James Durran
@jdurran.bsky.social
Teacher of English, media & drama for 24 years; now an adviser. Literacy, English & all things teaching. Views are personal. jamesdurran.blog
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Teaching is about conveying knowledge. That's simple. But it is also about bringing pupils into a particular relationship with that knowledge. That's not so simple.
Reposted by James Durran
I completely agree with this blog- this is unethical and very poor teaching. It is also encouraged by the Writing Framework (DFE, 2025) and schemes that schools buy into.
It is just storing up trouble for children as they move through school.
bsky.app/profile/writ...
It is just storing up trouble for children as they move through school.
bsky.app/profile/writ...
The rise of ‘elaborate dictation’ and ‘writing-related simulations’ in English schools: Unethical writing teaching
writing4pleasure.com/2025/07/16/t...
writing4pleasure.com/2025/07/16/t...
The rise of ‘elaborate dictation’ and ‘writing-related simulations’ in English schools: Unethical writing teaching
In recent years, a growing concern has emerged among teachers, parents, and researchers in England: The increasing use of what could be called ‘elaborate dictation’ in classrooms. At first gl…
writing4pleasure.com
January 30, 2026 at 10:58 AM
I completely agree with this blog- this is unethical and very poor teaching. It is also encouraged by the Writing Framework (DFE, 2025) and schemes that schools buy into.
It is just storing up trouble for children as they move through school.
bsky.app/profile/writ...
It is just storing up trouble for children as they move through school.
bsky.app/profile/writ...
Reposted by James Durran
The rise of ‘elaborate dictation’ and ‘writing-related simulations’ in English schools: Unethical writing teaching
writing4pleasure.com/2025/07/16/t...
writing4pleasure.com/2025/07/16/t...
The rise of ‘elaborate dictation’ and ‘writing-related simulations’ in English schools: Unethical writing teaching
In recent years, a growing concern has emerged among teachers, parents, and researchers in England: The increasing use of what could be called ‘elaborate dictation’ in classrooms. At first gl…
writing4pleasure.com
January 30, 2026 at 10:14 AM
The rise of ‘elaborate dictation’ and ‘writing-related simulations’ in English schools: Unethical writing teaching
writing4pleasure.com/2025/07/16/t...
writing4pleasure.com/2025/07/16/t...
Reposted by James Durran
The early results from the one question we ask Primary School teachers here are absolutely fascinating. Comparing KS2 and KS3 teachers' responses is going to be such a BRILLIANT addition to our report! Please share the link below with Primary colleagues!
Are you a KS2 teacher? We're adding an extra dimension to our survey of poetry at KS3 by asking some KS2 teachers to respond to one question. Please could you take 2 mins to click this link & answer the question? Huge thanks! www.surveymonkey.com/r/MapKS2Coll...
Mapping Poetry: A Question for Primary Colleagues
Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.
www.surveymonkey.com
January 29, 2026 at 7:02 PM
The early results from the one question we ask Primary School teachers here are absolutely fascinating. Comparing KS2 and KS3 teachers' responses is going to be such a BRILLIANT addition to our report! Please share the link below with Primary colleagues!
Reposted by James Durran
Thank you to all those primary teachers filling this in for us! If you are involved with KS2, we'd love to hear from you! Please share @ruthswailes.bsky.social @uklitassociation.bsky.social @teresacremin.bsky.social @writingrocks.bsky.social
Are you a KS2 teacher? We're adding an extra dimension to our survey of poetry at KS3 by asking some KS2 teachers to respond to one question. Please could you take 2 mins to click this link & answer the question? Huge thanks! www.surveymonkey.com/r/MapKS2Coll...
Mapping Poetry: A Question for Primary Colleagues
Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.
www.surveymonkey.com
January 28, 2026 at 8:08 PM
Thank you to all those primary teachers filling this in for us! If you are involved with KS2, we'd love to hear from you! Please share @ruthswailes.bsky.social @uklitassociation.bsky.social @teresacremin.bsky.social @writingrocks.bsky.social
Reposted by James Durran
Are you a KS2 teacher? We're adding an extra dimension to our survey of poetry at KS3 by asking some KS2 teachers to respond to one question. Please could you take 2 mins to click this link & answer the question? Huge thanks! www.surveymonkey.com/r/MapKS2Coll...
Mapping Poetry: A Question for Primary Colleagues
Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.
www.surveymonkey.com
January 28, 2026 at 9:24 AM
Are you a KS2 teacher? We're adding an extra dimension to our survey of poetry at KS3 by asking some KS2 teachers to respond to one question. Please could you take 2 mins to click this link & answer the question? Huge thanks! www.surveymonkey.com/r/MapKS2Coll...
Reposted by James Durran
You know how annoying it is to be told "You're just sat there on your phone", when actually you're reading, replying to someone, looking something up, or something otherwise worthwhile?
To many teenagers, the whole discourse around their phone & social media use feels like a big version of that.
To many teenagers, the whole discourse around their phone & social media use feels like a big version of that.
January 27, 2026 at 9:02 PM
You know how annoying it is to be told "You're just sat there on your phone", when actually you're reading, replying to someone, looking something up, or something otherwise worthwhile?
To many teenagers, the whole discourse around their phone & social media use feels like a big version of that.
To many teenagers, the whole discourse around their phone & social media use feels like a big version of that.
Interestingly, in Australia, WhatsApp is one of the platforms NOT banned... 🤔
Exclusive: Which social media apps are most likely to be involved in pastoral incidents in schools? A Tes poll reveals all…
1 in 3 teachers reports WhatsApp pastoral incidents
Exclusive polling revealing the impact of social media in schools comes as the government is considering a ban for under-16s
www.tes.com
January 27, 2026 at 9:05 PM
Interestingly, in Australia, WhatsApp is one of the platforms NOT banned... 🤔
You know how annoying it is to be told "You're just sat there on your phone", when actually you're reading, replying to someone, looking something up, or something otherwise worthwhile?
To many teenagers, the whole discourse around their phone & social media use feels like a big version of that.
To many teenagers, the whole discourse around their phone & social media use feels like a big version of that.
January 27, 2026 at 9:02 PM
You know how annoying it is to be told "You're just sat there on your phone", when actually you're reading, replying to someone, looking something up, or something otherwise worthwhile?
To many teenagers, the whole discourse around their phone & social media use feels like a big version of that.
To many teenagers, the whole discourse around their phone & social media use feels like a big version of that.
Reposted by James Durran
This is correct.
Also noted that the chosen curriculum drafters have been long-term DFE favourites, closely involved in the prior curriculum/ school developments, that have not been entirely successful. This was the opportunity for fresh thinking.
bsky.app/profile/scho...
Also noted that the chosen curriculum drafters have been long-term DFE favourites, closely involved in the prior curriculum/ school developments, that have not been entirely successful. This was the opportunity for fresh thinking.
bsky.app/profile/scho...
Sector leaders have criticised the 'limited breadth and diversity' of experts recruited to help write the new national curriculum
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/concerns-over-make-up-of-curriculum-drafters-group/
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/concerns-over-make-up-of-curriculum-drafters-group/
Concerns over make-up of curriculum drafters group
Leaders criticise 'lack of diversity and representation' among experts helping to write new curriculum
schoolsweek.co.uk
January 27, 2026 at 9:41 AM
This is correct.
Also noted that the chosen curriculum drafters have been long-term DFE favourites, closely involved in the prior curriculum/ school developments, that have not been entirely successful. This was the opportunity for fresh thinking.
bsky.app/profile/scho...
Also noted that the chosen curriculum drafters have been long-term DFE favourites, closely involved in the prior curriculum/ school developments, that have not been entirely successful. This was the opportunity for fresh thinking.
bsky.app/profile/scho...
Reposted by James Durran
If you ask a group of teachers most will usually say they read for pleasure. Very few will say they write for pleasure.
If teachers don’t perceive writing as something that might be done in leisure time, they will not assume children might do it. (This is more about KS2).
If teachers don’t perceive writing as something that might be done in leisure time, they will not assume children might do it. (This is more about KS2).
January 24, 2026 at 2:19 PM
If you ask a group of teachers most will usually say they read for pleasure. Very few will say they write for pleasure.
If teachers don’t perceive writing as something that might be done in leisure time, they will not assume children might do it. (This is more about KS2).
If teachers don’t perceive writing as something that might be done in leisure time, they will not assume children might do it. (This is more about KS2).
We talk a LOT about children's #reading at home and the school-parent partnership around it. Much less so #writing...
Yesterday, I talked with a mixed group of 6 boys from Yrs 3 and 4 about #writing. All write at home, for pleasure: adventure, action & murder-mystery stories, comics and 'transport poetry'. They all identified as writers.
5/6 had never told their teachers. 🤔
5/6 had never told their teachers. 🤔
January 24, 2026 at 11:33 AM
Yesterday, I talked with a mixed group of 6 boys from Yrs 3 and 4 about #writing. All write at home, for pleasure: adventure, action & murder-mystery stories, comics and 'transport poetry'. They all identified as writers.
5/6 had never told their teachers. 🤔
5/6 had never told their teachers. 🤔
January 24, 2026 at 9:50 AM
Yesterday, I talked with a mixed group of 6 boys from Yrs 3 and 4 about #writing. All write at home, for pleasure: adventure, action & murder-mystery stories, comics and 'transport poetry'. They all identified as writers.
5/6 had never told their teachers. 🤔
5/6 had never told their teachers. 🤔
Teaching is about conveying knowledge. That's simple. But it is also about bringing pupils into a particular relationship with that knowledge. That's not so simple.
January 24, 2026 at 9:28 AM
Teaching is about conveying knowledge. That's simple. But it is also about bringing pupils into a particular relationship with that knowledge. That's not so simple.
Reposted by James Durran
There are 3 ways we can improve provision at Key Stage 3.
First, stop treating KS3 as a warm-up for 'serious' work at KS4.
When we do that, we lower the intellectual bar, often without realising it.
/1
First, stop treating KS3 as a warm-up for 'serious' work at KS4.
When we do that, we lower the intellectual bar, often without realising it.
/1
January 23, 2026 at 6:09 AM
There are 3 ways we can improve provision at Key Stage 3.
First, stop treating KS3 as a warm-up for 'serious' work at KS4.
When we do that, we lower the intellectual bar, often without realising it.
/1
First, stop treating KS3 as a warm-up for 'serious' work at KS4.
When we do that, we lower the intellectual bar, often without realising it.
/1
Reposted by James Durran
Calling all English teachers. Do these two things.
1. Go to www.nate.org.uk.
2. Tap to share and add to home screen.
You can now explore some of the best long-form writing about English teaching, optimised for seamless reading on your phone. #NATE
1. Go to www.nate.org.uk.
2. Tap to share and add to home screen.
You can now explore some of the best long-form writing about English teaching, optimised for seamless reading on your phone. #NATE
January 23, 2026 at 4:55 PM
Calling all English teachers. Do these two things.
1. Go to www.nate.org.uk.
2. Tap to share and add to home screen.
You can now explore some of the best long-form writing about English teaching, optimised for seamless reading on your phone. #NATE
1. Go to www.nate.org.uk.
2. Tap to share and add to home screen.
You can now explore some of the best long-form writing about English teaching, optimised for seamless reading on your phone. #NATE
Reposted by James Durran
You heard them - do this!
Calling all English teachers. Do these two things.
1. Go to www.nate.org.uk.
2. Tap to share and add to home screen.
You can now explore some of the best long-form writing about English teaching, optimised for seamless reading on your phone. #NATE
1. Go to www.nate.org.uk.
2. Tap to share and add to home screen.
You can now explore some of the best long-form writing about English teaching, optimised for seamless reading on your phone. #NATE
January 23, 2026 at 5:22 PM
You heard them - do this!
Reposted by James Durran
My eldest had a slight language delay, and an immense love of Pingu, and at one point he invented a language that sounded a LOT like what happens in the show. To the delight of the speech and language therapist he was working with. (She once said “you can hear the verbs! just from his tone!”)
Italian voice actor Carlo Bononi was the voice of all of the characters on Pingu. A trained clown by trade, he used a theater technique called grammelot, which consists of "speaking" in a mix of babbled gibberish noises. He improvised all the voices live and unscripted.
January 21, 2026 at 9:01 AM
My eldest had a slight language delay, and an immense love of Pingu, and at one point he invented a language that sounded a LOT like what happens in the show. To the delight of the speech and language therapist he was working with. (She once said “you can hear the verbs! just from his tone!”)
Some of the trending negativity re. accommodating #neurodivergence comes from an assumption that ND symptoms are an extension of what everyone experiences. They're not. The wiring is different. So what helps you to focus/regulate/be quiet/cope may just not work. Ditto 'high classroom expectations'!
January 21, 2026 at 1:53 PM
Some of the trending negativity re. accommodating #neurodivergence comes from an assumption that ND symptoms are an extension of what everyone experiences. They're not. The wiring is different. So what helps you to focus/regulate/be quiet/cope may just not work. Ditto 'high classroom expectations'!
Heads shouldn't arrogate to themselves the right to remove property from a family for weeks at a time. They can police what happens in school, but not what happens at home, however much moral and rational superiority they claim.
As government is poised to issue 'tougher guidance' on smartphone bans, one headteacher who already enforces a strict ban has spoken to Schools Week about the effect it's had on pupils, backlash from parents, and why he thinks legislation is needed
schoolsweek.co.uk/the-school-t...
schoolsweek.co.uk/the-school-t...
The school that confiscates phones for six weeks
Head whose abuse from parents was highlighted by MPs speaks to Schools Week about his strict approach
schoolsweek.co.uk
January 20, 2026 at 4:34 PM
Heads shouldn't arrogate to themselves the right to remove property from a family for weeks at a time. They can police what happens in school, but not what happens at home, however much moral and rational superiority they claim.
Reposted by James Durran
A wonderful thread from @jdurran.bsky.social
My (slightly older) children are also clear that a ban is probably unworkable.
They are intuitive about their SM use and it has helped both of them sustain the most incredibly large friendship groups across the whole world.
bsky.app/profile/jdur...
My (slightly older) children are also clear that a ban is probably unworkable.
They are intuitive about their SM use and it has helped both of them sustain the most incredibly large friendship groups across the whole world.
bsky.app/profile/jdur...
It will be very interesting to see how the Australian ban on social media for under 16s plays out - how it affects various metrics, how meaningfully enforceable it is, and so on.
But it's been interesting discussing a potential ban here with the 14 y.o.
1/n
But it's been interesting discussing a potential ban here with the 14 y.o.
1/n
January 20, 2026 at 9:07 AM
A wonderful thread from @jdurran.bsky.social
My (slightly older) children are also clear that a ban is probably unworkable.
They are intuitive about their SM use and it has helped both of them sustain the most incredibly large friendship groups across the whole world.
bsky.app/profile/jdur...
My (slightly older) children are also clear that a ban is probably unworkable.
They are intuitive about their SM use and it has helped both of them sustain the most incredibly large friendship groups across the whole world.
bsky.app/profile/jdur...
Reposted by James Durran
English lessons can fire imaginations and open minds, but the DfE should consider five points when implementing recommendations of the curriculum review, writes Summer Turner
schoolsweek.co.uk/teachers-can...
schoolsweek.co.uk/teachers-can...
How teachers can make English sing
Despite some concerns about the curriculum review, there is room for hopeful interpretation
schoolsweek.co.uk
January 19, 2026 at 9:00 AM
English lessons can fire imaginations and open minds, but the DfE should consider five points when implementing recommendations of the curriculum review, writes Summer Turner
schoolsweek.co.uk/teachers-can...
schoolsweek.co.uk/teachers-can...
Maybe those who say "Anyone not currently in the classroom shouldn't opine on teaching" should, themselves, refrain from opining on neurodivergence unless they are ND themselves, parent a child who is, or have appropriate professional expertise.
January 18, 2026 at 2:52 PM
Maybe those who say "Anyone not currently in the classroom shouldn't opine on teaching" should, themselves, refrain from opining on neurodivergence unless they are ND themselves, parent a child who is, or have appropriate professional expertise.
Reposted by James Durran
This is going really well so far - beyond my expectations for replies, just a few days since it launched! Lots of wonderful English teachers are responding. We want more, so keep those responses coming!
English teacher? 5 mins to spare? Your view is essential!
How is poetry being taught in secondary schools today?
We’re mapping the national picture in England & will report on it.
5 minute survey: tinyurl.com/238cz6mu
Supported by Christ Church's Tower Poetry Development Grant
How is poetry being taught in secondary schools today?
We’re mapping the national picture in England & will report on it.
5 minute survey: tinyurl.com/238cz6mu
Supported by Christ Church's Tower Poetry Development Grant
Mapping Poetry: A Survey of Secondary School Practices in England
EMC Survey into Poetry Teaching in English Secondary Schools (2026)
tinyurl.com
January 18, 2026 at 8:27 AM
This is going really well so far - beyond my expectations for replies, just a few days since it launched! Lots of wonderful English teachers are responding. We want more, so keep those responses coming!
Reposted by James Durran
paulbernal.wordpress.com/2025/12/03/b...
What if we banned the dangerous algorithms, like we banned lead in paint and E numbers in food...
What if we banned the dangerous algorithms, like we banned lead in paint and E numbers in food...
Banning kids from social media? A very bad idea…
As the idea of banning kids from social media is spreading round the globe – the new ban of under-16s from social media in Australia comes into action in a week or so – it is worth look…
paulbernal.wordpress.com
January 16, 2026 at 9:48 PM
paulbernal.wordpress.com/2025/12/03/b...
What if we banned the dangerous algorithms, like we banned lead in paint and E numbers in food...
What if we banned the dangerous algorithms, like we banned lead in paint and E numbers in food...