Sophie Scott | Schools Week

Plans revealed for new school leadership foundation

Plans have been unveiled for a new foundation to develop world-class school leadership – run by the profession rather than the government. Three professional associations representing head teachers, school and college leaders, and governors have drawn up proposals to create a new organisation called the Foundation for Leadership in Education. The foundation would seek to […]

Alastair Campbell: Education profession has been marginalised by politicians because of its ‘voice of criticism’ reputation

Former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell told school leaders today their profession has been politically marginalised because it has been viewed as a “voice of criticism”. Mr Campbell, speaking on the second day of the Inspirational Leadership Conference, was responding to a question from a headteacher about how the profession can politicise itself to dominate the agenda […]

Science lessons trial ‘improves year five scores by three months’

A science lessons trial that asked “big questions” such as “how do we know the earth is a sphere” improved year 5 scores by three additional months, says new research. The trial of Thinking, Doing and Talking Science (TDTS) is one of 10 trials published by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) aimed at finding the […]

Bradford school stabbing: “Response must be proportional to risk”

The news that another teacher has been stabbed sent shudders up my spine. Last year, Ann Maguire became the first teacher to die at the hands of a pupil in a school for nearly 20 years. Fortunately, schools are among the safest of public places but incidents do happen. As I know to my own […]

Teenager arrested after teacher stabbed at Bradford school

Police have arrested a 14-year-old boy on suspicion of attempted murder after a teacher was stabbed at Dixons Kings Academy in Bradford this morning.. West Yorkshire police launched a hunt for the boy who ran away from the school after the alleged attack, shortly before school started at 9am. The 50-year-old teacher is in a […]

Education research: The intractable problems

One of the more curious aspects of our profession is the way in which knowledge about what makes effective practice has been created and disseminated to its own practitioners. We are I think, singularly myopic in this regard. Education research has traditionally been one-way traffic. Research has been something done to teachers and not something […]

Ofsted’s new blog to ‘shine a light’ on inspection changes

Ofsted has launched a new blog ahead of sweeping changes coming into effect from September to the way it carries out its inspections. Introducing the blog focusing on developments in education inspection, Ofsted’s national director for schools Sean Harford said it was intended to shine a light on the forthcoming changes. These include a new […]

Headteacher: “Time to kill off the exercise book”

A headteacher has called for schools to throw out their exercise books – with pupils instead spending their time making products that can change the world around them. Peter Hyman, headteacher and co-founder of School 21, in East London, was speaking to 1,500 school leaders today at the Inspiring Leadership Conference in Birmingham. He said: “We need […]

Call for school leaders to take on challenge of creating self-improving system

An education charity chief has said too many school leaders are adopting a “victim attitude” to national accountability – issuing a rallying call for leaders to take “greater proactive responsibility for a self-improving system”. Steve Munby, chief executive of the CfBT Education Trust, urged 1,500 school leaders to enter professional dialogue with the Government, rather […]