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Miss Estruch Teach & Tell: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Miss Estruch
Welcome to Miss Estruch Teach & Tell —the podcast dedicated to helping busy teachers streamline their workload, improve productivity, and find more joy in teaching. Whether you’ve been in the classroom for years or you’re navigating the challenges of balancing work with being a busy mum, this show is designed for you.Join Miss Estruch each week as she shares time-saving teaching tips, engaging Biology lesson ideas, and powerful edtech tools that make your life easier while boosting the quality of your lessons. From candid teacher confessions to practical strategies that work, we dive deep into what it means to thrive both in and out of the classroom.Expect relatable anecdotes, actionable takeaways, and an authentic community of educators who understand the struggle to achieve a sustainable work-life balance. If you're ready to take your teaching to the next level while reclaiming your personal time, hit that subscribe button now!
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- Today16 min
Stop Fighting Football! Use the World Cup to Teach Biology Instead | S2 E40
Every four years the World Cup arrives and suddenly your students seem far more interested in football than biology. My argument? Stop fighting it. In this episode of Miss Estruch Teach & Tell, I explore how the World Cup can become one of the most powerful teaching tools in your biology classroom. From osmoregulation and respiration to infectious disease and plant biology, the specification is playing out on the pitch in real time. We discuss: ⚽ Hydration, sweating and osmoregulation ⚽ ADH, kidneys and negative feedback ⚽ Glycogen, respiration and energy systems ⚽ Muscle contraction and sports performance ⚽ Infectious disease transmission and R numbers ⚽ Epidemiology and mass gathering events ⚽ Plant biology, active transport and nutrient uptake ⚽ How to use major sporting events to increase student engagement ⚽ Why real-world examples matter for motivation and retention I also share a free classroom resource from the Miss Estruch Biology channel: The Biology of the World Cup: The Science of the World Cup | World Cup World Cup 2026 Biology Explained This is a student-focused video exploring the biology behind the world's biggest sporting event, featuring insights from experts in sports nutrition, physiology and sports turf science. Perfect for: GCSE Biology teachers A Level Biology teachers Secondary science teachers Biology departments looking for real-world examples Teachers wanting to increase engagement without sacrificing rigour Remember: The World Cup is not a distraction from biology. It is biology!
- 2 weeks ago31 min
Epigenetics Explained: What Every Biology Teacher Needs to Know | S2 E39
To get access to free resources on a wide range of biology topics, learn about upcoming teacher training courses (including a course on epigenetics this October), and find out more about the work of the EMBL Science Education and Public Engagement Team, you can subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on social media using the links below:Newsletter: https://www.embl.org/ells/newsletter/LinkedIn: https://de.linkedin.com/company/embl-science-educationFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/EMBL-ELLS-15186136151218 Epigenetics is one of the most fascinating (and challenging) topics in A Level Biology. In this episode of Miss Estruch Teach & Tell, I sit down with Rachel, biology teacher, former scientist, and epigenetics educator, to explore how teachers can make this complex topic more accessible, engaging, and meaningful for students. Drawing on her experience as a researcher and her recent training at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Rachel shares practical classroom strategies, common misconceptions, and exciting developments in the field that go far beyond the specification. We discuss: Why students often struggle with epigenetics Common misconceptions about inheritance and gene expression The role of non-coding DNA and chromatin structure The emerging science of the epigenetic clock How flipped learning can improve understanding Data analysis activities that build exam confidence Using real scientific research in the classroom The benefits of collaborating with scientists and universities How to teach a rapidly evolving area of biology with confidence Whether you teach A Level Biology, are interested in the science of gene regulation, or simply want new ideas for tackling difficult concepts, this conversation is packed with practical takeaways.
- 3 weeks ago15 min
The Most Effective Revision Lessons That Actually Move Grades | S2 E38
Revision lessons can be so tough to make engaging and fun, and not just answering exam questions. In this episode of Miss Estruch Teach & Tell, I break down exactly how I structure revision lessons that build exam skills, improve revision habits, and develop the mindset needed for A and A* performance. This is an updated version of one of my most popular episodes, now combined with ideas from my recent CPD session: The A* Blueprint. Inside this episode: • How to structure revision lessons with visible progression • Why mindset matters inside revision lessons • Active recall starters that actually work • How to use card sorts beyond simple recall • Diamond 9 activities for AO2 and evaluation skills • Jumbled answer activities for exam technique • Using MARCKS analysis to turn mistakes into actionable targets • Why students need to feel productive struggle • The role of confidence and emotional association in revision I also share the exact activities I use in my own A level Biology revision lessons, including pair work strategies, TARSIA activities, SMART targets, and retrieval tasks designed to push students towards A* thinking. Free resource: Download my Biological Molecules Card Sort here: Miss Estruch Biology Resources
- May 18, 202615 min
Why Some Students Never Reach an A* (Even When They Know the Content AND how to fix it!) | S2 E37
Most teachers focus on content gaps when students miss out on top grades. But what if the real barrier between an A and an A* is not knowledge… but mindset? In this episode of Miss Estruch Teach & Tell, I break down the practical mindset strategies I use in my own classroom to help students move beyond fear, perfectionism, and fixed beliefs about intelligence. We explore: • Why some high potential students stay stuck at a B or A • What fixed mindset actually sounds like in an A level classroom • How to explicitly teach productive struggle • The Learning Pit and Iceberg Illusion strategies • Why challenge questions can transform resilience • How MARCKS analysis reframes failure into actionable improvement • The language shifts that change how students respond to difficulty This is not about motivational posters or toxic positivity. It is looking at practical classroom implementation that helps students persist when the work gets difficult, especially in subjects like A level Biology where the jump from GCSE can hit confidence hard. If you want more students reaching those top grades, mindset cannot be left to chance. The A* Blueprint: Why Mindset Might Be the Only Thing Standing Between Your Students and an A** TEASER HOOK I want you to think about a student you've taught. Smart kid. Works hard. Knows their content. And yet, come results day, they get a B — maybe a high B — and you're standing there thinking, they should have got an A. They had it in them. So what went wrong? I've been teaching biology since 2009, and I used to think the answer was always more content, more past papers, more revision. And yes, all of that matters. But the more I taught, the more I started to realise that the students who were genuinely transforming their grades — the ones crossing from B to A, from A to A* — they weren't necessarily the ones who knew the most. They were the ones who thought differently about learning. Today I want to talk about mindset. Not in a fluffy, stick-a-motivational-quote-on-the-wall kind of way. In a really practical, this-is-what-I-actually-do-in-my-classroom kind of way. Because I genuinely believe that if you're not explicitly teaching mindset, you are leaving grades on the table. And I don't want that for your students. Let's get into it. MAIN CONTENT Part One: The A* Is Not Just a Knowledge Problem So, I ran a CPD session for teachers recently called The A* Blueprint. And I opened it with a provocation: A is not just about knowing more content.* That might sound obvious. But if you look at how most of us teach — how most departments run revision sessions — everything is content-led. Cover the spec, do the past papers, mark the papers, repeat. And I'm not saying that's wrong. But it only addresses one third of the picture. Because when I look at what actually separates A* students from A students, it comes down to three things: exam skills, revision habits, and mindset. And of those three, mindset is the one that almost never gets taught explicitly. It gets left to PSHE, or form time, or — honestly — it gets left to chance. And that's the gap I want to help you close. Part Two: What Student Mindset Actually Looks Like in Your Classroom Let me paint you a picture of what fixed mindset sounds like in a biology classroom, because I promise you, you've heard all of these. "I'm just not naturally good at maths." "I can't write essays." "It's too late to change how I revise." "I failed that test — I'm never going to get this." "I don't want to ask for help because everyone else seems to get it." These aren't just throwaway comments. These are beliefs that are actively blocking your students from improving. And the thing is, students often don't even realise they're doing it. It's not drama, it's not an excuse — it's a genuine belief system that they've built up, often over years. And here's what makes it so dangerous in A-level biology specifically: the jump from GCSE is significant. A lot of students who sailed through GCSE
- May 11, 202628 min
S2 E36 | The Problem With Modern Teacher CPD (And What Actually Works) with Millie from StepLab
Millie and I noticed during our teaching careers how much teacher CPD changed over time. When I started teaching in 2009, there seemed to be far more opportunities for meaningful training, schools were more willing to fund courses, and there was a stronger culture around professional development. But in recent years? Budget cuts, cancelled courses, generic online training, lack of cover staff, and one size fits all CPD seem to have become the norm. In this episode of Miss Estruch Teach & Tell, I’m joined by Millie from Steplab (https://steplab.co/uk) to discuss: Why teacher CPD often feels ineffective The shift towards online and “tick box” training Why experienced teachers struggle to find specialist CPD SEND, ADHD and autism training in schools Why school culture massively impacts teacher development The problem with inspirational training that never changes practice How instructional coaching and video models can improve teaching What makes CPD actually lead to better classroom practice We also explore how Steplab works with schools and trusts to create evidence-informed professional development that genuinely supports teachers and students. If you’re a teacher, middle leader, senior leader, ECT, or interested in improving teaching and learning in schools, this episode is packed with valuable discussion points. Find out more about Steplab: https://steplab.co/uk
- May 5, 202634 min
S2 E35 | Guest Ross McGill on The Science of Learning: What Teachers Need to Know
I am so excited for this episode. Today, I am joined by Ross McGill, founder of Teacher Toolkit, whose work has reached over 21 million teachers worldwide. If you have ever felt overwhelmed by lesson planning, buried in marking, or unsure whether your feedback is actually making an impact… this episode is going to completely shift how you think about teaching. Ross shares practical, evidence-informed strategies that help you reduce workload while improving teaching and learning. There are so many moments in this conversation where I was thinking… every teacher needs to hear this. in this episode, we cover • Why planning should be a thought process, not a document • The 5 minute lesson plan and how to use it effectively • The difference between feedback, feed up and feed forward • Why marking every book is not the answer • The power of the pause and improving questioning • How metacognition actually works in the classroom • What brain research tells us about attention, stress and learning • Practical strategies you can implement immediately Links and resources mentioned 5-minute lesson plan template https://www.teachertoolkit.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/The-5-Minute-Lesson-Plan-2021-by-@TeacherToolkit.pdf Ross McGill books (including his upcoming science of learning release) https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Ross-Morrison-McGill/author/B00G33GTEO?ref=ap_rdr&shoppingPortalEnabled=true Ross McGill bio and website https://www.teachertoolkit.co.uk/ross-morrison-mcgill/?ad=20190130learnaboutrossmpu
- Apr 27, 202611 min
S2 E34 | What to Expect in the A Level Biology Essay 2026 (AQA Data Analysis)
If you teach AQA A level Biology and want to prepare your students more strategically for the Paper 3 essay, this episode is for you. In this episode, I break down how I analyse every essay title that has appeared since 2007 to identify the themes most likely to return in 2026. I explain the patterns I look for, including frequency, recency, repeat cycles, and long gaps between appearances, and how that helps narrow down the most likely essay topics. I also share the 2 themes I think are worth prioritising this year, plus 2 extra curveball titles that would be excellent essay practice for revision. In this episode, I cover: • how the AQA Biology essay works and what it is really assessing • the patterns that show up repeatedly in past essay titles • which themes can probably be ruled out for 2026 • the two titles I think are strongest to prepare for • how to turn this analysis into practical revision lessons and essay practice The key message is this: this is not about guessing with certainty. It is about using the data to revise and teach more strategically. Resources and links: A Level Biology 2026 Practice Papers: https://www.missestruch.co.uk/2026-A-Level-Biology-Practice-Papers These are designed to be as close to the real exam as possible and are ideal for helping students build exam technique, confidence, and application before summer 2026. They include: • realistic exam style questions • mark schemes • AQA and OCR options • optional video walkthroughs These are especially useful if you want students to: • practise under timed conditions • identify gaps in content knowledge • improve exam technique • build confidence with unfamiliar questions If you found this episode helpful: Please follow the podcast and share it with a colleague teaching A level Biology this year.
- Apr 20, 20266 min
S2 E33 | OCR A Level Biology 2026 - Data-Driven Revision Priorities
If you are teaching OCR A level Biology and wondering where to focus revision for 2026, this episode breaks it down using nine years of past paper analysis. In this episode, I share exactly: • The topics that are consistently heavily assessed across Papers 1, 2 and 3 • What was significantly underassessed in 2025 • How those two datasets overlap and why that matters • The highest priority topics for each paper • How to approach synoptic revision effectively for Paper 3 • Why Module 2 foundations still matter, even when not explicitly tested The key message this year is clear: The topics that have historically driven exam performance are the same topics that were underrepresented in 2025. This gives you a very strong, data-driven direction for what to prioritise now. What to Focus on for 2026: Paper 1 priorities: • Transport in plants • Excretion • Neuronal and hormonal communication • Communication and homeostasis • Photosynthesis and respiration Paper 2 priorities: • Communicable diseases • Biological molecules • Manipulating genomes • Cloning and biotechnology • Biodiversity and evolution Paper 3 priorities: • Synoptic links across modules • Respiration and photosynthesis • Biodiversity • Communicable diseases Plus: • How to embed Module 2 foundations across all revision Links and Resources: A Level Biology 2026 Practice Papers (AQA and OCR): https://www.missestruch.co.uk/2026-A-Level-Biology-Practice-Papers These papers are designed to be as close to the real exam as possible, with: • Realistic exam structure and question style • A strong balance of AO1, AO2 and AO3 • Mark schemes included • Optional video walkthroughs for full explanations If you found this helpful: Follow the podcast so you do not miss future episodes Share it with a colleague teaching OCR this year And explore the full dataset linked in the episode
About Miss Estruch Teach & Tell
Welcome to Miss Estruch Teach & Tell —the podcast dedicated to helping busy teachers streamline their workload, improve productivity, and find more joy in teaching. Whether you’ve been in the classroom for years or you’re navigating the challenges of balancing work with being a busy mum, this show is designed for you.Join Miss Estruch each week as she shares time-saving teaching tips, engaging Biology lesson ideas, and powerful edtech tools that make your life easier while boosting the quality of your lessons. From candid teacher confessions to practical strategies that work, we dive deep into what it means to thrive both in and out of the classroom.Expect relatable anecdotes, actionable takeaways, and an authentic community of educators who understand the struggle to achieve a sustainable work-life balance. If you're ready to take your teaching to the next level while reclaiming your personal time, hit that subscribe button now!
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