Opinion

‘Never look where their hands are pointing’: The hidden parts of the white paper

Never look where their hands are pointing. A childhood obsessed with magicians teaches you that, but it’s also true...

Nicky Phillips
Nicky Phillips
Opinion

‘The national funding formula: an easy guide’

Few would argue with the merits of a national funding formula and a fairer distribution of the current quantum....

Nicky Phillips
Nicky Phillips
Opinion

‘Can inspectors rate a school in 20 minutes?’

Teachers and school leaders deserve more than a quick judgment from Ofsted teams. Inspectors should instead make positive and...

Nicky Phillips
Nicky Phillips
Opinion

Primary assessment: The exclamation issue has been skewed

When Ben Fuller wrote this article for Schools Week raising concerns over new requirements for exclamation sentences, it prompted...

Sophie Scott
Sophie Scott
Opinion

‘Tread warily in this brave new academy world’

Teacher training needed reform. But are school-led routes the only solution? Accountability, parent power and the question of who...

Ros McMullen
Ros McMullen
Opinion

White Paper: QTS shake up masks recruitment struggles

On June 27, 2012, the world sat down to enjoy a spectacular Olympic opening ceremony. Everyone was watching. Well,...

Sophie Scott
Sophie Scott
Opinion

White Paper: Erosion of local authorities could see a ‘wild west’ race to the bottom

The first thing that is striking about the White Paper is the change of tone from Michael Gove’s era...

Sophie Scott
Sophie Scott
Opinion

White Paper: ‘Control freakery to the left of me, neglect to the right’

Education Excellence Everywhere is the title of the government’s education White Paper published today. Although it lacks the excitement...

Sophie Scott
Sophie Scott
Opinion

White Paper: Why should Ofsted inspect at all?

Educational Excellence Everywhere is full of fascinating, contentious and highly problematic proposals on a whole range of issues. Here,...

Sophie Scott
Sophie Scott