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Rory Walker

@biologywalker.bsky.social

🧠 Biology teacher - Assistant Head of Science (i/c Biology) - currently teach AQA GCSE and A level - NPQLT, MCCT

500 Followers  |  99 Following  |  54 Posts  |  Joined: 13.08.2024  |  1.6905

Latest posts by biologywalker.bsky.social on Bluesky

βœ… supportive, expert staff in the department
βœ… highest performing state school in borough
βœ… reasonable feedback policy
βœ… manageable workload
βœ… established behaviour and T&L systems
βœ… evidence-based approach
βœ… dedicated heads of subject
βœ… KS5 teaching
βœ… working with me!

11.06.2025 17:02 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Teacher of Science, Canon Slade School, Bradshaw Brow, Bolton, Bl2 3BP - Tes Jobs Canon Slade School, United Kingdom

Science teachers in the NW of England! We (in Bolton) are looking for a science teacher on 0.6 (Biology or Physics preferred) - if anyone is looking for a part time position and this sounds interesting to you feel free to DM me ☺️ #SciTeachUK www.tes.com/jobs/vacancy...

11.06.2025 17:02 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
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Teacher of Science, Canon Slade School, Bradshaw Brow, Bolton, Bl2 3BP - Tes Jobs Canon Slade School, United Kingdom

Science teachers in the NW of England! We (in Bolton) are looking for a science teacher (Biology or Physics preferred) on 0.6 - if anyone is looking for a part time position and this sounds interesting to you feel free to DM me ☺️

www.tes.com/jobs/vacancy...

03.06.2025 19:10 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks, Christian

29.01.2025 16:09 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Nice! I really enjoyed the NPQ programme and definitely recommend that current and aspiring middle leaders take this one. Definitely made me better at my job.

29.01.2025 15:35 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Kids rehearsing longer answers on MWB, class discussion, redrafting in books.

19.01.2025 21:21 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Great art thread from one of the greatest to ever do comics!

03.01.2025 17:46 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

"Why is Peruvian refugee Paddington Bear talking about multiculturalism?!?!" 🀬

02.01.2025 12:05 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Directly? Possibly never. Indirectly? Every few years via guidance, Ofsted documents or, once, inspection. Then filtered through School/MAT leadership.

02.01.2025 11:56 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I really like the pre-conference ballot system that the NASUWT issues to gauge what teachers actually care about before they speak for us. Refreshingly unlike my former union...

27.12.2024 12:03 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I can tell you the answer to that! It has an orange 3 🀬🀬🀬

07.12.2024 12:25 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ’ͺπŸ˜‚

07.12.2024 12:24 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Having a 2 year old and/or 4 year old in the car with me for most of my driving ruins mine every time 😊

07.12.2024 10:03 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I don't watch ⚽ anymore (I switched to 🏈 many years ago) but the Okocha era will forever be embedded in my mind. Youri Djorkaeff my personal fave.

07.12.2024 10:01 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

And our P8 is positive 😏

07.12.2024 09:43 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Thinking about this more, I'd say not all 3s are created equal as well. We did the 1->3->"not 2" but never did I feel the school was the same as the 3, 3, 3, consistently graded schools nearby. Could be bias.

07.12.2024 09:40 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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It's like they can't shake the grades idea, so they just went from 4 to 5 point scale and made this exemplar where everything had a different (one-two word) descriptor... So, like now. But the reality usually looks like this:
(But we're "ungraded" πŸ€”)

07.12.2024 09:38 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Nor now πŸ˜‚ but I had a sense that under certain heads we had, there was a complacency. I could be wrong of course.

07.12.2024 09:34 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

We went 1 to 3 after a decade gap. But I think the 3 at the time was harsh as improvements were already being made, and two years later back to 2 ("ungraded"). I think the gap was a factor in it being allowed to decline, but that's my personal opinion and I wasn't anywhere near senior at that time.

07.12.2024 09:33 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

I think the new Ofsted "report card" which so far looks rubbish in the early drafts, should have maybe the last 5 years of P8 (and an explanation of it) on there for sure. Alongside strengths and weaknesses so parents can choose schools on their personal priorities.

07.12.2024 09:31 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Not surprised by the "5 year rule" element of an upstanding judgement, based on personal experience. We were lucky our school leaders realised the decline and started to make improvements without Ofsted say so. Sadly got a 3 before returning to 2, which remains on gov site because 2 was "ungraded"

07.12.2024 09:25 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I think you can offer some outstanding things that don't show up in the results, I guess. But in general I'd say I agree. P8 is only a measure of one cohort, of course, and the outstanding judgement may have been several years old. When we got an outstanding it was a decade til they returned πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ

07.12.2024 09:06 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

I suspect it will play into a new Ofsted framework. I think it should, to some extent, given what it measures. Some good schools have really focused on improving it - because of what it represents.

07.12.2024 08:44 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Nice to see the end of one word Ofsted judgements. Much better πŸ‘

29.11.2024 19:53 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

So this is why I gained 40 followers today πŸ˜‚ nice work, followed all 😊

10.11.2024 19:18 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Applications close tomorrow at 9am πŸ•˜ come work as a Science teacher at the best school in Bolton 😊

15.09.2024 10:40 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Looking for a science teacher near Bolton! Applications open until Monday 16th 😊 check it out!

11.09.2024 19:05 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

#SciTeachUK

09.09.2024 22:24 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Teacher of Science (Physics Specialism), Canon Slade, Bradshaw Brow, Bolton, BL2 3BP - Tes Jobs Canon Slade School, United Kingdom

Teachers near Bolton area, we are looking for a science teacher (physics preferred but others considered) to join us!
πŸ“ 11-18
πŸ“ Large supportive department
πŸ“ Wonderful students
πŸ“ Long weekend in Nov
πŸ“ Sensible feedback policy
βœ‰οΈ Message me if you have Qs 😊
www.tes.com/jobs/vacancy...

09.09.2024 20:17 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 3
Join the CogSciSci Discord Server! Check out the CogSciSci community on Discord – hang out with 412 other members and enjoy free voice and text chat.

Did you know #cogscisci has a discord server?

It's like a forum where people can ask for all sorts of help and discuss a huge range of topics from cog sci, to curriculum and even leadership.

It's free to join by clicking this link

discord.com/invite/GhFnn...

Please share widely #EduSky πŸ™

04.09.2024 08:35 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

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