On this episode of Mind the Gap, Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner are joined by Jude Arkwright, headteacher of St Michael’s CE, Aldbourne, to explore how a strong culture of professional trust, research-informed practice, and professional development can transform teaching and learning. Jude shares how long-term staff stability and coaching triplets have created a school where teachers openly examine the smallest instructional details in real time, and where feedback is immediate, supportive and precise. The conversation then turns to St Michael’s much-admired approach to continuous provision through to the end of Year 2, unpacking what high-quality, well-planned play looks like in practice, how it builds knowledge and self-regulation, and why it is anything but low-rigour. Packed with concrete examples - from tutor tables and small-group teaching to deliberately designed environments and routines - this episode offers a compelling picture of how alignment between curriculum, pedagogy and culture can create calm, purposeful classrooms where children and adults thrive.

Jude Arkwright is Headteacher of St Michael's CE Aldbourne. She leads the school's successful Year One and Year Two continuous provision. Here is the way it is described: Research and our school experience tells us that young children learn best through play and exploration, this is why we have built on the excellent practice found in Reception. We have found our approach gives the children time to think and explore, in a culture, which supports both the adults and the children. We have seen close relationships build, a strong sense of well-being as well as greater levels of enthusiasm for learning by adults and children alike. The curriculum is exciting, creative and dynamic enabling skills and knowledge to be applied so that children can purposefully build on what has already been learnt as well as identifying what the children need to learn next to ensure they are all successful learners. Find out more about St Michael's at https://www.stmichaelsaldbourne.co.uk/

Tom Sherrington has worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specialising in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. He regularly contributes to conferences and CPD sessions locally and nationally and is busy working in schools and colleges across the UK and around the world. Follow Tom on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@teacherhead⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Emma Turner FCCT is a school improvement advisor, education consultant, trainer and author. She has almost three decades of primary teaching, headship and leadership experience across the sector, working and leading in both MATs and LAs. She works nationally and internationally on school improvement including at single school level and at scale. She has a particular interest in research informed practice in the primary phase, early career development, and CPD design. Follow Emma on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@emma_turner75⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This podcast is sponsored by Teaching WalkThrus and produced in association with Haringey Education Partnership. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://walkthrus.co.uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://haringeyeducationpartnership.co.uk/⁠