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Along with being a primary school teacher and leader, blogging is where this all started for Aidan. If it wasn't for his passion for writing and sharing his learning and experiences, he wouldn't be working as an education consultant with schools across the country today. Shared best practice should be available to all and here on the Aidan Severs Consulting blog you can get ideas for making a difference in your own school. The blog is also a great place to learn exactly the kind of work that Aidan can partner with your school on.
In Praise Of The Unit Overview (Or Why You Should Develop Yours)
When I started teaching we had three kinds of plans (of course it was three - 3-part lessons, 3-way differentiation - we loved a good three): LTPs, MTPs and STPs (or lesson plans). I'm not sure how much that language has survived, but I'm hoping things are moving on, especially in the case of the overlooked but very important MTP. Medium Term Plans came as a result of Medium Term Planning - an extra, long, afterschool session of planning once a half term, usually towards the
Aidan Severs
Dec 1, 20254 min read
Curriculum Clarity: What The Curriculum And Assessment Review Says About Articulating Your Curriculum Well
Recently ( and actually, for a while now ), I've been banging on about how clear your curriculum needs to be , particularly with regards to ensuring your curriculum statements (objectives, key facts/information) are explicit and clear. And it's not just me who thinks this is important. I've recently carried out some curriculum reviews for different schools and organisations, and one piece of feedback I've given regularly is along these lines: Provide more explicit guidance in
Aidan Severs
Nov 24, 20255 min read
Curriculum For All: What Schools Need To Know About What The Curriculum Review And The New Ofsted Framework Say About Inclusion
The key thing you need to be aware of with regards to the final report from the government-commissioned Curriculum and Assessment Review is right there in the title: Building a world-class curriculum for all . The writers of the review are at pains to communicate that the biggest change that needs to happen is with regard to inclusivity - a curriculum which works for all children. This, by the way, tallies with Ofsted's latest inspection framework that has specific headings
Aidan Severs
Nov 17, 20254 min read
Now That We Have The Curriculum And Assessment Review Report, Should Schools Get On With Rewriting Curricula?
The title really should read: 'Now That We Have The Curriculum And Assessment Review Report , And The Government Have Responded , Should Schools Get On With Rewriting Curricula?' If you're not sure what's in the documents I've linked to above, there are a plethora of summaries online, including mine aimed at primary school leaders and teachers: https://www.aidansevers.com/post/what-primary-schools-need-to-know-from-the-curriculum-and-assessment-review (or you could go and re
Aidan Severs
Nov 6, 20253 min read
What Primary Schools Need To Know From The Curriculum And Assessment Review (Updated Based On Government's Response)
The only Curriculum and Assessment Review headline that really matters is this:
It's c200 pages of suggestions FOR THE GOVERNMENT, not for you, your school, your trust or your educational organisation.
However, most of us want to remain abreast and poised, ready to make changes when the time comes. So, what is there to know?
Aidan Severs
Nov 5, 202514 min read
Rethinking Differentiation: The Mixing Desk Model for Responsive, Inclusive Teaching
The Challenge of Meeting Every Child’s Needs You know that the children in your class(es) have needs which are many and varied. You want to meet those needs. But meeting all the different needs is difficult, time-consuming and draining. But it's got to be done. Why ‘What Works for Pupils with SEND Works for All’ Isn’t the Whole Story You've heard that "what works for pupils with SEND works for all pupils" but can't shake that nagging feeling that it's not that simple. Becaus
Aidan Severs
Nov 4, 20255 min read
Stop Writing Vague Curriculum Objectives, Instead Define What Pupils Should Actually Learn
This is essentially just a new and improved title for the following blog post: https://www.aidansevers.com/post/one-common-curriculum-mistake-you-might-be-making-and-how-to-avoid-it In it I outline a problem I see time and time again which I look at schools' curriculum documentation: vague objectives that don't: explain exactly what teachers should teach children and therefore state explicitly exactly what children should learn give a crystal-clear indication of what children
Aidan Severs
Oct 28, 20252 min read
Why You Don't Need An Intent Statement (But Why It Is Actually Useful To Have One)
Why don't you need an intent subject for your subject's curriculum? Because no one says you have to, not even Ofsted... However, whilst ‘intent statements’ aren’t a necessity they can help curriculum makers and teachers. How so? Well, they provide a touchstone (a test, or benchmark) for any curriculum development and teaching.
Aidan Severs
Oct 6, 20254 min read
Why We Should Prioritise The Teaching Of Tier 2 Words
Tier 2 words are a really important part of academic language, even at primary level - assuming children will learn all the correct meanings of these words without them being explicitly taught them is leaving a lot to chance. Best get them planned in so that you can ensure they are deliberately taught.
Aidan Severs
Sep 30, 20253 min read
How To Select Key Vocabulary For Your Subject's Curriculum
Words are the building blocks of all learning. If we don't know what individual words mean, we won't understand the meaning of the phrases and sentences that they make up. Whether we read or hear information, we need to understand the meanings of individual words to truly understand the information we are receiving.
Aidan Severs
Sep 22, 20256 min read
One Thing Your Curriculum Documentation Doesn't Need (Unless You Also Provide Lesson Plans)
Garbled title aside, this blog post is a very simple one. And the message is this: You don't need to mandate pedagogical choices. You...
Aidan Severs
Sep 16, 20252 min read
One Common Curriculum Mistake You Might Be Making (And How To Avoid It)
I've looked at a few primary curricula in my time, and there's one thing I see fairly often - a common mistake made by the curriculum-maker. Let's start with an example, and see if you can spot what's wrong. Imagine if your KS1 geography curriculum documentation stated: Pupils should be taught to name and locate the world’s seven continents and five oceans. That's an example you might recognise - it's taken directly from the National Curriculum. If you've not spotted the prob
Aidan Severs
Sep 10, 20254 min read
Continuous Provision in KS2: FAQs
This blog explores how KS2 continuous provision - based on EYFS principles - can foster independence, creativity, and deep learning. It addresses common questions on adapting the approach to meet curriculum demands, setting up purposeful provision areas, ensuring progression and challenge, integrating effective assessment, and managing behaviour. Grounded in careful planning and adult guidance, it offers practical steps for implementation.
Aidan Severs
Jun 24, 20256 min read
Curriculum: The Sticky Problem of Sticky Knowledge
Icky name aside, the idea of identifiying sticky knowledge on behalf of pupils is a tricky one. The Origins of Sticky Knowledge I think...
Aidan Severs
May 26, 20256 min read
Replacing Onerous Primary Assessment with Better Monitoring and Evaluation (Part 1)
If you read my recent post on assessing foundation subjects in primary and were left wondering about the lack of evidence and data that...
Aidan Severs
May 19, 20254 min read
Reducing the Volume of Content in the Primary Curriculum - You Can Do It Now!
Have you been following the news about the government's curriculum and assessment review? Is it putting a hold on your primary curriculum...
Aidan Severs
May 12, 20253 min read
Why You Might Need To Rewrite Your Curriculum (and Why You Might Not)
You've spent ages writing your primary foundation subject curriculum and by now you've probably spent time rewriting it too, or at least revising it. Curriculum rewrite: assessment Now it's time to have a think about how to assess the pupils, what with the content all done and dusted. But the more you think, the more you realise it's not that easy. Especially since there are a few things you know you must avoid: Endless APP-style grids Massive teacher workload Paperwork for
Aidan Severs
Mar 31, 20253 min read
Assessing Foundation Subjects In Primary: How Would I Do It?
After working with a couple of deputies from two different schools in a trust over the course of two days, one of them asked me this:...
Aidan Severs
Mar 3, 20253 min read
Curriculum-Making: Start With The End In Mind
Curriculum-making begins with thinking about the desired impact, or outcome, before you start thinking about the how and the what. By...
Aidan Severs
Jan 21, 20253 min read
2025: The Year of the Realistic Curriculum
Explore how schools can embrace a realistic curriculum in 2025. Learn strategies to refine your realistic curriculum for effective teaching.
Aidan Severs
Jan 7, 20253 min read
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