In light of the DfE’s concern for teacher workload, seen through the Working Lives of Teachers and Leaders report, the government’s stated objective of making all schools academies by 2030, and Labour’s commitment to revise the national curriculum should the party win the next general election, the time is right to consider the role of multi-academy trusts in deciding what happens within individual secondary English classrooms.
MAT curricula vary in the extent to which they guide and centralise the teaching of English in their schools. In addition to leading CPD, MATs may provide English departments with centralised schemes of work, lesson plans and resources, or otherwise support them with broader curricula frameworks allowing for flexibility. How do MATs address and balance issues of student learning, teacher workload and teacher agency in their curricula designs and frameworks?
This event explores the nuances of MAT structures for English, presenting perspectives from research and MAT subject leadership.
| 16:30 |
Welcome & Introduction |
| 16:40 | The place, purpose and production of English in Multi-Academy Trusts John Perry, University of Nottingham |
| 16:55 | Aligned Autonomy: The role of subject director in Multi-Academy Trusts Caroline Cresswell, The Joseph Whitaker School |
| 17:10 | “This was some time a paradox” : helping English teachers to spend less time on thinking about teaching? Andy Goodwyn, University of Reading |
| 17:25 | Discussion and Response to Questions |
| 18:00 | Event Close |