Thinking Deeply about Primary Education

TDaPE London Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-thinking-deeply-about-primary-education-conference-london-tickets-1852637682179?aff=oddtdtcreator For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribeFor maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via support@alta-education.com Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Story of Maths⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview Episode 263: This week is a proper behind-the-scenes look at TDaPE London.I’m joined by Lacey Cousins and Natalie Stevenson from the Hawley and Eleanor Palmer Primary partnership, our host schools in Camden, to walk through the programme and talk honestly about how you choose sessions when everything looks brilliant on paper.We get into what makes a day like this genuinely useful: not just big names, but specific ideas you can take back on Monday. Retrieval practice that actually improves assessment in foundation subjects. Professional development that helps teachers make better in-the-moment decisions. Number sense and what it really means in classrooms. AI, character education, continuous provision, early writing foundations, culture-setting, games for fluency, and why problem solving still gets squeezed out even when everyone agrees it matters.We also talk about the underestimated magic of conferences: the corridor conversations, the “happy accident” of ending up in the wrong room, and how a single session can re-energise your whole January.Tickets are still on sale at the time of recording, lunch is sorted, the raffle is ready, and every speaker is giving their time to help us raise money for the Velindre Cancer Centre.

For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribeFor maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via support@alta-education.com Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Story of Maths⁠⁠⁠⁠ - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview Episode 262: In this episode of Thinking Deeply about AI for Schools, James Radburn and Neil Almond start by looking back at “Education Technology Trends to Watch in 2025” and ask what truly moved, what stayed theoretical, and why AI-driven personalised learning still hasn’t landed at scale. They dig into a crucial question: what do we even mean by “personalised”—better sequencing and timing of knowledge, or just swapping examples based on interests?Next, they run a fun (and revealing) experiment: asking multiple LLMs—ChatGPT, Grok, Claude, Gemini, DeepSeek—what they predict about AI in schools, from AI detection dying off to AI showing up more in policy than classroom practice.Then the hosts give their own six predictions for 2026, covering lots of possibilities for the next 12 months.A practical, slightly sceptical, educator-first episode about what’s next—and how schools can innovate without getting governed by AI instead.

For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribeFor maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via support@alta-education.com Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠The Story of Maths⁠⁠⁠ - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview Episode 261: What does your first year in headship really look like when you inherit a school in special measures, with an unstable leadership history, significant behaviour challenges, and the pressure of Ofsted hanging over every decision?In this episode of Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, Kieran Mackle is joined by Olivia Dempsey to unpack the tension every new head feels: make an instant impact to establish credibility… while also building prudent, sustainable systems that last beyond year one.Olivia shares what she prioritised first (and what she refused to rush), why behaviour became the lever that unlocked everything else, and how radical transparency—about the budget, the strategy, and the hard realities—helped rebuild trust with staff. She also speaks candidly about redundancies, the emotional toll of leadership, and why modern headship increasingly includes safeguarding, community support, and “whatever it takes” problem-solving.You’ll hear practical insights on:building staff trust through purposeful listeningbalancing quick wins with long-term strategyimproving behaviour to protect teaching and learningrecruiting and rebuilding teams under pressureleading in contexts of high vulnerability and povertywhy headship can’t be done well without community networksIf you’re a new headteacher, aspiring head, senior leader, or a teacher curious about school improvement in real conditions, this one will land.

For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribeFor maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via support@alta-education.com Learn more about ⁠⁠The Story of Maths⁠⁠ - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview Episode 260: In this episode, I’m joined by Hannah Carter, author of The Honest DSL, for a candid and thoughtful discussion about what the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead really involves beyond the statutory training and checklists.We explore the emotional weight of the role, the cumulative impact of safeguarding work over time, and the professional isolation that many DSLs quietly carry. Hannah reflects on why honesty matters in safeguarding conversations, how hypervigilance can bleed into everyday practice, and why the role often has a shelf life that schools are reluctant to acknowledge.This is not an episode about procedures or compliance. It is a conversation about responsibility, professional identity and what it means to hold safeguarding at the centre of school life while remaining human. Essential listening for DSLs, senior leaders and anyone who wants a more realistic understanding of the role.

For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribeFor maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via support@alta-education.com Learn more about ⁠The Story of Maths⁠ - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview Episode 259: What happens if you stop asking every teacher to plan in isolation, stop relying on heroic individuals, and build a genuinely shared planning system across an international school?In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Kieran is joined by Lewis Sargent and Matthew Lee from Wales International School in the UAE to dig into the nuts and bolts of collaborative planning, PLCs and teacher workload.Lewis and Matt describe how they have moved from uneven, individualised planning to a system where subject teams plan ten days ahead, quality assurance is built in, and every teacher has protected time to adapt high quality plans for their classes. They talk through what their professional learning communities actually do, how cross phase observation works in practice, and why everything they have put in place is grounded in theory rather than hunch.Across the conversation they explore:Why planning across the school was so variable when they arrived, and why they wanted a single planning vehicle everyone could useHow the new planning cycle works, including ten day lead time, subject leader checks and sharing plans with parents in advanceWhat their PLCs look like week to week, and why previous experiences of PLCs often left teachers coldThe concrete impact on teacher workload, confidence and the quality of lessonsThe challenges and unintended consequences of system change, including staff turnover, curriculum reform and supporting weaker teachersTheir advice for leaders who want to ringfence collaborative planning time without breaking timetables or budgetsIf you are thinking about centralised planning, shared schemes, or how to make professional learning less random and more coherent, this episode offers a detailed case study from a busy international school context.

For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribeFor maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via support@alta-education.com Learn more about The Story of Maths - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview Episode 258: Handwriting has quietly slipped into the shadows of reading and phonics, yet the new Writing Framework (July 2025) places it firmly back in view. It expects teachers to model good handwriting across the curriculum, not just in a weekly handwriting slot, and asks leaders to take responsibility for getting it right. But what does that actually look like in real classrooms, with real children and very real workload?In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Kieran is joined by handwriting specialist Nicky Parr to explore why handwriting still matters, how it connects to the new Writing Framework, and what schools can practically do for pupils who find writing physically and emotionally hard.Drawing on her experience as a teacher, a parent of a neurodivergent child, and a consultant working in schools, Nicky unpicks the hidden complexity of handwriting. She explains why it is not a simple “neat or messy” issue, but a demanding motor and cognitive skill that draws heavily on attention, posture, paper position, pen hold and practice habits. Along the way, she tackles common assumptions, including the idea that typing has made handwriting obsolete, and the quiet shame many adults carry about their own handwriting.Across the conversation they discuss:How Nicky’s journey with her son’s coordination and attention needs led her into specialist handwriting workWhy so many children become reluctant writers because handwriting is painful, effortful or a source of embarrassmentWhat the 2025 Writing Framework actually says about modelling handwriting and leadership responsibilityThe key things Nicky looks for when she walks into a classroom: pen grip, paper and book position, posture, use of lines and the children who are quietly hidingWhy we have “pitched handwriting and typing against each other” and what a more balanced, research-informed view looks likeHow schools can build simple, sustainable routines that support handwriting without overwhelming staffIf you are a literacy lead, class teacher or school leader wondering how to respond to the new Writing Framework, or you have a nagging sense that handwriting is holding some pupils back from showing what they can do, this episode offers both reassurance and clear next steps.

Dr. Robert Sharples, an academic and co-founder of Heddle, specializes in English as an Additional Language (EAL) systems. He discusses the need for a whole-school approach to support multilingual learners, emphasizing that effective EAL strategies must involve everyone, not just the loudest voices. Robert shares insights on creating practical frameworks for teachers, enhancing EAL provision, and the importance of participation in learning. He also touches on using AI tools thoughtfully and strategies for improving school admissions and support for newcomers.

Explore the bold concept of Alpha School, an AI-driven educational model with a unique two-hour academic framework. The hosts dive into their initial skepticism and curiosity about its claims and the science behind its pedagogy. They discuss the role of technology in personalizing learning and the importance of motivation in student outcomes. Thought-provoking questions about the ethics of AI in education and proven teaching practices take center stage. Tune in for insights on the future of education shaped by technology!

Learning to count involves much more than reciting numbers. Kieran dives into the complexities of counting, from innate abilities to formal skills. He contrasts animal quantity responses with human memory, introducing subitising as a vital bridge to arithmetic. Exploring foundational concepts like the stable order principle and one-to-one correspondence, he emphasizes the importance of counting layouts and diverse learner support. Discover why some students struggle despite knowing number sequences and how effective teaching can make all the difference.

In this conversation, Adam Kohlbeck, an experienced deputy leader and co-founder of EduPulse, teams up with Chris Passey, a senior school leader and author. They delve into the transition from teacher to deputy head, exploring the challenges of maintaining classroom influence and the significance of relational leadership. Guest insights include the importance of vulnerability, setting boundaries, and fostering a thriving culture within schools. They discuss their forthcoming book, emphasizing the diverse paths to deputy headship and preparing for future leadership roles.