From vaccines to laptops: The pandemic to-do list for education grows... 11 January 2021 From the digital divide to teacher vaccination, the government’s pandemic to-do list for education is growing longer by the day. Dr Patrick Roach calls for definitive action and a national plan for schools
At the chalkface: Because you’re poor 11 January 2021 I still can’t do enough penance. I should have been burned in the last circle of hell. She never quite forgave me...
Poverty-proof your school uniform 5 January 2021 As the pandemic hits many families’ finances hard, and the extra costs of winter take their toll, let’s not add excessive school uniform costs into the mix, says Dustin Hutchinson
The lost power of subject? 5 January 2021 Teaching today has become too obsessed with pedagogical theory or, even worse, the hoops of assessment objectives and examination criteria, writes Gus Lock
Hang in there! Surviving and thriving as a new teacher 8 December 2020 The NQT year is commonly accepted to be one of the most challenging in teaching. However, despite the challenges that many of you are facing – especially at a time of Covid-19 – now is not the time to think about quitting. You must hang on in there. Matt Bromley explains why...
Building back better: The curriculum and assessment 1 December 2020 Many have said that the pandemic offers us a chance to build back better. But what would this look like for education? Deborah Lawson on how curriculum and assessment might change 1 comment
35 hours? The case for an annual CPD entitlement 24 November 2020 An entitlement to 35 hours of high-quality CPD for every teacher and more effective support for new headteachers are two keys to school improvement according to the School Improvement Commission. Nick Brook explains
Full sick pay is essential to Covid safety 16 November 2020 Catering and cleaning staff in schools are more likely to catch Covid, but many do not receive access to full sick pay if they have to self-isolate. Jon Richards says this has to change
#SayTheWords: Supporting grieving children during the pandemic 10 November 2020 Children’s Grief Awareness Week runs from November 19 to 26 and is especially poignant this year given the on-going impact of the Covid-19 pandemic
Examinations: The DfE is increasingly out of touch 3 November 2020 Gavin Williamson is completely out of touch if he thinks that exams can continue as normal next year, says Dr Mary Bousted, even with a three-week delay of now vanishing relevance
Music education: A plea to schools 2 November 2020 People cannot learn to like what they never hear. Brenda Watson urges schools to give music education a higher profile in their schools and offers four ideas to get started
At the chalkface: Capitalism in the classroom 27 October 2020 No good teacher ever preaches, especially English teachers. We deal in ambiguity, complexity, beauty, not brute certainty – in some kind of truth. But these days, as Gramsci said, “to tell the truth is revolutionary”...
What costs the pursuit of personal statement experiences? 26 October 2020 Are young people’s teenage years being lost because of the pressure to experience a range of ‘personal-statement-worthy’ activities for their CVs? Paolo Canonica is worried
Covid-19: Increasing problems of poor pupil behaviour 20 October 2020 The NASUWT is receiving increasing reports of pupils using Covid-19 as part of poor behaviour, including coughing at school staff and deliberately flouting safety rules. Dr Patrick Roach says concerted action – from schools and government – is needed 1 comment
Teacher bias: We are all guilty 13 October 2020 PP, SEN, EAL – when we awarded our teacher-assessed grades this summer, did we award them to statistics and acronyms, or to individual learners? Chloe Testa looks at teacher bias and how we can finally begin to close the gaps
Supporting our teachers: Ministers must do better 5 October 2020 As the pandemic continues, teachers are reaching breaking point. Ministers must do better, and that begins with making guidance clearer and giving schools the time and resources required. Sophie Howells explains
Covid-19: Where is the plan for schools? 28 September 2020 Chaotic, blame-shifting, ineffective, incompetent – the government’s handling of education during the pandemic has hindered the recovery efforts of schools. An exasperated Paul Whiteman implores ministers to give us the support we need
Test & trace: A catalogue of broken promises 22 September 2020 The full re-opening of schools is reliant on an effective Covid-19 testing system. And yet we are still waiting. Jon Richards despairs at the bombast of this government and its grandiose broken promises
Employability skills will become even more crucial post-Covid 22 September 2020 With youth unemployment rates rising dramatically, employability skills must be at the heart of education in our post-Covid world, says school leader Neil Miller
Where now after Covid’s ‘Great Pause’? 16 September 2020 Why do we educate? What is important? The Covid experience must change how we think about education. In a new book, chair of the Headteachers’ Roundtable Stephen Tierney, says that clarity about the content that needs to be taught must be matched by clarity about the reason for teaching it...
The case for a national open school 14 September 2020 Has the coronavirus crisis and the reliance on remote learning during lockdown made the case for a national open school? Ros Morpeth and Anne Nicholls believe it has
Flawed assumptions plague our exams system 7 September 2020 The ‘mutant algorithm’ made a series of flawed assumptions about students’ exam results. But our exam system has always had at its heart several flawed assumptions, says Dr Mary Bousted
At the chalkface: Poetry is not an option 2 September 2020 This initiative is bone-stupid, philistine, condescending, insulting. Who are these “respondents”, these blockheads, who wouldn’t know a poem if it bit them in the bum? Ian Whitwham on Ofqual's plan to shelve poetry...
We must face up to inequality and unfairness in our exams system 24 August 2020 After the u-turn over the awarding of this year’s examination grades, Dr Patrick Roach says there are important longer term questions to ask about entrenched inequality and unfairness in our exams system 1 comment
Covid recovery: A broad curriculum for all 13 July 2020 Schools must heed the government’s call to teach an ‘ambitious and broad curriculum’ from September. We cannot constrict our focus to core subjects or knowledge, says Deborah Lawson
13 October 2020