Primary Huh 2

Mary Myatt is an education adviser, writer and speaker. She trained as an RE teacher and is a former local authority adviser and inspector. She engages with pupils, teachers and leaders about learning, leadership and the curriculum. Mary has written extensively about leadership, school improvement and the curriculum: 'High Challenge, Low Threat', 'Hopeful Schools', 'The Curriculum: Gallimaufry to Coherence', 'Back on Track' and 'Huh: Curriculum conversations between subject and senior leaders'. She has also established Myatt & Co, an online platform with films for teachers, including teaching assistants and leaders including governors. Mary has been a governor in three schools, and a trustee for a Multi Academy Trust. She co-founded the RE Quality Mark, is chair of the board for the Centre for Education and Youth and a member of the curriculum advisory group for Oak National Academy. She maintains that there are no quick fixes and that great outcomes for pupils are not achieved through tick boxes. John Tomsett taught for 33 years in state schools and was a teaching headteacher for 18 years. Until August 2021 he led Huntington School in York. He writes a blog called 'This Much I Know', and has written extensively about school leadership. He has previously published six books: 'Love over Fear: Creating a Culture for Truly Great Teaching'; 'Mind Over Matter: Improving Mental Health in our Schools'; 'Putting Staff First: A Blueprint for Revitalising our Schools' (with Jonny Uttley); 'An Angler's Journal'; and 'Cognitive Apprenticeship in Action' (editor); and 'Huh: Curriculum conversations between subject and senior leaders' co-authored with Mary Myatt. He maintains that the best thing for our students is that our teachers are happy, healthy, well-qualified, highly motivated, hard-working, well-trained experts; consequently, he believes we should put staff first. He is now engaged in supporting the next generation of school leaders, with a resolute focus upon improving the quality of teaching & learning, and developing the school curriculum.