Hello colleague
It’s good to be in touch with the latest resources, opportunities and updates. As ever, the focus is on things that might make a genuine difference to pupils’ thinking and learning, without adding unnecessary workload or reaching for quick fixes.
KS3 Alliance call for evidence
The KS3 Alliance has launched a national call for evidence to help identify what is already making a difference in Years 7–9, what has been tried and has not worked, and where collective effort should be focused.
The Alliance wants to hear from young people, teachers, school and trust leaders, researchers, charities, professional bodies and community organisations. Research and data matter, but so do professional experience, practical examples and honest accounts of what has and has not worked.
You can find out more and contribute through the KS3 Alliance website.
Free webinar: Inside The Ambitious Years
This afternoon (Thursday 24th) 4–5pm, Catherine Priggs and I will host a free online introduction to The Ambitious Years.
We’ll look at why Years 7–9 matter, what an ambitious KS3 curriculum entitlement looks like in practice and how the developing resources can support purposeful professional conversation. The session is for teachers and leaders who want to strengthen KS3 without creating another layer of activity.
The webinar is free and will take place on Zoom and you can register here.
KS3 The Ambitious Years
The response to KS3: The Ambitious Years continues to be enormously encouraging. Thank you to everyone who has bought the book, shared it with colleagues, used it for staff reading or taken the time to leave a review.
I’ve been particularly pleased to hear from schools using it to prompt conversations about transition, curriculum ambition and what Years 7–9 are really for. The argument at the heart of the book is simple: KS3 should not be a reset point, a holding pattern or merely preparation for GCSE.
It is where pupils should build on what they bring from primary, encounter rich and demanding content, deepen their knowledge and vocabulary, and become increasingly confident thinkers within subjects.
- depth before pace
- rich and demanding texts
- high challenge with strong support
- curriculum entitlement for all pupils
- building on prior learning rather than unnecessarily starting again
- keeping the intellectual thread from primary through KS3 and beyond
When KS3 is strong, pupils arrive at KS4 with more to build on rather than more to repair.
The book is available in paperback and on Audible. Schools wanting ten or more copies at a discounted rate can email hello@marymyatt.com.
Reading Aloud in Every Classroom
Steve Willshaw’s new book makes a powerful case for reading aloud as a high-impact strategy for pupils of all ages. Grounded in research and classroom practice, it explores how the teacher’s voice can open up ambitious texts, remove barriers to understanding and enable every pupil to take part in rich classroom thinking. It also includes practical guidance on pace, pause, pitch and projection from Simon Day, and a foreword from me. You can get your copy here.
Reading aloud in lessons
Steve Willshaw and Simon Day have created a new course on reading aloud across the curriculum.
Done well, reading aloud gives pupils access to demanding texts, rich vocabulary and ideas they might not otherwise encounter, while helping to sustain attention and build confidence with complex language. The course offers practical guidance for making reading aloud purposeful, inclusive and ambitious. Find out more here.
Coming up PiXL Secondary National Conference
Friday 2 October | Central Hall, Westminster | 9.00am–3.15pm
PiXL’s Secondary National Conference brings school leaders together for a day of practical thinking and contributions from leaders working through current challenges in their schools. I’ll be speaking about ambition at KS3: not as a statement of intent, but as something revealed by the texts, ideas, examples and work we put in front of pupils.
There is no charge for PiXL member schools. Non-members interested in attending can contact events@pixl.org.uk.
Free RE CPD Understanding Muslims Understanding Islam
RE Today is launching its new CPD programme with a practical session for teachers at the British Muslim Heritage Centre in Manchester. Participants will meet the course writers, explore the resources and build confidence in teaching about Islam.
Monday 19th October 1.30–4pm. Book a place - places are limited.
ASE Annual Conference 2027
I’ll be giving a keynote at the ASE Annual Conference on Friday 8th January at the University of Northampton: Raising the bar - ambition, curiosity and depth in science.
The conference runs from 7–9 January 2027 and includes more than 220 sessions, an exhibition and opportunities to connect with colleagues across science education. Early-bird tickets are available now.
The Literacy Community
Jennifer Webb’s Literacy Community is back for 2026–27 with a free webinar series for literacy teachers and leaders across all phases.
Autumn sessions include secondary reading, Year 7 writing transition, disciplinary literacy and oracy in history, and lessons from the National Year of Reading. Speakers include Jennifer Webb, Helen Bowman, Dr Alex Fairlamb and Martin Galway from the National Literacy Trust. Join the mailing list for registration links.
The Governors Gateway
A reminder that The Governors’ Gateway is free to access. It offers short, practical professional learning for school governors, including an introduction series, Catherine Priggs’ 10-part Foundation Series and regular briefings on issues affecting schools.
The aim is to help governors cut through complexity and lead with greater confidence. Access The Governors’ Gateway.
National Attendance Portal
The National Attendance Portal brings together practical guidance, tools and resources for schools, trusts, families and young people. Its emphasis is on looking beyond attendance percentages to understand the barriers behind absence, strengthen belonging and support better outcomes.
The core resources and Attendance Magazine are free, with additional tools available for schools and leaders who want more structured support. Find out more.
Safeguarding Scenarios
Safeguarding Scenarios uses short, real-world situations to help staff practise professional judgement and build confidence in responding to safeguarding concerns. Each scenario takes less than two minutes and can then be discussed in teams.
I like the principle behind this: moving safeguarding beyond annual compliance training and into regular, thoughtful professional conversation. Find out more.
Teach Us Too online training
Teach Us Too has opened bookings for live online training for professionals teaching literacy to learners with significant disabilities and complex needs, including those who use AAC.
Courses cover literacy without limits, access for literacy, accessible literacy for learners with CVI, gestalt language processing and evidence-informed approaches for non-speaking autistic children.
The TA CPD Hub
Amjad Ali and Try This Teaching are launching a new professional development platform designed specifically for teaching assistants. It will include short monthly video modules, a practical resource library, live webinars and a private professional community.
Group booking reductions are available for trusts and learning partnerships. To register interest, contact Katie Cavill or visit Try This Teaching.
Joshua Seigal poet and performer
Joshua Seigal is currently available for conference keynotes, school performances and workshops, with a particular focus on confidence, creativity and communication.
A multi-award-winning poet, Joshua has published several collections with Bloomsbury and worked with schools and organisations around the world. You can find free poems, resources and contact details on Joshua’s website.
Ed Finch new podcast
Ed Finch is creating a podcast exploring the human side of education: the messy, funny and sometimes difficult realities of being a person in schools. The first series will look at creativity, laughter, grief, play, beliefs and being an introvert.
Ed is looking for teachers, leaders, pupils, parents and teaching assistants willing to share short stories, memories or experiences. To contribute, contact edfinch@edfinch.org. His previous Primary Futures podcast is also available online.
A few Substacks worth following
- SEMH Education from Kieran Smith is always worth reading as it has light touch, research-based suggestions for inclusion.
- Yamina Bibi is an award-winning former Deputy Headteacher and English teacher, author and CPD trainer. She just started on Substack and her first post is excellent.
- Dr Haili Hughes the ‘Taylor Swift’ of education! She always thought provoking and always reaches for humane responses.
Two books worth a look
- Why does school no longer feel essential, or even interesting, to everyone? Drawing on research, case studies and practical examples, Making School Unmissable by Rachel MacFarlane and Paul Jenkins explores how schools can strengthen five important elements: purpose, belonging, success, empowerment and adventure. An optimistic and practical book for teachers and leaders who want school to feel compelling, meaningful and worthwhile for pupils, staff and families.
- Sonia Thompson’s Berger’s An Ethic of Excellence in Action explores how schools can make excellence part of everyday practice rather than leaving it to chance. Drawing on Ron Berger’s principles, research and examples from across the curriculum, it offers practical insights into building a lasting culture of craftsmanship, quality and ambition.
Please do forward this update to a colleague who might find it useful.
Until next time
Mary