Blog Pageindex=5

Differentiation: A plea to Ofsted

22 January 2020

Please Ofsted – how can we address the gaps in learning within our classes of 30 children without elaborately differentiating our teaching intent? Dr Adam Abdelnoor asks the question...

How accountability must change

22 January 2020

What is accountability for, who is accountable and when will schools be able to welcome inspectors as informed, objective, supportive and empowering colleagues? Deborah Lawson asks the questions

Diary of a Headteacher: Recruitment – getting it right

22 January 2020

There are huge problems with the high-stakes high accountability culture which undoubtedly contributes to teachers quitting, but how many schools are proactively doing something about it?

Recruitment: Getting it right

21 January 2020

There are huge problems with the high-stakes high accountability culture in England which undoubtedly contributes to teachers leaving the profession, but how many schools are taking responsibility and proactively doing something about it?

Bett 2020: 'Keep an open mind'

15 January 2020

Thirty-five years ago, Dominic Savage co-founded what is now known as the Bett Show. Here, he looks ahead to Bett 2020, how teachers should prepare to attend the show, and what the future of technology means for education and teachers

A national plan for education

15 January 2020

It would not provide the quick-fix answer that politicians so love, but now is the time for a national, long-term plan for education, says Geoff Barton

The poverty gaps persist

15 January 2020

The shameful gulf in education provision between the UK’s advantaged and disadvantaged students is laid bare by the PISA findings, says Dr Mary Bousted

Diary of an NQT: Improving my practice

15 January 2020

With term one under his belt, our NQT diarist is determined to draw on his colleagues' support to improve his practice during the spring term...

Philosophy: The art of rhetoric

15 January 2020

Further integration of philosophical questioning into the national curriculum is essential if we are to stand our students in good stead. James McCormack discusses

A national plan for education

14 January 2020

It would not provide the quick-fix answer that politicians so love, but now is the time for a national, long-term plan for education, says Geoff Barton

So, where do you want to take your teaching career?

4 December 2019

Even as a new or recently qualified teacher, you may have an idea of where you want to go with your career in education? John Rutter advises on how we might get there

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