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4 August 2026

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Opinion

No, teachers aren’t overpaid – despite what some think-tanks may claim

Last week, the Taxpayers’ Alliance, a right-wing think-tank, tried to claim that teachers are paid too much, flying in the face of all the evidence. Here, NFER’s Jack Worth debunks a few of the worst points in its research The Taxpayers’ Alliance (TPA) report on Schools Spending last week was a baffling and extraordinarily narrow […]

Ignore the naysayers, the new early-learning goals are great

Credit where credit is due, writes Clare Sealy; the government has done a really good job on its new early-learning goals So here we are again: another day, another early-years education story. There has been quite a lot of anxiety about these new early-learning goals (ELGs), and people are fearful that they will mark a […]

Why schools need a coherent curriculum

The curriculum at so many schools has narrowed as the government lays down more and more core targets. Mary Myatt believes that pupils will only benefit if we widen their horizons correctly There is a wonderful word, “gallimaufry,” that means “a confused jumble or medley of things”. It perfectly captures the mixed picture we get […]

Five things that work in teachers’ early-career development

Nearly a quarter of teachers leave the profession in their first three years. Cat Scutt believes a focused programme of professional development can stem that tide We know that new teachers’ expertise develops extremely rapidly. As Rebecca Allen and Sam Sims point out in The Teacher Gap, the learning curve for teachers is at its […]

Forget the 11-plus. Is a world without selection at 18 possible?

In a warm marquee tent on Wednesday, I was one of four people debating a motion: “Academic selection is wrong at 11, and it is still wrong at 18.” Having spent the past two years debating the considerable evidence against grammar schools, my arguments on the first part of the debate were sound. But I’ve […]

5 ways schools can support high-mobility learners

Schools could do considerably more to support in-year admissions and high-mobility learners, explains Rob Webster The lives of many vulnerable children and young people are defined by turbulence and instability. For those living in care, the much-needed but taken-for-granted steadiness and normality their peers experience is in short supply. Announcing last week’s annual Stability Index, […]

Without more money, the EHCP dream will become a nightmare

How much does it cost to educate a child? Schools are allocated roughly £5,000 per pupil, depending on location. But is it enough? And, specifically, where is the limit if it isn’t enough? This question particularly matters when thinking about special-needs funding. The new system involves an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Introduced several […]

No school should be forced to rely on Amazon wishlists

Most schools are now too poor to buy all the necessary learning resources, which Patrick Hayes believes is a shocking state of affairs Schools are increasingly being forced to use Amazon wishlists to persuade parents to stump up the cash for much-needed classroom resources, as was reported in last week’s Schools Week. The news comes […]

Governors are the unsung heroes of the school system

Unpaid volunteers, school governors are now often giving up as many 20 full days a year to make sure children get the best chances, writes Emma Knights Governors do not volunteer for plaudits or public acclaim. For them, their reward is helping ensure that children in their community get a good education. However it is […]