Thomas Beattie

A little about me

I lead Secondary and teach Geography. When considering a new initiative, I want to know whether departments are still using it later in the year. A promising launch is not enough if the practice adds work and then disappears. I would rather focus on a few changes that teachers can keep using than spread effort thinly across too many priorities.

Marking time matters. I look for approaches that give teachers useful information without creating another heavy process. A task should help pupils think or give the teacher something actionable to respond to; it should not simply generate more work to read and record.

I value resources that are clear, reusable and proportionate to their purpose. Before introducing something new, I want to understand how it fits with what departments already do and what would make it worth keeping. Reflection after a trial can help us decide whether to continue, adapt or stop, rather than treating novelty as proof of value.