Thinking Deeply about Primary Education

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Episode 278: In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Kieran Mackle and Elliot Morgan round up some of the most interesting developments in education across the past month.
They discuss the newly published white paper and what it might mean for inclusion, SEND provision and earlier, more coherent support for students, while also asking the obvious question: will the promises translate into meaningful change in schools? Alongside that, they explore proposals around school progress measures, the push to diversify the teaching workforce, and the complexities of trying to build a profession that better reflects the communities it serves.
The conversation also turns to some of the best writing they’ve read recently, including Mary Myatt on scaffolding, Craig Barton on AI and task design, and a thoughtful piece on leading with explicit empathy. As ever, the discussion moves beyond headlines to the deeper questions underneath: what helps teachers improve, what risks eroding professional expertise, and why thoughtful leadership matters so much.
They finish by reflecting on recent TDaPE episodes, including conversations on teacher voice and leadership, and make the case once again for more practitioners to share their work, their thinking and their expertise.

For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribe

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Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Story of Maths⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview

Episode 277: Should teachers be able to take PPA at home?

In this episode of Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, Kieran Mackle is joined by Adam Kohlbeck to explore one of the most debated issues in schools right now: whether planning, preparation and assessment time is better spent on site or in a space where teachers can think more clearly.

Together, they discuss the difference between genuine planning and simply producing slides, the conditions teachers need for deep professional thinking, and why collaborative planning only works well when it is structured properly. They also examine what this debate reveals about school culture, trust, accountability and leadership.

The conversation also looks at a major new research trial led by UCL, in partnership with the Chartered College of Teaching and funded by the Education Endowment Foundation, which will explore the impact of allowing teachers to take PPA at home.

More info here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/research-projects/2024/sep/impact-offsite-planning-preparation-and-assessment-ppa-teacher-retention 

This is a thoughtful discussion about workload, professional trust, teacher wellbeing and what it really takes to support great teaching.

TDaPE North West Conference ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tickets:⁠ - 28th March, St Helens ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-thinking-deeply-about-primary-education-conference-tickets-1661953891829?aff=oddtdtcreator
For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribe
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Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Story of Maths⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 276: February was another strong month for Thinking Deeply About Primary Education. In this episode, I revisit the moments, ideas and questions from February 2026 that stayed with me longest.
This is not a clip reel for the sake of it. It’s a chance to slow down, connect threads across conversations, and surface the professional ideas that feel most live right now, from classroom practice to leadership, curriculum and professional development.
If you missed any February episodes, this is your way in. If you listened to them all, this is a chance to hear them differently.

TDaPE North West Conference ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tickets:⁠ - 28th March, St Helens ⁠⁠⁠⁠
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-thinking-deeply-about-primary-education-conference-tickets-1661953891829?aff=oddtdtcreator
For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribe
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For maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via [email protected]
Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Story of Maths⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 275: What does it really mean to lead primary English well, beyond policies, monitoring and data drops?
In this episode, Kieran is joined by Tricia Moss and Sallie Stanton, authors of How to Lead It: Primary English. Together, they explore the shift from “doing lots” to leading strategically, with a relentless focus on return on learning.
You’ll hear why subject knowledge is the lever, why the text must be the beating heart of the lesson, how to think about a reading canon as a living curriculum choice, and how English leaders can decide what’s non-negotiable when competing pressures pull in different directions. Expect practical leadership principles, clear curriculum thinking, and a strong argument for why explicit teaching is not the enemy of joy in English.

TDaPE North West Conference ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tickets:⁠ - 28th March, St Helens ⁠⁠⁠
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-thinking-deeply-about-primary-education-conference-tickets-1661953891829?aff=oddtdtcreator
For show notes, links, and a summary episode, sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hey! What You Reading For ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter. Mondays at 7am BST - https://tdape.beehiiv.com/subscribe
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For maths curriculum questions contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via [email protected]
Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Story of Maths⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - www.alta-education.com/tsom-overview
Episode 274: In the third instalment of Thinking Deeply about AI for Schools, James Radburn and Neil Almond step into one of the most provocative corners of the AI debate: music.
At the centre of the episode is a large, multi-study experiment on AI-generated songs that found something many people instinctively resist...
James and Neil use that evidence as a springboard to explore what “creativity” even means in an age of generative tools, and what schools should be thinking about when students can produce polished outputs quickly.
As ever, you won't get all the answers but you'll certainly have the opportunity to think deeply about the use of AI in schools...