Stuart Rowntree
@primarythink.bsky.social
Primary leader, teacher and writer. Dad and husband. Committed to clear, calm and honest scholarship in education. Not bound to any single idea, but guided by curiosity and the pursuit of better thinking. Always learning, always refining.
Reposted by Stuart Rowntree
4} Once framed properly, the debate changes. The question isn’t “are teachers paid enough to survive?” It’s whether society still values professional expertise at a meaningful distance above the legal minimum. That distance has been deliberately narrowed.
December 25, 2025 at 5:05 PM
4} Once framed properly, the debate changes. The question isn’t “are teachers paid enough to survive?” It’s whether society still values professional expertise at a meaningful distance above the legal minimum. That distance has been deliberately narrowed.
Reposted by Stuart Rowntree
3} This isn’t unique to teachers. Nurses, civil servants and other public professionals show the same pattern: essential work, weak bargaining power, transparent pay, long-term erosion. Scarcity-priced private roles didn’t see this compression.
December 25, 2025 at 5:05 PM
3} This isn’t unique to teachers. Nurses, civil servants and other public professionals show the same pattern: essential work, weak bargaining power, transparent pay, long-term erosion. Scarcity-priced private roles didn’t see this compression.
Reposted by Stuart Rowntree
2} Minimum wage rising was a policy success. But compressing professional pay was a separate choice. Floors can rise without flattening the middle. Over 15 years, teachers’ relative economic position was quietly downgraded while responsibility and workload increased.
December 25, 2025 at 5:05 PM
2} Minimum wage rising was a policy success. But compressing professional pay was a separate choice. Floors can rise without flattening the middle. Over 15 years, teachers’ relative economic position was quietly downgraded while responsibility and workload increased.
Reposted by Stuart Rowntree
1} In 2008, teacher pay sat ~2–3× above minimum wage. If that gap had been maintained, M1 would now be ~£43k and UPS3 ~£69k. Instead, the whole pay spine averages ~£15k below that benchmark. This is arithmetic, not rhetoric.
December 25, 2025 at 5:05 PM
1} In 2008, teacher pay sat ~2–3× above minimum wage. If that gap had been maintained, M1 would now be ~£43k and UPS3 ~£69k. Instead, the whole pay spine averages ~£15k below that benchmark. This is arithmetic, not rhetoric.
1} In 2008, teacher pay sat ~2–3× above minimum wage. If that gap had been maintained, M1 would now be ~£43k and UPS3 ~£69k. Instead, the whole pay spine averages ~£15k below that benchmark. This is arithmetic, not rhetoric.
December 25, 2025 at 5:05 PM
1} In 2008, teacher pay sat ~2–3× above minimum wage. If that gap had been maintained, M1 would now be ~£43k and UPS3 ~£69k. Instead, the whole pay spine averages ~£15k below that benchmark. This is arithmetic, not rhetoric.
Reposted by Stuart Rowntree
More than 75% of Labour, Lib Dem and Green voters think PM should open talks on joining EU customs union
YouGov poll for the Times suggests even 40% of Conservative voters support such a move
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
YouGov poll for the Times suggests even 40% of Conservative voters support such a move
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
More than 75% of Labour, Lib Dem and Green voters think PM should open talks on joining EU customs union – as it happened
YouGov poll for the Times suggests even 40% of Conservative voters support such a move
www.theguardian.com
December 22, 2025 at 6:20 PM
More than 75% of Labour, Lib Dem and Green voters think PM should open talks on joining EU customs union
YouGov poll for the Times suggests even 40% of Conservative voters support such a move
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
YouGov poll for the Times suggests even 40% of Conservative voters support such a move
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
Reposted by Stuart Rowntree
I see a lot of people celebrating violence against Andrew Tate and Jake Paul and really we should be better than...
Oh who am I kidding get Tommy Robinson in a ring with Oleksandr Usyk.
Oh who am I kidding get Tommy Robinson in a ring with Oleksandr Usyk.
December 21, 2025 at 8:16 PM
I see a lot of people celebrating violence against Andrew Tate and Jake Paul and really we should be better than...
Oh who am I kidding get Tommy Robinson in a ring with Oleksandr Usyk.
Oh who am I kidding get Tommy Robinson in a ring with Oleksandr Usyk.
Für ein Team mit Torflaute war das ja mal richtig geil.
Sauber, SCF! 👍🇩🇪
Sauber, SCF! 👍🇩🇪
December 20, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Für ein Team mit Torflaute war das ja mal richtig geil.
Sauber, SCF! 👍🇩🇪
Sauber, SCF! 👍🇩🇪
Need to get back on here and start connecting with people again. I've missed it.
How is everyone?
How is everyone?
December 20, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Need to get back on here and start connecting with people again. I've missed it.
How is everyone?
How is everyone?
Reposted by Stuart Rowntree
An early Christmas present for those of us in the #KidLitUK community who've been waiting YEARS for the other shoe to finally drop. Harper Collins knew all about it. They paid off staff to keep their mouths shut. Shame on them, shame on him, and good riddance.
Every time there's a breaking story about a celeb's treatment of women, everyone in the book world asks, "Is it finally Walliams?" Well, it finally is.
Exclusive: David Walliams dropped by publisher over inappropriate behaviour towards women
Telegraph investigation into best-selling children’s author uncovers claims that he ‘harassed’ junior female employees at Harper Collins
www.telegraph.co.uk
December 19, 2025 at 4:36 PM
An early Christmas present for those of us in the #KidLitUK community who've been waiting YEARS for the other shoe to finally drop. Harper Collins knew all about it. They paid off staff to keep their mouths shut. Shame on them, shame on him, and good riddance.
Focus on consistent retrieval, vocab-rich talk and adaptive scaffolding. Build via coaching, shared planning, diagnostic teaching. Success = what pupils recall over time.
November 11, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Focus on consistent retrieval, vocab-rich talk and adaptive scaffolding. Build via coaching, shared planning, diagnostic teaching. Success = what pupils recall over time.
Reposted by Stuart Rowntree
Has anyone used the NFER Reading Tests in their school? Would you be willing to give me a little review? We're looking at updating our suite of assessments and this is one I keep seeing...
November 9, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Has anyone used the NFER Reading Tests in their school? Would you be willing to give me a little review? We're looking at updating our suite of assessments and this is one I keep seeing...
Reposted by Stuart Rowntree
Trevor Philips, "What is the implication of the white poppy?"
Zack Polanski, "The white poppy began after WWI, mainly from women's groups, who talked about peace and antifascism"
"So on the same day we remember the fallen, it's also about looking to the future and saying, we want a world of peace"
Zack Polanski, "The white poppy began after WWI, mainly from women's groups, who talked about peace and antifascism"
"So on the same day we remember the fallen, it's also about looking to the future and saying, we want a world of peace"
November 9, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Trevor Philips, "What is the implication of the white poppy?"
Zack Polanski, "The white poppy began after WWI, mainly from women's groups, who talked about peace and antifascism"
"So on the same day we remember the fallen, it's also about looking to the future and saying, we want a world of peace"
Zack Polanski, "The white poppy began after WWI, mainly from women's groups, who talked about peace and antifascism"
"So on the same day we remember the fallen, it's also about looking to the future and saying, we want a world of peace"
Reposted by Stuart Rowntree
The Staffroom's podcast doors open again with Season 6 Ep 1 on balance in the reading wars. Dominic Wyse and @charliehacking.bsky.social discuss the "double helix" of reading and writing, an approach combining phonics teaching with engaging activities. Listen here:
share.transistor.fm/s/3c03fe84
share.transistor.fm/s/3c03fe84
Bringing balance to the 'reading wars' debate | The Staffroom | IOE insights | Episode 1
A holistic view of how phonics, writing, reading and language come together to make a child truly literate.Dominic Wyse and Charlotte Hacking tell Mark and Elaine about the "double helix" of reading and writing, an approach that combines phonics teaching with engaging reading and writing...
share.transistor.fm
November 9, 2025 at 10:51 AM
The Staffroom's podcast doors open again with Season 6 Ep 1 on balance in the reading wars. Dominic Wyse and @charliehacking.bsky.social discuss the "double helix" of reading and writing, an approach combining phonics teaching with engaging activities. Listen here:
share.transistor.fm/s/3c03fe84
share.transistor.fm/s/3c03fe84
Reposted by Stuart Rowntree
(FWIW, I think the new curriculum review does a really good job at not damaging a system that is working while making sensible recommendations for additions)
November 7, 2025 at 6:22 PM
(FWIW, I think the new curriculum review does a really good job at not damaging a system that is working while making sensible recommendations for additions)
Reposted by Stuart Rowntree
this headline hums with ancient autumnal dread
October 23, 2025 at 12:41 PM
this headline hums with ancient autumnal dread
Reposted by Stuart Rowntree
Everyone working in primary schools wants to raise standards in reading. For me, the best starting point is Primary Reading Simplified by @suchmo83.bsky.social. It's superb and covers everything, with phonics, fluency, comprehension and RfP all being explored.
October 20, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Everyone working in primary schools wants to raise standards in reading. For me, the best starting point is Primary Reading Simplified by @suchmo83.bsky.social. It's superb and covers everything, with phonics, fluency, comprehension and RfP all being explored.
Nothing frightens populists more than teachers calmly explaining history and humanity to children. They call it indoctrination because it ruins the grift.
Yes, Nigel, the real danger isn’t poverty, racism or ignorance - it’s teachers daring to teach empathy. How ever will Britain survive?
Pillock.
Yes, Nigel, the real danger isn’t poverty, racism or ignorance - it’s teachers daring to teach empathy. How ever will Britain survive?
Pillock.
NEW: Nigel Farage has claimed teachers would go on strike within weeks of a Reform election win and accused them of “poisoning our kids” by telling them that black children are victims and white children oppressors. He said the “Marxist left” was “now in control of the education system" (Guardian)
October 10, 2025 at 4:24 AM
Nothing frightens populists more than teachers calmly explaining history and humanity to children. They call it indoctrination because it ruins the grift.
Yes, Nigel, the real danger isn’t poverty, racism or ignorance - it’s teachers daring to teach empathy. How ever will Britain survive?
Pillock.
Yes, Nigel, the real danger isn’t poverty, racism or ignorance - it’s teachers daring to teach empathy. How ever will Britain survive?
Pillock.
Reposted by Stuart Rowntree
I’ve made an Ofsted toolkit breakdown with evidence ideas for each section (although there’s no need to prepare evidence for them coming). If you’d like it, drop me a DM. Hopefully no one will!
October 6, 2025 at 6:19 AM
I’ve made an Ofsted toolkit breakdown with evidence ideas for each section (although there’s no need to prepare evidence for them coming). If you’d like it, drop me a DM. Hopefully no one will!
Reposted by Stuart Rowntree
What keeps teachers in schools? 🏫
New research shows supportive working conditions—esp. strong leadership—boost satisfaction & retention, while unsupportive ones fuel attrition.
Read more 👇
doi.org/10.1080/0013...
#TeacherRetention #EdPolicy
@drrachelswhite.bsky.social
@amyluelle.bsky.social
New research shows supportive working conditions—esp. strong leadership—boost satisfaction & retention, while unsupportive ones fuel attrition.
Read more 👇
doi.org/10.1080/0013...
#TeacherRetention #EdPolicy
@drrachelswhite.bsky.social
@amyluelle.bsky.social
October 7, 2025 at 4:12 PM
What keeps teachers in schools? 🏫
New research shows supportive working conditions—esp. strong leadership—boost satisfaction & retention, while unsupportive ones fuel attrition.
Read more 👇
doi.org/10.1080/0013...
#TeacherRetention #EdPolicy
@drrachelswhite.bsky.social
@amyluelle.bsky.social
New research shows supportive working conditions—esp. strong leadership—boost satisfaction & retention, while unsupportive ones fuel attrition.
Read more 👇
doi.org/10.1080/0013...
#TeacherRetention #EdPolicy
@drrachelswhite.bsky.social
@amyluelle.bsky.social
Reposted by Stuart Rowntree
'I'm more impressed by someone who can turn a colleague's underperformance into success than by someone who rules with fear': trust CEO @nicolemccartney.bsky.social talks about her leadership philosophy in our latest How I Lead…
Nicole McCartney: ‘Good leaders don’t hold the stick over people’s heads’
In our How I Lead series, we ask education leaders to reflect on their careers, their experience and their leadership philosophy. This month, we talk to Nicole McCartney, CEO of Creative Education Trust
www.tes.com
October 7, 2025 at 5:05 AM
'I'm more impressed by someone who can turn a colleague's underperformance into success than by someone who rules with fear': trust CEO @nicolemccartney.bsky.social talks about her leadership philosophy in our latest How I Lead…
Haven't been around on here for a while.
My first half term as a *real* AHT has been breakneck, but I've thoroughly enjoyed it.
How is everyone else?
My first half term as a *real* AHT has been breakneck, but I've thoroughly enjoyed it.
How is everyone else?
October 7, 2025 at 4:46 AM
Haven't been around on here for a while.
My first half term as a *real* AHT has been breakneck, but I've thoroughly enjoyed it.
How is everyone else?
My first half term as a *real* AHT has been breakneck, but I've thoroughly enjoyed it.
How is everyone else?
Reposted by Stuart Rowntree
As with almost every article written about reading in the past few years, this one has inspired a few suggestions that the focus on phonics has caused problems.
I'd like to explain why I disagree.
>>
I'd like to explain why I disagree.
>>
An expert shares five reading fluency strategies to support children to become better readers
Reading fluency: why it matters and how to teach it
A focus on reading fluency can help to bridge the gap between decoding and comprehension, says Penny Slater, who shares strategies for supporting children to become fluent readers
www.tes.com
September 28, 2025 at 10:49 AM
As with almost every article written about reading in the past few years, this one has inspired a few suggestions that the focus on phonics has caused problems.
I'd like to explain why I disagree.
>>
I'd like to explain why I disagree.
>>
The new money-saving plan: underfund schools further and gut EHCPs until they only cover PMLD.
Translation: strip protection from thousands of autistic, SEMH, SLCN and SpLD children - and dump the cost on schools already on their knees.
Happy days.
Translation: strip protection from thousands of autistic, SEMH, SLCN and SpLD children - and dump the cost on schools already on their knees.
Happy days.
Keir Starmer told the BBC this morning that he doesn’t want to take away EHCPs, but - and an important but - added that “we do need to reform this system”.
No final decision has been made on SEND reform & the PM has invited other parties to work with the govt:
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
No final decision has been made on SEND reform & the PM has invited other parties to work with the govt:
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
DfE considering if EHCPs are 'right vehicle'
SEND adviser Dame Christine Lenehan says new reforms will change the 'bureaucratic nightmare' that the system has become
www.tes.com
September 28, 2025 at 9:45 AM
The new money-saving plan: underfund schools further and gut EHCPs until they only cover PMLD.
Translation: strip protection from thousands of autistic, SEMH, SLCN and SpLD children - and dump the cost on schools already on their knees.
Happy days.
Translation: strip protection from thousands of autistic, SEMH, SLCN and SpLD children - and dump the cost on schools already on their knees.
Happy days.