Pupil Book Study - created by Alex Bedford
Credited with transforming school evaluation, Pupil Book Study has reshaped national and Ofsted policy by focusing on structured and dialogic conversations to help work out how well learning has endured.Throughout his 31 years in education, it became apparent to Alex Bedford that the most obvious thing we don’t do as leaders and teachers is the very thing we should be doing more of – talking to pupils and analysing their books using a shared and evidence-informed language of excellence. Books tell you about the provision, opportunities and experiences to think hard. Structured and dialogic conversations with pupils will inform you about how well learning has endured within and across subjects. The question was how to do that without feeling overwhelmed, underprepared and wasting valuable time asking questions that lack structure and impact. This is how Pupil Book Study began, with the need for a systematic toolkit that enables leaders and teachers to focus on evaluating their curriculum, teaching and learning in a precise, evidence-rich environment.
Pupil Book Study provides a whole school shared language of evidence-informed excellence
It repositions how schools evaluate the quality of education and guides us to avoid the traps of making assumptions and, as Professor Rob Coe articulates so well, using weak proxies for learning that lack evidence and rigour. It aims to provide leaders and teachers with an insightful guide to talk with pupils and to study their work. Pupil Book Study helps schools deconstruct the working components of the curriculum, teaching and learning for its parts and aims to provide educators with a world-class evidence and research-focused route map towards excellence.
The benefits of Pupil Book Study are realised professionally, academically and socially between staff and pupils. It serves as a handbook that prioritises evidence to inform curriculum design, effective teaching methods and tasks that generate learning.
It illuminates strengths as well as focusing the user to possible limitations and traps to avoid.
Alex and Lauren have modelled Pupil Book Study to Senior HMI and Policy makers at Ofsted as part of our support to improve the quality of education and pupil engagement.
This CPD opportunity includes three online sessions with Alex, each with a comprehensive handbook.
Book Now
Click on the button (top right) to book your place - one ticket is for all three Zoom Sessions.
Session 1: Tuesday May 12 2026, 4-5pm; with speaker Claire Kilgour
Session 2: Tuesday May 19 2026, 4-5pm; with speaker Claire Kilgour
Session 3: Tuesday 2 June 2026, 4-5pm; with speaker Claire Kilgour
Once you have booked, add all three sessions to your schedule. At the time of the event, use the 'join video' button to be admitted.
