David Didau

David Didau is an education author and consultant who specialises in translating cognitive science and psychology into practical teaching strategies that improve classroom practice, particularly in literacy and learning. With 15 years of classroom experience and a portfolio of influential books including *What Every Teacher Needs to Know About Psychology*, he has shaped policy through direct consultation with Ofsted and the Department for Education, contributing to reforms in lesson observations and teacher workload. His blog, *The Learning Spy*, ranks amongst the UK's most influential education platforms, reaching millions of educators. David equips teachers and school leaders with evidence-based methods to enhance how children learn, helping them challenge unexamined assumptions and create more effective learning environments rooted in research rather than intuition.

In 2011, David Didau launched The Learning Spy, a blog born from 15 years of classroom frustration and a determination to bridge the gap between education research and teaching practice. What began as an outlet for synthesising cognitive psychology with everyday classroom challenges quickly became one of the UK's most influential education platforms, now reaching millions of educators globally. His writing resonated because it articulated what ordinary teachers experienced daily whilst offering practical solutions grounded in evidence rather than intuition. The blog's impact extended far beyond page views, positioning David as a leading voice in reshaping how the profession thinks about teaching, learning, and literacy development, particularly in primary and secondary classrooms where foundational skills are established.

David's influence on UK education policy has been substantial and measurable. He led the campaign against graded lesson observations, speaking at national conferences and writing articles that directly influenced Ofsted's approach to classroom inspection. In 2014, he consulted on the Inspection Handbook, contributing to reforms that scrapped lesson observation grades and shifted inspectors towards asking questions about practice rather than imposing preferred methodologies. He also advised the Department for Education on reducing teacher workload, contributing to the 2015 report on making marking manageable. His books, including *The Secret of Literacy*, *What If Everything You Knew About Education Was Wrong?*, and *What Every Teacher Needs to Know About Psychology*, co-written with Nick Rose, translate complex cognitive science into accessible strategies that help teachers understand how children actually learn, with particular emphasis on making implicit knowledge explicit for younger learners.

David equips educators with evidence-based methods that challenge unexamined assumptions and improve classroom outcomes. His work focuses on helping teachers recognise that learning is often invisible, encouraging them to rethink their approaches to literacy, memory, feedback, and motivation in ways that align with how children's minds develop. Through keynote presentations, school consultancy, and his ongoing Substack writing, he helps teachers and school leaders create more effective learning environments rooted in research rather than instinct. In 2026, David will keynote at researchED Ballarat during his first visit to Australia, working with educators in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, and Perth to share strategies that make schools better places for children to learn and teachers to thrive.