Dr James Shea
@englishspecial.bsky.social
Principal Lecturer Teacher Education | ITE UG & PG Portfolio Leader | Trustee The Pyramid Schools Trust | Author | Editor http://peerreviewededucationblog.com
Interesting to read Ofsted inspectors clearly favouring purchased schemes of work over those developed by a school.
June 11, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Interesting to read Ofsted inspectors clearly favouring purchased schemes of work over those developed by a school.
TikTokTipsters profiteering on the high stakes gambling nature of GCSE exams is where we are now in 2025.
Read my comments in The Observer.
Read my comments in The Observer.
May 28, 2025 at 7:16 AM
TikTokTipsters profiteering on the high stakes gambling nature of GCSE exams is where we are now in 2025.
Read my comments in The Observer.
Read my comments in The Observer.
🔥80% of teachers reteach content if pupils don't know the answers during a cycle of retrieval practice.🔥
Why bother using retrieval practice to elicit the testing effect if you then waste the gained time reteaching the answers?
Read more here
👇
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Why bother using retrieval practice to elicit the testing effect if you then waste the gained time reteaching the answers?
Read more here
👇
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
April 4, 2025 at 7:14 AM
🔥80% of teachers reteach content if pupils don't know the answers during a cycle of retrieval practice.🔥
Why bother using retrieval practice to elicit the testing effect if you then waste the gained time reteaching the answers?
Read more here
👇
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Why bother using retrieval practice to elicit the testing effect if you then waste the gained time reteaching the answers?
Read more here
👇
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Bridget Phillipson speech to set out need for more male teachers in school.
Will she announce sweeping reform of the bursary system & allow primary, & subjects like drama, to access funds that enable more deprived/career changers to become teachers?
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
Will she announce sweeping reform of the bursary system & allow primary, & subjects like drama, to access funds that enable more deprived/career changers to become teachers?
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
April 3, 2025 at 5:42 AM
Bridget Phillipson speech to set out need for more male teachers in school.
Will she announce sweeping reform of the bursary system & allow primary, & subjects like drama, to access funds that enable more deprived/career changers to become teachers?
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
Will she announce sweeping reform of the bursary system & allow primary, & subjects like drama, to access funds that enable more deprived/career changers to become teachers?
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
Primary tests in the future will be replaced by AI, NHS-style, 'screening' which checks for dyslexia, discalcula & other difficulties as part of evaluation of their reading & maths.
Will we still over prep for these screening checks?
Check lexplore.com/en-gb/ for starters.
Will we still over prep for these screening checks?
Check lexplore.com/en-gb/ for starters.
March 29, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Primary tests in the future will be replaced by AI, NHS-style, 'screening' which checks for dyslexia, discalcula & other difficulties as part of evaluation of their reading & maths.
Will we still over prep for these screening checks?
Check lexplore.com/en-gb/ for starters.
Will we still over prep for these screening checks?
Check lexplore.com/en-gb/ for starters.
Having to learning ten GCSE exam cultures is inefficient use of curriculum time. Homogenize the individual exam systems and drive more learning of new content.
March 4, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Having to learning ten GCSE exam cultures is inefficient use of curriculum time. Homogenize the individual exam systems and drive more learning of new content.
Whether you are for or against institutions spending money on preparing senior leaders for the risk of Ofsted, there's no escaping it's big business.
March 1, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Whether you are for or against institutions spending money on preparing senior leaders for the risk of Ofsted, there's no escaping it's big business.
🔥Warning: repeated quizzing can dull students' ability to transfer taught knowledge to unseen exam questions.🔥
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
February 22, 2025 at 10:09 AM
🔥Warning: repeated quizzing can dull students' ability to transfer taught knowledge to unseen exam questions.🔥
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
More details of new Ofsted inspection process revealed*
😱Re-inspection within months if any area deemed in need of improvement 😱 🏃♂🏃♂
😨Someone in your provision will be given the 'Ofsted wants' power 😨 🙊🙉🙈
What could possibly go wrong?
www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
😱Re-inspection within months if any area deemed in need of improvement 😱 🏃♂🏃♂
😨Someone in your provision will be given the 'Ofsted wants' power 😨 🙊🙉🙈
What could possibly go wrong?
www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
February 19, 2025 at 6:27 AM
More details of new Ofsted inspection process revealed*
😱Re-inspection within months if any area deemed in need of improvement 😱 🏃♂🏃♂
😨Someone in your provision will be given the 'Ofsted wants' power 😨 🙊🙉🙈
What could possibly go wrong?
www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
😱Re-inspection within months if any area deemed in need of improvement 😱 🏃♂🏃♂
😨Someone in your provision will be given the 'Ofsted wants' power 😨 🙊🙉🙈
What could possibly go wrong?
www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
February 18, 2025 at 6:53 AM
£0 bursary for drama, dance or media. Measly £5k for English with £10k for music and art against block buster £20-30k for STEM shows where priorities lie for DfE.
February 11, 2025 at 6:55 AM
£0 bursary for drama, dance or media. Measly £5k for English with £10k for music and art against block buster £20-30k for STEM shows where priorities lie for DfE.
Tory then Labour led DfE reaps reward for sustained defunding of arts subjects.
Stark contrast in DfE bursaries by Labour government in next post.
www.tes.com/magazine/tea...
Stark contrast in DfE bursaries by Labour government in next post.
www.tes.com/magazine/tea...
February 11, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Tory then Labour led DfE reaps reward for sustained defunding of arts subjects.
Stark contrast in DfE bursaries by Labour government in next post.
www.tes.com/magazine/tea...
Stark contrast in DfE bursaries by Labour government in next post.
www.tes.com/magazine/tea...
Ofsted proposes to triple down on high stakes regulation of sector.
Every category is a high risk area that will require a designated SLT, oodles of money to be spent and bags of stress splashed across a profession stampeding for the door.
schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-schoo...
Every category is a high risk area that will require a designated SLT, oodles of money to be spent and bags of stress splashed across a profession stampeding for the door.
schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-schoo...
February 3, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Ofsted proposes to triple down on high stakes regulation of sector.
Every category is a high risk area that will require a designated SLT, oodles of money to be spent and bags of stress splashed across a profession stampeding for the door.
schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-schoo...
Every category is a high risk area that will require a designated SLT, oodles of money to be spent and bags of stress splashed across a profession stampeding for the door.
schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-schoo...
Stop labelling children as SEND. All children have barriers to learning, just some more than others - is the message from Tom Rees.
(Pointedly sidestepping the debate that we have a system where funding depends on the award of labels).
schoolsweek.co.uk/umbrella-sen...
(Pointedly sidestepping the debate that we have a system where funding depends on the award of labels).
schoolsweek.co.uk/umbrella-sen...
January 23, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Stop labelling children as SEND. All children have barriers to learning, just some more than others - is the message from Tom Rees.
(Pointedly sidestepping the debate that we have a system where funding depends on the award of labels).
schoolsweek.co.uk/umbrella-sen...
(Pointedly sidestepping the debate that we have a system where funding depends on the award of labels).
schoolsweek.co.uk/umbrella-sen...
Elective Home Education (EHE) in England has skyrocketed over the last 5 years:
2019/20: 78,000 ➡️2023/24: 153,300
What’s fueling this growth? SEN challenges, mental health, & school dissatisfaction for sure. Any others?
www.gov.uk/government/p...
2019/20: 78,000 ➡️2023/24: 153,300
What’s fueling this growth? SEN challenges, mental health, & school dissatisfaction for sure. Any others?
www.gov.uk/government/p...
December 12, 2024 at 11:39 AM
Elective Home Education (EHE) in England has skyrocketed over the last 5 years:
2019/20: 78,000 ➡️2023/24: 153,300
What’s fueling this growth? SEN challenges, mental health, & school dissatisfaction for sure. Any others?
www.gov.uk/government/p...
2019/20: 78,000 ➡️2023/24: 153,300
What’s fueling this growth? SEN challenges, mental health, & school dissatisfaction for sure. Any others?
www.gov.uk/government/p...
In the Early Years Assessment (75% of children to be school ready by 5), it measures being able to hold several ideas/actions at once. Even though WM is not fully developed in all children until they are 7. 🤔
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
December 6, 2024 at 12:21 PM
In the Early Years Assessment (75% of children to be school ready by 5), it measures being able to hold several ideas/actions at once. Even though WM is not fully developed in all children until they are 7. 🤔
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
Beware when teaching primary pupils.
👊Children's hands are not developed enough for a tripod grip until the ossification of their bones reaches a specific stage of biological development.
👊Children's working memories aren't usually fully developed until they are 7 years old.
👊Children's hands are not developed enough for a tripod grip until the ossification of their bones reaches a specific stage of biological development.
👊Children's working memories aren't usually fully developed until they are 7 years old.
December 1, 2024 at 1:02 PM
Beware when teaching primary pupils.
👊Children's hands are not developed enough for a tripod grip until the ossification of their bones reaches a specific stage of biological development.
👊Children's working memories aren't usually fully developed until they are 7 years old.
👊Children's hands are not developed enough for a tripod grip until the ossification of their bones reaches a specific stage of biological development.
👊Children's working memories aren't usually fully developed until they are 7 years old.
Why many summer born boys on FSM are knocking it out of the park and you probably won't even notice.
Do we need to reduce deficit language around such pupils?
schoolsweek.co.uk/eyfs-results...
Do we need to reduce deficit language around such pupils?
schoolsweek.co.uk/eyfs-results...
November 28, 2024 at 5:13 PM
Why many summer born boys on FSM are knocking it out of the park and you probably won't even notice.
Do we need to reduce deficit language around such pupils?
schoolsweek.co.uk/eyfs-results...
Do we need to reduce deficit language around such pupils?
schoolsweek.co.uk/eyfs-results...
Anyone else have an issue with the idea that highly effective leaders are mysteriously not found in large numbers in 'low attaining or disadvantaged schools'. Like the Ofsted framework, it finds if you measure effectiveness without context then...
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
November 26, 2024 at 7:17 AM
Anyone else have an issue with the idea that highly effective leaders are mysteriously not found in large numbers in 'low attaining or disadvantaged schools'. Like the Ofsted framework, it finds if you measure effectiveness without context then...
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
Working memory and teaching in Primary
🤔Does breaking things down into sequences work for all primary students?
🤔Can we use the same rehearsal and retrieval methods with everyone in a primary class?
🤔Can all in a primary class pay the same amount of attention?
(Gathercole and Alloway)
🤔Does breaking things down into sequences work for all primary students?
🤔Can we use the same rehearsal and retrieval methods with everyone in a primary class?
🤔Can all in a primary class pay the same amount of attention?
(Gathercole and Alloway)
November 18, 2024 at 9:56 AM
Working memory and teaching in Primary
🤔Does breaking things down into sequences work for all primary students?
🤔Can we use the same rehearsal and retrieval methods with everyone in a primary class?
🤔Can all in a primary class pay the same amount of attention?
(Gathercole and Alloway)
🤔Does breaking things down into sequences work for all primary students?
🤔Can we use the same rehearsal and retrieval methods with everyone in a primary class?
🤔Can all in a primary class pay the same amount of attention?
(Gathercole and Alloway)
Did you know that landmark studies into school interventions routinely exclude SEND and EAL pupil data?
Fine for a study, but what problems do you see when a school implements it to all pupils?
Example from Sweller:
Fine for a study, but what problems do you see when a school implements it to all pupils?
Example from Sweller:
November 16, 2024 at 9:03 AM
Did you know that landmark studies into school interventions routinely exclude SEND and EAL pupil data?
Fine for a study, but what problems do you see when a school implements it to all pupils?
Example from Sweller:
Fine for a study, but what problems do you see when a school implements it to all pupils?
Example from Sweller:
Why is the EEF still measuring interventions in obsolete 'flight path months of progress'? Haven't we kicked all that nonsense into touch now?
Watch out for tomorrow's thought provoking X #sundaypoll on EEF’s flight path months.
Watch out for tomorrow's thought provoking X #sundaypoll on EEF’s flight path months.
September 21, 2024 at 9:14 AM
Why is the EEF still measuring interventions in obsolete 'flight path months of progress'? Haven't we kicked all that nonsense into touch now?
Watch out for tomorrow's thought provoking X #sundaypoll on EEF’s flight path months.
Watch out for tomorrow's thought provoking X #sundaypoll on EEF’s flight path months.
What is going on with girls at the borderline of maths grade 4?
FFTEduDatalab picks up a problem that hasn’t yet cut through to mainstream Ed news, but teachers will likely know the problem and potential causes.
ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2024/09/a-cl...
FFTEduDatalab picks up a problem that hasn’t yet cut through to mainstream Ed news, but teachers will likely know the problem and potential causes.
ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2024/09/a-cl...
September 19, 2024 at 6:46 AM
What is going on with girls at the borderline of maths grade 4?
FFTEduDatalab picks up a problem that hasn’t yet cut through to mainstream Ed news, but teachers will likely know the problem and potential causes.
ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2024/09/a-cl...
FFTEduDatalab picks up a problem that hasn’t yet cut through to mainstream Ed news, but teachers will likely know the problem and potential causes.
ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2024/09/a-cl...