5 AI curriculum applications
Plus: 20,000 members (and lessons learned along the way); jobs with your fellow members
“I am very much in action planning mode now”.
With exams done and dusted (congratulations on another year well delivered, by the way), this is a phrase I’ve heard several times this week.
When looking ahead, it’s worth look at cases studies, which you might model your own work on, looking back and considering lessons learned from progress made and thinking about the team that’s going to help you take the next step.
This week’s highlights from the We Are In Beta community aim help you do all three.
We - schools - Are In Beta - always learning (when we action plan)
This week
🤖 AI applications to the curriculum
🚀 A huge milestone - 20,000 members
💼 Jobs with members of the We Are In Beta Community.
🤖 5 AI curriculum applications
In case you missed it, we have been asking how our members are approaching AI.
The survey and shared drive threw up some really interesting use cases.
So we invited them to share them at Curriculum Thinking Week (CTW) 2025 so you can learn from them.
What are the use cases and who in putting them into practice?
“AI for the Curriculum” Lee McLinden, Deputy Head Teacher (Curriculum, Teaching and Learning), Fulwood Academy.
“Automating the school marking policy and using AI to generate reteach tasks” Tom Rye, Vice Principal, Ark Bollingbroke.
“More Human with Machines: Using AI to Enrich, Not Replace, Education” Luke Harris, Head of Computing and Digital Strategy, Bloxham School.
“Rosenshine's Principles of AI Instruction” Jo Hughes, Group Director of EdTech Berkhamsted Schools Groups,
“AI Prompts for Curriculum Resources and Planning” Jack Weston, Assistant Headteacher, Bow School.
If you want to learn how they are applying AI to save time and drive impact…
Sessions and resources will only be available if you register before 4th July.
If you missed our AI survey, get access to others’ AI strategies and resources by taking part here.
You can read preliminary findings here.
🎉 📈A huge milestone - We Are In Beta hits 20,000 members.
This week we hit 20,000 members! Incredible!
This simply would not have happened without you showing up, helping out, asking questions, sharing resources etc.
Thank you for believing in the importance of always learning.
Thank you for investing in yourselves and each other.
I'll reflect more on our progress and impact at the end of the academic year but for now...
🙏 Huge thanks to:
you for joining and getting involved
all of our guests and contributors for sharing their wisdom
the schools and MATS we’ve partnered with since we launched in March 2020.
the We Are In Beta team for your dedication and drive.
How did we get here? What lessons have I learned?
💼 Jobs with We Are In Beta community members.
If you want to get your vacancies seen by the 23k school leaders and teachers who receive We Are In Beta newsletters across curriculum, pastoral and more, let us know here and we’ll send more info.
System Leadership
Director of Secondary Education - Ascend Learning Trust (Wiltshire). Apply here.
Regional Lead Practitioner for English - Astrea Academy Trust (Cambridgeshire). Apply here.
MFL Subject Adviser (North) - United Learning (North). Apply here.
Business Studies Consultant - Harris Federation (London). Apply here.
Art Consultant - Harris Federation (London). Apply here.
Drama Consultant - Harris Federation (London). Apply here.
Head of People - Manor Hall Academy Trust (Staffordshire). Apply here.
Head of Procurement - TKAT (Kent). Apply here.
Capital Project Manager - Harris Federation (London). Apply here.
Trust Finance Manager - Ethos Academy Trust Kirklees). Apply here.
Trustee - Ethos Academy Trust (Kirklees). Apply here.
Trust Associate (Governor) - Fairfax Multi-Academy Trust (Birmingham, Solihull). Apply here.
Senior Leadership
Headteacher - Park Hill Junior School (Greenshaw Learning Trust, Croydon). Apply here.
Headteacher - Riddings Junior School (Embark Federation, Derbyshire). Apply here.
Vice Principal (Safeguarding and Pastoral) - North Cambridge Academy (Meridian Trust, Cambridgeshire). Apply here.
Middle Leadership
Progress Leader (Head of Year) - The Wren School (Excalibur MAT, Reading) . Apply here.
Pastoral Year Leader - Prince Albert High School (Prince Albert Community Trust, Birmingham). Apply here.
Teaching
Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP) Lead Teacher - The Wren School (Excalibur MAT, Reading). Apply here.
Operations and Support roles
Learning Mentor (Teaching Assistant) -The Wren School (Excalibur MAT, Reading). Apply here.
Speech & Language Therapist - Alliance Schools Trust (Milton Keynes). Apply here.
Attendance and Welfare Officer (WY hub) - the Co-operative Academies Trust (Manchester, Salford, Bradford, Leeds, Stoke-on-Trent). Apply here.
Staff Counsellor - Advantage Schools (Bedfordshire). Apply here.
Regional Admissions Officer -Greenshaw Learning Trust (Gloucestershire). Apply here.
Contracts & Procurement Lead - Greenshaw Learning Trust (Gloucestershire). Apply here.
Projects Officer - King Edward VI Foundation (Birmingham). Apply here.
Data Analyst - Trust in Learning Alliance (Bristol). Apply here.
Governance Professional - Omega Multi-Academy Trust (Warrington). Apply here.
Multisite HR Manager - John Madejski Academy (Greenshaw Learning Trust, Reading). Apply here.
HR Manager - Park House School (Greenshaw Learning Trust, West Berkshire) . Apply here.
HR Operations Case Management Administrator - Oasis Community Learning London. Apply here.
Multisite Recruitment & Payroll Officer - John Madejski Academy (Greenshaw Learning Trust, Reading) . Apply here.
HR and Payroll Advisor - Stamford Park Trust (Tameside). Apply here.
HR Programme Lead Tutor - United Learning (National). Apply here.
Senior HR Officer - Beckfoot Trust (Bradford). Apply here.
HR Administrator - Maiden Erlegh Trust (Reading). Apply here.
HR Assistant - Westcountry Schools Trust (Devon). Apply here.
HR Assistant - Fairfax Multi-Academy Trust (Birmingham, Solihull). Apply here.
On a personal note.
In 2018, I noticed a few trends that made me feel uncomfortable:
Negativity about schools and education in the mainstream media.
Events and content for school leaders without any serving school leaders on the lineups
Staff frustration at missing out on events because dates don’t work or travel wasn’t practical.
So In 2019, I did something about it by starting the We Are In Beta podcast.
The aim was give serving school leaders a platform to share success stories, which could be accessible any time, any where.
After months of prep, I released the first episode. I had grand visions of hundreds (if not thousands) of people tuning in.
Not the case. If I remember correctly, it was 16.
It was a big reality check. I knew I had an uphill struggle on my hands.
Six years later, 20,000 school leaders and teachers have joined the We Are In Beta Community. A wider network of 30,000 who have engaged with our content.
Here are 10 things I have learned in the process:
Be consistent - showing up every day, week, month and year means you can compound gains over time.
Ask and listen - understanding the challenges others face is the most powerful lever for making an impact.
Use data and evidence - prioritising data, both external and internal, helps you find success (and failures) and make better decisions.
Over communicate - if you think you have communicated something too much, communicate it again.
Lift others up - reciprocity is a powerful lever. Prioritise helping others and they will help you in return.
Give lots way - giving your work away for free always generates a return later.
Say ‘yes’ and figure out the details later - trying new things is scary but they can unlock huge gains.
Hire for purpose not experience - you can provide experience and develop skills but you are unlikely to change someone’s moral purpose, which is vital when working in education.
Document processes - having it written down sharpens thinking, creates consistency, saves time and helps with training.
Share resources - school leaders and teachers love resources. They take a lot of thinking and time to make. They can tell so much about how to implement strategies.
Two questions from me before I go:
Has We Are In Beta helped you in some way shape or form? Would be happy to share a case study? I am building a bank of them and I would LOVE to include yours.
Looking back on your teaching and leadership, what have you learned that you’d like to take forward to next year?
I’d love to hear from you. Just reply to this email.
Will happily connect you to other working on the same things.
Thanks for reading.
@NiallAlcock and the We Are In Beta team
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