Free Resources For English Teachers

This page contains materials used at conferences and inset sessions from 2000 to 2018 - including the PGCE course at the University of Cambridge, Lighthouse Training, SSAT, the DfE, Leading Edge, Gaining Ground, ARK, Teaching Leaders, ASCL, the National Association for Teachers of English, the National Association for Advisers in English, and schools and academies around Britain.

Teachers of English may be interested in the Pick 'n' Mix site where I post occasional articles and other documents that may be of interest to students (and teachers) or A-level English Language. But please note that the site is no longer updated.

Note that files are all uploaded chronologically, so the most recent additions are at the bottom of the page. All are free of charge. Customise them as you wish.

If any of it doesn't make sense, email me.


1: English Association Conference (October 2000)

"85 Things to do with Non-Fiction Texts". There are 5 downloads available:

(37Kb)

2: Three documents I use in my 'Teaching Tension' talks:

(32Kb)

3: Teaching Writing at KS3 (Suffolk Heads of English Conference)


4: Whole School Literacy (October 2001)


5: Literacy for Learning Conference (November 2001)

(729Kb)
(209Kb)

6: Grammar Essentials: Suffolk conference


7: Literacy across the Curriculum (Network Training) (May 2002)

(52Kb)
(55Kb)

8: Network Literacy 2

(110Kb)
(141Kb)
(275Kb)
(553Kb)

9: Suffolk literacy: Improving pupil performance at KS3

(102Kb)
(214Kb)

10: KS3 Improvement Conference (Feb 2003)


11: Writing with Power


12: Middle Management to Deputy Headship (April 2003)


13: Developing Early Leadership Skills (Autumn 2003)


14: PCGE Grammar

(102Kb)

15: Network Training: Energising the KS3 Strategy (Autumn 2003/Spring 2004)


Geoff Barton:
(315Kb)
Richard Durant:

16: Norfolk Deputies: Making a classroom impact (Feb 2004)


17: Cambridgeshire Deputies: Getting the best from students and staff (June 2004)


18: Network Training: Grammar without Tears (June 2004)


19: Cambridge and Harwich ITT: Grammar Essentials (November 2004)

(1.22Mb)

20: Developing a Leadership Culture for Boys (Norfolk conference: December 2004)

(642Kb)

21: Whole-School Literacy: Maintaining the Momentum (Network Training: November 2004/January 2005)

There are 3 separate PowerPoint presentations:


22: Re-energising the KS3 Strategy (Network Training: November 2004/February 2005)

It includes a shortened version of the "Learning" interlude

(2.35Mb)
(84Kb)

23: Developing Student Leadership (Norfolk 'Fair Play' Conference, February 2005)

This includes the PowerPoint and a couple of samples of evaluations

(5.16Mb)

24: NPQH Aspiring Heads (April 2005)

(639Kb)

25: Network Training: Coaching Skills (June 2005)

(1.98Mb)

26: Network whole-school literacy (June 2005)

(452Kb)

27: Norfolk Deputies (June 30, 2005)

(2.34Mb)


28: Maintaining Whole-school Literacy Momentum (October 2005/June 2006)

(452Kb)


29: Grammar Essentials (Network Training: February/March 2006)


30: ASCL "Big is Beautiful - The C Word" (June 16, 2006)

(1.04Mb)


31: Thurrock Literacy Conference (June 21, 2006)

(3.24Mb)


32: Network Literacy - Manchester-style! (June 30, 2006)

(2.58Mb)


33: Network Training/SFE - Self-evaluation (November 2006): Thistle Selfridge



34: Cambridge Fun! - Homerton grammar session (October 2006)

(1.22Mb)


35: Fast Track Teachers: Why should I appoint you to my leadership team? (January 2007)

(2.97Mb)


36: DfES conference: Engaging parents (January 2007)

(3.42Mb)


37: Eastleigh English Conference: Reading (March 2007)

(3.17Mb)


38: Literacy Momentum (4): London & Birmingham (Summer 2007/Spring 2008)

(2.3Mb)


39: Good to Outstanding English Teachers: London (November 2007/June 2008 - updated June 2009)

(3.19Mb)
(330Kb)
(247Kb)


40: Storytelling: Resources to accompany the article in NATE "Classroom" (Spring 2008)

(278Kb)


41: Enjoyment & Achievement in English: Resources from the February Eastern region conference (February 2008)

(1.65Mb)


42: Whole-school literacy 2008 (Spring 2008)



43: Leading Large Schools (ASCL) (April 2008)



44: National Programme for Literacy (SSAT) (October 2008)

(2.15Mb)


45: Herts Heads of English (December 2008)

(6.54Mb)


46: Northern Ireland Literacy Coordinators (January 2009)



47: Eastern Leadership Centre presentation (January 2009)

(505Kb)


47: Suffolk Emerging Leaders (March 2009)



48: NATE (April 2009): English Progress & FUNctional Skills

(6.34Mb)
(2.68Mb)


49: ASCL Raise Your Game (April / November 2009): Resources used by Peter Richards and me



50: Suffolk English Teachers (May 2009): What "outstanding" English teachers do

(3.19Mb)
(247Kb)
(171Kb)


51: SSAT Achievement Show (June 2009): Twenty provocative statements about literacy



52: Leadership in the 21st Century: Somerset Secondary Headteachers (June 2009) (including the Apple video clips)



53: Don't call it literacy: Newcastle Teaching & Learning Conference (June 2009)

(7.1Mb)


54: Lighthouse Literacy: Maintaining the Momentum (July 2009/January 2010)

(6.43Mb)


55: Magdalen College School: Improving Writing (September 2009)

(7.25Mb)


56: Raising Achievement Through Literacy: SSAT Keynote (September 2009)

(4.22Mb)


57: Raising Performance in Literacy and Numeracy: SSAP Keynote (September 2009)



58: Re-Booting English: Leading Edge Talk (October 2009)



59: SSAT Gaining Ground programme (October 2009)

(500Kb)
(8.07Mb)


60: "Good to Outstanding in English": Lighthouse Training (2009-2011)

(13.16Mb)
(5.39Mb)
(250Kb)


61: "The Yellowing of English": National Association of Advisers in English (October 2009)

(5.86Mb)
(2.91Mb)


62: "Re-energising Whole-School Literacy": The Jack Hunt Academy (October 2009)

(7.25Mb)


63: "Cross-Phase Literacy": The Cromer Consortium (November 2009)

(10.98Mb)


64: "Don't Call it Literacy": TeachingLeaders (London, November 2009)



65: "Progress in English": SSAT (Manchester-Birmingham-London: November-December 2009 / January 2010)



66: "Head for the Future" Keynote (December 2009)



67: Somerset English Keynote (December 2009)



68: SSAT Raising Achievement through Literacy (February 2010)



69: Suffolk Teacher Training: So you want to be an outstanding English teacher? (March 2010)

(42Kb)


70: ASCL Conference: Leadership is 90% Communication (March 2010)



71: Norfolk Headteachers: Stop the Cavalry (March 2010)



72: Hind Leys College, Loughborough: English @ C and Beyond! (April 2010)

(233Kb)
(7.6Mb)
(8.08Mb)


73: NET/ASCL Seminar: W(h)ither Ofsted? (April 2010)

(2.31Mb)


74: SSAT Achievement Show: Don't Call it Literacy (June 2010)

(6.85Mb)


75: NCSL Seminar: Developing Future Leaders (June 2010)



76: SSAT Post-16 Conference: Raising Achievement & Widening Participation (June 2010)

(2.47Mb)


77: Ark Academies: Literacy for Learning (July 2010)

(6.44Mb)


78: SASH: 10 Literacy Essentials (July 2010)



79: SSAT: Academies Conference (July 2010)



80: National Challenge Schools Conference: Some School Improvement Strategies (July 2010)



81: Don't Call it Literacy (September 2010)



82: 'And' not 'Or': Raising attainment in English & Maths (November/ December 2010)



83: 'ASCL Middle Leaders' (November 2010)



84: 'Kent English CPD' (December 2010)



85: 'SSAT: Progress & Achievement in English' (February 2011)



86: 'Teaching Leaders: Boys & Literacy' (February 2011)



87: 'Raising Achievement in the Sixth Form': Maidstone Grammar School for Girls (February 2011)

(4.06Mb)


88: 'Presentation to Fellowship Commission: Teaching Schools on the Ides of March' (March 2011)



89: 'A Modest Proposal': CILIP School Librarians Conference (April 2011)



90: 'Don't Call it Literacy': Sandwich Technology School (April 2011)



91: 'Don't Call it Literacy'/Writing Workshop: Havant Academy (July 2011)

(2.68Mb)
(222Kb)


92: 'Literacy: Reading & Marking Day' Egglescliffe School (September 2011)

(5.03Mb)
(2.68Mb)


93: 'English Teaching Today: Talk for Shanghai English Teachers' (October 2011)

(5.39Mb)


94: 'Literacy for Scholarship': Talk at Oakham School (January 2012)

(9.44Mb)


95: 'Whole-School Leadership of Teaching & Learning': ASCL (February 2012)

(8.97Mb)


96: 'This Much I Know': NPQH Keynote (February 2012)



97: 'Communication Skills Across the School: Meeting the Demands of Ofsted': Lighthouse (February 2012)



98: 'Good to Great in English: "O brave new world"': Lighthouse (March 2012)



99: 'Literacy for Trainee Teachers' (March 2012)



100: 'Literacy & Boys': Teaching Leaders Conference (April 2012)



101: 'Retaining our values ...': ASCL Business Managers Conference (May 2012)

(17.89Mb)


102: 'Don't Call it Literacy!': Festival of Education (June 2012)



103: 'Which bits of grammar make most difference?': National Literacy Trust webinar (June 2012)



104: 'Using PE & sport to improve literacy': Youth Sport Trust (September 2012)



105: 'Using PE & sport to improve drive school improvement': Eastern Region PE Network (October 2012)



106: 'Whole-School Leadership of Teaching & Learning': ASCL (October 2012)



107: 'O brave new world: what kind of leadership does the education system need?': National Education Trust keynote (17 October 2012)

(7.8Mb)


108: 'Don't Call It Literacy': Staff Conference Keynote: Cramlington Learning Village (24 October 2012)



109: Staff training day: Appleton School (26 October 2012)



110: ASCL: The Implications of Ofsted's Communication Focus (November 2012/13)



111: Beds & Herts Aspirant Heads' Conference: 'O Brave New World' (6 February 2013)



112: NASDAH Conference: 'Leadership for Literacy' (February 2013)

(10.04Mb)


113: Cambridge University MSt Advanced Subject Leaders: 'Liberating Through Literacy' (February 2013)



114: Hertfordshire Secondary Headteachers' Conference: 'Assembling the Jigsaw' (8 March 2013)



115: Looking for the Heart of English: 'The Secondary Head's Perspective' (18 May 2013)



116: Lyndon School: 'Literacy for Life' (June 2013)



117: Festival of Education 2013: 'Still Don't Call it Literacy' (June 2013)



118: 'O Brave New World': ASCL Deputies Conference (July 2013)



119: 'Don't Call it Literacy': Skinners Kent Academy Staff Conference (July 2013)



120: 'Don't Call it Literacy': Teaching Leaders Residential (August 2013)



121: 'Don't Call it Literacy': Northgate Staff Conference (September 2013)



122: 'Don't Call it Literacy': Monk's Walk Staff Conference (October 2013)



123: 'Reclaiming English': OUP meeting, Birmingham (November 2013)

(5.96Mb)


124: 'Don't Call It Literacy!': Teachology Secondary Literacy Day (November 2013)



125: 'Values, Not Value': National Dance Teachers Association (23 November 2013)



126: 'Literacy for Deep Learning': Chancellor's / Mount Grace Conference (14 February 2014)



127: 'Improving the Leadership of Learning': NET Conference (5 June 2014)



128: 'Reclaiming English in a brave new world': Suffolk English conference (19 June 2014)



129: 'The Habits of Literacy': Festival of Education 2014 (21 June 2014)



130: 'Don't Call it Literacy!': Sacred Heart Staff Conference (27 June 2014)



131: 'Don't Call it Literacy!': Herts/Bucks Teaching School Alliance (7 July 2014)



132: 'Don't Call it Literacy!': Kensington Aldridge Academy (14 July 2014)



133: 'Don't Call it Literacy!': Teaching Leaders 2014 (18 August 2014)



134: 'The Habits of English': Harris Academies Conference (24 October 2014)



135: Teachology: Outstanding Whole-School Literacy Conference (14 November 2014)



136: ASCL Conference: 'The Habits of Literacy' (20 March 2015)



137: Festival of Education 2015: 'Why Reading Matters' (18 June 2015)



138: 'Brave New World?': NATE Conference, June 2015 (25 June 2015)



139: 'The Habits of Literacy': Teaching Leaders 2015 (21 August 2015)



140: 'Don't Call it Literacy': Woodside High School (1 October 2015)



141: 'Don't Call it Literacy': Warwickshire Twilight Training (12 October 2015)



141: 'Whole-School Leadership of Teaching & Learning': ASCL (November 2015)



142: 'The Habits of Literacy': Teachology Conference (13 November 2015)



143: 'The Past is Another Country': OCR Annual English Conference (17 March 2016)



144: 'Why do I need a textbook now?': Society of Authors (7 May 2016)



145: 'Don't Call It Literacy': Teaching Leaders Keynote (Aug / Sept 2016)



146: 'Whole-School Leadership of Literacy: the Masterclass': Teachology 2016-17

(372Kb)
(7.22Mb)


147: 'Outstanding English & Literacy': Teachology Conference, Manchester, 8 November 2016

(372Kb)
(7.22Mb)


148: PiXL Conference Keynote: London, 10 November 2016



149: Norfolk Education Leaders Conference, 18 November 2016



150: OUP Twilight Session on Reading, 29 November 2016

(18.1Mb)


151: 'Inspiring Leadership' Masterclass with Russell Hobby, 8 June 2017

(5.17Mb)


152: ASCL Leadership of English, Maths and Science, 5 July 2017



153: Don't Call it Literacy 2017



154: ASCL Literacy: From Ambition to Impact (March 2018)

(9.93Mb)


155: ASCL Literacy Essentials (Spring 2018)



156: Maximising KS2-3 Transition: Inspiring Leadership 2018 (15 June, 2018)



157: Leaders of English, Maths and Science: Opportunities & Challenges 2018 (3 July, 2018)



158: English Essentials: Leicester University PGCE students (15 September, 2021)

(8.11Mb)