Opinion

Isolation rooms are calm, orderly environments with a clear routine. And behaviour is better in schools that have them, says Steve Garnett The older I get the more irked I become by the nonsense on social media, especially from EduTwitter types who should know better. Some people seem to have lived their career in a […]

Schools sometimes put their interests first when a child is removed from their roll – which is why Ofsted is determined to look at any unusual pattern of pupil movement, says Dan Owen Children and parents up and down the country are being quietly encouraged by school leaders to leave that community. In some cases, […]

In a report on the future of Ofsted that accompanied the launch of our new think tank called EDSK (short for ‘education and skills’), we delved into the research on whether people agreed with each other when observing schools and teachers. It transpired that when two observers, however experienced, walked into a classroom and started […]

A packed event held in the House of Commons entitled ‘Phasing Out Private Schools’ sought to kick-start a long overdue debate. Despite shadow schools minister Mike Kane attending, this received barely a whiff in the media – though it was the subject of sarcasm in a sketch by Jonathan Simons, formerly of right-leaning thinktank Policy […]

At a time when so many youngsters are glued to their Xboxes and mobile phones, communicating by grunts, emojis and abbreviations (LOL), it’s time we rose ‘Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more’ and shouted about the benefits of learning the words by heart of the Bard,  Michael Rosen or whoever their favourite […]

Too much research literature is skewed towards positive representations, says Baz Ramaiah Imagine that you’re planning a holiday. A quick survey of websites show nothing but positive reviews for your chosen hotel, so you commit your cash and book. It turns out to be half-building site, half-bus station. How did this happen? Knowing is half […]

Students are more likely to commit to a task if they are confident that they can complete it successfully. What can we do to increase their confidence and encourage them to begin tasks, complete them and recognise their success? Albert Bandura is a key figure in the study of self-efficacy. An early introduction to his […]

A ruling by the Advertising Standards Authority will allow many more organisations to use the title “graduate school”, explains Viv Ellis. What do you think of when you hear the phrase “graduate school”? A part of a university that deals with postgraduate and research degrees? An organisation that can award those degrees? You don’t need […]