Government policy

Exam grading 2021: What are the key challenges ahead?

3 May 2021

Several trends are emerging from the concerns that school leaders have about this summer’s exam grading process. Tom Middlehurst looks at the main sticking points and offers advice and reassurance for secondary school leaders and teachers

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Sexual violence and harassment: How schools must respond

14 April 2021

As thousands of young people share their experiences of sexual harassment and violence, both in and out of schools – safeguarding expert Hannah Glossop looks at how schools can sharpen their policies and procedures

Full re-opening on March 8: Safeguarding priorities

24 February 2021

With schools due to re-open fully from March 8, safeguarding issues will be foremost in our minds and our preparations must begin now. Expert Elizabeth Rose advises on what our priorities and approaches should look like

Schools post-Covid: Five changes for the better

8 December 2020

What changes should schools make in the post-Covid world? What are the new priorities? Malcolm Groves outlines five changes for the better that school leaders say they want to see

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Social justice and schools: Accountability

1 December 2020

In a seven-part series, teacher and school leader Dave Anderson considers how schools can be a key driver for social justice and how we can make our education system more equitable. In the final part, he tackles our school accountability system and the dreaded ‘O’…

Social justice and schools: Assessment

24 November 2020

In a seven-part series, teacher and school leader Dave Anderson considers how schools can be a key driver for social justice and how we can make our education system more equitable. In part six, he looks at the problems with our system of assessment and examinations

Online learning: There is nothing remote about it

18 November 2020

Learning cannot be remote. But it can take place online. Having seen the various official contributions to the remote education push, Bob Harrison despairs…

What should remote education look like in your school?

11 November 2020

What is remote learning? What isn’t it? And how are schools approaching it? Tom Middlehurst takes a practical look at what school leaders and teachers can and should be doing to fulfil their legal and moral obligations this term and beyond

RSE and parental consultation: Getting it right

4 November 2020

Parental engagement and consultation is a vital component of effective relationships and sex education. Leah Jewett offers her advice to secondary schools on RSE delivery and parental engagement

A question of time? Priorities and considerations for the ‘catch-up’ funding

21 October 2020

The Covid catch-up funding should not be used simply to create more ‘time’ for schooling, but should be used to make the most of the time we have and to get students to a place where they can re-engage with their learning. Jon Gibson and Ben Slater explain

The National Tutoring Programme roll-out: How will it work?

14 October 2020

The £350m National Tutoring Programme will begin operation after the October half-term. Two main strands will support schools’ work with pupils whose education has been hit hard by the Covid-19 lockdown. Director Robbie Coleman looks at how it works in practice

Covid-19 and schools: Taking stock and the challenges ahead

7 October 2020

As half-term approaches, Geoff Barton takes stock on the first five weeks of full re-opening and the challenges still facing schools. He covers Ofsted, examinations, remote education, budgets, accountability and life after the pandemic...

The Forgotten Third: The students destined to fail – and what we can do about it...

7 September 2020

The 2019 Forgotten Third inquiry laid bare the injustice facing those students who are destined to fail their GCSEs in English and maths. Chair of the report group, Professor Roy Blatchford, has now written a book looking at what schools can do to improve the life chances of the forgotten third...

Keeping children safe in education – analysis of the latest update

25 August 2020

Once again, the statutory safeguarding guidance Keeping children safe in education has been updated ahead of the new school year. Sara Alston looks at what has changed in the new guidance

GDPR, data protection and remote learning

6 July 2020

In a world of online learning, data protection has never been more important. Have you got your bases covered? Lynne Taylor advises

Social justice and schools: Education policy & policy-makers

6 July 2020

In a seven-part series, teacher and school leader David Anderson considers how schools can be a key driver for social justice and how we can make our education system more equitable. In part four, he looks at how education policy can help or hinder social justice

Clarity, communication and flexibility: Preparations ahead of June 15

2 June 2020

As things stand, June 15 will see more students returning to secondary schools. Headteacher Phil Denton is preparing to welcome his year 10s back. He discusses his reflections, practical considerations and the preparations that his team is putting in place

June 15: I will not be re-opening my school until I believe it is safe to do so

26 May 2020

The request that secondary schools lay on ‘face-to-face’ provision for year 10 and 12 students has caused confusion amid unclear and delayed guidance and shambolic government communication. Ben Solly will not be re-opening his school until he believes it is safe to do so

Social justice and schools: Collaboration vs competition

25 May 2020

In this seven-part series, teacher and school leader David Anderson considers how schools can be a key driver for social justice and offers us a blueprint for how we can make our education system more equitable. In part two, he looks at why we must end our system’s obsession with competition – and ...

Ed-tech: Making industry collaboration work for your school

11 May 2020

Collaboration between schools and ed-tech companies is one of the priorities of the government’s digital strategy. Al Kingsley looks at the risks, rewards and cost-benefits for schools considering a co-production partnership

Demonstrator Hubs: A welcome development in the face of our pedagogy-light ed-tech strategy

24 April 2020

As the DfE unveils which schools have been successful in their bid to become new ed-tech Demonstrator Hubs, Bob Harrison says that this promising project must not distract from the on-going challenges facing computing education and our pedagogy-light ed-tech strategy

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Coronavirus: Provision and teaching in school during the crisis

23 March 2020

For the foreseeable future, schools are only open to children of key workers, vulnerable students or those with an EHCP. Matt Bromley looks at what kind of provision we can reasonably offer these students at a time of national crisis and staff shortages

Coronavirus: Key messages from latest DfE guidance for schools

22 March 2020

Government guidance published on Sunday (March 22) outlines how schools are expected to operate during the coronavirus pandemic. Former school leader Matt Bromley takes a look and offers his advice

Coronavirus: Crisis management and school closure – issues to consider

18 March 2020

Schools are closing across the UK in the face of the coronavirus emergency. As they prepare to shut their doors, Matt Bromley looks at some of the issues headteachers will need to think about, including practical considerations, supporting staff, the continuation of learning, and safeguarding

SEND and SENCO support: Tenets of best practice

4 March 2020

The high numbers of pupils with SEN are putting a huge strain on school finances – and on SENCOs themselves. Margaret Mulholland looks at some tenets of best practice, what Ofsted wants to see, and how schools can best support their SENCOs