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4 October 2026

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Opinion

Five research insights that shone a light on 2020/21

JL Dutaut selects five contributions to our regular research column that have informed and elightened our year   Are exams really the only option?   Cat Scutt, director of education and research, Chartered College of Teaching Always ready with a perfectly timed evidence-based intervention, Cat Scutt offered a piece on exams and teacher assessment back […]

Are we doing enough to support maternity returners?

Taking return to work from maternity for granted can cost schools talent and women their careers. That’s just not good enough, writes Sean Duffy Imagine you’ve been working at the same school for ten years. You’ve been following the same strict routines day in, day out. Through practice and ongoing professional development, you’ve honed your […]

Schools can’t dismiss the menopause as a ‘women’s issue’

There are many good reasons to make our schools ‘menopause aware’, writes Jenny Arrowsmith, and not doing so could turn out to be a costly mistake Around 50 per cent of women going through the menopause experience symptoms that affect their working life. It can prematurely end some women’s careers and leave experience gaps in […]

Post-Covid: risk and opportunity for women in schools

The pandemic has worsened factors that were already holding women back from leadership positions, writes Sharon Monaghan, but it has also created a chance for real change A report published by Dr Helen Kelly last November made for bleak reading about the pandemic’s effect on school leaders. Of the 721 surveyed, 70 per cent said […]

Research: How long actually is the school day?

After repeated calls to extend the school day, Gavin Williamson has admitted knowing little about it. Teacher Tapp has the data, says Laura McInerney, but it may not help his cause How many schools finish before 3.30pm? That feels like the sort of question that an education secretary intent on criticising schools for the length […]

The ITT review poses a catastrophic risk to teacher supply

Rather than build on the strong foundations of the ITT market we have, this expert group’s review risks destabilising it, writes Emma Hollis Taken together, the recommendations of the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) market review final report, published today, represent an immediate and catastrophic risk to the teacher supply chain and the quality and availability […]

Eton reaches out. So who benefits?

The public school’s elitist reputation will be softened and some young people will benefit, but for Eton to invest in sixth forms for disadvantaged pupils is risky, writes Francis Green News that Eton is partnering with Star Academies to sponsor three new, academically selective sixth-forms in the midlands and the north of England have been […]

TAG you’re it! Preventing grade inflation in extra time

The DfE can’t rely on schools not to play up TAGs when it has created the perfect conditions for grade inflation, writes Jagjit Chadha, but an extra-time game-changer is still possible We have known since early this year that because of Covid-19 and lockdowns, public examinations would not go ahead this summer. Accordingly, the government […]

Diversifying literature is a collective responsibility – and it works

The lack of diversity in the English literature curriculum is less pervasive than it was, but a new report shows how far we still have to go, writes Caren Onanda I have always loved discovering the world through reading. It’s one of the reasons why I became a teacher. However, there was always something missing […]