How is poetry really taught in secondary schools today? We’re mapping the national picture in England. English teachers, your professional insight is essential! 5 minute survey: tinyurl.com/238cz6mu Project supported by Christ Church's Tower Poetry Development Grant​

Teaching us about conveying knowledge. That's simple. But it is also about bringing pupils into a particular relationship with that knowledge. That's not so simple.

I'm sure Mr Zahawi would hate this deleted post to be continually and widely shared. Important to respect that, I feel. Here it is.

The positive difference that a #SENDCo can make to the life of a child and to the lives of their family can be profound. When I was teaching, I don't think I properly realised this.

I have started a new blog series, thinking about all things education. I am reflecting on my career and writing without fear or favour - because I can. Now is my time. If you are interested in reading more, please start here: meganjanedixon.co.uk/2026/01/02/p...

When teachers offer classroom egs, it can be SO valuable. But often there's just a snippet - a ppt slide or piece of writing & it's hard to know the context, intentions & real impact. This, on the power of Talk for Learning, is different. I love it! #oracy www.englishandmedia.co.uk/blog/oracy-i...

Let's keep posting and conversing here to build a new environment, without someone's algorithmical interference, in which people can feel those professional benefits here too.

Once, when you asked someone how they'd slept, they told you. Now, you may be presented with complex data, against a range of metrics.

4. If you’d like a day of expert guidance, practical resources and strategies you can use immediately, check out the English and Media Centre’s course: Starting to Teach A Level Literature. Book by: 8am on 13th January buff.ly/jk64v6T

Have finally left X. The golden years of eduTwitter are long gone, although I've continued to gain a lot from being on the platform, even recently. Now I think it's time to invest in this one properly.

I am writing. Part 1. The tragedy of hidden schools, in hidden communities meganjanedixon.co.uk/2026/01/03/p...

Seemingly, it really is time to leave X.

Yet, primary practice is grounded in child dev and the psychology of learning. Many indicators suggest that primary schools are exceptionally good at what they do. And always have been… Thank you for recognising this. 😊

NEW short post on the teacher autonomy v. prescriptiveness debate, & the importance of #teaching_and_learning culture. jamesdurran.blog/2025/11/22/t...

NEW short post on the teacher autonomy v. prescriptiveness debate, & the importance of #teaching_and_learning culture. jamesdurran.blog/2025/11/22/t...

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

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

When term starts, expect headlines about "woke" schools refusing to allow "patriotic" pupils to display / wear / carry flags.

Honoured to write this.

James Durran reflects on his friendship with the late Jim Stewart, who has died, aged 67, after a rapid progression of Parkinson’s. Jim was a devoted English teacher and a loyal friend of NATE. www.nate.org.uk/2025/07/29/j...

My close friend Jim Stewart has died, aged 67, after a rapid progression of Parkinson's. We taught English, organised @NATEfeed conferences & wrote books together. He taught me much about teaching, Shakespeare, music & the hills, and even more about laughter. He's deeply missed.

I really like this blog which explores how older students can be supported to actively engage with text - really practical ways of thinking through a text- thanks @jdurran.bsky.social jamesdurran.blog/2025/07/08/d...

NEW BLOG More on #Disciplinary_literacy and #challenging_texts: making sure pupils are focused and thinking hard when #reading in the classroom. Examples from #PE, #science, #art, #music, #DT... jamesdurran.blog/2025/07/08/d...

Fab suggestions here for making valuable content accessible so children can engage 🌟 My caveat with this would be that many students with or w/out identified SEND will need to pace their ‘hard’ learning - eg due to fatigue risk. Autistic children & ADHDers often burn out as teens, sadly. Some may

NEW BLOG More on #Disciplinary_literacy and #challenging_texts: making sure pupils are focused and thinking hard when #reading in the classroom. Examples from #PE, #science, #art, #music, #DT... jamesdurran.blog/2025/07/08/d...

NEW - Giving Serious Attention to Student Voice in the everyday moments of classroom life. What happens when we treat children’s ideas as real and valuable? Read the post: www.mantleoftheexpert.com/blog-post/ha...

NEW POST #Disciplinary_literacy: more on challenging texts in the classroom; ensuring that pupils are reading 'actively' and thinking hard. All part of good #adaptive_teaching! jamesdurran.blog/2025/07/08/d...

I wish I'd read this 50 years ago!

NEW POST #Disciplinary_literacy: more on challenging texts in the classroom; ensuring that pupils are reading 'actively' and thinking hard. All part of good #adaptive_teaching! jamesdurran.blog/2025/07/08/d...

Quite a lot to think about before we outsource essay marking to AI!

Currently running a webinar with @jdurran.bsky.social about using short film clips to teach Shakespeare in English. It's absolutely brilliant. All Shakespeare teaching should use films like this!

EMC SUMMER WEBINAR PACKAGE PURCHASE WINDOW CLOSES MAY 1ST Take a look at the range of webinars that your whole team can access with a single purchase for your institution! @jdurran.bsky.social @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social @barbarableiman.bsky.social englishandmedia.co.uk/workshops/20...

There's some debate about my piece on X & a blog by David Didau agreeing with much of what I say but warning against a return to 'some mythical version of the past'. I've written a response to this idea of a 'myth' of a different kind of English on my own blog: www.barbarableiman.com/post/a-respo...

Which of these is likely to result in better learning? 🤔 #book_scrutiny #feedback #editing #adaptive_teaching

If we have scientific evidence about 10% of what teaching involves, that doesn't mean we should stop doing the other 90% because it's not "evidence based."

I absolutely understand the thinking here... But oh goodness it makes me sad.

Ofsted's inspection 'toolkits', which propose a fine-grained description of what matters in schools, contain over 10,000 words. But these don't appear anywhere. 🤔 enjoy/enjoyment interest/interesting excite/excitement curious/curiosity

On #adaptive_teaching. If we think of teaching (in the moment & over time) as conversation, then it will be naturally adaptive. Conversation is built on feedback loops: we adapt what we say next according to what others have learned from us, & to what we've learned from them.

Looking forward very much to delivering this course on mixed attainment #English teaching, with @andrewemc.bsky.social, in Leeds. www.englishandmedia.co.uk/courses/439e...

Looking forward very much to delivering this course on mixed attainment #English teaching, with @andrewemc.bsky.social, in Leeds. www.englishandmedia.co.uk/courses/439e...

Hope we get provided with free highlighters in a variety of colours….

Basically, Ofsted has just created an enormous APP grid. What could possibly go wrong?

Bookings close 8am Friday morning Don't miss out on this brand new course with @jdurran.bsky.social! englishandmedia.co.uk/courses/7edc...

Don't be the 'sage on the stage' or the 'guide on the side'. Just be the sage who is sometimes on a stage but knows when to climb off it to do some guiding, mixed with some side-saging and some guiding from the stage. As appropriate.

With trepidation & to feed debate, I'm sharing this old video of me, as one imperfect example of one kind of dialogic teaching. It was a mixed attainment, Y10 #English class (unfamiliar to me) seated in groups, studying Lord of the Flies. Comments welcome! jamesdurran.wordpress.com/wp-content/u...

I am very much looking forward to speaking about writing, at the @literacy-trust.bsky.social Primary Conference, on March 27th, in Bradford. Find out more: literacytrust.org.uk/events/prima...

Very excited to be delivering this course, with @andrewmc.bsky.social for @engmediacentre.bsky.social, in March, in Leeds. www.englishandmedia.co.uk/courses/439e... @engmediacentre.bsky.social

Very much looking forward to working with @engmediacentre.bsky.social to deliver this webinar on teaching grammar within English at Key Stage 3. It will be about so much more than just grammar. www.englishandmedia.co.uk/courses/e8df...

Hell is empty, And all the devils are here.