A new dawn for education technology? 26 November 2019 A lot of technology in schools does not perform as claimed or is inappropriate for the needs of teachers and students. Is this finally about to change? Professor Rose Luckin reflects on the direction of the government’s ed-tech strategy
The cloak of the headteacher 19 November 2019 It was quite a nice story until he told us the scary bit – he spent much of his time worrying that one day someone would creep up behind him and pull off his hood...
Beating the exam cheats 12 November 2019 While the headlines were dominated by a proposed ban on watches in the exam hall, the independent inquiry into exam malpractice also made other important recommendations. Its chair, Sir John Dunford, explains
Accountability: Peer review should be the norm 6 November 2019 We urgently need to rebalance holding schools to account with helping them to improve. As such, peer review – and not Ofsted – should be at the heart of school improvement, says Nick Brook
At the chalkface: Walk in fear and dread... 6 November 2019 Roxana wanders the Halloween night. She can’t avoid passing through an ill-lit subterranean car park. Boys in grey hoods on baby bikes – more ugly victims of the rancid public discourse – threaten and menace
Careers education: A little less spin, please 6 November 2019 The self-satisfied spin emanating from the government’s £19 million-a-year Careers and Enterprise Company is doing nothing to help its credibility or win support, says Jon Richards
Diary of a Headteacher: Leading during difficult times 6 November 2019 Times – and budgets – are tough. But if the headteacher is emitting tones of doom and gloom then they risk this permeating through the rest of their team...
Accountability: Peer review should be the norm 6 November 2019 We urgently need to rebalance holding schools to account with helping them to improve. As such, peer review – and not Ofsted – should be at the heart of school improvement, says Nick Brook 1 comment
How does a school decide upon its ‘community values’? 28 October 2019 How does a secondary school decide upon and embed a set of values when the school community is made up of so many different people from many different backgrounds and viewpoints? John Rutter gives us his reflections
Why Ofsted’s EIF could give arts education a much-needed boost 23 October 2019 The number of hours spent teaching arts subjects continues to fall, but the new Ofsted framework could mark a turning point for arts and cultural learning. Jacqui O’Hanlon and Jenny Mollica explain
An accident waiting to happen? 22 October 2019 Are we sleep-walking into privatisation? Are we as school leaders complicit? David Dixon fears the state system may collapse under the weight of its own complexity and bureaucracy
The forgotten third... 9 October 2019 A ‘forgotten third’ of students fall short of achieving a Grade 4 in GCSE English and maths because of our system of comparable outcomes. This has to change, says Geoff Barton
At the chalkface: Teach like nobody is watching! 9 October 2019 We must be trusted. We must be allowed to teach like nobody’s watching. Maybe we’ve reached some kind of tipping point, maybe there’s nothing more to lose – maybe we can reclaim our classrooms...
Inclusive provision: More than a question of funding? 9 October 2019 As good as it sounds, the £7.1 billion school funding announcement is not enough – and more will be needed. However, providing proper support to meet pupils’ needs and ensure inclusive provision is not just a matter of funding. Philippa Stobbs explains
A multi-agency approach is essential for our children 9 October 2019 Schools and others lack the capacity and resources to embrace the partnership approach that is essential for the future of our children, says Deborah Lawson
Diary of an NQT: Some early challenges in term one 9 October 2019 The first weeks of the autumn term has thrown up a number of challenges for our NQT diarist, but slowly and surely he is settling into life at the chalkface...
Diary of a headteacher: Through the lens of the parent 9 October 2019 Our headteacher diarist is looking for a school for his son, who is soon to finish year 6. It gives him a golden opportunity to experience school open days from a parents' point of view...
Diary of a Headteacher: Out of school in September! 9 October 2019 Mondays are always busy in the life of a headteacher – so to be out of school for a Monday in September is unheard of...
Funding: We’re not there yet 9 October 2019 After years of undermining union campaigning on school funding, the government finally accepts that additional money is needed. But the recent investment will not be enough, says Kevin Courtney
Initial teacher training: Challenges and opportunities 2 October 2019 The government’s strategy to tackle recruitment and retention problems have clear implications for initial teacher training. Emma Hollis from the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers considers some of the challenges and opportunities ahead
Alternative provision: Changing perceptions 24 September 2019 Society’s perception of alternative provision is changing for the better, but work still needs to be done to ensure schools support their excluded students to receive an appropriately tailored delivery of education, says Jacqueline Daniell
You can’t be what you can’t see 17 September 2019 There are now more girls than boys taking science A levels but we cannot let our on-going focus on providing positive career role models for young women slip, says Edwina Dunn
Exam malpractice: The true picture 11 September 2019 Malpractice by school staff in public examinations always gets media attention, but this leads us to think that it is far more common than is really the case, says Sarah Hannafin
Support staff deserve better pay as well 11 September 2019 While new teachers are now being promised £30,000 salaries, support staff have had their pay suppressed for too long and merit a decent pay rise, says Jon Richards
At the chalkface: Roll-up, roll-up! It’s back to school 11 September 2019 Blazers can be £100 a time. Dear me. Poor children are being “rolled out” before they are “rolled in”, “disappeared” on arrival...
12 November 2019