The Optimus blog

The blog that inspires leaders in the UK education sector

The Optimus blog

The blog that inspires leaders in the UK education sector

In classroom learning

Joanna Feast

When it’s cold outside, get stuck into outdoor learning!

Yes, it may be cold but you can still embrace outdoor activities during the winter. Joanna Feast emphasises the many benefits of spending time outside, including mood improvement, stress relief and enhanced connections with nature and emotions. 'Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is...
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Edd Moore

Teaching pupils practical skills for sustainability

Edd Moore underscores the need to equip pupils with practical sustainability skills. He looks at student-driven initiatives, advocating for waste reduction, recycling and gardening projects in schools. Now more than ever, it is even more important for every child to know and be aware of local,...
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Richard Palmer

What LGBTQ+ education should we provide?

In the first of two parts, Richard Palmer explores what LGBTQ+ education looks like, what’s ‘age-appropriate’ and poses questions to help review your provision. In the world of PSHE, LGBTQ+ is one of the most controversial issues. Some teachers worry they aren’t doing enough; others are concerned...
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Aldaine Wynter

Representation in the curriculum: culture, diversity and inclusion

In the third of his series of blog posts, Aldaine Wynter looks at the importance and impact of a diverse curriculum. In this blog we will look at the following areas in relation to representation in the curriculum: cultural representation embedding diversity into the curriculum creating an...
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Elizabeth Holmes

The Joy of Not Knowing: a conversation with Marcelo Staricoff

Learning how to learn, philosophical thinking, action research and getting comfortable with discomfort: Elizabeth Holmes gets to grips with JONK. Recent headteacher, now consultant, lecturer and author, Marcelo Staricoff is a man with a mission. Drawing on his decades of experience as a scientist,...
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John Dabell

The ordinary magic of resilience

What life throws at us might dent or break us – but the '7 Cs' of resilience can help us recover and rebuild. John Dabell explains how. ‘Resilience’ is a buzzword heard pretty much everywhere these days and certainly within the mental health narratives of schools. How do you define resilience?...
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Dr Alistair Bailie

Seven tips to beat exam stress

How can you best support students who are stressed out at the prospect of exams? Clinical psychologist Dr Alistair Bailie suggests seven strategies to share. For students of any age, there can be considerable stress when it comes to exams. Their implications for study, jobs, and life progress can...
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Dr Karamat Iqbal

How should controversial issues be handled in the classroom?

In the second of his two-part series , Karamat Iqbal looks at how to teach pupils about controversial issues and instil confidence in staff. Read part one, What is controversial in the classroom? Teaching of some curricula and the resources and methodologies used are left to the schools’ and...
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Adele Bates

From teacher to TV presenter

Remote classes raise new challenges for leaders, educators and pupils. Adele Bates suggests some new ways of approaching learning, engagement and behaviour. This academic year I found myself spending an entire lesson with a laptop bag on my head, for teenagers with social, emotional and mental...
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Dr Karamat Iqbal

What is controversial in the classroom?

What makes something controversial? In the first part of a two-part series, Karamat Iqbal explores definitions of controversy and approaches to teaching it. Whether our fellow citizens can feed themselves is often in the news these days. This maybe because of Marcus Rashford’s excellent work on...
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