Making years 7 to 9 count

The Ambitious Years is a set of tools and resources that helps schools and trusts reframe years 7 to 9 as the intellectual powerhouse of secondary education.

It inspires stronger professional conversations and sharper curriculum thinking to equip students with better reading skills, deeper knowledge and more confidence to aim higher and go further.

Research-based tools
Practical & Actionable
Ambitious Outcomes
Start here
KS3 Teacher and Students

Getting started

These research-based resources are designed to enrich your Key Stage 3 curriculum. They provide structure and support to help you make years 7 to 9 a time of deep learning, curiosity and intellectual growth for every pupil.

Choose your pathway to get started.

Classroom teachers
Sample lesson resources and teacher and pupil booklets to help you plan and teach more ambitious content with confidence.
Subject leaders
Teaching content, curriculum frameworks, and conversation and planning tools to shape a coherent KS3 offering.
Senior leaders
Planning tools, teaching and curriculum support, and an evaluation toolkit to raise KS3 standards across your school.
Classroom teacher

Classroom teachers

Sample lesson resources and teacher and pupil booklets to help you plan and teach a more ambitious Key Stage 3 with confidence.
Start
Subject leader with students

Subject leaders

Teaching content, curriculum frameworks, and conversation and planning tools to shape a coherent KS3 offering.
Start
Senior leader with students

Senior leaders

Planning tools, teaching and curriculum support, and an evaluation toolkit to raise KS3 leadership across your school.
Start

Going further

The starter resources are the first step towards imagining and transforming Key Stage 3. The Ambitious Years also offers further support and guidance with an annual subscription plan.

Highlights of a whole-school subscription include:

  • half-termly live webinars on pedagogy and practice 
  • half-termly drop-in office hours 
  • a curated termly collection of films, prompts and reflections based on curriculum, leadership and inclusion
  • a growing library of geography, history and religious education teacher and pupil booklets
  • access to Huh Academy courses

Going further

The resources on this website are the first step towards imagining and transforming Key Stage 3. The Ambitious Years also offers further support and guidance with an annual whole-school subscription plan.

half-termly live webinars on pedagogy and practice 

half-termly live webinars on pedagogy and practice 

a curated termly collection of films, prompts and reflections based on curriculum, leadership and inclusion

a growing library of geography, history and religious education teacher and pupil booklets

access to Huh Academy courses

Highlights of a whole-school subscription include:

half-termly live webinars on pedagogy and practice 

half-termly drop-in office hours

A curated termly collection of films, prompts and reflections based on curriculum, leadership and inclusion

a growing library of geography, history and religious education teacher and pupil booklets

access to Huh Academy courses

Getting started

These research-based resources are designed to enrich your Key Stage 3 curriculum. They provide the structure and support to help you make years 7 to 9 a time of deep learning, curiosity and intellectual growth for every pupil.

To get started, choose the route that applies to you.

Going further

The resources on this website are the first step towards imagining and transforming Key Stage 3. The Ambitious Years also offers further support and guidance with an annual whole-school subscription plan.

Subscription highlights

  • Half-termly live webinars on pedagogy and practice

  • Half-termly drop-in office hours

  • A curated termly collection of films, prompts and reflections based on curriculum, leadership and inclusion

  • A growing library of geography, history and religious education teacher and pupil booklets

  • Access to Huh Academy courses

Key Stage 3 resources

Free KS3 materials to get started

Explore our free Key Stage 3 resources: from downloadble PDFs, ready-to-use booklets to KS3 intro videos.

01

Introduction Videos

An introductory series to the KS3: The Ambitious Years with Mary Myatt and Steve Willshaw.
Videos
01

Introduction videos

An introductory series to the KS3: The Ambitious Years with Mary Myatt and Steve Willshaw.
Videos
Free
02

Self-Evaluation Toolkit

Toolkit to support senior leaders and teaching teams to evaluate and improve KS3 standards.
Toolkit
PDF
03

Teacher and Pupil Booklets

Ready-to-use teaching materials and pupils' booklets in History, Geography and RE.
Booklets
PDF
04

Curriculum Conversations

Five questions and three essential readings for every subject in Key Stage 3.
Readings
PDF
05

5 Steps

Five steps in each subject. To help primary and secondary colleagues work together.
Framework
Misc
01

Introduction videos

An introductory series to the KS3: The Ambitious Years with Mary Myatt and Steve Willshaw.
Videos
Free
01

Introduction Videos

An introductory series to the KS3: The Ambitious Years with Mary Myatt and Steve Willshaw.
Videos
Free
02

Self-Evaluation Toolkit

Toolkit to support senior leaders and teaching teams to evaluate and improve KS3 standards.
Toolkit
PDF
03

Teacher and Pupil Booklets

Ready-to-use teaching materials and pupils' booklets in History, Geography and RE.
Booklets
PDF
04

Curriculum Conversations

Five questions and three essential readings for every subject in Key Stage 3.
Readings
PDF
05

5 Steps

Five steps in each subject. To help primary and secondary colleagues work together.
Framework
Misc

Book

KS3: The Ambitious Years

Why Years 7-9 matter more than you think

Mary Myatt’s new book is now available.

It sets out the key thinking behind The Ambitious Years and is packed full of insights about transforming Key Stage 3 from the wasted years to ones of ambition and promise.

Paperback

Kindle

KS3: The Ambitious Years

Mary Myatt’s new book is now available.

It sets out the key thinking behind The Ambitious Years and is packed full of insights about transforming Key Stage 3 from the wasted years to ones of ambition and promise.

Paperback

Kindle

KS3: The Ambitious Years

Why years 7-9 matter more than we think

Mary Myatt’s new book is now available.

It’s packed full of insights and sets out the key thinking behind reclaiming KS3 from wasted years to ambitious years full of promise.

Paperback

Kindle

KS3: The Ambitious Years

Why years 7-9 matter more than we think

Mary Myatt’s new book is now available.

It sets out the key thinking behind The Ambitious Years and is packed full of insights about reclaiming KS3 from wasted years to ambitious years full and promise.

Testimonials

What trust leaders are saying about The Ambitious Years

"The materials are helping us use ambitious texts with younger pupils in a way we had not thought possible.

The units are flexible enough to adapt to our existing curriculum while strengthening what pupils learn."
Gosforth Group
Multi Academy Trust
"Finger tracking and reading texts aloud twice have been particularly successful strategies in the classroom. (...) The materials have been well received by colleagues, and there is an appetite to expand them into other departments."
Altus Education Partneship
Multi Academy Trust
"The resources have been successfully woven into our existing ways of working. (...) Pupils really enjoyed the Prisoners of Geography unit and many went away and bought the book for themselves."
Gosforth Group
Multi Academy Trust
"The first year of implementation is always the hardest, but teachers and students are already becoming more comfortable with the approach.

Departments value the autonomy to adapt the curriculum to their context while keeping fidelity to the core text."
Altus Education Partneship
Multi Academy Trust

Testimonials

What trust leaders are saying about The Ambitious Years.

"The materials are helping us use ambitious texts with younger pupils in a way we had not thought possible.

The units are flexible enough to adapt to our existing curriculum while strengthening what pupils learn."
Gosforth Group
Multi Academy Trust
"Finger tracking and reading texts aloud twice have been particularly successful strategies in the classroom. (...) The materials have been well received by colleagues, and there is an appetite to expand them into other departments."
Altus Education Partneship
Multi Academy Trust
"The resources have been successfully woven into our existing ways of working. (...) Pupils really enjoyed the Prisoners of Geography unit and many went away and bought the book for themselves."
Gosforth Group
Multi Academy Trust
"The first year of implementation is always the hardest, but teachers and students are already becoming more comfortable with the approach.

Departments value the autonomy to adapt the curriculum to their context while keeping fidelity to the core text."
Altus Education Partneship
Multi Academy Trust

Book

Get in touch

We’re here to help you find the right support, resources and next steps for your school. 
Message us

Get in touch

We’re here to help you find the right support, resources and next steps for your school. 

To find out more about subscribing to The Ambitious Years, email us at hello@ambitiousyears.com or fill in the form below.
Message us