You may have noticed: we don’t do fluffy content. It tends to be a bit technical, a bit nerdy, but that’s just who we are. So… here are some explainers of the education terminology readers have been asking about most this year.

What’s a strong GCSE pass?

In case you missed it, a grade 4 is now considered “a standard pass”, with grade 5 called a “strong pass”.  Schools Week editor Laura McInerney explains all.

What are T-levels?

They’re officially an A-level equivalent for technical education, but there’s much more to them than a simple definition. Technical qualifications expert, Gemma Gathercole, talks about their history, their future and why they’ve been introduced.

What is teaching for mastery in maths?

“Mastery” this, “mastery” that… but what does it all mean? Well, it’s an approach that makes sure pupils have a deep understanding of each part of a topic before they move on. Charlie Stripp, the director of the National Centre for Excellence in Teaching Maths has kindly provided an explainer.

How will GDPR affect my school?

New data laws are coming into force next year, but don’t panic! Here’s a handy guide on how your school should be preparing for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Progress 8 explained

It’s something about buckets, right? Confused as to what Progress 8 actually is? Here’s what it means and how it’s calculated, complete with some graphs if you’re more of a visual learner…