Expert Contributor | Schools Week

Permanent exclusion is the punishment of last resort, but it’s sometimes necessary

Even with an inclusive approach and a clear behaviour policy, permanent exclusion is sometimes necessary to protect staff or students, says Jacqueline Valin Pupil exclusions are finally on the political radar, and it’s heartening to see the issue being publicly examined. With permanent and fixed-term exclusion rates on the rise, the question of when, or […]

Are zero tolerance behaviour policies legal?

With the parliamentary education committee considering exclusions at present, barrister Russell Holland explains schools’ legal liabilities The education select committee has been reviewing exclusions and recently heard evidence about the way zero tolerance behavior policies potentially reduce inclusion. Its hearings even raised the question of whether zero tolerance policies are legal, especially given the fact […]

Stop siphoning off children into alternative provision

Val Gillies spent three years researching in-school alternative provision. We asked her what the best examples looked like To be honest, I’m more than a little hesitant about endorsing any in-school alternative provision. I think it’s an indictment of the current system that segregated education is now considered normal and necessary. What ever happened to […]

School leaders: tips for successful difficult conversations

Tough conversations with colleagues and subordinates are an unfortunate but necessary aspect of leadership. Sonia Gill, an expert in such talk, explains how to make the best of them If you’re like some of the school leaders I’ve met, you’ll find difficult conversations tend to come at you from every angle many times a day. […]

Do schools have to pay agency buy-out fees for supply teachers?

Schools are complaining that staffing agencies can levy thousands of pounds whenever a supply teacher is offered a permanent contract, even if the full recruitment process is followed. Ramona Derbyshire looks at what the law says Like any commercial entity, a school is subject to public procurement rules and at liberty to contract with other […]

What should an Ofsted inspection framework for multi-academy trusts look like?

The debate around the accountability of multi-academy trusts has intensified in recent months, writes Michael Pain As a handful of high-profile cases of failure hit the headlines, the calls for greater and more joined-up oversight of academy trusts have intensified. Indeed, just two days before MAT CEOs and trustees met for Forum Education’s most recent […]

How to use assessment effectively in your school

How do you know if your school’s approach to assessing pupils is effective in promoting learning, asks Jamie Scott Every school has its assessment framework, but is it fit for purpose? Schools use assessment every day, and it can be difficult to stop, step back and review the approach to ensure it is fit for […]

Schools in the north need more resources – but not because they’re less effective

It’s undoubtedly true that schools in disadvantaged areas of the country need additional help, but we need to be better informed as to why, explains Mike Treadaway Educating the north, a report published by the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, hit the headlines recently. Comments like “poor pupils in the north are a GCSE grade behind” typified […]

Tips for improving staff wellbeing in schools

Amid the retention crisis and ever-increasing levels of teacher stress, it has never been more important to look after staff wellbeing. Sonia Mainstone-Cotton has some suggestions Staff wellbeing is a significant challenge for managers and school leaders, who are in an excellent position to make a difference to the lives of their staff. If your […]