Mr BdB

Blog on how to approach the first lesson with a new class. #edublogshare @MrTs_NQTs blogdebasics.wordpress.com/2021/08/08/fir…

A new blog post: Why TLRs often aren't worth it: Calculations, rules and alternatives. blogdebasics.wordpress.com/2026/02/15/why…

One hour of extra work per day (a duty, a meeting, some admin) would be paid at £18.50 on a £3,600 TLR. Tutoring is currently around £35 per hour. National Minimum Wage is £12.71 from April. Decide how much your time is worth before applying for a TLR post.

@nicolajharvey @RogersHistory I agree with you. I wonder if decisions would be different if people realised that pay isn't treated equally.

@WRBdB @RogersHistory I think the bigger question is whether you have capacity and desire to do a TLR role. My phase lead SLT role (primary-so different to secondary) does not have a TLR but the extra afternoon out of class is more valuable to me.

@nicolajharvey @RogersHistory Yes, I think you could easily write a counter piece to this. It's very personal and depends on needs and ambition at the time. I also didn't touch on higher tax rates. Soon the top of UPS will be in the higher tax rate after pension - which will mean the TLR is even less.

@WRBdB @RogersHistory I agree with the NI and student loans bit for sure. There is hidden work with tutoring and it takes you away from school rather than feeding your career. £1000 worth of tutoring is I guess only an hour a week or less though.

@nicolajharvey @RogersHistory I agree the pension is very good. But it does come under the deduction column on a pay slip. The NI and student loans are the interesting part for me.

@WRBdB @RogersHistory Interesting post. But I don’t agree with pension as a deduction. It’s saving, long term. And not just the 9.9 % but also the contribution from employer. Unless I’ve missed something! When I tutored, it was easy to see my pay as equivalent, but no pension was a big minus!

New Blog Post 📝 Over the years I have received a lot of terrible teaching advice, but I have also had some brilliant pointers. Some of the best advice I have had has been seemingly insignificant changes to my practice. Here are five examples. Link below

@RogersHistory @TeacherTapp @miss_mcinerney

I haven't written a blog in ages. However suddenly felt that this might be useful or worth discussing at least. x.com/WRBdB/status/2…

@STEMyBanda Arbor is awful.

@JuniperEd @MissBird90 Could you ensure it doesn't happen again next year?

@MissBird90 Hi, we're sorry for the recent service difficulties. We've resolved the issue, and everything is now back to normal. We apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience. Our team is ready to help if you have any further questions. -Juniper

Happy SISRA crashing because results are out at 8 and every teacher logs on at the same time day.

@tes This is incorrect: "The top 10 most popular subjects remain the same as last year, with science: double award being sat by the most students in 2025, with 925,606 entries." It is double counted. The number of students is half entries and thus not "sat by the most students".

From the number of GCSEs entered per student to the most popular subjects, here are six key trends from today’s results data that schools need to know tes.com/magazine/analy…

Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you… Big Blue. Possibly the world’s largest single-domain copper sulfate crystal. 🧪 A year of careful growth in my lab, thermodynamics, patience, and kilograms of bovine hoof disinfectant. Slow-grown in cold water - this is chemistry as art. How big will it be next year? #iteachchemistry

most unusual venue for my A-level Chemistry Revision Workshop this morning near Launceston today - St Michael’s Church (as the village hall was already booked until lunchtime!). Back in the hall now for the afternoon session! 👍

Poll here! Who start GCSE science in Yr 9?

How many hours do you have to teach GCSE sci per science per week?

New favourite lesson: The Copper Cycle. Cu --> Cu(NO3)2 --> Cu(OH)2 --> CuO --> CuCl2 --> Cu. Lesson used for all of my classes. Y10's identify reactions inc. redox, neutralisation, precipitation, thermal decomposition, displacement etc. #RealTimeChem #chemed #time4chem #asechat

@edmunds_dr I wouldn't worry too much. Most children will have had hand, foot and mouth. Probably including you. Just no one remembers as it is relatively mild. Hope she's better soon. Usually it's not too bad.

I'm lucky enough to have a 2 week half term. Don't be jealous though, as: -Week 1: looking after extremely grumpy daughter who's caught hand, foot & mouth from nursery. -Week 2: Inevitably, I catch hand, foot & mouth. Nurseries really are full of a wide variety of plagues.