Listen to the episode here.

Independent Thinking founder Ian Gilberts increasing frustration with educational policies that favour no excuses and compliance, and that ignore the broader issues of poverty and inequality, is shared by many others across the sphere of education and this widespread disaffection has led to the assembly of a diverse cast of teachers, school leaders, academics and poets who unite in this book to challenge the status quo. Their thought-provoking commentary, ideas and impassioned anecdotal insights are presented in the form of essays, think pieces and poems that draw together a wealth of research on the issue and probe and discredit the current view on what is best for children from poorer socio-economic backgrounds. Exploring themes such as inclusion, aspiration, pedagogy and opportunity, the contributions collectively lift the veil of feigned equality of opportunity for all to reveal the bigger picture of poverty and to articulate the hidden truth that there is always another way.

Discover the book here.

Let's take a moment to focus on the mentors, those dedicated colleagues who support the development of our early career teachers “ but what makes for an effective mentor?

Read the article on page 14 of SecEd's supplement for early career teachers, which you can find here.

In her new book Mentoring in Schools, Haili offers busy teachers a practical interpretation of how to work with the Early Career Framework, sharing practical guidance to help them in the vital role of supporting new teachers. She also shares insights from recent trainee teachers, as well as more established voices in education, to provide tried-and-tested transferable tips that can be used straight away. Find out more here.

‹Read the full extract here.

In My Child™s Different Elaine shares the true story of her son Sam, who by the age of seven had been excluded from three schools and was later labelled with a whole host of conditions “ ranging from autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) to pathological demand avoidance (PDA), before finally being diagnosed with dyslexia. He had become ˜the Alphabet Kid™. His family never gave up on him, however ¦

Drawing lessons from Sam™s transformational journey from difficult child to budding entrepreneur, My Child™s Different offers encouragement to parents who may be concerned about what the future might hold, and demonstrates how “ with the right support and positive parenting skills “ their children can grow up to surprise and delight them.

Discover the book here.

‹Register for the webinar here.

Written by Adam Robbins, Middle Leadership Mastery: A toolkit for subject and pastoral leaders aims to enhance middle leaders™ expertise so that they can make informed decisions and communicate them effectively to both staff and students.

Instead of relying on generic leadership theories, Middle Leadership Mastery gathers perspectives from psychology and cognitive science to share evidence-informed guidance on a wide range of topics “ from supporting staff and students in crisis and managing wellbeing, to quality-assuring teaching and curriculum design. It also sets out a holistic view of the role of middle leaders “ covering people management, teacher development, teaching and learning, decision making and pastoral issues.

Discover the book here.

‹Find out more and register here.

Gary Toward and Chris Henley believe that teaching is the best and most important profession. Now, you might argue that it would be medicine that should take that accolade “ as medics save lives and mend people. But teachers create lives and ˜make™ people. They, in fact, create medics!

This book celebrates the superhero of the classroom: the teacher.



Teachers make a difference, and often that difference is life-changing. In this book, Gary and Chris look at some of the many cases where such a difference has been made and examine exactly what it was that made such an impact on the life of the young person “ and they also highlight the key approaches that teachers might want to try out in their own classroom, with their own pupils.

Find out more and order your copy here.

Liam D. Powell, Head Teacher, Manor High School:

Having met the authors and read their previous books, it was with great excitement that I opened their latest work: Celebrating Teachers. From the outset, I was inspired “ and immediately I thought of ways in which I could use this book with the staff in our school. The book shares a series of powerful testimonies from those who have been inspired by teachers who went the extra mile and tapped into the infinite potential of children™s minds.

It shares timely reminders of the importance of humour, finding time for pupils and building relationships. Add to these the key ingredients of calmness, a variety of teaching styles and techniques and thinking outside the box with unfamiliar or less exciting content to be covered. I also love the notion of ˜boomerang lessons™ “ those lessons that pupils want to come back to.

The authors are non-judgemental and provide encouragement for the reader to reflect on their own individual style and techniques. Many of the arguments they make are well known, but equally we need these welcome reminders “ for example, that interesting lessons lead to higher levels of engagement and fewer problems around behaviour and concentration. We all benefit from frequent refreshment in order to keep the main thing the main thing. It is easy to become so distracted that we lose sight of rich areas of focus. This book helps us to remember, to celebrate and to enjoy.



In teaching we need the variety, idiosyncrasies, fun and enjoyment that each teacher brings to the classroom setting in their own unique ways. We also need the unrelenting commitment and positivity shown by the overwhelming majority of school workers. They keep the system functioning and, often in the face of adversity and criticism, inspire the children in their care. The power of the teacher should never be underestimated, and this book helps to remind us of this universal truth.