Includes 45-75min keynotes; half and full days; and twilights (onsite or online).
Consultancy to Strengthen Learning
Keynotes, Workshops, and Seminars
All staff: James designs PD that is suitable for leaders, teachers, support staff, administrators, and board members.
All phases: a distinct aspect of James’s work is his ability to connect with staff in all phrases: preschool, primary, middle, secondary and college.
Invite your networks: James is happy to work with any sized group so feel free to share the costs by inviting guests – as far as he’s concerned, the more the merrier.


Within Class Guidance
Working alongside staff to model implementation in your context with your students.
Demonstration lessons: this is one of the offers that sets James apart from other consultants. Give him any class, any age and he’ll show observers some of the best ways to implement the strategies he has been recommending to staff. The ideal format is time to preview, followed by the demo, then a bit of time to review and answer staff questions (the review can be after school if that’s easier).
Team teaching: this can include planning together and then co-teaching, or James joining a ‘regular’ lesson and giving recommendations along the way.
Within Class Guidance
Working alongside staff to model implementation in your context with your students.
Demonstration lessons: this is one of the offers that sets James apart from other consultants. Give him any class, any age and he’ll show observers some of the best ways to implement the strategies he has been recommending to staff. The ideal format is time to preview, followed by the demo, then a bit of time to review and answer staff questions (the review can be after school if that’s easier).
Team teaching: this can include planning together and then co-teaching, or James joining a ‘regular’ lesson and giving recommendations along the way.

Staff Coaching
Guiding, questioning, or leading staff towards improved skills, approaches, or thinking (onsite or online).
Coaching for leaders (senior or middle): adding value with leadership, problem solving, idea generation, PD design, and systems analysis.
Staff coaching: this can include generating ideas with teams, PLCs, or individuals to add extra value to curriculum, enrichment days/activities, learning to learn programs, and so on.
Coaches coaching: support for those leading in-house professional learning. This can include coaching, help with slides, flow of presentation, and so on.


Evidence Collecting
Bringing a fresh pair of eyes to your context.
Data collection: at the beginning, middle and end of a longer-term project, James recommends that he takes a learning walk around your building(s) to capture where he thinks you are in terms of progress towards your agreed vision. Each of these visits can be captured in a written report with examples of evidence, questions, and recommendations for next steps.
Interviews: James builds trust quickly. He uses this to encourage staff, students, parents, and other members of the community to share honest insights into their experiences. He sends the anonymised, audio recordings to his office to turn into written transcripts that support his subsequent recommendations.
Action shots: when on a learning walk, James is happy to add an extra dimension – the capture of some fabulous photographs of your students engaged in learning for use on your website, brochures, newsletters, and so on.
Evidence Collecting
Bringing a fresh pair of eyes to your context.
Data collection: at the beginning, middle and end of a longer-term project, James recommends that he takes a learning walk around your building(s) to capture where he thinks you are in terms of progress towards your agreed vision. Each of these visits can be captured in a written report with examples of evidence, questions, and recommendations for next steps.
Interviews: James builds trust quickly. He uses this to encourage staff, students, parents, and other members of the community to share honest insights into their experiences. He sends the anonymised, audio recordings to his office to turn into written transcripts that support his subsequent recommendations.
Action shots: when on a learning walk, James is happy to add an extra dimension – the capture of some fabulous photographs of your students engaged in learning for use on your website, brochures, newsletters, and so on.

Videos and Webinars
Making good use of asynchronous and online media to engage absent or new staff.
Videos: these are now a cornerstone of the support that James offers. Sometimes used as a surrogate for ‘live’ events, but primarily used as a supplement, videos recorded specifically for your team can help to prepare for PD events; revisit key ideas; and/or induct new staff. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it! They are enormously successful and popular.
Webinars: similar to the videos; webinars can replace in-person events (and often do) but can also add extra dimensions by offering a Q&A before or a few weeks after a PD event. Furthermore, they enable absent staff (e.g. those on maternity leave) to connect with and keep abreast of improvements in your school’s approach to teaching, leading, and learning.


Engaging Your Community
Helping parents, board members, and local organisations understand some of the best ways to support your students’ learning.
Parents’ presentations: James has made more 300+ presentations to parent groups around the world. The most popular topics include, How to encourage your children to step out of their comfort zone more willingly; the do’s and don’ts of helping children with homework; why some types of praise can make your child less determined rather than more; and the magic of figuring it out.
Shared visioning: helping your whole team (and invited community members) to identify the priorities, values, and preferred outcomes for your students.
Engaging Your Community
Helping parents, board members, and local organisations understand some of the best ways to support your students’ learning.
Parents’ presentations: James has made more 300+ presentations to parent groups around the world. The most popular topics include, How to encourage your children to step out of their comfort zone more willingly; the do’s and don’ts of helping children with homework; why some types of praise can make your child less determined rather than more; and the magic of figuring it out.
Shared visioning: helping your whole team (and invited community members) to identify the priorities, values, and preferred outcomes for your students.

My Commitment To You
From the day I began full time consultancy in 1999, I have committed to the following principles:
- I will give you our very best blend of research analysis, high expectations, good humour, and practical advice – all tailor-made for your context.
- I will be clear about what works best. Rather than flipping from one buzz word to another, I will stay true to the vision, values and strategies that enable ALL students (& staff) to thrive.
- I will walk the talk – give me any class of students, any age and I will run demonstration lessons for you to observe & review.
Benefits You Can Expect
When he knows your starting point and desired outcomes, James can give you a precise idea of expected gains together with an associated timeline. For now, here are examples of outcomes achieved by others he’s worked with.
- Students become more willing to take intellectual risks, ask thoughtful questions, and engage in challenging tasks with a sense of efficacy & resilience.
- Staff and students are more likely to welcome feedback and use if more effectively to deepen their learning.
- Improved questioning strategies lead students from surface knowledge to deep learning more effectively.
Common Questions & Answers
Why should I choose to work with James Nottingham?
James has been consulting with schools around the world for more than 20 years. He knows and understands the various contexts and is committed to providing support that is aligned to your specific needs and structures. James stays current with educational research and is able to consistently make connections between the strategies he suggests and the research to support them. Throughout his 20+ years in consultancy, he has developed his message to fit the current times, but has stayed true to his core foundations, including the Learning Pit as a framework for learning, encouraging challenge, and focussing learning and the learner.
What sort of consultancy does James provide?
James offers keynotes for conferences and seminars. He also does a lot of in-school consultancy; puts on conferences and institutes; and creates customised videos and webinars .
His main themes are learning, mastery, and engagement. He works with all staff connected to the education of students aged 3-19, including teachers, leaders, support staff, coaches, consultants, directors and superintendents.
In addition to his consultancy services, he also has a range of books, lesson resources, videos, and Learning Pit downloads.
What is the focus of the James's consultancy?
James wants to help make learning more challenging; and he wants educators to think about how to build a culture where all learners are supported.
He knows that more learning happens when people step outside their comfort zone; that more reflection and strategy comes from mistakes than from easy success.
And yet, all too often educators try to make things easier for their students; partly because they don’t want lessons to descend into chaos when everyone is confused, but mainly because there simply isn’t time for confusion – there’s too much information to get through and the exams are just around the corner! Parents are also susceptible: witness the increasing number of terms used to describe those who would design struggle out of their children’s lives: ‘helicopter parents’; ‘curling parents’; ‘snowplough parents’; ‘bonsai parents’ and so on.
James’s proposition is to go contrary to these latest trends by introducing more challenge, not less. Encourage everyone to step out of their comfort zone; to investigate; to seek alternatives; to reject easy answers; to engage in more thoughtful questioning; to seek reasons and counter-arguments. In other words: to seek out challenge rather than to avoid it; to go into the Learning Pit rather than play it safe and stick to what you know.
He shows educators how this can be done, even with a crowded curriculum, hesitant students and helicopter parents. He shares research that confirms people have to struggle if they are to remember lessons long into the future; that more learning comes from examining mistakes than from verifying answers.
He makes learning more challenging because the evidence is clear: we all grow when we step out of our comfort zone. And he challenges the way learning takes place because there’s always a better way – be it more effective, more efficient, more ethical or more collaborative.
Does James offer anything for parents?
Most of James’s work is with teachers, leaders and support staff working with 3-19-year-olds. However, when he does long-term work with schools, pre-schools or colleges, he often runs parent workshops in which he shares the latest research and best ideas for supporting children’s learning. This includes how (and how not) to praise; how to help children get into a growth mindset, develop self-esteem and build self-efficacy; giving advice about grading and labelling; looking at the best ways to approach mistakes and failure; practising questioning that engages curiosity and conversation; and developing a range of strategies for reasoning and reasonable behaviour.
As well as these workshops, he recommends his book Encouraging Learning (2013). This inspiring, humorous, and practical book will show you what to do to help children of all ages develop into confident, thoughtful and independent learners.
Does James offer anything for individual teachers as well as teams?
He hosts conferences, workshops and roadshows – all of which are available to individuals as well as groups and teams. There are also all nine of his books, plus the lesson ideas, downloadable resources and videos available on this site.
What’s the best type of professional development for my team?
Get in touch and James can help you decide! He will ask about your context and your aims, then offer some suggestions for your next steps. He won’t push and He won’t offer you a pre-formulated package. Instead, he will listen carefully to your thoughts and then help you design the best blend of resources, support and consultancy that builds capacity and leads to significant and sustainable improvements in teaching, learning and leadership.
TALK WITH US ...
We’ll connect with you via phone or video call to answer your questions
TALK WITH OTHERS ...
We’ll put you in touch with people already working with Challenging Learning to give you an insider’s view of our services
REQUEST A PROPOSAL ...
We’ll send you a detailed draft proposal, showing the extent of our support and the costs involved
TALK FACE-TO-FACE ...
We’ll arrange to meet your key decision-makers face-to-face
GO ON A STUDY TOUR ...
We’ll organise a study tour for you and your colleagues to visit some of the schools and districts making gains with the support of Challenging Learning
Common Questions & Answers
Why should I choose to work with James Nottingham?
James has been consulting with schools around the world for more than 20 years. He knows and understands the various contexts and is committed to providing support that is aligned to your specific needs and structures. James stays current with educational research and is able to consistently make connections between the strategies he suggests and the research to support it. Throughout his 20+ years in consultancy, he has developed his message to fit the current times, but has stayed true to his foundations, including the Learning Pit and a focus on the learning environment.
What sort of consultancy does James provide?
James offers keynotes for conferences and seminars. He also does a lot of in-school consultancy; puts on conferences and institutes; and creates customised videos and webinars .
His main themes are learning, mastery, and engagement. He works with all staff connected to the education of students aged 3-19, including teachers, leaders, support staff, coaches, consultants, directors and superintendents.
In addition to his consultancy services, he also has a range of books, lesson resources, videos, and Learning Pit downloads.
What is the focus of James's consultancy?
James wants to help make learning more challenging; and he wants educators to think about how to build a culture where all learners are supported.
He knows that more learning happens when people step outside their comfort zone; that more reflection and strategy comes from mistakes than from easy success.
And yet, all too often educators try to make things easier for their students; partly because they don’t want lessons to descend into chaos when everyone is confused, but mainly because there simply isn’t time for confusion – there’s too much information to get through and the exams are just around the corner! Parents are also susceptible: witness the increasing number of terms used to describe those who would design struggle out of their children’s lives: ‘helicopter parents’; ‘curling parents’; ‘snowplough parents’; ‘bonsai parents’ and so on.
James’s proposition is to go contrary to these latest trends by introducing more challenge, not less. Encourage everyone to step out of their comfort zone; to investigate; to seek alternatives; to reject easy answers; to engage in more thoughtful questioning; to seek reasons and counter-arguments. In other words: to seek out challenge rather than to avoid it; to go into the Learning Pit rather than play it safe and stick to what you know.
He shows educators how this can be done, even with a crowded curriculum, hesitant students and helicopter parents. He shares research that confirms people have to struggle if they are to remember lessons long into the future; that more learning comes from examining mistakes than from verifying answers.
He makes learning more challenging because the evidence is clear: we all grow when we step out of our comfort zone. And he challenges the way learning takes place because there’s always a better way – be it more effective, more efficient, more ethical or more collaborative.
Does James offer anything for parents?
Most of James’s work is with teachers, leaders and support staff working with 3-19-year-olds. However, when he does long-term work with schools, pre-schools or colleges, he often runs parent workshops in which he shares the latest research and best ideas for supporting children’s learning. This includes how (and how not) to praise; how to help children get into a growth mindset, develop self-esteem and build self-efficacy; giving advice about grading and labelling; looking at the best ways to approach mistakes and failure; practising questioning that engages curiosity and conversation; and developing a range of strategies for reasoning and reasonable behaviour.
As well as these workshops, he recommends his book Encouraging Learning (2013). This inspiring, humorous, and practical book will show you what to do to help children of all ages develop into confident, thoughtful and independent learners.
Does James offer anything for individual teachers as well as teams?
He hosts conferences, workshops and roadshows – all of which are available to individuals as well as groups and teams. There are also all nine of his books, plus the lesson ideas, downloadable resources and videos available on this site.
What’s the best type of professional development for my team?
Get in touch and James can help you decide! He will ask about your context and your aims, then offer some suggestions for your next steps. He won’t push and He won’t offer you a pre-formulated package. Instead, he will listen carefully to your thoughts and then help you design the best blend of resources, support and consultancy that builds capacity and leads to significant and sustainable improvements in teaching, learning and leadership.
TALK WITH US ...
We’ll connect with you via phone or video call to answer your questions
TALK WITH OTHERS ...
We’ll put you in touch with people already working with Challenging Learning to give you an insider’s view of our services
SEND A PROPOSAL ...
We’ll send you a detailed draft proposal, showing the extent of our support and the costs involved
TALK FACE-TO-FACE ...
We’ll arrange to meet your key decision-makers face-to-face
STUDY TOUR ...
We’ll organise a study tour for you and your colleagues to visit some of the schools and districts making gains with the support of Challenging Learning
Regional Contacts
Head Office (UK)
engage@learningpit.org
T: +44 1670 330036
USA (CST)
engage@learningpit.org
T: +44 1670 330036
Japan
Clare Barnfather
T: +81 90 6434 1256
Head Office Address
Challenging Learning,
2 Linnet Court,
Cawledge Business Park,
Alnwick, Northumberland,
NE66 2GD, UK
