A superb read on the Curriculum & Assessment Review.

This response to the CAR recommendations for English will be well worth reading. Due out tomorrow.

Yesterday, I was trying to find positives in the CAR for English Lang but I also feel disappointed it chose not to make recs which would align the subject more closely with some core disciplinary concepts. For eg, it's not clear if it will enable students to study sociolinguistic issues around ...

I don't think there was a comment about the current stipulation of studying texts only by British writers. I wonder if this might change.

I guess the key question now, especially with perhaps related concerns around the wellbeing of young people who are not in the workforce, is: is incremental change enough?

Yes. Discussion of the role of curriculum, and, significantly, assessment, in young people's well-being was largely absent. Yet these stats are deeply unsettling & should be a call to action.

Just taking a moment to read and reflect on the CAR. There are many general statements that are welcome such as the recognition that sequences of learning differ between subjects, the nat curriculum is a tool, teachers are the curriculum makers etc. A few thoughts on the English/literacy bits.

I'm just settling down to read this. I don't read much crime fiction but the opening is gripping and I can already tell it's going to be a page-turner. (I was happy to find this lovely hardback copy in my local library.) #booksky

'destabilising standard language ideologies'

Yes. Hard agree.

The #cogsci of reading, shared by the people who actually do the research. This will be spectacular! #ReconstructingReading bsky.app/profile/jonn...

#ReconstructingReading online festival. There is an excellent line-up of experts working at the cutting age of reading research and practice. The festival has a Primary age focus but much of this could still be relevant for secondary reading leads. #literacy #reading

Long Island is a great sequel! I read with bated breath towards the end, waiting for the unravel... Also, this episode of Take Four Books - Toibin talks about 3 books that influenced the novel. I found it so interesting, esp his inspo for the opening. #BookSky www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Important piece from @booktrust.org.uk and @openuni-rfp.bsky.social about the value of book choice for pupils and how to help promote it in the classroom. Do have a read! files.booktrust.org.uk/docs/documen... @teresacremin.bsky.social @richardruddick.bsky.social

Fantastic piece! I checked back on my latest poem about animals for little ‘uns - a draft - and found this!

The main study Cameron links to is well-worth showing AL students as it's a cool example of how to set out a Language Investigation. pudding.cool/2025/07/kids...

A fascinating post from Deborah Cameron on language, gender and representation, discussing the gendering of animals in children's books and the real world, and why 'default maleing' is a problem. debuk.wordpress.com

i am still in shock but I have won a Philip Leverhulme Prize. starting in autumn 2026 for 3 years, i’ll be looking at linguistic justice in schools, particularly in how children and teachers engage in radical, grassroots activism for structural change. it's such an honour to receive this funding 🌸🩷

A national focus on comprehension would be brilliant. Interestingly, a key aspect of the HfL Fluency project is comprehension work. I know bc we took part. But fluency work seems to have taken off at sec decoupled from any signf focus on comprehension. Simplistic messaging can distort practice.

I've seen lots of excellent but also some dubious practice due to lack of prof knowledge eg multilingual students doing an online intervention staring at screens when a tchr, text & rich discussion would have been much more beneficial.

'chance' - that is exactly what I argued in my CAR submission! Too much is left to chance & this isn't equitable. How SLT support & enable the Reading Lead... if SLT prioritise Reading... if the sch has access to high quality PD... if the sch has a librarian & well-resourced library.. and so on.

I am concerned that all these big ticket plans of the government do not actually address the fundamentals of how and in what ways we need to support students. It leaves that bit (the most important bit) to chance. I have seen all sorts of strange things going on in secondary schools.

Yes, Jessie’s work is referring to how students are expected to read in s’dry. It is different from primary and this can present a range of different challenges But, if we had a broader focus at primary, and were not just limited to word reading, then many of these difficulties could be picked up.

Couldn’t agree more. ATM all of this seems utterly random. I can’t think of any good reason why testing in Yr8 is particularly appropriate- from a research/development perspective. Children who develop reading needs later on in secondary school are likely to have shown those difficulties earlier.

Who is advising the Secretary of State on these issues, I wonder? It seems so misguided. And Phonics is NOT the same as reading. Even more of a relentless focus on phonics might actually produce fewer good readers! Surely a point must come when this is recognised?

All the Heads I know are on their knees, seeing children presenting with more complex needs than ever before, extreme behaviour and limited funding. The majority of this is in EYFS and Year 1. So instead of announcing something to help this, we'll raise a target to add pressure.

🧵Thread worth reading… There are lessons about unintended consequences that are not being learnt by government here. I am worried about how these new targets all align with an inclusion agenda. I hope the DFE are aware of the population prevalence of identified SEND. bsky.app/profile/psal...

I think one problem with the announcement of a y8 reading test is that it feels untethered to any wider reading strategy. This raises questions about whether the govt has an approach for secondary reading based on research & best practice, and a gd understanding of what is needed. If the test aims 1

The best piece I have read on the topic of AI use and writing pedagogy. Just brilliant!

Really interesting discussion of the Teacher Tapp findings - How teachers feel about their accent.

This looks good.

Interesting article reporting the findings of a study: students' attitudes towards AI. 'Many reported that they wanted more help from teachers for the appropriate use of AI and in judging whether its output was reliable.' www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Great opportunity to hear Prof Julia Snell talk about her extensive research into classroom talk. This is relevant to every teacher!

Sharing this link to a powerful documentary. Sam's sister now works at our school as a mentor. Along with her mum, she has campaigned to raise awareness of knife crime for many years. They are an impressive pair & we are in awe of everything they have done. They even received an MBE for their work.

A family in our sch community campaign tirelessly for #KnifeCrimeAwareness after losing Sam, our ex-student. Tonight, a new documentary starts, Britain's Killer Teens. 'It revisits the devastating case of Samantha Madgin, who was tragically murdered at 18yo, only 10 weeks after becoming a mum'

NEW BLOG: Do it now or do it when you’ve thought about it a bit more? Sorry for taking a blog holiday! learningfrommymistakesenglish.blogspot.com/2025/10/do-i... #engchat #engchatuk

Around 200+ Black and Global Majority educators & allies attended the Aspiring Heads Summit which was organised by Nadine and Ethan Bernard. Supporting Black and GM educators through empowered leadership was the theme and they did just that. 🔗Blog here: msybeebs.wordpress.com/2025/10/05/a...

Good to see this article covering the concern over marking. Plenty of HTs, HODs & teachers have had enough of doing the unpaid QA work & seeing the neg impact on students. Also, as alluded to by the EMC, a signif issue is lack of clarity around Eng Lang GCSE. What's it testing, how & why?

This is strange, as research indicates there is no Yr 7 dip in students reading…. There are differences in expectations and how reading is used between Yr 6 and Yr7… And more morphology might be great. But reading for understanding is not just about words. schoolsweek.co.uk/how-morpholo...

'The features of context that mediate success are yet to be understood.'

In an open letter, Walker Books 'is concerned to see the latest developments in Weymouth, particularly given the extreme reality of book banning in the US. We must ask ourselves is this the beginning of something, and what comes next?' www.bookbrunch.co.uk/page/article...

Nice examples & modelling of how to engage students with Eng Lang P1 Qu 4 from @thecockerill.bsky.social Analysing film openings of King's IT is also a good way to discuss structural techniques, then compare back to the text.

@bphillipsonmp.bsky.social Dear Ms Phillipson, I have no idea who you are getting your advice on literacy from. But can I suggest you speak to some of the internationally respected reading researchers we have in the UK. They will be much better informed. @rickettslara.bsky.social

Sadly, I could add so much more to this. Many of us have found the Review not to be a sufficient Q&A process. HTs are making complaints about the marking to exam boards who always defend their processes. There is no real accountability here. It's appalling. So many students impacted negatively.

Lots of great recommendations to follow up here. In the picture book category, I can thoroughly endorse "Boy" and "Dancing Hands", tried and very much enjoyed by my little one! #DeafAwarenessMonth #Books #ReadingTogether #Inclusion #RepresentationMatters #EnglishBooks

Absolutely. Couldn't agree more with this from @damsoned.bsky.social

A comprehensive national strategy from the EYFS is exactly what many of us who are working on literacy/language see as the way forward. We have the opportunity right now. DfE should also be seeking to address why 25% of pupils finish KS2 reading below age-related expectations.

Let this sink in 🙄 'Elizabeth I and Mary I are the only women named in the national curriculum, while in 2023 women appeared in just 6% of GCSE and A-level history exam questions.' www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Pleasure Curious / Curiosity Excitement / exciting / excite Grow / growth Inspire / inspiring / inspiration Innovate / innovative / innovation Discover / discovery Investigate / investigation Experiment / experimental Fun 2/2

Pragmatically, the Ofsted grading criteria are going to be a very useful tool for self-evaluation. But schools need to remember, when reflecting on curriculum or on children's experiences, that schools are about a lot more. For example, the following words don't appear: 1/2