There's a lot of talk about the curriculum, but at the critical moment when students are choosing their post-16 courses, its importance easily gets lost. Here's why we need to make sure it's central to their decision-making. theconversation.com/too-many-stu... @theconversation.com

In a newly published paper, I show that it is possible to reliably measure students' post-16 curricular interests & that these interests are consequential to their future academic success. This is about operationalising subject curiosity & passion in new ways. tinyurl.com/42jfvran

Let no one have any doubts, the Royal Family would have known exactly what Andrew was doing on the Balmoral Estate. Indeed, also who Andrew's friends were and what his proclivities were. It is impossible they were not aware. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c3...

My latest article now published, exploring the importance of subject-specific interests in post-16 course choices - a neglected area of guidance. Rethinking post-16 course choice: developing a tool to measure curricular interest and support learner progression www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Too much educational research is reductive, viewing education solely through the lens of outputs, defined by the capitalist state as a means to regulate the employment market (while giving the lie to meritocracy). In fact, the blackbox of learning is largely ignored.

I recently heard campaigner @natashadevon.bsky.social in conversation with @zackpolanski.bsky.social discuss changes in education & curriculum. Natasha described asking pupils in a prep school for their opinions, explaining there was no right or wrong answer, but there had been silence.

Our important study on how CfW is supporting equity and inclusion has been published by the Welsh Government. The research highlights the EI work being done across Welsh schools, the challenges they face & key tensions which will need to overcome. www.gov.wales/equity-and-i...

It's one thing to measure grit or growth mindset in psychological studies, another to operationalise insights that actually benefit individuals in the complex contexts of their lives. www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/202...

I went to the supermarket on my bike this morning. As I was leaving a group of 3 teenage boys, I approached: Excuse me, sir, would you like an ice-cream? We bought a box of 4 and have 1 over." We need to worry about misogyny & violence influencing boys. But let's never be quick to judge either.

In business, parties seek maximum advantage with minimal obligation. Even complex deals remain limited in scope. Diplomacy, however, is different. Its consequences are unpredictable, and unintended fallout is often severe. (1/10) #ovalofficmugging #presidentTrump #VPJDVance #presidentZelensky

This is the grim face of capital manifest in political power. Trump isn't interested in anything but how money can be made from Ukraine's situation. Money for the elites. All Western governments have been complicit in this kind of thing, just not as explicitly. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c6...

If the English national curriculum is going to change, please can we make sure kids learn to critically evaluate the promises of politicians, understand how capital operates to exploit workers & be empowered to participate fully in all aspects of civil society. Otherwise, what's the point.

Thoughtful review of my book in the British Journal of Educational Studies: www.tandfonline.com/eprint/ZDE8R...

In education, it’s rarely the mechanisms or processes adopted that cause positive outcomes; rather, it’s the negative aspects they prevent and the process's unintended effects on relational learning dynamics that bring benefits. That often unravels when processes become hard-baked into systems.

The US artist Georgia O'Keefe said: Interest is the most important thing in life; happiness is temporary, but interest is continuous. Interest is a forgotten aspect of learning, but it's essential. It builds commitment, without which we can't effectively engage with knowledge.

I'm working with 2 FE colleges in Wales on the development of a new application to support transitions into post-16 ed. We're focused on building students' learning dispositions, while also generating timely data to improve the support colleges provide, especially to yp affected by poverty.

I'm currently writing up research commissioned by Welsh Gov on the way schools are enacting CfW to support equity & inclusion. This qualitative research has provided valuable insights into how schools are curriculum making & perceive their role in tackling inequalities in education.

Important research which highlights the significance of values within primary school contexts & their role in fostering a sense of belonging.

My book provides evidence for the importance of values such as mutual respect & equality to how pupils engage with learning opportunities provided in schools. There are important insights here about knowledge & curricula applicable across all learning contexts. link.springer.com/book/10.1007...