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Posts by Mark Taylor

GGGG Ep 9 – The Future of Schooling: Rethinking What, How, and Why We Teach

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Joining Mark Taylor as part of this series with Prof Dr Ger Graus OBE is Rebecca Durose-Croft a Managing Director with over 20 years’ experience in educational publishing and the evolving world of edtech.

Rebecca has built a reputation for bringing together editorial expertise, strategic thinking and a deep understanding of how learners engage with content – leading teams to create high-quality publications and programmes that truly make a difference.

With a strong commitment to inclusion and accessibility, and a track record of working closely with educators, policymakers and partners across the sector, Rebecca is a thoughtful and influential voice in how education continues to adapt and innovate.

Takeaways:

  1. We discusses the evolving nature of educational content and its impact on schooling.
  2. Rebecca Durose-Croft emphasizes the importance of tailoring educational material to individual learners’ needs.
  3. National curriculum reforms prompt a reevaluation of educational practices and content delivery methods.
  4. The conversation highlights the necessity of incorporating real-world applications into learning experiences.
  5. Technology plays a crucial role in modern education, but it must be integrated thoughtfully to enhance learning.
  6. Collaboration between educators and content creators is essential for producing effective educational resources.

Chapters:

  1. 00:15 – Introducing Rebecca Durose-Croft
  2. 01:58 – Exploring New Educational Curriculums
  3. 16:16 – The Importance of Context in Language Learning
  4. 23:27 – The Role of Technology in Modern Education
  5. 31:20 – The Evolution of Educational Technology
  6. 45:06 – The Role of Educators in Curriculum Development
  7. 51:49 – The Importance of Trusting Teachers in Education

https://www.besa.org.uk/

https://www.gergraus.com

Get the book – Through a Different Lens: Lessons from a Life in Education

🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources and be part of our season finale with Ger.

https://www.educationonfire.com

🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunities

https://www.educationonfire.com/support

#EducationOnFire

Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

BBC Bitesize Guide to AI

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Cerys Griffiths is the Head of BBC Bitesize, the BBC’s free, online learning resource for students aged 5 to 16, their teachers and parents. Bitesize also aims to support educating the whole child through it’s Careers, Study Support and media literacy offer, Other Side of the Story, as well as special educational initiatives like the Bitesize Guide to AI.

Cerys was, for many years, a journalist in the North West, a TV and newspaper reporter and then an editor of news programmes for both ITV and the BBC. She is on the board of the Micro:bit Education Foundation and is an advisory board member for the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester.

Key Takeaways

Teen attitudes to AI are complex — BBC Bitesize’s annual Teen Summit Survey found a third of teenagers are worried about AI’s impact on their career prospects and the spread of misinformation, while 47% are already using AI tools for homework and revision.

Confidence can be a blind spot — Many young people feel they already know enough about AI when in reality they don’t fully understand its deeper implications. The challenge is helping them recognise what they don’t yet know.

Critical thinking is the core skill — Rather than focusing on specific tools (which change rapidly), BBC Bitesize’s approach centres on equipping young people with the ability to assess, verify and question the information they encounter every day.

AI as a collaborator, not a substitute — Cerys emphasises that AI works best as a companion tool. Young people still need to be thinkers, creators and developers alongside it — not passive users of it.

A positive, empowering outlook — BBC Bitesize’s Guide to AI uses real young people in real-world scenarios to show both the benefits and risks of AI, deliberately avoiding a fear-based approach.

New resources to tackle misinformation — Solve the Story is a brand new episodic mini-drama for classroom use, where students must solve a fake news mystery across six episodes — a creative, engaging way to build media literacy skills.

Trust is BBC Bitesize’s superpower — All content is reviewed by practising teachers and education consultants, making it one of the most trusted sources of educational content in the UK.

Chapters:

  • 00:03 – Introduction to BBC BiteSize
  • 06:08 – The Evolution of AI in Education
  • 09:35 – The Role of AI in Education and Misinformation
  • 18:55 – Introducing ‘Solve the Story’ – A New Educational Initiative
  • 23:20 – Educational Content Creation and Trust
  • 29:00 – Empowering Youth Through Education

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize

Instagram: @bbcbitesize

🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources.

https://www.educationonfire.com

🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunities

https://www.educationonfire.com/support

#EducationOnFire

Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

2026 Conference

Keynote : Reading for Pleasure – Dr Roger McDonald

Workshops focusing on National Year of Reading : Writing, TESOL, Oracy, Drama and Story Telling, Poetry

https://educationonfire.com/reading

Reading Conference Friday 8th May 2026

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“Reading Year” refers to the National Year of Reading 2026, a major UK-wide campaign led by the Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust, launching in January 2026 to combat declining reading habits by making reading modern, meaningful, and social for all ages, with a goal of building a lasting culture of reading for pleasure. The initiative, branded “Go All In,” involves events, resources, and community engagement to encourage reading across schools, libraries, and workplaces.

National Association for Primary Education has organised this conference to inspire your teaching in reading in all its different forms.
https://www.nape.org.uk/conference-2026

Keynote Speaker – Professor Roger McDonald
Drawing on my work with The Open University’s Reading for Pleasure (RfP) programme this lecture will examine what we know about effective reading cultures in schools and why pleasure, choice, and teacher knowledge of children’s literature are central to success.
The session will challenge narrow, skills-driven approaches to reading and instead highlight practical, evidence-informed strategies that schools can use to nurture enthusiastic, motivated readers. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the research base underpinning reading for pleasure and actionable ideas to embed it meaningfully within everyday classroom practice and whole-school culture.

Your ticket also includes 2 of the following workshops.
1 morning and 1 afternoon session. Please select when completing your booking.

Dr Gareth Farmer : Poetry
Dr Nicola Darwood: Writing
Dr Claudia Saraceni: TESOL
Dr Audrey Wood: Oracy
Mia Hanson: Drama and Story Telling:

For more details of our workshop leaders please visit
https://www.nape.org.uk/reading-conference-2026-speakers

BOOKING COST
Teachers, Schools or Academies
£60 per person or £50 if you are a NAPE member (Use promotion code at checkout).
To join https://www.nape.org.uk/membership

Date

Friday 8 May 2026 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM (UTC+00)

Location

University of Bedfordshire
The Gateway building, Bedford campus, facing Polhill Avenue, Bedford, MK41 9EA

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