The second inquiry of the Teaching Commission is looking at how the profession can be engaged in developing and implementing the revised national curriculum so that the professionalism and agency of teachers can be strengthened. It will also seek to identify the resources needed to ensure the new curriculum is taught by teachers who are suitably prepared and qualified to fulfil the goals of the revised national curriculum.
This online roundtable will discuss teacher CPD and agency through the lens of the Curriculum and Assessment Review. This session will be hosted by commissioners Adam Kohlbeck FCCT and Sam Gibbs. It will take place on Thursday 23rd April, 4-5pm.
This roundtable will explore how the Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR) can exercise teachers’ professional judgement as it is implemented, drawing on lessons learnt around teachers autonomy from previous reforms. We will consider the role of classroom teachers in shaping and enacting curriculum and assessment within the CAR, emphasising the importance of teacher agency.
We will question what schools may need to do differently to enable their teachers to exercise their professional judgement in a thriving environment. We will close by asking what practical advice could be given to the Teaching Commission on how schools can implement the CAR in ways that enhance the professionalism of teaching.
Hosts:
Sam Gibbs was an English teacher and leader in secondary schools in West Yorkshire for twelve years. She is now Trust Curriculum and Development Lead at Greater Manchester Education Trust, with responsibility for professional learning, teaching and the curriculum across secondary and primary schools.
Sam is passionate about teacher education and has worked with schools across the country on CPD design and delivery. She is Deputy Chair of the Trust Wide CPD Leaders Forum, a free national network which advocates for collaboration and professional generosity to drive system-led improvement.
She is a regular speaker at national events, member of a number of advisory boards and writes often for education publications. Sam is co-author of The Trouble With English and How to Address It: A Practical Guide to Designing and Delivering a Concept-Led Curriculum (Routledge: 2022) and the forthcoming Love The One You’re With: Why Teachers Stay and What We Can Learn from Them (John Catt: 2025).
Sam holds two Masters Degrees and the National Professional Qualification in Executive Leadership.
Adam Kohlbeck FCCT is the Director of Teacher Quality at Chiltern Learning Trust. Adam has spent 16 years teaching and leading in schools across London and has a proven track record of delivering outstanding improvements in teaching through developing teacher
decision making. He holds Chartered Teacher status from the Chartered College of Teaching, where he is also a fellow. Adam’s other qualifications include a Master’s Degree in educational leadership and several internationally recognised coaching qualifications as well as currently studying for a PhD. Adam is also a Chartered College council member, sits on the Teaching Commission and was a finalist in the 2025 National Teacher of the Year awards. Away from his main role, Adam has authored two education books with more to come in 2026. He also founded the award-winning education community, EduPulse in 2023 and runs both the EduPulse and Coaching Unpacked podcasts.
Please complete this form by Thursday 16th April. We will be in touch about the outcome and provide the questions for the roundtable and joining instructions by Monday 27th April at the latest.