Expert Contributor | Schools Week

Calm down – the church isn’t after a ‘land grab’

The memorandum of understanding between the Catholic church and the government is little more than a written definition about their working relationship, says Paul Barber Much has been written over the past month about the memoranda of understanding (MoU) between the Department for Education (DfE) and both the Church of England and the Catholic church. […]

If I were education secretary…

To deliver the best possible education for all children we need motivated, well-paid and respected teachers. School budgets must be sufficient to meet the needs of every pupil and our children deserve to be taught by qualified teachers. The current curriculum is not encouraging critical or creative thinking, particularly at primary level where the succession of tests […]

If I were education secretary…

As the chief executive of a multi-academy trust, my team of three executives and myself spend nearly all of our time trying to make sure that the trust and the schools within in are following all the rules. But it is impossible to be 100 per cent compliant. Not only is there a ridiculous amount […]

Soft skills can’t be taught… but they can be learned

The current education secretary, Nicky Morgan, has been on a drive recently to promote ‘character education’. Adding the teaching of ‘grit and resilience’ to a teacher’s already growing workload is a big ask but a greater focus on employability and skills beyond the classroom mean that it is no longer enough to simply get every […]

‘If I were education secretary…’

Integrating private schools would bring down the Berlin Wall that grossly favours the 7 per cent on one side of it, and that remains an ugly, disfiguring scar on our society. Our private schools — and I use “our” in the loosest sense — are for the most part excellent institutions. The fundamental problem is […]

Too much toe? – The peril of sandals in the classrooms

Nancy Gedge knows that summer brings tough clothing decisions – especially for women. And what sort of shoe is ‘appropriate’ in a sweltering classroom, anyway? About six years ago I went back to teaching. Up until then I had been on an extended maternity leave, and after making the decision to return to the classroom, […]

Why do secondary pupils pick easier reading books than primary pupils?

James Bell, Director of Professional Services at Renaissance Learning, discusses the challenges of the secondary transfer and the impact this can have on student progression, as well as what can be done to combat any negative effects. Just as moving house or job can be stressful and require a period of settling in, the move […]

With GCSE resits vanishing, are functional skills qualifications a better alternative?

When learners are no longer offered the luxury of resits in English and maths, are functional skills qualifications a better alternative for some? Charlotte Bosworth explains her view. A recent report by the Education and Training Foundation: Making maths and English work for all, described how the traditional learning approach leading to GCSEs can, for […]

What would be the benefits (and problems) of a teacher union merger?

Steve Williams, reader in employment relations at the University of Portsmouth, gives his thoughts on what a teacher union merger might mean for members – plus the potential benefits and pitfalls. News that the National Union of Teachers (NUT) has reportedly made progress on ‘joint working’ with the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), once […]