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13 April 2026

Author: Expert Contributor

Developmentalism vs mastery: should teachers be ‘flinging mud at the wall’?

Should teachers ‘fling mud at the wall’ or should they follow a mastery approach, asks Heather Fearn There are two teaching mindsets. First, there are those teachers that expose children to the curriculum and assume they will learn it when they are capable. They might suggest a child is not developmentally ready to learn letter sounds; […]

Should the new College of Teaching receive state financial aid?

Recent archival research at the school of education, University of Adelaide, and at UCL, Institute of Education, London reveals that the foundation of the UK College of Teachers (originally formed as the College of Preceptors 170 years ago) and its sister organisation in South Australia, set up in 1851, were both shrouded in controversy. These […]

The social capital of a private education

Privately educated pupils earn more – but they also get better “quality” jobs. Why is that, ask Anna Vignoles and Francis Green The role of private schooling has been controversial in England for many decades. Despite being a relatively small part of the school sector (about 7 per cent of pupils), private schools have an […]

Inclusion supporters need a winning way with words

Choose the words you use in the battle against selection with care, says Anita Kerwin-Nye, as they can frame the entire debate. Lots of clever people are writing on inclusion. Julian Astle of the RSA recently published a beautifully argued anti-grammars piece called The RSA Enters the Grammar School Debate. The argument is clear and […]

Making school leadership more accessible to women

For the first time we have a woman prime minister, home secretary and education secretary in office at the same time. But that doesn’t mean equality of opportunity for women in education is secure, says Jon Chaloner Last year #WomenEd was created by a number of female leaders as a grassroots movement to connect existing […]

How can schools best help ‘vulnerable’ children?

Research corner with Michael Jopling, professor in education a Northumbria University. What have you been working on? We’ve been researching and evaluating two programmes – one in Liverpool and one in Cumbria – supporting families with complex needs. While schools are key partners in the process, both programmes take multi-agency approaches. One is funded by […]

Reputation matters: How to do PR as a school

Issues management should be as much a part of forward planning in schools and trusts as the annual prospectus, says Elin de Zoete. Many moons ago business magnate Warren Buffett said: “It takes 20 years to build a reputation, and five minutes to ruin it”… and that was before the days of lightning-quick social media. […]

Multi-Academy Trusts could be the saviour of education in the north

Successful trusts need to leave their cosy London bubble if education in the north is to improve, says Jonathan Booth. The difference between deprived secondary schools in the north and south is stark. Ofsted called this a “postcode lottery” in its annual report for 2014-15, adding: “What we are seeing is nothing short of a […]

Business rates revaluation: what schools need to know

In what has been billed as the biggest change in a generation, the process of the 2017 business rates revaluation is well under way. Richard Farr considers what schools need to know – and how they are likely to be impacted. What are business rates? Business rates are a tax payable on non-domestic buildings, including […]