They Behave For Me

A rapid-fire Q&A tackling private school pastoral pressures and what heads of year actually do. Practical chat about using mini whiteboards so work turns into written evidence. Debate on KS4 science timetabling and whether single-teacher continuity or subject-specialist approaches win. Real classroom scenarios on modelling, group research gone wrong, and uneven questioning. Clarifies SENCO vs pastoral role boundaries.

Grainne Hallahan, Head of Community at TeacherTapp who runs daily teacher surveys, shares surprising data about teacher tasks and workload. She discusses why displays and chores persist, how leaders use research when changing practice, and whether pastoral leads should still teach. Short, data-driven conversations about measurement, feedback, CPD quality, and differences between state and private schools.

They debate whether merits and reward points actually undermine motivation and explore practical alternatives that celebrate genuine effort. Strategies to engage low-effort Year 9s and enforce learning with short tests and peer-assessment are covered. They explain how to structure effective CPD and whether centralized resources deskill staff. Advice on preparing for pastoral leadership and coping with imposter feelings rounds things out.

Raj Chande, a classroom teacher and senior research associate focused on teacher expertise. He debates whether AI can help teachers improve. They discuss recording lessons, linking observations to pupil progress, training models on mentor judgements, and what transcripts can and cannot capture.

They spar over English teaching methods and live annotation problems. They debate cognitive load, sequencing lessons, and practical modelling. They discuss QR-marked quizzes, retrieval practice pitfalls, and spacing. They weigh whole-school oracy packages versus simple classroom routines. They argue about talk tactics, restorative workload, and when removals need follow-up conversations.

Matthew Evans, CEO of The Athelstan Trust and former headteacher, shares his leadership journey and why domain-specific expertise matters. He critiques generic leadership models. He discusses changing headship since the pandemic, parental complaints and how to protect staff. He explores assessment, shifting toward mastery and practical feedback for classrooms.

Questions about when to remove a disruptive student spark debate on early consequences and resetting classroom norms. Strategies for circulating without creating noise and preventing chatter bubbles are explored. They discuss dealing with poor observations and weak feedback from supervisors. The conversation covers reducing marking load with tech, self-marking, and AI-assisted grading as time-saving options.

They tackle how to get fast, predictable lesson starts when you teach in many rooms. Practical routines like mini whiteboard starters, timed booklets and practiced entry procedures get a quick focus. They explore how corridor norms leak into classrooms and why owning a room or clear timetabling helps. They also debate risks of posting pupil photos in the age of AI and share questioning strategies for quieter and higher-performing pupils.

Craig Barton, former secondary maths teacher and author who co-founded Diagnostic Questions, shares lessons from visiting hundreds of schools and writing practical books. He talks routines like mini-whiteboards and structured student talk. They explore why CPD often fails, how to sustain change, and sensible classroom uses of AI.

Tom Bennett, a behaviour advisor and founder of ResearchED, dives into how historical shifts in education have changed our perspective on behaviour. He discusses how COVID and smartphones highlighted existing issues rather than creating them. Tom shares insights from the National Behaviour Survey, emphasizing the need for clear systems and tailored approaches in schools. He explores the importance of belonging and community, linking it to Maslow's principles, while advocating for authentic school identities that adapt systems to their unique contexts.