Mark Lehain | Schools Week

Why academy trusts matter – and why we need a tinder for MATs

The model enables great trustees and leaders to make an impact across a whole group of schools, writes Mark Lehain

Can we get some clear messaging from Ofsted on exclusions?

Ofsted is giving mixed messages to schools about exclusions, and it’s only going to push the problem underground, says Mark Lehain Recent years have seen ever greater attempts by Ofsted to be more transparent in its decision making, and engage more widely with professionals and the public. Being able to interact with senior staff at […]

Scrap national pay scales and let schools decide

With school leaders and teachers frustrated about the government’s delay in announcing teacher pay rises, Mark Lehain makes the case for scrapping centralised pay scales There is loads about being a head that I have missed since leaving Bedford Free School last August. One thing I haven’t missed is the challenge of setting a budget […]

A simple guide to the next wave of free school applications

Wave 13 of the free schools applications opened today. Mark Lehain explains how it differs from previous rounds The next wave of free school applications announced today will be quite different to the ones that have gone before – so if you are remotely interested in the policy or maybe even bidding yourself, it’s worth […]

Damian Hinds’ changes will create an accountability revolution

The education secretary’s first great act in his new job won’t grab the headlines, but the way he’s simplified who is responsible for what in our schools will prove invaluable, writes Mark Lehain At a glance, Damian Hinds’ various announcements today could seem like mere tinkering. Given the local elections, the mainstream press will probably […]

Inside the autonomous school: Making sense of a global educational trend, by Maija Salokangas and‎ Mel Ainscow

I’ve worked in schools since 2002, and to say that the changes we’ve seen since then have been significant would be an understatement. While some of these were driven by local circumstances, this book is a timely reminder of two things: 1) most of the really big developments have been pushed by national government, and […]