To help you implement an evidence-informed approach, join us throughout the 2025/26 academic year and learn from our amazing line-up of Cognitive Science Network experts.
November

Making Learning Meaningful

20 November 2025 - 4PM GMT with Sarah Cottinghatt

Not all learning is created equal. In this session we’ll focus on how to kickstart meaningful learning and ensure your students process new ideas. Since everyone forms at least a slightly different meaning from what we teach, we’ll also look at how to check for the meaning our students make.

December

What Does Cognitive Science Mean for Explanations, Modelling and Practice?

11 December 2025 - 4PM GMT with  Jade Pearce

This session will look at effective explanations, modelling and practice through the lens of Cognitive Science. We will discuss how to ensure new content enters our students' working memories without overloading it as well as how to consider Cognitive Load Theory and schema formation.

Upcoming masterclasses  
Previous masterclasses   

January 2026

Checking for Understanding

with David Goodwin
22 January 2026 - 4pm GMT
Checking for understanding is one of the most important aspects of Teaching & Learning as it provides the basis for all future decisions about what and how to teach. In this session, David will combine research findings with practical tips to weave into your practice. We will cover Cold-Calling, mini whiteboards, Wait-Times and more.
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March 2025

Leading Curriculum Development: Challenges and Opportunities to Transform Pupil Outcomes

with Amarbeer Singh Gill & Nick Pointer
05 March 2026 - 4pm GMT
In recent years, many schools have focused their efforts on improving their curricula, with the promise of better outcomes for pupils. But how do we know we're doing it effectively? In this masterclass for school leaders, Nick and Singh will outline why professional development is the core lever for driving ongoing curriculum improvement work in schools and what this might look like in practice.
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April 2026

The Homework Conundrum: How to Make Homework Work

with Dr Jo Castelino
22 April 2026 - 4pm GMT
In this session, we will explore how to get homework right so it becomes a powerful tool for long-term learning, not an afterthought. We will unpack common pitfalls and show how effective homework is a seamless continuation of great classroom teaching.
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May 2026

The Four Pillars of Leadership

with Edward Watson
14 May 2026 - 4pm BST
The environment in which we lead has certainly changed over the past decades, but one can argue that given that the human brain hasn’t done much evolving during that time that the principles or the pillars of leadership have not. Edward will be discussing those principles and their application to modern leadership.
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June 2026

Creativity: Is It Taught or Caught?

with Dr Claire Badger
25 June 2026 - 4pm BST
It is all too easy for our students to decide that creativity is something they either do, or do not, have.  This session will dispel myths surrounding creativity and explore the research which suggests that far from being an innate talent, creativity is a skill that can be developed in all students and across all subjects. 

October 2025

AI in Education: Opportunities and Threats

with Bradley Busch
16 October 2025
Explore the good, the bad and the ugly of AI in education, and develop strategies to use it. Bradley will delve into the latest research and practical applications of AI in education; focusing on opportunities to maximise and traps to avoid.
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September 2025

Power Up Your Pedagogy

with Bruce Robertson
25 September 2025
What does research tell us about what makes high-quality pedagogy, and how can teachers apply key messages in their lessons to become 'pedagogy experts'? With a focus on practical take-aways, this session will explore both of these questions.
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For 2024/25 CSN masterclasses, you can find them in the Deep Dive section.

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