Is Mary Oliver the best poet for capturing the limits of language through language? 🥹

Rebecca Simpson-Hargreaves: Voices that Matter - Teaching Poetry for Social Justice childrenspoetrysummit.com/2026/04/02/r... Great article on the power of poetry for social justice and becoming

Just booked my ticket for the @englishassociation.bsky.social conference, Senate House, June 13th. A core of us from the @openingdoors.bsky.social team will be on our stall over breaktimes, flying the flag for rich, creative English for all 📖✏️🧞‍♀️🧚🕵️‍♀️🧛‍♂️

Rabbit Moon You think you see the Moon a white disc in the sky swooped for you into the shape of a heart. Too much yearning had you run free but the barn owl was always a weapon – just feathered in the language of love. Another night, a different moon. I might have held you.

Really sound overview of Dialogic Teaching - its broad goals, practice, benefits and evidence of impact and common barriers. I would not do the work I do as an educator 33 years in without these principles at my core. voice21.org/dialogic-tea...

Another hub is opening led by @thinktalkleah.bsky.social via Inspire Partnership @ipatedu.bsky.social at Blackfield Primary, Southampton. It's open to all. Thanks Inspire! Let me know if you would like a hub opened in your area. searchingforexcellence.co.uk/wp-content/u...

NYMPH! NYMPH! WHAT ARE YOUR BEADS? I flipping love it. We’re being ambitious as they’re Year 1 but it’s such a beautiful poem to act out with character voices and we’re going to create some water colour art of their own Saltmarsh. I wonder which characters will be overhead on theirs?

Upcoming online CPD sessions, 4–5pm Journal writing to develop responses to GCSE poetry (24/02) Teaching handwriting for writing fluency (11/03) Promoting repertoires of talk about writing (18/03) Planning lessons and schemes of learning (05/05) tinyurl.com/mr2smw67

@thinktalkleah.bsky.social @lauraspargo.bsky.social @juliesargent.bsky.social @son1bun.bsky.social @haringeyeduc.bsky.social @natecommunity.bsky.social @englishassociation.bsky.social

Brilliant thread.. and link to blog. What is important to nurture reading comprehension actually lies at the centre of Let’s Think in English lessons and pedagogy. Reading is reasoning and reasoning can only develop on the social, interpersonal plain before it becomes intrapersonal.

I can see the joy of learning in the room Laura ☺️📝🙏🏼

@openingdoors.bsky.social @englishassociation.bsky.social @natecommunity.bsky.social It is so often the artists, the writers who see and speak to tyranny whilst the rest stay quiet

@thinktalkleah.bsky.social @lauraspargo.bsky.social @juliesargent.bsky.social

It’s such a privilege to support Boorley Park. Big shout out to Mr Stevens and Yr 6 for these wonderful outcomes

✍️ Have you seen the incredible collections of writing over on the @crownhousepub.bsky.social Opening Doors web page? 🔉 *New pieces of writing* - do take a look. You're sure to be impressed! @openingdoors.bsky.social @juliesargent.bsky.social @thinktalkleah.bsky.social #EduSky #Writing

On a roll today! Part 4 of my blog series is about literacy - what we know and what we know how to do to ensure children learn to read and write. It is a mix of research, resources, and just stuff. Part 4 b - some ideas about handwriting. Enjoy. meganjanedixon.co.uk/2026/01/23/p...

Calling all English teachers. Do these two things. 1. Go to www.nate.org.uk. 2. Tap to share and add to home screen. You can now explore some of the best long-form writing about English teaching, optimised for seamless reading on your phone. #NATE

The ‘Opening Doors’ team has been across the UK in the last couple of days from Plymouth to west London to Hampshire. #excellenceinEnglish @juliesargent.bsky.social @thinktalkleah.bsky.social @lauraspargo.bsky.social Contact me to find out more: www.searchingforexcellence.co.uk

Wonderful way to kickstart the term at St Lawrence Primary, Alton who over 3 years have grown and are now embedding @openingdoors.bsky.social approaches to ambitious English for all.

I had the privilege to Open Doors to Ambitious English @openingdoors.bsky.social at Twyford School nr Winchester yesterday. It was one of those days when you know the INSET has come at the right time for a great team. Huge thanks to Katy Iliffe and Olaf Mather for putting your faith in us.

Heard of Melissa Milner's podcast 'The Teacher As?'- your new fave Edu Pod for 2026? I had the pleasure of chatting with Melissa about Opening Doors to Ambitious English - using @openingdoors.bsky.social principles and strategies.

Merry Christmas from all the Opening Doors team and we hope you enjoy this extra treat! @openingdoors.bsky.social @thinktalkleah.bsky.social @lauraspargo.bsky.social

A fabulous text and a creative unit of work to start the #NationalYearofReading with! @openingdoors.bsky.social @lauraspargo.bsky.social @thinktalkleah.bsky.social

Aww!!! Thankyou for posting! The Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree poem. Just the right tenor and tone for the world we find ourselves in

Great turnout! Kafka in primary- now there’s ambition ☺️

@beckyfrancis.bsky.social @darrellwakelam.bsky.social @edfinch.bsky.social #EduSky All the latest! searchingforexcellence.co.uk

Wonderful! Can’t wait to hear the poem ☺️

This looks amazing! Years 7-11 app.shakespearecurriculum.com/sign_up

Do join us on Tuesday for this free seminar www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/write-to-r... it’ll be useful! @kashleyenglish.bsky.social @debrakidd.bsky.social @jonnybid.bsky.social @jonny-walker.bsky.social @raesnape.bsky.social @primarychamp.bsky.social @benniekara.bsky.social please share! All welcome!

How valuable is this right now? Thankyou @englishassociation.bsky.social

🥳📚📖Tomorrow ! Free! Online! Sign up! 18 November, 16:45 – 17:30 How schools can nourish a reading-for-pleasure culture with community fundraising, wishlists,purpose-driven support. Deborah Maclaren @LoveReading4Kids.bsky.social& Sana Siddiq primary teacher 💫 englishassociation.ac.uk/reigniting-r...

After living through the Nazi & atomic bomb eras, Tove Jansson writings would often encompass fearful ideas about loss of a familiar world. However she would balance this with characters who encompassed #kindness & #community, even in the darkest times #WomensArt #WorldKindnessDay

The Next Chapter for high pitch English at Diocese of Chichester Trust schools. Case studies of impact and new doors opening to high pitch writing provision: more oracy more poetry and grammar for purpose. What a joyful and professional group to work with! @openingdoors.bsky.social

Love this- wish I’d read it at 13!

Poetry is the key to unlocking creativity in thought and language! 26th November ⬇️ with my wonderful colleague @lauraspargo.bsky.social

Unmissable with @lauraspargo.bsky.social presenting! @thinktalkleah.bsky.social @juliesargent.bsky.social @englishassociation.bsky.social @justimaginecentre.bsky.social @uklitassociation.bsky.social @natefeed.bsky.social 👇👇👇👇👇

What a joy to present the @openingdoors.bsky.social approach to ambitious English at Worcestershire’s ‘Write to Inspire’ conference alongside one of my heroes, Debra Myhill. Huge thanks to Jessica Blakeman and all attendees who kept thinking, reading, writing with me up to 4pm! 🙏🏼

This is a good round up. Anyone who tries to say ‘teachers work so hard we can’t reform the system’ isn’t speaking for me. I’ve been working within but railing against the system for most of my career!

'But pleasure — true pleasure — is a multitudinous and ferocious thing.' Katherine Rundell, wise and ferocious on reading for pleasure. So worth reading. www.thetimes.com/uk/get-brita...

Amazing event! Thankyou 🙏🏼

The #ReconstructingReading online festival takes place during the week of 17th November. @literacy-trust.bsky.social have put together a line-up of outstanding speakers. Tickets are available for individual sessions or the entire week. More info here: literacytrust.org.uk/training-and...

How amazing is this! Live online masterclass and free teaching and learning materials. @openingdoors.bsky.social schools should lap this up! literacytrust.org.uk/programmes/y...

Bloody brilliant 👇

Comments and pictures from the superb @englishassociation.bsky.social ‘Opening Doors’ conference. Scroll to autumn term news. www.searchingforexcellence.co.uk

Looking for routes to ambitious English? Rich, cost-effective resources? Case studies from our UK network? Do contact me😃 Pictured is last week’s @englishassociation.bsky.social conference searchingforexcellence.co.uk

Thanks! ⬇️🎃

Dropped in my inbox courtesy of Poetry by Heart. What a voice of playful disturbance. poetrybyheart.org.uk/poems/we-rea...

Spot on as ever ☺️

💡Poetry, prose & penny dreadfuls. A wonderful way to end the afternoon, hearing how @ipatedu.bsky.social have created exciting writing opportunities using the Opening Doors strategies. The OD team are feeling inspired! @openingdoors.bsky.social @thinktalkleah.bsky.social @juliesargent.bsky.social