While critics paint explicit teaching as boring or uninspiring, the truth is that its structure, pace, and design motivate kids better than any other system. Here is my first post in a series about motivation. This one is about: momentum and perky pace educationrickshaw.com/2025/07/01/dir…

Far too often educators are told to motivate students through games, flashy lessons & flashy group projects. However, IMO careful sequencing of lessons & providing scaffolds so that all students can succeed are the most crucial things you can do for student motivation.

This is so fascinating! Important longitudinal study on Key Stage 2 results and earnings. A MUST READ - Higher KS2 attainment is associated with higher lifetime earnings - Higher scores in Maths impact earnings more than English - Benefits from doing better in KS2 English

🎉 Steplab Summer Reads – Book #1 Win Responsive Coaching by Josh Goodrich - plus a Steplab bundle (mug, pen & notepad)! Josh is Steplab CEO & former teacher/leader with deep coaching expertise. To enter: 1️⃣ Follow 2️⃣ Like 3️⃣ Share 📘 Winner announced on Friday!

The #2 rule of teaching: all children benefit from being taught in ways that disproportionately benefit those with special needs open.substack.com/pub/daviddidau…

Yes, yes, a million times yes. You can teach brilliant lessons day after day, but without a formal and sustained programme of retrieval practice, your students will forget everything you say.

Between 2022 and 2025, I have the privilege of visiting 2 to 3 schools each week, observing over 100 lessons a month. I have written up everything I learned in 16 books.

New study: Retrieval practice doesn’t just boost memory, it helps learners notice when knowledge matters, making transfer more likely. Key takeaway: ➡️ Instead of only testing “What is X?”, also ask “Which situation best illustrates X?” or “Where would this apply?” ➡️ Teachers

What really makes the difference in teaching? Recent research has highlighted six universal challenges at the heart of great teaching — and how effective PD helps teachers and leaders address them. 📩 Read our latest newsletter, for practical insights: linkedin.com/pulse/what-wev…

A new case every day 🕵🏻‍♂️ How parents want teachers to react to a missing jumper:

It's been fantastic to welcome educators from around the country to our Reach Out School visit day today. It's great to collaborate and share best practice. Find out more about what we do in this recent blog by Co-headteacher of Reach Academy Hanworth Park Louis Everett.

The longer I've worked in education, the more apparent it's become: simple, consistent routines, applied with love, regular recognition & praise for getting it right &, when necessary, predictable consequences for not following the rules, has the greatest positive impact overall.

The single most important word in the science of learning: "automaticity" - the ability to carry out basic skills effortlessly without conscious thought. Without automaticity, you have to consciously think about every low-level action, which overloads your working memory and

My exact thoughts when I saw the news earlier.

All I hear when I listen to Bridget Phillipson’s speeches is that ultimately schools need to do more with less. There’s no real plan or funding just words that sound good when stood behind a lectern.

Inclusion is everyone’s responsibility. The EEF’s ‘5-a-day’ principles for supporting students with SEND aren’t just good for some — they’re good for all students.

The intensity of working in education at the minute is another level. The idea that we can keep cutting back as the level of need continues to increase is pretty unnerving.

The new EEF guidance report on metacognition 💡👇 educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evid…

The I–We–You model works because it matches how the brain actually learns. I → reduces cognitive load with clear modelling We → builds strong mental models through guided practice You → only then do students work independently with confidence It’s not hand-holding. It’s