Secondary – 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

31. African Kingdoms: Enrich your KS3 History curriculum

By Oxford Education | March 7, 2023

Aaron Wilkes, Katie Amery and Teni Gogo discuss how effective teaching of African Kingdoms can enrich your Key Stage 3 curriculum.

What do students gain from studying African Kingdoms at KS3? How has historical scholarship on African Kingdoms changed in recent years? What is the impact of new research on how we should teach the topic?

Aaron, Katie and Teni answer these questions and offer advice to teachers thinking of introducing West African Kingdoms into their curriculum.

Aaron Wilkes has over 20 years’ experience working in schools as a teacher, department, and faculty leader. He also works with the PGCE History trainees at the University of Warwick. In addition to the classroom, Aaron is also one of the leading history authors in school publishing and his KS3 History series, now in fourth edition and published by Oxford University Press, is currently the best-selling KS3 History textbook series/online package in the UK. Aaron is also Series Editor/co-author of OUP’s NEW KS3 Depth Studies: The British Empire, African Kingdoms, Fight for Rights, and Migration Nation. He is the Series Editor/co-author of OUP’s KS4 History textbooks which match the AQA and Edexcel GCSE History specification and is involved with the BBC as an Educational Consultant for their Bitesize and Teach series.

Aaron tweets at @WilkesHistory

Katie Amery has more than 15 years’ experience working in schools as a History and Politics teacher and department leader. She is also currently the subject lead for History Initial Teacher Training at Liverpool Hope University. Katie is passionate about curriculum diversity and working with fellow historians to promote cutting-edge thinking including with Toby Green. She is a keen blogger @educationalimposters

Katie tweets at @KatieAmery

Teni Gogo is a History Teacher who has spent much of her career exploring medieval African Kingdoms and Black British History. She is currently a Postgraduate student at the University of Oxford as an Action Research Fellow for the Empire, Migration and Belonging Project.

Teni tweets at @tenigogo_

The publisher would also like to thank Professor Anne Haour and Toby Green for their valuable input into this project.

Further reading and support:

· 83% of schools surveyed report having made substantial changes to their Key Stage 3 curriculum in recent years to address issues of inclusivity and diversity. Read the Historical Association Secondary Survey

· Sign up for free samples and updates on OUP’s new KS3 History Depth Study series

View Transcript

30. British Empire: Enrich your KS3 History curriculum

By Oxford Education | February 1, 2023

Aaron Wilkes and Shalina Patel discuss how effective teaching of the British Empire can enrich your Key Stage 3 curriculum. What do students gain from studying the British Empire? How has historical scholarship on the British Empire changed in recent years? What is the impact of new research on how we should teach the topic?

Aaron and Shalina answer these questions and offer advice to teachers concerned about teaching sensitive or potentially contentious topics as part of studying the British Empire, for example Partition.

Aaron Wilkes has over 20 years’ experience working in schools as a teacher, department, and faculty leader. He also works with the PGCE History trainees at the University of Warwick. In addition to the classroom, Aaron is also one of the leading history authors in school publishing and the series which bears his name (KS3 History by Aaron Wilkes), published by Oxford University Press, is currently one of the best-selling KS3 History textbook series/online packages in the UK. Aaron is also Series Editor/co-author of OUP’s NEW KS3 Depth Studies: British Empire, African Kingdoms, Fight for Rights, and Migration Nation. He is the Series Editor/co-author of OUP’s KS4 History textbooks which match the AQA and Edexcel GCSE History specification, and is involved with the BBC as an Educational Consultant for their Bitesize and Teach series. Aaron tweets at @WilkesHistory

Shalina Patel has over 13 years of experience in the classroom and is former Head of History and currently Head of Teaching and Learning and leader of the ITT programme at Claremont High School Academy in London. In 2018 Shalina won the Silver Pearson Teaching Award for Outstanding Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School and in 2021 won the GG2 Inspire Award. She has been featured in publications such as the Guardian and The Times and on programmes like Radio 4’s Three Pounds in my Pocket, BBC Woman’s Hour and BBC’s Teach Me A Lesson podcast. Shalina showcases her passion for hidden histories via @thehistorycorridor Instagram account and her first book will be published in 2023/4. Shalina tweets at @Ms_PatelHistory

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.

27. Disciplinary literacy in the classroom with Kathrine Mortimore

By Oxford Education | January 13, 2022

Helen Prince talks to Kathrine Mortimore about ways to employ disciplinary literacy techniques in your classroom. The EEF have placed disciplinary literacy as their number one strategy for improving literacy in secondary schools. Kathrine and Helen discuss the importance of: showing students what excellence looks like in your subject; the explicit teaching of challenging key ideas and vocabulary; and scaffolding using carefully prepared materials.

Kathrine Mortimore is currently an Associate Assistant Principal, leading literacy at Torquay Academy. Her most recent book ‘Disciplinary Literacy and Explicit Vocabulary Teaching’ is centred on moving forward those who are furthest behind by improving their literacy skills. This publication follows research she has undertaken into narrowing the attainment gap at the University of Cambridge, and whilst working in the context of Torquay Academy. Kathrine has also co-authored four of Neil Bowen’s ‘Art of..’ literature study guides. She tweets at @Kathrine_28

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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. Find out more and read the curriculum direction paper.

20. Numicon Big Ideas: supporting secondary transition in maths

By Oxford Education | September 16, 2021

Louise Pennington and Adam Gaskell talk about supporting secondary transition in maths. They discuss removing barriers to maths learning, the benefits of using manipulatives and the meaning of mastery.

Louise Pennington is Professional Development lead for Oxford University Press, previous teacher, specialist maths teacher and local authority SEND Team lead working with both primary and secondary schools, students and parents. She is a Numicon Author and vice-chair of the Mathematical Association’s joint primary group. Louise tweets at @pdLouiseP

Adam Gaskell is Head of Mathematics at a Leicestershire secondary school, NPQML and NCETM Mastery Advocate. Adam tweets at @MrGTeach

Numicon Big Ideas helps upper Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 students learn and explore maths while building their confidence.

Further reading and support:

Find out more about Numicon Big Ideas for KS3.
Access resources to support transition to secondary school.