This article has been published as part of the Rethinking Curriculum project, kindly funded by The Helen Hamlyn Trust. Dr Emma Webster, Assistant Head of School, Prendergast Primary School Context We are a relatively new primary school, established in 2014 in South East London. From the outset, we knew we needed […]
We live in times of accumulating crises. We are experiencing crises of democracy, inequality, energy, climate and pollution. This is a time for critically re-examining how we understand, frame and shape educational thinking – a time for repurposing and reimagining the role and work of teachers and leaders in the hopeful project of education. It […]
LAUREN KEARNEY, SENIOR PRODUCT DEVELOPER, ENGLISH SPEAKING BOARD (INTERNATIONAL) LTD, UK Introduction If we accept that ‘reading and writing float on a sea of talk’ (Britton, 1970, p. 164), then it is remarkable that learners’ speaking and listening skills are not systematically developed with the same explicit focus as reading and writing. The Oracy Education Commission […]
HEATHER PENNINGTON AND ALYSON LEWIS, CARDIFF LEARNING AND TEACHING ACADEMY, CARDIFF UNIVERSITY, UK Introduction Professional learning is essential for teaching professionalism, as it fosters reflection, collaboration and continuous improvement in everyday practice (Salo et al., 2024; Darling-Hammond et al., 2017). While facilitators of professional learning are often adept at encouraging these practices in others, they must […]
EMILY RANKEN, ALICE BRADBURY, DOMINIC WYSE AND YANA MANYUKHINA HELEN HAMLYN CENTRE FOR PEDAGOGY, UK The project The Rethinking Curriculum project (RC) aims to equip teachers and school leaders with the knowledge to plan and implement curriculum development in a way that will be sustained and impactful, with all pupils having access to an expansive, […]
LORNA GARDINER, INDEPENDENT EDUCATION FACILITATOR; LEAD CONSULTANT, THINKING MATTERS, UK Introduction It is widely recognised that young people need to develop the critical and creative thinking skills and dispositions necessary to thrive in the challenging context of the 21st century (OECD, 2018; NFER, 2025). Driven by a desire to ‘futureproof’ their learners, some schools become recognised […]
HELEN WAKEFIELD, SENIOR DEPUTY HEADTEACHER, ASHBY SCHOOL, LIFE MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST, UK JUDE MELLOR, HEADTEACHER, ASHBY SCHOOL, LIFE MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST, UK Introduction The transition gap and the resultant loss in learning have long been recognised as students move from primary to secondary learning (Bharara, 2019; Busch, 2017). In a setting also experiencing age range change, through the addition […]
MARK LESWELL, RESEARCH LEAD, SWALE ACADEMIES TRUST, UK This article explores research-informed approaches to implementing productive challenge in schools, distinguishing between helpful cognitive struggle and counterproductive difficulty. It offers practical strategies for educators to calibrate appropriate levels of challenge while avoiding working memory overload, and addresses common misconceptions about what constitutes effective challenge. Understanding challenge: Research […]
AMARBEER SINGH GILL, AMBITION INSTITUTE & GREENSHAW RESEARCH SCHOOL, UK NICK POINTER, AMBITION INSTITUTE, UK Introduction In the past decade, there has been significant emphasis on curriculum in UK schooling (Allen et al., 2021). Prior to this, research suggested that curriculum thinking had been under-prioritised in favour of generic approaches to teaching and learning (e.g. Ofsted, 2019a) […]
CHRISTOPHER TAY, VISITING LECTURER IN ITE, UNIVERSITY OF CHESTER, UK Exploring the direction of emerging government policy on curriculum, this article examines the challenges for teaching presented by the intentions set out in the interim report from the Curriculum and Assessment Review (DfE, 2025a), suggesting that the report’s affirmation of ‘powerful knowledge’ (PK) as a guiding […]
GEORGE DAVIES-CRAINE, HEAD OF GEOGRAPHY AND ECONOMICS, LANCASTER GIRLS’ GRAMMAR SCHOOL, UK The use of artificial intelligence (AI) within schools must adhere to the highest standards of ethical practice and data protection, as well as aligning with the Department for Education guidelines (DfE, 2025). When AI tools are used, they need to support and enhance education, […]
BETHANY HOWES (NÉE TAYLOR), SUBJECT DEVELOPMENT LEAD (SCIENCE), TEACH FIRST, UK Look at the conversation in Figure 1. Who is the expert and who is the novice? How can we tell and how can novices develop expertise? These questions shaped my master’s research and continue to inform my work as a teacher, curriculum leader and teacher […]
CAROLINE GODFREY, ASTON UNIVERSITY, BIRMINGHAM, UK Why curriculum metaphors are important and why they are important now Some readers may be surprised to encounter an evocation of the importance of metaphors in a journal dedicated to the work of practising teachers. Metaphors, however, have been found to hold enormous power when it comes to shaping our […]
EMMA LEWRY, EMMA LEWRY LTD, UK ELLEN PARKER, STOKE PRIMARY SCHOOL, UK Formal learning has become the dominant pedagogical approach in Key Stage 1 across England, prioritising early literacy and numeracy skills in a more structured setting. However, as cohorts of children evolve, shaped by changing societal, developmental and emotional contexts, so too must our approaches. This […]
DOMINIC WYSE, PROFESSOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD AND PRIMARY EDUCATION, UCL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION, UK; FOUNDING DIRECTOR, HELEN HAMLYN CENTRE FOR PEDAGOGY, UK CHARLOTTE HACKING, RESEARCH AND CURRICULUM LEAD, HERNE HILL SCHOOL, UK; TEACHER ENGAGEMENT LEAD, HELEN HAMLYN CENTRE FOR PEDAGOGY, UK The aim of this article is to describe a new theory of teaching, to reflect on […]
JAMES CLEMENTS, HEADMASTER OF FOREST PREPARATORY SCHOOL, FOREST SCHOOL, LONDON, UK Introduction We often talk about preparing pupils for the future. But in a world shaped by accelerating technological change, evolving career landscapes and complex social and environmental challenges, what does that really entail? The realities that our pupils will face are not fully knowable. In […]
STEPHEN CRINALL FCCT, HEAD OF SCHOOL, LALEHAM C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL, UK Introduction In the heart of a diverse and vibrant community surrounding London Heathrow, Bedfont Primary School has embarked on an innovative journey to develop and implement its own Primary School Baccalaureate. This initiative, accredited by the National Baccalaureate Trust, aims to foster a […]
JULIETTE CLARO, LECTURER IN EDUCATION, ST MARY’S UNIVERSITY, TWICKENHAM, UK CHARLOTTE RYLAND, QUEEN’S COLLEGE, OXFORD; STEPHEN SPENDER TRUST, UK The pipeline of linguists at higher education is drying up fast. Despite a slight increase in 2025 (Collen and Duff, 2025), languages entries at A-level and higher education remain low (British Academy, 2024). The announced closures of the […]
KYLE BAILEY, TEACHING SCHOOL HUB LEAD, BIRMINGHAM SOUTH; STAR ACADEMIES, UK PETE GANDON, HEAD OF PROGRAMMES, SOUTH AND WEST; NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TEACHING, UK ADELE FLETCHER, ITT TUTOR, SOUTH AND WEST; NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TEACHING, UK How long is a piece of string? Could this refrain be applied to teacher development when thinking about the content for teachers […]
FRANCESCA BISSET-MAHON, HEAD OF RELIGION, PHILOSOPHY & ETHICS, LYMM HIGH SCHOOL, UK In a world increasingly defined by division, misinformation and cultural polarisation, the need for a strong, inclusive religious studies (RS) curriculum is no longer just an educational concern – it’s a social imperative. While debates rage over history syllabi or maths attainment, we’re overlooking […]
