A unit of work including 10 powerpoint sessions with teacher notes. Based around whole-class reading of Matthew Syed’s You Are Awesome. Aiming to establish a growth mindset culture at the start of term. Includes a writing session so teachers can assess where the children are at the start of the year. This is followed by a peer-editing session in which children are coached in how to effectively peer edit. Also has 7 vocabulary lists with associated games/ word exploration. Explores some basic neuropsychology and has a session in which children make their own brain cells using plasticine. Class collaboratively make a learning pit for display as part of the unit. Videos are used throughout the sessions to engage children and support learning.

A selection of informative display materials for a Growth Mindset area in the classroom. There are two matching Flipcharts for use to introduce the concept to children. As part of the first session, children make neurons using plasticine, and I usually link their neurons together in a whole-class brain and put in up as part of the display for the year. Some great quotes from aspirational figures. I also create a Learning Pit to go with this display.

A set of sheets of vocabulary for each chapter of Matthew Syed’s You are Awesome. Potentially tricky vocab from each chapter has been sorted into a table of verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs. Ideal for pre-reading word exploration and vocabulary development. Some words deliberately picked for their use of particular prefixes or suffixes for discussion points.

Functional display with Solo Taxonomy verbs for each of the SOLO stages of learning - designed so children can refer to their own stage throughout a lesson and can also identify how to move their learning on. Should be put in a prominent place in the classroom and you will need to model its use to chidlren and do groundwork introducing the concept of the SOLO Taxonomy stages in learning.

Ideal if your school is moving to the Mastery approach in maths or wants to adapt to teach the new curriculum effectively. Modern research indicates that ability grouping is actually damaging and caps progress. This powerpoint provides examples of evidence from the latest research and has notes for the presenter. Staff are encouraged to consider the impact of grouping and consider the alternatives. Good for SLT or class teachers who want to improve their practice.

Comic strip for children to complete. Illustrates growth mindset using scenario from Matthew Syed’s You are Awesome. Should be printed double sided so children can complete one side with growth mindset comments and the other with fixed mindset comments.

Very basic display for science work on solids, liquids and gases

Some quotes about Oak trees which demonstrate resilience. Nice backgrounds on some ready for display. Also a poem about Oak Trees and resilience - ideal for starting activities for new class, but also for display

KS2 appropriate collection of jokes, facts and quotes. I have one of each on the whiteboard at the start of the day, and the children love them. It gets them reading the moment they enter the classroom. They start the day with a smile, and often some children have to explain the joke to those who haven’t got it. It is the perfect way to introduce a bit of daily general knowledge as there are always discussion points. I often put in deliberate spelling or grammar errors and the children race each other to spot them and correct them. I generally use a fact and joke daily, and repeat the same quote for the week, so that it has time to resonate and children can reflect on the message properly.

Simple display posters encouraging children to consider whether they have put in adequate effort with the presentation of their work. Editable so you can change the name of the headteacher