On this episode of Mind the Gap, Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner are joined by Alun Francis OBE - Chief Executive of Blackpool and The Fylde College and Chair of the UK Social Mobility Commission - for a wide-ranging conversation about further education (FE), the importance of pedagogy in post-16 education, and what genuine upward mobility looks like in real communities. Alun traces the origins of his FE reform work (including the early “Teaching for Distinction” collaboration with Tom) and explains why knowledge, practice, and assessment must be tightly aligned across vocational programmes - from hair and beauty to motor vehicle and nautical training. He argues that inclusion is achieved first and foremost through everyday instructional design (“who remembers what, and who gets to think?”), and welcomes qualification reforms that prioritise retention and end-point assessment. The trio also unpack Alun’s place-based view of social mobility - valuing skilled work, health, family and belonging, not simply income - and his contextual stance on pastoral care: compassion matters, but the core job is great teaching that changes life chances.

Alun Francis OBE is the Chair of the Social Mobility Commission and Principal and Chief Executive of Blackpool and The Fylde College. Blackpool and the Fylde College is an award winning organisation and is one of the largest and highest performing further education colleges in the country. It is pioneering a new approach to Further Education and Higher Education delivery with Blackpool Council, called “Multiversity Blackpool” which sits at the heart of local regeneration plans. Alun has thirteen years of experience in further education, having previously led Oldham College. Prior to this he had a varied career which has included a range of public services, local government, area-based regeneration, youth work and education, including primary, secondary and higher education. He has a strong interest in the economics of what is now referred to as “levelling up” and sees FE colleges as making a strong contribution to addressing this challenge. He received an Order of the Order of the British Empire for service to education in the 2021 New Year’s Honours List.

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/

On this episode of Mind the Gap, Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner are joined by Mike Hobbiss - teacher, researcher, and author - to dive into the science of attention and what it means for everyday teaching. Mike shares what he uncovered during his PhD and subsequent research about attention in real classrooms (and that its main detractors are peers, mind-wandering, background noise, and phones) and why seating, routines, and explicit expectations matter. The trio unpack how to cue attention in space (gestures and precise directions) and in time (test expectancy and the “forward testing” effect), arguing that managing attention is a social-justice issue that can help level the playing field. They contrast primary and secondary contexts, debate rows vs. groups, and explore how teachers can use research without drowning in excess workload, but mostly, they just want you to pay attention! 

Mike spent 8 years teaching Psychology, both in the UK and abroad, before taking time out of the classroom to complete a PhD investigating attention and distraction in everyday environments, focusing especially on classrooms and other educational settings. He has published research on attention, distraction, memory and mood in educational settings, as well on teacher habit formation. Back in the classroom since 2020, he is currently Head of Psychology at a school in Lincolnshire. He is the author of How to Teach Psychology: An evidence-informed approach and you can find his blog at https://hobbolog.wordpress.com/

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/

On this episode of Mind the Gap, Tom Sherrington is joined by Meg Lee and Jim Heal, co-founders of Learning Science Partners, to explore how to make evidence-informed practice live and last at scale. Meg and Jim share why learning science should be a lens rather than an initiative, how they build common language across large, complex districts, and the three-phase approach they use to build, deepen, and sustain change. They discuss Maryland’s move to embed foundational learning science in statute, practical facilitation moves (from cognitive-load demos to “transparent facilitation”), and the idea of instructional equity - asking “who gets to think?” in every lesson.

Dr. Jim Heal is a leading advocate for bridging the worlds of research and practice in education.  His work seeks to develop expertise in evidence-informed instruction and leadership in K-12 schools, school districts, and higher education in the United States and Europe.  Dr. Heal was a high school English teacher and principal for ten years in the UK before moving to the US, where he became Director of Practice at Harvard’s Research Schools International initiative. He currently serves as Professor of Evidence-Informed Education Leadership at Academica University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam, served as a lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education where he earned his doctorate in educational leadership, and is author of How Teaching Happens: Seminal Works in Teaching and Teacher Effectiveness and What They Mean in Practice and Mental Models: How Understanding the Mind Can Transform the Way You Work and Learn.

Meg Lee is a forerunner in implementing evidence-informed practice in schools and districts. A public school educator in a variety of roles from teacher to professional learning specialist to school-based administrator to central executive leader for over 25 years, Meg directed induction and professional learning for a large, innovative public district that implemented evidence-informed practice and worked to ensure every educator understands how learning happens.  She serves as Core Teacher, Learning Science and Advisor, Professional Learning at Academica University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam, is the author of Mindsets for Parents: Strategies to Encourage Growth Mindsets in Kids (2nd ed.), and has taught education and psychology courses at the graduate level.

Find out more about both Jim and Meg's work at https://www.learningsciencepartners.com/

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/

On this episode of Mind the Gap, Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner are joined by cognitive psychologist and bestselling author Professor Daniel Willingham to explore how insights from cognitive science can transform classroom practice. The conversation ranges from his influential book Why Don’t Students Like School? to the enduring truth that “memory is the residue of thought.” Together, they discuss the power of narrative in learning, the balance between shallow and deep knowledge, and why repetition and practice still matter. Dan also unpacks key ideas like encoding, cognitive load, and the role of manipulatives, offering practical advice for helping students think deeply and retain what they learn. The episode is a rich, thought-provoking exploration of how the mind works, critical thinking, and their implications for education.

Daniel Willingham is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia, where he has taught since 1992. Until about 2000, his research focused solely on the brain basis of learning and memory. Today, all of his research concerns the application of cognitive psychology to K-16 education. He is the author of several books, including the best-selling Why Don't Students Like School?, and most recently, Outsmart Your Brain. His writing on education has appeared in twenty-three languages. ​In 2017 he was appointed by President Obama to serve as a Member of the National Board for Education Sciences. View his website at http://www.danielwillingham.com/

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/

On this episode of Mind the Gap, Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner are joined by Anna Stokke, mathematician, professor at the University of Winnipeg, and host of the Chalk and Talk podcast. Together they explore the so-called “math wars,” the persistence of flawed research claims, and the crucial role of strong foundations in mathematics education. Anna shares her advocacy work, from challenging myths about times tables and timed tests to championing explicit teaching, fluency, and teacher training. The conversation ranges from the importance of number facts and algorithms to the cultural acceptance of “I’m not good at maths,” making for a lively and passionate discussion about how to ensure more students experience success and enjoyment in mathematics.

Dr. Anna Stokke is mathematics professor at the University of Winnipeg. She is an active advocate for strong math education for Canadian children, who volunteers in many different capacities to help children improve their math skills. Anna runs a non-profit organization, Archimedes Math Schools, devoted to helping kids with math, and previously co-founded a math advocacy group, WISE Math. Additionally, she has given around 200 media interviews and written numerous articles on math education. Anna served as Chair of the Department of Mathematics & Statistics, University of Winnipeg, from 2017 to 2022. Find out more about Anna at https://www.annastokke.com/

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/

On this episode of Mind the Gap, Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner are joined by John Tomsett, former school leader and educational author, to talk about his latest two books, This Much I Know About Truly Great Primary/Secondary Teachers (and what we can learn from them). The episode is a celebration of teaching, which is messy, complex, and can't always be quantified. That being said, John has a list of nine principles of great teaching, and using those principles, as well as their combined years of experience, the three share stories of great teachers and teaching.

John Tomsett taught for 33 years in state schools and was a teaching headteacher for 18 years. Until August 2021 he led Huntington School in York, one of the first Research Schools in England. He writes a blog called "This Much I Know", and has written extensively about school leadership. He has published thirteen books including the 'Huh' series with Mary Myatt and 'Leadership 55' with Haringey Education Partnership. You can find his latest books as well as his blogs at his website: https://www.johntomsett.com/

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/

On this episode of Mind the Gap, Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner are joined by Patrick Cozier, long-serving headteacher of Highgate Wood School in Haringey, London and author of the forthcoming book Calm Leadership. Patrick shares insights from nearly two decades in headship, and the conversation explores the tension between personal identity and professional responsibility, the evolving role of school leaders in their communities, and why representation matters. Patrick introduces the “CALM” framework - Confront, Adapt, Lead, Mature - designed to help leaders develop perspective, build resilience, and lead with confidence and humanity. He discusses how embracing vulnerability, seeking support, and accepting complexity have shaped his approach to leadership over time. “You can be confident about the things that you're good at,” Patrick says, “but you have to always know that you're still learning.”

Patrick Cozier is a successful and experienced secondary school leader. He has been a Headteacher of a large comprehensive school for 19 years. He is also the chair of the Haringey Secondary Heads Forum. Patrick sits on the Racial Equity Steering Committee as part of Haringey Education Partnership and leads the HEP Racial Equity Conferences. In addition to being a Co-Vice Chair of trustees at Show Racism the Red Card, he also serves as a trustee of Horizons, which is the charitable arm of the Haringey Education Partnership. As a member of the black community he is passionate about seeking equality, justice and fair outcomes for people of colour. His upcoming book Calm Leadership will be released in October 2025. You can find more about Patrick on https://uk.linkedin.com/in/patrickcozier-calmleadership

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 produced by Haringey Education Partnership. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://haringeyeducationpartnership.co.uk/

On this episode of Mind the Gap, Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner are joined by Bruce Robertson, Scottish school leader and author of The Teaching Delusion series. Bruce shares his path from chemistry teacher to system leader, and what led him to write a trilogy of books on improving teaching in schools. Together, they explore the gulf between intention and implementation in school improvement, the dangers of gimmick-led practice, and the STAR framework. Bruce argues that genuine school improvement comes from a culture of deliberate, collective, and well-informed effort. The conversation covers everything from professional learning and teacher confidence to behaviour, consistency, and the power of a shared language around teaching.

Bruce Robertson is the director of Next Level Educational, which focuses on high-quality professional development for teachers and school leaders. His best-selling and acclaimed books include The Teaching Delusion trilogy, Power Up Your Pedagogy, and Power Up Your Questioning. Bruce led Berwickshire High School as Headteacher from 2020 to 2024. Find out more about Bruce and his work at https://www.nextleveleducational.com/

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 produced by Haringey Education Partnership. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://haringeyeducationpartnership.co.uk/

We've reached the 100th episode of Mind the Gap! In this special anniversary episode, Tom and Emma look back at five years of making the podcast, reminiscing about interviews with a multitude of guests. They also talk about what they're doing now and where the podcast is headed next.

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.

On this episode of Mind the Gap, Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner are joined by Bronwyn Ryrie Jones, teacher educator, instructional coach, and creator of The Playbook Project. Bronwyn shares her journey from music teacher to one of Australia’s leading voices on instructional practice, reflecting on what it really takes to support effective teaching in context. Together, they explore the power and pitfalls of codifying teaching techniques—what works, when, and why—and why it’s not about rigid scripts but thoughtful adaptation. Bronwyn explains how her Playbook Project helps schools articulate the “big ideas” behind their practice, turning them into clear, shared routines that make sense for their settings. The conversation ranges from mini whiteboards and modelling to the emotional realities of coaching and the hard truth about participation: it doesn’t just happen—it has to be engineered.

Bron Ryrie Jones supports teachers and instructional leaders to develop their expertise. She has worked with over 20,000 teachers and leaders around Australia and abroad, and is a sought-after designer of professional improvement programs. Bron is a published author on teacher learning and has has designed and delivered large-scale bespoke professional development programs for varied organisations throughout Australia. Follow Bron on X ⁠@BronRyrieJones and find her website at https://bronwynryriejones.com/

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 produced by Haringey Education Partnership. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://haringeyeducationpartnership.co.uk/