tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87885281132760031122024-11-08T15:12:33.094+00:00Assistant Headteacher & aspiring Deputy Headteacher, passionate about learning. Currently blogging for the @GuardianTeach(er) Network & thinker for @ON_School Free School. I was an @ASCL_UK Council representative for the London region. In 2004, I won "The Guardian Award for Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School in London @TeachingAwards; former @SSAT DT Lead Practitioner. Creator of #SLTchat. Join the 6000+ others who follow me on @TeacherToolkit. @TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-77111629746663529912012-09-10T20:10:00.000+01:002012-09-10T20:10:17.753+01:00

This blog will soon be closing. I have moved most of it's content over to my new website, www.TeacherToolkit.me Please join me at this new address.

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-38697525643490458172012-09-02T22:09:00.001+01:002012-09-02T22:09:01.660+01:00

The poll for #SLTchat is now open. Please click #SLTchat.

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-72345886370746727462012-08-30T21:30:00.002+01:002012-08-31T07:09:25.610+01:00

Quick simply, I've had another 'lightbulb' moment. My summer has been full of them; mainly for slowing down, not jetting-off and staying putt at home in the UK has helped. I've had a few great idea-moments, but think this one will work. Read the 'Introducing' sub-heading at the bottom of this post to get straight to the point!Twitter Ideas: I've seen a few great ideas on Twitter recently. One I

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-17491704386042065852012-08-24T21:53:00.003+01:002012-08-26T07:31:29.173+01:00

For this informal post, I had considered producing a top and bottom 10 of Gove's successes and failures, but I've decided to keep this very brief, not waste my time and concentrate on the latter. Before I do, I had questioned why I wanted to do this...I am far from a malicious person, and far from partisan to politics...but my leadership role in school has made me much more aware of government

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-86024851662237347502012-08-24T18:57:00.002+01:002012-09-08T18:31:59.653+01:00

This post is published on The Guardian Teacher Network Blog, here on Monday 20th August. Prepare for a bumpy ride this autumn as the government rolls out yet more changes for teachers and school leaders alike, says Ross Morrison McGill Have teachers got a rough ride ahead? As I write, we are currently lingering between the end of the the Olympics and the start of the Paralympics

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-25973182318722830032012-06-17T05:30:00.001+01:002012-06-17T05:35:10.233+01:00

This article appears here on The Guardian Teacher Network Blog. I have just become a father after 20 years of teaching and this week, I will be celebrating my second Father's Day. However, on this particular occasion, this Father's Day will not be spent on a Neonatal unit. Just over one year ago, my son was born 12 weeks premature, weighing just 1lb 9ozs. Despite only 28 weeks gestation which

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-21624596896524620322012-06-08T08:28:00.000+01:002012-06-08T09:18:56.293+01:00

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@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-38150211433429800652012-04-26T22:48:00.001+01:002012-04-28T19:25:05.701+01:00

My latest post in The Guardian: I did, I didn't and I do work in an outstanding school; and I don't mean Outstanding by Ofsted definition, I mean outstanding in terms of student and staff fulfilment. Let me set my stall out from the start. This article is "not" based on Ofsted definition, so if this is why you came here, you will only be disappointed, so I suggest you are better off reading

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-19063395116847070062012-03-03T12:36:00.001+00:002012-03-03T16:07:12.773+00:00

Freddie explains to David how he is lucky to be alive... Please do not go ahead with NHS cuts.

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0London London51.515183 -0.204572tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-74971009121669736142012-02-28T21:46:00.001+00:002012-02-28T21:46:58.277+00:00

Please visit TalkNQT

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-1762640766971064882012-02-24T22:54:00.001+00:002012-02-24T22:58:45.718+00:00

This article features in The Guardian / Education / Teacher Network Blog.The reason I write 'this post' is to share my experiences with other colleagues. It is certainly not an exemplary model of any leadership interview, just my story. In the short amount of time I have been working in school leadership, the application and interview process still remains an unknown quantity for many of us. At

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-7314199693718741792012-02-08T21:13:00.001+00:002012-02-08T21:13:54.450+00:00

One year ago, to this day, I was given that devastating news that rocked my career. My position had been identified for redundancy! You can read more about this here.I left school that day, after the staff meeting, feeling like I'd just received a family bereavement and duly knowing what decision I was going to make... I couldn't look any of my colleagues in the eye as I left for the staff car

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-23653402229382088482012-01-16T13:18:00.000+00:002012-01-16T13:24:36.374+00:00

Check out this assembly I have made on Explore and Discover. It will be shown to all year groups this week and to an RE Ofsted Inspector (Section 48 inpsection). .prezi-player { width: 400px; } .prezi-player-links { text-align: center; } Explore &amp; Discover on Prezi

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-53383806340206575922012-01-07T17:58:00.001+00:002012-01-07T17:58:43.394+00:00

This post feature on The Guardian Teacher Network here. I am writing this on the eve of a new school term, having lazed around until the last minute, oozing every second out of my well-earned holiday! My appetite will get a shock tomorrow, because I barely get a chance to sit down and grab a bite to eat; visiting friends and family will become near-impossible, unless I organise a strategic

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-22898111070620333122011-12-21T12:34:00.001+00:002011-12-21T12:34:52.948+00:00

I have decided to share my Masters degree thesis with you all. Please feel free to download at the link below and leave a comment.

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-89497280663409142011-12-17T16:58:00.001+00:002011-12-17T16:58:48.899+00:00

Please visit my 'Publications' page which has now been updated with a further 3 articles. two articles feature in The Guardian Teacher Network Blog and the other, is a profile feature in my teacher union magazine. You can click here.

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-62273154865712627972011-11-19T15:53:00.001+00:002011-11-19T16:54:02.634+00:00

Monday: Arrived relatively early and was made to feel very welcome by the senior staff. Grabbed a coffee in the conference room before heading upstairs to the main building to be introduced to the whole staff. Despite the bad cold, I gave everybody a wave and smiled. The next hour or so was spent in various short meetings with the senior team, discussing my priorities, duties and office base. I

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-804946599463092042011-11-17T21:39:00.001+00:002011-11-17T21:41:10.435+00:00

You can now read my Pose, Pause, Bounce, Pounce article on The Guardian Teacher Network Blog. CLICK HERE to read it.

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-25476196440599346502011-11-08T10:41:00.001+00:002011-11-08T19:33:22.693+00:00

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@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-80996979404686050872011-11-04T19:47:00.004+00:002011-11-11T15:23:59.416+00:00

Where would I be without Twitter? Following this tweet below on #ukedchat 3.11.11, I have decided to elaborate on this AfL strategy, before sharing it with the world via The Guardian Teacher Network Blog. I am scribbling up my experience of this as the requests from Twitter were numerous, so I want to keep to my promise and get this published tonight (4.11.11). My tweet on 3.11.11 was: "@

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-7781812723029750452011-10-30T19:12:00.000+00:002011-10-30T19:13:00.038+00:00

Just a quick note to reference the post below. This article has now been published on The Guardian Teacher Network Blog. You can read it here. It will be the first of many... You can follow me on @TeacherToolkit or subscribe to an RSS feed of my posts via @GuardianTeach. http://www.guardian.co.uk/teacher-network/2011/oct/27/coping-with-redundancy

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-67090770984260398552011-10-20T14:31:00.000+01:002011-10-22T13:04:05.294+01:00

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@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com2Westminster, London, UK51.5001524 -0.126236251.1838419 -0.7579502 51.8164629 0.5054778tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-33050483701802854432011-10-15T08:00:00.001+01:002011-10-15T08:00:09.327+01:00

This is for an interview on Monday 17th October. I thought I'd turn to my Twitter followers for a few ideas before setting about preparing resources and a lesson plan. What you read below, is exactly the context I have been provided with. It is for a Design Technology lesson. Topic: Making a picture puzzle in acrylic with a plywood frame. You will be teaching a one hour lesson to year 7

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-51828239335776539702011-10-14T13:41:00.001+01:002011-10-14T17:03:57.162+01:00

Following 38,000+ views in 3 months on my son's blog, I've decided to re-start my TeacherToolkit teaching blog up again - and even though I am not currently teaching(!) - I just want to see what happens. I am also currently blogging for The Guardian Teacher Network Blog; so we shall see where that takes us. - follow my thoughts @rossmcgill, @TeacherToolkit or @DodgyEye. Location:Home

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788528113276003112.post-34108284085078663212010-12-04T12:52:00.001+00:002010-12-04T16:15:02.634+00:00

So; HMI have been and gone! They arrived on Wednesday 24th November and the 25th was my birthday! Finally, all the pressure has been and gone and we can now continue to make progress. My birthday was pretty crap to be fair - but got started when I got home on day 2 of the inspection at 8pm! I was exhausted... One of the inspectors came to observe my Year 11 lessons on day 1 (midday); he arrived

@TeacherToolkithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925580248206471143noreply@blogger.com0