About Me

James is internationally known as the creator of The Learning Pit, a widely used model that helps teachers design learning which is appropriately challenging and leads to deeper understanding rather than surface performance. His work is particularly effective for INSET because it brings together robust educational research with highly practical classroom strategies, helping staff focus on small but powerful refinements to practice that make a genuine difference to learning. He is a former teacher and school leader, and co‑founder and Director of Challenging Learning, an international organisation supporting schools across the world. James is a very experienced keynote speaker, especially with international audiences, and is well known for sessions that are engaging, thought‑provoking and accessible to teachers at all stages of their careers. He regularly works with international schools and is very comfortable tailoring his work to different cultural and curriculum contexts. James’s most recent book, Teach Brilliantly: Small Shifts That Lead to Big Gains in Student Learning (published in late 2023), reflects his latest thinking on what most strongly improves learning in classrooms. The book focuses on practical, research‑informed approaches to engagement, challenge, feedback, expectations and equity, and has been particularly well received by schools looking for a clear, shared pedagogical focus. If you would like to book James for INSET week or would like further information, please contact Rebecca Annand rebecca@infinitelearning.ae