In this episode of Fraction of a Teacher, Jen and Francis revisit Teaching Standard 4: planning and teaching well-structured lessons, and reflect on just how much their thinking has changed since their PGCE year.

From modelling and questioning, to planning systems, textbooks, homework sequencing and reflection, they explore what actually makes a lesson work in the classroom, not what looks good on paper.

They discuss:

• How their definition of a “good lesson” has shifted from teacher-focused to pupil-focused

• Why structure, modelling and questioning matter more than flashy activities

• Planning time: what’s realistic, what’s sustainable, and how it changes with experience

• Using textbooks, exit tickets and oracy to support independence and understanding

• The role of reflection in improving lessons over time

This is an honest, practical conversation for trainee teachers, ECTs, and anyone still figuring out how to plan lessons that genuinely support learning without burning out.

Next episode: revisiting parent communication, following Jen’s first parents’ evening.