Matt Hood | Schools Week

Teaching myths, debunked

A new IPPR report, Beyond the Plateau, blames poor quality CPD for the fact that many teachers are not progressing to become the excellent teachers it claims they could be. The report’s author, Matt Hood, has today put forward proposals for an Institute of Advanced Education to help reverse the trend. Here he takes a closer look at what can be done. […]

If I were Ofsted chief inspector…

Two grades, three categories, central data analysis and no aggregation. Go on Amanda Spielman, urges Matt Hood, what do you say to that? We have a new Ofsted chief inspector agreed by Number 10 and awaiting sign-off. Hurray. But what should Amanda Spielman do on day one? Ofsted has already made big improvements in the […]

Rise of the Robots

In this book, Silicon Valley entrepreneur Martin Ford opens a new flank in the battle between the traditionalists (directed learning, focus on knowledge) and progressives (independent learning, focus on transferable skills). Don’t waste your time with 21st century skills he says, robots can do those too. This book is fascinating, terrifying and questionable in equal […]

If we want to teach ‘British values’ then we need to do this….

How do we know what British values even are? And how should we teach them? Expert Matt Hood explores the answer. Before you read on, open a browser and google ‘British values.’ After a couple of links to the department for education you will see link after link of different school websites where you’ll find […]

Should the civil service be costing the opposition’s education policies?

What does a Labour voter from Morecambe, a Lib Dem voter from Truro and a Green voter from Brighton have in common? Yesterday they made a huge political contribution to the Conservatives. A line-up of Conservative Ministers yesterday published an extensive report, pulled together by officials from the Treasury, which attempted to cost Labour’s commitments […]