3-Read Friday #94

Predicted grades, belonging, and stop adding

Before we begin, you may want to check out my brand-new 16-part book series, The Tips for Teachers guide to… here. Book 12 on The We Do is now available.

Here are three blog posts that I found interesting this week.

1. Prediction accuracy at Key Stage 4 by Katie Beynon and Dave Thomson

A fascinating piece of research looking at the differences between predicted and actual GCSE grades. Spoiler alert: Teachers’ predicted GCSE grades match cohort averages well but are accurate for individual pupils less than half the time in most subjects, with considerable variation between subjects like maths (higher accuracy) and English literature (lower accuracy).

2. Belonging, Part Two by Claire Stoneman

Claire argues that children need to feel seen, valued, and noticed by their teachers. This isn’t about motivational posters or empty encouragement, but a genuine human connection through attention. She distinguishes between pastoral noticing (checking on lateness, well-being) and academic noticing (using mini whiteboards to hear every child’s thinking). Both forge belonging—pastoral noticing anchors it, academic noticing helps it set sail.

3. Stop adding & start improving by Cati Wade

Cati challenges the myth that if teachers “already do something,” there’s no point revisiting it. Implementation research shows moving from initial adoption to fidelity takes years, yet schools often abandon initiatives after a term, creating “initiative fatigue.”

Have a great weekend.

Craig