Future-proof Your School

by David Hughes

Published 3 April 2019

Wouldn’t it be great if you could equip your school and yourself to face whatever the future might throw at you!

Schools face myriad calls on their time and creativity yet have finite internal resources to respond to them. This can result in piecemeal changes, and reactive rather than pro-active approaches. This book reduces, filters and prioritises the demands on staff energy to the central task of all schools - to achieve the best engagement of and learning outcomes for all learners (including the staff themselves).

Schools often feel constrained by their current context, their previous performance, their demographics or available staff. This book provides an holistic and effective approach to change management that is simple, engages all stakeholders, is built around the current expertise and culture of the school and, most importantly, is sustainable.

It is suitable for headteachers, senior or aspiring leaders, and those driving change through initiatives, but also individual teachers who are interested in effective practice as a route towards personal well-being and professional satisfaction.


Re-examining Success

by David Hughes

Published 13 January 2020

It's time to look at how to maximise examination success for your pupils and your school in a whole new way.

While the examination performance of pupils can define a school's success, schools have been less than systematic in preparing pupils to give their optimal performance. They focus too heavily on outcomes and too lightly on inputs to the learning process which influence performance. Whole school revision strategies, if they exist, are often curriculum knowledge based, and not designed to support and challenge individual pupils effectively.

This book provides the research and practical insights required to radically review and remodel exam preparation provision with a view to ensuring more pupils, particularly those that are vulnerable, can perform to their potential. It explores recent knowledge acquisition and retention strategies, looks at reviewing pedagogical approaches across the curriculum, and addresses the need to work with pupils and parents in new ways. Most importantly it takes an ethical and mentally healthy approach to looking at effective exam preparation.

Individual teachers or school leaders can use the book to enhance their current provision at a personal level, while headteachers can drive more radical change by implementing the strategies and approaches at a whole school level.