Leadership Think Sessions
Leadership challenges - This summer's focus for microlearning sessions.
A lack of automaticity in reading and writing has extensive implications for learners confidence, their ability to thrive in the classroom and their outcomes across subjects. This holds back many pupils, including many disadvantaged pupils.
This can be a hard nut to crack. There are nine sessions - enabling you to attend the sessions most relevant to you and your leadership role in school / or across schools.
The sessions do not focus on the basic broad brush strokes - it is assumed you already have a great deal of good practice! Instead, they are 60-minutes that hone in on very specific elements so that you can really leverage the research. They won't leave you with vague notions, but ideas about practical actions that will have impact.
A ++Plus Factor is that sessions are accompanied by resources to deepen and extend thinking, and help leaders to plan. They are designed to kickstart forward planning and will leave you equipped to have leadership conversations in schools or across schools about the challenges and potential ways forward. They are designed with school improvement in mind and for leaders who want to supercharge their thinking.
This terms 'focus sessions' are centred on:
The leadership challenges of turning an ambitious curriculum into reality for all pupils in all subjects!
There are 5 sessions in the focus series to choose form. They are for senior leaders with responsibility in a school or across a series of schools. The sessions help leaders to consider current challenges being faced right now. There is a 2-hour session on common issues, followed by sessions which focus on 'evaluating the implementation and impact of a foundation subject', 'helping pupils to think and communicate their ideas so they can respond to the challenging curriculum', 'planning with memory in mind', and for new leaders support to think about the first 100 days 'preparing to lead a foundation subject'. The sessions might be ideal for you or someone else in your team. If sending colleagues (e.g. new leaders, subject leaders) senior leaders should ideally build in 'post session' discussions for which resources will be provided.
"Brilliant ideas easily put into practice." "I'm leaving buzzing with ideas." "Really engaging and informative sessions." "Every session has been immensely useful." "I feel inspired to improve reading." "I feel empowered and motivated to do more, more effectively and armed with ‘tools’ to help me.” “The resources really solidified the information and helped to drive all points home. Vicky had some excellent advice and the examples really helped.” “Based on research with real examples. Helps to think more strategically.
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Live sessions
Tuesday 6th June, 9.30am-10,30am (1 hour zoom)
Tap into orthographic mapping to improve word reading in KS2 (R2) SORRY - NO PLACES AVAILABLE
Adults have between 30,000 and 70,000 words that have been orthographically mapped into their memories. This allows the reading process to be quick and efficient. But how did we gain the ability to automatically know these words? This session will introduce you to orthographic mapping theory and help you understand how it can be applied, particularly to supporting pupils who have reading difficulties. Could this be an important key to unlocking success for your pupils? This is particularly relevant to KS2.
You can book using the form below, or you can book online. You can pay now using credit card or PayPal, or your school can be invoiced by choosing the 'pay later' option.
Wednesday 7th June, 4.00pm-5.00pm (1 hour zoom)
The CRANE framework - guaranteed improvements to vocabulary, language, pupil interaction and play in EYFS (R3)
Pupils in EYFS can struggle to: 1) have the breadth and depth of vocabulary necessary to thrive and flourish, and 2) have the ability to engage in high-quality sustained play. This is particularly true for disadvantaged pupils.
Find out how books + adults + strategy + provision can lead to advancements for pupils by using the CRANE framework.
You can book using the form below, or you can book online. You can pay now using credit card or PayPal, or your school can be invoiced by choosing the 'pay later' option.
Monday 19th June, 4.00pm-5.00pm (1 hour zoom)
Common difficulties pupils experience with reading comprehension (R4)
What action should leaders be taking? First, we consider the common difficulties pupils experience (at a granular level). Second, we consider how the difficulties can tackled at class level, at intervention level, and from a whole school perspective, so that you can support colleagues and plan a course of action. There are supporting resources to deepen your knowledge of the research.
You can book using the form below, or you can book online. You can pay now using credit card or PayPal, or your school can be invoiced by choosing the 'pay later' option.
Monday 26th June, 9.30am-10.30am (1 hour zoom)
Can inference be taught? Creating a school plan. (R5)
Attending this session will aid you in understanding the research on inference, and help you to create a school plan for improving this essential element of reading. This session consider how research can be practically applied.
You can book using the form below, or you can book online. You can pay now using credit card or PayPal, or your school can be invoiced by choosing the 'pay later' option.
Microlearning focused on writing
Thursday 8th June, 9.30am-10.30am (1 hour zoom)
Eradicating handwriting issues - 12 steps to success (W1)
Poor handwriting hinders pupils’ progress and confidence, not just in writing but across all subjects. How can you leverage handwriting research to ensure your actions have the greatest possible impact? A 12 step framework will enable you to create bespoke handwriting development plan for your school. In addition, leave the session with ideas about how to support struggling writers whilst they resolve their handwriting issues.
You can book using the form below, or you can book online. You can pay now using credit card or PayPal, or your school can be invoiced by choosing the 'pay later' option.
Thursday 8th June, 4.00pm-5.00pm (1 hour zoom)
Help every child in KS2 improve their sentence level development (W2) SORRY - NO PLACES AVAILABLE
It may sound too good to be true, but it is a goal that you can achieve. Do your learners struggle to apply new techniques in their independent writing? Do your learners use techniques, but not effectively? First, seek to consolidate learning by sharing with teachers a toolkit for ‘serious sentence play’. Second, use our new ‘10-spoke sentence development wheel’ to help every teacher assess their own practice and plot a manageable route to improvement that has impact on pupil outcomes. Great resources and an approach that will make a difference.
You can book using the form below, or you can book online. You can pay now using credit card or PayPal, or your school can be invoiced by choosing the 'pay later' option.
Tuesday 13th June, 9.30am-10.30am (1 hour zoom)
Make a plan to reduce the number of struggling writers (W3)
This session is for leaders who want to reduce the number of struggling writers. There is extensive research on common difficulties and the best ways to overcome these challenges. Put this knowledge to good use in your school. Take as firm stance to ensure pupils in your school have the best chance of becoming successful writers.
You can book using the form below, or you can book online. You can pay now using credit card or PayPal, or your school can be invoiced by choosing the 'pay later' option.
Tuesday 13th June, 4.00pm-5.00pm (1 hour zoom)
Progression in information texts / non-chronological reports / explanation texts (W4) SORRY NO PLACES AVAILABLE
What difference does genre knowledge make to planning writing lessons? How can a deep knowledge of the genre help teachers to know and understand common difficulties, effectively tackle the challenges, and ensure pupils make progress? Using information texts as a vehicle, let me share with you my findings and provide you with practical resources that can use with phase teams.
You can book using the form below, or you can book online. You can pay now using credit card or PayPal, or your school can be invoiced by choosing the 'pay later' option.
Focused sessions : Curriculum leadership
Friday 19th May, 9.15am-11.15am (2 hour zoom)
Responding to the challenges of implementing the curriculum (C1)
This session is for senior leaders. It covers 10 common, critical challenges that leaders encounter in turning the school’s ambitious curriculum into reality, and more importantly, it provides practical tips and suggestions to help overcome these obstacles. Deepen your understanding of the issues and create effective, high-impact solutions.
You can book using the form below, or you can book online. You can pay now using credit card or PayPal, or your school can be invoiced by choosing the 'pay later' option.
Wednesday 7th June, 9.15am-11.15am (2 hour zoom)
Evaluating the implementation and impact of a foundation subject (C2) SORRY NO PLACES AVAILABLE
This session is designed for subject leaders and curriculum leaders who want to explore effective ways of evaluating subjects, particularly at the end of the academic year. It presents a comprehensive framework that can be used to plan various levels of evaluation, helping leaders ensure that their evaluative work is of high quality. Moreover, the session will provide leaders with valuable insights on how to communicate evaluation outcomes effectively, giving participants the confidence to communicate their findings with clarity
You can book using the form below, or you can book online. You can pay now using credit card or PayPal, or your school can be invoiced by choosing the 'pay later' option.
Friday 9th June, 9.15am-11.15am (2 hour zoom)
Helping pupils to a) DEVELOP THINKING and b) COMMUNICATE and SHARE their learning in KS2 foundation subjects (C3)
Many schools have increased the demands of teaching and learning in foundation subjects placing a heavier emphasis on knowledge acquisition and a requirement for pupils to gain full understanding of topics. This session delves into the concept of ‘thinking in foundation subjects’ and how this links to knowledge acquisition and understanding. For primary pupils, it is particularly challenging to express their understanding of concepts and demonstrate the depth and breadth of their learning. This session focuses on practical ways to support pupil thinking and different ways pupils can share their learning. It also considers the needs of specific groups, such as disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.
You can book using the form below, or you can book online. You can pay now using credit card or PayPal, or your school can be invoiced by choosing the 'pay later' option.
Thursday 15th June, 9.15-11.15am (2 hour zoom)
10 ways to plan with memory in mind in KS2 – application across the curriculum
Research on memory continually evolves. This session considers how research can be leveraged and applied to planning lessons in foundation subjects. The content of the course is aimed at senior leaders with responsibility for teaching and learning / curriculum implementation so that they can consider how to best utilise memory research across all subjects and make firm plans going forward for the development of teaching and learning.
You can book using the form below, or you can book online. You can pay now using credit card or PayPal, or your school can be invoiced by choosing the 'pay later' option.
Monday 19th June, 9.15am-11.15am (2 hour zoom)
Preparing to lead a foundation subject (C5)
This session is for new subject leaders. It will help them to consider what is special about the role of a subject leader, understand and appreciate typical challenges they face as a subject leader, and provide valuable insights into how their actions can impact on learning. It will help them to understand how to evaluate the current position of the subject. The session aims to inspire and excite new leaders, boost their confidence and provide them with a clear way forward.
You can book using the form below, or you can book online. You can pay now using credit card or PayPal, or your school can be invoiced by choosing the 'pay later' option.