‘Opening Doors to Excellence for All’ London Conference via The English Association, October 7th 2025.
Teachers from across the UK presented case studies of impact to a fascinated audience at Senate House, London. Gathering schools from our network together is very powerful!
The Research Book: ‘Opening Doors to Ambitious Primary English’
Don’t forget the case studies in most chapters of the latest book written by teachers from across the UK.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Opening-Doors-Ambitious-Primary-English/dp/1785836676/
Here is a wonderful review of the book in the spring 2025 edition of the ‘English 4-11’ magazine. Many thanks to Kirstie Hewitt.
This review from ‘Humanising Language Teaching’ will particularly interest you with EAL issues in mind. Just scroll down a little.
The book will definitely broaden horizons of EFL teachers and be of use when researching a wide range or wider range of approaches coming from the outside of EFL world.
https://www.hltmag.co.uk/jun25/short-book-reviews
Here are many other reviews including one from Professor Teresa Cremin.
Support for Kings Academy Rowner Junior and Gomer Junior
Both Bob Cox and Leah Crawford have been supporting these schools and their love of challenging texts has become infectious across the staff rooms. Do read this posted by the executive head on their websites:
https://kgarowner.uk/2025/03/18/the-importance-of-teachers-learning/
Across the Wider Community
We receive many comments from schools about the progress made in class and here is just one from Burford Primary School in Buckinghamshire:
I wanted to share some lovely news with you. On Wednesday 29th January, SLT and our school governors conducted a whole school learning walk in English to see the progression of our new Opening Doors approach to teaching. We were absolutely blown away by the excellent practice we saw across the school from Year 1 to Year 6 (& Reception did some lovely phonics too!) We not only observed the enthusiasm from the children but also a new lease of life from the staff!
We hosted a writing moderation with 7 schools in our Marlow liaison area to explore EXS, GDS and WTS writers. All schools brought their books to Burford and we spent a good 1.5 hours discussing in year groups what features of pupils’ writing make them EXS etc. and it was a real eye opener. The other schools were impressed with the model texts we were using and the sophisticated language choices our children are making in their writing.
English Association ‘Opening Doors’ Conference at Senate House, London 2024
Thank you so much to Dr Rebecca Fisher and The English Association for backing our face to face conference! It was run by teachers for teachers and showed how many schools across the UK are determined to open the doors to exciting English.
This comment is from Louise Trim, Headteacher of Hordle Primary School, on the long term impact of opening doors , as evidenced at the conference and at Hordle long term.
Thank you for coming up with something so exhilarating. It is a joy to interweave practical strategies into rich and meaningful text. It feels good when you’re teaching something that makes you think HARD and it is such a JOY to see the children’s writing at the other end of the journey.
Evaluations from The English Association Conference
Here are just a few of the comments from schools:
‘Great to hear from other schools and how it is successfully improving standards of writing’
‘Like the autonomy of Opening Doors, allows teachers and children to show their flair’
‘A really inspiring day. We are looking forward to continuing on our OD journey!’
‘I have stumbled upon Opening Doors quite by chance but after today I am a convert’
‘There isn’t one ‘right’ way!’
‘Amazing, as always’
‘Very interested in the key stage one approaches’
Research by The University of the West of England
We are delighted to see the publication of an initial report by a team from The University of the West of England into the impact in schools of the way ‘Opening Doors’ is being applied! More research is likely to follow. Findings were presented at the UKLA International Conference in Brighton and at The English Association ‘Opening Doors’ face to face inset day at Senate House, London. Many thanks to Dr Jones and her team. See below for the report AND the relevant PP
Pupils’ Work Site
This is so popular because it is uplifting reading work done across the UK as a response to great literature via specific units in the books. The budding writers are remarkable. Do use their work as a resource. It’s all free to access. Click on each book, scroll down and where a unit is underlined click again to find examples of creative writing. It’s the best way we can showcase the work of our schools:
https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/bob-cox
Opening Doors Across a Group of Schools
Kirsty McMurdo, Head of Teaching and Learning at The Wonder Institute, East Riding of Yorkshire, has written up in this newsletter some of the ways in which ‘Opening Doors’ has stimulated curriculum development and improved writing. It will be particularly interesting for anyone leading TL and English across schools. Just scroll down to ‘Opening Doors to Effective Writing’
https://www.wlp.education/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/One-Family-Issue-16_compressed.pdf
There are numerous ways in which schools apply the ambitious principles in ‘opening doors’ and here is an example from Penn Wood School in Slough to show how access, questioning, connections and taster draft prompts were developed with reference to The ‘Psammead’ from ‘Five Children and It’ by Edith Nesbitt. This is featured in ‘Opening Doors to Quality Writing, 6-9’
Geographical Reach
Over almost a decade and as six books have been written in conjunction with many insets and ongoing blended learning programmes, so many areas have opened hubs and sought to go deeper with rich, creative and challenging English. This includes Yorkshire (East Riding, Pontefract, Leeds, Doncaster), Hampshire, Devon, Birmingham (including St Matt’s, Somerville and Nansen) The South Coast (Chichester Diocese), Greenwich (including Mulgrave and Fossdene), Hartlepool, Pembrokeshire (especially Coastlands), Uxbridge, Mottingham and Macclesfield. Many other areas are interacting with us and are determined to raise aspirations and standards for every pupil in the most joyful and expressive of ways. Please contact me to find out more: bobcox@searchingforexcellence.co.uk
Reviews Evidencing Impact
Here are some examples of the comments posted on amazon to appreciate the latest book and to mention the impact!
5.0 out of 5 stars Opening Doors – exciting and ambitious ideas for teaching writing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 May 2024
Verified Purchase ‘Miss’
Fantastic resource! Opening Doors has transformed the way we teach writing in our school. The books have suggestions for really high quality texts that children learn to access – growing their vocabulary and language skills. As a headteacher of a large primary school with 50% pupil premium, I have been delighted with the impact on writing lessons – no more dull worksheets or ‘capped’ writing tasks! And our key stage 2 outcomes have improved significantly. Can’t recommend it highly enough.
5.0 out of 5 stars Every English Lead & Headteacher need to read this!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 October 2023
Opening Doors will not fail to inspire and guide you through your journey towards a more ambitious English curriculum and ignite both the passion and purpose required. It is accessible, clear and brilliantly exemplifies each aspect. This approach will help ALL children achieve more than they think is possible (and maybe teachers too!).
However, it’s not just about equity and exposing all children to quality literature, or just about achieving greater depth writers – it is what it says on the tin, it opens doors. Let’s not only think about an English curriculum either, let’s remember that we can open doors to other worlds, different cultures, different times – an ambitious English curriculum is pivotal to accessing the entire curriculum.
Transition KS2/3
Do enjoy Elise from Sedlescombe School and Kirsty from The Wonder Institute talk through how ‘Opening Doors’ has supported their transition journeys!
https://englishassociation.ac.uk/stepping-stones-from-ks2-to-ks3-4/