Nicky Phillips | Schools Week

Theo hops on for the Skills Show

Pupils will have access to careers advice and the chance to experience a huge range of jobs at the third annual Skills Show, which will run from November 13 to 15 at the Birmingham NEC. Organisers last week unveiled their plans for the event, which is expected to attract about 80,000 children from schools across […]

Hypnotist teacher struck off for ‘abuse’

The government agency responsible for disciplining teachers has heard 14 cases relating to sexual misconduct since April 1, all resulting in prohibition orders, Schools Week can reveal. In one of the most recent cases, the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) banned a teacher in a West Sussex school after it was discovered he […]

Schools reject GCSE failures claim colleges

Teenagers are being prevented from continuing into their schools’ sixth forms after failing to get C grades and above in English and maths at GCSE, leading college groups have warned. Government changes now require students between 16 and 19 to continue to study English and maths, unless they have already achieved at least a GCSE […]

EXCLUSIVE: Hawthorne’s Free School Taken Over

A free school judged to be ‘inadequate’ earlier this year is in the process of transferring to a new academy trust, Schools Week can report. The Hawthorne’s free school, in Bootle, became the fifth free school to be rated ‘inadequate’ after being visited by Ofsted in February. The school will now join the Great Schools for […]

Reflecting on the 2014 party conference season

What can we learn about the future of education from the party conference season? Little of substance I’m afraid. Nicky Morgan got the best joke – ‘Nick Gibb – so good they appointed him twice’ – although I did like Tristram’s ‘continuity Gove’ jibe. Of course, politicians are extraordinarily grateful to teachers. The Conservatives are […]

FEATURED: the new regional schools commissioners

Small multi-academy trusts (MATs) will be encouraged to work together to help tackle underperformance in the east of England, Dr Tim Coulson, the region’s new schools commissioner, has said. Speaking to Schools Week, Dr Coulson said his new patch – stretching from north-east London to coastal Norfolk – had been identified as underperforming nationally and […]

How can we encourage more teachers to step up to become headteachers?

Rising workloads, stress levels and the pressures of greater accountability are deterring aspiring leaders from applying for headship posts Would you want to be a head teacher? Like most of the heads of year, assistant heads and others that we asked recently, the answer is probably no. Of over 1000 people who completed the National […]

Mark Baker, president, ATL

The Rossendale hills near Mark Baker’s home look like the backdrop to Postman Pat. A small café among them advertises £1.50 spam butties in its window. The air is brisk, in the way that it always is in northern hilly towns, even when they’re basked in sunshine. Earlier this month, Baker was crowned as president […]

Teachers need the time to get out more

Excessive workloads are preventing teachers from spending time on activities that would make them better at their jobs Education is enough of a national concern that there is no shortage of organisations arranging meetings and conferences about different aspects of the subject. Being addicted to Twitter has allowed me to keep up with much of […]