Think back to the last time you sat an exam. Driving test? A swimming badge? A language speaking test? Now imagine being asked to retake it again and again without ever getting the chance to address what went wrong. If somebody fails an exam, is the best process to simply begin a chain of resitting the exam? For too many young people in GCSE English resit classrooms, that’s the reality. Lessons can become ‘exam factories’, past paper after past paper, reminding learners of the grade they didn’t achieve, rather than helping them rebuild skills and confidence.

I know how much environment shapes learning. In my first year of studying A Level English, I thrived. I liked my class, felt encouraged, and soaked up every lesson. By the second year, with a new teacher and different group, my confidence and motivation plummeted. I skipped lessons, disengaged, and my results reflected that. It showed me first-hand how powerful teaching approaches and classroom culture can be. 

That’s why the Education and Training Foundation is proud to have been awarded a grant to develop a new GCSE English CPD package for resit teachers in FE colleges across England. Our aim is simple: to help teachers move beyond exam-drill lessons and create more engaging, relevant, and supportive learning experiences. Past papers still matter, but they shouldn’t define the whole classroom.

Our CPD focuses on practical strategies for:

  • Improving reading and writing in ways that connect to real communication skills 
  • Boosting engagement and motivation, so learners want to attend 
  • Using assessment for learning, not just assessment of learning 
  • Adapting lessons for SEND and neurodivergent learners, with tools such as AI, that support accessibility 
  • Embedding trauma-informed practice, so learners feel safe to take risks, make mistakes, and rebuild their confidence.  

We know that when learners enjoy lessons, they’re more likely to attend. If they attend, they’re more likely to learn. And if they learn, their chances of achieving a Grade 4 or above grow. 

By equipping teachers with fresh approaches and practical tools through a blend of live online CPD, self-guided eLearning, a train-the-trainer model, and new communities of practice, we can transform resit classrooms into spaces of opportunity. Together, we can give learners not just another exam paper, but a renewed place of opportunity. 

To find out more, email english@etfoundation.co.uk