Nicky Phillips | Schools Week

Teaching is more than delivering the curriculum

Children do not become educated through the learning of facts; they need to absorb and own the value of what they are taught Sorting out my books, yet again, I came across the 2009 Nuffield report on education and training for 14 to 19-year-olds, Education for All. I had a very small hand its production, […]

Largest academy chain AET joins criticism of PFI costs

The biggest academy chain in the country has joined other major trusts to criticise costly repayments to private firms who funded their buildings. A Schools Week investigation published last week revealed that cash-strapped schools are being pushed into financial ruin by soaring debts owed as part of private finance initiatives (PFIs). Schools are locked into […]

Have yourself a mellow little Christmas – by not taking marking home

The Christmas break is not a time to catch up on school tasks; leave them all at the school gates and give yourself some free time to relax The one thing that all teachers would agree on is that having to take your holidays to fit with the academic year can be a curse. The […]

School’s careers advice wins award

Merseyside school’s “à la carte” careers advice caught the eye of judges at the region’s Educate Awards and was named winner of the Career Aspiration category. Among a host of strategies, Calderstones School in Liverpool created a careers wall to post up-to-date information, opportunities and apprenticeships, and all key stage 4 pupils have a log-on […]

Get to know your environment . . .

An initiative that teaches pupils about the urban environment through interactive workshops and team challenges has been created by the Urban Land Institute (ULI). Its UrbanPlan scheme, which will deliver one-day workshops for A-level students studying geography and business studies, aims to bring the built environment to life by challenging students to plan the redevelopment […]

Hertford code-breakers win cyber games

A school team of code-breakers from Hertford have been crowned champions of the Cyber Security Challenge UK cyber games. Seven teams of the country’s best 13 to 18 year old code-breakers competed in an “I, Robot” style competition at the University of Warwick last week. They all had to intercept messages and infiltrate networks to […]

No 90: have fun and ride a bike

A primary school in Stoke-on-Trent is promising all its pupils that it will help them to achieve everything on a list of “101 things to do before you leave Star”. The Star Academy Sandyford’s initiative was developed by principal Nicky Broomhall to help pupils to develop confidence and take part in experiences that “every child should have […]

Parents at Watford Grammar School refuse headteacher request to cold call for donations

The parents’ association at an academy in north London has refused the head’s request for members to phone families asking them to consider making regular donations to a fundraising trust. The headmistress of Watford Grammar School for Girls (WGGS), Dame Helen Hyde, asked the association to “man the phones” to request parents to set up […]

Ofsted ignores own promise and refuses to release inspection reports

Ofsted has blocked the release of inspection evidence forms for a school that requires improvement, despite telling parliament they would be available to people who requested them under information laws. Schools Week revealed last month that Ofsted had released 16 packages of documents detailing commentary on observed lessons, meetings with staff and governors and other […]