Opinion

As the OECD publishes its first early learning study, Caroline Sharp looks at what we’ve already learned and how it could impact schools Primary teachers will be acutely aware that what happens in children’s early years lays the foundations for their future personal and academic success. Being able to recognise and support children’s development early […]

The Covid-19 situation is rapidly evolving. Hayley Dunn presents ten key points to keep coming back to as the pandemic’s effects begin to be felt Coronavirus is the most important concern facing school leaders right now. Their worries include the viability of school trips, the potential for large-scale absences and closures, and how to support […]

The government must reconsider how it targets resources in order to support our most vulnerable pupils, says Natalie Perera Somewhere along the road, we have ended up with an education system that is alienating the children that need it most. Over the past year, some our research findings, combined with the government’s narrative on education, […]

A dramatic rise in pupils being diagnosed with special educational needs means many schools are facing significant challenges. We have to rethink our systems and assumptions accordingly, writes Sam Parrett London South East Academies Trust consists of seven schools, only one of which is mainstream. The others – two alternative provision (AP) academies and four […]

A recent experience with Ofsted has convinced Daniel Wright that we should be working to strengthen, not to undermine, the watchdog I’ve been a headteacher for six months, and I’m learning at pace. I had imagined myself, two days after “the call”, standing Russell Crowe-like, bloodied but unbowed, shouting “Are you not entertained?” at inspectors […]

The winners-and-losers way of doing things has taken us as far as it can and it’s time for a radical rethink of excellence in education, writes Kate Chhatwal Writing my introduction to this year’s Challenge Partners annual report, my second as CEO, got me thinking about excellence. Many representations make it out to be exclusive […]

Trauma-informed practice is good for everyone and best of all for the most vulnerable. Why would our government favour compliance instead? asks Colin Diamond Speeches like Gavin Williamson’s last week, in which he appeared to endorse the nationwide replication of so-called “no-excuses” or “warm-strict” schools, hardly deserve the attention, let alone the heat, they generate. […]

Schools are moving in the right direction in tackling stigma around mentruation, but how can we ensure results are sustained? Kate Bowen-Viner looks at the research Last year, I spent time in a secondary school talking to girls about how period stigma can be compounded, and mitigated, by their school environment. Girls shared their frustrations […]

Careers education is too important not to be compulsory, and too important to leave to busy, cash-strapped schools. Ruth Gilbert offers an alternative for delivering the Gatsby benchmarks Despite the Gatsby benchmarks, careers education tends to get bundled in with all the things schools are told they should do but don’t have time to. But […]