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4 October 2026

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Opinion

Three better ideas than extending the school day

If the DfE keep floating the idea of lengthening the school day for lack of better ones, we’ve got three more promising prospects for them, say two Chartered College researchers The idea of extending the school day to help students ‘catch up’ on ‘lost’ learning seems to be endlessly teased by the government in the […]

Research: Who has lost most from the pupil premium change?

Newly eligible pupils may need less support than the long-term disadvantaged, but it’s the poorest schools who have lost out most, writes Dawson McLean The Department for Education’s newest statistics show 1.74 million pupils were eligible for free school meals in January 2021. That’s an increase of nearly 300,000 pupils since January of last year, […]

The SEND system needs urgent and substantive reform

The SEND system has been waiting two years for promised reform and it can’t afford to wait any longer, writes Whitney Crenna-Jennings It’s been two years since the publication of Edward Timpson’s review of exclusions, the launch of a review of special educational needs and disabilities provision, and proposed legislation to track children who are […]

TAG appeals are Ofqual’s mess. Let them own it

Disgruntled parents won’t like hearing they can’t easily appeal their children’s grades, writes Dennis Sherwood, but there’s an easy answer to that It’s August 10. A-level results have just been announced and a stressed-out parent is making a more-than-considerable fuss about a grade they think is unfair.   What to do? Naturally, you feel exposed […]

Cultural capital is hairspray. What our system needs is a new ‘do’

The limited definition of cultural capital endorsed by Ofsted risks stopping us from dealing with the root causes of inequity in our schools, writes Jeffery Quaye   Amid the ongoing discourse about how we want to restyle our nation post-pandemic, education is well and truly in the barber’s chair. After two years of cancelled examinations, […]

The road to workforce equity in schools is still a long one

Edurio’s new report highlights how much work still needs to be done to break down barriers to equity, writes Leora Cruddas, and leaders should step up to the challenge Our schools and trusts need to be places that build bridges in the creation of a better and more equal society. But while progress is evident […]

Research: What is self-efficacy and why does it matter?

National Thank A Teacher Day matters, writes Cat Scutt, but the concept of self-efficacy means there are good reasons to celebrate school staff more regularly and meaningfully Published in 2014, the Why Teach report found that two of the main reasons people go into teaching are to make a difference, and because they think they’ll be good at it. […]

Our defences are not ready for this tsunami of SEND referrals

At the Westminster Insight SEND conference, Sonia Blandford says government is ignoring a worrying rise in SEND and CAHMS referrals that we are not prepared for Strange. Challenging. Unprecedented. Just a few of the words we have all used to describe the period since COVID-19 has impacted on all of our lives. But while it’s […]

Exploring Windrush is vital to diversifying history in schools

On National Windrush Day, Stephen Bourne reflects on the history curriculum and the importance bringing black British civil rights heroes into the classroom In June 1948, the Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury in Essex. The ship carried over 800 people who had left their homes in the Caribbean, and her arrival marked a historic moment […]