1. Raising the Bar A common sense approach to some
of the hot topics in education
Jon Tait, Deputy Headteacher
Acklam Grange School, Middlesbrough

2. Accurate & valid assessments
Raising the Bar
Evidence in books
Progress over time
Accurate & valid assessments
Data to inform
planning
High quality
feedback
Response to feedback

3. Professional Development
Hot Topics
Stretch and Challenge
Differentiation
Professional Development

4. How mentally challenged are the students in your school every day?
1. Stretch and Challenge
How mentally challenged are the students in your school every day?

5. Pace
2 Minutes is too long

6. Planning for Questioning
On average, teachers ask 2 questions every minute or approx 400 questions
per day

7. Questioning
Is the questioning in your school actually challenging students to think deeply?

8. Wait Time
The average wait time that teachers give before accepting an answer is less
than 1 second

9. Probe, challenge and make it tough & uncomfortable

10. Has differentiation actually been widening the achievement gap?

11. Have we been putting limits on the achievements of too many students?
Differentiation
Have we been putting limits on the achievements of too many students?

12. Have our ‘support’ structures made students freeze in exam halls?
More Harm than Good
Have our ‘support’ structures made students freeze in exam halls?

13. Don’t dumb down the learning
Teaching to the Top
Don’t dumb down the learning

14. Accelerate Progress
Ceilings are for classrooms, not for children…..let children learn to fly

15. 3. Professional Development
How is your professional development programme responding?

16. Professional Development
Let’s put the Professional, back into Professional Development

17. Compulsory or Voluntary?
Telling people that they must attend, immediately makes them not want
to attend

18. Culture of Learning
How can we be role models to learners if we are not learners ourselves?

19. Contact Me tait.j@acklamgrange.org.uk @teamtait facebook.com/teamtait