Why I Completed an NPQ

By David Madden

Having enjoyed mentoring several PGCE and Teach First trainees, the next natural step for me was to complete an NPQ in Leading Teacher Development. There are numerous training providers for NPQ programmes, but as both my mentees and I had trained through the IOE (Institute of Education), it made sense to stay with an organisation I trusted. So, in October 2023, I signed up for the UCL NPQ.

The NPQs were created by the Department for Education to create a framework of professional development courses for teachers and leaders to develop skills, progress careers and improve school outcomes.

Teach West London has a great flowchart that shows where NPQs are in the stages of training courses:

Back to my thoughts - At first, the structure of the NPQ was a little confusing — not helped by the labyrinthine design of the IOE's online learning portal! However, once I became familiar with the layout, the programme itself offered a rich learning experience.

The NPQ covered four main domains:

• Teaching – Developing teachers at all stages in our schools, and building strong professional development systems.
  
  

• Designing Professional Development – Focusing on how to design effective CPD that genuinely improves pupil outcomes.
  
  

• Delivering Effective Professional Development – Exploring ways to model professional learning and build the expertise our pupils deserve.
  
  

• Implementation – Learning how to implement change successfully within our school contexts, using staged, evidence-informed approaches.
  
  

The programme ran over 12 months from November 2023, with most of the learning based on online self-study and research. It was broken down into three modules:

• Culture and Ethos
  
  

• Curriculum and Teaching
  
  

• Organisational Effectiveness
  
  

Each module began with a learning audit, helping us to identify our strengths and areas for development. We then researched specific domains, recording our reflections in a Personal Learning Journal. Each module concluded with two formative assessments tailored to our individual learning needs.

Alongside the IOE portal, my go-to research document was the EEF’s Guide to Effective Professional Development. However, the most impactful aspect of the programme was the Peer Learning Group (PLG). Led by a facilitator, our group of around 12 teachers — from a variety of West London schools — met four times during the year. These sessions truly brought the programme alive and helped deepen my understanding.

Following the PLGs, we completed an implementation project: designing a plan to develop teacher CPD and presenting it to our group. My project focused on implementing the ‘WA Way’.

The NPQ concluded with an eight-day, open-book, summative case study task. My case study centred on improving CPD in a Secondary School MFL department to raise academic outcomes. I must have done something right — I passed the NPQ!

Reflecting on the whole experience, the most challenging aspect was maintaining the self-discipline needed to complete the online elements of the course. It often meant dedicating evenings and weekends to study in preparation for mentor meetings and PLG sessions. Yet, the most rewarding part was undoubtedly the PLGs themselves — meeting other passionate teachers, sharing ideas, and learning from one another. Much like our own Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), it’s through collaboration that we continue to grow as teachers.

In conclusion, I would highly recommend completing an NPQ to anyone who wants to enhance their own teaching practice and deepen their impact in school.

Source for flowchart: https://teachwestlondon.org.uk/national-professional-qualification

T&L Blog: Why reviewing assessments improves academic outcomes

 
How Reviewing Assessments with Students Improves Academic Outcomes

Assessments are not just tools for measuring student performance; they can also be powerful teaching moments. By reviewing assessments with students, teachers can foster deeper understanding, enhance self-awareness, and ultimately improve academic outcomes. Here’s why this practice is essential and how to incorporate it effectively.

1. Clarifies Misconceptions
Reviewing assessments with students provides an opportunity to address misconceptions and errors directly. When teachers explain correct answers and the reasoning behind them, students develop a stronger grasp of the concepts, reducing the likelihood of repeating the same mistakes in the future.

2. Promotes Metacognition
Assessment reviews encourage students to reflect on their learning (see example in the Blog). When students analyse their performance, they gain insights into their strengths and weaknesses, which helps them take ownership of their learning process. This self-awareness is a critical skill for lifelong learning.

3. Encourages Growth Mindset
Reviewing assessments in a constructive and supportive manner reinforces the idea that mistakes are valuable learning opportunities. This approach fosters a growth mindset, encouraging students to view challenges as steps toward improvement rather than setbacks.

4. Builds Trust and Engagement
Regularly reviewing assessments demonstrates to students that their success matters. This practice can strengthen teacher-student relationships and increase student engagement, as they see the value of their efforts and feel supported in their learning journey.


How to Review Assessments with Students:

Set a Positive Tone: Focus on improvement rather than judgment.
Discuss Common Errors: Highlight patterns in mistakes and explain how to avoid them.
Provide Individual Feedback: Use one-on-one or small-group sessions for personalised insights.
Teach Study Strategies: Suggest practical steps to address specific areas of weakness.
Encourage Student Reflection: Ask students to identify what they did well and what they could improve.

The Impact on Academic Outcomes
When students actively engage in reviewing their assessments, they better understand their learning gaps and how to address them. This process not only boosts their confidence and performance but also equips them with skills to approach future challenges more effectively.
By making assessment reviews a regular part of instruction, teachers transform tests from mere evaluation tools into opportunities for meaningful growth—benefitting both student outcomes and the overall learning experience.

Bibliography
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Assessment and Classroom Learning. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 5(1), 7-74.
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The Power of Feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81-112.
Shute, V. J. (2008). Focus on Formative Feedback. Review of Educational Research, 78(1), 153-189.
Wiliam, D. (2011). Embedded Formative Assessment. Solution Tree Press.
Brookhart, S. M. (2017). How to Give Effective Feedback to Your Students. ASCD.

Thoughts From A Visitor: Centre For Tutorial Teaching

By Tessa Palfreyman, Director of Teaching and Learning at CTT https://www.centrefortutorialteaching.org/ 

We are a global centre for tutorial teaching based in Oxford, UK. We are a community of professors, researchers, experienced teachers, executive leaders and instructional designers, each of whom have experienced the Tutorial Method at some point in our careers. Some of us have been delivering tutorials at the University of Oxford for decades, while some of us have implemented tutorial learning in our local primary school classrooms. We have staff who were taught by the Tutorial Method at the University of Oxford, and others who are veteran instructional designers who have long wanted to embed the method in their work. We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit Westminster Academy in January 2023 and gained some valuable insights into the International Baccalaureate (IB), how it can work in a non-fee-paying school sixth form and the impact it has on students. There are a number of parallels between the IB and the Tutorial Method and this was evident when visiting the school. 

What did we do during our visit?

During our visit we met with Holly Youlden, Assistant Vice Principal for Teaching and Learning, and Dr Paul Wood, Principal and CEO of Westminster Academy. Holly and Paul talked us through the Diploma and Career-related IB programmes that are on offer to their sixth form students. We discussed the importance of students leaving school being fully prepared and equipped for further education and employment and what schools can do to ensure this. Dialogue-based learning and metacognition were two key pieces that we agreed were fundamental for students and the Tutorial Method and IB offer students. During our morning at the school, we were also able to observe some Year 12 and Year 13 students in their IB lessons in both Maths and Anthropology, this gave us the chance to see the two programmes in practice and the way in which teachers facilitate learning. In the Maths class, we were able to speak with three students and ask questions about their experiences of the IB and the way in which they are taught at the school. This was certainly the highlight of our visit and gave us insights and learnings we could take back to our work at CTT. 

What did we learn from our visit? 

We took a huge amount of learning away from our visit to Westminster Academy and are incredibly grateful to have met Holly and Paul and their articulate and interesting sixth form students. Hearing the positive impact that the IB has on students from both senior leaders and the students themselves consolidated what the data shows, but more importantly the crucial life-long skills that are developed through this way of teaching. As dialogue-based learning, independent work, study skills, relevance and intent are some of the key aspects of the IB programmes we, as experts in the Tutorial Method, were able to see how aligned the IB and the Tutorial Method are and how the method can be utilized by teachers on IB programmes to further enhance their teaching and offerings to students. We were encouraged to see how a programme typically only available in fee-paying schools is working so well in a state school, demonstrating the potential that other programmes and schools can have without being confined to traditions that may no longer work for students in the 21st century. We are excited to learn even more about the IB and the ways in which the Tutorial Method can be used within and alongside IB programmes.

CPD Reflections: Importance Of Professional Learning

By Sayef Khan

As educators, are we still students?

“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn”  Phil Collins

 

Westminster Academy gave me the opportunity to attend a three-day CPD organised by IBSCA (IB Schools & Colleges Association) to complete the Category 2 training for the new IBDP Business specification delivered by Paul Hoang (Author of IBDP Business Management). 

 

I had the privilege to meet DP Business teachers from across the globe and be able to have access to how the new course is delivered in different cultures and learn a range of classroom practices. My intention in attending the CPD was to learn more about my subject however I left with more enriched knowledge. 

 

The training required me to return to the ‘student chair’ and learn from other Business specialists which reminded me that there are always more aspects of the subject to learn that could be applied to my teaching and learning - you just need to seek it!

 

It’s essential to be aware of the changes occurring within the external environment and the changes within teaching practices as factors such as technology have required us to make necessary adjustments to our teaching to continue enhancing student learning. However, continuing to learn can sometimes become hindered, if we forget the importance of teaching students the ‘hidden’ curriculum - it’s even more important to have access to the resources to do this. 

 

So why is it important to continue learning as educators? 

1. As mentioned, it enables teachers to become confident in going beyond the curriculum 

2. Increases your passion for teaching your subject

3. Improve student outcomes

4. Most importantly, encourages each other to become better educators.

 

Questions to reflect upon:

1. Are there opportunities to teach beyond the curriculum during our lessons? If not, what are the barriers?

2. How do I get access to effective resources to incorporate within my teaching and learning? E.g online resources/colleagues

3. Within our schedule, where can we find the time to continue learning about our subject?

 

If you have any insightful suggestions/thoughts please do share them! I would welcome any feedback.

 

Further reading: 

Beames, S., Higgins, P.J. and Nicol, R. (2012) Learning outside the classroom: Theory and guidelines for practice. New York, NY: Routledge.

CPD Reflections: MA In Educational Leadership

By Divisha Patel

In 2020, I decided to embark on a Master’s in Educational Leadership at UCL-IOE. Initially, I was worried about how I might manage the workload of both my role here in WA as a Director of Learning, and the various readings and assignments I would be required to engage with in order to be successful in my MA. However, along the two years, I have found this learning to have had a hugely positive impact on my work here at WA and how I lead the Humanities team. 

Module 1: Leading Change and Improvement

This module involved learning about policy change through education in line with the changes in political leadership; different styles of leadership that exist in education and their various interpretations, strengths and weaknesses; and approaches of change management. The learning around leadership styles were particularly pertinent for me as I embarked on the new role of DOL for both Humanities and Enterprise. I really wanted to create a new identity and vision for this new amalgamated team, so that each subject and teacher felt a sense of belonging to the new ‘Humanities’ whilst also remaining true to their passion and pedagogy for their subject areas. I’ve always felt that a team operates best when it is truly collaborative and a sum of its well-functioning parts. Therefore, it was important for me to create and maintain the most effective form of dialogue between myself and the subject coordinators, rooted in professional trust and critical reflection. This approach is often referred to as ‘participative leadership’/’democratic leadership’/’distributed leadership’, where inclusive discussions are at the core. Completing the coaching course provided by the school for middle leaders was a great way to put this into practice and is still an ongoing area for development. Whilst not every decision can be approached in this way, it is what I fundamentally value and where possible, I’ve tried to put it into action. This, then, feeds into effective change management. This was imperative when we were tasked with writing a new KS3 curriculum for Y9 and/or adapting the KS4 curriculum for a 2-year delivery. 

Module 2: Leading for the Learning Community

This module covered the issues and concepts related to effective learning for individuals and organisations. Sub-topics included learning about HR management issues; the role of coaching and mentoring and workload/wellbeing management. The biggest takeaway from this module was the importance of approaching professional learning with a ‘little and often’ approach, which is in line with Jaya and the Academic SLT's vision for WA’s CPD provision too. It was this learning that informed my leadership approach for how best to plant seeds of professional learning within the Humanities department. Something that I’ve implemented at WA that I’m most proud of is the peer-led T&L showcase segment of our Humanities department meetings. 

At the beginning of the term, I allocate slots to each staff member, ensuring that everyone delivers an equal number of sessions for the academic year. Each Humanities member is given the autonomy to do the showcase on anything they would like, such as: 

• A form of AfL/questioning

• A piece of work

• An online resource

• A teaching strategy

• Academic reading/research

  
  

During the T&L showcase, the teacher tells us a little bit about why they have chosen the topic; the reasoning behind the focus and how they implemented/plan to implement the focus in the classroom. As a team, we then discuss how we could be flexible with the focus and its use for specific key groups such as SEND, EAL or different attainer groups. I love watching all staff deliver their showcase, but particularly ECTs, because they always present with passion, genuine interest and an eagerness to be better practitioners. The discussions that follow act as windows into peoples’ teacher personas and whilst not the intention, learn more about who they are as people and their values, and in a profession as emotive as teaching, this is important for building a strong, successful team. Further information about how Humanities is trying to be a research-informed department can be found here.

Module 3: Research Methods in Educational Research

Admittedly my least enjoyable module, this was about learning how to use principles of research design to create and test research questions and select appropriate methods to conduct a robust project. Discussions of epistemology and ontology have never been my strength, but ultimately, I found this module incredibly useful in considering how best to understand a concept/problem, which could then be used as an enquiry for both my own teacher/leader development, and organisational development if scaled up. My assignment was to write a research proposal, which allowed me to prepare for my final report. As someone who is interested in the academic ‘side’ of teaching, I wanted to explore the concept of teacher agency (causing/generating action) within curriculum development and investigating to what extent curriculum leaders have/enact/exercise agency when writing unit plans, lessons and assessments. 

Final Report: The work that I had engaged with for two years culminated in writing up my final research project which was about the role of teacher agency in curriculum development. Teacher agency is about teachers having the ability to act and be change agents, and given that teachers are an increasingly important part of curriculum  design, if not the most important part, then understanding their perceptions of exercising teacher agency and the different influences that can possibly have an effect is imperative for school leaders. The findings showed that curriculum leaders felt like they did have agency in planning their curricula, however accountability measures and performativity stifled this, especially during pinch-points of the school year. For example, many participants said that they felt constrained by external pressures such as government policy, Ofsted, and school performance tables. Whilst these pressures cannot be controlled by a school, the study allowed for some insights into what schools can do to further enable agency, such as providing greater opportunities for collaboration and an increased sense of dialogue amongst staff, which WA has, and is taking steps to address. Opportunities like the PLC meetings, CPD Twilights and departmental QA process, allows curriculum leaders to develop their curricular in line with the school’s vision; latest subject pedagogy; and in an empowered way, by promoting collaborative conversations between teachers, middle and senior leaders. 

Whilst completing a MA has been great in allowing me to learn more about leadership in education, there are plenty of other opportunities to support peoples’ development as effective leaders, and the following websites/organisations/methods have been effective for me so far and I will continue to learn from:

1. TeacherTapp app: this is a free app which asks 3 questions about school life to build a picture of what’s happening in schools, followed by a recommended daily read which acts as a form of quick, ongoing, on-the-move CPD. 

2. ‘Edutwitter’

3. Membership to subject associations 

4. Local networking meetings, which are often passed on by the Academic SLT team for curriculum leaders and subject teachers to attend

   
   

There were various people who helped me along this journey that I am eternally grateful for, namely the participants who took part in my final study; Jaya, for her nurturing line management during this stressful time; Holly, for her sound advice about how best to approach agency within curriculum development; and Ruhina, Bec and Ellie, for their constant encouragement-the best hype women anyone could ask for! 

Further reading: 

National College for Teaching and Leadership (2010) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-strong-claims-about-successful-school-leadership 

Mujis et al (2014), State of the art – teacher effectiveness and professional learning

Briggs et al (2015), Research Methods in Educational Leadership and Management

Fullan (2015), A New Meaning for Educational Change

CPD Reflections: Being An Examiner

By Donna Boam, Sophia Evans, Sid Garg, Mira Jugoo, David Madden, Dipesh Patel & Divisha Patel

1. What is involved? Donna: As an examiner, you get given a number of questions to mark from a particular exam. I mark for Edexcel GCSE English Language Paper 2 and also the IB English Language and Literature orals. Before commencing marking, you attend some remote training and then have to complete qualification, which is when a more experienced examiner checks over your marks. You then commence marking, and some of your scripts are "seeds" and others are checked by a more experienced examiner, meaning that your marking is often being double marked to ensure you are accurate. You are given direct feedback about where you need to adjust your marks. It is a hefty additional workload that can be quite daunting, and you do have to be very organised. The exam boards set incremental marking targets so that you don't leave it all to the last minute, which I would advise anyone to stick to. Also, remember that the marking takes place during the glorious summer months; this past weekend when I wanted to be out enjoying the sunshine I was inside my flat marking! 2. What have you learned from being an examiner? Dipesh: It has radically changed my thinking in terms of how to apply mark schemes as well as how they are constructed. Generally speaking, it has improved my knowledge across the board (mathematical, written, practical questions) but a few main ideas that stand out are the level of detail required to 'show understanding' and 'how to answer the question'. It has shown me how students who clearly have a detailed understanding of a concept, still lose marks due to their own idea of how to respond. The success is in the detail. Sophia: How important presentation of work is. Some students have worked out that it is all over the page and is quite tricky to read. Sitting in the examiner’s chair has made me understand what it is like to read and mark their work (and when this can be tricky). Additionally, the importance of language when answering questions. The mark scheme underlines keywords that need to be in specific answers (such as “angles subtended by the same arc are equal). Many students miss out on marks because they have written their answers without these words, despite us understanding what they’re trying to say. Divisha: I've learnt that it is a disservice to heavily emphasize the use of writing frames and sentence starters with students, because whilst those answers score well, it's not enough to get a 9, so if your teaching is too focused on this approach, it limits the higher ability students. In Geography, I've also learnt that students often miss map/graph skills because they get used to looking for longer answers. Similarly to this, students get hung up on the number of lines provided by the exam board so deliberately limit their answers but should be encouraged to use extra paper if needed. David: The biggest takeaway I’ve learned is that pupils are generally not good at providing answers where they need to write an explanation or describe what has happened. For example, a question required pupils to draw a box plot for a set of data (online sales) and then compare the data results with a box plot included in the question (in shop sales). Many pupils had difficulty in explaining a comparison, especially in terms of the context of the question. I would also concur with Sophia’s comments - it was often difficult to follow a pupil's train of thought as working out was often completed in random spaces on the question sheet. Nana: I have understood how students use methods with limited understanding of the process. E.g. finding the median of a grouped data. A lot of students attempted methods but were unable to complete it adequately showing significant gaps in understanding. 2. How have you/do you intend to use your learning within your lessons/teaching in the future? Sophia: Stressing the importance of laying out work for younger year groups. I think it’s easy for students to slip into bad habits when writing out they are working (being all over the place and hard to read). I also think focusing on literacy (which I know is a school-wide focus) by being strict when marking these types of questions and getting students to use this language orally in class more. Divisha: Since I've become an exam marker, I understand how to cut the 'fluff' from answers so that students' answers become more concise, so when they produce work, I cross out their work (with a pencil!) which is not relevant. In the future, I want to start incorporating this approach into peer assessment, so that students learn by doing. Nana: As a teacher, I will be making a mark scheme template for my students to use for peer marking so that they have an overview of how GCSE marking is done. This is to highlight the importance of completing a process in order to receive the necessary marks. In addition, I hope to build students' understanding of mathematics by hammering and iterating the reasons and importance of certain methods and using AFL to secure such understanding where students are able to complete a method and explain the logic behind it.

Dipesh: I will disseminate what I have learned to my department. Our shared improved knowledge will then be systematically applied to the lessons we teach. This will especially affect the way we question students during practicals, in terms of how to improve practicals as well as in terms of accuracy and precision.

3. What are your top tips for staff trying to apply exam board mark schemes in their own classes? Dipesh: When teaching, highlight the way the mark scheme works to help students to identify what is essential for a concept (e.g. {these brackets mean either /or must be said} - so that they then would highlight that section in their notes. Divisha: For levelled/banded questions, consider what the triggers are for each level/band. For example, do they need to use a case study to move into the next band? Do they need to compare/contrast? Incorporating these skills into lessons will develop the students' critical thinking skills, whilst also developing their flair for writing. Sophia: Be strict and vigilant with the mark scheme. Process marks don’t let you carry over numbers if they are worked out from using the wrong process. It is easy for us to mark papers more generously because we know what the students are trying to say, even if it’s not exactly correct. Examiners in maths don’t seem to care much about rounding (but I think this is good to not tell students!). Nana: As previously mentioned by my colleagues above it is important to understand and follow the mark scheme rigorously. This eliminates discrepancies in marking and gives students a better idea of their performance. It is important to clarify the mark scheme and make time for making so that marking is being done accurately and consistently. It is easy to be empathetic during marking in order to boost students’ confidence but this does not prepare students for the GCSE expectations. CASE STUDY: Mira Jugoo My summer 2022 exam series started last Christmas when I received an email from Pearson asking if I’d like to be an examiner again this year. Being offered contracts so far in advance (including all the key dates) makes it easier to plan ahead and balance school work with exam marking and personal commitments. A few weeks before the exam I was contacted by the BTEC Business Level 3 Team with details of the marking software (Epen), information about online training resources that are available for examiners and a project plan for that particular exam paper. Epen Software used by Pearson for onscreen marking All of the dates were laid out clearly so, again, I knew exactly when the important deadlines were. Approximately a week prior to the exam, I was contacted by my Team Leader who checked in on a more personal and supportive level to ensure that I was prepared and had everything I needed for the standardisation training day. Standardisation ran very smoothly and the Principal Examiner was very clear and on hand to solve any issues; the use of live text chat meant that it was easy to ask Team Leaders a question, and it was nice to hear a variety of voices when going through the different questions. What I particularly like is the time taken to discuss reasons why a mark is awarded and to what extent an Assessment Objective has been met. It also allowed me to work out if I was being too harsh or too generous. It was made clear that we are looking to find what we can reward and to adopt an approach of positive marking. Once the marking was underway, my Team Leader was my main source of support, offering encouragement, guidance on queries and useful reminders of marking progress. So much importance is placed on the quality of marking and all examiners need to submit a first sample of marking to be checked by their Team Leader before they are allowed to begin marking live scripts. Marking live scripts on Epen From then on, the main marking began and I was regularly monitored on the accuracy of my marking which is quality assured every few days. The performance peek feature was particularly helpful in being aware of how accurate my marking was.

Performance Peek Dashboard on Epen Even the little details like the visual graphic of the marking progress line was so helpful in monitoring my progress – there was a real sense of achievement in seeing the blue line pass each of the marking milestones. Being an examiner whilst teaching leads me to reflect as to how much it’s done for my own professional development which I can eventually share with my colleagues in the Enterprise department. Additionally, it is the most effective CPD I have been able to benefit from to improve my teaching practice.

Tracking progress and marking milestones on Epen I have a more in-depth knowledge of the assessments and I get to see how different students across the country have been taught to tackle exam questions. Altogether this experience has enhanced my teaching and developed my skills whilst also opening my career path to more senior opportunities in assessment design and delivery. This has been my tenth year as an examiner and it is always a pleasure working with such a well-organised and efficient team at Pearson. After working so hard during an intense period, I’m now looking forward to a well-earned summer break in Mauritius and using my hard-earned marking bonus which can be between £500 - £1000 depending on the type and volume of paper which is being marked.

CPD Reflections: Learning From Other Schools

By Georgina Abbott

Sometimes it can be easy to become bogged down in the same routine, same style, same strategies. That is why when I was looking to moderate our GCSE Drama coursework with another school, I leapt at the opportunity to also partake in a visit to their Drama department for the day. Though my primary focus was the moderation of the coursework, I feel the inclusion of lesson visits and discussions with the HoD came at just the right time! With the news of a reformed timetable and adaptations to the curriculum, particularly affecting Year 9, and an aspiration to expand my subject, Drama, into IB territory, I was fortunate enough to see both Year 9 and Year 12 lessons on my visit. Hopefully, as you read on you will be convinced of the benefits of visiting another school too, no matter your level of experience! Beginning the day my first lesson visit was to a Year 12 double period where the A-Level group were studying their set text Woyzech. The class was being assessed on presentations of their vision and intentions if they were to put on their own production of Woyzech. They were responsible for creating slides to explain their vision and picking key moments from the text to act out demonstrating their intentions. The teachers role-played as rich investors (I became a Baroness, without the money) while the students pitched their ideas. As I watched the students, with the motivation of a winning pitch up for grabs, I was considering how I could scale down this task for a Year 10/11 revision activity to adapt into my own practice; How could I stray away from the shackles of practice questions and revision quizzes? How could I create more autonomy and life transferable skills? After this, I was then able to see a double Year 9 assessment lesson. I watched as students rehearsed their scripted performances and saw some very impressive acting! Students were given 2 double lessons prior to learn their lines and the majority had - which is something I have found can be quite challenging for my own students. This made me reflect on the expectations I have with regard to the skill of line-learning; how long is fair? How can I motivate students to take it seriously? What should I expect from my Year 9s and does this need to be adjusted, given this will soon apply to an entire year group?

After the lesson visits, we went on to do the standard moderation process which as stated previously was the primary focus and most helpful. However, the thing that surprised me about this day was the value of visiting lessons and the conversations I had with the HoD. As a single subject lead, I can often become stuck in my own ways yet my visit stimulated a whole host of questions. Though I yet have answers it has given me thought, inspiration, and ideas that I'm using as I begin to plan the curriculum for the next academic year. So if you are reading this and feel like you are stuck in a rut with your teaching or feel like you haven’t been able to experience the wider world of the profession, get yourself into another school, see what’s happening there and take, alter and adjust to your own practice. As I say to the students when discussing performance ideas - sharing is caring!