Sam Gibbs
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samgibbs.bsky.social
Sam Gibbs
@samgibbs.bsky.social
Trust Teacher Development & Curriculum Lead, GMET | Deputy Chair,TrustCPDLeads | Speaker,co-Auth ‘The Trouble With English’, ‘Love the One You’re With-Why Teachers Stay & What We Can Learn From Them’. | LeadingTrusts100 | Running, Reading, Red | Views Own.
Reposted by Sam Gibbs
It’s the first day of (volunteer) Ofsted inspections today, but leaders have been told about changes to how the watchdog uses performance data just days before.

@ascl-uk.bsky.social say it’s reason enough for volunteer schools to pull out entirely.

www.tes.com/magazine/new...
‘Major concerns’ over Ofsted data changes
Schools that volunteered to be first for new inspections should be allowed to withdraw because of changes announced by Ofsted just days before the new system begins, say heads’ leaders
www.tes.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Reposted by Sam Gibbs
"...to work together, listen deeply and keep the needs of children at the heart of every decision."
A great piece by @samgibbs.bsky.social & @missgoodyear.bsky.social in @tesmagazine.bsky.social: www.tes.com/magazine/ana... 2/2
What the curriculum review means for schools
As the profession digests the curriculum and assessment review’s recommendations, thoughts turn to putting them into practice, write Tracy Goodyear and Sam Gibbs
www.tes.com
November 9, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Reposted by Sam Gibbs
"Real reform is rarely dramatic, but it is always collective. We must see this review as a chance to recast teaching as a profession that privileges professional thought and agency. As we look ahead, our challenge is simple..." @missgoodyear.bsky.social @samgibbs.bsky.social 1/2
November 9, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Reposted by Sam Gibbs
"Experience tells us that ownership, not compliance, drives meaningful change." Great piece from @samgibbs.bsky.social and @missgoodyear.bsky.social in @tesmagazine.bsky.social: www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
What the curriculum review means for schools
As the profession digests the curriculum and assessment review’s recommendations, thoughts turn to putting them into practice, write Tracy Goodyear and Sam Gibbs
www.tes.com
November 9, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Reposted by Sam Gibbs
In case you missed it: The Education Secretary is holding a live online event at 4:15pm on Wednesday 12 November, where she will discuss the Curriculum and Assessment Review and the government’s response.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/focus-on-c...
Focus on curriculum reform with the Education Secretary
The Education Secretary answers your questions on curriculum reform.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 9, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Reposted by Sam Gibbs
Nice response to the curric & assess review. In case it’s paywalled for you, @missgoodyear.bsky.social & @samgibbs.bsky.social conspicuously don’t go down the ‘implementation’ of ‘what works’ (ie data-farming) path, but instead go with attuning to & meeting actual needs.

Happy #neuroqueering! 🦋
November 9, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Another one from @missgoodyear.bsky.social and I - why we think ‘the readiness is all’ when it comes to the CAR.
November 7, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Reposted by Sam Gibbs
Edition 409 done and dusted:

A curriculum and assessment review SPECIAL ...

PLUS:

Government plans £3m SEND research centre

Do schools really have too many assistant heads?

Ministers scope out plan to help schools boost investment returns
November 6, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Reposted by Sam Gibbs
I want to pass on my sincere thanks to Professor Becky Francis and her expert panel.

I knew from opposition that Prof Francis was the person I wanted to revitalise & renew our curriculum.

She has been unflinching in her drive for high standards for all.
www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
Curriculum review: what does it say about your subject?
The newly published review of curriculum and assessment makes a series of recommendations across different subjects. Find out how your subject could change if the government takes forward its proposal...
www.tes.com
November 5, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Reposted by Sam Gibbs
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...
Francis review: the recommendations rejected by government
The DfE wants full rather than phased implementation of curriculum reform - from 2028 - and puts the brakes on inclusion of RE in the national curriculum
www.tes.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Looking forward to a day of planning with our Trust Subject Leads tomorrow…and especially to exploring how we might develop our didagogical approach, based on the work of @teacherdevtrust.bsky.social.
November 3, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Devastating news about the train attack. A journey I make regularly and it must have been utterly terrifying. Thoughts with everyone affected.
November 2, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Reposted by Sam Gibbs
Bridget Phillipson confirms long-awaited SEND reforms will not be published until 2026

In September @politicshome.bsky.social reported warnings from multiple sources familiar with the process that the delays could be as late as January/February

www.politicshome.com/news/article...
SEND Reforms At Risk Of Further Delay As Government Tries To Avoid Backlash
There is growing concern that long-awaited reforms to the special education needs and disabilities system risk further delay, PoliticsHome understa...
www.politicshome.com
October 22, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Reposted by Sam Gibbs
Teachers make unique learners, a report from @teacherdevtrust.bsky.social has found. But what does this mean for how schools and trusts approach training and CPD?
Is ‘didagogy’ the key to better CPD for teachers?
The study of how teachers learn is unique enough to need its own terminology, finds a new report – and that has implications for how we understand teacher training and CPD
www.tes.com
October 22, 2025 at 5:45 AM
Too much CPD is still ineffectual, despite huge sums of money being spent across the sector.

Collectively, we need to acknowledge that current approaches are not working for too many teachers.

Delighted to have co-authored this piece with Andrea Bean, where we propose a way forward.
Most CPD fails to understand a teacher's context and it doesn't meet a teacher where they are in that moment in terms of knowledge or need.

A didagogy model fixes those problems.

This is the view of @samgibbs.bsky.social and Andrea Bean They explain why below.

www.tes.com/magazine/tea...
Is ‘didagogy’ the key to better CPD for teachers?
The study of how teachers learn is unique enough to need its own terminology, finds a new report - and that has implications for how we understand teacher training and CPD
www.tes.com
October 22, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Reposted by Sam Gibbs
Most CPD fails to understand a teacher's context and it doesn't meet a teacher where they are in that moment in terms of knowledge or need.

A didagogy model fixes those problems.

This is the view of @samgibbs.bsky.social and Andrea Bean They explain why below.

www.tes.com/magazine/tea...
Is ‘didagogy’ the key to better CPD for teachers?
The study of how teachers learn is unique enough to need its own terminology, finds a new report - and that has implications for how we understand teacher training and CPD
www.tes.com
October 22, 2025 at 6:06 AM
Thrilled to be speaking at the @teacherdevtrust.bsky.social national conference today - sadly without my partner-in-crime @missgoodyear.bsky.social who is here in spirit!
October 21, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Reposted by Sam Gibbs
PRE-ORDER NOW

Succeeding as a Deputy Head by me and @mradamkohlbeck.bsky.social is being published by @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social in Jan 26.

Contributors include @samgibbs.bsky.social @andrewpercivaled.bsky.social @joshpd.bsky.social and foreword by @samtwiselton.bsky.social

amzn.eu/d/8ir1F7P
October 15, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Proud! (And knackered 🤣)
October 12, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Ready (sort of 😂) Running for my Dad and all who are affected by Parkinson’s. Last minute plug for sponsorship here: events.parkinsons.org.uk/fundraisers/...
October 11, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Reposted by Sam Gibbs
“There is a whole workforce that is just hiding in plain sight. These people are already working with kids, they love kids, but their development is stymied, so this is about unleashing those people.”

HUGE news. 👇

Will be transformational.

schoolsweek.co.uk/trust-offers...
Trust offers degree pathway to create ‘children’s workforce’
Reach Foundation to launch unit to provide 'structural solutions' to recruitment and retention issues
schoolsweek.co.uk
October 11, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Reposted by Sam Gibbs
My latest @tesmagazine.bsky.social column: ‘Inclusion by design: why it matters and how to do it’.

I explore the changing picture around inclusion (from the OFSTED to the ‘Send crisis’), alongside practical, evidence-informed approaches teachers can address now.

www.tes.com/magazine/tea...
Inclusion ‘by design’: why it matters and how to do it
With the new Ofsted framework taking a broad view of inclusion, it’s even more important to make teaching inclusive ‘by design’ and not by accident, suggests Alex Quigley
www.tes.com
October 9, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Reposted by Sam Gibbs
Edition 407 done and dusted:

So much for saving money: Reform council eyes school budget raid

Scoop: trust plans to roll out deepfake teacher avatars to cut workload

Long read on SEND cluster funding

Legal explainer on campaigning pupils
October 9, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Reposted by Sam Gibbs
I spoke to Matt Forde about Irn-Bru, crowdsurfing, Byker Grove, the 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 Washington in the North East — and a bit of politics too.

Yes, our crowd was bigger than Mel Stride’s at Tory Party conference.

Listen below 👇
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
Show 372. Bridget Phillipson - LIVE
Podcast Episode · The Political Party · 08/10/2025 · 1h 7m
podcasts.apple.com
October 8, 2025 at 10:22 AM