Two teachers from the Thinking Schools Academy Trust recently represented the trust at the Thinking Deeply about Primary Education (TDaPE) conference in London, contributing to national discussions on evidence informed primary practice.
On Saturday 17th January, the conference brought together educators from across the country to share research-informed approaches, practical classroom insights and professional reflections. Colleagues Ella Martin and Matt Hinkley, both based at The Gordon Children’s Academyin Strood, delivered sessions that explored contemporary challenges in primary education, from assessment design using metacognition and retrieval to the responsible use of artificial intelligence.
Ella presented a session titled “How retrieval can transform assessment of the foundation subjects”, exploring how retrieval practice can be used to capture what pupils genuinely remember over time. Her session demonstrated how carefully designed retrieval strategies can strengthen curriculum impact in subjects such as history, geography and science, while keeping assessment purposeful and manageable for teachers. Importantly, these approaches support stronger long‑term memory and help pupils develop metacognitive skills, enabling them to reflect on their learning, build confidence in revisiting prior knowledge and become more independent learners.
By embedding retrieval within everyday classroom practice, assessment becomes a tool for learning, supporting inclusive participation, reducing reliance on formal testing and ensuring all pupils are better prepared for future learning, helping to transform life chances through deeper understanding and sustained engagement.
Matt delivered a session called “We should not thank our robot overlords: the issues on personifying AI in the primary classroom”, focusing on how artificial intelligence is introduced and discussed with young learners. His presentation explored the risks of presenting AI as autonomous or humanlike, and how this can obscure how the technology works or lead to overreliance on automated systems. Matt offered clear, practical guidance on presenting AI as a tool, protecting professional judgement and supporting pupils to think critically about digital systems.
Presenting at a national conference is a significant professional achievement and reflects the depth of expertise within the Thinking Schools Academy Trust. By sharing practice beyond their own classrooms, Ella and Matt contributed to wider professional learning and helped to position the trust within national conversations about thoughtful, evidence informed primary education.
Reflecting on the experience, Ella said: "I think that TDaPE is such a good opportunity to meet colleagues and discuss and share good practice. It’s the rich conversation that I really enjoy. From the very start, you feel part of a welcoming community of educators who want to develop and learn."
Reflecting on the experience, Ella said:
"I think that TDaPE is such a good opportunity to meet colleagues and discuss and share good practice. It’s the rich conversation that I really enjoy. From the very start, you feel part of a welcoming community of educators who want to develop and learn."
Ella has previously presented at TDaPE events in London, Manchester and Cardiff, continuing to share her expertise nationwide.
For Matt, this was his first conference presentation. He reflected: “I was made to feel extremely at ease, and it was lovely to have people come up afterwards to discuss my session with an open mind. I definitely feel part of the TDaPE community already and would be keen to do it all again.”
For Matt, this was his first conference presentation. He reflected:
“I was made to feel extremely at ease, and it was lovely to have people come up afterwards to discuss my session with an open mind. I definitely feel part of the TDaPE community already and would be keen to do it all again.”
Having two colleagues contribute to the TDaPE programme highlights the trust’s commitment to sharing evidence informed practice, engaging critically with emerging educational challenges, and contributing positively to the wider education sector. It reflects the curiosity, professionalism and reflective practice demonstrated by staff across the Thinking Schools Academy Trust every day.