Mind the Gap: Making Education Work Across the Globe Tom Sherrington & Emma Turner

In this special season finale of Mind The Gap, Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner are joined by Yamina Bibi, a dynamic deputy head teacher and author of Thriving in Your First Years of Teaching. Yamina shares her journey from a shy, introverted new teacher to an influential leader in education, driven by her passion for teaching, learning, and mentoring. The conversation highlights her dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion, discussing the importance of role models and networks in supporting early career teachers. Yamina emphasises practical strategies for thriving in the classroom, managing workload, and building professional relationships. The conversation also touches on the significance of coaching and the impact of positive mentorship on teacher retention.



Yamina Bibi is a Deputy Headteacher, English teacher, Coach and Consultant in London with experience of leading Teaching and Learning, Curriculum, and Mentoring and Coaching of teachers at all stages of their career. Yamina has a NPQSL and a Masters in Teaching from University College London, Institute of Education and is a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching. She is also a network leader for WomenEd, a global charity organisation seeking to support female teachers and leaders in education. Yamina is also the co-host of Series 1 of The #DiverseEd podcast and is a contributing writer for several educational books. Yamina regularly blogs about coaching and mentoring, school leadership, effective research informed practice at www.msybeebs@wordpress.com. Follow her on X at @msybibi



Tom Sherrington has worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specialising in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. He regularly contributes to conferences and CPD sessions locally and nationally and is busy working in schools and colleges across the UK and around the world. Follow Tom on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@teacherhead⁠⁠⁠



⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Emma Turner joined Discovery Schools Academy Trust as the Research and CPD lead after 20 years in primary teaching. She founded ‘NewEd – Joyful CPD for early-career teachers,’ a not-for-profit approach to CPD to encourage positivity amongst the profession and help retain teachers in post. Follow Emma on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@emma_turner75⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.



This podcast is produced by Haringey Education Partnership. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://haringeyeducationpartnership.co.uk/

On this episode of Mind The Gap, Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner are joined by Dr. Megan Sumeracki, co-founder of The Learning Scientists. Megan shares her journey from being an educational psychology professor to co-creating The Learning Scientists, highlighting the motivation and challenges behind making cognitive science research accessible. The discussion delves into the concept of elaboration, exploring how connecting new information to existing knowledge enhances learning. They also touch on memory and aging, addressing how cognitive processes change over time and strategies to mitigate these effects. Megan provides practical suggestions for effective retrieval practices, emphasizing techniques that help students retain and recall information more efficiently. Lastly, they discuss the complexities of translating research into real classroom practices, offering insights on bridging the gap between theory and application to foster evidence-based teaching.



Dr. Megan Sumeracki is a cognitive psychologist specializing in learning and memory. She received her Masters in Experimental Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis and her PhD in Cognitive Psychology from Purdue University. She is now an Associate Professor at Rhode Island College teaching, advising, writing, and conducting research with students. She co-founded the Learning Scientists in January 2016 and is the author of three educational books, the most recent being The Psychology of Memory. Follow her on X @DrSumeracki



Tom Sherrington has worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specialising in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. He regularly contributes to conferences and CPD sessions locally and nationally and is busy working in schools and colleges across the UK and around the world. Follow Tom on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@teacherhead⁠⁠⁠

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Emma Turner joined Discovery Schools Academy Trust as the Research and CPD lead after 20 years in primary teaching. She founded ‘NewEd – Joyful CPD for early-career teachers,’ a not-for-profit approach to CPD to encourage positivity amongst the profession and help retain teachers in post. Follow Emma on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@emma_turner75⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.



This podcast is produced by Haringey Education Partnership. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://haringeyeducationpartnership.co.uk/

On this episode of Mind The Gap, Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner are joined by Josh Goodrich, founder of Steplab. Josh shares his journey from being an English teacher and deputy principal to creating Steplab, an organization focused on improving professional development through instructional coaching. The discussion covers the core elements of Josh’s book, Responsive Coaching including awareness, insights, goals, steps, and habits. They delve into the challenges of helping teachers change, the importance of situational awareness, and balancing structured approaches with the relational aspect of coaching. Josh offers insights on scaling effective PD, overcoming resistance from sceptical teachers, and ensuring impactful coaching conversations.



Josh Goodrich is an English Teacher, school leader and MAT CPD lead based in London. He also works on the learning design team at the Ambition Institute. He now spends most of his time working on his instructional coaching platform Steplab, with the aim of giving every school the power to run an impactful coaching programme. Josh recently published his new coaching book Responsive Coaching. You can follow him on X @Josh_CPD



Tom Sherrington has worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specialising in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. He regularly contributes to conferences and CPD sessions locally and nationally and is busy working in schools and colleges across the UK and around the world. Follow Tom on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@teacherhead⁠⁠

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Emma Turner joined Discovery Schools Academy Trust as the Research and CPD lead after 20 years in primary teaching. She founded ‘NewEd – Joyful CPD for early-career teachers,’ a not-for-profit approach to CPD to encourage positivity amongst the profession and help retain teachers in post. Follow Emma on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@emma_turner75⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.



This podcast is produced by Haringey Education Partnership. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠https://haringeyeducationpartnership.co.uk/

On this episode of Mind The Gap, Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner are joined by David Didau, known in the education blogosphere as The Learning Spy. David shares his journey in education, discussing his transition from teaching to becoming a prominent voice in education and research, and then back to teaching. The conversation explores key topics such as the role of cognitive science in teaching, the importance of evidence-based practices, and the challenges of implementing these practices in schools. David offers insights into different perspectives on curriculum, the significance of metacognition, and the impact of school culture on student outcomes. He also delves into the intricacies of curriculum design and the importance of preserving the institutional memory and wisdom of experienced teachers.



David Didau is Senior Lead Practitioner for English at Ormiston Academies Trust. His blog, The Learning Spy, has had over a million visitors and won a number of awards. Didau writes about ordinary teachers' constraints and irritations, exploring his own successes and failures from his years of teaching, as well as the latest education research and cognitive psychology. He has also written four books exploring different aspects of teaching and learning through cognitive science. His most recent book is titled: Bringing the English Curriculum to Life: A Field Guide for Making Meaning in English. Follow David on Twitter @DavidDidau



Tom Sherrington has worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specialising in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. He regularly contributes to conferences and CPD sessions locally and nationally and is busy working in schools and colleges across the UK and around the world. Follow Tom on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@teacherhead⁠

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Emma Turner joined Discovery Schools Academy Trust as the Research and CPD lead after 20 years in primary teaching. She founded ‘NewEd – Joyful CPD for early-career teachers,’ a not-for-profit approach to CPD to encourage positivity amongst the profession and help retain teachers in post. Follow Emma on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@emma_turner75⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.



This podcast is produced by Haringey Education Partnership. Find out more at ⁠⁠https://haringeyeducationpartnership.co.uk/

On this episode of Mind The Gap, Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner are joined by Christine Counsell, founder of Opening Worlds and a key figure in curriculum development. Christine discusses her journey from a history teacher to running the history PGCE course at Cambridge University and eventually founding Opening Worlds. She explains how her company supports primary schools in developing a fully resourced curriculum that integrates history, geography, and religious education with a strong focus on oracy and storytelling. The conversation delves into the importance of cumulative sufficiency in curriculum design, the unique opportunities primary education offers for connecting different subjects, and the critical role of vocabulary in helping students navigate and understand the world. Christine also shares insights into the process of training teachers to implement these curricula effectively, emphasizing the value of storytelling and narrative in engaging students.



Christine Counsell was a history teacher, subject lead, and deputy headteacher before she led the history PGCE course at the University of Cambridge for 19 years. At Cambridge, she worked nationally and internationally with policy makers, scholars, teachers and teacher educators in history education. Christine later became Director of Education of a multi-academy trust serving primary and secondary schools in areas of disadvantage. She has published widely, including many curriculum resources, and is editor of the journal, Teaching History. Follow her on X @Counsell_C



Tom Sherrington has worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specialising in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. He regularly contributes to conferences and CPD sessions locally and nationally and is busy working in schools and colleges across the UK and around the world. Follow Tom on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@teacherhead⁠

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Emma Turner joined Discovery Schools Academy Trust as the Research and CPD lead after 20 years in primary teaching. She founded ‘NewEd – Joyful CPD for early-career teachers,’ a not-for-profit approach to CPD to encourage positivity amongst the profession and help retain teachers in post. Follow Emma on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@emma_turner75⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.



This podcast is produced by Haringey Education Partnership. Find out more at ⁠https://haringeyeducationpartnership.co.uk/

On this episode of Mind the Gap, Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner are joined by Nikki Sullivan and Rachel Higginson to delve into the significance of oracy in education. The discussion explores the multifaceted role of oracy, emphasizing its importance not just in speaking and listening but in fostering confident and effective communication. Nikki and Rachel highlight the necessity of integrating speaking and listening skills into the wider curriculum, as well as the importance of creating communication-conducive learning environments and the value of teacher oracy in fostering a supportive culture within schools. Throughout the episode, the group provides practical examples and strategies for developing presentation skills in students, advocating for a balance between structured guidance and natural expression.



Nikki Sullivan is Deputy Headteacher working in a comprehensive secondary school in Bradford. She has worked in both pastoral and academic senior leadership and now leads on teaching & learning and staff development. Nikki is working on a new book called Unlocking Oracy which will be coming out soon. Follow her on X @Nikki__Sullivan



Rachel Higginson has been working in education for 25 years. Her aim is to support young people to develop the knowledge, skills and character to make a difference in the modern world. She is a keynote speaker, school improvement facilitator, curriculum designer, primary adviser, a collaborator with Myatt & Co, and also the curator of the Finding my Voice project. Follow her on X ⁠@creativeHigg



Tom Sherrington has worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specialising in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. He regularly contributes to conferences and CPD sessions locally and nationally and is busy working in schools and colleges across the UK and around the world. Follow Tom on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@teacherhead⁠⁠⁠

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Emma Turner joined Discovery Schools Academy Trust as the Research and CPD lead after 20 years in primary teaching. She founded ‘NewEd – Joyful CPD for early-career teachers,’ a not-for-profit approach to CPD to encourage positivity amongst the profession and help retain teachers in post. Follow Emma on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@emma_turner75⁠⁠⁠

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This podcast is produced by Haringey Education Partnership. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠https://haringeyeducationpartnership.co.uk/