Tom Sherrington at researchEd Warrington: Teaching Some versus Teaching All

Tom Sherrington’s session at the fourth annual researchEd conference, hosted by the Great Schools Trust at King’s Leadership Academy Warrington, was a valuable contribution to a day filled with evidence-informed educational insights. In his talk Teaching Some versus Teaching All, Tom explored the difference between surface-level engagement and true cognitive involvement in the classroom. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in education and his ongoing work through Teacherhead Consulting, he reminded attendees that if students aren’t actively thinking, they aren’t really learning.

Tom began his session by challenging a common classroom misconception; that busy students are learning students. He pointed out that copying down notes or examples from the board may look like productive work, but unless students are mentally engaging with the material, these actions do little to support long-term understanding.

A key framework running through Tom’s session was Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction. These evidence-based strategies, rooted in educational psychology and cognitive load theory, offer a practical structure for effective teaching. Tom explained how breaking new information into small steps, providing clear models, and scaffolding complex tasks helps to reduce cognitive overload, enabling students to transfer information into long-term memory. He highlighted how Rosenshine’s principles support all students and can be applied across subjects and age groups.

Tom also shared how he has grouped these principles into four categories to make them more accessible for teachers. These include sequencing and modelling, effective questioning, regular review, and stages of practice. He described how daily, weekly, and monthly review helps consolidate knowledge and how guiding students through practice before expecting independent work ensures a high rate of success.

Another key element of the session was Tom’s discussion of Short Feedback Loops. This approach, part of his renowned ‘Teaching Walkthrus’ collection, offers a focused cycle for supporting student learning. Starting with modelling and clearly defining success criteria, the teacher then sets a manageable task and monitors progress. After a pause to review, the teacher can remodel expectations and repeat the task to check for improvement. Tom explained that when tasks are too long or complex, feedback becomes too general. Short, focused tasks allow for precise feedback that leads to immediate improvement in understanding.

Tom also stressed the importance of inclusive classroom discussions. Rather than relying on the few students who regularly volunteer, he encouraged teachers to engage every student. He introduced a structured five-step method: posing purposeful questions, allowing thinking time, pairing students to discuss, using cold-calling to hear a range of voices, and employing the “add, build, challenge” technique. This strategy promotes deeper thinking by encouraging students to extend or critique one another’s ideas. Tom noted that teachers should manage the flow of conversation and ensure everybody is involved before summarising the key points to reinforce learning.

Throughout his session, Tom provided attendees with a useful selection of practical strategies and a renewed focus on reaching all students. His insights highlighted the importance of thoughtful lesson design, active engagement, and structured dialogue in creating classrooms where every student can thrive.