JL Dutaut | Schools Week

GCSE results: A national shame that requires radical change

Our new research shows the unfolding tragedy of educational disadvantage, writes Lee Elliot Major, and it’s a scandal that requires radical action

English and maths resits are crucial – but fewer should need them

A low pass rate for English and maths GCSEs – especially among disadvantaged pupils – is not an argument for reforming assessment but for improving outcomes

Schools can close gaps – but they can’t fix inequality

It’s time to stop asking what schools can do for society and start asking what society can do for our schools, writes Russell Hobby

Exam results: Regional disparities show we need new solutions

This summer’s exam results have once again shown the persistence of regional disparities in educational attainment. Across A levels and GCSEs, the gap in top grades between the North East and London has actually widened. But while there is a growing North-South divide in educational attainment, it is wrong to suggest that this is due […]

Edtech: Four golden rules for reviewing your school’s use

The pandemic caused technology use in schools to skyrocket. But while many schools have invested heavily in edtech over the past two years – in many cases starting from scratch – the post-pandemic context has opened up a host of new questions about edtech. As a Google reference school and one the department for education’s […]

Getting everyone talking about research – and pulling together

We have all been in that meeting, it seems. The one where the same colleague constantly argues, “Actually the research says X, so we should Y,” or “There is no research evidence to back that up”. But what if they haven’t read or understood the research and it jars? And what if, in an all-too-human […]

Ofsted’s autocratic curriculum experiment has failed

Over the years, Ofsted’s role has shifted from ‘aiming to improve lives by raising standards in education and children’s social care’ to a high-stakes, low-trust culture of school judgment. Worse: the framework itself is driven by an ideology of knowledge-rich curriculum, an obsession with cognitive science and reductive government targets for ‘academic Ebacc subjects’. In […]

How to foster interest in world events – without the anxiety

As a new report shows young people are anxious about world events, Lindsay Nadin and Helen Care set out some tips for supporting interest while reducing worries

Religious education: A test case for humanist views

Schools have a lot of leeway over their curriculum for religious studies but a recent case means humanism simply can’t be excluded, writes Dan Rosenberg