JL Dutaut | Schools Week

Choosing the right intervention is a matter of psychology

Choosing how best to support vulnerable learners is a minefield, but a new tool could help school leaders navigate it, write Matthew Easterbrook and Ian Hadden The pandemic has exacerbated inequalities that long predate the past year’s disruptions, and the recovery programme presents a real opportunity to tackle their root causes. For schools, that means […]

Your money or your data! Counting the costs of ransomware

A spike in ransomware attacks on schools should be spurring leaders – and the Department for Education – to pre-emptive action, writes Hayley Dunn Since February, there has been a disturbing rise in ransomware attacks on schools, prompting the National Cyber Security Centre to issue an alert to the sector in March. So while we welcome the […]

Recovery can’t be achieved with sparsely spread resources

New Teach First research reveals stark disparities. Our manifesto aims to put them right by giving teachers the resources they need, writes Russell Hobby Bilbo Baggins doesn’t often feature in education policy, but this quote feels particularly relevant to our schools today: “Why, I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I […]

The DfE must show it is inclined to learn from its mistakes

The DfE has been challenged like few others by the pandemic, writes Meg Hillier, but its disinclination to learn from mistakes and other longstanding issues make it a department of concern As I outline in my annual report this week, the Public Accounts Committee’s examination of the Department for Education’s performance has inevitably focused on […]

Research: What are the potential consequences of TAGs?

Teacher-assessed grades could have consequences for under-represented students – not to mention their effect on teachers, writes Billy Huband-Thompson Following last year’s results day botch job, Gavin Williamson has promised to “put our trust in teachers, rather than algorithms” this summer. The slogan sounds superficially attractive. But in practice, teacher-assessed grades (TAGs) have passed the […]

The future of teaching by Guy Claxton

Assistant English lead, Mary Hind-Portley finds a book that promises synthesis but brings little balance to key educational debates This book claims to explore the future of teaching through Claxton’s critique of a range of practices he categorises as ‘trad’ with some comparisons with those of ‘progs’. These terms dominated social media debate for a […]

Penny’s Podcasts, 24 May 2021

This week, Penny Rabiger’s selection of podcasts hears the voices of young people on mental health, race, conflict, homelessness and campaigning for change Are You Convinced? @UKYouth This new podcast series sees UK Youth CEO Ndidi Okezie and Teacher Tapp co-founder Laura McInerney taking on some meaty issues and trying to come at them from a different angle to each other. I have […]

The progress gap can’t be closed. So what now?

The data is clear: The progress gap won’t close in our current system and using our current tools. But there are reforms that could help us build a better picture and a better system, writes Sammy Wright When I joined the Social Mobility Commission in 2018, I had a kid-in-a-sweet-shop kind of moment. I was […]

The journey through recovery must lead to reform 

Covid has created new challenges, but it has also highlighted existing ones. Eventually, we must tackle them all, writes recovery tsar Kevan Colins’ chief adviser Over the period of the pandemic, schools and teachers have acted with great skill and dedication to ensure pupils continued to access high-quality education. In spite of those efforts, the […]