Since Mary Myatt and I began the HUH project just under a year ago, I have felt increasingly ignorant. I have come to realise that for the duration of my two secondary headships – a full 18 years – I…
This much I know about… Seven starting points for curriculum conversations between subject and senior leaders
What follows is an introduction to my Curriculum Masterclass on 6 January, part of Tom Sherrington’s Curriculum Masterclass series. You can book a ticket for the live event and/or access to the videos, here. As part of our HUH project,…
This much I know about…why the L7 Masters combined with Apprenticeship is a qualification of unique genius
My two favourite leadership gurus are Viviane Robinson and W. Edwards Deming. I use them in the same slide deck on the science of change. On this slide, the industrialist who was central to the emergence of Total Quality Management…
This much I know about…reaching the same age as my dad when he died
Uckfield Post Office, 1955Harry Tomsett, second row, centre My dad was a postman from the day he left school at the age of 14 until he died, 43 years later. I have written at length about him. His life story…
This much I know about…how to get better at using mini-whiteboards in your classroom
I like the notion of simplexity: making it is as simple as possible to complete a complex task. Teaching a class of 32 students on a wet, windy Thursday afternoon in November is incredibly complex; there are, however, a number…
This much I know about…the NCE Level 7 Apprenticeship Masters in Education Leadership & Management
We know that students’ outcomes depend upon the quality of teaching which, in turn, depends upon the quality of school leadership. As we emerge from the shadow of the pandemic and find all our students struggling to counter the impact…
This much I know about…when an A grade at A Level is not enough to teach for understanding
‘What stuff do you want your students to know, understand and be able to do if you have taught them a rich, challenging subject curriculum?’ This question is at the root of all our conversations in our new book Huh….
This much I know about…how senior leaders like me are often curriculum chocolate teapots
A question was bugging me: “How on earth can senior leaders support subject leaders with developing the curriculum in subjects beyond the senior leaders’ own subject specialisms?” Consequently, a few months ago I published this tweet: The response to the…
This much I know about…how nothing needs to matter too much
I turned 57 yesterday. It was no ordinary birthday. On the contrary, it was a landmark moment. I am now the same age as my Dad was when he died. When he was told he had weeks to live, Dad…
This much I know about…headteachers as guardians of a set of values
I am off to fresh woods and pastures new. I am in my eighteenth and final year as a secondary school headteacher. In September, for the first time in over three decades, I will not be a member of school…