Opinion

A focus on professional development will get us closer to where we need to be, says Emma Hollis Last year was one of great promise for those of us working in initial teacher training. At the heart of that promise was the Department for Education (DfE) consultation on strengthening qualified teacher status and improving career […]

The Court of Appeal last month found in favour of Ofsted against Durand Academy’s challenge to its procedure. In the light of the court’s decision, Katie Michelon lists the steps you should consider if you want to make a complaint against the inspectorate The Court of Appeal ruled last month that Ofsted’s complaints procedure is […]

We need to become more nuanced in our reactions to research findings, says Timo Hannay We are awash in data about education. The Department for Education routinely releases information about schools in England, covering everything from academic attainment and pupil demographics to school staffing and finances. (Schools in other parts of the UK are administered […]

Don’t blame independent schools for sometimes choosing ICGSEs, says Shaun Fenton The political football that is IGCSEs has been kicked around the pitch again, amidst cries of “foul” and “unfair, referee!” Independent schools were lined up to compete with state schools, despite the teams having no real heart in the game and the spectators – […]

Let’s not use the latest Sutton Trust report to argue about school structures – headteachers just want to get on with the job, says Julie McCulloch Academisation is one of those subjects which produces polarised views. Its rapid expansion is a product of Gove-era ideology and is anathema to some of those on the left who […]

If primary schools have to offer a broad curriculum, does that mean less time for English and maths, asks Karen Wespieser Can you have a broad curriculum and focus on the basics? In her commentary accompanying the third and final part of Ofsted’s curriculum research project, Amanda Spielman admits that one of the legacies of […]

If you think this year has been tough, just wait for the year ahead, says Allana Gay The year opened with the backlash of Ofsted’s Bold Beginnings still rumbling. The criticism from early years practitioners across the country was immense. In April this was joined by the Standards and Testing Agency announcement of reception baseline […]

There’s lots to talk about after a year in which education remains one of the few issues outside Brexit, but Vic Goddard and Caroline Barlow decide to stick to the big issues To paraphrase the famous quote from Donald Rumsfeld, the former US secretary of defence, there are known knowns, there are known unknowns, but […]

The challenges for SEND have reached a critical point this year, but there are still reasons to be cheerful, says Adam Boddison I am often asked whether the 2014 SEND reforms were the right reforms. The truth is that while the ambition and underpinning principles are sound, implementation has been problematic, and the reforms have […]