iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

English and Media Centre @engmediacentre.bsky.social · 13h

Forward Arts Foundation has a great deal for teachers + schools. £5 off any ticket when you book online with the code LLF5. Bookings for 10 or more by email or phone with payment by card or BACS transfer hello@southbankcentre.co.uk | 020 3879 9555 www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/the...

southbankcentre.co.uk

The 2026 Forward Prizes for Poetry Ceremony | Southbank Centre

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

English and Media Centre @engmediacentre.bsky.social · 9h

Just to let you know that there are no places left for our emagazine A Level Lit conference at Friends House in November. If schools pull out, we'll reopen nearer the time. Apologies if you wanted places + didn't manage to get them. A few left for Language, which opened today. POD coming soon

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English and Media Centre @engmediacentre.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

EMC CPD Webinar: Getting Formative Assessment Right "A thought-provoking session considering the role and importance of formative assessment." - Claire Scott Book by: 8am on 12th October buff.ly/HMeEe8r

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

The Poetry Society @poetrysociety.org.uk · 06/10/2026

Young poets: new writing challenge alert! We're thrilled to be teaming up with the National Museum of Scotland on this one... Find prompts and enter by 4 October on Young Poets Network: bit.ly/MuseumYPN

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

I wrote this poem and entered it for the Poetry Society Stanza Competition on 'Wonder'. I heard it was longlisted but not chosen. Here it is, in case it might be recognisable to other parents & grandparents!

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I did this lecture in 2019. Much of what I say here remains v relevant imo. It helps explain what's been going wrong in subject English & the impact of a supposed emphasis on knowledge that has overemphasised memorisation, info 'about' texts', direct instruction, vocab, a 'novice' view of students.

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English and Media Centre @engmediacentre.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Monday's A Level Great Gatsby course, with a lecture from Nicolas Tredell 📸 Lovely to see all the teachers who came along!

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

English and Media Centre @engmediacentre.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Today is National Poetry Day! To celebrate, @barbarableiman.bsky.social has put together a free-to-download, classroom-ready resource featuring poems on the theme of Wonder and an accompanying activity. Download yours here: buff.ly/YRBD122 #nationalpoetryday @poetrydayuk.bsky.social

buff.ly

National Poetry Day 2026, Thursday October 1st –An EMC Activity

Wonder – an EMC resource for National Poetry Day 2026.

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Everybody should be a 'poetry person' today! poetrybyheart.com/poems/hey-yo... @poetrydayuk.bsky.social @poetrybyheart.bsky.social

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Another really lovely, heartwarming novel for children by @coralrumble.bsky.social about a boy whose family skeletons and secrets turn out to be more important than the story of the skeletons of drowned local sailors he thinks he's investigating! Thank you for the book, Coral!

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

Rachel Burrows @rburrows.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Come and check out out this great little collection of ‘wonder’ poems - whether you want to use them as a #teachingresource or just have a day filled with wonder! 🤩 🍅 📎🥒🪰One more sleep til @poetrydayuk.bsky.social #poetry

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

English and Media Centre @engmediacentre.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Resource written by Barbara herself - a benchmark of quality! There are lots of poems you'll never have come across before as well

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Which do you like best? Which makes you smile? Which fills you with surprise, joy and wonder? Which will your students pick on Thursday and what will it prompt them to write about themselves? Don’t be left out or leave out your students! Join the excitement on @poetrydayuk.bsky.social

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

English and Media Centre @engmediacentre.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

EMC CPD Webinar: How to Promote Reading for Pleasure "Hugely valuable and informative as always. Jam-packed session with lots of top tips, affirming reminders and practical modelling to take straight back into the classroom and workplace." - Leanne Appleby Book by: 8am on 9th Oct buff.ly/tozYEmQ

buff.ly

EMC CPD Webinar: How to Promote Reading for Pleasure

In this EMC webinar we look beyond quizzes, stickers and certificates to think about how we might promote a genuine love of reading in as many students as possible. NB: This is a repeat…

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

English and Media Centre @engmediacentre.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

EMC CPD Face-to-Face: Refresh Your Approach to King Lear for A Level Literature "I've taught King Lear for decades but came away with a refreshed view of not just the play but ways in which I can deliver it." - Nathan Baldock, Harris Academy St. John's Wood. Book by: 8am on 8th Oct buff.ly/Za1Njd3

buff.ly

EMC CPD Face-to-Face: Refresh Your Approach to King Lear for A Level Literature

A cross-specification course to reinvigorate both your own reading of King Lear and your teaching strategies. (Includes a print & digital copy of EMC's Studying King Lear.) NB:…

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

English and Media Centre @engmediacentre.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

You only have until 5pm on Wednesday 30th September to purchase one of our termly webinar packages, which grants you and your department access to every webinar we're running in the autumn term and handy resources linked to each one. Buy yours here: buff.ly/V60RCgC

buff.ly

EMC Termly Webinar Package Autumn 2026

EMC Webinar Package Autumn 2026 – live and on-demand access for the whole department to all our Autumn 2026 term webinars for just £195. On sale until 5pm 30th September 2026.

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

English teachers, this is for you! A free @engmediacentre.bsky.social download resource for @poetrydayuk.bsky.social this Thursday. It's a ready-made, doable activity, for KS3-5, fully resourced, with poems on 'Wonder' that offer our own angle on the theme. www.englishandmedia.co.uk/blog/nationa...

englishandmedia.co.uk

National Poetry Day 2026, Thursday October 1st –An EMC Activity

Wonder – an EMC resource for National Poetry Day 2026.

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I've been doing some 'admin' on my poems today & realise how many I've written - many read to the grandsons, some published, some hopeless efforts, others waiting for a home. Here's one I've unearthed that will be just right for my lovely 10-month-old granddaughter!

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

Faculty of English, University of Oxford @engfac.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Next up in our #Shakespeare webinar series is RICHARD III. Emma Smith @oldfortunatus.bsky.social will be joined by Susan L. Anderson (Mary Baldwin University) to discuss the new Oxford World's Classics edition of the play. 5 October | 6-7.15pm (BST) This is a free public event & all are welcome!

shakespeare-webinar-richard-iii.eventbrite.co.uk

English Faculty/OWC Shakespeare Webinar: Richard III

In this free webinar, Professor Emma Smith will be discussing the new edition of Richard III from Oxford World's Classics.

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

It’s just arrived and I’m getting stuck into @attielime.bsky.social’s fabulous new book. What a treat - crunch, crunch, crunch! Delicious!

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I've been devising a resource for @engmediacentre.bsky.social for @poetrydayuk.bsky.social on Thursday 1st Oct - a simple, doable activity fuelled by fabulous poems that take an unusual angle on the theme of 'Wonder'. If you're an English teacher, watch out for it on EMC website - up by Monday!

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Higher Education risks irreversible damage, says British Academy president Prof Susan Smith, with humanities and social sciences disciplines disappearing in many cold spots. BA is tracking subject provision & calling for a comprehensive review www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/stateme...

thebritishacademy.ac.uk

British Academy President: UK higher education crisis risks irreversible damage

As course closures, shrinking provision and widening regional inequalities threaten the future of UK higher education and research, President of the British Academy, Susan J Smith calls for an immedia...

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Here's the Research Review itself: www.gov.uk/government/p...

gov.uk

Research review series: English

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

DamsonEd @damsoned.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

The Reading Framework has some aspects of it too. I know of several pieces of research that have been mis-used (not least the SVR!). ☹️

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Excellent blog. There were very serious concerns about the English Research Review, as well as the Mathematics one.

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

A really excellent piece, and very true of Ofsted’s English Research Review too, where quoted sources complained of misrepresentation & there were many complaints about several of the key markers of research-washing.

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

Joshua Seigal - 'YAPPING AWAY' out now! @joshuaseigal.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

ATTENTION TEACHERS! Would you like to have a poet in your school, but struggling for cash? You can apply for a £500 grant, courtesy of Tower Poetry Schools Grant. Info here: www.chch.ox.ac.uk/tower-poetry... Please check out my website to book me: www.joshuaseigal.co.uk. Pls share! #EduSky #BookSky

chch.ox.ac.uk

Tower Poetry Schools Grants

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Wrote 3 poems - two quite jokey ones on Halloween, one more riddling one about autumn. My grandson picked the autumn one as his favourite - to my surprise. A sign of him growing up, or maybe just a better poem?

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

I love this! The starting-point for a ‘learning relationship’ is finding out about the students - their interests, enthusiasms, cultural & sporting lives beyond school or in primary. They are not blank slates or to be treated as total ‘novices’ on everything!

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

DamsonEd @damsoned.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Fantastic article by Christian pointing out why it isn’t really justified to draw causal conclusions about the effect of policy decisions from PISA. The results aren’t really worth celebrating… and are showing some worrying trends that need careful reflection. www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

tes.com

Are England’s Pisa 2025 results really worth celebrating?

The latest Pisa international study has sparked many far-reaching claims that stretch what the data tells us - and England’s scores in reading and maths aren’t worth writing home about anyway, says Ch...

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Very excited to receive a copy in the post today! Thank you @coralrumble.bsky.social It looks geat. I'll read and respond soon.

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Really excellent Editor’s Briefing on PISA in @tesmagazine.bsky.social email this morning by @jonsevers.bsky.social Worth signing up to read the whole thing but here’s one good passage.

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

I wrote a clutch of poems at @carolebromley.bsky.social's fab workshop 2 weeks ago. This pm I've done some more work on a few - on Halloween, autumn, a message to my 10-year-old self & school routines. I've sent one off as a submission to a website & will look for homes for the others at some point!

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

Tanita Tikaram @tanitatikaram.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

What I love about Western democracy is you can bung a political party £ 36 million earned from criminal activity & most media will continue to point at asylum seekers & migrant care workers with families as the barbarians at the gate we need to defend ourselves from 🙄.

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Thank you Brian. I’m so delighted to be in such good company!

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

I’m delighted that one of my poems for Tyger Tyger magazine has been put into a collection for National Poetry Day on the theme of Wonder. There are lovely resources to accompany it & the other ‘wonderful’ poems! tes.com/teaching-res...

tes.com

Poems about Wonder - poetry pack for National Poetry Day 2026 | Teaching Resources

A free set of twenty poems on the National Poetry Day 2026 theme of Wonder. These are original, contemporary poems published on Tyger Tyger Magazine, a prestigious o

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

An important fresh bit of research on the KS2 grammar test & whether it improves writing. It's important because it tracks actual students, their scores & answers in the test through to their GCSE written work. Spoiler: it does not improve their writing! theconversation.com/compulsory-g...

theconversation.com

Compulsory grammar tests in England’s schools aren’t improving children’s writing

Teachers have gained some skills, but the GPS test is not an effective means of helping pupils become better writers.

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Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

This is a lovely opportunity for English Lit students of secondary school age - and so great to see that there is an opportunity for a creative response or a critical one! englishassociation.ac.uk/the-betty-ha...

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Reposted by Barbara Bleiman

Phil Brickell MP @philbrickellmp.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

🧵1/ I worked in anti-corruption for years before becoming an MP. Nigel Farage has serious questions to answer following the undercover investigation into Reform UK's fundraising practices. This is now for the police and donations watchdog to resolve, but here is what I want to know:

theguardian.com

Reform officials ‘plotted to break law on foreign donations’ in undercover film

Investigation broadcast by Channel 4 News shows man posing as ‘impermissible donor’ paying for polling that helped Reform

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