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...
Diary of a headteacher: Dealing with redundancies 11 September 2019 Tight budgets and falling rolls means that our headteacher diarist has had to deal with difficult staff redundancies...
Diary of an NQT: All aboard the NQT rollercoaster 11 September 2019 A new year and a new NQT takes the helm of SecEd's Diary of an NQT. Every month they will be discussing their successes, challenges, highs and lows on the NQT rollercoaster...
Diary of a Headteacher: The weight of the exam results... 11 September 2019 As a headteacher, how much responsibility do you feel for your school's examination results. Our headteacher diarist discusses the unhelpful and unhealthy feelings that many school leaders feel on results day
A community focus on pupils’ mental health 9 July 2019 It is starting to be accepted that wellbeing and good mental health should be embedded into the culture and ethos of every school. Amanda Allard asks if things are moving fast enough...
Diary of an NQT: An amazing job, an amazing year... 9 July 2019 As the end of the academic year approaches, it is sinking in that my NQT year is almost done and dusted. I cannot quite believe that this is my last NQT diary entry.
Diary of a headteacher: Genuine and sustainable school improvement 5 July 2019 Do you like your job? This was the question I was met with as I walked through the school this week.
AP and PRUs: The real picture 4 July 2019 Much has been said of late about the role of alternative provision and PRUs – in the context of knife crime, off-rolling and exclusion. Deborah Lawson looks at the real picture...
Character? It is not enough... 3 July 2019 It is true, of course, that delivering effective character education will play a role in raising students’ aspirations and outcomes, but this is not the whole story, says Dr Mary Bousted
The knife crime epidemic: In defence of schools 3 July 2019 The on-going knife crime epidemic in our cities has sparked a sound-bite response from politicians and others, who seem set on blaming schools. Matt Ward explains
Diary of a headteacher: School improvement – 1980s-style 3 July 2019 I am sat with my leadership team on a bright summer morning. We are planning for next academic year. We have got an awful lot to do. Not least because we hope to call in HMI.
Schools should be... left alone 3 July 2019 How many times have we seen organisations, charities and even ministers call for schools to be given a duty to tackle some societal problem or other? Enough is enough, says Geoff Barton
Schools should be... left alone 2 July 2019 How many times have we seen organisations, charities and even ministers call for schools to be given a duty to tackle some societal problem or other? Enough is enough, says Geoff Barton
At the chalkface: Where language goes to die 1 July 2019 This once prince of subjects has been eviscerated. Creativity and critical thinking have been junked. Language is rarely subjected to ferocious and forensic examination. At what cost?
At the chalkface: Work 'til you drop 14 June 2019 The class drifted past my still form. Daisy asked about the homework, but rigor mortis had set in.
Support staff: Cut technicians, increase your risks 12 June 2019 The role of the technicians in our schools is vital to effective delivery of the curriculum, yet numbers are dwindling as school cuts bite, says Jon Richards 5 comments
Diary of a headteacher: Aiming for the moon 12 June 2019 Slowly and surely the transformation is taking place. After a meeting that will hopefully transform a core part of her school, our headteacher diarist reflects on the importance of aspiration...
Age discrimination: Time to celebrate experience 11 June 2019 Age discrimination is a real threat for older teachers in schools according to evidence from the NASUWT, which is launching a new campaign to tackle the issue. Chris Keates explains
3 July 2019