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18 April 2026

Author: Nicky Phillips

Criticism of home-learning ‘unhelpful’, says Spielman

Ofsted’s chief inspector has said it is “profoundly disappointing” to see commentators trying to “polarise” the back-to-school debate by “portraying teachers in a negative light”. Teachers’ safety concerns about returning to the classroom have prompted criticism from national newspaper columnists and some politicians. Writing for Schools Week, Amanda Spielman said it was “very clear to […]

Highlights from 2017 WISE Summit

Schools Week senior reporter Alix Robertson was joined at WISE 2017 by Tom Sherrington, an author and former headteacher with nearly 30 years’ experience in schools. Tom became a reporter in his own right for the two-day conference, attending sessions and carrying out interviews with delegates from different countries and areas of education. You can […]

The sky’s the limit for Bristol students

Year 8 pupils at Bristol Metropolitan academy will build their own aircraft as part of an Airbus Flying Challenge, which aims to engage the young people in science, technology, engineering and maths. A spokesperson for the aerospace company’s programme, which is being run for the first time in the UK, says the challenge will give […]

Trust sends 66 pupils to US

Sixty-six UK students from low and middle-income homes will soon cross the pond to take up places at leading US universities. They were selected as part of a Sutton Trust US programme, offered with the Fulbright Commission. The 66 have been given about $17 million (£12.8 million) of aid from the universities, Harvard, Princeton and […]

Cranleigh School marks Somme anniversary

Cranleigh school in Surrey has unveiled a contemporary war memorial to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. Students and staff gathered at the front of the school on June 1 to watch Richard Dannatt, former head of the army, unveil a statue sculpted by Nicholas Dimbleby, the creator of the well-known […]

Irfan Latif, Andrea Arlidge, Matthew Woodville and Bernice McCabe

Irfan Latif, the headmaster of Sexey’s school in Somerset and the first chair of the State Boarding Forum (SBF), says he will build awareness of the “outstanding education” on offer at boarding schools. “Although its reputation is growing fast, state boarding is still a relatively unknown quantity to many parents. “The SBF’s work is crucial […]

Emaleigh’s big chop for cancer

A brave 12-year-old chopped off her hair to raise more than £1,000 for a cancer charity. Emaleigh Holder, a year 7 pupil at Rendcomb college in Gloucestershire, wanted to do something to raise money after the death of a family friend. She chose to chop her locks in aid of the Little Princess Trust, which makes […]