In a bid to boost independent learning skills, raise aspirations and build relationships, teachers at Saint Thomas More Academy led by example. Dave Rankin explains

I could never have imagined that starting work in a new school would lead to me becoming a magician.

I began my first substantive senior leadership role as assistant headteacher in charge of staff development, CPD and NQTs in September 2015.

I was thoroughly looking forward to the challenges of these roles but I also wanted to see if I could also make an impact on students’ independent learning. This was an agreed priority on the school improvement plan which stated that “independent learning should have a positive impact on student achievement and attitudes to learning”. And so began my path towards the conjuring arts...

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