The cost of not being racially literate 24 May 2022 The political impartiality guidance risks stunting burgeoning conversations on racial literacy. Viv Grant says we cannot afford to go backwards and must reject this ‘teaching by numbers’ approach
Farewell then, the school-led system? 23 May 2022 The Schools Bill currently passing through Parliament will be the beginning of the end of any real sense of autonomy for our schools, says Dr Mary Bousted
Papers and Bills: A missed opportunity 16 May 2022 Whatever your view on academies, one thing is clear: the government’s obsession with structural reform will not on its own transform an education system. Geoff Barton on the unambitious plans of the DfE.
A national demonstration: Will you be there? 9 May 2022 Serious recruitment and retention issues and the cost-of-living crisis is compounding workload and wellbeing issues at the chalkface. Dr Patrick Roach calls on teachers to join a national demonstration on June 18 calling for change
The Schools Supplementary Grant is entrenching inequalities 3 May 2022 We risk entrenching educational inequalities via flaws in the distribution of the vital Schools Supplementary Grant. This could have the biggest impact on our most vulnerable students, say Warren Carratt and Susan Douglas
Back to normal? Is that where we need to be? 3 May 2022 We all want to get back to normal – but is it still appropriate in the ‘new normal’ of the 21st century to be using 19th century assessment methods? Helen Osgood pleads for change
Is your school cyber-secure? 25 April 2022 Is your school cyber-secure? Are you preparing your students for life in a world where cyber-security will be crucial to their futures? Computing and technology specialist Dave Gibbs urges schools to step-up their focus on cyber-space
Ministers must not abandon UTCs 19 April 2022 Negative headlines about those University Technical Colleges that have closed must not frighten ministers into abandoning a programme that is proving life-changing for some students, says David Harbourne
Do you know what independent learning is? 5 April 2022 Schools quite rightly prize the value of independent learning skills, but students cannot learn independently about things they do not know. Amy Forrester considers why empowering teachers to create knowledge-rich learners is the first step to independence
The White Paper: A chance wasted 5 April 2022 Despite having a new education secretary, we are stuck with the same tired ideological blinkers. The education White Paper ignores crucial issues such as poverty and the attainment gap, says Mike Short
Nothing is normal in schools now 28 March 2022 Past mistakes continue to be repeated by ministers even though we are more than two years into a pandemic that is still causing chaos, anxiety and huge workload pressures in schools, says Dr Mary Bousted
Unfair & fragile: The growing case for exam reform 22 March 2022 The return of examinations this summer reminds us of the unfairness and fragility of a system focused almost entirely on terminal exams and reinforces the case for reform, says Geoff Barton
A 12% pay increase from September 21 March 2022 Investing in teachers is investing in pupils’ education, but the proposals over teachers’ pay risk driving more experienced teachers from the chalkface, says Dr Patrick Roach
Dem tell me wha dem want to tell me 15 March 2022 The new guidance on political impartiality in the classroom seems designed to strike the fear of God into teachers for stating certain facts and to prevent them from saying anything deemed anti-establishment, says Anjum Peerbacos
Who wants to be a headteacher? 14 March 2022 The profession is on its knees after two years of working on the front-line of the pandemic. And unless action is taken on workload and wellbeing, the supply of school leaders risks running dry, says Diana Ohene-Darko
For too many, it does not pay to be a teacher 8 March 2022 The controversial reforms to initial teacher training will do nothing to boost recruitment, says Helen Osgood. The plain fact is that teaching is not attractive enough for too many people
Play Your Cards Right: Social mobility and higher education 7 March 2022 Social mobility continues to be a lottery when it comes to university access. STEM ambassador Dr Ajay Sharman considers the challenges we face in broadening access to higher education for our most disadvantaged young people
Attendance: Tackling persistent absence 25 February 2022 We must address the soaring levels of persistent absence at secondary level. But when the most persistently absent children are so often those with the most complex needs, blunt approaches will not work, says Octavia Holland
Covid: So, what do we do now? 22 February 2022 With its decision to scrap all rules relating to Covid, the government once again has placed headteachers, school staff, and parents in an almost impossible position, says Chris Fabby 1 comment
Change is in the air. Can you feel it? 15 February 2022 Change is in the air. Can you feel it? But the boldest thinking about the future of education is certainly not coming from the Department for Education. It’s coming from outside the halls of power and outside education’s echo chamber, says Geoff Barton
When will our exam factory culture end? 14 February 2022 Too many young people are being failed by an examination and qualifications system that is outdated and punitive. Our exam factory culture must end, says Dr Mary Bousted
Accountability: Let’s stop this madness and incentivise the right things 7 February 2022 Our heads face the fiercest accountability system with the direst consequences of any. We cannot continue like this. Sir Tm Brighouse and Professor Mick Waters set out their case for a radical overhaul of school inspection and examination
More than words: Please act now on teacher wellbeing 31 January 2022 The workload and wellbeing crisis in schools is not down to a lack of resilience or competence on the part of teachers and the government’s response must reflect this. Dr Patrick Roach pleads with ministers to act now 1 comment
SEND: A new approach to thinking about funding 28 January 2022 One of the biggest barriers to effective SEND provision remains inadequate funding. The facts and figures have been well-documented. Please, says inclusion expert Daniel Sobel, we need a new mindset...
Pension warning: Schools urged to step in 24 January 2022 The body blow of a pay freeze during the pandemic now risks being compounded by teacher pension losses due to the lack of ‘indexation’ – but schools can act to prevent this. Helen Osgood explains
22 February 2022