Skip to content
4 October 2026

Become a member today for unlimited access to Schools Week

Enjoy expert journalism on schools policy with fewer ads and exclusive benefits
subscribe

Opinion

All signs point to even greater pressure on schools post-Covid

A raft of new data from multiple agencies points to a rising tide of families in need, with no other place to turn but their schools, writes Whitney Crenna-Jennings When Covid-19 shuttered schools and workplaces earlier this year, our thoughts quickly jumped to the children likely to be most affected: those from disadvantaged homes, already […]

Is confusion in the classroom really such a bad thing?

Research shows confusion can lead to better understanding – but it must be introduced with care, writes Harry Fletcher-Wood We rarely set out to confuse our students – but perhaps we should. Recent research suggests that carefully inducing a little confusion can encourage students to think harder about conflicting ideas, helping them learn. For example, […]

The digital divide is only one of the challenges facing edtech

Our new report shows that despite a transformative year edtech companies face important challenges to meet teachers’ needs, writes Loic Menzies Between 2005 and 2008 the average number of interactive whiteboards in English primary schools tripled. In secondary schools, the number more than doubled. I was a teacher in London at the time and a […]

Now the government must show it can stick to its guns

This week’s announcement gives welcome certainty but the true test is whether the department can work out how to deliver on it, writes Anna McShane The firm reiteration today by the Department for Education that “exams are the best and fairest way for young people to show their potential” is a step change for a […]

No more excuses for failing to adopt flexible working

Opportunities for career progression to school leadership roles are limited for those who do not work full-time, says Suzanne Brown Part-timer. Often the term is derogatory. “You part-timer!” On other occasions it’s expiatory. “I’m only part-time!” It’s a testament to how normalised full-time working is. Our response to Covid demands that we challenge that narrative. […]

Home-schoolers deserve better than misinformation and distrust

If policymakers want to better understand home-schooling their focus should not be on pushing a failing model into homes, writes Anna Dusseau Publication last week of the Local Government Association’s research into “children missing education” has ensured the topic of home education stays in the headlines. It has also ensured that the conflation of “missing […]

A fighting chance in the parental arms race of tutoring

Amid criticism of NTP funding rules – with home tutoring disallowed and restricted to one subject per pupil – Becky Francis says it’s a generational opportunity to close the gap The days keep getting shorter, but news of three potential Covid-19 vaccines has provided welcome cheer. The emphasis in early coverage has been on efficacy […]

It’s OK for BAME teachers to hold conservative educational values

Crucial work is needed to tackle racial injustice in education, but it won’t be achieved by silencing challenging voices like mine, writes Shivan Davis In the educational culture war, new battlelines are drawn almost daily. Over the past few months alone, the killing of George Floyd caused fierce debate about decolonising the national curriculum, we’ve […]

The government’s Covid response has gone from shameful to shameless

This government has some nerve telling teachers to keep calm and carry on, writes Mary Bousted “Tell your members to hold their nerve,” a government minister said to me last week. He understood, he added, how tired teachers are and how challenging and stressful it currently is working in schools and colleges. But the school […]