Oxford Smart Curriculum – Oxford Education Podcast

33. Ofsted-proof your curriculum: coherence & mastery in the KS3 classroom

By Oxford Education | March 23, 2023

Will Power

Will Power talks to David Harris about the main challenges in the KS3 Maths classroom. They discuss:

- - What makes a curriculum coherent and why this is important.
  - How mastery supports learning that lasts
  - How to ensure your curriculum is Ofsted ready

Will Power is OUP’s maths publisher with responsibility for all primary and secondary products including Oxford Smart Mosaic, Numicon and White Rose Practice Journals. Before joining OUP, Will worked in challenging primary and secondary schools in East London and Oxford and was most recently head teacher in Blackbird Leys, Oxford, taking it from ‘Inadequate’ to ‘Good’ (Ofsted, 2022). Will has a special interest in cognitive science and pupil centred pedagogies, curriculum development and of course maths! He has worked as a Specialist Leader in Education and Maths Mastery Specialist and has supported schools in India in his role as Associate of Adhyayan Quality Education Foundation. Will has an MA in Educational Leadership and is a Future Leader (2014 cohort) and Teach First alumnus.

David Harris is a dynamic leader within education with a proven record of raising standards through development, mentoring, and coaching of other leaders and teachers. An outstanding teacher and tutor of mathematics who is passionate about engaging pupils, and a specialist in improving outcomes for neurodivergent young people for the last 10 years.

32. Vocabulary and oracy strategies for the KS3 classroom

By Oxford Education | March 9, 2023

Helen Prince and Gaurav Dubay discuss the crucial role vocabulary and oracy strategies play in the Key Stage 3 classroom. They highlight the importance of focusing on talk and vocabulary to help students rehearse written outcomes before taking the next step and moving onto writing. They discuss drama, fluency, modelling and reducing cognitive load with oral rehearsal.

Helen Prince is an English Advisor, author of Oxford University Press’s Get It Right: Boost Your Vocabulary workbooks, and CEO of ChatterStars. Helen tweets at @prince_helen

Gaurav Dubay is Head of English at an inner-city grammar school in Birmingham, one of our Pioneer Schools for Oxford Smart Quest. Gaurav tweets at @GauravDubay3

29: Engaging Every Learner: Identity and the Science Classroom

By Oxford Education | November 25, 2022

In this episode we welcome Genevieve Bent, Assistant Principal leading Sixth Form and former Head of Science at the Harris Federation, and Lynda Charlesworth, Head of Science at Camden School for Girls. Genevieve and Lynda talk to Lamorna Newcombe, Science Publisher at Oxford University Press, about the importance of identity in engaging students in their learning, and the impact of the strategies they are using in the science classroom.

Our speakers take a research-based approach to discussing the influence of science capital, culturally responsive teaching, and diversity and inclusion on learner identity. They also share some exciting ideas for increasing engagement and representation in STEM studies, activities and careers provision.

Further reading and support:

Every student needs to feel valued in order to succeed and learner identity is one of the key pillars of the Oxford Smart Curriculum Service. Find out more and read the curriculum direction paper.
Read our 10 top tips for starting a STEM club in your school on the Oxford Education Blog.
It is important that all learners can see themselves and people like them in the science narrative. Students need to know that they can use or do science as part of their life, where science becomes part of their identity. Read more on curriculum narratives in science on the Oxford Education Blog.

26. Motivating yourself and your students with Action Jackson

By Oxford Education | December 3, 2021

Helen Prince talks to Jackson Ogunyemi, better known as Action Jackson, about the importance of being able to motivate, equip and empower to unlock young people’s confidence. He shares tips to help teachers motivate themselves and their students, discusses how psychology and physiology are interlinked, and stresses the importance of celebrating ourselves and our achievements.

“The opposite of winning is not losing; the opposite of winning is learning.”

Action Jackson is a motivational speaker, helping teachers motivate their learners to wake up happy and achieve. Known as the UK Ambassador for Happiness, he loves cheesecake, running and inspiring people. Action tweets at @Actionjackson

Further reading and support:

Are you looking for GCSE and A Level revision guides for your students? Developed by cognitive science and subject experts, Oxford Revise follows a simple three step strategy that helps students to make every minute of their revision count: Knowledge, Retrieval, Practice.
Explore the Oxford Revise student & parent hub for expert videos, past papers, revision planners, and advice.
Learner identity and Awe and wonder are two pillars of the Oxford Smart Curriculum. Find out more and read the curriculum direction paper.

22. Incorporating Social Justice into the Curriculum with Penny Rabiger

By Oxford Education | October 7, 2021

Helen Prince talks to Penny Rabiger about the importance of listening to young people and what we can learn from them about race, identity and social justice.

Penny Rabiger was a teacher for 10 years and has been working with social enterprises, charities and start-ups in the education sector since 2007. She was one of the founding directors of The Key for School Leaders, Head of Membership at Challenge Partners, and Director of Engagement with the Finnish edtech organisation Lyfta. Penny is a school governor at a north London primary school, Trustee on a south London multi-academy trust board, a member of the Haringey BAME achievement group and a Co-founder and Trustee of the BAMEed Network. Penny is a coach on the Leeds Beckett University Centre for Race, Education and Decoloniality’s Anti-Racist Schools Award.

Further reading and support:

Penny tweets at @Penny_Ten and you can read her blog here
Learner identity is one of the pillars of the Oxford Smart Curriculum. Find out more and read the curriculum direction paper.

21. Metacognition: strategies inside and outside of the classroom with Nathan Burns

By Oxford Education | September 30, 2021

Nathan Burns

Helen Prince talks to Nathan Burns about his specialist subject, metacognition. Nathan explains the importance of embedding metacognition into day-to-day teaching, why modelling and monitoring are key approaches in the classroom, and the value metacognition plays in all areas of life, from poaching an egg to putting up a tent.

Nathan Burns is a teacher of Mathematics, Assistant KS3 Progress and Achievement Leader and More Able and Talented Co-Coordinator at David Nieper Academy in Alfreton. He is a former Metacognitive Implementation Lead, as well as the founder of metacognition.org.uk, which offers metacognitive resources and CPD. Nathan is passionate about teaching and learning, and has researched, written about and delivered CPD on metacognition for several years. He tweets at @MrMetacognition

Further reading and support:

Where does metacognitive modelling fit in the classroom? Read more from Nathan on the Oxford Education Blog.
Metacognition is one of the pillars of the Oxford Smart Curriculum. Read the curriculum direction paper.
Find out more about Oxford Smart Mosaic, an intuitive and impactful KS3 Maths course created by Oxford and Craig Barton which helps to embed mastery.

19. Curriculum review and implementation with Kat Howard

By Oxford Education | September 10, 2021

Kat Howard

Helen Prince talks to Kat Howard about curriculum implementation and how an exciting curriculum fires up and motivates learners. Kat also discusses fidelity to the subject, how to capitalise on colleagues’ interests and passions to enrich knowledge and extend the curriculum, and the importance of awe and wonder in the classroom.

Kat Howard is Head of Professional Learning for a large Multi-Academy Trust Teaching School Hub and is also the founder of national charity, Litdrive UK. In addition to her in-school role, Kat is an in-house Expert Adviser for the Teacher Development Trust, writing curriculum content for the Reformed NPQ Leadership Suite. In previous roles, she was a Senior Leader taking oversight of staff professional development, performance management and curriculum, with strategic leadership for English, and prior to her career in education, Kat gained extensive experience in the financial sector, overseeing recruitment, training and operations for a leading high street bank.

Further reading and support:

Kat tweets at @SaysMiss and blogs at https://saysmiss.wordpress.com/
Curriculum coherence is one of the pillars of the Oxford Smart Curriculum. Find out more and read the curriculum direction paper.
Follow the conversation at @OUPSecondary

17. Metacognition: bridging the gap between research and the classroom with Lauren Stephenson

By Oxford Education | July 14, 2021

Helen Prince talks to Lauren Stephenson about metacognition and bridging the gap between research and the classroom. Lauren also talks about her role in the Research Schools Network, how research shows that working on self-regulation and metacognition with your students can add months to their progress, and shares her top recommendations for wider reading.

Lauren Stephenson is a Physics teacher and Assistant Director of Blackpool Research School.

Further reading and support:

Lauren tweets at @LST_Physics and blogs at http://www.teachingandlearningdiaries.com/
Lauren explores metacognitive strategies in the science classroom on the Oxford Education Blog.
Metacognition is one of the pillars of the Oxford Smart Curriculum. Find out more and read the curriculum direction paper.

16. Identity, Awe & Wonder: giving every young person a voice and ways to bring vibrancy into the classroom with Aaron Bradbury

By Oxford Education | July 1, 2021

Aaron Bradbury

Helen Prince and Aaron Bradbury discuss the importance of creating a sense of belonging in the classroom and Aaron offers three ideas for teachers to take away around diversity, equity and inclusion.

Aaron is Principal Lecturer Early Years and Childhood (Learning and Development, Psychology, Special Educational Needs and Inclusion) at Nottingham Trent University. Aaron is the Chair of the LGBTQIA+ Early Years Working group and advocates for representation in the Early Years. He is a Member of the Coalition for the Early Years on the Birth to Five Matters and currently researching on Early Childhood workforce, The voice of the child, and Pioneers of Early Childhood. He is also Co-Chair of the Early Years Academy and owner of Early Years Reviews, Team Early Childhood Podcast.

Further reading and support:

Learner identity and Awe and wonder are two pillars of the Oxford Smart Curriculum. Find out more and read the curriculum direction paper.

15. Metacognition with Zoe Enser

By Oxford Education | June 17, 2021

Helen Prince and Zoe Enser discuss metacognitive learning and how this can motivate students to feel empowered, helping them to build independence and resilience and become lifelong learners.

Zoe Enser was a teacher of English for over twenty years, a middle and senior leader and is currently working across Kent with the Education People as their English Specialist Adviser and an ELE (Evidence Lead in Education) for the EEF. She is also an author, having co-written Fiorella and Mayer’s Generative Learning in Action and the CPD Curriculum: Creating the Conditions for Growth and is a writer for TES and other educational publications. Zoe tweets at @greeborunner

Further reading and support:

Zoe explores metacognition in more detail and how student wellbeing can benefit from embedding these practices on the Oxford Education Blog.
Metacognition is one of the pillars of the Oxford Smart Curriculum. Find out more and read the curriculum direction paper.