Expert Contributor | Schools Week

The budget won’t help us – so what now?

With no new funding for schools or young people, the chancellor’s 2017 autumn budget clearly doesn’t have the future in mind, says Paul Whiteman In the three months since I became NAHT’s General Secretary, I’ve visited many schools and been inspired by the professionalism and hope that I see wherever I go. The absolute dedication […]

What will the 2017 autumn budget have in store for schools?

Recent estimates on the health of public finances have been better than expected indeed July this year witnessed the first government surplus since 2002. Nevertheless, over the medium term the uncertainty of Brexit looms large. A significant downgrading in the OBR’s forecast could lead to a further tightening of the country’s finances on top of […]

Six steps to create good volunteering programmes

In preparation for #Iwillweek, Professor Tristram Hooley discusses the evidence on young people’s volunteering Young people are motivated by doing something to help others, to improve their community or to provide support for those less fortunate than themselves. Because of this lots of schools make opportunities available to young people to engage in volunteering and […]

Performance-related pay will solve teacher retention crisis

To keep talented teachers from quitting, you have to pay them according to how well they do, says Lee Miller In almost all walks of life, employees are rewarded for excellent work. It motivates them to stay with their employer and continue to perform well, which in theory, leads to even higher pay in future. […]

Education policy must be grounded in evidence

With a more solid understanding of research, we will be better prepared to challenge poorly-evidenced policy proposals, says Alison Peacock Last week, I was invited to join a police chief constable and presidents of a range of royal medical colleges to sign an evidence declaration. This declaration commits us to promoting evidence-informed pedagogy and leadership. […]

Why we need more men to become primary teachers

On International Men’s Day, Ryan Stevens argues that we should be doing more to recruit more men into primary teaching As a 24-year-old Primary NQT, there is one thing that separates me from the vast majority of my colleagues: I’m a man. As of the last academic year, 85% of teachers working in primary and […]

There’s no right or wrong in the free schools debate

Neither side is completely right or wrong in the free schools debate, explains Natalie Perera, but what is clear is that there is no quick fix to improving outcomes Free schools have been politically divisive since their establishment in 2010. To their supporters, they are a helpful disruption to the schools market, improving competition, choice […]

Youth inspectors – a radical proposal to shake up Ofsted

Students and teachers alike know the lie behind their schools’ “Ofsted lessons”, says Isreal Genius, who wants to implement peer inspections As the focus on grades increases and school budgets decrease, we have all experienced the phenomenon of schools shifting their focus from learning to passing. In this instance, I’m not talking about GCSEs or […]

School business leaders are on the front line

It’s foolish not to include business managers in all aspects of school planning, argues Paul Whiteman Like many of our school business leader members, I take exception to school business leadership being described as a ‘back office’ function. It’s irritating and misleading in so many ways. SBLs aren’t typically getting their hands dirty in the […]