Subject specialist talks
If you like learning how other subject specialists achieve results in their departments, read on.
📚🧠 Curriculum Thinking Week 2025 kicks off on Monday 7the July. 🎉
If you’ve not been before…
It’s our annual online conference celebrating brilliant practice happening in real departments and faculties everyday.
Talks go live at 8.30 am. 🕣
The conference space is now open. 📣
📺 80+ inputs
📝 hundreds of curriculum resources across
📚 15 subjects
Available to all for the next 7 days only.
After that they will only be available on demand to:
anyone who registers by 06/07/25
speakers
paying members of the Curriculum Thinkers Community.
We - schools - Are In Beta - always learning (when we tune into others’ subject specific practice and cheer them on for putting it out there).
🧠📚Curriculum Thinking Week 2025 - lineup on a page
Huge thanks in advance to all the speakers (and colleagues who nominated and supported their submissions).
You make the Curriculum Thinkers Community a very special place to be.
If you find sessions and resources useful, be sure to let speakers know what you will take away in the comments beneath their sessions.
🎯 Leading cross curricular aspects
'How to be a truly adaptive teacher' - Amjad Ali , Trust Inclusion & Training Lead, Chiltern Learning Trust.
'Leading a team with a diverse range of subjects' - Matt Stimpson, Faculty Leader for Creativity, Beckfoot School.
'Talk to Think: Driving 100% Participation with Oracy' - Gavin Weir, Assistant Principal - Teaching and Learning, Kings Academy Ringmer.
'Literacy Health' - Lainy Spinks, Literacy Curriculum Director , Harris Garrard Academy.
'What are we Teaching? Powerful knowledge and capabilities curriculum thinking ' - Richard Bustin, Director of Pedagogy, Innovation and Staff Development, and Head of Geography at Lancing College, Lancing College.
'Research informed approach to decolonising the curriculum:
‘What does research say about decolonisation?' - Adam Walton, Assistant Headteacher, Dover Grammar School for Girls.
'The value of regularly telling TALES: Growing team capacity in busy schools - Leo Dudin, Deputy Head Academic, Oakham School.
🤖 AI Applications across subjects
'Effective feedback models and opportunities in AI to reduce workload' - Tom Rye, Vice Principal & Computer Science Teacher .
'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, Berkhamsted Schools Groups.
'Chain of Thought Prompts for Curriculum and Lesson Planning' - Jack Weston, Assistant Headteacher, Bow School.
'AI for the Curriculum' - Lee McLinden, DHT - Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, Fulwood Academy.
🎨 Art
'Rethinking curriculum design in Art ' - Peter Corkish, Head of Visual Arts & Media, The Dorcan Academy.
'Leading a team with a diverse range of subjects' - Matt Stimpson, Faculty Leader for Creativity, Beckfoot School.
💸Business & 👩💻 Computer Science & ICT
'Improving outcomes in Business by using engagement' - Robert Turley, HoD Economics and Business Studies, Oakwood Park Grammar School.
'Improving student use of sentence level vocabulary in the Computer Science curriculum' - Adam Hirst, Trust Lead for Computer Science, Future Academies.
🛠 Design and Technology
'Defining knowledge and sequencing a D&T curriculum for progression' - Ed Charlwood, Secondary Curriculum Lead (D&T) at United Learning and National Lead Practitioner (D&T) at Oasis Community Learning, United Learning / Oasis.
'How can KS3 design and technology ignite creative rigour?' - Liam Anderson, Head of Design & Technology, Trinity School, Newbury.
'How do we solve the problem of KS3 D&T?' - Lewis Glaze, Head of Design and Technology, John Taylor Free School.
📚 English
'Ferndown Upper School Takes Boys Seriously: Developing a culture that supports boys in education' - Oli McVeigh, Assistant Headteacher, Ferndown Upper School.
'Overview of a spiraled curriculum with sequenced interleaving/ Curriculum Design in English' - Rebecca Abbott, Head of English, Harris Church of England Academy.
'Literature Revision Strategy ' - Susan Strachan, Head of English and Drama, St Bernadette Catholic School.
'Live modelling: How to stop students copying your work and start thinking about theirs.' - Chris Webb-Cook, Head of English, Ipswich Academy.
'How we have developed a curriculum using booklets and strategies to develop sustained written responses to improve end outcomes' - Matthew Moore, Head of Department: English , Queen Mary's High School.
'The Art of Essay Writing' - Joshua Clarke, Lead Practitioner, The Spires College.
'Transforming the curriculum: ambitious, challenge and assessment' - Yvonne Eba, Head of English, St Paul's Academy.
'Designing parent events to enable parents to effectively support student independent study at home' - Grace Savage, Assistant Headteacher of Raising Standards, Holy Trinity Crawley CofE.
'Trust-wide KS3 Curriculum and Assessment' - Cathryn Parkes, Head of English, West Walsall E-Act Academy.
🌍 Geography
'Virtual fieldwork in the geography curriculum' - Richard Bustin, Director of Pedagogy, Innovation and Staff Development, and Head of Geography at Lancing College, Lancing College.
'Geography makes a difference' - Catherine Owen, Head of Geography - also Vice President and President Elect 25/26 of the Geographical Association, The King Alfred School an Academy.
'Placing Locational Knowledge at the heart of KS3 geography curriculum ' - Kate Stockings, Trust Lead for Geography , Future Academies.
'Read - write- reflect - repeat: tools for formative feedbacks in essay writing in Geography' - Arnold Jan H Reesink, Geography Teacher, Lancing College.
'Scaffolding fieldwork: a visual approach to investigating multiple places using multiple methods' - Arnold Jan H Reesink, Geography Teacher, Lancing College.
'Intent into implementation: Planning a coherent KS3 Geography curriculum with pupil progress at the heart' - Katherine Baulcomb, Senior Lead Practitioner (Teaching & Learning) and former Subject Leader of Geography, Westminster City School.
'Planning progression in Geography through ‘golden threads’' - Fiona Sheriff, Head of Geography, Kingsthorpe College.
'Virtual fieldwork in the geography curriculum' - Richard Bustin, Director of Pedagogy, Innovation and Staff Development, and Head of Geography at Lancing College, Lancing College.
🏰 History
'Modelling in History' - Alex Fairlamb, Trust T&L Network Lead and Assistant Principal, Kings Priory School.
'‘Every mind thinking hard’: Using mini whiteboards to maximise student progress in History' - Lila Cherrih, Lead Practitioner (Literacy) and Head of History, Whitefield School.
'Making History Stick: Feedback Strategies That Work' - Emily Pringle, Subject Lead of History, Lincoln Minster School.
'GCSE History - standardising exam responses ' - Flora Burt, School Improvement , Chiltern Learning Trust.
'Developing a broad and balanced curriculum at KS3' - Harry Hudson, Head of History, West London Free School.
'Why are there a Northern Ireland and a Republic of Ireland? Teaching Irish History in English schools.' - Emmy Quinn, Head of History, Newminster Middle School.
'Key Stage 3 History Curriculum Development: Building Coherence and Securing Buy-in' - Christopher Batt, Head of History and Politics, Beaumont School.
'Using a school trip as the foundation of a rigorous historical inquiry' - Jonathan Mountstevens, Deputy Headteacher, Curriculum & Standards, Beaumont School.
👋 Languages
'“Serious Fun” How Low-Prep Games Create High-Impact Language Lessons' - Ben Levi, Lead Practitioner MFL, Lead of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion , The James Hornsby School.
'Languages a life skill to achieve: Improving the uptake of languages at GCSE' - Esmeralda Salgado, Lead Practitioner MFL & Head of MFL , Princes Risborough School.
'Making MFL Work for Everyone: Supporting Mixed-Ability Learners' - Melody Valois, Head of Languages, Alderley Edge School for Girls.
'“Can we have a fun lesson, sir?”: Engaging students in languages without resorting to edutainment' - Luke Hashman, Teacher of MFL, Kings Langley School.
'Spontaneous Speaking: Sowing the Seeds to Success in Languages' - Ben Harrison, Head of Languages.
📊 Maths
'Making Maths More Inclusive' - Jemma Sherwood, Curriculum and Assessment Lead and Senior Lead for Mathematics, Ormiston Academies Trust.
'Strategies to stretch More Able students in Maths' - Shabana Anjum and Mohammed Rahman, Assistant Department Leader & Maths Teacher, Challney High School for Girls.
'Beyond Intentional Thinking In Mathematics ' - Louis Ronald Kisitu Ssekabira, Head of Year 10 - Lead Practitioner (Pastoral Development and Strategy), St Paul's Academy.
'Why is no goal sometimes the best goal?' - Amarbeer Singh Gill, Assistant Director & Teacher Educator, Greenshaw Research School.
'The Importance of Disciplinary Literacy in Maths' - Sophie Comer, Key Stage 4 Coordinator for Maths, EPQ Coordinator, ECT Mentor, Aspire Coordinator (from Sept), Hazelwick School.
🎭 🎶 Performing Arts, Drama & Music
'Leading a team with a diverse range of subjects' - Matt Stimpson, Faculty Leader for Creativity, Beckfoot School.
'Learning in role' - Rosie Devine, Head of Drama, Coombe Wood School.
'Diversifying GCSE Music intake using Do It Now tasks at KS3' - Francesca Urquhart, Subject Leader for Music, ECT Mentor, Lead School for Music (Sussex Music Hub), Kings Academy Ringmer.
⚖ PSHE & Citizenship
'Towards effective character education' - Anya Kinsella, Deputy Headteacher - Curriculum and Data, Harris Church of England Academy.
'Habits for success curriculum' - Lily Pace & Toby Neave, Head of Year 11 & Head of Year 8, Sewell Park Academy.
'Building consistency and quality across whole-School PSHCE' - Ria Searle, Head of RE and Sociology, Curriculum Coordinator of PSHCE, Northwood School.
'Be Nice: Everyone Welcome, Everyone Respected' - Laura Besenzi, Leader of Wellbeing, John Taylor Free School.
'Revolutionising PSHE: preparing students for the challenges of modern life' - Nicole Campbell, Senior Subject Lead PSHE, Lilian Baylis Technology School.
‘PSHE pedagogy: how to be an outstanding PSHE teacher' - Helen Kennedy, Director of PSHE, Northampton School for Boys."
🕌 Religious Education
'Securing 8 & 9s and challenging high achievers at GCSE Religious Studies' - Ria Searle, Head of RE and Sociology, Curriculum Coordinator of PSHCE , Northwood School.
'Disciplinary Knowledge in Religious Studies' - Charlotte Newman, Trust Lead for Religious Studies, Archway Learning Trust.
'How can our KS3 assessments reflect a disciplinary approach to RS?' - Nikki McGee, Trust Lead for RS, Hethersett Academy and Inspiration Trust.
🧬 Science
'Improving engagement and progress in physics by sharing great ideas' - Simon Poliakoff, Lead Practitioner Teaching and Learning, The Priory School, Hitchin.
'Retrieval practice in action, inside and outside of the classroom' - Lucy Wallis, Director of Science, Stretford Grammar School.
'Modelling strategies that work to improve outcomes in Science' - Rebecca Lennon & Jennifer Bates, Director of Science, Invictus Education Trust.
'Overcoming Cognitive Overload in Physics' - Kate Bridge, Head of Habs Diploma and Physics teacher, Haberdashers Girls School.
'Codifying a research informed curriculum using booklets' - Beejesh Deva, Director of Science, Moorside High School.
🧠 Social Sciences
'The CLIL approach- how this adaptive teaching approach has made a difference to my Psychology students' - Lyndsey Hayes, Psychology Teacher, Westminster Tutors Independent Sixth Form College.
'Developing independent study and accountability in A level Psychology' - Lucinda Powell, Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning, Joint Head of Psychology, Abingdon School.
'Less Marking, More Spark-ing: Using Academic Posters in A Level' - Lucia Berridge, Director of Faculty for Social Sciences, Head of Psychology, The King John School.
'Retrieval practice in A Level Psychology' - Kirstie Smith, AP Teaching and Learning , Thomas Clarkson Academy.
'Transforming KS5 Learning with Cornell Notes' - Holly Smith, Head of Social Sciences and Head of Sixth Form, Meden School.
'Curriculum planning for GCSE sociology' - Katie Forrester, Curriculum Team Leader for Sociology, Ralph Allen School.
🏫 Senior leadership of curriculum
'Nurturing all learners: A case study' - Lisa West, SENDCO, Challney High School for Girls.
'Embedding Blanks Levels Across a Trust: Practical Strategies for Language and Safeguarding' - Kylie Rio-Wood, Lead Speech and Language Therapist, Trust Lead in Speech and Language & Manager of the Ted Wragg Speech and Language Team, Ted Wragg Trust.
'A five-year strategy for Year 11 Revision' - Sarah Kilty, Assistant Vice Principal, MEA Central.
'Reframing Learning Walks at Fulwood Academy: From Surveillance to Support' - Liam Johnson, Associate Assistant Principal- Curriculum/ T&L, Fulwood Academy.
'How does curriculum development work in a small trust?’ - Peter Foster, Teacher Development Lead, Bridgwater and Taunton College Trust."
'We aren't using Instructional Coaching!' - Bryony Paul, Assistant Headteacher, Queensbury Academy.
'Designing a school timetable' - Stephen Bodman, Director of Maths & Timetabler, King's Leadership Academy Liverpool.
'Developing an AI Literacy Curriculum' - Andy Pilbury, Deputy Headteacher, Tytherington School.
On a personal note.
As a Head of Science I only ever got to visit one other Science to department to learn how they do things.
There were lots of reasons for that: SLT and I had small networks, none of them were Scientists, the school was a single academy trust, etc.
But that single 90 min visit was transformational. A connection made. Resources pooled. Advice shared.
That’s why I’m so proud to be able to help colleagues, who may not be able to visit departments in other schools, learn about the practice going on inside them.
Since our first Curriculum Thinking Week in 2021, we have produced 450 sessions, curated 2000+ resources and helped thousands of curriculum and subject specialists learn from each other.
Huge thanks to speakers, SLT sponsors, attendees and the We Are In Beta team, especially Kasia Borowczak, Tom Pattison and Fran Ling for making this year’s conference possible.
I hope you find it useful.
If you do, be sure to let speakers know what you found useful in the comments beneath their sessions.
Thanks for reading.
@NiallAlcock and the We Are In Beta team
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