The Arch

The Arch

By Northern Arch Learning PartnershipEducation
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The Arch episodes

  • Ep 16 - Assessment by Design: What Are We Actually Trying to Find Out? with Samantha Tummey

    In this episode I sat down with experienced assessment expert Samantha Tummey and we discussed why effective assessment starts with purpose, and how thoughtful design improves the quality, reliability and usefulness of assessment evidence. 

    I asked:

    1. We assess an awful lot in education, but I wonder how often we stop and ask a really basic question: what is this assessment actually for? It might sound obvious, but why is being clear about the purpose of an assessment such an important starting point?
    2. We often talk about formative and summative assessment as though they are simply two different points on a timeline. But should we actually be designing them differently from the outset, rather than simply deciding that something is formative because it happens during learning and summative because it happens at the end?
    3. We’ve just talked about the idea that an assessment can work really well for one purpose but be much less effective when we ask it to do something else. Can you give us an example of where we might be asking an assessment to do a job it wasn’t designed to do?
    4. There’s an interesting tension between standardisation and usefulness. The more standardised we make an assessment, the more consistent the information might be, but can that consistency actually restrict how useful the assessment is to an individual teacher trying to understand what their students have learned?
    5. Once we’re clear about what we want an assessment to tell us, how do we decide how much of the curriculum we actually need to sample? How do we make sure the assessment gives us a representative picture without trying to test everything?
    6. Once we know what we want to assess, how do we decide what type of question to use? How much of an assessment should be about straightforward retrieval, and how much should ask students to apply, analyse or use what they know in a less familiar context? And is there an ideal mix of multiple-choice, short-answer and more extended questions, or does the right balance depend on what we’re trying to find out?
    7. One of the things that can affect a test score is the way questions themselves are designed. Two questions can test the same piece of knowledge but be very different in difficulty. How much can the wording, structure and complexity of a question change the difficulty of an assessment, even when we’re trying to test exactly the same knowledge?
    8. We often assume that an assessment is at the right level because it feels about right. How do we actually know whether the level of challenge matches what we would expect students to be able to do at that stage of their education?
      9. 42 min
    9. Ep 15 - Inclusion to Belonging: Moving Beyond the Buzzwords, with Craig Duggan

      In this episode I sat down with inclusion expert Craig Duggan (‘Executive Director of Inclusive Learning and Additional Learning Support’ at Middlesbrough College Group) and discussed how inclusion isn’t just about access or provision, it’s about a genuine commitment to keeping every learner in the system, even when that makes things more complex.

      I asked him the following:

      1. The word ‘inclusion’ is everywhere at the moment: White Paper, OFSTED, strategy documents - but it risks becoming a buzzword. From your perspective, what does genuine inclusive learning actually mean in practice?
      2. You’ve recently written an article for FE Week where you argue that when inclusion is done properly, it can actually make things like attendance, progress and safeguarding data look more complex (or even worse in the short term) - because more vulnerable learners are being retained rather than pushed out. Can you unpack that tension for us, and why leaders need to be ready for it?
      3. If we walked into a school or college where inclusion is truly embedded and not just stated, what would we see, and what would it feel like for the learners there?
      4. In your article for FE week you talked about learners historically being ‘managed out’ of systems. For leaders and teachers listening across all phases, what are the key shifts - in both systems and day-to-day practice, that are needed to genuinely keep learners in, together with helping them thrive?
      5. How would you define a real sense of belonging for a child or young person, and why is it so fundamental to their development, behaviour and learning?
      6. If belonging is something we want to build, how do we actually know if it’s there, or if it isn’t? What are the signs that a learner genuinely feels they belong, and what are the warning signs that they don’t?
      7. In a system still driven by accountability and performance, how do leaders stay true to the fact that belonging should be a moral commitment to all our learners, especially when it’s difficult or uncomfortable?
        8. 43 min
      8. Ep 14 - Thinking About Thinking: How Metacognition Transforms Learning, with Nathan Burns

        In this episode I sat down with metacognitive thinking expert Nathan Burns. Over the 45 minute episode we covered the following questions:

        1. Nathan, could you start by telling us a little about your journey into education and what first drew you to the field of metacognition?
        2. Metacognition is a term many educators have heard, but not everyone feels confident explaining it. How would you define metacognition in simple terms, and could you share some concrete classroom examples to bring it to life?
        3. Metacognition is often cited as one of the highest-impact strategies in education, particularly within the EEF Toolkit with an estimated impact of +8 months. Why do you think metacognition is so powerful, and what is it about this approach that leads to such strong outcomes?
        4. What are some of the common misconceptions teachers and leaders have about metacognition — and where do schools sometimes go wrong when trying to implement it?
        5. For classroom teachers across different phases, what are some practical strategies they can begin using immediately to embed metacognitive thinking into everyday teaching and learning?
        6. Beyond individual classrooms, how can schools and leaders create the conditions for metacognition to become part of whole-school culture rather than a standalone initiative?
        7. Finally, if teachers and leaders took one key idea away from our conversation today to reflect on in their own practice, what would you want it to be?
          8. 43 min
        8. Ep 13 - AI in Action: Tools and Strategies for Schools, with Al Kinglsey MBE (part 2)

          This is the 2nd part of a two part episode with Al Kinglsey MBE. In this part of the episode, we discuss:

          1. People often say they ‘use ChatGPT’ or that they ‘just Google it,’ but the reality is that there’s a huge range of AI tools out there - a bit like people saying they have a Hoover when really they own a Dyson. How important is it for teachers and leaders to understand the different types of AI, and not just the ones that have become household names?
          2. Why does prompting matter so much? And what makes a good prompt versus a weak one?
            • What simple structure should teachers use when talking to AI?
            • How are Schools and colleges using AI to become more efficient?
              • How are teachers using AI to reduce planning time?
              • How can it support differentiation and accessibility without just dumbing things down?
              • What about feedback and report writing? Where does it genuinely help?
              • What can senior leaders use it for day to day?
              • How can leaders use AI to streamline admin?
              • How can it be used to streamline information for governors?
              • What are the most impressive uses of AI you’ve seen in the classrooms of schools or colleges?
                • Examples that improved learning, not just novelty?
                • Where has it genuinely changed teaching practice?
                • Where are you seeing trusts use AI strategically to become more effective?
                  • How can AI support school improvement, data analysis or communication?
                  • Which categories of tools should educators explore first?
                    • Are there a few platforms you’d recommend people trial?
                    • What should teachers look for when evaluating new tools?
                    • Free vs paid - what’s worth it?
                    • What red flags should schools avoid?
                    • I’ve got 3 quick fire questions for you to finish with:
                      • One workflow tip every teacher should try?
                      • One leadership move that makes a big difference?
                      • One myth about AI in schools you’d love to kill off?
                      • And finally, what excites you most about where this is heading?
                        • 1 hr 2 min
                      • Ep 12 - AI and the next ‘Internet Moment’ for schools, with Al Kingsley MBE (part 1)

                        This is a 2 part episode with Al Kinglsey MBE. - In this part of the episode we discuss:

                        1. People compare AI as we see it now, to the early days of the internet. Do you agree with that analogy? And if this really is like “day one of the internet”, what does the potential fast paced nature of technological progress in the next few years mean for schools and colleges?
                          • What are the risks for schools that ignore this or move too slowly?
                          • Conversely, what are the dangers of rushing in without thinking?
                          • How do you strike that balance between curiosity and caution?
                            • Schools don’t want to feel left behind, but equally they don’t want to be pushing boundaries towards dangerous and unknown territories.
                            • What’s already here that educators haven’t clocked yet?
                            • What are the biggest ethical questions education needs to wrestle with?
                              • What does responsible adoption actually look like?
                              • People struggle to grasp exponential change. How is AI a good example of that?
                                • What’s something that felt impossible two years ago that’s now routine?
                                • How quickly is it being baked into everyday software?
                                • How does AI challenge what we currently mean by “independent work”?
                                  • What happens to homework, coursework and essays?
                                  • Does AI force us to rethink assessment models?
                                  • Could AI widen gaps or help close them?
                                    • What’s at stake for disadvantaged pupils?
                                    • If we fast-forward five years, what will classrooms actually look like? And what will teachers still be doing that machines can’t?
                                      • What skills will matter more than ever?
                                      • What becomes more important in teachers’ roles?
                                      • What do you think we’ll laugh about that currently scares us?
                                      • What should worry us?
                                      • What’s the one assumption about education that AI is about to break?
                                        • What excites you most right now?
                                        • What’s one question every school should be asking itself?
                                        • What prediction about AI would sound ridiculous now but might be normal in five years?
                                          • 50 min
                                        • Ep 11 - Writing for Pleasure: Rekindling Joy Across the Curriculum, with Simon Blower

                                          In this episode I sit down with Simon Blower (Co-founder of Pobble) and we discuss:

                                          1. What first made you so passionate about writing? And what did you notice about pupils who did enjoy writing compared to those who didn’t?
                                          2. We talk a lot about “reading for pleasure”, but what does “writing for pleasure” mean to you? And why does enjoyment matter so much in writing?
                                            1. Why do so many pupils decide early on that they’re “not a writer”? and what mistakes do adults sometimes make when trying to motivate reluctant writers?
                                              1. You often talk about experiences being the spark. Why are experiences such a powerful starting point?
                                                1. How can subject teachers use their own disciplines as writing catalysts?
                                                  1. What differences do you see in attitudes to writing at different ages? And where do schools unintentionally squeeze the joy out as pupils get older?
                                                  2. Why does writing matter so much beyond exams?
                                                  3. What would you want every teacher, whatever their subject or phase, to rethink about writing
                                                    4. 45 min
                                                  4. Ep 10 - Safeguarding in plain sight, with Marcus Dickinson

                                                    In this episode I sat down with Northern Arch Learning partnership's DSL Lead Marcus Dickinson and I asked:

                                                    1. What’s changed in safeguarding over the last five or six years since Covid?
                                                      • What concerns are you seeing more often now than before the pandemic?
                                                      • Are pupils coming to school with different needs?
                                                      • How did lockdown change children’s digital worlds?
                                                      • Are weekends and holidays now more complex digitally than before?
                                                      • What makes school sometimes the only stable or safe place in a child’s life?
                                                        • Why do routines and predictability matter so much for vulnerable children?
                                                        • What is it about predictability that helps children feel safe?
                                                        • How does uncertainty show up emotionally or behaviourally in school?
                                                        • Why are some pupils far more sensitive to change than others?
                                                        • What role does trauma or instability play here?
                                                        • What is it about the run-up to holidays that can increase anxiety and vulnerability for some pupils?
                                                          • We often see holidays as a positive thing — but why can that feel very different for some pupils?
                                                          • What changes in behaviour might staff notice in the final weeks of term?
                                                          • What’s happening beneath the surface for some children as a break approaches?
                                                          • Are there other points in the year that raise safeguarding risk? (Christmas, long weekends, exam season, summer holidays, transitions between schools)
                                                          • Why do events like the World Cup or Euros change family dynamics for some households?
                                                            • How can alcohol, gambling or financial pressure escalate risk?
                                                            • How do schools prepare for periods that historically bring greater safeguarding demands without alarming students?
                                                            • What do you wish every listener truly understood or appreciated about the home pressures that some of our students live with?
                                                              • How has your safeguarding work changed the way you understand pupils’ lives beyond school, and your role as a professional?
                                                                • 41 min
                                                              • Ep 9 - How Leaders Can Subtract to Add Value, with Rachel Johnson

                                                                In this episode I sat down with Rachel Johnson (CEO of PiXL) to discuss something she calls “the art of subtraction” - a leadership approach that challenges the instinct to keep adding more initiatives and more priorities, and instead asks: What if the most important work is deciding what to remove? What to stop? Or what to simplify?

                                                                We talked about:

                                                                • What do we really mean by subtraction in leadership?
                                                                • Why do you think addition has become such a default mode in education, and what are the risks of constantly adding?

                                                                • For leaders who want to adopt a subtraction mindset, where should they start? How can a school or college begin identifying what is no longer serving its purpose, and what criteria should leaders use when deciding what to remove or stop?

                                                                • Subtraction can sometimes feel uncomfortable for teachers and leaders. What are some of the common fears or misconceptions you’ve seen when schools begin to strip back? And how can leaders manage these sensitively and effectively?

                                                                • You work with leaders across different sectors, not just in education. Could you share an example of where subtraction has been used effectively, whether in a school, a trust, or even from the world of business? What was simplified or removed, and what impact did it have?
                                                                • For leaders listening who feel overwhelmed by competing priorities, what practical steps can they take to shift towards a culture where subtraction becomes normalised not as a reaction, but as a deliberate leadership habit?
                                                                • As the educational landscape continues to grow in complexity, how do you see subtraction becoming even more important for schools in the years ahead?
                                                                • Finally, if leaders took just one key idea away from our conversation today to reflect on in their own setting, what would you want that to be?

                                                                  • You can find Rachel at The PiXL Club - Home or Home | Rachel Johnson

                                                                  44 min
                                                                • Ep 8 - Culture by Design: Creating Schools Where People Thrive, with Jim Smith

                                                                  In this episode I sat down with Jim Smith and chatted about how to create a strong culture that improves outcomes. We discussed:

                                                                  • What does a strong school culture look and feel like in action? 
                                                                  • What are some of the signs or red flags of a culture that might be struggling or misaligned?
                                                                  • What lessons have you learned about how to build culture when you’re starting from scratch or trying to reset it?
                                                                  • What are some practical ways that classroom teachers can help shape a positive culture in their own classrooms, even if they’re not in a formal leadership role?
                                                                  • What advice would you give to leaders who feel they’re doing the right things but aren’t yet seeing the results they hoped for?
                                                                    • 43 min
                                                                  • Ep 7 - How Information Design Supports Student Learning, with Jamie Clark

                                                                    In this episode I spoke to Jamie Clark about how to take complex ideas, and distil them into clear visual representations, thereby minimising unnecessary load on teachers and students. In this conversation, we dig into how the principles behind information design relate to cognitive load theory and what lessons teachers can take when designing slides, worksheets or revision guides.

                                                                    We discussed:

                                                                    • Why do you think good information design matters so much in education, and how does the way we present information link to cognitive load theory?
                                                                    • What are the key principles you use when designing your 'One Pagers' that teachers could apply to their own lessons and resources?
                                                                    • What are some of the common pitfalls you see in how teachers present information - in slides, worksheets, revision guides, that can often increase cognitive load for students?
                                                                    • If a teacher wanted to make an immediate improvement in how they present information to their students, what would you suggest they focus on first? 
                                                                    • What role can good information design play in supporting different learners - for example, those who may struggle with processing speed, or those aiming for higher levels of mastery?
                                                                    • How do you see the same principles about information design applying to student learning materials?

                                                                      • If you'd like to know more about Jamie's work and his wonderful 'One Pagers' series of books and infographics, head over to his website Jamie Clark Educational where you can see all of his work and also subscribe to his weekly DistillED evidence-informed weekly newsletter. You can also follow Jamie on Twitter/X @XpatEducator

                                                                      41 min

                                                                    About The Arch

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                                                                    Bridging the gap between educational research and classroom practice by connecting people with pedagogy.