Opinion

Schools Week’s contributing editor reflects on the prospect of empty playgrounds and the role schools must continue to play Once upon a decade ago, I sat with a group of utterly dejected 17-year-olds; their heads in their hands, almost ready to cry. The school had messed up. Despite the students having been repeatedly told that […]

Simplifying disciplines for novices is a big part of the job but making things hard is how we make things stick, says Harry Fletcher-Wood In Rob Coe’s memorable formulation, learning “happens when people have to think hard”. As his very next line noted, however, this is “vague” and “over-simplistic”. It tells us nothing about how […]

Schools, teachers and students deserve better than to see their stories reduced to statistical snapshots, writes filmmaker and ex-teacher Jaime Taylor In the end, it’s teachers in classrooms that make a difference. It doesn’t matter if it’s attainment or behaviour, aspirations or beliefs, nothing improves without them. But they are doing this work in the […]

As schools rush to put home learning and free meals in place, we mustn’t forget the importance of key adults in vulnerable children’s lives, writes Sheila Mulvenney Even in normal times, the combination of overwhelming stress and lack of adults who can help them manage it can lead children and young people to be unable […]

Bunkum and divination have made their way on to educator development programmes and even leadership interviews, write Matt Hood and Neil Gilbride Whether you’re a teacher or teacher educator, curriculum development is one of the most fascinating and hardest parts of the job. Given limited time, what to include and what to leave out can […]

Following yesterday’s announcements on school closures and the cancellation of this year’s exam series, Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, is today writing to members of the association, as follows:   Why are schools and colleges across the UK closing? In truth, this was always inevitable. Many commentators and […]

The NEU’s priority is to get clarity for teachers and school leaders. But one thing’s for certain: There’s no going back, writes Mary Bousted These are extraordinary times. Schools across the UK are closing on Friday. We do not know when they will open again.  We do not know how the restricted opening of schools […]

How much research is too much, and what’s the best way to ensure it leads to best practice? Cat Scutt looks at the evidence The idea that engaging with research leads us to become more effective and ultimately improve outcomes for our pupils is a compelling one. With increasing numbers of teachers joining the Chartered […]