SolaMs

The last week of term. Busy. Tight. Relentless. But worth asking… Why is it so busy? Who planned the calendar? Who mapped the term? Who decided what had to land this week? Because this didn’t just happen. When everything piles up: Focus drops Consistency slips Relationships get tested And the pupils who need us most feel it first. So yes… finish strong. Keep routines tight Keep expectations high Stay present But also reflect: Did we design this term with intention? Or did everything just… accumulate? If every last week feels like this It’s not the week that needs fixing It’s the planning before it...?

Looks exciting!

@MrMetacognition No. Leave it as it is.

A lot of schools I work with are now moving towards a two-week October half-term (if they haven’t done so already). The advantages are obvious. Teachers get the break that they need after the longest half-term of the year, as do students. Absences caused by ill health should reduce, and the second half-term should be all the more manageable for the extra rest that everyone has got. Having two weeks in October also has knock on’s with holiday elsewhere, but so far the anecdotal evidence is that it is worth it. Has anyone been in a school that has made this change? What are the benefits that you’ve seen? Or, if you’re in a setting that has always been this way, would you want to change to a one-week half-term in October?

When I mark yr 11 lang mocks, I think: 1. Teens don’t read good non-fic enough so how are they supposed to put down their opinions on paper accurately if they don’t see it modelled often. 2. They aren’t used to being asked their opinions so literally don’t know what they think

Here's our response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review. We're v hopeful it holds out the possibility of real change in secondary English - more oracy, media, drama, proper language study + better GCSEs! englishandmedia.co.uk/blog/emc-respo…

@missm_teachess Just sending you some strength. One day at a time. You will make it through. Try to get outside tomorrow if you can.

Genuinely at rock bottom. I’m currently signed off work and literally every aspect of my life has fallen apart in the last 48 hours. I honestly don’t know how it’ll get better.

@GCSE_Macbeth I love Jay Rayner's writing for Y9. His article 'The curse of the spaghetti marrow 'is fantastic. Also 'A well done steak'. Also Charlie Brooker (edited). Johnathon Swift, Suzanne Moore 'Teenage Kicks' , Victoria Coren Mitchell's columns, Charles Dickens 'Night Walks'...

Hello English hivemind. I am looking for recommendations / links / tips for really good non-fiction material that would work with Year 9. Your best articles, reviews, columns, extracts? thank you!

I do wish that people would stop saying English Literature isn’t as important as English Language in schools, to kids. I’m trying desperately to get our A-level Lit numbers up but our kids think that Literature isn’t worth anything because they don’t “need” it.

Another email from an English teacher this morning about the appalling NATIONAL SCANDAL of GCSE English marking. They gave their permission to quote the email in full & I want to share it because it is so shocking. What are @ofqual & @educationgovuk doing about this?

@xAimieCrewex 27 marks for one of ours today!! From a 6 to an 8!!

Every English teacher for 40+ years saying yes - the mark from home day is called Sunday 2-6pm

@kateowbridge The writing score isn't even used to predict grades.

No shit Sherlock! If they have to do them at all, do them at the beginning of secondary. No incentive for secondaries to cheat, results can still be attributed to individual primary schools, and they might actually be truthful and useful for once.

@LisaTetley2 @FunkyPedagogy Ah one of my students asked if they should do this and I was quite bemused by it!

@FunkyPedagogy This year it was plan 'Macbeth', plan 'ACC', then do the essays. Last year it was start lang paper 1 with question 5.

@FunkyPedagogy I tell students to ignore TikTok and give links to approved online resources but still it happens.

@FunkyPedagogy Last year it was shoe-horning in Judith Butler!!

@MrBispham If a student had been killed / died, the school would be in mourning and teachers / students in shock, counselling available for all, spaces set up etc

Watching ep 2 of #Adolescence has made me quite sad. Feels like a thinly veiled attack on schools. The teachers bear no resemblance to the amazing people I work with. Particularly galling as schools have been battling with the subject matter while society ignored it for so long.

@MollattMrs Hi - this looks amazing. I'd love a copy too but I can't message you.

Pupil booklet complete👍 Highlighting the key wider messages within the Literature set texts we study. Looking at modern interpretations, key sentence starters and ways to push to the grade 7+ 🧵🪡🪙Those golden threads are key! 🙌

@Carolin73927687 @LeeBraganza Secondary here- what is bubble writing?

@LeeBraganza Yes we do it daily with ks1 and at ks2 it’s an integral part of literacy. We have started using ‘bubble’ writing as an intervention.

First of three CPD sessions with staff tonight leading handwriting. Do many primaries still teach handwriting daily? So many staff changed their pen grip or writing position after the session. Can't wait to see it improve across the school.

@denslon_eng Year 19. I love my school, so that helps and have managed to organise my life so it balances overall. Work will dominate at points and it can be very tough at times but I am good at relaxing so on average it's all manageable. It is NEVER boring that's for sure!

Teachers who have been in it for 10+ years…. How?

@tes No. Just NO.

Sir Martyn Oliver has called for a rethink over the length of school holidays, warning that the longer summer break can cause ‘dysregulation’ in some pupils tes.com/magazine/news/…