This week, five staff members — Nigel Hunter, Dom Schumacher, Liza Wilson, Rachael Gardiner, and Kane Follows — attended a two-day professional learning conference hosted at Wellington College, centred on Teach Like a Champion by educational researcher Doug Lemov.
The conference was engaging, practical, and rich with ideas that translate directly into the classroom. A strong theme throughout was the importance of clear rules and routines — not as constraints, but as foundations that create calm, purposeful learning environments where students can thrive. As one of the key ideas reinforced, “the sublime rests on the foundation of the mundane.” In other words, excellence grows out of consistently getting the basics right, every day.
A significant focus was also placed on the science of learning, particularly how memory works. One powerful reminder from the conference was that “the biggest barrier to learning is forgetting.” Learning does not happen simply when information is delivered, but when it is successfully stored, retained, and retrieved over time.
Research and discussion highlighted the challenge many boys face in retaining information overnight, especially when learning is overloaded, rushed, or not revisited in structured ways. The conference explored practical strategies to address this, including spaced practice, regular retrieval routines, frequent low-stakes checks for understanding, and carefully sequenced lessons. Supporting memory in deliberate ways was identified as a key lever for improving outcomes for boys, helping ensure learning “sticks” from one day to the next.
Overall, the conference provided many valuable takeaways, sparked rich professional conversations, and affirmed the impact of deliberate, evidence-based teaching practices. We look forward to sharing and embedding these insights across the school to further strengthen learning and teaching for all students.
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