Dr Julian Grenier CBE

Excited to share the THEP Senior Leaders’ Conference! Join us 4 Feb for a day of learning, strategy and connection with fellow leaders. Secure your place today!

@davidbartram.bsky.social @evelynforde1.bsky.social

#Inclusion #Leadership #SeniorLeaders #ProfessionalDevelopment #THEPConference

Window framed by shutters with Christmas decorations strung across it

Woman holding a Christmas tree at Columbia Flower Market in East London.

Getting Christmassy 🌲

The new DfE ‘Technology in Schools Survey: 2024-25’ report has some interesting nuggets.

- More use of assistive technology (nearly doubling in primary)
- Fall in use of tablets for learning in primary (despite there being more devices), etc.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/692834...

@bphillipsonmp.bsky.social talking about the difference teachers made to her life - including Mr Hurst, who told her he expected her to go to uni, and inspired her to go. Teachers are amazing 👏 @TeachingAwards

Publicity shot for Blue Moon with Ethan Hawke and Margaret Qualley

Loved Blue Moon. Ethan Hawke is great … and Margaret Qualley simply extraordinary.

Moving, slow-burning and brilliantly done.

Early Years High 5 | LinkedIn Early years research evidence in 5 quick reads

My LinkedIn newsletter is out: 5 big early years research stories

📌 Babies’ screen time
📌 Boys: starting behind, staying behind?
📌 Progress toward the government’s early years target
📌 Do interactive e-books help comprehension?
📌 Bonuses didn’t fix staff shortages
www.linkedin.com/newsletters/...

If you’re questioned about the costs of the 2-child limit & benefit cap, ask how much might it save the state (in public service demand, tax receipts, welfare etc) if we reduced child poverty by 1.2 million children…

A potential £164 billion pounds.

media.actionforchildren.org.uk/documents/AC...

Books piled up to resemble a Christmas tree in Bethnal Green library, east London UK

Love librarians!

Fabulous Christmas Tree of books at Bethnal Green Library.

What does the curriculum review mean for EYFS? As the latest early years profile results are published, Julian Grenier outlines four key areas of the recent curriculum and assessment review worth interrogating

Although EYFS was not in the scope of the curriculum review, there will still be implications, says @juliangrenier.bsky.social, as he outlines four key areas worth interrogating

Chart showing Change in annual income in cash terms (left-hand side) and as share of income (righthand side), as a result of tax and benefit policy changes announced this Parliament, by age group: UK, 2029-30

Tax and benefit measures announced this Parliament so far benefit children the most.

This is due to the abolition of the two-child limit, the expansion of Free School Meals to children in families receiving UC in England, and the above-inflation increases to the UC standard allowance.

Great to see recognition of the powerful work across London’s school-led partnerships. Proud to stand with @haringeyeduc.bsky.social and Camden Learning in the #AEPA report, showing how collaboration benefits our communities.
#BelongingandExcellence

Are EHCPs really driving the SEND crisis? Education, health and care plans have been blamed for an unsustainable rise in special educational needs in schools, but would scrapping or limiting these plans fix the problem?

'Are EHCPs really driving the SEND crisis?'

Excellent, thoughtful piece from Margaret Mulholland in TES @tesmagazine.bsky.social

www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

THEP is one of the partnerships quoted in the AEPA report: Belonging and Excellence. THEP’s Headteacher Support Programme builds agile, resilient leaders. AEPA highlights our impact strengthening leadership across Tower Hamlets. thep.uk #AEPA #TowerHamlets #leadershipdevelopment

2/6 – The new report draws on evidence from 355 studies, strengthening the rigour and practical relevance of the EEF’s recommendations.
🧩 Core messages remain
🗣️ Stronger focus on metacognitive talk
💬 New examples, tools, and classroom strategies

Isaac Harvey MBE shared how his education journey was shaped by people who truly saw him, especially LSAs, who see the individual, understand the lesson, and bridge the two with skill, care and creativity. A reminder that personalised support makes inclusion real.

#InclusionInAction #TowerHamlets

“Leadership is about creating the conditions where everyone can flourish.”
Huge thanks to Razia Ali and Jay Davenport for opening the day with thought-provoking insights on inclusion, belonging, and school improvement.
#InclusiveLeadership #LBTHConference #TowerHamlets #Headteachers

Santa Claus kokeshi doll and a small Christmas tree

Loving this Japanese Christmas vibe even though it’s still November.

A Santa Claus kokeshi doll with a very miniature Christmas tree

Feedback: A message in a bottle Approaches to feedback, such as written marking or 'whole class feedback', are popular classroom strategies that are undertaken daily with students of all ages and stages. But do they truly land with ...

🚨 NEW POST 🚨

‘Feedback: A message in a bottle’

“Feedback is not a clear, simple exchange. It is a difficult, contingent, emotional, belief-laden effort. Teachers pose messages that can be easily lost, or can hit home very directly.”

alexquigley.co.uk/feedback-a-m...

Young V&A museum seen from behind on a late autumn day

Autumn colours still so beautiful… looking onto the back of Young V&A in Bethnal Green East London

Screenshot of the letters page of the Times, 7 November 2025, showing a letter from a range of school leaders backing the government’s Curriculum & Assessment Review.

Proud of the wide support the Curriculum and Assessment Review has attracted from across the educational spectrum.

Labour wants to set up our children for tomorrow. The work of @beckyfrancis.bsky.social and colleagues is an essential step forward in securing standards and opportunity.

Great to have Tim Oates' wisdom in the Telegraph www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11...

Miel bakery and cafe on Warren St in London

Miel is the best bakery and cafe. Heavenly little spot on Warren St in London’s west end.

Gratifying to see the Leader column in @schoolsweek.bsky.social this morning. The feedback 'sensible' and 'evidence-led' are exactly where the Curriculum & Assessment Review expert panel and I would have hoped to land

V&A museum at night in Stratford East London

Love the new V&A museum building in Stratford- can’t wait for it to open!

Early Years High 5 Early years research evidence in 5 quick reads Hello and welcome to issue 16 of my monthly newsletter - your shortcut to the latest insights from early years research. Each edition brings you five key...

Out now: Early Years High 5

1️⃣  Screentime & socioemotional difficulties in childhood

2️⃣ Motor skills in infancy predict child behavioural health

3️⃣ Baby rooms in nurseries

4️⃣ 290,000 disadvantaged young children miss free meals

5️⃣ Benefits of e-storybook reading

www.linkedin.com/pulse/early-...

📣𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝟱: 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝟱 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀
𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟲 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻

Please sign up to receive the next edition of my monthly newsletter on LinkedIn - and please share with anyone else who might be interested.

lnkd.in/efvjQsVu

Sturdy-looking fox crossing the path and trotting away in Kew Gardens

golden autumn foliage of a Golden Larch tree

Orange coloured mushrooms

One of the temples at Kew with red foliage behind

Autumn colours still beautiful in Kew Gardens

What do we mean by high expectations? "They can because they think they can." ('Possunt quia posse videntur') Virgil's 'Aeneid' High expectations can be a mysterious thing. Something ineffable. You can understand them when you experien...

This is such a powerful, thoughtful and personal piece. But also manages to be practical about how we might respond to the rhetoric of high expectations.

Please read it. It’s excellent

alexquigley.co.uk/what-do-we-m...