I’ve updated my visual guide to the OfSTED grade descriptors in line with the September 2021 publication. You can download them below free of charge, but if you would have been prepared to pay for this unique resource, please consider making a small donation to The David Nott Foundation (via my Just Giving page) to… Continue reading Updated for Sept 21 – A Visual Guide to the OfSTED grade descriptors
Blog
How are you today?
A simple tool to measure how much energy, capacity, and enthusiasm you have and open a dialogue about what you need. Whilst I was spinning the learning and working at home plates, I’d often come up with ideas about what I would do to support my Year 4 daughter’s learning. My daughter loves learning, is… Continue reading How are you today?
Are you achieving everything you want for your remote learners?
As we approach half term, now might be a good time to reflect on your remote learning offer. Here are a few simple yet powerful questions to help you do just that. Anybody who has ever worked with me will know that I am a big fan of Simon Sinek’s ‘Golden Circle’ model. It is… Continue reading Are you achieving everything you want for your remote learners?
Encouraging your young scientists to notice the world around them
The Art of Noticing – a simple, effective way to get your young scientists observing. The Art of Noticing is simply about noticing the things that catch your eye, and talking/writing about them. You can do it anytime, anyplace, anywhere – it’s free and doesn’t need any resources other than a piece of paper and… Continue reading Encouraging your young scientists to notice the world around them
4 on 4
Young teachers often ask me how I know so much stuff. I tell them that I’ve been working in education for a pretty long time now. Whilst this is true, anyone who has sat in a room with me for more than half an hour, will also know that I love BBC Radio 4 and… Continue reading 4 on 4
My favourite books for using to teach primary science
I’m often asked for recommendations for books to help teachers with science. Here I’ve created a document for you to download with a few of my favourites that are great for ideas, subject knowledge or to have in the classroom for children to read.
A Visual Guide to the New OfSTED Framework – now updated to include both Outstanding & Good descriptors for Primary and Secondary
UPDATE: Due to popular demand, I have created my visual guides to OfSTED for Outstanding and Good in Primary, and Outstanding and Good in Secondary. For those of you who are expecting OfSTED, or who just want to get your heads around the new OfSTED framework, I’ve produced a visual guide of the ‘Good’ grade… Continue reading A Visual Guide to the New OfSTED Framework – now updated to include both Outstanding & Good descriptors for Primary and Secondary
11 things I learnt from listening to Mary Myatt
Earlier on this term I had the pleasure of attending a conference to listen to the rather marvellous Mary Myatt. Not only does she have concise, pertinent and incisive things to say about education, she is easy to listen to and has a fab style. Oh, and lest I forget, she loves the Archers…we did… Continue reading 11 things I learnt from listening to Mary Myatt
Daffodils – the simple joy of observing over time
The primary science National Curriculum says that children should ‘develop their understanding of scientific ideas by using different types of scientific enquiry to answer their own questions, including observing changes over a period of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative tests, and finding things out using secondary sources of information.’… Continue reading Daffodils – the simple joy of observing over time
What if…
Those of us who find it easy to access the creative sides of our brains often use that creativity for positive ends, but sometimes we can turn those talents to worry and anxiety. For example, a recent leak in the roof of my house started out in my mind as… – Oooh, that roof doesn’t… Continue reading What if…
Teaching from the Heart 