Opinion

School leaders are asked to manage their own stress and that of their school communities, often with little support. Rachel Lofthouse explores a promising avenue for a more sustainable situation School leaders are managing the necessary radical adaptations caused by Covid-19 and later, they will have to deal with the long-term fallout. Finding ways to […]

Headteachers are ultimately in charge of who accesses their schools but better guidance is needed quickly, writes Esther Maxwell The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world on its head. Daily life has been significantly changed for almost every single person and businesses have had to close their doors temporarily. For schools however, the situation hasn’t […]

Never has so much been asked of school leaders. Mike Armiger sets out how they can protect themselves now and for the long term It is a time of great uncertainty and challenge for everyone in our community and across the public sector. The focus on the developing crisis that is required of us is […]

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 […]