We are delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Caroline Lucas, former leader of the Green Party and MP for Brighton Pavilion, as the University's first Professor of Practice in Environmental Sustainability at the Sussex School for Progressive Futures (SSPF).

Lovely. 👏👏👏

Excl: Diversity and anti-racism should be embedded into teacher training, according to an open letter from ITT providers. There should be an "explicit focus” on addressing inequalities within ITT programmes, including in trainees’ reflective tasks. www.tes.com/magazine/new...

ICYMI: Government has accepted the Francis review recommendation to introduce RE to the national curriculum - but has said the sector must 'reach consensus on whether this is achievable'

Although OECD data was referenced multiple times, neither the widely-known stat from the OECD’s PISA data that UK 15-year-olds reported among the lowest life satisfaction among tested nations, nor TIMSS’ findings re high numbers of English 14-year-olds disliking school, featured.

Children are waiting far too long for speech and language therapy – this simply has to change. 40% of children are waiting at least 4 months for support! We've got some work to share soon about what this means for the economy and these children's lives: https://bit.ly/4hSNmzC

Horrific, stupid news from @uniofnottingham.bsky.social — they are closing their music department. Apparently they all found out suddently in a meeting yesterday. It is one of the best music departments in the country — solidarity with my colleagues and their students www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I don't think readers of yesterday's curriculum and assessment review were given much of a sense of this and other troubling system indicators.

Lots of thought-provoking stats in this release from the Institute for Government, not least: "In 2023–24, there were an average of five suspensions in every secondary school class, more than double the highest rate seen pre-pandemic." www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/press-releas...

Ok, just wow. If the content of this article is right, this is depressing. We're slowly reaching the point where ~100% of what I was taught in Social Psych was either innocently wrong or plainly frauded onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...

’Journalists failed to condemn a piece about Sadiq Khan accompanied by a photo of a terrorist atrocity.’ James O’Brien is reminded of a certain Mail article after Zohran Mamdani’s historic win in NYC.

Teaching grammatical terminology inc fronted adverbials in Key Stage 2. Review: "Responses to our Call for Evidence suggest that this content is advanced and overly theoretical at this key stage, disengages pupils, + does not help them to write well." See also: www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Which of the curriculum and assessment review proposals has the DfE rejected or will not implement as prescribed? There are only a few areas of disagreement - @cerysturner.bsky.social has the lowdown below www.tes.com/magazine/new...

📢 Join us on Friday for Under the CAR Bonnet - a free Schools Week webinar on the curriculum and assessment review We'll interview review chair Professor Becky Francis to get behind the headlines of her landmark report, followed by audience Q&A Sign up: events.zoom.us/ev/AofhjYOxI...

"We do, though, recognise that there could be unintended consequences with this, and we’re certainly not thinking of them as KS3 Sats." Becky Francis on the introduction of new Y8 examinations (or 'diagnostic checks') - and more - below

So, I now understand the co stand references to Oak all the way through the Final C&A Report!

Bit depressing really that the end result of a wholescale curriculum review is "we'll have a bit more oracy and loads more tests." Where is the vision and ambition?

Ofsted has revealed what it has learned from more than 100 pilot inspections using its new report card system – @johngroberts.bsky.social breaks down the key insights ⬇️

This… so important bsky.app/profile/geor...

Bonfire Night can be frightening for pets. 🐾 Keep them indoors 🎶 Play gentle music or TV 🏠 Close curtains & windows- make them a safe space 🕯️ Keep fireworks/candles safely away 🦔 Check bonfires for wildlife before lighting Let’s keep everyone safe tonight 💛 #BonfireNight

📣 Teachers and school librarians, we want to hear from you! 📣 We want to know how best to support schools with our free downloadable resources. Please take a minute to complete our survey so that we can make sure our classroom materials are the best they can be! forms.gle/yiQq3f5d366o...

Ahhh… Citzenship exams in primary… P62

Ummmm… p52 Whilst I agree that teachers are often better placed to chose content and centrally prescribed curricula can hinder- I do not endorse Oak as high quality exemplification. The heavy prescription of Oak materials certainly do not reflect the principles espoused in this review. 🤔

Teaching grammatical terminology inc fronted adverbials in Key Stage 2. Review: "Responses to our Call for Evidence suggest that this content is advanced and overly theoretical at this key stage, disengages pupils, + does not help them to write well." See also: www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Also seem to remember former DfE curriculum adviser Tim Oates having argued that notion of an engaging curriculum was a "category error"- engagement was down to teaching. Didn't find that argument convincing, I'm afraid - content surely has potential to influence learner interest.

...But: "we welcome the publication of [the DfE'swriting framework". Not a universal view: www.tes.com/magazine/tea...

Don't pay for iCloud, people. A glitch at the Apple end meant that it has permanently wiped a third of my entire iCloud files by accident (n=300), across every single device, and it took me 5 days, 3 online chats and 3 phone calls to learn they are not going to do anything about it. All gone.

I am reading the final C&A review report. I just can’t get over the fact that there doesn’t seem to be any sort of literature review.

Disappointing. bsky.app/profile/warw...

if the curriculm review does nothing else, binning the fronted adverbials nonsense in Year 6 (if you know you know) means it was worth it frankly www.theguardian.com/education/20...

I didn’t learn about adverbials until I did my English Language degree, having done an English Language A-level. No year 6 needs to know about them. (And yes I know it’s hard to believe that was my degree judging by my typos on here)

Reading the curriculum and assessment review. Very interesting, and will offer longer thoughts when through. But reflecting on lack of mention, at least at the start, for the copious concerning evidence we have on pupil wellbeing/engagement,+lack of a parent or pupil representation on review panel.

There is something very very strange about the DFE Statutory reading test announcements and the C&A final report insisting that this is not what they are recommending….

Well, this is bloody depressing. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Also on "isolation": "The question for all of us, then, is: do isolation or removal rooms work?": www.teamteach.com/the-problem-...

@beckyfrancis.bsky.social @cassiebuchanan.bsky.social @jonhutchinson.bsky.social @jo-annebaird.bsky.social

Are you a SENCO, ALNCo, LSC, or ASN Principal Teacher working with primary-aged pupils? Join online focus groups on supporting pupils facing barriers to learning. 🗓️Evenings, Nov–Dec 2025 ✉️Voucher provided Sign up: bit.ly/op-end Funded by Kusuma Trust UK #SEND #Inclusion

Thread… Although, the Cambridge Review (which was ditched by Gove) placed oracy central to the curriculum and the Nat Strats had a much greater focus on language… bsky.app/profile/spee...

A great day for all the teachers involved. Thanks for doing such a fantastic job again, Jess!

Jill Duffy had told MPs GCSEs could be cut to a max of two papers, without compromising reliability, and "if you did that, you would reduce the exam burden on average by about eight to 10 hours and you could do that without reducing the reliability of exams."

The Government's response to the CAR sets out a "sensible direction of travel". The focus on oracy & accountability reforms is a positive step. However, the forthcoming white paper must be even more ambitious on SEND to deliver a system that works for all. Full comment: epi.org.uk/comments/gov...

@captaink77.bsky.social is brilliant at making volumes of information accessible whilst painting a picture. This is a particularly good example. www.specialneedsjungle.com/send-funding...

Re. the Curriculum & Assessment Review & SEND, @natalieperera.bsky.social sums it up well. "But with no adjustments being made to age-related stages of education, assessments for younger children risk continuing to lead to misidentification of SEND and children being labelled as failing." 1/2

School pupils are to be taught how to tackle conspiracy theories, spot 'fake news' & root out misinformation. The Daily Mail, ajudged by Wikipedia to be an unreliable new source, is furious. You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to work out why.

Our aim is for every child to have a fair start in life. A substantial body of research highlights that parenting plays a powerful role in supporting children’s early learning and development. Our article explores research on effective parenting 'types' and how to improve children's development.

How can you best develop primary students’ oracy skills? Read articles from @amygaunt.bsky.social @moorghen.bsky.social @kathleenmcbride.bsky.social & Voice 21 Oracy Centres of Excellence in @headteacherupdate.bsky.social's guide to teaching oracy skills 👇 www.headteacher-update.com/content/down...

We welcome the government’s plan to introduce a national oracy framework – a major step towards giving spoken language its rightful place in education. We look forward to working with the @departmentforedu.bsky.social to support its careful implementation and bring about lasting change.

Influential English designer Clarice Cliff, known for her art deco designs such as this teapot from the 'Blue Autumn' range, c.1931 #WomensArt 🫖

A recent stay in hospital helped me understand how true this is. Casual racism was prevalent, directed from the patients to the staff caring for them. It was disgraceful and upsetting. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...