Expert Contributor | Schools Week

A ‘marginal gains’ approach to teacher recruitment is not enough

Short-term tinkering after a decade of disruption will not reverse dwindling numbers, warns David Spendlove. The government needs to think hard about why the profession is becoming less appealing The recently published School Workforce in England data for 2017 showed a continuation in the downward trend, with 5,300 (1.2 per cent) fewer teachers than the […]

The Curriculum – Gallimaufry to coherence

No idea what gallimaufry is? You’re not the only one. A quick search told me that it’s the perfect word to describe the curriculum in some of our schools; the “confused jumble” that many of our children are weaving their way through. Given Ofsted’s recent announcements, and the focus that curriculum design is now rightly […]

5 things schools should know about early-years education

Children get profound, long-lasting benefits from their earliest exposure to teaching, from academic and non-cognitive development to better health and careers later in life. Research also shows that their teachers’ professional development is key, says Alison Peacock Early years education is perhaps one of the most contentious areas of pedagogical practice. Of late it has […]

The Daily Mile is no magic bullet

The low-cost, straightforward and high-profile Daily Mile initiative is drawing wide support, says Andy Daly-Smith, but there is limited evidence thus far for its effectiveness. Schools should focus on fundamental movement skills, fitness, positive behaviour and passion. The newly published second chapter of the Government’s childhood obesity plan argues that all schools should adopt an […]

Ofsted DOES care about the early years

There is much more to Ofsted’s engagement with the early years sector than the chief inspector’s visits to individual providers, argues Gill Jones At Ofsted, we know it’s imperative that young children get off to a good start when they begin primary school. Once they’re behind, it’s very difficult for them to catch up later. […]

It’s not true that academies care more about money than pupils

Contrary to the claims of some researchers, academisation is not creating a market, and it is not putting finances ahead of pupil success, says Martyn Oliver Some things never change. Exams finished, the sun shining, and pupils, parents and teachers nervously wondering if the little voice in their head whispering “it’s coming home” is correct. […]

The schools that are building democracy into their education

This week has been declared the UK’s first-ever ‘National democracy week’ in an effort to get people more interested in politics. Here Fiona Carnie celebrates the schools that already get pupils, parents and teachers involved in the way things are run. One fundamental principle of democracy is that it allows people to participate in decisions […]

Reclaiming the curriculum: Specialist and creative teaching in primary schools

It is good to have a new book that seeks to “reclaim the curriculum”. However, the question has to be: does it do what it says on the tin? Well it doesn’t, actually. But what it does do is to showcase practice from a selection of primary schools that are making sure that their curriculum […]

Unleashing great teaching: The secrets to the most effective teacher development

I was drawn to the optimism of the title Unleashing Great Teaching. While acknowledging the multitude of challenges schools face in improving their professional development, the tone of the book is hopeful. The premise is that, with access to the right resources, expertise and school leadership, the profession has bags of potential to move itself […]