Collins Schools

Growth and fixed mind-set

Growth and fixed mind-set

Having started at a new school I was fascinated to see that yet again so many students were scared to take risks when it came to writing things down in their booklets, or give up to easily when doing calculations...

4 min

Textbooks Matter

Textbooks Matter

I am a changed teacher. I used to sniff at the idea of using textbooks with my students – how uncreative! How boring! How lazy! When I observed Maths lessons, I used to roll my eyes when the teachers gave...

3 min

A-level Biology: Understanding Cladistics

A-level Biology: Understanding Cladistics

Controversially, for a writer, I’m starting by warning you about reading.  The fact is clades, or to give the study a proper title, “Cladistics” is a bit of a bore to learn about, but there is a spin-off – aside from...

5 min

Kicking the habit: analysing a writer’s use of language rather than just explaining what it means!

Kicking the habit: analysing a writer’s use of language rather than just explaining what it means!

If you were offered a fifty-fifty chance of winning everything you’ve ever dreamed of with just the turn of a card, the throw of a dice, or the spin of a wheel, what would you wager? How about your life!? 

7 min

Using Pictures to Teach Descriptive Writing and Structural Analysis Skills

Using Pictures to Teach Descriptive Writing and Structural Analysis Skills

Skill-development is surely the watchword for the new GCSE English Language curriculum. With no core ‘text’ for students to engage with – except by teaching GCSE Literature alongside – it has become even more essential that students are developing skills...

3 min

Revisiting the text: Teaching the 19th Century Novel

Revisiting the text: Teaching the 19th Century Novel

As English teachers, we have always known how important it is to re-read the text. I always tell my students that three is truly the magic number, and they must read a text at least three times in order to be fully...

3 min

Literacy at Post-16

Literacy at Post-16

One of the biggest challenges I face as an English teacher in a 6th Form College is in helping students to jump a ‘literacy gap’. College students– especially those on A level courses –are often required to have a high level...

3 min

Improving analysis of writing

Improving analysis of writing

I don’t know about you, but I have found the AQA English Language, Paper 1, Question 3- commenting on the structure of a text- mighty troublesome this year! As much as I try to help students identify shifts in time,...

3 min

Teach GCSE Writing through Grammar

Teach GCSE Writing through Grammar

Spelling, punctuation and grammar is on the agenda again. Not only do our key stage 2 students have to sit the controversial ‘grammar tests’, but most subjects now need to award marks for SPG at GCSE level. So, we...

3 min

The chemist you’ve never heard of

The chemist you’ve never heard of

Chemist Antoine Laurent Lavoisier is a famous name in the history of chemistry. He is well-known for naming oxygen, and for explaining what happens when substances burn in air. His ideas caused a revolution in the understanding of chemistry. 

6 min

Shakespeare Teaching Ideas for Key Stage 2

Shakespeare Teaching Ideas for Key Stage 2

Shakespeare, arguably the world’s greatest playwright and poet, died 400 years ago. A literary genius to most, a fraud to some, the enduring appeal of his plays to old and young cannot be over emphasised. For years, Shakespeare and his work...

6 min

Getting the Most from Group Work

Getting the Most from Group Work

On a recent TeachMeet training course at Manchester College, I was lucky enough to watch some great speakers looking at things such as Going Google, using Kloodle (more on this in a later blog) and raising attainment strategies.

3 min