Opinion

Understanding the limitations of the data we hold, and the inferences we will have to draw, are crucial to a GCSE and A-level awards system based on trust, writes Ben White Teacher assessment is not as accurate as some of us think. If you’re not convinced, feel free to have a go at this competition. […]

The Youth Endowment Fund is calling for more action from government to support vulnerable young people and matching words with action, writes Jon Yates Our new normal feels far from normal. Most of us are struggling in some way. Many of us are parents struggling to balance home-schooling with work. Many of us are freelancers […]

Schools are being asked to take a lead as a front-line service for their communities. Ben Gadsby sets out some big ideas to make that happen Everything has changed, and everything continues to change. Rapidly. Things are immeasurably complicated for schools, but if we focus on the upshot of this week’s announcements, a sense of […]

Author and headteacher John Tomsett reflects on the last day of school as we know it. (For now.) Today, I began our final Year 11 assembly with the Chinese curse: “May you live in interesting times”. It seemed apposite. Oh for a boring Friday in mid-March, where nothing interesting happens, a Friday consigned to the […]

As the school system finds its way in a confusing new normality, success hinges on being inclusive of voices from alternative provision, writes Eleanor Bernardes Yesterday’s announcement that schools will close to all but vulnerable pupils raised more questions than it answered, especially for those of us working in Alternative Provision (AP). Ultimately the biggest […]

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 […]