Case Studies

A growing number of schools across the globe have embarked on the thinking school journey.  Some of these schools have made a record of their journey, which gives an insight into how they prepared for the change, the path they choose to take and what happened along the way to arrive at their chosen destination.  Others have strong views on why there should be a whole school approach to the teaching of thinking.

Each school has encountered and overcome its own individual obstacles along the way – take a look at some of these records – there are some inspiring accounts…

Barbara Priestman a ‘Thinking School’ , The Centre for Creativity and Learning, University of Sunderland

The Learning Journey – Kingsdown and Ringwould Primary (pdf)

Thinking Leaders at Burraton Primary School – What are they?  An interview with Professor Bob Burden (video)

How Stanley Park Infants School (London Borough of Sutton) became a Thinking School (pdf)

Cardiff High Schools Professional Learning Journey – The Endless Journey (pdf)

How the thinking practice has been shared across the school – Cardiff High School (video)

Richard Coe, Deputy Head Rochester Grammar Schools, talks about the journey to becoming a Thinking School (video)

Rochester Grammar School – How we became a Thinking School (pdf)

Why take a whole school approach to the teaching of thinking?  Mandy Kowarski, Cape Town, South Africa (video)

Oakwood Park – How we became a Thinking School  (pdf)

Becoming a Thinking School -Burraton Primary School pdf

A Thinking School – Burraton Primary School (video)

Observations from senior leaders of thinking schools in the UK (pdf)

What difference has being a thinking school made?  Cardiff Primary School (video)

St Robert of Newminster in Sunderland – Our Thinking School Journey (pdf)

Year 6 Perspective on thinking skills and why they help – Burraton Primary School (video)

Christ the King Catholic Primary School – How we became a Thinking School

Dr Anita Worral, South Africa – Why take the Whole School Approach for the teaching of thinking? (video)

How Stanley Park Infants School in Sutton became a Thinking School (pdf)

Interview with Headteacher about considering a thinking approach for the school – Durham Primary School  (video)

Interview with Director of Teaching and Learning.  Considering a Thinking Approach for the School – St Robert Newman Secondary School (video)

Is there any such thing as a Thinking School? Prof Burden, University of Exeter (pdf)