Category Archives: edfest

In a repeat of last year, I went to the Festival of Education with my friend and colleague, Tut. To say that Tut was on one this year would be something of an understatement: I put this down to her … Continue reading →

Gary Wilson is speaking about breaking through barriers to boys’ achievement. I’m late. I hear that boys start the stray from education in around year 8. In 1993 he started to work with the parents. There was an 18% achievement … Continue reading →

These four are debating what children should learn for the future, chaired by Alice Thompson. Katie begins. She has advice. Completely reverse our current trend by leaving behind those who are not worth the effort. Social mobility upsets her deeply. … Continue reading →

Geoff is speaking on the habits of the word rich. He’s basing it on a book called the Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, who says that 40% of our daily actions are habits! because the brain is constantly looking … Continue reading →

Rod Bristow is the head of Pearson and is talking about their new approach to developing assessment, which they have dubbed “The Path to Efficacy”. How can we have a measurable, positive impact on learner lives? The importance of measurement … Continue reading →

I have been looking forward to hearing Sarah speak about the teenage brain ever since hearing her at TLAB in March: even though I think much of what she says will be a repeat, I do think I bears repeating. … Continue reading →

I was sorry I missed Adonis last year, so pleased to have made it for this year’s talk on “Where next?” Back in the mid 1990s with the first national key stage 2 tests, there was a big sense of … Continue reading →

Seventy five minutes late, and looking hot and bothered. Did he ever expect to be education secretary? No. He never expected to go into politics, but was treated to a call to arms by David Cameron as a journalist critical … Continue reading →

Jeremy Swinson is speaking to a packed room about his research on reducing low level disruption, specifically the relationship between teacher verbal feedback and pupil engagement. His research showed that there were small variations between urban and rural schools; wider … Continue reading →

I come late to the panel about breaking down the Berlin Wall between private and state education, in times to hear James O’Shaughnessy suggest that non-pupil-premium parents might want to donate a similar amount of funding (£1300) to their child’s … Continue reading →