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I’ve been away for a while, and coming back means being honest about why: an Achilles rupture that never healed properly, surgery at the end of July, and six weeks in a boot that has forced me to slow down. Recovery has been “pretty alright” and also a bit rubbish, but the bigger story is what that pause has done for my headspace. Stepping back from the constant churn of design and technology education has given me room to think about what matters, what helps, and what the D&T community needs next.

Before the operation, I managed a brilliant trip to Norrköping, Sweden with Sarah Davies for the PATT conference, one of the key international design and technology education research gatherings. I share what it was like to reconnect with colleagues, present two papers, and swap ideas that actually shift practice. You’ll also hear where my research is heading, including an international comparative study of D&T education and our ongoing conceptual work around authentic learning in design and technology, grounded in a literature review and shaped by real conversations with researchers and teachers.

There’s practical news too: the fifth edition of Learn to Teach D&T is out, and it’s been a major overhaul. On top of that, I’ve been leading curriculum drafting work for Technology and Design in Northern Ireland, with consultation open until 30 September, and I’m also leading on the drafting of the England National Curriculum for D&T. Whether you love these drafts or hate them, I explain why responding to the consultation matters, what to look for, and how your voice adds weight.

If you found this helpful, subscribe on your podcast app, share it with your D&T department, and consider leaving a review. What do you want to know next about the consultations or my research ?

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