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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

⏰ It's almost here - ResearchEd Cork is this Saturday! My session will explore how an in-house approach to TPL drives highly effective schools. School leaders, teacher educators & mentors - come along for practical tips on designing great CPD. Last few tickets: www.eventbrite.com/e/researched...

eventbrite.com

researchED returns to Ireland

Join us at Bandon Grammar School on September 19th, 2026 for researchED Cork.

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

🌞 Heading to Wellington tomorrow - give me a shout if you’ll be there and fancy a catch up!

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ATT Institute @attinstitute.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

This #LAWW, we’re sharing a sneak peek of our #rEDEastAnglia speakers exploring all things #ProfessionalDevelopment! ✈️👀 @mrsball.bsky.social | @nickpointer.bsky.social | @abijoachim.bsky.social | @elliothahn.bsky.social | Nicola Arkinstall 🎟️ Book now: tinyurl.com/mryr325c #TransformingPD #EduSky

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Academy Transformation Trust @academytrust.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

📢 Another expert speaker for #rEDEastAnglia- @nickpointer.bsky.social explores the balance between autonomy and consistency in teaching practice. Join us in June for this session and more valuable #teacherCPD! 🎟️Get tickets now: tinyurl.com/57e67vsm #education #researchED #educationCPD #UKeduchat

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ATT Institute @attinstitute.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

📢 More speakers cleared for take‑off! ✈️ We're thrilled that @spryke2.bsky.social, @paulclinepsy.bsky.social & @nickpointer.bsky.social are joining us at #rEDEastAnglia in June for a day of high-quality PD with colleagues from across the region. Book now: tinyurl.com/mryr325c #TransformingPD #EduSky

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

Speaking at my first TDaPE conf on March 28th, with a talk on maximising the potential of staff meetings 🧠 If you're a primary teacher or leader in the north west I highly recommend coming along! 🗾 Sutton Manor Community Primary, St Helens ⌚ 08:30-14:00 Tckts: www.eventbrite.com/e/the-thinki...

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

🧠 ResearchEd National this Saturday! My session is straight after lunch in Room M07: 🎓 14.00-14.40 | Session 5: Consistency Is Killing Us: Reclaiming teacher professionalism and agency through PD at scale Leaders, teacher educators, professional development leads and mentors - see you there!

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

Am I the only one who's looked back at the title for their upcoming ResearchEd National talk and thought "oh cool, that session sounds interesting... I wonder what it's going to be about!" 😅

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

EdFest Session 4: Professional learning and teacher agency to improve recruitment and retention panel NFER’s @jackworth.bsky.social: - UK teachers rate CPD experiences as area they have lowest degree of influence over. - PD experiences are v.closely associated with teacher retention (or lack of)…!

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Link to curriculum design - we want to avoid an instrumentalist approach, and ensure that teachers are making high quality choices and when and how to enact formative action in their teaching. Through: constructive alignment - linking goals to teaching activities to formative action approaches.

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

The final step? Checking and monitoring to see whether the action has made a difference. This is important not just for the teacher, but for pupils to self-monitor their progress, and to feel more successful following the formative action! This might be done using a “mirror question”.

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Valentina: - Considering our learning goals clearly in advance, and using these to anticipate misconceptions allows us to respond quickly and accurately at the action stage ☝🏽 - Less experienced teachers might benefit from collaborating w/ more experienced colleagues to draw on their knowledge too

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

And, there are a range of actions we might take off the back of the information gathered, but, in any case, René says we have be able to respond quickly! How to do this? A pre-requisite first step - predicting problems.

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

And now back to @rkneyber.bsky.social on the active ingredients of formative action that makes a difference.

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

@valentinadevid.bsky.social making it clear that these formative action processes need to be top-and-tailed with a) ensuring pupils have a really clear sense of what good looks like, and b) a focus on how meaningful and useful feedback is given.

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Other important differentiators: - A focus on the difference between *learning* and *performance*. - Increased discussion around the relevant points in lessons/curricula where teachers might best deploy these approaches.

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Why reframe to ‘Formative Action’? - Increased emphasis on teachers acting - doing something - with the information elicited, as opposed to a misplaced focus on the idea of assessment.

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

EdFest Session 3: Formative Action with René Kneyber @rkneyber.bsky.social and Valentina Devid @valentinadevid.bsky.social Intro - formative action is another way of talking about formative assessment! #EducationFestival

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Phenomenal provision clearly happening at all levels of the school, with some incredible stories of the impact this has had on the young people Derby Moor work with ⭐️ #EducationFestival

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Thrive - ARP largely for SEMH needs Nurture - Y7 transition provision for pupils identified as needing support Innovate - ARP for pupils working significantly below age and with multiple and/or profound needs - All supported by a key multi-disciplinary/agency team:

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

- Discrete space in the school - Highly experienced teachers, HLTAs, and a primary-phase teacher and SENCO. - Ratio of 3:1 to support pupils with a range of profound needs - Again families & pupils supported by multi-disciplinary team - Working with local FE provider to support transition beyond

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Third element: age-not-stage provision for pupils with multiple needs/working at significantly below their age. - Thematic learning - drew on local specialist school - but also with alignment to main school curriculum where possible - Age not stage

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Other element of EP: Nurture transition for pupils with additional support needs coming in from Year 6. - Again, re-aligning teaching with main school curriculum, to allow reintegration as a time appropriate to pupil. - Run by assistant SENCO, decision making about gate keeping by wider SEND team.

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

One key impact? 0% of pupils who have attended the ARP in the last 3 years have gone on to be NEET!

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

- New and well resourced facilities. - Bringing in specialist teachers from mainstream to teach subjects at both KS3 and KS4 - these teachers handpicked as the most effective and most skilled, not just those in time free on timetable. - QA of T&L same as in mainstream part of school

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Moved from having a small internal AP, to an ARP provision with intentionality at every level: - Careful decision making about who attends ARP and why, through an internal multi-disciplinary team and panel - Intentional plans for reintegration with mainstream from the start, for all

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

EdFest Session 2: Sarah McAneny-Vincent and Scott Doyle from Spencer Academies Trust on inclusion-by-design. Starting off by setting out their aspiration - to live the slogan of “Once Derby Moor, always Derby Moor” for all children in the care of the school. #EducationFestival

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

And finally @douglemov.bsky.social sharing a great starter kit for how we can use cold call in a way that’s warm, invitational and inclusive 🙌🏽 #EducationFest

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Back with @bradleybusch.bsky.social, explaining how incredibly warm and inclusive use of cold calling can increase pupil volunteering of answers over time and reduce “social loafing”!

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

And, this benefits *teachers* too - routines reduce the complexity and decision space of the classroom for them as well. This means that teachers can direct their limited working memory capacity onto the most important elements of the classroom (e.g. the content of a pair’s conversation).

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Key idea: Routines Hack Working Memory. A more *predictable* classroom means that more of students’ limited working memory capacities are dedicated to thinking hard about curriculum content (intrinsic load), rather than working out what they should be doing next (extraneous load).

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Why is this relevant? @douglemov.bsky.social tells us that in class, teachers and students constantly have to make decisions that are a) rapid and b) complex! And the risk is that our working memories are liable to being overloaded by the cognitive load of making decisions in the classroom

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

EdFest Session 1: @bradleybusch.bsky.social introducing Hick’s Law, where the greater the number of options we have, the longer it takes us to make a decision. Conclusion? Too much freedom and autonomy can be overwhelming - particularly when we need to make choices that are a) quick and b) complex

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 30/04/2025

This an important read 👇 Bold yet balanced pushes to challenge government to lead this work, with a real emphasis on a) increasing the choice schools have in PD providers, but also b) emphasising the role of capacity building for schools and trusts to develop their own, well-contextualised PD offer.

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

If you haven't got a water meter definitely check if it could be cheaper. This calc is free: www.ccw.org.uk/save-money-a... - for me (single occ) I'll save 100s vs. rateable charge. Plus they should offer you a year trial to compare. ☑️ Penny-pinching with Pointer (could usurp Martin, who knows...)

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

Question: do many UK state schools still use performance related pay? Or have most rolled this back to automatic ladder upgrades?

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Reposted by Nick Pointer

Cornwall Education Learning Trust @celtacademies.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Our next #InspiringSW conference is on 17 May - will you be joining us in Cornwall to learn more about AI in education?

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau must the most spine-tingling national anthem, no? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

I've just discovered that vets tell you to brush your cat's (or cats'...) teeth. This is bonkers, no?? I now feel I need to hear how this actually goes down in practice from some pet owners 😅

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

Thanks so much for having me - such an inspiring atmosphere yesterday! I definitely left feeling invigorated, and really glad to be part of the ongoing conversation in education in the SW 🙌

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Cornwall Education Learning Trust @celtacademies.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

We want to say a huge thanks to everyone who joined us for #InspiringSW today, to the amazing CELT team who organised the conference and to our inspirational speakers @jonhutchinson.bsky.social, @nickpointer.bsky.social, @moremorrow.bsky.social, @lucygambier.bsky.social & @dougobrien.bsky.social 🙏

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

Stunning day in Cornwall for Inspiring the South West curriculum conference! Thanks to @celtacademies.bsky.social and @moremorrow.bsky.social for having me - this is such an exciting time for schools in the SW - really pleased to be here to talk about the curriculum and CPD. #InspiringSW

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

Such a pleasure to co-facilitate "Implementing CPD so it Sticks" with @singhamarbeerg.bsky.social. A great group who had some fab discussions about teacher professional development that's both impactful and sustainable. My first time working with @innerdrive.bsky.social - thanks for having me! 🤓

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Cornwall Education Learning Trust @celtacademies.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

We're excited to announce that @nickpointer.bsky.social will be speaking at the Inspiring the South West conference on 1 March. Nick is leading 'Professional development and the curriculum', drawing on his expertise of school improvement and the power of PD Tickets: buff.ly/49KBjjJ #EduSky

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Amarbeer Singh Gill @amarbeersinghg.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

It was a pleasure to deliver a session on "Implementing CPD so it sticks" for @innerdrive.bsky.social alongside @nickpointer.bsky.social. Great reflections and feedback from attendees, grappling with the knotty challenge of what effective and sustainable CPD looks like and how can we implement it.

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Right. Back on socials. Looked at the other place (reluctantly) - increasingly unsure about the Musk-machine anymore, I have to say... and Linkedin is a weird place. So it feels like this is the new place for edu-discourse - right or wrong??

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

Great piece by my colleague Steve in @schoolsweek.bsky.social about our recent exploration of the evidence base for how we might foster pupils' sense of belonging, motivation and engagement in schooling - definitely worth a read!

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Nick Pointer @nickpointer.bsky.social · 16/12/2024

Hope you enjoyed the sneak peek, and yes, looking forward to working with you too!

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