Sam Denno
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samdenno-twinkl.bsky.social
Sam Denno
@samdenno-twinkl.bsky.social
Assessment Lead @ Twinkl | English Teacher & Edtech Innovator | Progenitor of Beyond Secondary Resources | Host of Obsessed with Assessment Podcast | Always Learning
Here are my 10 key takeaways for secondary English professionals from the Curriculum & Assessment recommendations. Arguably, we're on the "revolution" end of the evolution / revolution spectrum! twinkl.co.uk/blog/curricu...
@twinklresources.bsky.social @twinklbeyond.bsky.social
#twinklbeyondenglish
November 6, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Twinkl's subject-by-subject review of the Francis CAR recommendations can be found here: twinkl.co.uk/curriculum-a... What does it mean for teachers and schools? We cover all of the main takeaways.
@twinklresources.bsky.social
@twinklbeyond.bsky.social

#twinklbeyondenglish
twinkl.co.uk
November 6, 2025 at 10:46 AM
@twinklresources.bsky.social are launching a new podcast series for leaders and teachers, and episode 1 is here! It was great to pick @sammywright.bsky.social's brain on the shape and texture of English schools. www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1hjk03
@twinklbeyond.bsky.social #twinklbeyondenglish
October 16, 2025 at 2:49 PM
FREE webinar - Wednesday 22nd @ 4pm: "How Can We Encourage Our KS3 Pupils to Read for Pleasure?" www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-can-we... Looking at the evidence for RfP and discussing classroom and whole school strategies. #twinklbeyondenglish

@twinklresources.bsky.social @twinklbeyond.bsky.social
How Can We Encourage Our KS3 Pupils to Read for Pleasure?
Discover effective strategies to foster a love of reading in KS3 students and understand the importance of reading for pleasure.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
October 14, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Get your FREE tickets for a teachmeet coming up on Reading for Pleasure at KS3 (www.eventbrite.com/cc/twinkl-te...). I'll be talking about context and offering tips for embedding reading habits.
@twinklresources.bsky.social @twinklbeyond.bsky.social
#twinklbeyondenglish
#readingforpleasure
October 6, 2025 at 10:01 AM
I wrote a blog for the Twinkl Tutors team last week to publicise this season's run of CPD teachmeets: tinyurl.com/5abmpshp. We need to get better at understanding pupils' prior journeys and sharing strategies across phases.
#twinklbeyondenglish
@twinklresources.bsky.social @twinklbeyond.bsky.social
tinyurl.com
September 23, 2025 at 1:19 PM
I'm running a webinar on "KS3 reading for pleasure" on 22 Oct, and I'd love to hear from schools that model good RfP practice so I can shout-out some exemplars. Share your experiences below or DM me at [email protected]
@twinklresources.bsky.social @twinklbeyond.bsky.social #twinklbeyondenglish
September 23, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Final plug for the first session of these teachmeets. It's on Wednesday 17th Sept at 4pm. All sessions now available to book independently on Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.com/cc/twinkl-te...

#twinklbeyondenglish
@twinklresources.bsky.social @twinklbeyond.bsky.social @twinklslt.bsky.social
September 15, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Reposted by Sam Denno
Here at Twinkl we're running a teachmeet series on Supporting Struggling Readers @ KS3. Free to join, sign up on Eventbrite. The first session is next Wednesday 17th Sept. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/improving-...
#twinklbeyondenglish
@twinklresources.bsky.social @twinklbeyond.bsky.social
September 9, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Here at Twinkl we're running a teachmeet series on Supporting Struggling Readers @ KS3. Free to join, sign up on Eventbrite. The first session is next Wednesday 17th Sept. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/improving-...
#twinklbeyondenglish
@twinklresources.bsky.social @twinklbeyond.bsky.social
September 9, 2025 at 1:01 PM
The last episode of Obsessed with Assessment podcast! Emma and I are bowing out by looking back over our 10 month, 35 episode run.

Apple: tinyurl.com/y76yzzec
Spotify: tinyurl.com/cxpskjwr
Amazon: tinyurl.com/4s8msmaw
YT: youtu.be/joqEarN7hhQ

@twinklresources.bsky.social @twinklbeyond.bsky.social
The Final Analysis
Podcast Episode · Obsessed with Assessment · 05/05/2025 · 18m
tinyurl.com
May 5, 2025 at 2:13 PM
I talk to OCR exam board in today's podcast. They argue that their proposed reformat of the Maths GCSE could revitalise secondary maths and solve the resit burden. @twinklresources.bsky.social @miss-agd.bsky.social @ocrexams.bsky.social

Apple: tinyurl.com/57tnunb6
Spotify: tinyurl.com/3s2rsvyk
Assessment in the News: solving the maths resit problem (with special guests Sarah Gotting and Amy Jones from OCR)
Podcast Episode · Obsessed with Assessment · 28/04/2025 · 20m
tinyurl.com
April 28, 2025 at 9:34 AM
New podcast out today! James Beadle of @cambridge.org argues that assessment literacy is important for EVERYONE - educators, pupils and parents.

Apple: tinyurl.com/4twu8jnw
Spotify: tinyurl.com/53ch9587
Amazon: tinyurl.com/msajrtet

@twinklresources.bsky.social @twinklbeyond.bsky.social
We should ALL become assessment literate (with special guest James Beadle)
Podcast Episode · Obsessed with Assessment · 21/04/2025 · 21m
tinyurl.com
April 21, 2025 at 10:15 AM
New podcast out today! James Beadle of @cambridge.org argues that assessment literacy is important for everyone - educators, pupils and parents. Find out more on the links below:

Apple: tinyurl.com/4twu8jnw
Spotify: tinyurl.com/53ch9587

@twinklresources.bsky.social @twinklbeyond.bsky.social
We should ALL become assessment literate (with special guest James Beadle)
Podcast Episode · Obsessed with Assessment · 21/04/2025 · 21m
tinyurl.com
April 21, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Last week on the podcast, I was joined by James Beadle of @cambridge.org to talk about why we should have different approaches to formative and summative assessment. Terrific chat! @twinklresources.bsky.social @twinklbeyond.bsky.social

Apple: tinyurl.com/mpr4be7r
Spotify: tinyurl.com/3dhtn8ks
Why we should treat formative and summative differently (with special guest James Beadle)
Podcast Episode · Obsessed with Assessment · 14/04/2025 · 19m
tinyurl.com
April 21, 2025 at 10:02 AM
This week's podcast: is your assessment valid? An important question. We explore what needs to be considered before delivering any sort of test - in low or high stakes settings. @twinklresources.bsky.social @twinklbeyond.bsky.social

Apple: tinyurl.com/tpvnfvxj
Spotify: tinyurl.com/2nt3x6xf
Are your assessments valid?
Podcast Episode · Obsessed with Assessment · 07/04/2025 · 14m
tinyurl.com
April 8, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Great to hear the Sec of State speak on literacy at @literacy-trust.bsky.social 📚

🔹 9/10 employers say youth literacy must improve
🔹 Govt aims to spark reading for pleasure early
🔹 Schools & homes must unite—literacy is a shared responsibility

@twinklresources.bsky.social backs #VisionForLiteracy!
April 3, 2025 at 10:20 AM
In today's episode I talk to edu trailblazer @daisychristo.bsky.social about comparative judgement - is this marking form more efficient and more accurate than traditional methods? @twinklresources.bsky.social @twinklbeyond.bsky.social

Apple: tinyurl.com/3j25wbd4
Spotify: tinyurl.com/ydtnkvcf
How comparative judgement is a game-changer (with special guest Daisy Christodoulou)
Podcast Episode · Obsessed with Assessment · 31/03/2025 · 19m
tinyurl.com
March 31, 2025 at 8:39 AM
We grilled peer assessment last week on the podcast. This time, it's self assessment's turn to get a thorough interrogation! Emma and I dig into the research and bring the insights. @twinklresources.bsky.social

Apple: tinyurl.com/5ymustn6
Spotify: tinyurl.com/4d3y5n83
Amazon: tinyurl.com/yhewcp6v
Getting the most out of self assessment
Podcast Episode · Obsessed with Assessment · 24/03/2025 · 16m
tinyurl.com
March 25, 2025 at 2:39 PM
It's another 2 podcast week this week! In this episode I chat with 3 STEM specialists about the alarming gender gap data in the TIMSS report, and what we can do about it. @twinklresources.bsky.social #edusky

Apple: tinyurl.com/4656khef
Spotify: tinyurl.com/bd8mep3k
Amazon: tinyurl.com/3bzwx5ds
Assessment in the News: addressing the STEM gender gap
Podcast Episode · Obsessed with Assessment · 20/03/2025 · 21m
tinyurl.com
March 20, 2025 at 4:39 PM
This week on the podcast: peer assessment- a staple of the 21st century classroom. But is it actually that effective? And how can we make the most of it? @twinklresources.bsky.social @twinklbeyond.bsky.social

Apple: tinyurl.com/34mxzxak
Spotify: tinyurl.com/yckm36c2
YouTube: youtu.be/Oz2lBgf3UiY
Getting the most out of peer assessment
Podcast Episode · Obsessed with Assessment · 17/03/2025 · 15m
tinyurl.com
March 18, 2025 at 9:17 AM
This week's podcast is essential listening for any educator, and important for any human being imo. Academic, Dr Lewis Doyle, talks us through our unconscious biases, how we can come to terms with them, and ways for moving forwards. Spotify: tinyurl.com/4jyyxusw

@twinklresources.bsky.social
Dealing with our unconscious biases (with special guest Dr Lewis Doyle)
Obsessed with Assessment · Episode
tinyurl.com
March 10, 2025 at 9:12 AM
We're talking about sharing best practice and reframing teacher judgement in our conversation with Dr Mick Walker this episode, the last of four episodes chatting with Mick. Go back and listen if you've missed any! @twinklresources.bsky.social #edusky

Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/2krx...
Becoming a better teacher (with special guest Dr Mick Walker)
Obsessed with Assessment · Episode
open.spotify.com
March 3, 2025 at 9:16 AM