their speaking and understanding, in comparison to those who started secondary school before the Coronavirus pandemic.

Measures taken to combat the pandemic have deprived children of vital social contact and experiences essential for developing language. Reduced contact with grandparents, social distancing and limited play opportunities mean children have been less exposed to conversations and everyday experiences. Oracy skills have been impacted by the wearing of face coverings, fewer conversations with peers and adults, hearing fewer words and remote learning where verbal interactions are significantly reduced. 

Teachers are now seeing the impact of this in their classrooms. The I CAN report findings show that the majority of teachers are worried about the effect that the pandemic has had on young people’s speech and language. As schools across the UK start on their roads to recovery and building their curricula anew, this evidence reveals the major impact the pandemic has had on children’s speaking and understanding ability. The final Covid-19-related restrictions in England have now been removed, but for many young people and families, this turning point does not mark a return to life as it was before the pandemic. There is much to do now to prioritise communication.  

Join the conversation…

As schools move on from the pandemic and seek to address current challenges, close gaps, and take oracy education to the next level, NACE is focusing on research into the role of oracy within cognitively challenging learning. This term’s free member meetup will bring together NACE members from all phases and diverse contexts to explore what it means to put oracy at the heart of a cognitively challenging curriculum – read more here.

Plus: to contribute to our research in this field, please contact communications@nace.co.uk

References

Charney, S.A., Camarata, S.M. & Chern, A. (2021). Potential Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Communication and Language Skills in Children. Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery 2, Vol. 165(1) pp. 1-2.

Elliot Major, L., Eyles, A. & Machin, S. (2021). Learning Loss Since Lockdown: Variation Across the Home Nations [online]. Available at: https://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/cepcovid-19-023.pdf 

Eivers, E., Worth, J. & Ghosh, A. (2020). Home learning during Covid-19: findings from the Understanding Society longitudinal study. Slough: NFER.

Gibbs L., Nursey, J., Cook J. et al. (2019). Delayed disaster impacts on academic performance of primary school children. Child Development 90(4): pp. 1402-1412.

Hollo, A., Wehby, J. H., & Oliver, R. M. (2014). Unidentified language deficits in children with emotional and behavioural disorders: a meta-analysis. Exceptional Children 80 (2), pp.169-186.

Hunt, E. et al. (2022) COVID-19 and Disadvantage. Gaps in England 2020. London: Education Policy Institute. Nuffield Foundation.

I CAN (2021) Speaking Up for the Covid Generation. London: I CAN.

Muller, L-M. & Goldenberg, G. (2021) Education in times of crisis: The potential implications of school closures for teachers and students. A review of research evidence on school closures and international approaches to education during the COVID-19 pandemic. London: Chartered College of Teaching.

Saunders, G.H., Jackson, I.R. & Visram, A.S. (2020): Impacts of face coverings on communication: an indirect impact of COVID-19. International Journal of Audiology, DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2020.1851401

Sims, S. (2020) Briefing Note: School Absences and Pupil Achievement. UCL. Available at: https://repec-cepeo.ucl.ac.uk/cepeob/cepeobn1.pdf

Vogel, S. & Schwabe, L. (2016) Learning and memory under stress: implications for the classroom. Science of Learning 1(1): pp.1-10.

YoungMinds (2020) Coronavirus: Impact on young people with mental health needs. Available at: https://youngminds.org.uk/media/3708/coronavirus-report_march2020.pdf

• How does it link to whole school vision?
• Where does it sit inside the model for curriculum, teaching and learning?
• Who is the assessment for?
• What is the plan for assessment?
• What types of assessment can be used?
• What is going to be assessed?
• What evidence will result from the assessment?
• How will the evidence be used or interpreted?
• How can assessment information be used by teacher and pupil?
• What impact does assessment information have on teaching and learning?
• How does assessment impact on cognition, cognitive strategies, metacognition and personal development?

Example 1: “purple pen” at Toot Hill School

• Immediate feedback (live) – at the point of teaching
• Summary feedback – at the end of a phase of knowledge application/topic/assessment
• Review feedback – away from the point of teaching (including personalised written comments) 

• Annotate purposeful learning steps;
• Make notes when listening to key learning points;
• Respond to whole-class feedback;
• Facilitate peer assessment;
• Respond to teacher marking;
• Question and develop themes to achieve learning objectives;
• Recognise key vocabulary;
• Explain learning processes. 

Example 2: “closing the loop” at Eggar’s School

• Reflect on attainment over the course of the year, comparing pieces of work by the same student over time;
• Compare attainment between year groups and ask: Has teaching improved? Are there different needs / interventions required in the current cohort compared with those of previous years?
• Get a snapshot of a student’s work.

• The uniformity of the layout of the feed-forward sheets is helping students to understand the feed-forward process.
• Completion of the feed-forward sheets was originally time-consuming, but is now taking less time.
• In feed-forward lessons live modelling is being used rather than pre-prepared models.
• More prepared models are created in advance of assessment points as guidelines/reference tools for students.
• Prepared models are used after formal assessment as a comparison for students to use when self- or peer-assessing their performance.
• The specific focus in the feed-forward sheets on SPaG has been a helpful reminder to utilise micro-moments in lessons to consolidate technical skills.
• The teacher uses a ‘Students of Concern’ section (not visible to students) to provide additional support and interventions and to reflect on the success of any previous intervention.
• ‘Closing the Loop’ books have been introduced and have become a powerful tool in improving the value of assessment as a teaching and learning experience. These use a template for whole-class feedback and enable teachers to keep a track record of assessments and a track of their intentions in terms of adaptations to teaching as a result of assessment information about students’ knowledge, understanding and progress.

“Rethinking assessment” across the NACE community

• A focus on understanding personal development – considering ways in which pupils’ overall experience and development can be better understood and supported, as part of assessment.
• Retrieval introduced as a core and explicit part of lesson sequences and schemes of work.
• The use of science practical activities linked to examination questions, to expose pupils to desirable difficulties. These reveal pupils’ knowledge and skills; support development and progress; and provide information needed to scaffold support at an individual level.
• Changes to reporting introduced to empower pupils, as well as informing leaders, teachers and parents.
• Developing the use of Rosenshine’s principles with a focus on higher-order questioning; this challenges more able pupils to think more deeply, extends their thinking, and has demonstrable benefits for other pupils in a mixed ability classroom.
• Models of excellence shared with pupils.
• Use of film resources and extended book study to encourage critical thinking and application of skills.

 

Key factors for successful implementation

Share your experience

• Which area of assessment is used most effectively?
• What assessment practices are having the greatest impact on learning?
• How do teachers and pupils use the assessment information?
• How do you develop an understanding of pupils’ overall development?
• How do you use assessment information to provide wider experience and developmental opportunities?
• Is assessment developing metacognition and self-regulation?
  

• Planning effective assessment to support cognitively challenging learning
• How can a focus on metacognition lead to more effective assessment practices in the classroom?

1. Be aware of dual and multiple exceptionality (DME).

2. Know how to identify a pupil with DME. 

3. Understand and implement individual, classroom and whole-school approaches for DME. 

4. Believe in, speak up for, and give pupils with DME a voice to speak up for themselves. 

5. Use the child’s high learning potential (HLP) to overcome their learning difficulties – don’t get stuck repeating basics. 

6. Adapt the tools you use for pupils with SEND and HLP to inspire pupils with DME to use their intelligence to learn. 

7. Explain the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ to pupils with DME. 

8. Understand that a child or young person with DME can present very differently at home and in school. 

9. Develop a positive relationship with parents and carers. 

10. Be honest about what can or can’t be done. 

11. Pilot approaches to DME in the classroom and beyond.

12. Look for DME in unexpected places. 

The brightest child is not necessarily the one sitting at the front to the class listening to your every word. They may be the class clown, the one whose behaviour deteriorates easily, the one who has a wicked sense of humour or is sarcastic and questions everything. Keep an open mind and adapt your behaviour.

Navigating the maze relating to dual and multiple exceptionality is not easy. However, there are books and materials to support teachers and other professionals, and organisations both in the UK and overseas that run online and face-to-face training to help SENDCos, teachers and other school-based staff to gain and build on their skills in this area. Notwithstanding, in working with pupils and parents/ carers in this arena, the key is to keep an open mind and an open door and help problem-solve to find long-term approaches and solutions which work to maximise the potential of these children and young people. 

Read more: 16 tips for effective collaboration with parents and carers – including those with DME children

About the author
Denise Yates has worked in education and training for over 38 years with a focus on enabling all individuals to maximise their potential. After 10 years as CEO of Potential Plus UK, she left in 2017 to pursue her passion, which could be summarised as ‘hidden potential’ – focusing on supporting children and young people with DME, those with mental health problems and those who have been failed by the system, for whatever reason. Denise is currently a Board member of The Potential Trust, Nisai Education Trust and Potential In Me. She is also an adviser with Citizens Advice in her local area. 

Denise Yates is co-author with Adam Boddison of The School Handbook for Dual and Multiple Exceptionality, and author of the new book Parenting Dual Exceptional Children. You can follow her on Twitter @DeniseYates_

Special offer: To benefit from a 20% discount on Denise Yates’ new book, Parenting Dual Exceptional Children, enter discount code Yates20 when purchasing the book from the Jessica Kingsley website by 31 August 2022.  

History at secondary school level is a subject that, from my experience, is usually taught in mixed ability classes. Due to this, and to rightfully ensure the progress of those who struggle with literacy and require further support, lessons can tend to be pitched towards the middle with scaffolding and structure in place to help those struggling. The potential problem with this approach is that it risks neglecting the more able students and those who need to be challenged or stretched (or whichever phrase is used in your setting), to reach their potential. I hope this blog post will give you some ideas to take away to challenge the more able learners in your history lessons.

#1. Short-term: Questioning

A simple and easy way to challenge those more able students is through effective use of the questioning they face in a lesson. I imagine most teachers know about open and closed questions and how the latter can limit students to a one-word answer, whilst the former can require students to elaborate in more depth. Therefore, the answer the students give can often depend on how much thought has gone into the question asked. 

It is important to consider why a teacher is asking a question and this can then be applied to challenging the more able students by asking a variety of questions for different reasons. In a recent CPD session at my school, delivered by two excellent Assistant Headteachers, Rob Buck and Ben Garner, this principle, with some examples, was shared with staff (Figure 1). It reminded myself and my department to think carefully about the questioning we carried out and to target those more able students, whether they be in Year 7, Year 10 or Year 13.

 
Figure 1

#2. Medium-term: Widen their perspectives

More able students are often characterised by a curious and inquisitive nature. To support this, it is important to not be overly selective with the history shared with students, but find opportunities to reveal more of the story. Students of all abilities enjoy learning knowledge that isn’t necessarily vital to the topic – knowledge that Bailey-Watson calls ‘hinterland’ knowledge – and we should be willing to share with students more of the big picture in order to widen their perspectives and improve their historical thinking. 

Homework can be an outlet for this; the previously mentioned Bailey-Watson and Kennet launched their ‘meanwhile, elsewhere…’ project (Figure 2) with the explicit intention of ‘expanding historical horizons’. Used effectively, this is a strategy that challenges the more able students to make those links between what they know and what they are yet to know.

Figure 2

#3. Long-term: Enquiry-based topics

History lends itself to a wealth of interesting topics. This selection narrows at GCSE and A-Level as specifications force middle leaders to select one topic and not another. However, at Key Stage 3, there is normally more choice and also an opportunity to challenge more able students. We have found evolving already-established topics – or creating new ones where time allowed and necessity demanded – into enquiry-based ones supports more able students by forcing them to ‘think hard’. 

Our topic on the Norman Conquest, an event described by Peter Rex as ‘the single most important event in English history’ avoids a simpler narrative of events and instead forces students, especially the more able, to consider how King William managed not only to gain control but maintain it after the Battle of Hastings (Figure 3). This topic was designed by my fantastic colleague, Chloe Bateman, and this approach provides all students with an overview of where the lesson and topic fits in and also encourages deep thinking about the answer to the enquiry question before it has even been covered. 

Combined with sharing demanding texts with students in lessons and homework that relates directly to the enquiry question, whilst extending their knowledge and understanding even further, enquiry-based topics can prove very effective at challenging more able students in secondary history.

 
Figure 3

There are plenty of strategies out there and there are more that I use and could have shared with you, but here are three that you could look to introduce to your setting. The important point is to be mindful about the experience more able students get in our classrooms. Do they feel challenged? Would you in their shoes? If not, then be active in doing something about it.

References

• Bailey-Watson, W. and Kennett, R. (2019). '"Meanwhile, elsewhere…": Harnessing the power of community to expand students’ historical horizons’, Teaching History, 176.
• https://meanwhileelsewhereinhistory.wordpress.com/ 
• Paramore, J. (2017). Questioning to Stimulate Dialogue, in Paige R., Lambert, S. and Geeson, R. (eds), Building Skills for Effective Primary Teaching, London: Learning Matters.
• Rex, P. (2011). 1066: A New History of the Norman Conquest, Amberley Publishing.
  

Read more:

• How can we identify and challenge more able learners in history?
• Diversifying the history curriculum: how to embed challenge and confront misconceptions
• Top 3 ways your school library can support the teaching of history
  

More able in history or just literacy?

The building blocks: historical knowledge

Facts are the building blocks of history.

Developing historical understanding through open-ended questions

Making links: developing historical enquiry skills

And finally…

References

• Jenner, T. 2021. History in Outstanding Primary Schools. https://educationinspection.blog.gov.uk/2021/04/27/history-in-outstanding-primary-schools/
• Lowe, H. & McCarthy A. 2020. Making Space for Able Learners – Cognitive challenge: principles into practice. NACE. https://www.nace.co.uk/page/making-space
• Runeckles, C. 2018. Making every history lesson count: six principles to support great history teaching. Crown House Publishing.

Read more:

• Diversifying the history curriculum: how to embed challenge and confront misconceptions
• Top 3 ways your school library can support the teaching of history
• 3 ways to challenge more able students in secondary history

If there is one subject a librarian can help teaching colleagues with, it is definitely history. From providing engaging reads for primary pupils to assisting with A-Level research for the curriculum or supporting EPQ projects, the school library is home to a wealth of resources.

For primary pupils, a history topic may start with a novel set during the period to be studied. Historical novels take the reader back to explore how life was during that time and can help explain the historical context. Library staff will be able to suggest a range of suitable titles to help with this, whatever the period.

GCSE-level students will be expected to read around the subject to complete their homework, and so the librarian will introduce pupils to the library catalogue to help them locate the resources available to them. As well as hardcopy books, e-books and online journals will be catalogued under subject headings, so students searching for their history topic are alerted to what the library holds on that subject, whatever the media format. By the time students are on their A-Level course, they will be using these to research curriculum topics and, in the case of the EPQ, on topics of their own choice.

Here are three key ways your school library can support the teaching of history:

1. Use the library catalogue as a research tool

School library staff will teach students that the library catalogue is a gateway to resources in many formats, all grouped under keyword headings, preparing our young people for independent learning. Once students go on to university they will require this very skill, so they will be well prepared for further study. 

2. Share curated content and resources

Some libraries may present students with resources as a reading list, some may have Padlets or other online presentations. The value of these online presentations is that they take pupils directly to the sites librarians have already earmarked as useful for the topic. As Padlets contain all types of content – whether that be text, documents, images, videos or weblinks – librarians can bring together a wide range of material for a particular class or year group and subject. For example, this Padlet on ‘history for all ages’ contains reading lists as well as weblinks to safe sites for primary and secondary students. This means that young people are not wasting time finding unsuitable resources, which may lead them to the wrong conclusions.

3. Subscribe to online journals

If your school offers the EPQ, where older secondary students choose their own topic, students must research this themselves. The library is integral to this and subscriptions to online journals can help enormously here. The topic students are researching may be very specific and not generally covered in published books which, by the very nature of going through the publishing process, take a long time to be available. Research written up in journals is current and academically verified, so with a subscription to a resource such as JSTOR students have access to “peer-reviewed scholarly journals, respected literary journals, academic monographs, research reports, and primary sources from libraries’ special collections and archives.” [Another example is Hodder’s Review magazines, which NACE members recently trialled.]

The school library and library staff are your friends when teaching history to learners of any age, so do make sure you use their resources to save time for all.

About the School Library Association

The School Library Association (SLA) is a charity that works towards all schools in the UK having their own (or shared) staffed library. Our vision is for all school staff and children to have access to a wide and varied range of resources and have the support of an expert guide in reading, research, media and information literacy. To find out more about what the SLA could do for you, visit our website, follow us on Twitter, or get in touch.

Read more:

• Diversifying the history curriculum: how to embed challenge and confront misconceptions
• How can we identify and challenge more able learners in history?
• 3 ways to challenge more able students in secondary history

1: Teach familiar topics through unfamiliar lenses

2: Complicate and collapse traditional notions of ‘power’

3: Make room for heroes, anti-heroes and those in between

4: Underline the value of cultural history

• Mohamud, A. and Whitburn, R. (2014). ‘Unpacking the suitcase and finding history: Doing justice to the teaching of diverse histories in the classroom.’ Teaching History, 154: 40-6. 
• Royal Historical Society (2018). Race, ethnicity and equality report. London: Royal Historical Society. Available at: https://files.royalhistsoc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/17205337/RHS_race_report_EMBARGO_0001_18Oct.pdf.

Further reading

• Counsell, C. (2021). ‘History’, in Cuthbert, A.S. and Standish, A., eds., What should schools teach? (London: UCL Press), pp. 154-173. 
• Dennis, N. (2021). ‘The stories we tell ourselves: History teaching, powerful knowledge and the importance of context’, in Chapman, A., Knowing history in schools: Powerful knowledge and the powers of knowledge (London: UCL Press), pp. 216-233. 
• Lockyer, B. and Tazzymant, T. (2016). ‘“Victims of history”: Challenging students’ perceptions of women in history.’ Teaching History, 165: 8-15. 

More from the NACE blog

• How can we identify and challenge more able learners in history?
• Top 3 ways your school library can support the teaching of history
• 3 ways to challenge more able students in secondary history

Why is metacognition important?

How can we develop metacognition in the classroom?

Why does this matter for higher-attaining pupils?

How does the debrief work in practice?

Many of the questions we can use during the debrief prompt learners to reflect on the “what” and the “why” of the strategies they employed during a given task. For example, 

• What exactly did you do? Why?
• What worked well? Why?
• What was challenging? Why?
• Is there a better way to…?
• What changes would you make to…? Why?

However, I also love asking pupils much more open questions such as “What have you learned about yourself and your learning?” The responses of the learners I work with have often astounded me! They have encompassed not just their understanding of the specific learning objectives identified for a given lesson, but also demonstrating pupils’ ability to make links across subjects and to prior learning. This has led to wider reflections about their metacognition – strengths or weaknesses specific to them, the tasks they encountered, or the strategies they had used – or their ability to effectively collaborate with others. 

For me, the debrief provides an opportunity for pupils’ learning to really take flight. This is where reflections about learning move beyond the boundaries and limitations of a single lesson, and instead empower learners to consider the implications of this for their future learning. 

For our higher-attaining pupils, this means enabling them to take increasing ownership over their learning, including how to do this ever more effectively. This independence and control is a vital step in becoming resilient, motivated and autonomous learners, which sets them up for even greater success in the future. 

References

• EEF (2021). Metacognition and Self-regulation, Teaching and Learning Toolkit.
• Education Endowment Foundation (2018). Metacognition and Self-regulation: Guidance Report.

It may seem strange to find an article with both metacognition and assessment in the title. Many people still view assessment as an activity which is separate from the art of teaching and is simply a list of checks and balances required by the education system to set targets, track learning, report to stakeholders and finally to issues qualifications. However, for those who are using assessment routinely, and at all points within the act of teaching and learning, they know the power of assessment which is both explicit and implicit within the process. The drive to focus on metacognition, for all ages of pupils, has opened opportunities for assessment practices to be developed within the classroom both by the teacher and by the pupils themselves.

Contents:

• The story so far: summative and formative assessment
• Limitations to traditional formative and summative assessment practices
• Developing cognition and cognitive strategies
• Metacognition and assessment
• Conclusion: the potential of metacognition to enhance assessment, teaching and learning
• Call for contributions: share your school’s experience

The story so far: summative and formative assessment

Historically, assessment processes were strongly linked to the curriculum and planned content because they responded to an education system which prepared pupils for endpoint examinations. This approach is still evident within the many summative assessments, tests of memory or vocabulary and algorithmic routines seen in classrooms today. One can understand the reliance on these practices as they lead to the maintenance of a school’s grade profile and with good teaching and leadership can promote improvements in external measures. It feels safe!

The strength of this type of assessment is that it can provide baseline markers or diagnostic information. Here the assessment focus is always linked to the curriculum, the content and the examination. Good teaching can then move pupils closer to the end goal. When pupils respond well to this style, they can gain the required results – but too often pupils do not respond well and do not necessarily develop beyond the limits of the examination style question. Here the agenda is owned by the teacher, with pupils expected to respond to the demands of the model. 

The weakness of this style of assessment is that there is little space for variation to reflect the personalities and learning styles of pupils or to allow more able pupils to learn beyond the examination. Here pupils are trained to meet the end goal without necessarily seeing the potential of the learning beyond the final grade. How often do we hear people say “I can’t do this” or “I don’t know this” although it may be a subject studied in school?

The development of formative assessment in different teaching contexts has increased teachers’ understanding of cognition and cognitive strategies alongside subject-specific skills and content. However, teachers can still be drawn into summative assessment practices in the guise of formative assessment. These are often recall or memory activities or small-scale versions of summative assessments aligned to endpoint assessment. 

Good formative assessment is embedded in the planning for teaching and classroom practice. An understanding of the assessment measures and effective feedback will enable pupils to take some ownership of their learning. However, in a cognitively challenging learning environment we seek to empower pupils to own their learning and to become resilient, independent learners. So how then can we think differently about assessment practice?

Limitations to traditional formative and summative assessment practices

With traditional summative and formative assessment methods pupils are responsive to the demands and expectations of the teacher. They are expected to act in response to assessment outcomes and teacher feedback, using the methods and strategies modelled or directed by the teacher. The teacher plans the content, makes a judgement and creates opportunities to gain experience within the planned model. The teacher then assesses within this model and offers advice to the pupils about what they must do next and the actions which the teacher believes will lead to better learning and outcomes. 

This can be successful in achieving the endpoint grades or examination standards. It does not necessarily develop pupils’ ability to do this for themselves, both within and beyond the education system.

Developing cognition and cognitive strategies

At the heart of good teaching and learning there is a focus on mental processes (cognition) and skills (cognitive strategies). The most effective classroom assessment makes use of cognition and the cognitive strategies beneficial to the specialist subject, which are most appropriate for the pupils.

The teacher of more able pupils aims to create cognitively challenging learning experiences, which must not be adversely affected by the assessments. This requires carefully selected strategies which hone the cognitive processes at the same time as developing subject expertise. Teaching builds from what pupils already know and understand, what they need to learn and what they have the potential to achieve. It develops the skills needed to apply knowledge, understanding and learning in a variety of contexts. 

To maximise the impact of planned teaching on learning, effective assessment practices are essential. An important factor when planning for assessment, which goes beyond the confines of endpoint limitations, is that it places the pupil, rather than the content, at the centre of the process. Assessment activities should not simply measure current performance against a list of content-driven minimum standards, but also lead to a greater depth of knowledge and improved cognition. These assessments are not positioned separately from the learning but are at the heart of the learning and the development of cognitive strategies.

Assessments planned as part of – and not separate from – teaching and learning might include:

• High-quality classroom dialogic discourse;
• Big Questions;
• Teacher-pupil, pupil-teacher and pupil-pupil questioning;
• Collaborative pursuits aimed to generate new ideas;
• Adopting learning roles to enhance and extend current skills;
• Problem solving;
• Prioritisation tasks;
• Research;
• Investigations;
• Explaining and justifying responses;
• Analytical tasks;
• Examining misconceptions;
• Recall for facts in novel contexts;
• Organisation of knowledge to develop new ideas.

By examining learning in the moment, with pupils working independently or together on pre-planned tasks, with clear and measurable success criteria, the teacher can assess more accurately. Using the planned teaching and learning repertoire as the assessment, the teacher makes learning visible. The teacher will gain a greater understanding of the teaching models which lead to greater improvements in cognition. The teacher is then also able to establish which cognitive strategies are used most effectively and which need to be developed. 

By maintaining the learning while assessing the teacher acts as a resource and a learning activator. Timely questions, redirecting actions or thoughts and providing feedback are among the variety of actions which can take place in the instant. This does not prevent an analysis of the level of knowledge or understanding of the subject. By working in this way, the teacher can provide more precise input to either the individual or the class; in the moment, it will have the greatest benefit.

In classrooms where the teacher combines their subject knowledge with their understanding of cognition, they will inevitably understand the nature and power of appropriate assessment. Teaching and assessment which is rooted in an understanding of cognition has the potential to prepare pupils for learning both within and beyond the classroom. 

When the nature of the learning, the tasks and the assessments are shared with the pupils, they can begin to take ownership of their learning and develop their skills under the guidance of the teacher. Assessing through an understanding of cognition and cognitive strategies allows the teacher to share more fully the process of learning both in terms of academic outcomes but also in relation to thought and cognitive strategies. The pupils can now more fully impact on their own learning, but there is still a dependency on the teacher’s feedback and planning.

Metacognition and assessment

Once we appreciate the power of cognitively aware teaching, learning and assessment then we realise that pupils can take action to improve their thinking and learning if they know more. Metacognition means that pupils have a critical awareness of their own thinking and learning. They can visualise themselves as thinkers and learners. If the assessment, teaching and learning model moves the learner towards owning the learning, understanding their own cognition and cognitive strategies, then greater short-term and long-term gains can be made. Developing metacognitively focused classrooms will lead to a better quality of assessment which pupils will understand and can interrogate to refine their own learning.

When teachers look to develop metacognition as a whole-school strategy and within individual subject teaching there can be greater gains. The pupils will learn about the process of learning and come to understand ways in which they can best improve their own learning. Metacognition is about the ways learners monitor and purposefully direct their learning. If pupils develop metacognitive strategies, they can use these to monitor or control cognition, checking their effectiveness and choosing the most appropriate strategy to solve problems. 

When planning teaching which makes use of metacognitive processes the teacher must first help pupils to develop specific areas of knowledge.

Metacognitive knowledge refers to what learners know about learning. They must have a knowledge of:

• Themselves and their own cognitive abilities (e.g. I find it difficult to remember technical terms)
• Tasks, which may be subject-specific or more general (e.g. I am going to have to compare information from these two sources)
• The range of different strategies available, and an ability to choose the most appropriate one for the task (e.g. If I begin by estimating then I will have a sense of the magnitude of the solution).

Metacognitive knowledge must be explicitly taught within subjects. Where the assessment process works effectively within this the pupils can measure and understand their own learning. This is particularly important for more able learners who are then able to take greater responsibility for their learning, moving this beyond the constraints of the examined curriculum. 

The Fisher-Frey Model shows how responsibility for learning moves from teacher to pupils through carefully planned teaching strategies. This model is also relevant to the development of metacognitive teaching strategies as they are developed within schools. The Education Endowment Foundation has shown how the teacher can learn about and teach metacognitive strategies, gradually passing the learning to the pupils. 

 
Diagram based on work of Fisher-Frey and EEF

 At each stage some form of assessment takes place to ensure the required or expected outcomes have been achieved. The teacher wants to know the impact of the teaching and the pupils want to know the effectiveness of their learning. The teacher must also assess the pupils’ ability to use metacognitive strategies. Are they simply accepting the situation as it is? Are they attempting to engage in the process but do not know which strategy is best? Are they able to use their learning strategically or have they moved on to become reflective and independent learners? The teacher uses the assessment information with the pupil to help them to become increasingly self-aware and more adept at using the strategies available to them, but also to recognise their own strengths. 

Strategies used in metacognitively focused classrooms which can be developed with the teacher’s support, undertaken by pupils and assessed might include:

• Prioritising tasks
• Creating visual models such as bubble maps and flow diagrams
• Questioning
• Clarifying details of the task
• Making predictions
• Summarising information
• Making connections
• Problem solving
• Creating schema
• Organising knowledge
• Rehearsing information to improve memory
• Encoding
• Retrieving 
• Using learning and revision strategies
• Using recall strategies

If pupils and teachers work together to assess and plan the process of learning about the things they need to know and about themselves as learners, then metacognitive self-regulation becomes possible. Metacognitive regulation refers to what learners do about learning. It describes how learners monitor and control their cognitive processes. Pupils can then learn through a cyclic process in which they learn how to plan, monitor and evaluate both what they learn and how they learn. 

 
Based on diagram in Getting Started with Metacognition, Cambridge International Education Teaching and Learning Team 

Pupils need to know how to work through these crucial stages to be successful in their academic work and in support of their metacognitive processes. For example, a learner might realise that a particular strategy is not achieving the results they want, so they decide to try a different strategy. Assessment information will help them to refine the strategies they use to learn. They will use this to evaluate their subject knowledge, metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive regulation. They will become more motivated to engage in learning and can develop their own strategies and tactics to enhance their learning.

Conclusion: the potential of metacognition to enhance assessment, teaching and learning

If teaching is focused on subject content and only subject content is assessed, then teachers will be able to plan, track, set targets and work towards examination grades. 

When a teacher is knowledgeable about cognition and cognitive strategies, teaching and learning becomes more interesting. The teacher begins to share the objectives and success criteria with the pupils. Planning for teaching and the learning activities develop cognition and move beyond simple recall and application of facts. Pupils become more able to use and organise information. They are more able to retain knowledge and use it in a variety of complex or original contexts. The teacher remains in control of the planning, teaching and assessment but pupils have some degree of understanding of this. They are now more able to respond to advice about their learning. They begin to try alternative methods for learning. They know what they are doing well, what they still need to do, how they need to do this and why it is important. They utilise the assessment criteria and feedback to enhance their learning. 

Teachers who teach pupils about metacognition and help them to develop metacognitive awareness know the importance of giving control to the pupil. They collaborate with the pupils to assess their development in becoming more strategic or reflective in the use of strategies. Pupils learn better because they begin to assess their own learning strategies and their subject knowledge with a plan, monitor and evaluate model. Their motivation improves and the conversations between teachers and their pupils about learning are more insightful.

Call for contributions: share your school’s experience

In this article I highlight the importance of metacognition for learning and for the learner. I also explain the importance of assessing what is happening in the classroom. Assessment will give the teacher a clear indication of the impact of teaching and the effectiveness of learning. Assessment will help the self-regulated learner to reflect on their learning and develop the strategies needed to be a successful learner throughout life. 

We are seeking NACE member schools to contribute to our work in this area by sharing information about effective assessment approaches in their contexts. Where has assessment practice been implicit within your teaching? How was it planned? How did if fit within the teaching? How was the process shared with the pupils? How did you and the pupils measure levels of achievement? How did this change the way they learned or the way you taught? 

If you can share examples of the way you have built up assessment processes within the classroom and across the school, we would love to hear from you.

Please contact communications@nace.co.uk for more information, or complete this short online form to register your interest.

Read more: Planning effective assessment to support cognitively challenging learning

Connect and share: join fellow NACE members at our upcoming member meetup on the theme "rethinking assessment" – 23 March 2022 at New College, Oxford – to share ideas and examples of effective assessment practices. Details and booking

References and additional reading

•  Anderson, Neil J. (2002). The Role of Metacognition in Second Language Teaching and Learning. ERIC Digest.
• Cahill, H. et al (2014). Building Resilience in Children and Young People: A Literature Review for the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. DEECD.
• Cambridge International Education Teaching and Learning Team. Getting Started with Metacognition.
• Chick, N. (2013). Metacognition. Centre for Teaching, Vanderbilt University.
• Education Endowment Foundation (2018). Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning: Seven recommendations for teaching self-regulated learning & metacognition 
• EEF. Evidence Summaries: Metacognition and Self-Regulation
• EEF. Four Levels of Metacognitive Learners (Perkins, 1992)
• EEF. Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning: School Audit Tool
• EEF (Muijs D., Bokhove C., 2020). Metacognition and Self-Regulation Review 
• EEF (Quigley, A., Muijs, D., & Stringer, E., 2020). Metacognition & Self-Regulated Learning Guidance Report 
• Fisher, D. & Frey, N. (2008). Better Learning Through Structured Teaching: A framework for the gradual release of responsibility. ASCD.
• Lowe, H. and McCarthy, A. (2020). Making Space for Able Learners – Cognitive Challenge: Principles into Practice. NACE.
• Webb, J. (2021). Extract from The Metacognition Handbook. John Catt Educational.
  

Like many academic subjects, mathematics has developed its own language. Sometimes this can lead to humorous clashes when mathematicians meet the real world. After all, when we’re calculating the “mean”, we’re not usually referring to a measurement of perceived nastiness (unless it’s the person who devised the problem we’re trying to solve!). 

Precision in our use of language within mathematics does matter, even among school-aged learners. In my experience, issues frequently arise in geometry sessions when working with pyramids and prisms, squares and rectangles, and cones and cylinders. You probably have your own examples too, both within geometry and the wider curriculum. 

In this blog post, I’ll explore three tried-and-tested ways to improve the use of mathematical vocabulary in the classroom.

1. Introduce your class to Whisper Maths

“Prisms are for naughty people, and pyramids are for dead people.” Even though I’ve heard that playground “definition” of prisms and pyramids many times before, it never fails to make me smile. It’s clear that the meanings of both terms cause considerable confusion in KS2 and KS3 classrooms. Don’t forget, learners often encounter both prisms and pyramids at around the same time in their schooling, and the two words do look very similar. 

One useful strategy I’ve found is using an approach I like to refer to as Whisper Maths; it’s an approach which allows individuals time to think about a problem before discussing it in pairs, and then with the wider group. For Whisper Maths sessions focusing on definitions, I tend to initially restrict learner access to resources, apart from a large sheet of shared paper on their desks; this allows them to sketch their ideas and their drawings can support their discussions with others. 

This approach helps me to better understand their current thinking about “prismness” and “pyramidness” before moving on to address any misconceptions. Often, I’ve found that learners tend to base their arguments on their knowledge of square-based pyramids which they’ve encountered elsewhere in history lessons and on TV. A visit to a well-stocked 3D shapes cupboard will enable them to explore a wider range of examples of pyramids and support them to refine their initial definition. 

I do enjoy it when they become more curious about pyramids, and begin to wonder how many sides a pyramid might have, because this conversation can then segue nicely into the wonderful world of cones! 

2. Explore some family trees 

Let’s move on to think about the “Is a square a rectangle?” debate. I’ve come across this question many times, and similarly worded ones too. 

As someone who comes from a family which talks about “oblongs”, I only came across the “Is a square a rectangle?” debate when I became a teacher trainer. For me, using the term oblong meant that my understanding of what it means to be a square or an oblong was clear; at primary school I thought about oblongs as “stretched” squares. This early understanding made it fairly easy for me to see both squares and oblongs (or non-squares!) as both falling within the wider family of rectangles. Clearly this is not the case for everyone, so having a strategy to handle the confusion can be helpful. 

Although getting out the 2D shape box can help here, I prefer to sketch the “family tree” of rectangles, squares and oblongs. As with all family trees, it can lead to some interesting questions when learners begin to populate it with other members of the family, such the relationship between rectangles and parallelograms.

3. Challenge the dictionary!

When my classes have arrived at a definition, it’s time to pull out the dictionaries and play “Class V dictionary”. To win points, class members need to match their key vocabulary to the wording in the dictionary. For the “squares and rectangles” debate, I might ask them to complete the sentence “A rectangle has...”. Suppose they write “four sides and four right angles”, we would remove any non-mathematical words, so it now reads “four sides, four right angles.” Then we compare their definition with the mathematics dictionary.

They win 10 points for each identical word or phrase, so “four right angles, four sides” would earn them 20 points. It’s great fun, and well worth trying out if you feel your classes might be using their mathematical language a little less imprecisely than you would like.

More free maths activities and resources from NRICH…

A collaborative initiative run by the Faculties of Mathematics and Education at the University of Cambridge, NRICH provides thousands of free online mathematics resources for ages 3 to 18, covering early years, primary, secondary and post-16 education – completely free and available to all. 

The NRICH team regularly challenges learners to submit solutions to “live” problems, choosing a selection of submissions for publication. Get started with the current live problems for primary students, live problems for secondary students, and live problems for post-16 students.

Back in 2017 (where does time go?) I wrote this post on the importance of vocabulary, where I argued for including subject-specific (what we tend to refer to as ‘tier 3’) vocab more in our lessons.

Since then I’ve obviously thought more about this and, following on from conversations with David Didau, I wanted to get down another observation.
In my experience, maths teachers can have a tendency to underestimate two things:

• The vocabulary our pupils can cope with.
• The effect of bypassing the correct vocab.

Let me elaborate.

The vocabulary our pupils can cope with

Our pupils are capable of learning lots of words. They learnt to speak as youngsters and acquired thousands of them, but we know that many of them don’t move past the basic or intermediate literacy skills to those they need to access more advanced material (Shanahan and Shanahan, 2008). Something happens to many students at secondary age whereby their language acquisition falters. If that is the case, then it falls to us to accept that we’re not teaching them this as well as we could. We must maintain the highest of expectations of all our pupils and part of that is building language acquisition into our lessons such that it is both integral and normal.

What do integral and normal look like? Integral means you value language acquisition as an essential part of your teaching, that you understand its necessity in an education. You seize every opportunity to teach new words, you make pupils practice them – saying them out loud, using them in sentences in context – and you carefully build this into what you do. Normal means language acquisition teaching isn’t an add-on and it’s not over-complicated. We don’t need fancy worksheets and analysis of etymology (although etymology is fascinating and all students should meet it). If we make the teaching of language (or anything, for that matter) too onerous or time-consuming it won’t happen properly. It must be a simple, everyday occurrence, as normal as anything else we do.

When the teaching of language is integral and normal you see that pupils are able to learn really rather complex and specific vocabulary very well and this, in turn, allows them to think more precisely and to communicate more clearly.

Returning to the paper referenced earlier, the authors spent some time talking to mathematicians, scientists and historians to determine what reading looked like in each discipline. There were specific elements of reading that were valued to a different extent by each. The mathematicians valued close reading and re-reading, specifically because reading in mathematics is linked to precision, accuracy and proof. I particularly like this quote:

Students often attempt to read mathematics texts for the gist or general idea, but this kind of text cannot be appropriately understood without close reading. Math reading requires a precision of meaning and each word must be understood specifically in service to that particular meaning.

If we want to take our students on a pathway to being mathematical, thinking like a mathematician, we should build in language acquisition and precision reading as a principle of this.

The effect of bypassing the correct vocab

Something I see very regularly in classrooms is teachers avoiding using correct vocab, I think (from conversations I’ve had) because they are worried that particular vocab will make it harder to understand a concept. This is best explained with an example:

Teacher: A factor is a number that goes into another number.

How many times have you said this? I know I have! I think it happens because of a perception that a “simplified” definition makes this word accessible to more pupils. However, I would argue that we are making the word specifically less accessible in doing this.

What does ‘goes into’ really mean? As a novice without a strong mathematical background I could interpret this in a number of ways. However, if my teacher tells me, “A factor is a number that divides another number with no remainder”, or similar, and accompanies this with examples and non-examples, I can make more sense of the word from the start. Moreover, if my teacher regularly refers to the word ‘factor’ alongside this definition, and asks my peers and me this definition, and gets us hearing it and rehearsing it, then I start to associate the word ‘division’ with ‘factor’ and I am less likely to confuse it with ‘multiple’. Eventually, it will become part of my fluent vocabulary.

In ‘dumbing down’ a definition, we work against understanding rather than for it. That doesn’t mean we have to go all-out Wolfram Mathworld* on our pupils, but it does mean we have to consider the implications of our own use of language and how we can make small changes that have a positive impact. It’s worth taking some time with your team to discuss where else we have a tendency to bypass proper vocabulary or definitions, and think about the specific negative effects this will have on our pupils. How can you, as a team, work towards increasing your pupils’ language acquisition and precision? What ideas or concepts do you want them to automatically associate a certain word with? Design your instruction towards that aim.

*“A factor is a portion of a quantity, usually an integer or polynomial that, when multiplied by other factors, gives the entire quantity.” Mathworld

Jemma Sherwood is a Senior Lead Practitioner for Maths, and the author of How to Enhance Your Maths Subject Knowledge: Number and Algebra for Secondary Teachers. Find out more about Jemma on her website, or follow her on Twitter.

Earlier this academic year, we partnered with Hodder on a live webinar for NACE members, followed by an opportunity to undertake a free trial subscription to the Review magazines, and then reconvening for an online focus group to share experiences, ideas and feedback.

Below are 15 ways NACE members suggested this resource could be used:

1. Wider reading – encouraging learners to read more widely in their subjects, developing deeper and broader subject knowledge
2. Flipped learning – tasking students with reading an article (or articles) on a topic ahead of a lesson, so they are prepared to discuss during class time (members noted that this approach benefits from practising reading comprehension during lesson time first)
3. Developing cultural capital – exposure to content, contexts, vocabulary, and text formats which learners might not otherwise encounter
4. Independent research and project work – to support independent research and projects such as EPQs, for example by using the digital archives to search on a particular theme
5. Developing literacy and vocabulary – exposure to subject-specific and advanced vocabulary; this was highlighted by some schools as a particular concern post-pandemic
6. Shared text during lessons – used to support lessons on a particular topic, and/or to develop comprehension skills
7. Developing exam skills – using the magazines’ links to specific exam skills/modules, and practice exam questions at the end of articles
8. Examples of academic/exam skills in practice – providing examples of how a text or topic could be approached and analysed, and ways of structuring an essay/response
9. Library resource – signposted to students and teachers by school librarian to ensure a diverse, challenging reading menu is available to all 
10. Linking learning to real-world contexts – providing examples of how curriculum content is being applied in current contexts around the world, helping to bring learning to life
11. Broadening career horizons – examples of different careers in each subject area, giving learners exposure to a range of potential future pathways
12. Extracurricular provision – used as a resource to support subject-specific clubs, or general research/debate clubs 
13. Developing critical thinking and oracy skills – to support strategies such as the Harkness method, as part of a wider focus on developing critical thinking and oracy skills
14. Exposure to academic research – preparing students for further education and career opportunities
15. Fresh perspectives on curriculum content – new angles and insights on well-established modules and topics – for teachers, as well as students!

Find out more:

• Sample issues of the Review magazines
• Impact study: Politics Review
• Impact study: Hindsight (GCSE History)
• Posters and revision PDFs from the magazines
• NACE webinar: Enrichment and extension in secondary subjects

Discount offer for NACE members

NACE members can benefit from a 25% discount on Hodder's digital and print resources, including the Review magazines (excluding student £15 subscriptions). To access this, and our full range of member offers, log in and visit our member offers page.

Does your school use the Review magazines or a similar resource? To share your experience and ideas, contact communications@nace.co.uk

The context

What worked?

Addressing the language gap

Motivations and barriers

Parental support

Final reflections

Would you be interested in sharing your experiences of teaching remotely and/or across cultures? Is this an area you’d like to explore or develop? Contact communications@nace.co.uk to share your experience or cpd@nace.co.uk to express your interest in being part of future projects like this.

Some background: language, thinking and learning

The functions of language in education

• Expression: ability to formulate ideas orally and in writing in a meaningful and grammatically correct manner.
  
• Comprehension: ability to understand the meaning of words and ideas.
  
• Vocabulary: lexical knowledge.
  
• Naming: ability to name objects, people or events.
  
• Fluency: ability to produce fast and effective linguistic content.
  
• Discrimination: ability to recognize, distinguish and interpret language-related content.
  
• Repetition: ability to produce the same sounds one hears.
  
• Writing: ability to transform ideas into symbols, characters and images.
  
• Reading: ability to interpret symbols, characters and images and transform them into speech.

What does this mean for cognitively challenging learning?

• Teachers modelling advanced language and skilled explanation and questioning; 
• Pupils being taught the language of skills such as reasoning, synthesis, evaluation;
• Frequent use of ‘dialogic’ frameworks and enquiry-based learning; 
• The use of disciplinary discourse and higher tiers of language;
• Instructional models which include and prioritise the above.

• Portswood Primary School: focus on the early development of vocabulary, language and talk. Teachers use sophisticated language to communicate expectations and learning.
• Alfreton Nursery School: teaching develops skills of concentration, as pupils focus on a central stimulus/object and formulate “big questions”. There is also an explicit focus on team working with reference to reasons “why we can agree to disagree” and the importance of listening. The teacher follows these pupil-led ideas in later sessions.
• Glyncoed Primary School: a challenging curriculum is achieved through planning and delivery of problem solving-based activities, extended and cognitively demanding tasks, and pupil choice. Teacher talk and high-level and qualitatively differentiated questioning, rich dialogue and cognitive talk is in evidence. Excellent modelling and explanations are also pervasive.
• Greenbank High School: pupils are stimulated by differentiated questions prompting them to test hypotheses, make predictions and transfer their knowledge to new contexts. As a result, pupils are working at a strong, sustained pace.

Creating language-rich schools and classrooms: implications for teacher development 

• Case studies of NACE evidence schools with excellent practice in language for high achievement; 
• The language needs and characteristics of different learners, including the most able;
• Creating language-rich school environments;
• Approaches to teaching and learning for language development;
• EAL learners;
• Developing a whole-school language policy.

• Oracy All-Party Parliamentary Group, Speak for Change, oracy.inparliament.uk, 2021
• Centre for Education and Youth with Oxford University Press, Oracy after the Pandemic, cfey.org, 2021
• Gibbons, P., Learning to Learn in a Second Language, Primary English Teaching Association, 1991
• Hillman, D. C. A., https://www.quahog.org/thesis/role.html, 1997  
• Hodge, B., Teaching as Communication, Routledge, 1993
• Hodge, G. I. V. and Kress, G. R., Language as Ideology, Routledge, 1999
• Lecours, A. R. et al, Literacy and The Brain in The Alphabet and The Brain, Springer-Verlag, 1988
• Lowe, H. and McCarthy, A., Making Space for Able Learners, NACE, 2020
• Oxford Language Report, Why Closing the Language Gap Matters, OUP, 2018
• Oxford Language Report, Bridging the Word Gap at Transition, OUP, 2020
• Silver, R. E. and Lewin, S. M., Language in Education: Social Implications, Bloomsbury, 2013
• Vygotsky, L. S., Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes, London: Harvard University Press, 1978 

• Could we examine less often and use classroom-based assessment more often?
• Should we rethink testing and assessment and their position in the learning process? 

Testing vs assessment

A strategic approach to assessment which supports cognitively challenging learning environments

• What they are trying to assess;
• How they plan to assess;
• Who the assessment is for;
• What evidence will become available;
• How the evidence can be interpreted;
• How the information can then be used by the teacher and the pupil;
• The impact the information has on the planned teaching and learning;
• The contribution assessment makes to cognition, learning and development.

Assessment and classroom management

Assessment in language-rich learning environments

Priorities for effective assessment

• To understand what the pupils know already;
• To promote and sustain cognitive challenge and progression:
• To measure the impact of both the teaching and the learning;
• To adapt practice in a timely manner;
• To support, extend and enhance learning;
• To examine how effectively the knowledge is used in new, varied and complex contexts. 

• Understand the nature and purpose of activities so that they can benefit from them;
• Appreciate the demands of learning;
• Engage in the learning journey;
• Develop their own cognitive skills and learning attributes;
• Take action to improve themselves;
• Take ownership of learning;
• Become increasingly autonomous and self-regulating.

What next?

• Education Endowment Foundation (2021), Cognitive science approaches in the classroom (a review of the evidence)
• Rimfield. K, et.al. (2019), Teacher assessment during compulsory education are as reliable, stable, and heritable as standardized test scores. The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 60(12) (1278-1288)

• 3 key ingredients for cognitive challenge
• Assessment in a remote learning environment: what have we learned?
• Reinventing assessment in the post-pandemic world

1. Papasavitch (our very own made-up language)

2. The RS SMSJ Essay Writing Competition (open to all schools)

3. Collaboration and exploration – across and beyond the school

Spelling or poetry, complicated maths, explosive chemistry, or predicting the Bank of England’s interest rates. In so many aspects of school life, competitions can be part of a vibrant culture of learning. The English-Speaking Union (ESU) believes that oracy should be at the heart of every classroom, and oracy competitions can help bring it to the heart of every school. Read on to find out more about the ESU’s approach to competitions, and how to register your school for participation in future contests. 

1. Competitions provide focus for year-wide activities

While the end result may be a team of three or five students going to a competition, the process is an opportunity to bring oracy to much larger groups. Many of our participating schools use competition season as a time to get everyone involved in oracy activities – the entire school could enter the first round of our Performing Shakespeare competition, while teachers often use our ESU-Churchill Public Speaking Competition as a chance to get everyone giving speeches in class. You can even run your own internal qualifier events.

The successful teams and individuals can be role models and exemplars – there’s no better assembly highlight than a winning team showing off their newly polished oracy skills!

2. Competitions give different ways of engaging with skills

Oracy activities can be intimidating for some students, but very often taking a slightly different approach can make a student feel more comfortable and confident. Wrapping presentation and speech within part of a dramatic performance is helpful for some, while others find their feet in the controlled role of a public speaking chairperson. Finding the right way for an individual to express themselves can unlock achievement in other areas. 

3. Competitions provide challenge 

All students deserve access to oracy education but, for those who are particularly keen or engaged, classroom opportunities might not be enough. Public speaking competitions give students a place to stretch themselves and take on bigger challenges. Tackling peers at local, regional and even national levels means there’s always more to reach for.

This can also provide a useful outlet for the students, who may otherwise behave in a disruptive way as they try to maximise speaking time in class at others’ expense.

4. Competition can be a motivator

Some people hate running laps of a track, but give them a ball and an opposition and they’ll run all day. Similarly, with oracy, competition can be a great source of motivation. 

All steps – preparations, practice, performance – can be given a boost by the chance to compete, progress and win acclaim. As Simon Porter, headteacher at De Aston School in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, says: “The students really enjoy the competitions. They get to have their voice heard on important topics and it’s been transformative for their confidence and their self-esteem.” 

5. Competitions are social and interactive

Public speaking competitions are all about interacting with other students both within a class or year group and from a broad range of other schools, right across the country. Debaters will go head-to-head with opponents, and public speaking teams will host and welcome speakers from other schools as part of the contest. 

This benefits students as learners, as they can observe how others approach similar tasks, share ideas, and use their words and actions to motivate and inspire. It also benefits students from a social and emotional development perspective. Engaging outside of the competition itself is a chance (for teachers too!) to meet others with similar passions, share and chat. This is something that teachers often comment on, pointing out that students typically have very little opportunity to talk to other children their age whom they don’t already know. “It’s nice that they are experiencing, very clearly, schools that are from a very different background, seeing the differences, and also knowing that there isn’t as much of a difference as they previously thought,” says Grace Aldridge, teacher, Kensington Aldridge Academy.

Sign up!

Sign up now for the English-Speaking Union’s national competitions: Performing Shakespeare (Y7-9), the ESU-Churchill Public Speaking Competition (Y9-11) and the Schools’ Mace debating competition (Y7-13). All have trained judges and offer extensive feedback opportunities. More details and the registration form can be found here and supporting resources to help train and develop your students can be accessed here.  

About the English-Speaking Union

The English-Speaking Union is an educational charity working to ensure young people have the speaking and listening skills and cultural understanding they need to thrive. Our debate, public speaking and cultural exchange programmes help young people to engage with the world, to speak more confidently and to listen to and understand different points of view. These skills improve young people’s attainment, emotional intelligence and social skills, helping them to live their lives to the fullest. To find out more, visit esu.org

Upcoming opportunities:

• Webinar: Building your secondary school oracy culture with the ESU - Wednesday 15 September at 4pm
• Webinar: Boosting student oracy skills with the ESU’s secondary school competitions - Thursday 23 September at 4pm
• ESU secondary school competitions for 2021-22 - register by 1 October 
  

More from the English-Speaking Union:

• Blog post: 5 reasons to teach oracy skills in your classroom
• Blog post: 5 oracy activities to stretch all learners, in every lesson
• Webinar (member login required): Oracy-based challenges to stretch and support more able learners
  

What is Phiddlywinks?

 

 

Who was the inspiration behind Phiddlywinks?

What do we mean by “challenge for all”?

Are your questions big enough?

Can your learners build more complex schema?

Are you allowing time for “chunky” problems?

Related blog posts

How effective is remote learning?

Assessment principles when learning remotely

Remote assessment practice reported by NACE member schools

Opportunities and concerns when using remote learning

Challenges when using remote assessment 

How does this apply to more able pupils?

Returning to school: what next?

Assessment of learning summer 2021

Understanding the needs of the more able: a tragic parody

Unravelling the parody

Marking work or just marking time?

So what then should we do?

So why do we do it? Primarily because the EEF toolkit identified feedback as one of the key elements of teaching that has the greatest impact. With this came the unintended consequence of an Ofsted handbook and inspection reports that criticised a lack of written feedback and response to pupils’ responses to marking which led to what became an unending dialogue with dangerous workload issues. At some point triple-marking seemed more about showing a senior leader or external inspector that the dialogue had happened. More recently, the 2016 report of the Independent Teacher Workload Review Group noted that written marking had become unnecessarily burdensome for teachers and recommended that all marking should be driven by professional judgement and be “meaningful, manageable and motivating”. 

So what is “meaningful, manageable and motivating” in terms of marking and feedback for more able learners? Is it about techniques or perhaps more a question of style? At Portswood Primary Academy Trust our feedback has always been as close to the point of teaching as possible. It centres on real-time feedback for pupils to respond to within the lesson. Paul Black was kind enough to describe it as “marvellous” when he visited, so not surprisingly this is what we have stuck with. Teachers work hard in lessons to give this real-time feedback to shape learning in the lesson. The importance of this approach is that feedback is instant, feedback is relevant, and feedback allows pupils to make learning choices (EEF marking review 2016). But is there more to it for more able learners? 

Getting the balance right

In giving feedback to more able learners the quality of questioning is crucial. This should aim to develop the higher-order skills of Bloom’s Taxonomy (analysing, evaluating and creating). A more facilitative approach should develop thinking. The questions should stimulate thought, be open, and may lead in unexpected directions.

A challenge for all teachers is how to balance feeding back to the range of attainment in a class. The recent Ofsted emphasis on pupils progressing through the programmes at the same rate is not always the reality for teachers. Curriculum demands are higher in core subjects, meaning teachers are under pressure to ensure most pupils achieve age-related expectations (ARE). The focus therefore tends to be more on pupils below ARE, with more time and effort focused there. The demands related to SEND pupils can also mean less teacher time devoted to more able pupils who have already met the standards. 

Given that teachers may have less time for more able learners it is vital the time is used efficiently. For the more able it is less about the pupils getting the right answer, and more about getting them to ask the right questions. Detailed feedback in every lesson is unlikely so teachers should:

• Look at the week/unit as a whole to see when more detailed focus is timely;
• Use pre-teaching (such as in assembly times) to set up more extended tasks;
• Develop pupils’ independence and resilience to ensure there is not an over-reliance on the teacher;
• Identify times in lessons to provide constructive feedback to the more able group that would have the most impact.

Another tension for teachers is the relationship between assessment frameworks and creativity. For instance, at KS1 and KS2, the assessment criteria at greater depth in writing is often focused on technical aspects of writing. But is this stifling creativity? Is the reduction in students taking A-level English because of the greater emphasis on the technical at GCSE? As one able Year 10 writer commented, “Why do I have to focus on semicolons so much? Writing comes from the heart.” Of course the precise use of semicolons can aid writing effectively from the heart, but if the passion is dampened by narrow technical feedback will the more able child be inspired to write, paint or create? Teachers need to reflect on what they want to achieve with their most able learners.

Three guiding principles

So what should the guiding principles for feedback to more able learners be? Three guiding principles for teachers to think about are:

1. Ownership with responsibility

More able learners need to take more ownership of their work; with this comes responsibility for the quality of their work. Self-marking of procedural work and work that has a definitive answer (the self-secretary idea) allows for children to:

• Check – “Have I got it?”
• Error identify – “I haven’t got it; here's why”
• Self-select to extend – “What will I choose to do next?”

Only the last of these provides challenge. The first two require responsibility from learners for the fundamentals. The third leads to more ownership for pupils to take their learning further. The teacher could aid this self-selection or only provide feedback once a course of action is taken. Here the teacher is nudging and guiding but not dictating with their feedback.   

2. Developing peer assessment

There is a danger that peer assessment can be at a low level so the goal is developing a more advanced level of dialogue about the effectiveness of outcomes and how taking different approaches may lead to better outcomes or more efficient practice. For instance, peer feedback allows for emotional responses in art/design/computing work – “Your work made me feel...”; “This piece is more effective because...”.  For some more able pupils not all feedback is welcome, whether from peers or teachers. The idea that I can reject your feedback here is important: “Can you imagine saying to Dali that his landscapes are good but he needs to work on how he draws his clocks?” 

3. Being selective with feedback 

The highly skilled teacher will, at times, decide not to give feedback, at least not straight away. They are selective in their feedback. If you jump in too quickly, it can stop thinking and creativity. It can eliminate the time to process and discover. It can also be extremely annoying for the learner!

In practical terms this means letting them write in English and giving feedback later, not while they are in the flow. In a mathematical/scientific/humanities investigative setting, let them have a go and ask the pertinent question later, perhaps when they encounter difficulty. This question will be open and may nudge rather than direct the pupils. It might not be towards your intended outcome but should allow for them to take their learning forward, perhaps in unexpected directions. 

In summary, this gets to the heart of the difference in feedback for more able learners compared to other pupils. While the feedback will inevitably have higher-level subject content, it should also:

• Emphasise greater responsivity for the pupil in their learning
• Involve suggestion, what ifs and hints rather than direction, and…
• Seek to excite and inspire to occasionally achieve the fantastic outcome that a more rigid approach to feedback never would. They may even write from the heart. 

What does this look like in practice?

Jeavon Leonard, Vice Principal at Portswood Primary School, outlines a personal approach for more able learners he has used: “Think about when we see a puzzle in a paper/magazine – if we get stuck (as adults) we tend to flip to the answer section, not to gain the answer alone but to see how the answer was reached or fits into the clues that were given. This in turn leads to a new frame of skills to apply when you see the next problem. If this is our adult approach, why would it not be an effective approach for pupils? The feedback is in the answer. Some of the theory for this is highlighted in Why Don't Students Like School? by Daniel Willingham.”

Mel Butt, NRICH ambassador and Year 6 teacher at Tanners Brook Primary, models the writing process for her more able learners including her own second (and third) drafts which include her ‘Think Pink’ improvement and corrections. While this could be used for all pupils, Mel adds the specific requirements into the improved models for more able learners based on the assessment requirement framework for greater depth writing at the end of Key Stage 2. She comments: “I would also add something extra that is specific to the cohort of children based on the needs of their writing. We do talk about the criteria and the process encourages independence too. It's also good for them to see that even their teachers as writers need to make improvements.” The feedback therefore comes in the form of what the pupils need to see based on what they initially wrote. 

Further reading

• Education Endowment Foundation. Teaching and Learning Toolkit: Feedback. 
• Education Endowment Foundation (2018). Metacognition and self-regulated learning: Seven recommendations for teaching self-regulated learning & metacognition. 
• ‘Four Quarters Marking’ – A Workload Solution? (2017) 
• Daniel Willingham (2009). Why Don't Students Like School? 

• Using feedback for more able learners to promote self-regulated quality
• The power of effective feedback in remote teaching and learning

Additional support

Dr Keith Watson is presenting a webinar on feedback on Friday 19 March 2021, as part of our Lunch & Learn series. Join the session live (with opportunity for Q&A) or purchase the recording to view in your own time and to support school/department CPD on feedback. Live and on-demand participants will also receive an accompanying information sheet, providing an overview of the research on effective feedback, frequently asked questions, and guidance on applications for more able learners. Find out more.

What is critical thinking?

Many definitions of critical thinking exist – far too many to list here! – but one key definition that is often used is:

“[the] purposeful, self-regulatory judgment which results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference, as well as explanation of the evidential, conceptual, methodological, criteriological, or contextual considerations upon which judgment is based” (1, p. 3).

Despite the different definitions, there is a consensus regarding the dimensions of critical thinking and these dimensions have implications for how critical thinking is understood and taught. Critical thinking includes skills and dispositions (1). The former refers to reasoning and logical thinking, e.g., analysis, evaluation, and interpretation, whereas the latter refers to the tendency to do something, e.g., being open-minded (2). This blog post primarily is referring to the development of critical thinking skills as opposed to dispositions.

Critical thinking can be subject-specific or general, and thus can either be embedded within a specific subject or it can be developed independently of subject knowledge – something that we will revisit later.

How are critical thinking skills developed?

Developing critical thinking is often regarded as the cornerstone of higher education, but the reality is that many educational institutions are failing to develop critical thinking consistently and reliably in their students, with only around 6% of university graduates considered proficient (3), (4), (5).

Thus, there is a disconnect between the value of critical thinking and the degree to which it is supported by effective instruction (6). So, what does effective instruction look like? Helpfully, cognitive psychology provides us with some of the answers:

1. Context is king: the importance of background knowledge

The important question at hand here is: are some types of critical thinking more difficult to develop than others? The short answer is yes – subject-specific critical thinking appears to be easier to develop than general critical thinking. Studies have shown that critical thinking interventions improve subject-specific as opposed to general critical thinking (7), (8). This is also what we have found in our own research (9).

Possible reasons for why this is the case include the fact that the length of time needed to develop general critical thinking is much greater. This is coupled with the idea that general critical thinking is simply not as malleable as subject-specific critical thinking (10). For balance, though, some studies have reported improvements in general critical thinking, indicating that under the right circumstances, general improvement is possible (6), (11). The key message here is that background knowledge is an important part of teaching critical thinking and the extent to which you aim to develop critical thinking beyond the scope of the course content should be assessed dependent on what is achievable in the given context.

2. Be explicit: approaches to critical thinking instruction

The importance of background knowledge also has implications for critical thinking instruction (12).  There are four main approaches to critical thinking instruction; general, infusion, immersion and mixed (13):

The general approach explicitly teaches critical thinking as a separate course outside of a specific subject. Content can be used to structure examples and activities but it is not related to subject-specific knowledge and tends to be about everyday events.

The infusion approach explicitly teaches both subject content and general critical thinking skills, where the critical thinking instruction is taught in the context of a specific subject.

Similarly, the immersion approach also teaches critical thinking within a specific subject, but it is taught implicitly as opposed to explicitly. This approach infers that critical thinking will be a consequence of interacting with and learning about the subject matter.

Lastly, the mixed approach is an amalgamation of the above three approaches where critical thinking is taught as a general subject alongside either the infusion or immersion approach in the context of a specific subject. 

In terms of which are the best instructional approaches to adopt, evidence from a meta-analysis of over 100 studies showed that explicit approaches led to the greatest increase in critical thinking compared to implicit approaches. Specifically, the mixed approach where critical thinking was taught explicitly as a separate strand and within a specific subject was the most effective, whereas the implicit immersion approach was the least effective. This research suggests that developing critical thinking skills separately and then applying them to subject content explicitly works best (14).

3. Be strategic: effective teaching strategies

The knowledge that critical thinking needs to be deliberately and explicitly built into courses is integral to developing critical thinking. However, without the more granular details of exactly what teaching strategies sit beneath this, it will only get us so far. A number of teaching strategies have been shown to be effective, including the following:  

Both answering and generating higher-order thinking questions have been shown to increase critical thinking (8) (14). For example, psychology students who were given higher-order thinking questions compared to lower-order thinking questions significantly improved their subject-specific critical thinking (8). Alison King’s work on higher-order questions provides some useful examples of question stems (15).

Ensuring that critical thinking is anchored in authentic instruction that allows students to engage with problems that make sense to them, and that enables further inquiry, is important (6). Some ways to facilitate authentic instruction include simulations and applied problem solving.

Closely related to higher-order questions and authentic instruction is dialogue – essentially discussions are needed to develop critical thinking. Teachers asking questions is particularly beneficial to the development of critical thinking, in part because teachers will often be asking questions that require higher-order thinking. A meta-analysis study showed that authentic instruction and dialogue were particularly effective for developing general critical thinking (6).

Engaging pupils in explicit self-reflection techniques promotes critical thinking. For example, asking students to judge their performance on a paper can increase their ability to understand where they need to improve and develop in the future (16). Other formalisations of this include reflection journals (17). In my current role, we also employ self-reflection activities to increase critical thinking.

So, to conclude, remember when developing critical thinking skills that context is king, always be explicit and always be strategic!

Find out more… On 29 April 2021 Dr Bellaera presented a live webinar for NACE members exploring the research on critical thinking and how to apply it in your school. Watch the recording here (login required). Plus: Dr Bellaera's research paper on critical thinking is available to read and download here until 4 August 2021.

References:

(17) Mannion, J., & Mercer, N. (2016). Learning to learn: Improving attainment, closing the gap at Key Stage 3. The Curriculum Journal, 27, 246-271.

The pandemic has significantly changed how and where learning takes place. For the first time in history, teachers are tasked with providing education remotely, beyond the school. Not without its challenges, this does provide an opportunity to rethink the core principles of teaching and learning and at the same time promote high standards of achievement. 

Technology can help excite, engage and empower more able learners. It opens new channels of communication. It is a chance for learners to own and shape their own learning and it creates opportunities for tailored learning. In his podcast, Assessment and feedback in an online context (February, 2020), Jamie Scott suggested that the principles of good feedback and assessment apply to the online environment; they just need to be reframed to fit a new context. This blog post discusses one important aspect of teaching and learning – feedback – and provides some strategies to promote this in the context of remote teaching.

The power of effective feedback

Hundreds of articles have been written about feedback and its role in knowledge and skill enhancement and on motivation to learn. When effective feedback is combined with effective teaching, it can be very powerful in facilitating learning. John Hattie (2007) placed it in the top 10 influences on pupil achievement. So what is it and why is it such a powerful facilitator of learning? Feedback is “the process in which learners make sense of information about their performance and use it to enhance the quality of their work or learning strategies" (Henderson et al., 2018, p. 16). This definition of feedback goes beyond just providing comments about pupils’ work. It describes the process of using information resulting from a task to make improvement. Feedback can come from different sources: beginner learners require much scaffolding, while prompts to do with self-regulation are appropriate for more able pupils.

Task prompts include:

• Does the answer meet the success criteria?
• Can he/she elaborate on the answer given?
• Is there other information that could be included to meet the criteria?

Process prompts include:

• What strategies were used and why?
• What does this tell me about his/her understanding of key concepts and knowledge?

Self-regulation prompts include:

• How can he/she monitor this work?
• How can he/she reflect on his/her own learning?
• What learning goals has the pupil achieved?
• Can you teach another pupil to…?

Decades of education research support the idea that greater learning comes from teaching less and providing more feedback. In remote teaching, there are reduced opportunities to pick up on pupils’ non-verbal cues such as nods, frowns and expressions of elation from new understandings normally seen in a classroom. Whilst these might be interpreted as important cues, they are not the most reliable sources of feedback and are in effect poor proxies for learning. In remote teaching and learning, it is more difficult to get such feedback, which means we need to be much clearer on the purpose of the activity, its assessment and the ways in which feedback is given.  

Effective feedback, given remotely or face-to-face, reduces the “gap” in learning – that is the space between current and desired understanding. Feedback is most powerful when it helps learners negotiate the gap between where they are and where they need to be. It should address three fundamental questions:

Where am I going? Pupils must understand their goals and what success at those goals looks like. Goals relate to feedback by informing learners on what is needed (success criteria) so they can direct and evaluate their actions. It allows them to set reasonable goals ahead. 

How am I doing? This entails feedback about past, present or how to progress from the starting point to the next or endpoint. It is information about progress, about personal performance and attitude to learning. It offers information about what is and what is not understood and allows learners to track their performance. 

Where to next? This feedback helps learners in choosing the next appropriate challenges, to achieve self-regulation, the strategies to work on for greater fluency and ultimately deeper understanding. Feedback allows pupils and teachers to set further appropriately challenging goals for ongoing learning.

Effective feedback is NOT… supplying only a mark for a piece of work or giving a generalised comment. “This is a poor piece of writing” is a value judgement and not good feedback. Similarly, “You might want to use more paragraphs”, is advice and not helpful feedback either.

10 essentials of effective feedback 

1. Feedback resides in what is received and interpreted by a student, rather than what a teacher believes has taken place.
2. Feedback is only successful if pupils use it to improve their performance.
3. Feedback is more effective when the criteria for success are known in advance and where the goal to achieve success is shared by pupil(s) and teacher.
4. The purpose(s) of the feedback should be made clear and be specific.
5. It should be timely and given as soon as possible. 
6. It must assure learners that meeting cognitive challenge is part of learning.
7. It should be elaborative, i.e. telling the learner something about their work that they were not able to see for themselves.
8. It works best in a positive, affirming climate (including online classrooms).
9. It should help to teach more able learners to answer their own questions and develop self-regulation skills.
10. Feedback must challenge pupils to invest effort in moving forwards.

Conclusion

Effective feedback is one of the powerful enablers of learning. Consistently asking “Where am I going? How am I doing? Where to next?” embeds this in deep learning and aligns with classroom assessment. It is not an isolated nor time-consuming process. 

References

• Hattie, J.& Timperley, H. (2007) The Power of Feedback. Review of Educational Research. Vol. 77, No. 1, pp. 81–112 
• Henderson, M., Boud, D., Molloy, E., Dawson, P., Phillips, M., Ryan, T., & Mahoney, P. (2018). Feedback for learning: closing the assessment loop. Australian Government Department of Education and Training.
• Scott. J. (2020) Assessment and feedback in an online context. Evidence-based Education. Podcast 24th February. Accessed 14 February 2021.
  

Additional reading and support:

• Remote teaching and learning collection
• Lunch & Learn: feedback for learning for the more able

In recent years many new developments in teaching have been most welcome and have helped the shift towards a more research-informed profession. NACE’s recent report Making space for able learners – Cognitive challenge: principles into practice provides examples of strategies used for the design and management of cognitively challenging learning opportunities, including reference to Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction (2010) which outline many of these strategies. 

These principles of instruction are particularly influential in current teaching, which is pleasing to the many good teachers who have been used them for years, although they may not have attached that exact language to what they were doing. These principles are especially helpful for early career teachers, but like all principles they need to be constantly reflected upon. I was always taken by Professor Deborah Eyre’s reference to “structured tinkering” (2002): not wholesale change but building upon key principles and existing practice. 

This is where “cutaway” comes in – another of the strategies identified in the NACE report, and one which I would like to encourage you to “tinker” with in your approach to ability grouping and ensuring appropriately challenging learning for all.

What is “cutaway” and why use it? 

The “cutaway” approach involves setting high-attaining students off to start their independent work earlier than the vast majority of the class, while the teacher continues to provide direct instruction/ modelling to the main group. In this way the high attainers can begin their independent work more quickly and can avoid being bored by the whole class instruction which they can find too easy, even when the teacher is trying to “teach to the top”. Once the rest of the class has begun their independent work, the teacher can then focus on the higher attaining group to consolidate the independent work and extend them further. 

There are more nuances which I will explain later, but you may wonder, how did this way of working come about?

An often-quoted figure from the National Academy of Gifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY) was that gifted students may already have acquired knowledge of 40-50% of their lessons before they are taught. If I am honest, this was 100% in some of my old lessons! With whole class teaching, retrieval practice tasks and modelling (all essential elements in a lesson), there are clear dangers of pupils being asked to work on things they already know well. There is the issue of what Freeman, (quoted in Ofsted, 2005:3), called the “three-time problem” where: “Pupils who absorb the information the first time develop a technique of mentally switching off for the second and the third, then switching on again for the next new point, involving considerable mental skill.” Why waste this time? 

The idea of “cutaway” was consolidated when I carried out a research project involving the use of learning logs to improve teaching provision for more able learners (Watson, 2005). In this project teachers adapted their teaching based on pupil feedback. The teachers realised that, in a primary classroom, keeping the pupils too long “on the carpet” was inappropriate and the length of time available to work at a high level was being minimised. One of the teachers reflected: “Sometimes during shared work on the carpet, when revising work from previous lessons to check the understanding of other pupils, I feel aware of the more able children wanting to move on straight away and find it difficult to balance the needs of all the children within the Year 5 class.”

It therefore became common in lessons (though not all lessons) to cutaway pupils when they were ready to begin independent work. By using “cutaway” the pupils use time more effectively, develop greater independence, can move through work more quickly and carry out more extended and more challenging tasks. The method was commented upon favourably during a HMI inspection that my school received and has ever since been a mainstay of teaching at the school.

Who, when and how to cutaway

So how does a teacher decide when and who to cutaway? The method is not needed in all lessons, the cutaway group should vary based upon AfL, and at its best it involves pupils deciding whether they feel they need more modelling/explanation from the teacher or are ready to be cutaway. In a recent NACE blogpost on ability grouping, Dr Ann McCarthy emphasises that in using cutaway “the teacher constantly assesses pupils’ learning and needs and directs their learning to maximise opportunities, growth and development” and pupils “leave and join the shared learning community”. This underlines the importance of the AfL nature of the strategy and the importance of developing learners’ metacognition, which was another key finding in the NACE report. 

Sometimes the cutaway approach is decided on before a lesson by the teacher based upon previous work. In GCSE history, a basic retrieval task on the Norman invasion could be time wasted for a more able pupil who has secure knowledge, whereas being cutaway to do an independent task centred on the role of the Pope in supporting William would be more challenging and worthwhile. It comes down to one key question a teacher needs to ask themselves when speaking to the whole class: “Who do I need here now?” Who needs to retrieve this knowledge? Who needs to hear this explanation? Who needs to see this model or complete this example? If a small group of higher attainers do not need this, then why slow the pace of their learning? Why not start them either on the same work independently or more challenging work to accelerate learning? 

Why not play around with this idea? Explain your thinking to the pupils and see how they respond. Sometimes, at the end of one lesson, a task for the next lesson can be explained and the pupils could start the next lesson by working on that task straight away. The 2015 Ofsted handbook said, “The vast majority of pupils will progress through the programmes of study at the same rate”, and ideally, they will. However, a few pupils will progress at a faster rate and therefore need adapted provision. The NACE research and accompanying CPD programme suggests the use of “cutaway” can achieve this and it is well worth all teachers doing some “structured tinkering” with this strategy.

References

• Eyre, D. (2002). Structured Tinkering: Improving Provision for the Gifted in Ordinary Schools. Gifted & Talented International 22(1):31-28.
• Lowe, H. & McCarthy A. (2020). Making Space for Able Learners – Cognitive challenge: principles into practice. NACE.
• Ann McCarthy (2021). Ability grouping: a role in cognitively challenging learning environments?. NACE blog.
• Office for Standards in Education (2005). Reviews of Research – Educating the Very Able. Ofsted.
• Rosenshine, B. (2010). Principles of Instruction. International Academy of Education.
• Watson, K. (2005). Hearing the voice of gifted and talented pupils through the use of learning logs in order to improve teaching provision. NAGTY.

Additional reading and support

• Cognitive challenge: principles into practice – preview this NACE report and order a copy
• Creating cognitively challenging classrooms – three-part online course based on the NACE report; contact us to find out about future related live/recorded CPD, or to discuss bespoke training in this area. 

Share your views

How do you use ability grouping, and why? Share your experiences by commenting on this blog post or by contacting communications@nace.co.uk 

Your chance to contribute: NACE member survey

• The assessment of remote learning; 
• Assessment literacies and practices to promote the learning of more able pupils.

In this blog post, I’m delighted to introduce NRICH’s new child-friendly reflection tool for nurturing successful mathematicians – part of our suite of free maths resources and activities to promote enriching, challenging mathematical experiences for all. We very much hope that you enjoy exploring it with your classes to support them to realise their potential. Such innovations are developed in partnerships with schools and teachers, and we’ll also be inviting you to work directly with our team to help design a future classroom resource intended to challenge able mathematicians (see below or click here for details of our upcoming online event for NACE members).

At NRICH, we believe that learning mathematics is about much more than simply learning topics and routines. Successful mathematicians understand the curriculum content and are fluent in mathematical skills and procedures, but they can also solve unfamiliar problems, explain their thinking and have a positive attitude about themselves as learners of mathematics. Inspired by the 'rope model' proposed by Kilpatrick et al. (2001), which draws attention to the importance of a balanced curriculum developing all five strands of mathematical proficiency equally rather than promoting some strands at the expense of others, we have developed this new model and image which uses child-friendly language so that teachers and parents can share with learners five key ingredients that characterise successful mathematicians: 

• Understanding: Maths is a network of linked ideas. I can connect new mathematical thinking to what I already know and understand.
• Tools: I have a toolkit that I can choose tools from to help me solve problems. Practising using these tools helps me become a better mathematician.
• Problem solving: Problem solving is an important part of maths. I can use my understanding, skills and reasoning to help me work towards solutions.
• Reasoning: Maths is logical. I can convince myself that my thinking is correct and I can explain my reasoning to others.
• Attitude: Maths makes sense and is worth spending time on. I can enjoy maths and become better at it by persevering.

Using the tool during remote learning and beyond

This reflection tool helps learners to recognise where their mathematical strengths and weaknesses lie. Each of the maths activities in our accompanying primary and secondary features is designed to offer learners opportunities to develop their mathematical capabilities in multiple strands. We hope learners will have a go at some of the activities and then take time to reflect on their own mathematical capabilities, so that when full-time schooling returns for all they are ready to share their excitement about what they have achieved, and are eager to continue on their mathematical journeys.

At NRICH, we believe that following the current period of remote learning, success in settling back into schools will be aided by recognising and acknowledging the mathematical learning that has been achieved at home, and encouraging learners to reflect on how they see themselves as mathematicians. It may be that some learners will not recognise the value of what they have achieved while they have been out of the classroom, because what they have been doing at home may be quite different from what they usually do in school. We want learners to appreciate that there are many ways to demonstrate their mathematical capabilities, and to recognise the ways in which they behave mathematically. By inviting children and students to assess their mathematical progress on a broad range of measures, we hope to change the narrative to recognise what learners have achieved, rather than focusing on what they have missed. 

Get involved….

As the current period of remote learning continues, we’re continuing to develop new free maths resources, and we always value input from teachers. On 3 February 2021, the NRICH team is hosting an online meetup for NACE members during which we’ll share an exciting new classroom resource, currently under development, intended to challenge able mathematicians. The session will involve an opportunity to explore this new resource and share your insights to help inform its future development. We look forward to working with you. Details and booking.

Very best wishes for 2021 – the NRICH team.

Ref: Kilpatrick, J., Swafford, J. and Findell, F. (eds) (2001) Adding It Up: Helping Children Learn Mathematics. Mathematics Learning Study Committee: National Research Council.

As teachers, our awareness of the importance of challenging questions is always at the forefront of our minds, particularly with our more able learners. However, the onus of asking challenging questions shouldn’t always be placed on the teacher. Cue Genius Hour, an idea inspired by Google’s “20% time”, in which employees are encouraged to spend 20% of their time working on any project of their choosing, on the condition that it ultimately benefits the company in some way, and which is famously credited with giving rise to many of Google’s most successful innovations.

Google’s “20% time” is similar to the use of Genius Hour in our school: encouraging students to take ownership of their learning by using a proportion of curriculum time to focus on topics they are passionate about. By coming up with their own driving question to focus their research, students manage their own learning journey and subsequently become even more engaged with the learning process.

Here are three key steps to use Genius Hour project-based learning effectively:

1) Support students to develop their driving question.

The driving question of the project will become the focus of the students’ research. Whilst students may be tempted to simply find out more information about a topic close to their heart, the key is to construct a question that allows for in-depth research and is also broad enough for students to include their personal opinions. Even our most able learners will need support with this task, and for this, question stems can be incredibly useful:

• What does _______ reveal about _________?
• To what extent does…?
• What motivates_________?
• How would you develop…?
• What alternatives are there for…?
• How can technology be used to…?
• What assumptions are there about…?
• What are the [ethical] implications of…?
• How can we challenge…?
• What would happen if…?
• How can we improve…?
• What might happen if…?

Students might be encouraged to come up with solutions to real-life problems or delve into ideas linked to current affairs that they are intrigued by. Either way, these broad question stems allow for thorough exploration of a topic.

2) Help students develop their research skills.

Left to their own devices, students may be tempted to simply Google their question and see what answers come up. Instead, offer guidance on the best and most reliable sources of information for their project.

It may be that students are directed towards relevant reference books in the library. Additionally, online resources can prove invaluable; the Encyclopaedia Britannica offers a wealth of knowledge for students, whilst news websites aimed at teenagers (for example Newsela and The Day) encourage students to form their own opinions on current affairs and offer suggestions for further reading.

Our more able learners may be more adept at focusing their internet searches and filtering through the vast array of results. If this is the case, students would be expected to determine whether a source is reliable or biased and should be confident at citing their sources.

3) Encourage creativity in how students present their findings.

Ideally, students will be excited and motivated to complete their Genius Hour project, and originality in how they present their results should be encouraged. Students may want to create a video, make a presentation, write a passionate and persuasive speech, design an informative leaflet… The more freedom the students have, the more their creativity will flourish. 

One of our students gave a rousing speech on the question, “What alternatives are there to living on planet Earth?” (ultimately concluding there were none and that we need to change our lifestyles in order to save the planet). Another offered a passionate presentation on the theme “How can we improve Earth’s biodiversity while allowing people to still eat meat and plants?” And after witnessing the impact of Covid-19 first hand, one student wrote an insightful article to answer the question, “What has Covid-19 revealed about our society in 2020?”

This approach to project-based learning can also be effectively applied during distance learning – students can be given the success criteria for the project and set the challenge of managing their own time. There is ample opportunity to use technology to give presentations remotely, either live through Zoom or Teams, or recorded individually using a platform such as Flipgrid. 

In summary…

Overall, Genius Hour is a fantastic tool to promote deeper thinking in the classroom, whilst also having huge benefits across the wider curriculum. We have found this approach has worked particularly well with Key Stage 3 students and is the perfect opportunity to refine the research and presentation skills required at GCSE, whilst also impacting positively across the curriculum in all lessons. Furthermore, it sends the message to students that their passions outside of school are valued, which in itself can prove to be hugely motivational. Presenting their findings at the end of the project instils confidence in our learners, giving them the vital communication, leadership and time management skills necessary for life beyond education. 

Further reading: “Cognitive challenge: principles into practice”

NACE’s report “Cognitive challenge: principles into practice” explores approaches to curriculum and pedagogy which optimise the engagement, learning and achievement of very able young people, combining relevant research and theory with examples of current practice in NACE Challenge Award-accredited schools. Preview and order here.

Not yet a NACE member? Find out more, and join our mailing list for free updates and free sample resources.

To group or not to group: that is the question…

The organisation and management of cognitively challenging learning environments is one of three focus areas highlighted in NACE’s new research publication, “Cognitive challenge: principles into practice”, which marks the first phase in our “Making Space for Able Learners” project. Developed in partnership with NACE Challenge Award-accredited schools, the research examines the impact of cognitive challenge in current school practice against a backdrop of relevant research. 

As teachers, we aim to provide a cognitively challenging learning environment for our more able and exceptionally able pupils, which is beneficial to them. The organisational decisions surrounding this should therefore optimise opportunities for learning. Teachers and school leaders must not only consider content to be studied, but also the impact of classroom management decisions from the perspective of the learner. The NACE research showed that these classroom management and organisational decisions were one of three key factors impacting on cognitively challenging learning, alongside curriculum organisation and design and the use of rich and extended talk and cognitive discourse.

 

One aspect of managing cognitively challenging learning environments is any choice relating to mixed ability teaching versus a variety of designs for selection and grouping by ability. Within the classroom the teacher also balances demands to provide opportunities for all, while simultaneously identifying the nature and opportunity for challenge. 

Does ability grouping benefit learners?

There is a paucity of strong evidence that ability grouping is beneficial to academic outcomes for all. However, Parsons and Hallam (2014) did find that grouping can benefit more able pupils. This benefit is not necessarily associated with the act of setting, but with the quality of teaching provided for these groups. Pupils also have opportunities to work at a faster pace, but against this aspiration, Boaler et al. (2000) found pace incompatible with understanding for many pupils. Regardless of the choice made to group or not to group, there is a need to reflect on whether teaching is homogenous or designed to meet the needs of the pupils. Often the weakness is the assumption that grouping alone will drive the learning experience, without an understanding of the cognitive and emotional impact this has on the pupils themselves. 

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) has examined the use of setting and streaming, which are usually related to attainment rather than ability, and has found that there is often a small negative impact for disadvantaged pupils and lower abilities. When designing learner groupings, it is important to be aware of the impact for all learners and create a beneficial model for all.

How should teachers and schools approach ability grouping?

First, decide what you hope to teach and what it is pupils have the potential to achieve, given enough learning opportunities. Remember, learning is not limited to reproducing planned content by rote, but instead its success lies within a growth of knowledge, its complexity, and its application. Pupils bring a wide range of prior learning, knowledge and experiences which they can share with each other and use to construct new schema. In a well-designed learning environment, pupils have the potential to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding beyond the delivered content. Young et al. (2014) demonstrate the importance of powerful knowledge which takes pupils beyond their own experiences. The development of metacognition and exposure to wider experience should therefore be included in decisions related to the organisation of groups and lesson planning.

Second, decide what environment will provide the best learning experience for the pupils. 

• Is it best to present advanced curricula at an accelerated rate?
• Does teaching include multiple high-order thinking models and skills?
• Is learning pupil-centred?
• Are multiple modality enquiry methods in play?
• Will grouping take account of the complexity of ability and enhance its manifestation?
• Will pupils benefit from a wide range of perspectives?
• Will pupils utilise the learning experiences of others to reflect upon and refine their own learning?

The answers to these questions will help teachers to make decisions regarding the nature of grouping and classroom organisation. The choice of model should be one which most benefits the learner, one which is not driven by systemic organisational requirements, and one which recognises the impact of external factors on perceived ability.

Finally, what models are available and how can cognitive challenge be achieved within them?

• Mixed ability grouping has the benefit of exposing pupils to the wider knowledge, background, and experience of others. In these environments, problems with different layers of complexity and multiple learning routes are often used. The big question or cognitively challenging proposition often promotes the learning with supporting systems and prompts in place for those challenged by the learning.
• Cutaway models are an alternative to the simpler mixed ability model. In the cutaway approach, the teacher constantly assesses pupils’ learning and needs and directs their learning to maximise opportunities, growth, and development. Pupils join and leave the shared learning (“cutting away” as appropriate), based on prior learning and their response to the existing task. This model develops and utilises independence and metacognition.
• Grouping by task is often used when it is possible to create smaller groups working on different tasks within the same classroom. The teacher uses very specific knowledge relating to pupils’ prior learning and abilities to organise the classroom groups. The teacher can therefore target the teaching to respond to more specific learning opportunities, which in turn can increase pupils’ enjoyment and engagement in their learning.
• Grouping by subject is an extension of grouping by task. If pupils learn all their subjects within the same class group, this enables the teacher to note the different strengths within the subject. In larger schools, pupils are often grouped by overall performance in specific subjects. This model might include advanced curriculum and require higher-order thinking skills. Pupils might be given opportunities to research more deeply into areas of interest. For this model to be successful there needs to be fluidity between the groups so that pupils are well-placed to enjoy cognitively challenging experiences.

With these ideas in mind, schools will then create an overarching model which reflects the school vision, ethos and culture. Teachers will consistently strive to provide cognitively challenging learning opportunities which benefit all. They use their knowledge of the pupils’ past and present learning and their vision of what the pupils can be and can achieve in the future to design the learning environment. They then organise the classroom to excite, engage and challenge their pupils – remembering that regardless of the sophistication of the approach, every group will be mixed ability as no two pupils are identical. If high-quality and engaging teaching is child-centred and not homogenous, then pupils will excel in cognitively challenging classrooms.

References

• Boaler, J., Wiliam, D. and Brown, M. (2000). Students’ experiences of ability grouping – disaffection, polarisation and the construction of failure. British Education Research Journal, 26 (5), 631–648.
• Education Endowment Foundation, Teaching and Learning Toolkit
• Parsons, S. and Hallam, S. (2014). The impact of streaming on attainment at age seven: evidence from the Millennium Cohort Study. The Oxford Review of Education, 40 (5), 567-589.
• VanTassel-Baska, J. and Brown, E. (2007) Toward Best Practice: An analysis of the efficacy of curriculum models in gifted education. Gifted Child Quarterly, 52, 342.
• Young, M and Muller, J. (2013). On the Powers of Powerful Knowledge. Review of Education1(3) 229-250.

Additional reading and support

• Cognitive challenge: principles into practice – preview this NACE report and order a copy
• Creating cognitively challenging classrooms – three-part online course based on this NACE research 

Share your views

How do you use ability grouping, and why? Share your experiences by commenting on this blog post or by contacting communications@nace.co.uk 

Key questions to consider

Note on diversity in resource formats

Further reading and resources

What do we mean by ‘cognitive challenge’?

 

What does this look like in practice?

1. Design and management of cognitively challenging learning opportunities 

2. Rich and extended talk and cognitive discourse to support cognitive challenge 

3. Curriculum organisation and design

Taking it further…

Additional reading and support:

Research suggests that more able learners are typically more perfectionistic than their classmates. Accordingly, more able learners place great demands on themselves to achieve unrealistic standards and respond with harsh self-criticism when their standards go unmet. However, more recently researchers have begun to explore the idea that perfectionism may not solely be an individual problem. Instead, environments such as the classroom have perfectionistic qualities that can both increase levels of perfectionism among those in the environment as well as having a detrimental impact on everyone in the environment regardless of their personal level of perfectionism. This is of concern as perfectionistic environments are likely to hinder learners’ capacity to thrive, and contribute to a range of negative outcomes, such as greater stress and poorer wellbeing. 

A perfectionistic environment (or “perfectionistic climate”) refers to cues and messages that promote the view that performances (e.g. grades) must be perfect and less than perfect performances are unacceptable. The cues and messages are created by important social agents such as teachers, coaches and parents, and can be communicated both intentionally as well as inadvertently. In the classroom, the teacher is likely to be the main source of this information; in particular, though the language that is used, how tasks are structured, and the strategies used to reward or sanction student behaviour. Fortunately, teachers also have the potential to help reduce how perfectionistic the classroom is by purposefully avoiding certain cues and messages and promoting others. Here, we identify key components of a perfectionistic classroom and provide alternative strategies aimed at reducing the likelihood that the classroom is experienced as being perfectionistic by students.

Unrealistic expectations

Perfectionistic classrooms include expectations that are unrealistic and never lowered. The expectations are uniformly applied and do not account for the individual ability of the learner, their personal progress, or individual circumstances.

Key takeaways: In most classrooms, it is likely that learners will know what is expected of them in terms of behaviours and grades. However, what is most important about these targets and expectations is that they are realistic and adaptable for each learner. Standards that are personally challenging and lie within reach with concerted effort are the most optimally motivating and offer the greatest development opportunity for students.  

Frequent or excessive criticism

Frequent or excessive criticism is also a feature of a perfectionistic classroom. This can include a focus on minor and inconsequential mistakes or an undue emphasis on the need to get everything “just right”.

Key takeaways: Avoid pointing out unimportant mistakes and focusing on errors when work reflects a student’s best effort or shows progress. Remedial feedback is obviously necessary, but the language used is important. Effective feedback focuses on the quality of the work, not the qualities of the learner (“this aspect of the work can be improved” versus “you have made a mistake here”). Ensure that positives are highlighted and reinforced before offering critical comments, especially for more perfectionistic students.

Problematic use of rewards and sanctions

The use of rewards and sanctions are common and powerful motivational tools in the classroom but when used to create feelings of shame or guilt, they can become problematic. Public displays of reward or sanction are best avoided because they promote these types of coercive emotions and encourage social comparison as opposed to a focus on personal development. Withdrawal of recognition and appreciation based on performance, for example, also reinforces the view that personal value comes solely from recognition and achievement. 

Key takeaways: It is difficult to avoid the use of rewards and sanctions, but where possible these need to be provided privately. For rewards, focus on behaviours (e.g. effort) rather than innate qualities and for sanctions, encourage a sense of personal ownership and agency in proposed repreparation. Ultimately, it is important that students feel liked and valued regardless of their performances and behaviour, good or bad.

Anxiousness or preoccupation with mistakes

One final aspect of a perfectionistic classroom is anxiousness or preoccupation with mistakes. Risk taking is avoided and failure is discouraged.

Key takeaways: Mistakes (even big ones) need to be normalised in the classroom. A strong focus on creativity, problem-solving, and opportunities for learning through “trial and error” will instil a more resilient mindset and counterbalance undue apprehension regarding mistakes. 

Summary

The concept of perfectionistic environments emphasises the need for more purposeful construction of the classroom. In being mindful of each of the issues above, and better monitoring and changing the cues and messages provided in the classroom, we believe teachers can alter the degree to which the environment is experienced as perfectionistic by students. In addition, in doing so, this will help reduce perfectionism and its negative effects among all students and be especially useful and important for more able and talented students who are more prone to the problems associated with perfectionism.

References

Hewitt, P. L., & Flett, G. L. (1991). Perfectionism in the self and social contexts: Conceptualization, assessment, and association with psychopathology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60, 456-470.

Hill, A. P., & Grugan, M. (2020). Introducing perfectionistic climate. Perspectives on Early Childhood Psychology and Education, 4, 263-276.

Stricker, J., Buecker, S., Schneider, M., & Preckel, F. (2020). Intellectual giftedness and multidimensional perfectionism: A meta-analytic review. Educational Psychology Review, 32, 391-414.

Read more:

• Perfectionism in more able learners: what do we know and what next?
• Perfectionism and “mattering” in more able learners
• Survey results: understanding the impact of lockdown learning

Join the conversation… York St John University’s Professor Andrew P. Hill will lead a keynote session on 17 November 2020 as part of the NACE Leadership Conference, exploring current research on perfectionism and more able learners, and how schools can create learning environments that reduce perfectionistic thinking. View the full conference programme.

At my previous school for many years the teachers wrote half-termly plans for all more able pupils, but this became too time-consuming and didn’t fit well with workload. However, we decided it did make sense to retain the plans for exceptionally able learners. So why was this, and what should be considered when using IEPs for exceptionally able learners? Here are some points to consider:

Look beyond labels: focus on the individual

If we think of exceptionally able students as those attaining significantly above their peers and being perhaps in the top 3-5% nationally then it provides a starting point. We need to be mindful of early labelling, of course, and indeed any form of labelling. We are dealing with an individual here. The point is we recognise extra provision, enrichment or approaches are needed. 

Establish key aims and priorities

Having what I call the “game plan” is crucial. A plan could not list all the activities and nor should it, but it needs to establish the aims of the next half term or so in a broad sense. Is it to develop paired work? Is it to develop resilience? Or is there a specific curriculum focus such as cross-curricular writing? It may be all of these things but what is the priority? Knowing the priority helps take a little pressure off the teacher who may feel they have to achieve “everything” with this “amazing” pupil. It also helps when talking to parents and carers about what is being worked on.

Consider social, emotional and learning mindset needs

In creating a plan, the social and emotional aspects must be considered. There is a danger of isolation in both learning and socialising for the exceptionally able pupil. How well do they work in a group? How do they relate to others? This could be a priority. 

Growth mindset can also be a consideration in writing an IEP. If the student is always succeeding, what happens when they fail? Do they go into their comfort zone and only attempt what is easily achievable? This led to a school with very high attainment giving their sixth form students problems that were unsolvable – not to trick them but to explore failure and the response to it. These wider learning elements and dispositions should be considered in IEPs for exceptionally able students.

Allow time and space for exploration

The IEP will also need to consider particular curriculum strengths. Where a learner’s knowledge is already significantly above their peers, thought needs to be given to how much the learning goes upwards or sideways. It is vital to ensure the student applies their learning. They need to create: books, blogs, vlogs, models and maps, and even a museum for the budding historians. This will need time and the IEP must reflect this. When do they get to take their passion and interest further? By the way, early years can teach everyone about that!

Takeaways…

So, what are my takeaways? Thinking through the game plan for the half-term helps everyone – including the student and parents/carers who should be involved – know where they are going. It gives purpose, intent and direction. The More Able Lead may also be involved as a mentor to help ensure the plan does not get lost in the busy life of a school. Most importantly, the IEP is a map of possibility and a source of celebration when progress is made. Who wouldn’t want that for their exceptionally able students? 

Member view

“I found Dr Watson to be extremely helpful around my concerns about an exceptionally able pupil who has just entered our Reception class. First and foremost, he allayed our concerns that we were providing a suitable curriculum for him by reminding us that more than anything it was important for the child to be happy, healthy and enjoying his learning. He encouraged us to consider following the child's individual interests and to create a flow of broad experiences to challenge and deepen learning. We also valued his suggestions to provide lots of creative experiences such as making books, maps and models. In terms of numeracy, the pupil is already confident is using numbers to 1,000 and Dr Watson suggested resources such as NRICH or Rising Stars Maths for More Able to provide sufficient challenge. The child has a reading age of 11 years and we were concerned about taking him on too quickly through reading schemes. Dr Watson helpfully suggested to consider using poetry or resources such as 'First News' to provide broader reading experiences.” - Paula Vaughan, Headteacher, Pendoylan Church in Wales Primary

Additional support

• Log in to the NACE members’ site and visit our leading on more able page for guidance on the use of individual education plans (IEPs) and an example IEP template to adapt for use in your school.
• For additional guidance on support for exceptionally able learners, and growth mindset, log in and visit the NACE Essentials page, where you can download our guides on these topics.
• For 1-2-1 support on a specific area of policy or practice for more able learners, book a free support call as part of our next “Ask NACE” day.

1. Encourage learners to explore and share their passions 

2. Draw on current events to develop independent thought and debate

3. Explore digital teaching and learning, together

4. Embrace the challenge: make it harder! 

5. Continue to strengthen links with parents and carers

“How has what is taught, how it is taught and assessed changed to take advantage of the widespread availability of data on demand?”

“Where in the school curriculum is this challenge addressed to ensure our youngsters have the skills to navigate the data landscape?”

“How can schools develop in the 2020s so that all our children have the skills to use the avalanche of data available on demand to stretch their imagination, creativity and learning?”

1. Humanity first and teaching first

2. Assess, but don’t add stress

3. Stay ambitious in teaching and learning

4. Continue to build on “lessons from lockdown”

5. Keep listening to students

This past month has been marked for me by the death of two major influencers on my thinking and life over 30 years. Lord Harry Renwick died from COVID-related complications and Sir Ken Robinson from cancer.

Harry was a past Chairman of the British Dyslexia Association, a lifelong passion, and an early supporter of the societal and economic good that computing could bring. He was generous to me with his time and opened many doors in parliament, but also outside. Importantly, he led me to the work of Thomas G West. I still have a signed copy of “In the Mind’s Eye” (first edition) on my shelf. I have been delighted to discover that there is a new edition now available.

Tom’s work in the USA on visual giftedness ought to be as influential and well-known as Howard Gardner’s books. His evidence on visual thinking and creativity in science and mathematics made sense of various anecdotes I had collected over the years but could not make coherent.

That is where the link with Sir Ken Robinson comes in. I did not know him well; we met five times over around 15 years, the last time being a decade ago. I would like to add my tribute to him and address a criticism of his thinking that has been raised in many of the otherwise warm obituaries and tributes to a life well-lived.

I followed Ken Robinson speaking at a conference around 1995. My advice to anyone who would listen was, “Do not accept an invitation to speak after Ken Robinson.” At that time the usual reaction was, “Who is he?” I don’t think there is anyone connected with education now – since his famous TED lecture "Do schools kill creativity?" – who would ask that. He was a brilliant communicator, of that there is no doubt, but I want to pay tribute to him outside the podium.

He was as engaging and fun away from the speaker platform as he was on it. He was an avid networker who loved to connect people who he thought would find each other stimulating company. His network of contacts was truly global. An educator I much admire, Richard Gerver, who was mentored by Sir Ken, has written a very personal tribute here. It is well worth a read.

1999 was the 40^th anniversary of a famous speech by C P Snow, “The Two Cultures”. I gave a talk at a conference on the “Renaissance of Learning”. After leaving the platform Ken came up to me. He wanted to talk about one slide. I had argued that there was a false dichotomy in education policy in the UK but also internationally, that the arts were creative, and engineering was a discipline. Drawing on C P Snow’s ideas I suggested that you could not be a great engineer if you were not creative or a good artist without discipline. I had given examples of “seeing” the mathematics as an aesthetic experience. Ken wanted the reference, which was to Tom West’s work. His advice to me was simple: “Keep saying it, one day they’ll listen.”

Over the years I have been contacted by people around the world on email or social media, where the opening line has been: “I met Sir Ken at a conference and he suggested I look you up. He said you’d been thinking about this for years.”

None of the exchanges that followed have ever been with timewasters. I think the last was around five years ago, five years after we last spoke. He used his global celebrity status to bring like minds together. He was far humbler and more cautious than the public speaker image may project.

The criticism I want to address is this: that he did not appreciate creativity in science and maths. In my opinion, for what it’s worth, he avoided the celebrity status trap of pontificating on things that he had little mastery of. I think he was right to do so.

Of course, he was a passionate about the arts, but he had a genuine interest in creativity in all its forms. The people he pointed in my direction were engaging with his ideas in physics, chemistry, mathematics and many more disciplines.

He will be much missed as an inspiration, but he has left a legacy of a life lived well.

If you are passionate about creativity in education, I can pay no finer tribute to Sir Ken than his own words to me: “Keep saying it, one day they’ll listen.”

About the author

NACE patron Dr Chris Yapp is an independent consultant specialising in innovation and future thinking. He has 30 years’ experience in the ICT industry, with a specialisation in the strategic impact of ICT on the public sector, creative industries, digital inclusion and social enterprises. With a longstanding interest in the future of education, he has written and lectured extensively on the challenges of personalised learning, lifelong learning, educational transformation and the knowledge economy.

Join Chris at this year’s NACE Leadership Conference (16-20 November) for a session exploring the use of learning technologies to extend and enrich learning.
View the conference programme.

1. Take “accelerated learning” seriously – but don’t use it as “cramming”.

2. Be bold with remote learning – “homework” could be transformed.

3. “Humanity first” – but that doesn’t necessarily mean “teaching second”.

Join the conversation: NACE member meetup, 10 September 2020

Join the conversation: NACE member meetup, 15 September 2020

1. Do: focus on rebuilding relationships

2. Do: provide opportunities for reflection and rediscovery

3. Do: use positive language

4. Do: find out where your pupils are

5. Don’t: overlook the more able

6. Don’t: narrow your curriculum

7. Do: focus on building learners’ confidence

8. Do: review your writing plan for the year

9. Do: review and adapt teaching and learning methods

10. Do: remain optimistic and ambitious

Join the conversation: NACE member meetup, 15 September 2020

Recovery: words matter

Reassurance: mapping the learning journey

Remarkable students

Summary

Further reading:

The fallout from A-level and GCSE results will be uncomfortable for government and upsetting and challenging for teachers and students alike. Arguments over whether this year’s results are robust and fair miss one key issue.

Put simply: "Has the exam system in England ever been robust and fair for individual pupils?"

For those of us who did well in exams and whose children also did well, it is too easy to be confident. Accepting that our success and others’ failure is a systemic problem, not a result of competence and capability, is not easy.

Let me be clear: I do not have confidence in the exam system in England as a measure either of success or capability. 

[…] Try this as a thought experiment. Imagine that I gave an exam paper submission to 100 examiners. Let me assume that it "objectively" is a C grade.

Would all 100 examiners give it a C? If not, what is the spread? Is the spread the same for English literature, physics and geography, as just three examples? If you cannot provide clear evidenced answers to these questions, how can you be confident that the system is objective?

If we look at the examiners, the same challenge appears. Are all examiners equally consistent in their marking, or do some tend to mark up or down? Where is the evidence, reviewed and published to demonstrate robustness?

We also know that the month you are born still has an effect on GCSE grades. What is robust about that?

[…] I have known children who have missed out on grades after divorce, separation and death of parents, siblings and pets. I cannot objectively give a measure of the impact, but then neither can the exam system. I would add that I suspect a classmate of mine missed out because of hayfever. Children with health issues such as leukaemia and asthma whose schooling is disrupted have had their grades affected every year, not just this one.

So, the high stakes exam system is, for me, a winner-takes-all loaded gun embedding inequality and privilege in the outcomes.

Can we do better? Well, if we want to use exams, then each paper needs to be marked by say five independent assessors. If they all agree on a "B" then that is a measure of confidence. This is often a model used for assessing loans, grants and investments in businesses. It does not guarantee success of course, but what it does is reduce reliance on potentially biased individuals. If I was an examiner and woke up today in a foul mood, would I mark a paper the same today as yesterday? I would not bet on it.

The really interesting cases in my experience are where you get 2As, a C and 2Ds, for instance. In my experience, I've seen it more often in "creative subjects", but some non-traditional thinkers in subjects like mathematics (a highly creative discipline, by the way) often don't fit the narrow models of assessment of our exam system. The problem with this example of bringing people together to try get a consensus on a "B" is that it eliminates the value that comes from the diverse views and the richness of the different perceptions.

So, for me, for a system to be robust it has to have more than one measure to allow the individual, parents, universities, FE and employers access to a richer view of an individual. If someone got an ABBCD in English that is as interesting as someone who got straight Bs. 

[…] There are already models that command respect in grading skill levels. Parents are quite happy if a child is doing grade 6 piano and grade 2 flute at the same time. They are quite happy for a child to sit when ready and have the chance to resit. Yet in the school setting the pressure is there for a child to be at level 8 say for all subjects. That puts unnecessary pressure on pupils, teachers and schools.

Imagine how society would react if you could only take the driving test once at 17 and barriers were raised to stop you retaking it.

[…] This year’s bizarre algorithmic system is not robust, but then we have never had a robust system as far as I am concerned. Let's open our eyes and build something that we should have more confidence in. Carpe diem.

Join the discussion: share your views in the comments below (member login required).

1. What has worked well?

2. How can curriculum and lesson plans be adapted?

3. How can we involve pupils as partners in digital learning development?

4. Are there opportunities to work with parents more effectively?

5. What are the digital skills that teachers now need to develop?

6. Do we now want to revisit our vision and policy?

7. How do we plan for continuous improvement?

Coming soon: new guidance on digital learning and the NACE Challenge Framework