Preparing for Ofsted
Rightly or wrongly, it is the word that fills so many teachers, leaders, and governors with dread. Ofsted. So how can we prepare for that inevitable call? In this article, I aim to use my own experiences to guide classroom…
How to utilise #EduTwitter
In the two years since joining Twitter, I have gained more subject knowledge and accessed more beneficial CPD than in the previous ten. There are huge numbers of teachers, support workers and educationalists on the platform. Many are very supportive,…
Tips for teaching a new class
The summer holidays are over too soon and September is now upon us. Where did it all go? The six weeks, which were craved and earnestly waited for by all connected within the school community, have come and gone…all in…
School’s out: marking the last day
Amidst all the upheavals caused by the pandemic, one that was particularly significant was the loss of the rituals to mark the last day of school. I remember the mood in my A level class the day after the news…
Finding the correct work-life balance
A healthy work-life balance − is it an impossible dream? For many years I would have said yes and, for many in education, it can certainly feel that way. Contacting parents, pressures from the inspectorate, deadlines to meet for your…
Top tips for boosting your students’ study skills
Hopefully the days of giving a class homework that simply states ‘Revise for your test’ are long gone. Students need explicit instruction in study skills just as much as they need it for their subject knowledge and it is something…
The teacher planner goes digital
Teacher life is a busy life. It can be, and often is, a stressful life. It’s a life where work very rarely stays confined to the school, but spills over into evenings, weekends, and holidays. Thankfully, many, many schools are…
7 top tips for teaching a new subject
There are many reasons to branch out into teaching different subjects: perhaps your school is introducing a new GCSE or A Level subject, perhaps you wish to increase your career opportunities, or maybe you are just looking for your next…
Teaching abroad: should I stay or should I go?
When we choose to go into secondary teaching, we don’t just choose a job, we choose a livelihood. A teacher’s day is far from the boundaries of four walls, a whiteboard and typically 45 minute lessons spent standing in front…
To be or not to be an examiner − that is the question
I must admit, my main motivation to sign up for becoming an examiner was financial as I needed some extra income to pay for my wedding dress. However I soon realised I would gain much more from the experience than…