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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

Mr E @theniceman.bsky.social · 4h

Read this through an MFL lens.

The rushed first new GCSE leading to the new ideological one.

Cowardly bogus ebacc.

Baukham review and promotion to ofqual.

Pillars and the Ofsted "research review"

NCELP hubs in the wrong places.

Primary hiatus.

A Level

yorkshirebylines.co.uk/news/educati...

Gibb it a rest! A review of Nick Gibb’s Reforming Lessons

Nick Gibb’s Reforming Lessons aims to defend his ministerial legacy, but instead reads like a desperate attempt to rewrite England’s education failures

yorkshirebylines.co.uk

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

Alex Ford @apf102.bsky.social · 19h

This looks ace. If you are a #historyteacher in or around York, do come along and say hi!

Dan Lyndon-Cohen @danlyndon.bsky.social · 1d

I am absolutely delighted to be able to share the news about our next @1972shp.bsky.social Yorkshire History Forum which will be taking place in York on November 24th. We have a superb line up of workshops for #primary and #secondary #historyteachers and all for a bargain basement price ...

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

DamsonEd @damsoned.bsky.social · 21h

It is really strange that teachers/leaders are still convinced that individual word reading leads to comprehension! It shows a deep misunderstanding of what comprehension is - I think we have gone backwards in that understanding over the past 10 years. NO ONE who is a cog scientist believes that!

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 21h

Agreed!

Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 21h

Lots in this piece that's very true, except if the 'phonics 1st & only' approach hasn't led to great comprehension & engaged fluent readers with stamina, & the phonics test itself has failed to deliver the overwhelmingly good results promised, then the 'hooray for phonics' tone here is a bit odd!

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

DamsonEd @damsoned.bsky.social · 22h

Well, at least there is some acceptance that phonics isn’t enough.

But, phonics hasn’t been a success story. All we have seen is that a different group of children are not served by the way we must teach children to read.

It’s so so sad. 🤷‍♀️

www.tes.com/magazine/tea...

Beyond phonics: why England still has a reading problem

The latest phonics screening check data is further proof that teaching reading is not ‘done’ at the end of KS1, writes Claire Heald

www.tes.com

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 21h

This was such an important thing to be saying a year ago, and just as important now!

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 1d

Another excellent blog on writing by @writingrocks.bsky.social This (below) is one of many powerful insights that need serious consideration by teachers…and policymakers.

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 2d

Another superb blog on writing! I so wish @writingrocks.bsky.social had been on the core panel and a key voice in the creation of the DfE Writing Framework.

Ross Young @writingrocks.bsky.social · 3d

Teaching the writing processes to children

By Ross Young and @ellencounter.bsky.social

writing4pleasure.com/2025/10/08/t...

Teaching the writing processes to children

download this article The act of teaching writing to children has undergone significant evolution over the centuries. While writing itself is an ancient skill, explicit instruction in how to write,…

writing4pleasure.com

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 3d

Go on as much as you like, as far as I’m concerned. An excellent blog that is equally relevant to English.

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 3d

Excellent piece on the dire impact of removing bursaries for training to teach subjects ts like English and History.

Alex Ford @apf102.bsky.social · 3d

@victoriacrooks.bsky.social has written about this a lot, but I think this blog is an excellent summary and really gets to the heart of the issue:

uonhistoryteachertraining.school.blog/2024/07/19/i...

It’s not about the money, money, money – until it is. Teacher recruitment and the need for bursaries

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com The Initial Teacher Training (ITT) landscape should be driven by market forces like every other employment market. This is an argument we hear time and time again.&nb…

uonhistoryteachertraining.school.blog

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 3d

It’s simply appalling. I’m aware that lots of depts in both English and History fill gaps with non-specislists doing bits and pieces, especially at KS3. But how does shallow teacher knowledge build the firm ‘foundations’ of deep subject knowledge they so frequently talk about?

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 3d

Totally agree! Extraordinary.

Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 3d

The lack of student bursaries for training as an English teacher will only lead to further shortages of specialist English teachers and damage to the subject as a whole. Such a short-sighted decision!

Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 4d

The government has swung the axe on teacher training incentives – including cutting funding for shortage subjects such as maths and foreign languages

schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-swings-a...

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

Ross Young @writingrocks.bsky.social · 4d

An essential report from Dr Francesca Bonafede and colleagues that deserves careful thought and reflection from everyone interested in helping children and young people become the best writers they can be — in the broadest sense! 👇

literacytrust.org.uk/research-ser...

Children and young people’s writing in school in 2025 | National Literacy Trust

This report examines children and young people's perceptions of their emotional and cognitive engagement with writing in school, and their views on and engagement with writing instruction.

literacytrust.org.uk

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 5d

I'm doing a half-term reading/workshop on my poetry collection 'Snap!' at Saxmundham Library on Tuesday 28th October, as part of Poetry in Aldeburgh Festival. If you're in the area, with small children, why not come along? FREE but booking is required!

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 5d

Listened to @europeanspod.bsky.social for the first time this eve. (Hi Dominic!) Fascinating to hear about teacher pay in Luxembourg…and why earning vast amounts doesn’t make the teachers happy. Plus an interesting item on Intervision. A really entertaining listen!

Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

clarefeeneyuk.bsky.social @clarefeeneyuk.bsky.social · 5d

Good to see this article covering the concern over marking. Plenty of HTs, HODs & teachers have had enough of doing the unpaid QA work & seeing the neg impact on students.
Also, as alluded to by the EMC, a signif issue is lack of clarity around Eng Lang GCSE. What's it testing, how & why?

Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 5d

A piece on this in today’s Observer, quoting me & various Heads of English. Not the headline I’d have chosen & a lot more to be said, but great to have it flagged up as a major concern in a national paper. t.co/3rKtrjQllF

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 5d

A piece on this in today’s Observer, quoting me & various Heads of English. Not the headline I’d have chosen & a lot more to be said, but great to have it flagged up as a major concern in a national paper. t.co/3rKtrjQllF

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 9d

If you look at any of the @engmediacentre.bsky.social poem selections and resources with students today, do share any responses, views & writing with us or here! forwardartsfoundation.org/national-poe...

Poems and Resources - Forward Arts Foundation

A selection of poems and resources for children and young people that can be used to inspire on National Poetry Day and all year round!

forwardartsfoundation.org

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 9d

Hooray! Today’s the day! Jump straight to these pages of resources to pick a poem to share with your classes - lots of choices for EY, KS 1,2,3,4 & 5. @poetrydayuk.bsky.social forwardartsfoundation.org/national-poe...

Poems and Resources - Forward Arts Foundation

A selection of poems and resources for children and young people that can be used to inspire on National Poetry Day and all year round!

forwardartsfoundation.org

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 10d

Oh Shanthi, that’s so kind! It means a lot.

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 10d

Dire!

Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

clarefeeneyuk.bsky.social @clarefeeneyuk.bsky.social · 10d

Sadly, I could add so much more to this. Many of us have found the Review not to be a sufficient Q&A process. HTs are making complaints about the marking to exam boards who always defend their processes. There is no real accountability here. It's appalling. So many students impacted negatively.

Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 11d

Another email from an English teacher this morning about the appalling NATIONAL SCANDAL of GCSE English marking. They gave their permission to quote the email in full & I want to share it because it is so shocking. What are Ofqual & DfE doing about this?

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 11d

Another email from an English teacher this morning about the appalling NATIONAL SCANDAL of GCSE English marking. They gave their permission to quote the email in full & I want to share it because it is so shocking. What are Ofqual & DfE doing about this?

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