At the chalk-face

At the chalk face: High expectations from the first minute A great lesson doesn’t start when the bell rings — it starts long before! In this episode of At the Chalkface, Craig and Dave dive into what it really means to have high expectations from the very first minute of your lesson. From meet-and-greet routines at the door to establishing calm, purposeful starts, they share practical strategies to help you set the tone right from the start — and keep it consistent. Whet...

🎯 High expectations. But what does that really mean? Craig and Dave are diving into one of education’s favourite buzzwords — and giving it a proper reality check! For them, it’s not about piling on pressure; it’s about purpose. In this episode, we unpack how homework can be used as a tool to prepare students for lessons, boost memory retention, and actually make learning easier — not harder. It’s all about making homework something students can achieve, enjoy, and see the value in.

Craig and Dave reminisce about the days of CD-ROMs, dot-matrix printers, and mischievous bus networks — and connect those stories to a timeless truth: technology will fail you sooner or later. So how do you keep a Computer Science lesson productive when the Wi-Fi dies? This episode explores practical unplugged activities, quick-print resources, and strategies to stay calm and keep learning moving when digital systems go down. It’s part nostalgia, part survival guide for every modern teacher. ...

At the chalk face: Non-specialist teachers curse or cure? Non-specialist teachers: The classroom reality no one talks about Did you know a third of Year 7 lessons are taught by teachers who aren’t specialists in that subject? 🤯 Craig and Dave are back on the chalk face to tackle a topic every teacher has an opinion on — non-specialist teaching. From teaching biology with no science background to discovering how to book a Bunsen burner two weeks in advance (!), this episode dives into the

At the chalk face: Why networking matters | Teachers need each other Are you too busy to network… or just making excuses? Craig and Dave get fired up in this episode as they unpack one of teaching’s biggest missed opportunities — genuine networking between teachers. From the dangers of staying in your “school bubble” to how their own collaboration began on car journeys to CPD events, this chat digs into why connecting with colleagues (beyond your own department walls) is vital ...

Do school libraries still matter in 2025? | Rethinking learning spaces Are traditional school libraries becoming outdated in the age of AI, smartphones, and instant online knowledge? Or do they still play a vital role in inspiring students? In this episode of At the Chalk Face, we dive into: Our own school-day memories of libraries (including date-stamping and dusty books no one borrowed). The “death of the library” debate — and whether ebooks and devices could (or should) replace them. Why...

Is reading still essential once students can access the curriculum — or is it just another demand in an already packed timetable? In this episode of At the Chalk Face, Craig and Dave dig into the role of reading across subjects, from vocabulary growth and comprehension to cultural capital and academic performance. We ask: Should reading for pleasure only belong in English lessons?How can short, focused reading sessions fit into busy classrooms?Can AI tools that summarise texts ever replace th...