Thinking Deeply about Primary Education

Episode 192: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I’m joined by Lloyd Williams Jones as we discuss effective school leadership over the short, medium and long term. We explore:  When taking on a leadership role, what should be the priority for your first 100 days in post? Namely, how should we approach our new responsibilities to give us the best chance of success? You’ve been in...

Episode 191: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I’m joined by Matt Stone for the second of two episodes where we explore the purpose of coaching and how we can get the most from this powerful approach to teacher professional development. We explore:  How do we (as coaches) build professional vision? What advice do you have for anyone who is keen to become a coach but doesn’t kno...

Episode 190: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I’m joined by Matt Stone for the first of two episodes where we explore the purpose of coaching and how we can get the most from this powerful approach to teacher professional development. We explore:  What are your guiding principles for coaching?  Some research suggests that teachers tend to describe classroom events in naive and...

Episode 189: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I’m joined by Chris Such and Neil Almond as we explore ‘phonics of maths’ and what this might entail for teachers and leaders alike.  We explore:  What do we think is meant by 'phonics for maths'?   Is this an apt analogy? Is it a productive one? What do you think phonics for maths should include? And in what year groups? P...

Episode 188: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Chris Such and Neil Almond for another round of answering unseen questions from listeners. Including... What is the best use of 1:1 reading time?  What is the best research paper to use to kick-off a primary maths PLC? What advancements do you expect in the way schools/teachers will use AI next year?  What are the...

Episode 187: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Kerry Conlon, Dina Khader and Richard Brashier for a live panel and an exploration of... Can all pupils attain well in mathematics?  Does 'greater depth exist' and, if so, what is it? What gives you hope for the future of mathematics education?  Bringing together inspirational teachers, we answer each of t...

Episode 186: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Curriculum and Professional Learning Lead, Anna Hackett, guides us through an exploration of the relationship between curriculum and professional development. We explore Anna's experience in developing and implementing curricula, discuss methods for incorporating teacher and student feedback, and delve into strategies for suppo...

Episode 185: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education I'm joined by Stuart Welsh (@maths180) as we explore the process of choosing a new mathematics curriculum, when it is appropriate and what we should be thinking about throughout the process. As part of the chat we discuss... What is a curriculum? Is it ever it appropriate to change curricula? What should we look at when we asses...

Episode 184: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education Adam Smith, Tom Oakley, Sebastian Donath and Chris Such join me for a truly fascinating exploration of how and why we should aim to take control of our own professional development. Previously only available via Ko-Fi, this episode was recorded in December 2022 as part of the 12-hour stream for Velindre Cancer Centre but it has aged...

Episode 183: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education Neil Almond joins me for a fascinating exploration of (the teaching and learning of) handwriting. Based on his upcoming chapter in the researchED Guide to Primary Literacy, we delve into the research in this field and what this means for us in the classroom. As part of the chat we discuss... Is handwriting important? What was the mo...

Episode 182: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education  I'm joined by CEO of the Aquinas Multi-Academy Trust, Kathy Griffiths, for a thorough exploration of effective leadership and her experience of over a decade in executive leadership. As part of the chat we discuss... What role does the CEO of a multi-academy trust perform and is it consistent across trusts? What do you enjoy mo...

Episode 181: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education  I'm joined by Nick Pointer for a thorough exploration of effective teacher professional development. As part of the chat we discuss... Your work revolves around supporting school leaders to think hard about teacher professional development - have you seen a shift in the sector in how we approach CPD over the past few years? You...

Episode 180: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education  I'm joined by Stuart Welsh for a truly fascinating exploration of fractions. As part of the chat we discuss... 1. Why is knowledge of fractions so important? 2. ⁠Why is knowledge of fractions so difficult for children to acquire? 3. ⁠Where can things go wrong with fractions in the classroom? 4. What can we do, as teachers, to e...

Episode 179: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I (Kieran Mackle) explore the fascinating world of number bonds in the second, audio-lecture episode of the podcast. Featuring... Systematic structuring Explicit diagnostic tracking Practical advice for the classroom Evidence-informed decision making ...and much, much more. Let us know if you enjoyed this episode format in the comm...

Episode 178: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education  I'm joined by Rachel Ball and Alex Fairlamb for a truly fascinating exploration of scaffolding in the classroom. As part of the chat we discuss... What is scaffolding/what is scaffolding not?  What are some of the pitfalls that teachers can fall into when trying to implement scaffolding? How can we establish scaffolding as an e...

Episode 177: Join us for this enlightening episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education  as we dive into the world of numbers and equations with Samantha Patterson, a primary mathematics expert from North East England. Samantha brings her extensive experience and passion for education to the table, discussing the pivotal role of high-quality mathematics education in shaping young minds. As p...

Episode 176: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, the inimitable Richard Selfridge joins me for an exploration of the use of student data and how teachers can (and should) use student data in a ways that are cost-effective (currency = time) and impactful in the classroom. As part of the chat we discuss... The misuse of data (common errors/misconceptions) How data can (and should)...

Episode 175: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Jon Kay (Head of Evidence Synthesis and International at the Education Endowment Foundation) joins me for an exploration of evidence synthesis and the ways teachers can put evidence to work for them in the classroom. As part of the chat we discuss... How the EEF evaluates the quality of research How teachers can navigate the huge b...

Episode 174: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I am honoured to be joined by linguist, author and and all-round inspirational educator, Lyn Stone and Chris Such for a sensational, action packed exploration of spelling. As part of the chat we discuss... The English writing system Morphology Spelling patterns ...and much, much more. Tickets for Lyn's workshop in Leicester: ht...

Episode 173: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Neil Almond takes us through the fascinating world of reading comprehension in the first, audio-lecture episode of the podcast. Featuring... Research analysis A thorough exploration of the key elements of Scarborough's "Reading Rope" Practical advice for the classroom ...and much, much more. Let us know if you enjoyed...

Episode 172: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Shannen Doherty and Neil Almond for a round of unseen questions from listeners with huge connotations for our practice in the primary classroom. As part of the chat we discuss... Subject knowledge professional development - the how, the what, the WHEN!?!? NPQs and Masters - which, when and why? Helping pupils (in...

Episode 171: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Shannen Doherty and Jim Brassil (@brassil88) for an exploration of effective modelling in the primary classroom. As part of the chat we discuss... What modelling is (for the purposes of this episode) Shannen and Jim's guiding principles for effective modelling How to navigate the gradual release of responsibil...

Episode 170: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Lloyd Williams Jones for an exploration of how we can establish a belief in the academic potential of all pupils. As part of the chat we discuss... What a belief in the academic potential of all pupils means How we can create the conditions for all pupils to achieve well How we can approach getting pupils to belie...

Episode 169: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Stuart Welsh for an exploration of responsive teaching, the principles, the strategies and what this might look like in the classroom. If you enjoy this episode, please support us by subscribing to our YouTube channel, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, or making a donation via www.ko-fi.com/tdape.  If you have a...

Episode 168: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Stephen Lockyer and Christopher Such for an exploration of how lessons we might learn outside of education can play a role in our schools and our classrooms. As part of the chat we discuss... The joy of teaching Leadership Ofsted ...and much, much more. If you enjoy this episode, please support us by subscribing t...