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6 June 2026

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Opinion

ITT Market Review: making good on a promising policy

Many objections to the ITT market review are simply incorrect, writes Sam Sims. But delivering on its promise will require some changes from ministers Teacher training in England is undergoing a revolution. The induction period for trainees has been extended by a year. New National Professional Qualifications have been introduced. And each of these is […]

Sexual abuse: Now is the time to set the tone for a new culture

Ane Vernon sets out the key policy requirements for dealing with reports of sexual abuse, and says school leaders have a duty to go far beyond them In an environment of increasing publicity about incidents of sexual abuse and harassment between pupils, schools and colleges find themselves under enormous pressure. With all the normal pressures […]

Transition: A giant step that needs more support than ever

As schools welcome new and returning pupils, the NFER’s Julie Nelson and Caroline Sharp warn transition may not be as smooth as usual This week, some children will be starting school for the very first time while others will be moving to a new one. All will be embarking on fresh routines, with new teachers […]

Assessment reform must go hand-in-hand with resetting standards

There are no easy options for re-standardising exam results post-Covid, writes a former AQA director, and that’s reason enough to revisit how we assess students Two years with no GCSE or A level exams have stretched qualification standards to their limits. The number of A levels awarded a top grade in 2021 increased by three-quarters […]

Research: how can coaching lead to school improvement?

New research shows coaching can lead to school improvement, write Rachel Lofthouse and Trista Hollweck, and hints at best bets to make that happen  As the new school year starts, there is a renewed interest in coaching for teachers and leaders, especially with many Early Career Framework (ECF) providers adopting coaching as a model for mentoring. But does the […]

Teacher training needs reform, but the government’s review isn’t nearly ambitious enough

The government’s initial teacher training review has the potential to improve some aspects of provision, but could prove to be a missed opportunity, warns Jonathan Mountstevens. Experience tells me that initial teacher training needs reform. As a secondary senior leader, I have seen plenty of newly qualified teachers who have imbibed discredited ideas about learning […]