SECOND EDITION, UPDATED FOR 2026 About the book

The New Teacher Survival Kit is a comprehensive guide to being a successful new teacher from the best-selling author of 'The Working Classroom', 'Why School Doesn't Work for Every Child', and 'Head, Hand, and Heart'.

This book is the perfect companion whether you're contemplating training to be a teacher, have already embarked upon a teacher-training programme, or are working as an early career teacher in a school. It offers practical advice on how to make a good first impression with staff, learners and parents, as well as how to develop your 'presence' in the classroom, create a positive learning environment, and manage your workload and wellbeing.

The New Teacher Survival Kit is also a 'one stop shop' of strategies on all aspects of classroom practice: behaviour management, lesson planning, teaching, and marking and feedback.

About the author

Matt Bromley is a newspaper columnist, education journalist, and author of numerous bestselling books on education, as well as two novels. He writes a monthly op-ed column for The Yorkshire Post newspaper, is SecEd Magazine's most prolific and popular writer, and has written more than fifteen books on teaching and educational leadership. He co-hosts an award-winning podcast.

He is CEO of bee and Chair of the Building Equity in Education Campaign. He has over twenty-five years' experience in teaching and leadership including as a secondary school headteacher and academy principal, further education college vice principal, and multi-academy trust director.

Having started as a local newspaper journalist then worked at senior levels in the telecoms industry, he has spent most of his career in education as an English teacher and school leader, and is now a public speaker, teacher trainer, and school improvement advisor.

What readers say about Matt Bromley's books

"One of the most important voices in teaching" - Pete Henshaw, Editor of SecEd and Headteacher Update magazines

"Essential reading" - Mary Myatt, education consultant

"Wonderfully apposite and eloquent" - James O'Brien, LBC presenter and author

"Highly readable and engaging, thoughtful and inspiring" - Jean Gross CBE, former government advisor

"Thought-provoking and challenging" - Duncan Jacques CBE, school leader

"Judicious mix of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent application - excellent" - Roy Blatchford, Chair ASCL Forgotten Third Commission

"Hard-hitting, poignant, methodical and practical" - Mick Waters