Reforming Lessons: Sir Nick Gibb on Evidence, Policy, and Change in Education

Good Morning!

This week on Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, I’m joined by the Right Honourable Sir Nick Gibb to discuss his new book, Reforming Lessons, and to reflect on his years as Schools Minister.

We explore the political journey that brought him into education reform, the role of evidence-informed policy in government decision-making, and the lessons learned from more than a decade at the centre of education policy. Sir Nick offers candid reflections on the reforms that have shaped the classroom experience for millions of students, and the principles that have guided his work in raising educational standards.

It’s a rare opportunity to hear directly from someone who has played such a significant role in English education, offering insight into the thinking, the challenges, and the long-term vision behind national reform.

And as always, this week’s Recommended Reading section is packed with articles, books, and research to extend the conversation well beyond the episode.

A link to “wherever you get your podcasts”…

YouTube Audio

Links to Nick’s Recommendations

Books & Publications Mentioned

• Reforming Lessons – Sir Nick Gibb & Robert Peal. Reflections on school reform and evidence-informed policy.

• Progressively Worse – Robert Peal. Critical history of English education policy.

• The Schools We Need: And Why We Don’t Have Them  – E.D. Hirsch

• Coalition: The Inside Story of the Conservative–Liberal Democrat Coalition Government – David Laws. Insight into policymaking during the coalition years.

• Education, Education, Education: Reforming England’s Schools – Andrew Adonis. Account of Labour’s school reforms.

• The Crosland Speech (1965) – Anthony Crosland. Landmark speech advocating comprehensive education.

Research & Reports

• 2014 National Curriculum Reform – Led by Michael Gove. Department for Education documentation on content and rationale.

• Clackmannanshire Report - A seven-year study into the effectiveness of synthetic phonics

• Teaching and Learning Toolkit – Education Endowment Foundation. Evidence summaries on the impact and cost of educational interventions.

• Could Do Better? Using International Comparisons to Refine the National Curriculum in England – Tim Oates. Analysis of curriculum design drawing on international best practice.

TDaPE Conference

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Huge thank you to everyone who shared the post last week. You’ve helped more and more teachers and educators think deeply about their craft and it is hugely appreciated.

That’s all for this week. Let us know if you enjoyed any of the recommendations or have any questions via the comments section wherever you listen or by replying to this email.

Until next time, thanks for listening.