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Should I make my own resources?

5 October 2026

A trainee teacher recently asked a thoughtful question during a training session, “Should I be making my own resources?” It is a question that many teachers ask whether they are new to the profession or experienced and preparing for a new curriculum. The answer is rarely binary.

Why this question matters

Teaching has always been demanding. New teachers quickly discover that lesson planning, behaviour management, assessment, pastoral responsibilities and professional development compete for attention every day. It can often make you feel inadequate.

Sam Gibbs, Curriculum and development lead at Greater Manchester Education Trust captures this well:

“If the job feels difficult, this shouldn’t be taken as evidence that you’re terrible at teaching. That difficulty doesn’t ever really go away, which should be reassuring, because I think teaching is about embracing complexity and difficulty and finding your way through it.”

Teaching is a profession built on continuous improvement. There is always another lesson to refine, another explanation to strengthen and another approach to try. The challenge is not eliminating this complexity but managing it wisely. Remembering that what matters most is helping pupils learn.

The case for creating your own resources

Designing resources remains an important professional skill. When teachers create or adapt materials, they think carefully about sequencing and the needs of a particular class. The process encourages deeper subject knowledge and a stronger understanding of curriculum design. It also allows learning to be tailored to local contexts, current events and student interests.

Creating resources can be particularly valuable early in a teaching career. Building lessons from the ground up helps teachers understand how learning develops over time. It encourages reflection on why activities work, or don’t, and how each supports progress.

However, there is a cost. Developing high-quality resources takes considerable time. Many teachers discover that lessons are never truly finished. Small improvements become constant revisions, and a scheme of learning can absorb far more evenings, weekends and holidays than intended.

The benefits of off-the-shelf resources

Commercial resources exist because they solve a genuine problem. A high-quality resource can save hours of preparation time. Subject specialists, experienced teachers, designers and curriculum experts often contribute to published materials, producing resources that are often both visually appealing and more importantly, carefully structured.

Departments also benefit from consistency. Shared resources help ensure that classes receive comparable experiences and that curriculum coverage remains coherent across year groups. For teachers working outside their specialism, published materials can be particularly valuable. Few teachers would willingly spend hours designing lessons in an unfamiliar area when expert resources already exist.

Good resources also expose teachers to new ideas. An activity, explanation or sequence that works well elsewhere can spark improvements in your own classroom practice. The challenge is recognising that attractive resources do not automatically lead to effective learning. Some packages appear impressive but offer little pedagogical value beneath the design. Others may work well in one context but require significant adaptation in another.

Why extremes rarely work

Debates about resources often become unnecessarily polarised. One view suggests that teachers should create everything themselves because nobody understands their pupils better. Another assumes that purchasing a complete package removes the need for planning.

Neither position reflects reality. Teachers who create everything themselves risk spending enormous amounts of time reinventing materials that already exist. The pursuit of perfection can become endless, with resources continuously revised in search of marginal gains.

At the opposite extreme, teaching directly from a purchased resource without prior thought doesn’t always produce the best outcomes. Not because the resource itself is poor, but because implementation and delivery are equally important. Every class is different and even the time of day can make a big difference. Excellent resources still benefit from adaptation.

Planning matters more than ownership

A useful question is, “How well does this resource support learning, the approach and the outcomes I’m aiming to achieve?”

Students rarely care whether a slideshow, worksheet or activity originated from a classroom teacher, a publisher or a colleague. What matters is whether the material is clear, engaging and appropriate for the task.

A carefully selected resource that has been adapted thoughtfully often provides greater value than a completely original resource produced under severe time pressure. Many experienced teachers develop a practical workflow. They begin with a strong existing resource, then modify examples, add context, adjust explanations and build in scaffolding or differentiation. The result retains the efficiency of an off-the-shelf product while meeting the needs of a specific class.

In this sense, adaptation may be the most important skill of all.

Where AI fits into the picture

Artificial intelligence has added a new dimension to the discussion. AI lesson builders can generate presentations, worksheets and activities within minutes. The speed is impressive, but speed alone does not guarantee quality. Many AI-generated lessons look convincing at first glance. Closer inspection often reveals serious weaknesses. Explanations may not hit the mark, activities may lack practical classroom realism, and presentation choices may do little to support learning.

The issue is not that AI produces poor ideas. In fact, AI can be extremely useful for brainstorming activities, identifying misconceptions, suggesting examples, refactoring and developing ideas or acting as a critical friend during planning.

The real value comes from dialogue and reflection. Used well, AI can challenge assumptions and subject knowledge. Offer alternatives and help teachers think more deeply about lesson design. Used poorly, it can encourage teachers to accept generic materials without sufficient professional judgement. AI works best as an assistant rather than a replacement for expertise.

Collaboration is the hidden advantage

One of the most effective ways to improve resources is to stop working in isolation. Departmental collaboration and local networking allow teachers to share successful activities, test ideas and refine approaches collectively. Resources become stronger when colleagues contribute different perspectives and challenge each other’s assumptions.

No single teacher produces the perfect lesson. Collaboration allows resources to evolve through discussion, adaptation and classroom experience. For trainee teachers in particular, this should be reassuring. Creating resources does not mean starting with a blank page. Existing departmental materials, mentor feedback and shared planning all provide valuable foundations. Teaching is a collaborative profession. Resource development should reflect that reality.

A balanced conclusion

The question is not whether teachers should make their own resources or buy them. The better question is which resources are worth creating, which are worth purchasing and which are worth adapting.

Buy resources when they save substantial time, provide specialist expertise, have unique activities, fit a pedagogy you want to adopt or support consistency across a department. Create or heavily adapt resources when local context and differentiation require it.

Most importantly, avoid confusing workload with effectiveness. Spending every weekend creating lessons from scratch does not automatically make someone a better teacher. Strong planning remains essential, but sustainable planning is even more important. The goal is to deliver excellent learning experiences in the classroom while maintaining the capacity to do that well, day after day, year after year.

The strongest resource is rarely one that is entirely homemade or entirely purchased. More often, it is a well-chosen foundation shaped by professional judgement and thoughtful adaptation.

Want to know more? Check out our ‘At the chalk face’ video HERE.

A strong foundation for your classroom

Did you know we’ve created a whole range of Computer Science resources designed to make life easier for teachers? We’ve built them with real classrooms in mind, drawing on our own teaching experience to create clear, engaging and practical resources that are ready to use and easy to adapt.

From fully editable lessons and structured schemes of learning to engaging activities, extension tasks and resources to support different learners, our aim is simple: to save you time while helping you deliver great Computer Science lessons.

So, if you’re a trainee teacher starting out, an experienced teacher looking to reduce your workload, or a non-specialist looking for some extra support, you don’t have to start from a blank page.

Take a look at the Craig’n’Dave resources and see how they could work for you: Explore our resources

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Why teaching models keep returning

18 September 2026

Every few years, a familiar pattern emerges. A new book captures attention; a framework gains momentum and schools begin discussing a different way to think about teaching. Yet many of these approaches share more similarities than differences.

Assessment for Learning promoted clear objectives and success criteria. Allison and Tharby’s Making Every Lesson Count highlighted challenge, explanation, modelling, practice, feedback and questioning. Rosenshine’s principles emphasised review, modelling, guided practice, questioning and checking understanding. More recently, Chiltern Learning Trust’s Great Teaching Framework has focused attention on securing attention, communicating meaning, driving hard thinking, scaffolding practice, utilising memory and checking for understanding.

Despite their different language, each model attempts to answer the same question: what do effective teachers do that helps pupils learn?

The recurring nature of these ideas should not be surprising. Strong teaching has always involved explaining clearly, helping pupils practise, checking understanding and building knowledge over time. New frameworks often reorganise established principles rather than replace them.

The real challenge is not deciding whether teaching models have value. It is deciding how schools should use them.

The three approaches schools tend to adopt

Schools often sit somewhere between three broad positions.

The first is formulaic. A particular model becomes the expected way to teach. Lessons follow prescribed routines and leaders look for specific techniques during observations and learning walks. Consistency becomes the priority.

The second is a framework approach. Teachers are encouraged to use evidence-informed principles, but they retain professional discretion over how those principles appear in different subjects, classes and contexts.

The third is freedom. Teachers choose their own methods with minimal reference to a whole-school teaching model.

Each position has strengths and weaknesses. Formulaic approaches can help schools where teaching quality varies widely. They provide a shared language and can establish minimum expectations quickly. Freedom allows experienced teachers to adapt their practice and develop approaches that suit their expertise. Frameworks attempt to balance both aims, providing direction without prescribing every decision.

In practice, the most effective schools often avoid the extremes. They offer enough structure to support teachers while leaving sufficient room for professional judgement.

Why technique alone is not enough

One of the most important insights from the Chiltern Learning Trust framework is that teaching is driven by purpose rather than technique.

A teacher may use cold calling to regain attention, check understanding or stimulate thinking. Another may use modelling to communicate ideas or scaffold practice. The technique remains the same, but the purpose changes.

This distinction matters because effective teaching rarely comes from following a script. It comes from understanding why a particular approach is needed at a particular moment.

A classroom is a complex environment. Teachers respond constantly to pupils’ misconceptions, levels of confidence, prior knowledge and engagement. These decisions happen quickly and often instinctively. Over time, experienced teachers build a repertoire of approaches and learn when each is most effective. A framework can support that decision-making. A formula can replace it.

When consistency becomes conformity

Schools understandably seek consistency. Pupils should receive a high-quality experience regardless of which class they join. Departments need common standards. New teachers benefit from clear guidance, but problems arise when consistency becomes conformity.

When every lesson must follow the same sequence, teachers can begin focusing on compliance rather than learning. The question shifts from “What do these pupils need?” to “Does this lesson fit the model?” That shift risks reducing teaching to a checklist.

Professional expertise develops through reflection, experimentation and adaptation. Teachers refine explanations, alter questioning techniques and modify activities as they learn more about their pupils. If every decision is predetermined, opportunities for professional growth become limited. The goal should not be identical lessons. The goal should be consistently effective lessons.

Looking beyond “I do, we do, you do”

The popular “I do, we do, you do” structure illustrates this challenge well. Used thoughtfully, it provides a powerful sequence for introducing new knowledge. Teachers model a process, guide practice and then release responsibility to pupils.

However, it should not become the only route through a lesson. In some situations, greater impact comes from reversing the sequence. Allowing pupils to attempt a task before direct instruction can reveal misconceptions, generate curiosity and create a stronger need for explanation. Struggle, when carefully managed, can become a valuable part of learning.

The most effective teachers understand the principle behind the model rather than treating the model as a fixed recipe. The question is not whether “I do, we do, you do” works. The question is when it works best and when another approach may work better.

Innovation often works because it is different

Many successful teaching approaches succeed because they offer something distinctive.

Time2Code provides an interesting example. Pupils learn through video instruction and progress at different rates. There are no traditional lesson objectives displayed at the start of each lesson and no requirement for every pupil to move through content simultaneously. The approach challenges several assumptions found in more conventional models, yet it has proved highly successful for many learners.

This highlights an important point. Effective teaching cannot always be predicted by asking whether a strategy conforms to a particular framework. Sometimes innovation emerges when teachers identify a problem and design a solution that breaks established patterns.

The same principle applies at whole-school level. An initiative that works brilliantly in one department may lose its effectiveness when copied everywhere. Context matters. Subject disciplines differ. Pupil groups differ. Teachers differ. An idea can be effective partly because it fills a unique need within a particular setting.

Avoiding the trap of educational fashions

Education continually generates new areas of interest, from Blooms and solo taxonomy, from Rosenshine to semantic waves. Most bring valuable insights. The mistake is not studying these ideas. The mistake is assuming that any single idea provides the answer to every teaching challenge.

Research should inform professional judgement rather than replace it. A teacher who understands cognitive load can make better decisions. A teacher who understands retrieval practice can strengthen memory. A teacher who understands modelling can improve explanations.

However, effective teaching remains more than the application of individual theories. It depends on the ability to combine principles, respond to context and make thoughtful decisions in real time.

The framework that supports professionalism

The strongest teaching models act as maps rather than satnavs. They identify important territory. They help teachers understand key principles. They provide common language for professional discussion. They support development, especially for those early in their careers.

What they should not do is dictate every turn. Effective teaching models help teachers think more deeply about their decisions. Ineffective teaching formulas remove the need to think at all.

That distinction may be the most useful test of any new initiative. If a model develops professional judgement, it is likely to improve teaching. If it demands unquestioning compliance, it risks becoming teaching by numbers.

The aim is not to create identical classrooms. It is to create classrooms where effective principles guide skilled professionals who understand when to follow a model, when to adapt it and when to do something completely different. That is where great teaching is most likely to be found.

Want to know more? Watch our latest video on ‘At the chalk face’ where Craig & Dave tackle a question that will probably make a few teachers nod, smile… and perhaps roll their eyes!

How much should schools dictate how teachers teach? Is it better to have a formula that everyone follows, a framework that provides guidance, or complete freedom to let teachers use their professional judgement?

They also get stuck into some bigger questions around pedagogy, cognitive load theory, semantic waves, teaching strategies and the science of learning. When does useful research become an overly prescriptive teaching formula? And are we sometimes so focused on ticking the right boxes that we forget the most important people in the classroom – the students?

Watch the video here.

Looking for resources to help make the new academic year easier? Explore our Craig’n’Dave Resource Centre for ready-to-use Computer Science teaching resources, or use Smart Revise to support effective revision and reduce workload.

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Why September nerves can be a good thing.

21 August 2026

For many teachers, the final week of the summer holiday brings a mixture of excitement and apprehension. Results day has passed, new ideas are ready to be implemented, and a fresh academic year is waiting just around the corner. Yet even experienced teachers often feel a sense of nervousness as September approaches.

That feeling can be surprising. After all, if you have taught for years, led departments or mentored trainee teachers, surely you should feel completely confident by now. The reality is very different. Many teachers still wonder whether they have forgotten their rhythm in the classroom or whether their carefully planned lessons will work as intended.

Rather than seeing those nerves as a weakness, it may be more helpful to view them as evidence that you care. Teachers who want to do well are naturally concerned about getting the year off to a strong start. The goal is not to eliminate those feelings completely. Instead, it is to put systems in place that reduce avoidable stress and create a sense of control.

Start with the year, not the lessons

Many teachers spend part of the summer preparing resources and refining lesson materials. While lesson planning is important, it is often the practical demands of the school year that create the greatest pressure.

A useful starting point is to review the school calendar and identify the events that will matter to you. Parents’ evenings, assessment windows, data collection deadlines, mock examinations and school trips all have the potential to create workload spikes later in the term. One question can help guide your preparation: what will cause me stress in six weeks if I ignore it now?

Adding important dates to your diary at the beginning of the year provides a much clearer picture of what lies ahead. Teachers who stay on top of workload rarely possess a secret productivity trick. More often, they simply know what is coming before it arrives.

Think of it as laying railway tracks before the train starts moving. Once term begins, events come quickly and relentlessly. Planning ahead makes it much easier to stay in control.

Create one system and trust it

Organisation looks different for every teacher. Some prefer a paper planner. Others rely on digital calendars and spreadsheets. The specific tool matters less than having a system that you use consistently.

Maintaining your own personal planning system rather than relying entirely on multiple school platforms can reduce confusion and save time. Many experienced teachers keep their timetable, class lists, assessment records and key reminders in one place.

Colour coding can be particularly effective. Assigning colours to classes and using those same colours throughout your timetable, planner and mark book makes it easier to identify classes quickly and avoids mistaking one class for another in the same year group.

The same principle applies to student information. Having one personal mark book that contains all the information you use regularly creates a single point of reference. Instead of searching through several different systems, everything you need is immediately available.

The best organisational systems are often the simplest. If a system becomes complicated or time-consuming to maintain, it quickly becomes another problem rather than a solution. Craig and Dave both favour a spreadsheet, with one colour-coded worksheet for each class. Entering student names by hand can help you learn them more quickly at the start of the year. It is also worth adding any relevant student data but remember that pupils can surprise you. Use data to support your planning, not to create a self-fulfilling prophecy about what a student can or cannot achieve.

Protect planning time from administration

Few things disappear faster than a free period. A teacher might sit down intending to plan lessons, only to spend the entire time answering emails. One message becomes three. Three become ten. By the end of the period, no preparation has been completed.

Planning time works best when it is treated as protected time rather than spare time. Lesson preparation, curriculum planning and assessment tasks should take priority over administrative distractions whenever possible.

That does not mean ignoring emails altogether. It simply means handling them deliberately. Many experienced teachers find it more effective to process emails at specific points during the day rather than checking them constantly.

Teaching is already a profession driven by deadlines. Allowing every incoming message to dictate how you spend your time only adds to the pressure.

Establish routines from day one

The opening weeks of term often determine how much effort will be needed for behaviour management later in the year.

Clear routines provide structure for both teachers and students. Entry routines, seating plans, equipment checks, homework procedures and lesson endings all benefit from consistency.

Students rarely remember expectations simply because they were explained once. They need reminders, repetition and reinforcement. If a routine feels slow or awkward at first, resist the temptation to abandon it. Consistency is what makes routines effective.

This is especially important for ECTs. It can be tempting to focus on creative activities and exciting lesson ideas, but routines provide the foundation that allows those activities to succeed.

Students generally respond well when expectations are predictable. They know where the boundaries are, understand what is expected of them and can focus more effectively on learning.

Let consistency beat creativity

Teachers are naturally creative people. Summer often provides time to rethink schemes of learning, redesign lessons and experiment with new approaches. While that creativity is valuable, the first few weeks of term are not always the best time to prioritise it.

A highly consistent classroom is usually more effective in September than a highly creative one. Students benefit from familiar structures and predictable expectations. Once those habits become established, creative activities often have a greater impact because they take place within a well-managed environment.

This does not mean lessons should be dull. It simply means that consistency should come first. A powerful principle for the start of the academic year is this: consistency beats creativity in the opening weeks.

Mark strategically, not endlessly

Workload discussions often return to marking, and with good reason. Marking can quickly become one of the biggest sources of stress for teachers.

The temptation is to treat every piece of work as equally important. Unfortunately, that approach often leads to growing backlogs and increasing pressure.

Strategic marking is far more sustainable. Focus detailed marking on work that genuinely requires it. Use verbal and whole-class feedback whenever they can achieve the same outcome more efficiently.

Students need feedback. They need recognition when they produce strong work. They need guidance when they make mistakes. However, that does not always require lengthy written comments.

The most effective feedback is often immediate and personal. A short conversation during a lesson can have far more impact than a paragraph written in an exercise book days later.

The goal is not to mark more. The goal is to help students improve while maintaining a manageable workload.

Remember that everyone feels it

Perhaps the most reassuring lesson from experienced teachers is that nervousness never completely disappears.

Teachers at every stage of their career can feel uncertain before a new academic year begins. ECTs worry about teaching independently for the first time. Experienced teachers wonder whether they still have what it takes. Department leaders think about results, staffing and curriculum changes.

Those feelings are normal.

The difference is that experienced teachers learn to channel their nervous energy into preparation. They build systems, organise their workload and establish routines before students arrive.

The Scout motto offers a simple reminder that remains as relevant to teaching as ever: Be prepared.

You survived last year. With the right preparation, there is every reason to believe you will thrive this year too.

Want to know more? Watch our latest video on ‘At the chalk face’ where we both talk about our individual experience as teachers and returning to school after the summer break.

Looking for resources to help make the new academic year easier? Explore our Craig’n’Dave Resource Centre for ready-to-use Computer Science teaching resources, or use Smart Revise to support effective revision and reduce workload.

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Why Do So Many Teachers Leave Teaching?

17 June 2026

If you ask almost any secondary teacher in England why colleagues are leaving the profession, you’ll likely hear a familiar answer: “It’s not the teaching — it’s everything around it.”

That simple line captures a much deeper and more complex story. One that blends policy, workload, school culture, and personal experience. To really understand it, we need to go beyond statistics and look at the lived reality of teachers themselves.

Two such stories, that of Craig and Dave, former teachers turned education resource providers offer a powerful lens through which to explore the issue.

The big picture: what the data tells us

Across Department for Education research and national surveys, five consistent drivers explain why teachers leave:

Excessive workload.
Stress and poor wellbeing.
Pupil behaviour challenges.
Pay and financial considerations.
Leadership, accountability, and working conditions.

At the top of that list, by a considerable margin, is workload. Around 90% of teachers considering leaving cite it as a factor, and it’s not difficult to see why.

The job is no longer just teaching. It is planning, marking, data entry, behaviour logging, meetings, emails, evidence-gathering, and more. Individually, each demand is reasonable. Together, they become overwhelming.

But statistics only take us so far. What does this actually feel like?

Craig’s story: when the job becomes too much

Craig didn’t go into teaching expecting to leave. Quite the opposite, he loved it. He progressed quickly, becoming head of department and taking on additional responsibilities. On paper, it looked like success.

But beneath the surface, something was changing.

“I didn’t notice it happening… it chipped away at me.”

The workload wasn’t just heavy, it was relentless. Leadership expectations, accountability measures, and administrative tasks accumulated to the point where prioritising became impossible. At one stage, Craig found himself asking his line manager a simple question:

“What do you want me to do first?”

The answer? Everything.

This is exactly what the research highlights: workload isn’t just about long hours, it’s about competing, often unrealistic demands. Teachers are expected to plan meticulously, mark extensively, track data, attend meetings, respond to initiatives, provide evidence and react to constant accountability pressures all at once.

Eventually, the impact became personal. Craig describes a gradual slide into stress, anxiety, and ultimately medically diagnosed depression. Crucially, it wasn’t the classroom that caused it.

“The bit I loved, the teaching, I was doing less and less of.”

This aligns closely with national findings: many teachers report that they still love teaching itself but cannot sustain the conditions around it.

At his lowest point, Craig found himself walking into lessons unprepared. Not through laziness, but exhaustion.

“What did we do last lesson? … That wasn’t for them, it was for me.”

For a conscientious teacher, that moment is deeply uncomfortable and it creates a vicious cycle. Overwork leads to underperformance, which leads to guilt, which worsens wellbeing.

Eventually, Craig had to step away from full-time teaching, but his story doesn’t end there.

When stripped back to just teaching — no meetings, no excessive admin, no leadership burden — he rediscovered what he loved.

“I fell back in love with the profession.”

That contrast is telling.

Dave’s story: When leadership and culture don’t align

Dave’s journey out of teaching took a different path, but points to another key factor in teacher attrition: leadership and working culture.

As an experienced assistant headteacher, Dave was at a career crossroads, considering promotion to deputy head. But a series of interactions made him question whether he wanted to continue.

One moment, in particular, stood out: a meeting about attendance.

Dave wanted to discuss strategies, student stories, and impact. His headteacher wanted a number — nothing more.

“What’s the percentage attendance in Year 8?”

Repeatedly, the conversation was reduced to data rather than professional dialogue.

“A number’s arbitrary… what matters is how we improve it.”

This clash reflects a broader issue identified in research: high-stakes accountability systems can shift focus away from meaningful teaching and leadership toward metrics, compliance, and evidence.

For Dave, it wasn’t just disagreement, it was a signal.

“I knew… I couldn’t work for this man anymore.”

Leadership style and professional trust are critical. When teachers feel reduced to data managers rather than educators, dissatisfaction grows.

Research supports this: lack of autonomy, rigid systems, and poor leadership culture are major contributors to teachers leaving the profession. Teachers want to feel trusted, valued, and able to exercise professional judgement.

When that’s missing, even senior leaders walk away.

It’s not just one thing, it’s the accumulation

What both stories make clear, and what the evidence strongly supports, is that teachers rarely leave for a single reason.

It’s not just workload.
It’s not just stress.
It’s not just leadership.

It’s the accumulation.

Consider a typical week:

Teaching multiple classes across different year groups.
Planning lessons and resources.
Marking hundreds of books or assessments.
Logging behaviour incidents and following up.
Entering and analysing data.
Attending meetings and CPD sessions.
Communicating with parents.
Preparing for inspections or internal reviews.

Now layer on emotional demands: supporting students, managing behaviour, dealing with safeguarding concerns.

Then add accountability pressures and limited recovery time.

The result? A job that routinely stretches into 50–60+ hours per week, spilling into evenings and weekends.

As Craig described, the consequence is not just tiredness, it’s a gradual erosion of capacity, motivation, and wellbeing.

Why teachers stay — until they can’t

One of the most striking points from both Craig and Dave’s stories is that they didn’t leave because they didn’t care. They left because they cared too much to continue as they were.

Craig and Dave both felt “trapped”. Aware that teaching offered:

A stable salary.

A strong pension.

Job security.

Familiarity.

It also required a unique skillset, and how easy was this to transition into other sectors?

These are powerful anchors. For many teachers, they delay the decision to leave, but when the job begins to affect health, relationships, and self-worth, those anchors can start to feel like weights.

So… why do so many teachers leave?

Because the job, as it is currently experienced by many, has drifted away from its core purpose.

Teaching should be about:

Inspiring students.

Explaining ideas.

Building relationships.

Making a difference.

Instead, too often it becomes:

Managing systems.

Producing evidence.

Meeting targets.

Surviving workload.

One thing very clear. Teachers don’t leave because they stop loving teaching. They leave because the conditions make it unsustainable.

A final thought

Both Craig and Dave still work in education. They still visit schools, support teachers, and engage with students. They didn’t leave education — they left the full-time classroom as it had become.

Perhaps that’s the most important reflection of all. If we want to retain great teachers, the question isn’t “Why are they leaving?” It’s “What has changed that made staying so difficult?”

Want to know more? Check out our ‘At the chalk face’ episode on YouTube.

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High expectations from the first minute

7 November 2025

In Computing, every minute counts. Setting high expectations isn’t about demanding work or creating unnecessary pressure—it’s about clarity. It means knowing exactly what you want from your students and using simple, consistent techniques to achieve it. The most effective teachers don’t leave the first few minutes of a lesson to chance. They use this time purposefully to establish routines, reinforce learning, and create a calm, focused atmosphere where students know what to do and why it matters. Here’s how you can make the beginning of every lesson count.

1. Meet and greet: the power of the doorway

The moment students arrive is your first opportunity to assert calm authority. Greet students at the door with their name, a smile and a clear expectation for how they should enter the room. This bottleneck puts you in control. Don’t allow students to just pile into the room. An orderly entry sets the tone for the rest of the lesson. Don’t hesitate to stop students from entering if they are being disruptive—this reinforces that your classroom is a place of focus and respect.

Tip: Use positive reinforcement for students who enter appropriately and calmly redirect those who don’t to leave and enter again.

2. Engagement on entry: establishing a routine

Idle time is the enemy of learning. Students should know exactly what to do the moment they walk in. Whether you call it a starter, do-now activity, or engagement on entry, the key is consistency. This routine builds a culture of focus and reduces wasted time.

Tip: “What are we doing?” should never be a question in your classroom.

3. Combat the forgetting curve with recall activities

The start of the lesson is the perfect time for retrieval practice. A well-designed recall activity helps students strengthen their memory and make connections with prior learning. However, avoid tasks with a fixed end point—some students will finish early and become disengaged.

Tip: Provide more work than there is time to complete.

4. Why Smart Revise Quiz is the perfect solution

For GCSE and A-level students, Smart Revise Quiz is a powerful tool. Its dynamic, never-ending loop of low-stakes multiple-choice questions ensures that students are always engaged. The platform uses intelligent algorithms for spacing, interleaving, and personalisation, targeting each student’s weaker areas and adapting the question order accordingly.

Tip: With Smart Revise no student finishes early and no student is left behind.

5. Preparing for the lesson ahead

Alternatively, use the start of the lesson to prime students for what’s to come. At A-level, Craig’n’Dave micro-activities are excellent for this purpose. At GCSE, every lesson includes a starter that aligns with the learning objectives, helping students transition into the right mindset.

Tip: If you use Smart Revise, it is best to stick to the routine. You can also use starter activities at any point in the lesson as class discussions or plenaries instead.

6. Inclusive and accessible activity

The 2025 Ofsted framework places a stronger emphasis on inclusion and equity. This means ensuring that all students, including those with SEND or from disadvantaged backgrounds, can access and engage with the starter activity. That’s why a low-stakes, low-barrier to entry activity is better for the start of the lesson. Inspectors will be looking for how well teachers identify and reduce barriers to learning. It is important that inclusive practices are embedded in everyday routines.

Tip: Too much challenge too soon can turn off students before they even begin.

7. Why seven minutes matters

The duration of your starter activity sends a message. Five minutes can feel rushed and unimportant. Ten minutes may seem arbitrary. But seven minutes? It feels intentional. It’s long enough to be meaningful, short enough to maintain momentum.

Tip: Odd numbers feel deliberate. Use them to your advantage.

8. Transitioning into the lesson

Once the initial activity is complete, have a clear, recognisable signal to begin the main lesson. This could be a phrase, a countdown, or a visual cue. The goal is for students to respond quickly and without repeated prompting.

Consistency breeds compliance. Familiar cues reduce friction.

9. Use consistent language and positive signals

High expectations are not just about what you do—they’re also about what you say and how you say it. The language you use in the classroom communicates your belief in students’ potential and shapes the culture of learning. When you speak with clarity, purpose, and positivity, you signal to students that they are capable, that their time matters, and that learning is serious business. Use consistent, positive phrasing that reinforces routines and expectations. For example, instead of saying, “Stop messing around,” try, “Show me you’re ready to learn.” Non-verbal cues are equally powerful. A raised hand, a countdown, or a visual timer can become familiar signals that prompt immediate responses without the need for repeated instructions.

Tip: Play the long game. Over time, these cues become part of the classroom rhythm, reducing the need for correction and increasing student autonomy.

10. Eliminate distractions before you begin

Before students enter the room do a quick sweep. Clear up any loose pens, paper and rubbish. Ensure the computers are turned on and ready for a student to log on. If there are technical difficulties the engagement on entry activity gives everyone else something to be working on while you diagnose the problem. Before diving into new content, ensure you have every student’s full attention. Techniques include gathering students at the front of the room, using screen-locking software to prevent off-task behaviour and waiting silently until you have 100% focus.

Tip: Own the room before you teach. Never compete with distractions—don’t talk if a student is talking, wait for perfect silence.

Final thoughts: routines build culture

High expectations aren’t about being strict—they’re about being consistent. When students know what to expect and what’s expected of them, they feel secure and ready to learn. The start of the lesson is your opportunity to build that culture, every single time.

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The hidden cost of non-specialist teaching in Computing

Why key stage 3 deserves more attention

17 October 2025

In secondary schools across the UK, a growing concern is emerging around the use of non-specialist teachers—particularly in computing. While this issue affects many subjects, computing is uniquely vulnerable due to its rapid evolution, technical complexity, and the foundational nature of early learning. A recent Teacher Tapp poll for Tes revealed that over a third of Year 7 students are taught by non-specialists. This trend raises serious questions about the long-term impact on student outcomes and subject uptake.

What is a non-specialist teacher in Computing?

A non-specialist teacher is someone delivering a subject they are not formally trained or qualified in. In computing, this might be a teacher whose background is in another discipline—perhaps maths or business—who has been asked to teach computing due to staffing shortages or gaps in their timetable.

A computing specialist typically holds a degree or formal qualification in computer science or a related field, has experience in programming, systems architecture, or digital literacy, and understands the pedagogical approaches specific to computing education. Without this foundation, non-specialists may struggle to deliver the depth and accuracy required.

Why are non-specialists mostly used in lower year groups?

Schools often prioritise specialist teachers for Key Stage 4 and 5, where GCSE and A-level results are at stake. As a result, Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9) is frequently staffed by non-specialists. This is seen as a pragmatic decision—yet it may be a strategic misstep.

The risks of non-specialist teaching in Computing

Computing is not a subject that can be taught effectively without deep understanding. Non-specialists may lack confidence in coding, struggle to explain abstract concepts like algorithms or data structures and rely heavily on worksheets or outdated resources. This can lead to:

Superficial learning experiences.

Misconceptions that persist into later years.

Reduced student engagement and enthusiasm.

Impact on students: a catch-up crisis

By the time students reach Year 10, many require intensive intervention to prepare for GCSE computing. This catch-up sprint is costly, stressful, and often avoidable. If students had received high-quality instruction in Key Stage 3, the need for intervention would be significantly reduced.

Moreover, students who don’t build a strong foundation early on are less likely to choose computing as a GCSE option. This not only affects individual career pathways but contributes to the national decline in computing uptake—a worrying trend given the UK’s digital skills gap.

Is this a mistake in strategy?

Absolutely. Computing is a cumulative subject. If students don’t grasp core concepts like logic, abstraction, and programming fundamentals in Years 7–9, they are at a disadvantage later. Poor early experiences can also damage perceptions of the subject, leading to lower engagement and fewer students opting in at GCSE level.

The silver lining: non-specialists who aspire to specialise

Not all non-specialist teaching is detrimental. Some teachers, though not formally trained, bring enthusiasm and a growth mindset. These individuals:

Ask insightful questions.

Actively seek to improve their subject knowledge.

Reflect critically on their teaching methods.

With the right support, these teachers can become excellent computing educators. Their journey often leads to deeper pedagogical awareness and a strong commitment to student success.

What’s the solution?

To address this issue, schools and policymakers must:

Invest in specialist recruitment
While the government currently offers generous bursaries—up to £30,000—to attract computing graduates into teaching, retention remains a major challenge. Many new teachers leave the profession within just a few years. The Department for Education promotes a starting salary of £30,000, but this figure still falls £10,000–£20,000 short of what a graduate software engineer might expect in industry. If we want to compete for talent, we need to rethink not just recruitment, but long-term career development and support.
Support aspiring specialists
Non-specialist teachers who aspire to specialise in computing need more than goodwill—they need structured support. While grassroots organisations like Computing At School (CAS) and Digit<all> offer excellent free CPD and networking opportunities, these are rarely embedded into teachers’ timetables. As a result, many passionate educators face burnout trying to upskill in their own time. Schools must make space for professional growth, not just expect it.
Recognise the value of Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3 is often overlooked in staffing decisions, yet it’s where students form their first impressions of computing. School leaders must treat early computing education as a strategic priority, not a scheduling afterthought. Long-term planning should place specialist teachers in front of younger students—not just to improve outcomes, but to inspire future uptake. Investing in Key Stage 3 is investing in the future of the subject.

If we continue to undervalue Key Stage 3 and rely heavily on non-specialist teaching, we risk undermining student potential and the subject’s long-term viability. The solution lies in recognising the importance of early computing education and empowering both specialists and aspiring specialists to deliver it with confidence and clarity.

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