News

Take a look at what we’ve been up to and what’s been happening across the globe within the thinking community… and if you have any news you’d like to share – please don’t hesitate to contact us!

What is a Thinking School? The journey towards accreditation

2 May 2023

You have read the EEF report, you have tried and begun to embed different metacognitive strategies, you meet students in the corridor that begin to talk about their learning… What is your next step? That’s easy to answer: become a Thinking School! A Thinking School takes an explicit, evidence informed, whole school approach to developing pupils’ cognitive capability and intelligent learning behaviours.

Thinking Matters in Northern Ireland

31 March 2023

With its easy ‘fit’ with the Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities framework within the Northern Ireland statutory curriculum, the Thinking School approach continues to draw interest from local schools there.

Can you motivate all your students to self-direct their revision?

30 March 2023

As the summer term looms with exam and assessment season this is the moment for us to take a step back and remind ourselves of the metacognitive cycle. Please indulge me on this one! Slogging towards someone else’s goal is never going to be motivating. For some students achieving their best or being given a target grade is not an enticing carrot; it feels like an imposed, overwhelming or unacheivable target.

The EEF and Implementation: Metacognition and Self-regulated Learning

13 March 2023

In this article, we explain how the Thinking Matters approach follows the best research-informed strategies for the implementation of metacognition and self-regulated learning and how this relates to the EEF’s ‘Putting Evidence to Work – A School’s Guide to Implementation’.

What are the benefits of a common metacognitive language?

1 March 2023

If I shout duck, how would you respond? Any sense of urgency or fear in my voice would probably prompt a reflexive response. Duck and you would duck! Call and response is one way we help develop and create neural networks to build automaticity and reduce the bottleneck in our working memory.

What place has AI in our metacognitive classroom?

1 February 2023

The past few weeks have been ablaze with news about AI and specifically ChatGPT; mainly its potential to become a homework shortcut or useful tool for teachers. One school, Alleyn’s in Dulwich, has moved to a flip learning model as access to ChatGPT presents easy opportunities for students to use it to generate their homework. Teachers will now set students tasks to research and prepare for their next lesson instead of sitting tests or writing essays. However, is this just another example of the forward march of algorithms and other AI technologies without anyone asking about the ethical or moral implications?

A search for a Thinking School

13 January 2023

Peter Short, a senior teacher from Wellington Primary School in Hounslow, writes about his personal journey to find a Thinking School.

What are Habits of Mind? Are they a ‘metacognitive must’ for pupils?

1 January 2023

Recently we were discussing the EEF guidance report about Metacognition and Self-regulation as a team; it’s always good to go back and read the key document! It was great to have a conversation about all the different elements and tools we can give to develop a self-regulating learner. At Thinking Matters, the student is at the heart of our ‘Big Picture’, surrounded by the knowledge, tools and strategies to help them develop as independent, self-regulated learners.

What we have learned: Metacognition Meets

8 December 2022

This term has been a wonderful opportunity to hear from a range of different schools talking very honestly and openly about what it means to them ‘to become a Thinking School’ and what it involves to get started and how to keep the momentum. I am very grateful to the schools that have willingly opened their doors, invited us in and talked in detail about what metacognition means to them.

What is the purpose of CPD?

29 November 2022

I remember having an excellent discussion during my NPQH around an activity to design the worst CPD ever. The opportunity to share ideas about different professional development we had all experienced over the course of our teaching careers brought out the full gamut of emotions. It also made me step back and be thankful that this career does put education and development at the centre of our profession. As we flipped the question later, we then had to ask: how do we make it effective, engaging and practical? That’s tricky to answer!

Scroll to Top