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18 April 2026

Author: Nicky Phillips

ANALYSIS: The spring term according to Ofsted

As another term draws to a close, Schools Week takes a look at what Ofsted has been up to since Christmas Overall grade distribution We published our first Ofsted inspection analysis at the end of the autumn term, as a quick and easy way to keep an eye on inspection outcome trends at all levels and across […]

Teachers have too much control, RSC warns school

A regional schools commissioner (RSC) has warned a struggling school for allowing its teachers to have too much control over teaching practices. In a letter to Top Valley Academy, Nottingham, the regional school commissioner for Yorkshire and east Midlands, Jenny Bexon-Smith, warned: “Some aspects of teaching practice are left to the professional discretion of staff […]

Green primary school awards

Green fingered primary schools can win up to £5,000 to go towards new green initiatives through a competition set up by WWF. Open to schools across the country, the WWF Green Ambassador School Awards is searching for primaries who put the environment at the forefront of their curriculum. The winner will be awarded £5,000 and […]

Vic Goddard, head, Passmores Academy

Why did Vic Goddard let Channel 4 unleash 60 cameras and 22 microphones into Passmores Academy for seven weeks in 2011? The result, Educating Essex, caused a media storm with the school swamped by a mountain of emails and Goddard attacked by “some of the right-wing press” who said vulnerable children had been put in the […]

Why be a headteacher?

The next generation of school leaders should look to the National Standards of Excellence for Headteachers for inspiration The self-improving school system — an underlying thread in the new headteachers’ standards — needs great future leaders and demands that current heads are nurturing talent spotters. Experience in one urban authority a few years back taught […]

Epilepsy Action awards

If you want to celebrate the work that your school does to support children with epilepsy, then nominate it for an “Edward”, an award run by Epilepsy Action to recognise educational establishments that “go that extra mile” to help pupils with epilepsy. The winning local nursery, school, college or university will train staff and pupils […]

Budding tycoons celebrate success at the palace

Three entrepreneurial school teams received their first taste of business success when they won a nationwide competition headed by Dragon’s Den veteran Peter Jones. Hundreds of pupils participated in the annual Tycoon in Schools enterprise competition, run by the Peter Jones Foundation. Since its launch in 2012, only one winner has been crowned each year. […]

PE in primary schools gets a boost

A new website wants to improve sport in primary schools by helping them to recruit and develop sport coaches. Launched last week at Berrymede Junior School in West London by Children and Families Minister Edward Timpson and British sprinter Bianca Williams, the “Coaching in Schools Portal” provides advice for headteachers on how to recruit, develop […]